Jingle bells and those damn Elves

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Hark the herald snow men  

Keh? Surely Christmas is way to early this year!

I live in Africa and there are no Reindeer in training for the oh so jolly season of Christmas parties, spending way too much money and drinking far too many "Cheers to next year" drinks.

We swim to beat off the heat, Braai (barbeque) thick juicy steaks and Boerewors to eat with crisp green salad and potato bakes and have generous amounts of tall, cold (clinkity clink) alcoholic beverages. 

Come Christmas Day and families gather for a big, all out, too much food feast - yet managing to force down generous portions of you Aunties yummy pudding. Names get pulled out of a hat and presents swopped, opened and put aside....need another drink after that cos you did not get what you hoped for. But, we have a great day melting in the sun - okay so a snow man would go down well round about then..only cos we could throw ourselves onto it to enjoy the cooling benefits of poor old Frosty. But...we do love to decorate the festive tree...even if it is a shop bought specimen, we go all out. 

These wonderful little Tree Dangles have been added to my growing collection of unique Christmas Decorations, along with my Dangling Drums that I made a few years back .. yes, I will post a "How To Make em" article next.

Jingles are fun and quick to make..but wait..there's more - just a few changes and you also get a smashing pair of earrings. All for only $3.00 and there is a further 10% off if you use Coupon Code 10!! 

The Elves? Well they are those little buggers that go into your closet and with their Christmas Elfish magic, make your clothes smaller - how nasty!

Free Beading Pattern for a Dress Ring

Well now, who does not like something for FREE?

I do and so should you. 

I have had this pattern in my stash for quiet some time - I used it as part of my "Getting to grips with Peyote" class when I used to teach....yes well, that was in the beginning before I realized that I did not enjoy teaching. 

I have learned that I do not have the patience for hands on, face to face teaching and I have no problem admitting that. I am ( as all of my friends will attest to) an upfront, forthright and honest person and can therefore be a tad rude if you do not understand what I am saying so I gave up teaching as a bad idea....for me anyway. I much prefer to pass my knowledge on in the form of well written patterns, drawings and instructions.

Yes, we all have our down sides and am certainly the first to put my hand up to admit my guilt in this department. However, I am also the first to give and share and yes, I have learned to do do so without denying myself along the way. Being a martar gets you burnt...ask Joan when next you see her :)

So, without further ado, here is a free pattern for you to make. Pull out (or buy) those interesting 2-hole watch spacers in your stash and make these quick and easy Dress Ring

Click here to download the free pattern.

Included in the pattern is a charted pattern for the ring with the flower motif - Enjoy

Time does not exist

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I know this for a fact!!! I have been working on the aesthetics of my own website and  every time I look up, time has disappeared and morphed into days, weeks and even months.  How is this possible when it was only yesterday that I started designing the graphic elements? Is it that long ago since I even wrote a pattern and why is Christmas just around the corner...AGAIN? 

I will be turning 60 in 8 years time and I dare not blink in case the years disappear and I have to blow out too many candles. Hopefully I will have had the time to clean the house, plant, grow, pick and eat the vegetables as well as remind my beading stash that I do still exist. 

I did try and travel back in time last night...we went to a farewell party and Nigel has a super awesome Juke Box with the biggest sound ever (poor neighbours). I  drank a good amount of youth inducing alcohol, which inspired me to indulge in dancing the night away with little regard to the visual impact I may be having on any spectators - I was having a ball and thoroughly enjoyed  a somewhat tentative grip on my "youth".......needless to say, I am shattered today and even tho I woke up early, the day has disappeared and so has the first half of this month and I think I just saw a Reindeer!!!!

Cubic Right Angle Weave Video Tutorial

 

Watch as I show you how easy Cubic Right Angle Weave is!! I enjoyed making this visual tutorial to share with you and I am going to set about making the next one soon.....how to start a ladder row the easy way. In the meantime, have a look see and practice this wonderful stitch.  

Cubic Right Angle Weave - CRAW!

What's taken so long?

It seems to take me forever when writing patterns. Admittedly, this is not the only pattern I have been working on - My Boleyn Cuff pattern is finished and has been sent off to Germany. It will be in the December issue of Perlen Poesie and I am so hoping that I will be on the front cover :)

I am totally driven by Cubic Right Angle Weave. I do manage now and then to work in Peyote or Herringbone but.....not very often. CRAW just has such an amazing quality about it. Basic Cubic Right Angle Weave is started off with 4 beads but I have worked from a 3 bead to an 8 bead base in this addictive stitch; I have worked long supple ropes as well as created very firm structures and now, this soft bangle. I love it because it is strong (yes, you do chew through your thread) and will withstand good wear and tear. I have not yet had the courage to go all out and bead a gorgeous long sling belt - sooo much beading but maybe one week when I have some time.....really???? HA! 

I am currently busy designing all the graphics for my soon to be released web site  

 
www.beadingweavingpattern.com and it will be known as Studio 183.  I honestly did not think it would take so much out of me but, It will be worth it in the end. 

I will be doing a short video on how to stitch Basic Craw and listing it here so.....sooner than later.

 

Let me introduce you to....

There are excellent beaders who buy my patterns and using their own colors make them come to life. I am going to share with you the stunning pieces they are creating and will start off with these 2 beaders. Both Sabine and Susanne's beading skills are outstanding. Their tension is spectacular, something I am fanatic about and remember, tension is not always about tight but about being even throughout your work.

 Sabine Reisenauer

When  I started selling my Tarouk Blooms pattern, I hoped that I would one day, get to see it beaded up with someone else's color palette. I was also hoping that they would take the idea and create something beautiful from it. 

I took a sharp breath in when Sabine's photo popped up on my Face Book wall. Wow! The colors and what she has created with it is, for me,  totally and utterly gorgeous! 

 

 Susanne Madeo-Mehner 

Adding that little bit of extra

It thrills me no end when I see my patterns take on another life like this. I find that Susanne's color choice and adding pretty pearl spacers between the drops has rendered my Cactus Drops into something very elegant - I adore it.....     I want to make another one !

Evolutions - The Pattern

Evolutions is in my shops!      

                                                                  

The act of sharing or giving, is by far, one of the most rewarding experiences one can have. As part of an ever expanding and multi-cultural Beading world, I get to see and read how willing people are to offer some form of help or encouragement  to a fellow artist. We are always happy to hear of someone's good news and quickly send off ((hugs)), xxxx's and mwah's when another is feeling a bit low or is going through a rough time. We get to share photos of new babies in our families and the pets we all love so deeply. So many of us have wonderful supportive spouses and we offer up pics of the sumptious meal that has been cooked for us or the weekend spent away in some heavenly haven. We get to show the work we do, to people who truly are interested and want to see more! 

Did you ever think that we could be so universally united? That we really are all the same underneath the fluffery and truly enjoy sharing things that are special and dear to us 

                                                                  

Evolutions afforded me the opportunity to feel that wonderful feeling of caring and sharing. I can tell you that it feels good!

Evolutions

Well, to say this is new for me is a serious understatement! Yes, I know, I will just have to get the hang of it. I mean, where or should I say, how do I add the links to my web sites? I am just going to have to muddle through until I get it figured out or hound someone else for this much needed help :) A day later...as you can see, I got that much needed help and have been able to add my shop links, thank you Mandy:)

So, for my first bite.... 

Vera, totally threw me when she showed me a beautiful,  Flat Peyote rolled Cuff she had made. This was after having started beading in July 2010, giving it up that same December and then, suddenly, taking it up again a short while ago. I was gobsmacked and I loved it. I really wanted to write the pattern and so I paid her for her idea, reworked it to be a Tubular Peyote piece and named it Evolutions. 

The pattern is now in progress and Vera will also receive royalties from the sales. She worked her original design using Red Czech and Miyuki beads and I have made a another 2 (busy with a 3rd) using only Miyuki beads.

Make no mistake...These are BIG and are for the bold and daring wearer. They also chew through your bead stash (40g 8o beads alone) and take just that little bit longer to make than you think they will but.....they are really really cool to wear.