How to store

I have not been blogging...sulking because I never get any feed back. Joking I am getting ready to start a large project on my house. Still have a good, wish there was a sarcasm font story. First I should have taken a picture when it happened but I couldn't since I was in a panic and out of time. I was having company and decided in order to see the house in the best light I needed to put away all my beading supplies. I have boxes and 3 plastic containers with the dividers. All went well until the last and it fell to the floor and broke. Literally thousand of beads were in the closet, out of the closet, all over the entry and even found in shoes. I quickly gathered them in a large baggie and tried to ignore what I had ahead of me and enjoy the outing and company. It literally took 8 hours to organize the beads again. I am using small baggies and some of the numerous prescription bottles I have. I did find I had some different style beads all grouped together by color but looking closer...which I got to look really close they were slightly different shapes. Nothing like going through 3 different colors of 15 beads and finding up to 6 different colors. I did go to bed that night with visions of beads in my head. The next day I tried to figure out a way to organize in the two large flat boxes so I could see what I had. No luck but I am sure in time I will find the secret. Other than getting to know my beads better, I have been watching some video examples. The other joy is my husband a pilot decided he was getting a cold...I am not that sure but is staying home from his trip. Not a big deal but all I have been watching is BASKETBALL. Now we have one local team so that was the worst game to watch. 61 fouls made for a long, disjointed game at the best. I think I was more frustrated with that game then dropping the beads. Although to be fair I love beads and hate basketball. Starting to interview contractors and will start making a studio apartment in my under house garage. I have a blog on the house so it might be getting more love than beads but I will try and split my time. Hope you are all having fun and making beautiful beaded items.

If I only had some skill..... sounds best while singing

Today started out extremely rainy and now it has gone to windy. That being said I did work on the books and got a better start there. I still think 15 boxes of books seems a bit much but who knows their could be a jewel among them. Plus, I am getting to the point it is long enough most likely I will not remember the plot until almost done. I tried to think how I was going to use some really cool peach beads, leaves, peach, clear to amber, and deep rose bicone crystals. All the good stuff :) Here is my idea and I feel like it might be a good start. This is pure practice the beading is loose and done on junk thread just to get an idea what will work.

Still fighting the battle with my iPhone 4s to get it to interface with my Bose after the update. I wrote Spotify, they had some ideas but none of them worked. I really do enjoy Spotify but will not pay for something I am not using. I really wanted to avoid buying a new phone. Maybe I will wait until the 6 comes out and then the 5s will come down in price. Need to save money to buy more beads. T

complicated

I am wondering if I am making more work for myself having this blog as well as LIFE. I enjoy writing and had hoped to help some beginning beaders out along the way. Today has been organize books from a move almost two years ago. 15 boxes and out of room with 8 finished. Might be a day to finish that project. Today's advice...use graph paper to make your designs. Sometimes you can catch mistakes on paper which is much easier than while beading. Today's second thought...I know I am on a role...you will always need something. NO matter how many beads you may have you either need more seeds, findings or in my case some really good scissors. We will see how the day goes there still might be a project. Beautiful sunny day but too early to work outside for wimps. My 77 year old mother has already started gardening. I think it is too early but does make me feel guilty. If you are on pinterest here are some fun pins. http://www.pinterest.com/bftl/ Sorry you will have to cut and paste to get there but every every now and then I find some good ones.

Then some days some your work rocks

After having nothing go right yesterday, today seemed to fall together a bit better. I figured out how to do the stitch I couldn't remember yesterday. Thought I would text pictures of my failure and what I thought was a great new bracelet to my son's girl friend, she liked the failure. I was able to figure out how to fix yesterday's bracelet...too a point. I will work on my new one tomorrow. I find it interesting that somedays the beads fall into place and others no matter what you do it just can't go the way you want them to. Another thought is I think I have an emotional attachment to some of my beads. I know they would be perfect but once you make a piece of jewelry they are part of that combination and no longer in my supply of dreams. So today I am out of wit...not that I think anyone really reads these. I am thinking I do enjoy doing this very much and wish I had a tiny bit of skill of those I see doing videos. I do know that you can learn to succeed a few beads at a time. Today was a good day... Happy Birthday to my son's beautiful girlfriend...and hard to believe 10 years ago today my dad passed away at 68. Glad the sun was out and things went nicely.

Some days you just got to say freck it!

I decided to try and make my son's girlfriend a bracelet for her birthday. We will start with lessons learned. Just because I design is on YouTube one day it doesn't mean it will be on the next. I can't believe how many findings and beads I got in my Craigslist purchase. It was so fun to organize but you can see from my last picture that all want to hell today. First found a great bead I wanted to use but couldn't find the video with the instructions. If I would have waiting and looked at what I had before I took it apart that might of helped. Then again it just came to mind I could have looked at the picture on here and remembered. NOTE TO SELF I tried a few things and then decided to do a two string pattern. Only the seed beads were too small to use a needle so I just used the thread. Worked really well to a point. I like it but it isn't right so after some food, relaxing, and regrouping I will see what I can do to make it "all better". Did I mention that her birthday is tomorrow and they live out of state. I can't seem to get into the time change. Waking up too late, not hungry, and wanting to stay up late. Going to set the alarm tomorrow to get up before nine. The worst part is I was waking up every few hours so I should have got up one of the early hours. Interesting using older thicker thread to bead, I did wax, but found it a bit too thick for what I was trying to do today. Here are the pictures of the purchase. Failure, well a start to the new bracelet..... What the room looks like during...

Post for the day....Exploiting kitty again.

I suddenly decided to decorate for Easter. First time in 8 years, not sure if I am on a design and decorating mode. I am including the cheap desire to get more people with the kitty picture. Beads next post...I promise!

sparkles

I now have the three items I bought on eBay...yes, this time around. I spent today once again doing more organizing than beading. That could be because everything I touched yesterday ended up having at least one ah shit moment. I dropped the bracelet I was changing over to stretch cord not once, twice or three times but five before I successfully got it strung. I closed it off...I tried it on. Too small so I got to start over again, you would think that I wouldn't have had the same problem but I did play a game of bead chase. Do you know if you use a tape roller you can pick up really small beads. I am looking forward to when I get my large lot. I hope it has more beads that I like than I am afraid it is going to have, that being said the findings alone where worth the price. Here is a picture of my sparkles and I am throwing in my cat...why because cats are all the rage in the cyber world so maybe someone will keep coming back for more. Said cat...Diva

Thought for today...take the time to measure your beads and get a good mental picture of bead size. I was surprised that what I thought were 8/0 were actually 6/0.

Right beads give you the right look!

I bought more beads on eBay...yes, I am going to back away from the buy or bid button.

Now with the right beads I was able to successfully create the peyote stitch with no problem. The square stack beads make the stitch just happen. I just used practice thread so it is back in the box but fun to know it wasn't me, it was using the wrong bead for the wrong pattern. Damn if I only would learn to listen.

Now I need to use some self control. There is a great deal $199.00 for a huge lot of bead findings and beads. The beads are not exactly what I think as my style but I think there is enough that I would use it still is a great deal. I hope someone will buy it before I lose my control. Craigslist who knew that I could find so many beads. Cheers

Throw back Thursday...

With one of the groups of beads I bought there were some very 60's or 70's feeling beads. I have not finished the group because I am undecided if I want to do a clasp or stretch string. I do know I am changing the earrings to a hoop with beads. Trying to thing of something witty and worth reading but... I got nothing. Spent the first hours of the morning going through a group of photos on my phone. I also have a few thousand more than needed on my computer but that seems a bit more overwhelming. So here is today's photos....Enjoy, have fun and I hope all reading are happy and healthy. Here is a post I did on fb... that does have something to do with beading. The idea of recycling in life, which beading is the best of crafts I know for recycling. Throw away society March 1, 2014 at 10:09am When did it become such, the norm to just toss when no longer useful? It now became the norm not the exception. If you are going to keep up with technology you might as well toss whatever product you bought when you walk out the door because there is something new already in the pipeline. There should always be advancements but if something still works? Marc had an old stereo from college, when we moved our son used the receiver to create a kick ass surround sound in his room. The speakers still sounded great, although they were big and ugly and lacked the feel of today's audio components. As much as I want a new TV my Panasonic Plasma flat screen refuses to not look great. I know there are others that are much better but with limited vision it works pretty perfect for me. Other than it sits too far out from the wall, a whole 6 inches it has done no other sins. As far as phones go I have a pilot husband with a 7 year old flip phone that he still loves. Shock he can actual be heard and hear the person talking. He is worthless finding a gas station or a place to eat. He doesn't follow GPS so he is fine without it. I still enjoy hearing the imagined frustration in the poor female voice uttering "recomputing new directions" I swear she wants to say asshole but that might be my projection. Still he gets there and sometimes, in the adventure of being a bit lost you find the best things. Some things should be changed out if it increases energy consumption and comfort. Windows, updating heating systems, sometimes plumbing fixtures and always things that are broken that can't be fixed. If we would have gutted out kitchen we would have missed out finding rosewood, ebony and other rare woods that make up our kitchen cabinets. People, I do believe there are some relationships that are not healthy for either person but I missed so many years after my divorce from Charlie, not knowing his family. I have reconnected with wonderful friends that have made my life so much better. Maybe that is a case of timing. Do we give up on friendships because of disagreements? If that was true I would have very few friends here because of religion, politics, snap shots in their life that I realize I might have a hard time condoning. Yet, I also have found people with a poets soul, loving caring, even the most far right of my life are at times so lovely and kind. I am sure I have done the same with you with my posts. Yet do we just delete people and throw them away because of a disagreement in politics or religion. Should I be gotten rid of due to my high health expenses? I am sure a newer model would be cheaper for my husband but luckily he is willing to keep. Plus, he would suck at the "trip to the farm" like we eliminate so many of our pets. That is where I am guilty. I have found new homes for some dogs that just didn't work out with our family. I also have had cats until there old age death that I have rescued. Why buy new when shelters have plenty to adopt. Go in with an open mind and make sure if the animal really doesn't fit in you family you can try again to find a perfect fit. I have been collecting my mom's old jewelry to use to make new. How fun to reuse and recreate from an item that was going in the garbage. I was brought up by antique dealers so maybe that is where my respect for the old comes from. We have two older paid for cars that really don't fit our income level but we have that because we have reused, recycled, lived below our means and saved. The new car loses how much value when you drive it off the lot. I have one son who is still driving my 1994 Mercedes C280, because it still works. The other a 96 Eagle although it is sick at the moment. We pass down all our vehicles to our children so they can keep using until they die and then off to be recycled. Sometimes I don't recycle, leave the water running longer than I should, toss food I should have used before they went bad. I want a cell phone that doesn't break the month before I can get my new one. I want technology that will allow it still to work with older components. I want it to be my choice when I get rid of something/give it away to someone who still can use it. Like This was started about a question about what cell phone people liked and the comments that one should change out all your electronics to make way for a new phone.

Beware of easy peasy

I decided to try and learn how to do the round peyote stitch. I have tried to learn the flat peyote stitch but let's just say, I am blaming the beads not my lack of understanding the concept. I am practicing because I would like to use this stitch to make necklaces with some of the great natural stones I have from a few purchases. I know until I learn the basic stitches I will never become successful at the more unique. I am having fun trying to take the basic and make them my own. I am so proud of my actually being able to thread the needle a few times in less than 10 tries. My eyes are not my friend at times. As long as there is really good lighting it helps me. You would think that being the case I would be drawn to the more large stones instead of the tiny 15's. Could get my new beads tomorrow but part of the fun is waiting for the box. Sellers have the weather to contend with so one must understand some longer mail times. Here is the Peyote....it has already been decommissioned and the beads back in the box. The easy peasy stitch has proven to be my "I want to scream at the person who said it was easy". Hope there are some great projects happening out there. Love to hear about them and any ideas and helpful hints.

Threading a needle and some new projects.

I have limited vision, that being said I am not blind but I can't see well enough to thread a needle. I did find an interesting video on YouTube that explained that you bring the thread to the needle not the needle to the thread. If I use a black thread and just allow the smallest amount to peak out between my thumb and fore finger I can after getting the right end of the needle successful...put said thread on needle. I wish I was joking about trying to thread the tip but I did say my vision was limited. I tried my first set of earrings and took that same pattern and made it larger for a choker and to learn how to make a 20's look collar. I also...might of bought another bulk of beads from eBay. I also was very happy that The Bead Patch, LLC (john@beadpatchjewelry.net) from eBay refunded me for a bad batch of thread. Would buy again from in a heart beat. Here are some pictures. Time to find some airline tickets and a place to stay in LA to visit youngest son. There has to be more to life than beading right? LOL I will bring my beading project I am sure of that. Please know they were not made as a set just as an experiment. I do like unbeading as well. Sorry for no proof reading I have lost control of the day.

Sometimes you just got to say Start Over.

I have been beading, just not writing like I should be doing. I updated against all my better judgement to the new operating system for my iPhone. It is fine but it has taken a day to get the way I want it, plus it no longer works with my old Bose that I use pretty much all the time with Spotify. So much for that at the moment but I am hoping to think of a plan B. Back to beading...some of the older beads I got on eBay are so cool I didn't want to complicate their design too much so I went for simple. I just love the little floral design of the beads. Not flashy but sweet in its own way. I took bracelet The more I looked at it, I swear it looked like it had dreadlocks. The proportions where all wrong. So here is its new life. Needs some time taken to fix one bad start...still not good at starting, stopping and adding new thread. Still a bit shaggy but I am continuing to work on the stretch part for ease of getting on and off. I have been looking at a lot of YouTube videos. Fun to see the different styles and intensity of the instructors. I am not out to make money on my beading just to maybe make enough to keep feeding my habit. Enjoy your day and Happy reading or beading.

Things to think about...

This morning I decided to put away the last 6 bags of beads I bought on eBay. I suddenly realized that they were in the same exact baggie you would buy crack, any other powder or rock type drug. Relax... I worked at a police department for over 6 years. Not saying there is anything to take away from that observation but it did give me a bit of a worry. So in my ever ongoing desire to have my beads the most organized of anyone on my block, I decided to see how far a bead can travel. The answer is pretty far. I was once again very happy with some of the beads I got with my $12.00 eBay jackpot. I still find it risky because you often do not get enough beads for a very large project. Because of this, you should maybe check around and find a good local bead shop. Still fun every now and then to see what you can find on eBay. As I laid on the floor with my new found/bought babbles, I looked to my side and saw my cat eating the beading string. I was not too worried, I just started pulling out of her mouth what she had swallowed. Dear "insert your own choice" she had eaten at least two feet. She is none the worse for it but it now makes me think I need to watch my beading supplies around her a bit more closely. Still wondering about above mentioned beading thread. It frays with the least bit of usage. Maybe it is a bad batch but I am thinking my time is worth more than to have a third project fail. I never had a problem before using the thread so we will see if today I can have some success. Then again I am feeling good enough maybe I should do things like cook, clean, laundry, interact with people. No, Hubby out on a trip. He is a pilot, weather still so snowy I can't get down my driveway. House is clean if you take away the beading crap. Food, who needs stinking food when you are beading. Yes, you are right I will cook something today. For the one other person out there who might be reading this have a great day! Hope this is helpful in someway and I would love to hear from you.

Miss Diva the curious cat!

Frustration and new lesson

I just started using FireLine 4lb crystal beading thread. I made my favorite bracelet so far and when finished it just broke in half. Trying to not go into drama queen I looked to see what I had done wrong or how I could fix it. If you want to go straight to the punch line the beads are all back in their place in the box and the string is in the garbage. I have looked up information on the thread and have gotten mostly positive reactions from people. I will say I did buy it on eBay so maybe it was old and out of date. I wonder if that can happen since I have thread older than me doing fine. After thinking about it the way I was weaving the thread through so many times, I think I just broke the thread. So how do you avoid this from happening? Write me if you have any ideas. I will try again tomorrow and hope for a better outcome. On the good side I got a great deal on beads in boxes of all kinds. Many a bit primitive for me but still great potential. I feel bad for the person who sold it because they really didn't get anything close to what it is worth. I don't want to admit how much I enjoyed organizing them as much as I did. I have always loved color coding so it was an OCD heaven. Hope everyone is in the best of health and happiness. I am getting snow, snow and more snow.

Don't try and bead when you are sick

I am sure I will find this funny at some point. Translation not now, I strung spine beads for a new bracelet 5 times each time somehow having a brain fart and losing them all. I thought I would try a seed bead project by then decided if you have a cold that is so bad you are sure your brain is being compressed and milked of all intelligence by the side effects of a cold. Feel worse today but we have some pretty good lighting so I might try and do something. I have mostly taken apart bracelets that just didn't work out. I am still trying to find that perfect combination of a stretch base and the frill of a spiral or something to make it special. I do have some ideas but we will see how they work out. I think it is cute a total novice thinking I can make something unique and original when there are so many amazing beaders out there. Hope you are having a great weekend. I plan to get well...and be back on track soon. Newest project 50% chance of being undone but still learning. The only words of wisdom is really pay attention to what you are doing. Hard for someone who has to multitask instead of paying attention to one thing. Commit to a forward and back word pattern. Just one bead off does make a difference. Cheers feel free to comment I would love some feed back.

12 step program

I have decided after adding up my bead and beading findings purchases that I might need to join an addiction group. At least I am still buying. I have two bids on eBay. I really know realize what a great buy my first purchases where from one seller. Now another "so you don't make the same mistake" make sure that there are enough beads to use in a project. I am finding more and more people use eBay to get rid of small lots that no matter how great the bead is if there isn't enough to make something, it isn't a good buy. Now you could use for earrings. I have not ventured into that area yet. Still blown away with even small projects need more beads than you think. Than again I might like a bit splashy. I have been ripping apart my last project. The spine bead was just too big to make enough of a spiral to feel full enough. In fact I have been "unbeading" today and organizing my beads. Good thing to do on a dark rainy day. Today's rant is why do they think a threader is going to help when you can't see the hole to put the threader in? I did find some needles it would work for but on a whole I was frustrated. I think in my old sewing supplies I might have a better quality threader than the one that came with this set of needles. I am doing my best to shore up the economy. If there is a good sale buy when it is hot. Full price beads seem so high. Todays learning will be working on doing a better job ending and starting a new thread. Translation I lost a loop due to a poor tread start. So happy when the whole bracelet didn't unravel. Until I really test of the strength and clean up my skill I would never think of selling. I do at some point need to sell since I have spent more on beads than a simple hobby should require. Hope were ever you are the weather is not causing too much trouble. Cheers Oh and so far I got one group of beads and think I will be out bid on the other but once I adding in shipping they were not a good buy. Well, I am sure I will get them now. Good I have been outbid.... See sometimes you do the right thing in spite of yourself.

Pictures of Bracelet on

If you are young you will not understand but I had to take my watch off because I couldn't take a picture of my bracelet on my right hand because of a couple big ass age spots. Girls take care of your hands they are the first to go!

Fine tuning

I really like the idea of the modified spiral for a stretch bracelet. So I was able to use a different color and found it worked out lovely. Since I am never one to just call it a day on an idea, I am now working on a more difficult one that has lost its charm at the moment. The bronze one here was a three bead pattern with going forward 3 back 2. I would not use this large of seed beads again because it didn't flow like I like it to. I always use 3 different kinds of center bead in each loop. Not sure if it is visual or for self torture trying to keep track while watching TV, or I should say listening to TV. It does not have the same exact feel as the spiral you see on YouTube but it has a nice almost charm bracelet feel. Completely off subject I have decided to learn Spanish. I was able to find a great app for the phone as well as the computer. It can teach anyone Spanish... I am so proud to say I am so special I am in the no one group. A few words here and there but on a whole I think once I walk away from the program, I retain very little. I often loose all my hearts and the wise owl all but shakes it head at me. So if it isn't working for free why not spend money. So I got the "even the older brain can learn" product. It is "only $9.95" except by the time they are done with their sales pitch I was in it for close to $40.00. I did walk away from numerous "only right now" extras that would of had me over $100. I did get 700 pictures that are to worm their way into your brain and teach you vocabulary. Hmm while I said that I remember one of their sales pitches is no vocabulary words. Any way to the point, I am sure I learned something but once again it is not willing to exit my brain yet. Maybe all at once I will be able to eat an apple with a woman and drink with the man. Here are some pictures...we know we only come for the pictures. Wait come (eat) see I did learn something. So glad I don't have a dirty mind.

Yes success!

Trying to still figure out how to make a spiral bracelet using a stretch cord. I decided to try using stretch cord through all the spine beads. Then using beading thread I tried to stay close to the same pattern but you do not pick up any beads just add the design loop. I used size 8 seed bead and was able to get the .8 stretch thread through and the waxed thread through as many times as you need to get the look I wanted. It is not perfect and I will go back through tomorrow and add a few more loops and go back through as many loops as I can. It is to the point there is not very much room so it might be just threading through the loops. I actually am pretty pleased with myself ... I know, I am sure many people have thought of this before me. Still I don't know about it so in my mind I am taking credit. Thanks for taking a look...Hope you are staying warm and safe.