An Early Start on the Holidays!

You might think that publishing a new holiday project in January is poor timing on my part.

For the last few years I have been beading ornaments for my son.  This year, I created something I thought might be tutorial and kit worthy.  And I have learned that I rarely return to an idea with as much gusto and joy as I have when it is fresh.  SO I have seized the idea, and written, and kitted, and here is Holly Bauble.  You might choose to think of it as an early start on next year's decorating and gift making.

Because as usual, there are many beads in the project, I have created a set of kits for three different colorways. Each has a white background that helps the bauble stay visible against the green holiday tree and in low light, although each white is different.  The bauble is an upside-down pyramid shape, with a double layer fringe tassel.  If you are not a fringe fan, there are some tips in the tutorial that make working with the long strands a bit easier.

The original tradition Christmas red and green version, I am naming for my own location in Minnesota.  It features a vibrant Christmas red Swarovski round bead (Light Siam) for its berries and two of the greens actually have forest in their name.  The white is a clean snow with a lovely luster.

The second colorway features Indian Pink Swarovski berries, and it feels tropical to me.  The pink calls to mind both coral and flamingos, hence its name.  I like the pastel softness, and all the beads in this version have a rainbow finish.  It has a lovely shimmer, almost like a heat wave.

The final colorway available is done with matte white beads to make the luminous, silver-lined holly graphics pop off the surface.  It has a very contemporary vibe, and seems dramatic to me, so hails from Hollywood. The Swarovski Fuchsia berries and cool emerald greens lift it out of the ordinary.

The tutorial is 11 pages, includes the usual row-by-row, step-by-step illustrations, with photo support and text that moves bead by bead, and also offers layout charts. The weaving is Peyote, with Herringbone corners and an intermediate level project.  If you have made triangles before, the start is a little different, but not terribly challenging.

I have made several kits in each colorway, and will launch these kits on Saturday the 12th of January, 10am, CST, along with the tutorial.  I'll add a link when they go live.

I plan to re-visit this design and try some different graphics, hopefully a poinsettia version and maybe a snowflake too.  But I won't do that until late fall.

Please do not worry, I am still working on the pearl icicle necklace, but sourcing has slowed me down a bit.  It is coming.  I promise.  I personally want one, while winter is still in full swing!

Hoping your holidays were happy, and that the new year brings you all peace, joy, and plentiful opportunities to bead.

Serendipity for my Sister

Two years ago, my sister gave me three cabochons for Christmas.  She told me that my mother loved one of them, and she loved another.  I made my mother's favorite into a necklace for her 87th birthday.

Last summer, my sister told me that what she most wanted for her December birthday and Christmas gift was "her" cabochon, transformed into a piece of jewelry.  I got it out and was not particularly inspired, but decided I would make a start and see what happened as I went along.

It's a Payne's gray and creamy white stone, maybe something like Dalmation Jasper but the domed surface was pitted and I was having a hard time with that.  I tightened the bezel on the front side and flipped it over to work the back.  EUREKA!  The back of the cabochon is a nearly perfect image of the mountain that my sister and I grew up on in Helena, Montana.  Had she seen this?  I had certainly not. It's the view from my parent's house front yard, on the North slope of Mount Helena.

 It has the right shape and proportions, the tree line is nearly visible in the markings, and the color placement makes it look just like the real mountain does about this time of year, with a beautiful frosting of snow.

Flat side of the cabochon, the Mt. Helena image!

I decided that the piece could be reversible, in case it was the front of the cab Cara was loving, and so designed a woven bail that would allow for "reversability."  Then I decided to add some branch fringe, again, in a reversible way, so that it might look as though you were viewing the mountain through frost or snow covered trees and shrubs.

As I worked the fringe, I have another EUREKA moment.  The fringe looked like the branches I was hoping for, and it also resembled ROOTS.  MY roots.  My SISTER'S roots.  Simply amazing to me how a duty can become beauty, and touch your heart with a little effort, confidence, and faith.

The "right" side of the cabochon, with the pendant on the twisted 8- strand neck strap.

I first strung an 8-strand necklace for the pendant to live on.  Well, no.  FIRST I tried to make a bead crocheted rope.  For a couple of days, and many online tutorials, and many different sized and colored beads, and with tremendous frustration, I tried to make a bead crochet rope.  Apparently, being able to crochet has little to do with bead crocheted rope.  This is the first thing I have tried to do with beads at which I have achieved a complete and total FAIL.  I will not allow this to remain something I cannot do, but with a deadline looming, I strung an 8-strand necklace for the pendant to live on.

Because of the breadth of the bail, the strands had to be twisted to look nice and I didn't love that.  SO, I looked up Heather Collin's brilliant and easily comprehensible tutorial for cubic right angle weave, and made a second strap, which I liked much better!

On the CRAW rope, Mt. Helena side visible..

I'll send both necklaces, since either could be worn by itself, or with the pendant.

I know Cara does not read my blog, so I think it's safe to publish this post at this point, but please don't spoil the surprise.  Don't share this post with Cara until December 24th!

Merry Christmas to you and your family.

Arts of the Holidays

Last night I attended the "first" opening of a most beautifully curated show, and I am honored to be included in it.  I really love how this gallery goes into Holiday Haven mode each year and manages to display the work of over 120 artists with equity and sensitivity.

I think most Etsy sellers go into wild preparations for Cyber Monday, but I do the opposite.  I take my best work of the year out of my shop and off to the Minnetonka Center for the Arts.

Last year, the sales of my work were brisk and I was very pleased!

If last night's shoulder-to-shoulder crowd was any indication, it should be another great year.

Bob Bowman and his team really do a wonderful job of staging this event, and the opening included fantastic food...

...elegantly arranged tables and flowers...

... a fabulous tree...

...and lots of really wonderful work!  I am dreadful at schmoozing and sales, so I did a little shopping myself.  I love the work of this ceramic artist, Kristine Hites.  Her shapes are so organic and appealing to me and the colors so unabashedly girly!  What a great collection!

I am also very fond of this fused glass artist, Sally Goski of Wild Rose Glass Art. 

Some of her things are "holiday specific, but not all.

I bought this tray, which I love!  I looked at a similar piece last year, and when I went back to get it, it was GONE, so this year I snapped it up immediately. 

I also loved these boot Gaiters, delightfully reminiscent of my dancing leg warmer days...

And this adorable little bag!

All of my other purchases are gifts, so I can't share further!

I mentioned that this was the first opening, because the Center for the Arts also has a location at Ridgedale Mall and that location will open on Thursday December 1st, 6-9pm.  I will likely have to put on one of my favorite pieces and shop again, benefitting what The Best Man Ever refers to as "others of my kind," as well as those friends I will be shopping for.  Happy holiday shopping to you, and I will hope to see you there!

Serendipity For My Sister

Two years ago, my sister Cara gave me three cabochons for Christmas.  She told me that my mother loved one of them, and she loved another.  I made up the one my mom had indicated she liked, as a gift for her 87th birthday.  It's always good to know what might be wanted when trying to create a gift, even for someone you know well.

Last summer, my sister told me that what she most wanted for her December birthday and Christmas combined was the cabochon she had given me, transfomed into jewelry.  I got it out and thought to myself,  "OK, so you don't find instant inspiration here.  Just make a start, and something will occur to you."

It was dark Payne's gray and creamy white, maybe a little like dalmatian jasper, but the domed surface was pitted and I was having a hard time getting past that.  I tightened the bezel at the front and flipped it over to close the back, and EUREKA!!!  On the back side was a nearly perfect image of Mount Helena, as seen from the front yard of the house my sister and I grew up in, located in Helena, Montana.  I looked for a picture of this mountain to show you, but all the ones I found online are of the East slope, and our house is on the North slope.  Sigh.

Mount Helena - The  Flat Side of the Cabochon

The shape is just right, the tree line is almost visible, and the mountain looks like it usually looks about this time of year, with a dusting of snow.  Had my sister seen this?  I had not.  Wow.  I quietly proceeded to finish the bezel and then decided to apply some snowy branch fringe to the bottom, as though you might be viewing the mountain in winter through frost or snow covered trees and shrubs.

The domed side of the cabochon, with its pits, that I didn't love,
with the twisted 8-strand rope.

Then I had another EUREKA moment, as the fringe looked both a little like the branches I was aiming for, AND roots!  MY roots.  MY SISTER's roots.  We grew up on that mountain.  Amazing how things take on meaning and beauty.  How a duty can become a delight, if you give it a chance.

Mount Helena side up , on the cubic right angle weave  rope

I made a woven bail and strung a delicate 8 strand necklace I thought would be pretty with the pendant.  This was after a lengthy struggle with the bead crochet rope I thought I would try for the first time.  Turns out, knowing how to crochet is far from all that is required for this technique. FAIL!  I liked the 8 strand, but the scale of the bail meant that it had to be twisted to hang nicely and I was still wishing for that bead crochet rope I could not do.  So I looked at Heather Collin's brilliant and clear tutorial for cubic RAW  (Thank you 'Mam! What a fun and fast technique!) and made a second, interchangeable neck strap for the piece that I like even better than the 8 strand.  But I'll send her both, since either could be worn by itself as well.

The 8 strand rope and the CRAW rope, without the cabochon pendant.

My sister does not read my blog, so even though this is a Christmas gift, I think I am safe publishing premature pictures of it here. Don't spoil the surprise for her.  Shhhhhh, do not share with Cara until Christmas!