ABS Carnival Blog... Passion

Passion .. I asked my DH what I was Passionate about, thinking…he’d say something like making beads, jewellery, maybe even knitting… something like that… What did he actually say…” that I was Passionate about my cat Zoom Zoom”… Well he (Zoomies) is awfully cute and very affectionate as long as I’m wearing Polar Fleece….


Since I didn’t get the answer I wanted I tried again… second answer was “your Garden” Ok I’ll buy that … I spend most days in the summer pulling weeds edging gardens… moving plants looking at flowers and wondering what I can buy next year that will do better. For those of you who don’t know me I am stuck here, 7 days a week from mid June to mid Sept as I run a small Gallery featuring work by Canadian Women… and unless I can get my DH look after it for a day… I’m it as far as staff goes! I have a baby monitor in the gallery and receivers all over the house… so I can make beads… and garden… and do chain maille…


My beads… I’m self taught… back in the mid 90’s… there was almost no info then… no pictures of other peoples beads… no nothing! Every couple of years we would drive to Washington state and buy glass from Mike Frantz, (he was still operating out of his garage in those days...) One year he had a floral plunge bead in his display case… I had to know how it was made… He sold me a tungsten pick and I came home and attempted to make them…This is an early one… (That worked!)











I refer to them now as flower garden beads…































My first soft glass instructor was Leah Fairbanks… (I loved her class.. would highly recommend it to anyone who makes beads!) That first class was actually way over my head … but I took a weekend class from her again a couple of years ago and moved my flowers from inside the bead to the surface…












I really do love flowers… I grow Orchids in the house so that I have flowers year round… But when it comes to my beads flowers can be any colour and shape... I have never tried to make an orchid on a bead I probably never will, why muck with perfection!

Almost wordless wednesday

Well I'm away... I meant to set this up before I left.... Did I NO.....! So I'm going to help myself to a bead off of my etsy site! This one is called
"Dreaming of Spring"...

Actually NB looks a lot like Spring.. Edmonton still has way too much snow to be seriously thinking spring.. and Montreal were I changed planes... it was snowing hard enough I was worried that my plane to Edmonton would be canceled!

But I can still Dream!

Almost Wordless Wednesday

This actually has a lovely glass flower bead under neath the seed beeds... It was the only bead I could find that was the right size.... (sacrfices must be made in order to do something NOW!)

After many hours of frustration and going forward one row and back two ... I started over because my thread became so frayed it wouldn't work anymore....

Try two I got to the middle but working backwards on the instructions didn't really work that well.. there are a few lacy spots on my decreases and I had to add half a row at the end because my bead wasn't a perfect 20 mm bead... But not bad for a first try.... IMHO!

Thanks to Random.org we have a winner or two

The link to
Random.org !



The two numbers generated were

# 107 and # 73












Tumbleweed Trails

Wow, your beadwork is splendid. So much detail in every bead. Your giveaway is fabulous! I would love a chance to win. Please add my name to your drawing!
February 1, 2010 8:54 AM



& Beth M From Meandering Threads said...

Beautiful beads! Please enter me in your drawing.
January 29, 2010 4:35 PM

I don't have an email for either one so I posted on their blogs first one to get back to me gets first choice... I'll give them until Feb 20 to get back to me....

Happy Valentine's Day 2010

This is what I was inspired to make for Valentine's 2010... When I was in grade 2 everything I coloured was purple and red... I still think those two colours look great together!




And if you really love this piece it is for sale on etsy!

In case you missed this....

This is what Jo did with my bead soup ingredients... Isn't that bail just perfect!

Bead Soup Party.... Revealing all!!!

Here's the link to our Blog Soup Chef
Lori Anderson From her 'index' you can go check out all the recipes on all the guest chef's blogs!









My partner in the bead soup party was Jo from Southampton England....
Daisychain Jewellery

This is the teaser that she posted a couple of days ago... which was quick work since she didn't get my parcel until last Friday! Wish I could hammer that neetly!




This is what I received.....
















and this is what I made....Drumroll.
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I had fun making this as Carnelian is one of my favorite gem stones... and don't you just love those leaves? An interesting point I hand cut all my rings with a jeweller's saw... often while I'm sitting in ferry line ups or the passenger seat of my husbands truck... I keep trying to tell him that I'm just increasing the value of his truck with all that silver dust in the carpet! SO far he's not buying it....
I actually have made one pair of earrings will see if I can get someone to take a picture of me wearing everything.... (that's in focus!)

Quick note I'm number 71 in the list so that you can keep on track! Here's a list of all the blogs so that you can just keep moving.... I love comments so pleas comment if you visit!

Thanks!

1. Lori, Pretty Things and the link to the party is in my sidebar
2. Mallory, For the Love of Beads
3. Terri, Blooming Ideas...You Are Here
4. Cindy, Sweet Bead Studio
5. Lorelei, Lorelei's Blog: Inside the Studio
6. Kerry, Kabs Creative Concepts
7. Erin, Treasures Found
8. Jeannette, Jeannette Blix Wire and Metal Jewelry
9. Adrienne, Adrienne Designs
10. Nan, Spirit Rattles
11. Laurel, Rue's Daftique
12. Nancy, Beading From the Heart
13. Mary, MK's Creative Musings
14. Cassie, The Glass Beadle
15. Dot, Winchell Clayworks
16. Sharon, Sharon's Jewelry Garden
17. Lisa, Lo and Behold
18. Norma, Bead Dreams and Moonlit Fantaseas
19. Judith, Judith B.
20. Debbie, Prairie Emporium
21. Maria, Garden Path Beads
22. Susan, Kaplan Creations Jewelry and Glass Design
23. Melissa, Melissa Meman: Art, Love, Life
24. Marianna, Pretty Shiny Things
25. Lisa, Joolz by Lisa
26. Cristi, 2 If By Sea
27. Sandra, Marbella Jewelry Design
28. Maria, Greene Earth Originals
29. Barbara, Jewelry of Distinction
30. Leslie, Bei Mondi
31. Loretta, Designs by Loretta
32. Linda, Bella Bead Jewelry
33. Kathie, The Bead Cult
34. Patty, Plays With Fire
35. Nicki, Nicki's Reef
36. Anne Marie, Heart's Desire
37. Mary, Mary Harding Jewelry
38. Jayne, Mama's Got to Doodle
39. Emanda, Artemesia's Studio
40. Whitney, Whitney Lassini
41. Marcie, La Bella Joya
42. Suzann, Beadphoria
43. Jen, Jen Judd Rocks
44. Julie, Credit River Art Glass
45. Janiece, J Birds Garden
46. Kate, Organic Odysseys
47. Laurie, The Mermaid Tale
48. Michelle, My Crazy Crafty Adventure
49. Sue, Sue Beads
50. Janeen, Janeen 365
51. Nancy, The Rabbit Muse
52. Kristie, Artisan Clay
53. Regina, Regina's Writings
54. Tari, Pearl and Pebble
55. Lyn, Lyn Foley
56. Beth, Sunshine Daydreamz
57. Cathryn, Chile Cats
58. Emma, Fred Bean's Nook
59. Connie, Cetta Cheese Chatter
60. Juli, Jul's Beads
61. Julie, RockerJewlz
62. Libby, LibbyLeu and Glass Too
63. Melanie, Earthenwood Studio Chronicles
64. Katie, My Life and My Beads
65. Zuleykha, Zuleykha's Polymer Clay
66. Rekella, Me But a Little More in Depth
67. Ricki, What's New at Ricki Voges Design
68. Lisa, Lucid Moon Studio
69. Jo, Daisychain Jewellery
70. Lynette, Rock Hill Designs
71. Lynne, Island Girl's Insights
72. Chas, One Woman's Haven
73. Chas, One Woman's Haven
74. Ruthie, Rose Works Jewelry
75. Elizabeth, Turquoise Sky
76. Maire, Maire Dodd
77. Janet, Singing Woods
78. Eileen, Dorset Hill Beads
79. Julie, Miss Kitten's Jewels
80. Joann, Jo's Jewels
81. Patti, PJ Clark Designs
82. Mel, Kookie Designs
83. Erin, Every Heart Crafts
84. Dale, Flights of Fancy
85. Dee, Runako Designs

Almost Wordless Wednesday

OK .... I know by February I should be in production mode for the gallery... but due to a bunch of us who can not type think and spell all at the same time... the challenge was out to make Fla'migos... Not sure what instruments the rest of the Tres Fla'migos will be carrying ...

All suggestions welcome ( I Know I can't do a Guitar!)

The hat on this one is a bit dark and my DH says it looks like it's swallowing a bunch of walnuts

Bead Soup Teaser.....

Here's a sneak peak at my Bead Soup.... The silver leaf was made by my partner Jo ... (Daisychain Jewellery Designs) I made the chain maille (I make my own rings and hand saw them with a jeweller's saw!) and the carnelian is a combination of stones she sent and treasures from my stash!

Carnelian is one of my favorite stones... and what's even better it wards off the evil eye when you wear it!

I'm still trying to figure out the earrings....

The other bad news is Jo doesn't have her parcel yet... Usually mail goes quite quickly from here to England... I really hope she gets it this week!

It's COld here!

OK Cold is relative I grew up in the prairies... when Canada still used Farenheit... School in the Canadian Prairies is NEVER cancelled unless a water main breaks! Buses quit running at -30 C that's -22 F, but the schools stay open... Kids who bus have to play catch up!

If it snows the buses might run late.. but they run and the schools are open! Here threat of snowflake and the schools are CLOSED... especaily if that threat is a monday or friday!

I've lived here for 9 years, Today is -15 C that's +5 F , That would have been a warm day in February in Alberta when I was growing up ... we still would have got to go out for recess!

After 9 years here I am now a wuss... granted the wind blowing off of the North Atlantic does have a major cooling effect... I think the air here is also more humid which makes it feel colder.... Can I hibernate until August?