Where Did The Week Go ?

To answer my own question, it literally flew by !  Wow.  I am glad to see it go but not so fast.  Geesh...............At least I was able to accomplish some things.  That's always good.  lol !  Even came up with a few new ideas.  One concerning making beads but that will have to wait til I get back to the torch.  :)  Maybe today for a bit ?  :)

The past week also included a try out with some new beads and Kumihimo.  Did not work out like I thought it would so it came apart.  The really frustrating thing about that - I was done with the piece - or so I thought and found it was too short on one end.  Drats.  Nope, could not of added any lampwork beads to one end either cause it was a necklace with a focal.  Oh well, the new beads will be used another day in another piece.

One of the Kumihimo facebook groups I belong to had a reveal of the challenge they had going.  It's still going on in fact.  No prizes or winners, just a reveal of what one has accomplished.  I participated in that challenge and made 3 braids and 3 bracelets pictured below.  It really was alot of fun figuring out what to make and what to use.  I hope there's another challenge soon.  One big reason I made so many pieces is I needed to re-stock my Etsy shop.  lol !

I did manage to learn a few things as well but will have to wait to reveal those things once I actually make some pieces.   

The braids are as follows left to right:  square braid done rayon satin cords, flat braid again all rayon satin cord and another flat braid done in hand dyed satin cord and a sparkly yarn.  All going in my Etsy shop this week.  All are long enough to use in your Handfasting ceremony !  :)  I have to say, I could make braids on my Marudai all day long, every day !  I love working on it !  Moreso than using the foam disk. 

 All of the bracelets are made with magatama beads and the top left one also has seed beads in it.  The blue and black one and the pink and black one will be in my Etsy shop today. 

 The photo below is the photo of the colors we needed to incorporate into our pieces.  I put the bracelets on the photo to show how they matched up.  The blue beads are not the exact shade of blue in the photo, but close.  Oh well.............:)   

Thanks for coming by.  I hope you come back again next week.  :)  I hope everyone is staying safe and enjoying this holiday season. 

Please come by my Facebook page where I sell lampwork beads made by other artists.  These are beads I've had for a long time and have never used.  They need new homes.  This is the direct link.  OPB'S FOR SALE  You can purchase from that page.

  

 

Time - Is Not On My Side (but Kumihimo helps ! )

Those lyrics just keep playing in my head instead of the original.  There's only one word that makes it different and we all know what that is I'm sure.  :)  Isn't it the truth though ?  Especially this time of year when everyone seems to have at least a zillion things to do !  And our list just keeps getting longer and longer.  Just never enough time in the day or week or month..............I need to take a breather.

Still no torching for me.  sigh.  I have often wondered lately if I'll ever get back to my beloved torch and glass.  I walk past it almost daily and glance over at it all and just sigh.  ;(  With my allergy issues not getting any better and so much else going on in our lives, I can ONLY look at it and maybe touch the glass occasionally.  lol !  Oh well....maybe.... one.... day - soon.  sniffle............

In the meantime, I can at least play with the Kumihimo braids.  That, I can do while doing other things at the same time.  Easy to do since what I am doing right now is portable.  Using the Marudai is not portable and I have made a couple of braids using that but mainly it's been the foam disk lately.  Yesterday, I made a necklace and was able to watch over fixing our dinner and the tv at the same time.  Go figure.  Never lost my place either.  I have several methods of being careful about that.  Anyone that knows how to make Kumihimo braids is familiar with those techniques.  I'll show them to you here though just in case.
 
The braid I'm working on in the photo's is a typical 8 strand braid.

The easiest method for me is to place a little piece of a torn off business card under the first move.  In the pic below it's at the top of the disk and it's black.  I NEVER lose my place doing it that way and I always know that's where I start once again.  Using this method, I always finish thru ALL four movements before stopping.  I use this method with my Marudai ALWAYS. 

The second method I rarely use myself but so many others do it this way and swear by it.  I only use it in a pinch, like if the phone rings and I need to stop quickly.  It does show, in an obvious way, where you left off and where you need to begin again.  At the top in this photo it shows three of the cords.  The cord in slot 28 was the last move and the one that you need to start with again.  That cord is then moved to slot 10 at the bottom of the disk.

The last method is maybe a bit harder for some to use but for me it was a simple solution and one I used alot before using the torn off business card.  If you look at the photo below, you'll see a steel rod.  I'm just using that as a "pointer".  If you look at where it's pointing at the cords, you will notice the position of the cords.  There is a wide gap in between the green and pink cord where all the cords meet in the center.  It's the same on the right with that pink and green cord as well.  You will also notice the cords at the top ( yellow and orange colors) and bottom of the disk have no gap when meeting in the center.  You will also see the cords at the bottom of the disk are "off center".  All this info tells me I need to start with the cord on the bottom left.  Believe me, once you get use to it, it's easy.  It just sounds like alot.  Yes the black business card piece is still in the picture.  I forgot to take it out.  lol ! 

Hopefully this is helpful to someone out there.  Just a little tidbit of info that has worked for many who love working Kumihimo.

I was able to make a couple of pieces over this past week but no time to photo yet.  Will get those next time.

Thanks so much for coming by.  I hope you come back again soon.

Please visit my Etsy shop.  www.allmybeads.etsy.com  I have a bead sale going on now until Dec. 18th.  10% off all focal beads.  Also come on over to my facebook page and give me a like and leave a comment.  That link is :
https://www.facebook.com/AllMyBeads  Thanks again !   

Kumihimo Edited

As you can see this page has been edited.  I've deleted most of my posts on Kumihimo as there is so very much on the web now about that subject that my posts were outdated. 

 

Enjoy the eye candy below which includes my hand made lampwork glass beads and flowers and some beaded kumihimo pieces I made. 

 

Come by and visit my Facebook page at:  https://www.facebook.com/AllMyBeads 

This is where you will find my beads, jewelry, hand dyed silk cords and Kumihimo braids.  Some of these things are still available in my Etsy shop which you can go to by clicking the pictures to the right.  :) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bellflower Press Update - It's Been a While

It's been such a long time I posted anything about the bellflower presses and what I've made with them that I decided it was time once again for an update.  All the flowers I've made have been for bouquets but a few bellflowers and bellflower bouquets stand alone.  :) 

There's so much you can do with those presses other than "just" a bellflower even though the bellflower is still and always will be the star !  :)  I did some back searching on my blog and in my photo catalog and sure enough I was playing and experimenting with such things way back in 2012.  One thing I did do back then was make daffodil type flowers as shown in the photo's below.  I recently sold this bouquet with a daffodil type flower in it.

 They're easy to make actually just takes a little more time.  I have used 2 different methods both of which work fine.  Method #1 -  Make the petals first and keep warm on a warming plate.  To make the petals, I use this tool  petal puller which works very well.  The petals can be used in either direction - with tip attached or tip facing outward.  For the daffodil, the tips are facing out.  Once those are made then I make the bellflower.  Once bellflower is done I then attach the petals, any number you want to attach and wha-la  - a daffodil type flower !  :)  Put in kiln. 

Method #2 - Make the bellflower and the petals.  DO NOT ATTACH the petals.  Instead do the following -  Keeping the petals on the warming plate,  get a mandrel and make a spacer bead.  It can be round or donut shaped but a spacer bead.  Then add the petals around the outside edge of the bead with the tips facing outward if you use the petal pullers or if you make the yourself.  Wha-la, you have your daffodil petals.  Put it in the kiln.  Once everything has cooled & your spacer bead has been cleaned, you can then assemble the daffodil type flower.  Take your bellflower bead and slide the wire thru the spacer bead hole to see how it fits.  If you have a good fit and the bellflower sits flat or at least close to flat, you can then add glue to the bottom of the bellflower and/ or the inside of the spacer bead and attach the bellflower to the spacer bead and let dry.  I just use Super glue.  Wha - la - you have your daffodil type flower.   Sounds like alot of work but really it's not and the outcome is pretty.  :)

The yellow daffodil flower in the bouquet below is done using Method #2.  This bouquet was made in 2012.

The yellow daffodil flower below was done with Method #1.

So that's all for now.  Thanks so much for coming by.  I hope you come back again soon.

Check out my Etsy Shop !  I'm having a sale on all necklaces !  15% off until Dec.1st !
 Click on any link to the right or just click this link All My Beads

Beads Have A Strong Hold On Me

Still recouping from pneumonia (at last, I got the spelling right ! lol ! ) so another slow week but I did manage to make it a bit productive.  Still no torching but kept my hands a bit busy anyway making some jewelry pieces.  Funny but once I started torching I swore off making jewelry (which is where it all started) and never thought I'd get back to it.  lol !  I actually never left it.  Just went in different directions with it. 

When I first started beading more than 10 years ago, believe it or not, it was Joan Rivers (RIP Joan) that actually got me started.  Yep.  I was flipping channels on tv when I came across Joan presenting her jewerly on QVC.  I watched because it was a beaded dangle bracelet or charm bracelet or whatever you want to call it.  It had ALOT of beads on it.  I watched and bought a bracelet.  Decided hey, I can make one of those and began my quest for buying bracelets then how - to books,  beads and etc.  So VERY long story short, I have quite a collection of my own and others lampwork beads, crystal beads, some gemstone beads, metal beads, shell beads, ceramic beads, wood beads, pressed glass beads, polymer clay beads and so on and so on, etc, etc etc.  lol !  Thing is, I've actually sold a whole bunch of beads too.  Not just my lampwork beads but alot I collected over the years and yet I still have an abundence.  :)  This past week one of my projects was putting together a new series of jewelry pieces.  I call it - " I Have So Many Damn Beads That I Have To Do SOMETHING With Them !"  I'll be showing pieces here from time to time and possibly some will go in my Etsy shop.  Which is a mistake as there are literally THOUSANDS of jewelry pieces on Etsy !  lol !  Anyway, I'm having fun putting these pieces together and seeing beads again I haven't seen in a while.  lol.  The trouble is, I keep buying beads.  Could be the draw is in my past from my former Hippie days ?  I don't know but whatever it is, it keeps me in and I just don't think there's an escape !  lol !  Could be I don't want to escape anyway.  :)

My first piece in that new series is this necklace.  It's soooo long it can wrap around your neck 3 times if you want it to.  :)  I'm so happy with it I might of kept it for myself if I wore necklaces.  It might go in my Etsy shop, I might gift it.  Can't make up my mind.  There are crystals, gemstone beads, cheap beads, glass beads, seed beads, metal beads and shell beads in this.   I love it !  :)   

More of what I did this past week was play with another necklace/wrap bracelet pictured below.  I really enjoy how these look !  This one is done is pretty pastel colors.  Will be in my Etsy shop soon. 

I have one kumihimo braid on the Marudai I'm working on, a beaded bracelet I'm not quite ready to show yet and a necklace I'm working on also for my niece.  So again, a bit of a productive week.  :)

That's all for now.  Thanks so much for coming by.  I hope you come back again next time.  :)

The Kumi Keeps Coming ! :)

Since I joined a couple of kumihimo groups on Facebook, I have pretty much become obsessed with the whole thing again.  I mentioned that before so sorry I'm being repetitive but it needed to be said.  I can't seem to get enough of it lately.  This past week I worked with beads and without.  I have been experimenting again with beads which I've shown below.  So many shapes, sizes, colors from many manufactures it can be a bit overwhelming.  Lately, I've been working with Czech seed beads which is a first for me and discovered how much I truly enjoy them.  So far I've tried 5 different sizes and lots of colors.  :)  I need more.  lol !

Another fact I found from being in these groups is that there are soooooo many blogs about Kumihimo it's incredible !  So much information out there and it's mostly free !  So I've come to the conclusion that I will only post about what I'VE discovered, learned and/or how much fun I'm having doing Kumi.  I have never "invented" a new braid nor have I even tried.  I rather enjoy using what's already out there.  Is that a cop-out ?  Some may think so but I am not a designer by any means and that's perfectly fine with me.  I enjoy just making the braids - with or without beads.  It's fun, it's colorful and keeps my old hands from locking up !  lol !  There are plenty of others out there that can design for me.  :)  In fact, I recently bought 2 Kumihimo tutorials using beads that look interesting IF I can figure out the pattern.  The designer did not write it up like I am use to seeing - seeing being the key word.  I am a visual learner.  We shall see.  :)

This past week I managed to make one fiber flat braid, 4 beaded bracelets, 1 experimental strand and 1 beaded wrap bracelet !  Whew !  lol !  I was on a roll and having a blast !  lol !  I love playing with new things.  lol !  The photo's are below with a bit of explaination where needed.

                       Neon colors in a simple round braid pattern.  LOVE it !  :)  The cord shows thru but that's something I personally don't mind unless it looks sloppy.

                         More neon colors, different size beads.  Unfinished. Again, the cord showing thru a bit so am figuring it's the type/shape of bead being used.  The cord on this bracelet to be are all matching colors to the beads - NEON !  :)  Found HERE  

 
            MORE Czech seed beads I LOVE LOVE LOVE !  I'm getting more.  These are a larger bead so the thread does show.  I used the Omega #2 as usual so next time I will use a thicker cord.   

I love how this bracelet turned out !  It's ICY !  I am a winter person.  Will be in my Etsy shop soon.  I will also custom make a bracelet for you in this style.  Contact me thru my Etsy shop.  ;)

This is one of the test pieces I did.  Done with supposedly medium size shell chips and chunks !  lol !  It's HEAVY and towards the end of the braid, it loosened up ALOT.  Very noticeable.  You will notice also that on the beaded ends, there are red seed beads.  I was testing something else which would of worked had one end not gotten so loose.  Oh well..............................another time, another piece.  :)

This piece is also a bead test.  These beads are very large but again they are Czech seed beads, matte transparent so the cord really shows thru.  Not happy with this one at all.  Maybe a heavier cord would work ?  Not sure.

Last piece, the wrap bracelet.  I love the colors on this one.  It will fit up to a size 8 which is what I wear but depending on how many wraps you do around your wrist it can go higher for a smaller wrist or lower for a larger wrist.  I'll custom make one for you as this will be listed in my Etsy shop.  The clasp is a regular lobster claw clasp.  Can also be worn as a single strand necklace.  

  
So there you have it.  These are just a few of the pieces I've done in the last 10 days.  lol !  There are more but will keep for another time.  :)  Thanks so much for coming by !  I hope you come back again soon.  Please, leave me a comment below and tell me what you think.  :)   Please note:  Your message will not show up unless I "ok" it. 

Kumihimo

Updated and Edited Page


Necklace made with seed beads and my own hand made lampwork focal bead.

                     

 My beads are available here  https://www.facebook.com/AllMyBeads   My hand dyed silk cords are available on my Facebook page also but are in my Etsy shop.  If you click on any of the photo's to the right, it will take you there. 



  

Kumihimo Necklace

EDITED

ALL MY BEADS FACEBOOK PAGE


This necklace is in my Etsy shop.  Come on over for a look at hand dyed silk cords, my lampwork beads, jewelry and braids.  

    

Weekly Update

This past week was about getting house repairs, remodels, re-do's and cleaning done more than anything else.  It's been busy to say the least.  :)  I didn't have time to torch however I was able to do a little something.  More on that below.

I put together one necklace.  Yeah, that's pretty much it for the week.  sigh.  The Greek ceramic beads in bright colors had been sitting around long enough with nothing ever being done with them.  It was time - even though my hand/thumb was hurting.  At least there was no twisting or hard grabbing of any kind involved.  I had fun constructing it to.  I LOVE bright colors in jewelry so that part made things a little easier for me.  I added some of my lampwork spacers to it as well.  Gave it a different look than the other Greek ceramic beaded jewelry I've made.  It's in my Etsy shop now but also pictured below.  I REALLY like it alot and thinking of making a set for myself.  Also, if anyone buys the necklace and wants a pair of earrings to match, all you need to do is convo me and I can do that too.  :)   So that was fun putting that together.  I have sooooo many of the Greek ceramic beads in all shapes and colors I have extra for sale in my Etsy shop on sale.  Check them out.

I was shopping yesterday at my local big box store and found some cord very similar to the Omega cord I use for my kumihimo !  In fact, it's EXACTLY the same but on a smaller roll with much less in yardage.  It's size #2 just like the Omega and also made of 100% nylon.  They had 8 colors available.  The price was expensive compared to where I buy my Omega which is Creative Yarn Source  The price at the box store was almost $2.00 for only 100 yards compared to Creative Yarn Source where they sell it for $2.80 for 300 yards with LOTS of colors.  Go figure !  lol !  Still I wanted to compare it.  The name of this cord that's on the label is Sizzle by Red Heart.  I'll stick with Creative Yarn Source whenever I need more.

So comes the fall weather finally.  I need to be at the torch as much as possible now and restock my shop.  Still with so much that's been going on it's been rough to find that free time.  Am thinking maybe this morning if I'd get off this computer and do what I need to do first !  lol !

Time to get my day started.  Thanks so much for coming by !  Come back again next week for an update.  :)

OPB's For Sale  Come on over to my Facebook page where I have other artists beads for sale.  I need to destash these beads that I bought long before I started making my own beads.  Come on over and take a look.  :)  Just click on the link "OPB's For Sale" at the beginning of this paragraph.  Thanks so much !







 

All Kinds 'a Flowers

Yes, it's flowers week at my house and I'm enjoying it even though I can't breath.  Sigh.  Allergies are still really doing it's thing on my nose and head and something moving on down into my chest so I'll be calling doc - again.  Anyway........onto more fun stuff..............

Flowers have been the theme this week at the torch !  Yay !  I was able to get on my torch and melt some glass into some flowers of some sort.  lol !  The photo's below only show a few I made.  There are more that are waiting to be cleaned so will show those next time around.   I was a little shaky with the first one, which was the red rose but got right back into it.  lol !  The thing about making these types of flowers is there are extra steps while assembling them in the flame.  The petals are made first and kept warm on a portable burner.  Then comes the stamen or the part to attach the petals to which is made seperate on the mandrel.  While adding the petals one must remember to keep all parts warm or cracks make an appearance !  Not good.  :(   Once all together, pop into the kiln.  :)  Sometimes those cracks won't show up til after they come out of the kiln which is just a bummer.  lol !  It happens.  If all goes well though the flowers will be pretty cool in the bouquet that comes together.  Speaking of which, I am offering those bouquets once again in my Etsy shop.  You can see samples of some of the bouquets I've made in that listing.  Check it out.  :)

I was cleaning up my work space where I put jewelry together and discovered a little something I just never thought about before.  There are some that use the bell flowers for making jewelry with and they have wondered if there were any bead caps that were small enough to fit on the tops of the flowers.  Well, quite by accident, I found some that work perfectly.  They are pictured below.  Tiny, yes but they work beautifully.  The red bell flower is the 20mm size and the pink is the 14mm size.  I don't have the 12mm size but if the bead caps fit the bigger sizes they'll fit the smallest size.  :)  Yay !  These are not sterling silver but silver plated and come in 3 colors - silver, gold and copper in one bag and are available at Fire Mountain.  I bought them a long time ago and just forgot about them until the other day.  lol !  So if you need some bead caps for your bell flowers or whatever, check out Fire Mountain.

Thanks so much for coming by !  I hope you come back again soon !

Please check out my Facebook page that has OPB's (other peoples beads) For Sale.  Just click this link  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100005964946289  

Just Beads

This past week was not productive at all as far as my creative brain goes anyway.  My muse flew the coop as it were and I do believe it's due to the pain in my hand/thumb !  Geesh.  The question is - do I consider the dern shots to help reduce or eliminate the pain ?  I don't know.  The thought of someone sticking a needle in a hand that already has MANY issues other than just pain really scares me !  :(  I can handle having a baby alright but sticking a needle in my hand - ewwwww sends shivers up and down my spine.  So hopefully the week ahead will be better.

As it is, I've been working on a new page on Facebook.  I have ALOT of OPB's (other peoples beads) that need to find new homes.  These are all beads that I bought mostly before I began making my own beads.  Before I made beads, I made jewelry therefore needed beads to use.  I had a blast making all the jewelry but once I started making my own lampwork beads, I stopped buying others beads.  No need for them anymore.  So they just need to go.  All are priced right.  Lower than what I remember paying especially for the dichoric beads.  Which that artist still makes and sells her beads at a higher price.  So come on over to my new facebook page and have a peek.  If you see something you'd like to buy, just message me over there.  Here's the link:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100005964946289  You have to sign in to your facebook acct. to get it to open.

Since I have nothing new to show, I've added a few pics of goodies I made in the past.  Enjoy  !

Thanks so much for coming by !  I hope you come back again next time.  :)

Check out my Beads For Sale Facebook page.  It has lots and lots of destash lampwork beads up for grabs !  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100005964946289

Lampwork Beads - That is All

This week wasn’t a very productive week again.  More hand pain plus allergies causing major breathing issues.  Just not feeling well HOWEVER, I did manage one morning at my torch making beads.  Wow !  I recall saying it’s like riding a bike and to some degree it is but it’s the remembering what colors work well with silver or what color works with what frit, etc etc.  lol !  It was interesting to say the least.  The results are pictured below and I have to say – I need to get back to basics – again.  It’s just been too long.  Maybe some reading is in order but of course just playing around will get my brain functioning again too.  It’s worked in the past when I took off two years from my torch.  There is so much info out there now it can get confusing.  The one major thing I did learn after coming back from that 2 year break is slow, steady and back to basics.  Works every time.  I’d love to get back to sculpting as that was always what I loved to do best so we shall see in due time.

 

The second photo below shows what the ortho doc said will help my hand.  Yep, a splint or brace or whatever you want to call it.  lol !  Xrays showed a lot of arthritis at the base of my thumb as well as bone spurs.  Yay.  L  This is not a good thing when it comes to making beads.  Gotta spin that mandrel !  I am right handed so the mandrel goes in my left hand.  I tried making beads with that thing on and it just didn’t work.  Off it came !  Much better but painful.  Ugh.  Can’t win.  So I’ll do what I need to do and just limit the beadmaking for now.  I don’t want the injections and I certainly don’t want surgery !  The old saying, if it’s not one thing it’s another holds true for me this year.  lol !  Thankfully, nothing majorly serious. 

If you have a moment, come on over to my Facebook page where I am destashing OPB's that need to find new homes all at discounted prices.  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100005964946289

So that’s all for now.  Thanks very much for coming by.  I hope you come back again soon.  

   

That Was the Week That Was

Last week was a week of no fun.  My hand (thumb area) is so painful that no matter what I tried to do crafty wise, it caused more pain.  So no pretties were put together, on the loom that is.  I did manage to take apart some older things but even that caused issues. 

No bead making either since it was too hot to do that.  BUT the mornings, at least, are getting cooler.  Down into the 60’s now so that means early torching sessions !  This is when I melt glass anyway.  I’m at my most “gung-ho” or should I say, constructive early in the mornings.  I try to start at the torch no later than 8:00 am and try to wrap it up no later than 11:00 am.  That’s a good long session for me and typically can get a lot done in that time frame.  Since I haven’t torched for any length for a very long time, it will probably take me a session or two to get back in the swing of things again.  lol !  Like riding a bike – almost.  lol !  I’m already thinking about what I want to make so that’s a very good sign it’s time to get to it !  

I got my seed bead order the other day too.  A whole bunch of new colors !  In all, about 45 !  I didn’t think it was that many !  Geesh !  lol !  It’ll be a lot of fun when I can get back to the loom. J  Not sure when that will be but it’ll come.  The project I began last week is still on the loom right where I left off.  I just couldn’t work it because of the thumb thing.  Hopefully soon.

Below are some pics of what I did finally finish up.  The beaded kumihimo bracelet sat on my desk for weeks unfinished so finally, I got it wrapped up.  Love the colors in this one.  Too small for me though so it will go in my Etsy shop.  The leaf beads were part of a necklace at one time that I never wore so it came apart and the beads will also be in my shop soon.  The leaf beads are made with a gorgeous silver glass.  So pretty.  The necklace I made a long time ago and THOUGHT I had listed it in my Etsy shop and never did !  lol !  So it will be going there over the weekend.  The decorated round beads turned out gorgeous.  A color that took me many years to finally get the true colors to come through !  lol !  

That’s it for this week.  It’s time to get my day started.  Thanks so much for coming by.  I hope you come back again soon !