Rocks Off On Hump Day

Sporadic posting here on the Blog.  I do have a couple of Beaders I have wanted to feature since Late Spring/Early Summer, but I cannot seem to clear my mind enough to write the post they both deserve.  I was stressing about this until I came to the conclusion that everything has a season.  And my heavy blogging season is Late Fall, Winter, Winter, Winter, Early Spring, Winter, Winter, Early Spring.  

In the meantime...ROCKS!

Lake Michigan...that Lake really does have the best rocks!!!)

Lake Michigan...beads were a bitch to photograph ~ metallic dark blue AB charlottes.  The rock is smoooooooth.

Lake Michigan...had to keep the bezel area exposed so that strip of pink on the rock could be seen.

Lake Michigan...the chain on this was really cool but impossible to photograph...it is all teardrops that are clear AB with a Touch of Grey.  I also threw in a few fish beads for fun.  These bugles were hard to photograph too!  But at least with the bugles, you get the idea.  The teardrops just were a blurry blobby nightmare.  

Creative Continuum ~ September

The Creative Continuum is here once again, as we celebrate Fall :


Alicia ~ April

Therese ~ May

Sally ~ June

Monique ~ August

Cynthia ~ September

Emma ~ October

Me ~ November



Or as Cynthia's photo inspiration is titled, "Indian Summer"  :

I don't know if a day can get any more beautiful than this!  

Here is my interpretation of Cynthia's photo:

Red Picasso beads, gold hex cut beads, rock-looking Czech beads

Lake Michigan Rock

Fleur got a little angry that I covered up her paint for the first few photos

Clearly, I ignored the color pallet and went with the vibe of the photo.  

The weaving is Random Right Angle Weave, which I learned a while back from Karen William's wonderful Lacework Bracelet Pattern tutorial.  I cannot say enough good things about this tutorial and the stitch itself ~  Do check it out! Random RAW is the perfect support for this triangle rock. 

Please check out the above links to the other participants in these small monthly hops.  

Thanks for providing such and inspiring photo, Cynthia! 

Rocks Off On Hump Day

There are a few other posts I have been wanting to get to, but in the meantime...

Lake Michigan Rock

In person, there are shiny flecks on the the dark part of the rock and little pink veining too.

The flecks are slightly visible in this photo of the backside.

The bezel is a circle of RAW, then peyote, in white, grey, pink.

I do love Rocks!  

Back Home Again

Are you singing John Denver now?

Here I sit, after a summer of motion.  And when I say motion, I mean we averaged two nights per week in our own beds.  

The day after school let out, we went to Maine and had a very very very relaxing time at a most wonderful B & B in Southwest Harbor.  More on that another time.  On our way to and from Maine, we visited Hartwick College.  The Bug is at that age.  For the next two months, we were on the road looking at colleges, taking the tours, having interviews with admissions to find out what it will REALLY cost.  When we weren't looking at colleges, we were on my parents' pond, trying to paddle away the college confusion.  Water is good for emptying the mind.  The Bug and Sunshine Girl had a shore getaway without The Bird Man and me. They enjoyed it so much more than if we went.  The upside for me was that I avoided the shore in summer.  The downside is that he decided we would kayak a ten mile stretch of the Upper Delaware that weekend.  I am a pond/lake paddler.  Kayaking in rivers sends fear running through every part of my body.  I don't like the current to take me...I would rather my own strength take me.  But I survived.  And enjoyed small stretches of the river where it was calm.  In mid-August, The Bird Man and I decided to go to Vermont ~ our first vacation alone in 10 years.  We ate fabulous farm to table food, stayed at 3 wonderful B & Bs, collected rocks, hiked, and enjoyed a 2pm beer every day.  More on that another time.  

Now we are back to obligations, new schedules, new routines, a very neglected vegetable garden, and giving care to those that need it.  So here I sit.  I have made a whole unpaid career out of sitting and waiting for those I love while they are at sports, lessons, appointments, and while they heal.  I am not complaining one bit.  Someone needs to do it and my heart tells me it is me. 

This post should be photos of Maine, Vermont, the Pond, and all the abandoned structures in between.  But instead, I am posting some photos of the second to last piece of jewelry I made way back in late May-early June.  I am hoping it will prompt me to pick up a needle again.  

agate focal compliments of Cynthia

matte hematite beads, seed beads 

back side which can also be a front side

Fleur loves this grey spiral

I really need to get back to Me and weave.  A simple peyote bracelet is in my immediate future.  I can feel it in my hands already :-) 

CC7A August

Two Whole Months Without Posting.  I've missed my blog friends!!!

But here I am, back with the Creative Continuum of Seven ~

Alicia ~ April

Therese ~ May

Sally ~ June

Monique ~ August

Cynthia ~ September

Emma ~ October

Me ~ November



This month Monique provided the photo inspiration and below it is my interpretation.  Please go see what the other ladies made.

All but the green beads were a gift from Liz at Bead Contagion.  

Hopefully I am back in the saddle again...fingers crossed!

CC7A June

Time for another CC7A Monthly Challenge!
This month's photo inspiration came from Sally.

Please go visit the other CC7A blogs and see what they made:

Alicia ~ April

Therese ~ May

Sally ~ June

Monique ~ August

Cynthia ~ September

Emma ~ October

Me ~ November

The Inspiration

Kazuri Beads, a gift from my Mom

Fleur acting as camouflage 

Size 8 and 11 seed beads, twin hole beads...makes for a nice chain

A Time To Stitch Eight ~ Sign Ups June 20-27, Reveal November 21

Yes ~ Therese and I are ready to sign you up again, at your say-so.

We'd like to do it now to give you all a nice looooooooong time to get your projects done...or to procrastinate, as Therese pointed out in conversation ;-)

This time around, we are doing Amulet Bags, Totes, Purses, Clutches.  Some part of them will be made of bead weaving.  It is up to you do decide if the whole bag will be done in bead weaving stitches, or the strap only, or bead embroidery on fibers, or netting on fibers, etc.  Just some obvious part.

Back in College when I went out to bars, I carried my I.D.(folded the laminate to make it fit), some money, and my apartment key in an amulet bag around my neck.  It was easy and compact and I didn't have to worry about a purse while I was out.  Now that the kids are carrying most of their own stuff these days, I want to go back to that ease again...the amulet bag, not the bars.  I have a porch now for that ;-)

Here is the my Pearl Street Bar Hopping Amulet Bag (purchased in the late 80s in Estes Park for $30)...for all the smokey, sweaty, sticky places it has been, it is still in great shape :

There are many free tutorials out there :

Bella On Line Amulet Bag Pattern

Fire Mountain Gems Amulet Bag Pattern

Earth Mother Crafts Winter Cardinal Amulet Bag 


Go on Google Image and be wowed and amazed!  And wowed some more.



Since it is five months until the reveal, we are planning on sending a few more reminders over the months than we normally do  So please, when you sign up, include your e-mail, blog address, and name.  Even if you know we have it.  We greatly appreciate it!