Contemporary Geometric Beadwork

If you haven't ordered your copy of 

Contemporary Geometric Beadwork Volume I by Kate McKinnon, 

then you are missing out.  

Pyramid Bracelet from the book with a twist; I added these daring and dangerous SPIKES.
These spikes can be found at Rings and Things

This book will open your eyes and 

encourage you to approach beadwork in such a refreshing and creative way.

You will want to play with every new concept!

You will learn new thread paths that will revolutionize your designs and their structure!

From the spiral design of the book to the amazing photographs and literary contents...

this book is my favorite beading "text book" ever!

AND there will be a Volume II, which you can pre-order and have online access to the projects as they are developed! How the heck that really happens is beyond me but it is FREAKIN' AWESOME!

Keep beading alive and encourage your community to get involved!

Teach at your local library or even the high school.

Do your part to encourage people to create and, if at all possible, with beads!

Blessings!

Spring

Spring is still struggling with winter and will soon be overpowered by summer's heat here in the countryside of Texas. In the wee hours of the morning the temperature managed to drop from a comfortable 70-ish to a chilly 50-ish and now- cold rain. I am thankful for the rain, but I am not a fan of the cold. I tend to get slow, crickety and cranky when the cold comes in and today is no exception.

These wild Blackberries are loving the spring rains.

This is a portion of the same patch of Blackberries after I cleared some of the dead  brush/plants.

BUT, it is a good day to be a beader. The great outdoors is not calling my name today and I can contentedly sit at my desk and create. It could use a good cleaning but I think I need another dose of spring  to jump start that "spring cleaning" mode.

I shall be content to create in my mess of a haven.

"The Hook Line and Sinker" kits have been swimming out of here so fast that  I have been struggling to balance school, the house and "the business" with my sanity, what  little I have.

June's finished "Hook Line and Sinker" kit in the Jade colorway.
Thanks for the collage of your work June!

I think I will start with the the beaded beads that I am collaborating with Mandi to design and market.  There is a lot of work to be done. Colors and instructions need to be decided on and created. Specific stitches and how they are offered are yet to be finalized. The designs themselves are pretty much set and variations are still being toyed with, but giving the project a name has been an issue. While sharing a conversations she commented, "Give it a Whirl". It struck a cord with her so she suggested it as a name and we think it may be perfect.

I like everything it suggests:

Not knowing if you can do something but trying anyway, 

Chance

Playfulness

Serendipity

Hope

the list goes on...

Neon Variation

Another happy accident playing with the Neon Variation-
a toggle with neon superduos

Mandi  had an exciting podcast with Kate McKinnon, Author of Contemporary Geometric Beadwork.  You can listen to the podcast on Beadcircle.com. I recently received my pre-ordered copy of Volume One and all the swag gifted by Kate. (lovely beads, bead breaker, puzzle eraser, and several beautiful postcards with images of geometric beadwork on them). 

I played with the belly band and started a tri-wing ring....

I started the Tri-Wing Ring but sized it to one of the spikes that keep jumping onto my bead mat. I added 3 more interior wings and beaded another Tri-Wing Ring start and connected it under my original. It will grow some more but my play time is limited...

These spikes from York  keep jumping into my designs.

Beading isn't the only thing that has taken over! I managed to sew a costume for young lady for her UIL One Act Play performance. The last I heard, she received excellent marks for her costuming choice and is headed to State. (All I did was stitch the garment, I didn't choose fabrics or design it-- nor did I perform -- this young lady is stellar on her own, I have seen her perform before!)

I wish I  had a photo of HER in the finished garment.

Blessings!

Just PICTURES?!

Custom Steampunk cuff

Custom Steampunk cuff with stylized "Compass needle"

Steampunk cuff

Hook Line and Sinker

Hook Line and Sinker, Majic Orchid Colorway

Gothic Swan Cuff- 1st Place Advanced and People's Choice (TBR 2013)

Beaded Bead with the new Twins and Spikes designed with Mandi Ainsworth.

One of the beaded beads in two sizes.

Beaded Beads with Twins and Spikes designed with Mandi Ainsworth.

Baby Spike the dragon.

Beaded Beads, and Baby Spike and Gothic Swan are upcoming Kits/ tutorials and Hook Line and Sinker is already available.

Blessings,
Ralonda

Shoe forms

It was decided that there would be a beaded art doll shoe challenge on BAD.....

Two of us are stitching shoes to offer as forms. I have been playing with some ideas to make shoes like the one I previously posted small enough and completely stuffed. This way, a doll face could be added and it could become a small art doll. There are requirements that must be met on BAD (Beaded Art Doll Yahoo group- for those who may not know) for forms that are to be used in a Round Robin. The most difficult to achieve of these requirements is size. The forms I want to make are difficult to sew and sewing them in miniature is even more difficult. after several attempts I have landed a design that I can both sew easily and reproduce often. The last time I designed a form for one of their Round Robins, I wound up making 33 teapots forms. The demand doesn't seem to be as high this time and there is another lady making forms (phew). Below are the first few, which are far too large for a RR but are okay for a challenge or even just fun. I am not sure I want to reproduce any of these at this point. I would need some serious motivation to make more of them. The last one is the design I have settle on and will work beautifully for production and the Round Robin (that is if it is approved by the group mods).

This one has too much surface area. (Alexander McQueen's Armadillo shoe)

This one would work but is too difficult to reproduce- ruby slipper.

Simplified platform shoe! Love this one.
It will hold a face where the foot would slip in on a regular shoe.

I have also been contemplating opening an Etsy or Artfire store to make forms available all the time, 

what do you think? 

Leave me a comment, thanks!

Blessings!

Ragged

Been feeling a bit ragged here lately. So, I decided to capture that in a doll as a way to remember that being run ragged often produces some pretty neat things if we will follow thru and endure with hope and patience.

That last bit is a pep talk to myself but feel free to claim it for your own.

Blessings!

Bead Fest Texas 2012

Bead Fest Texas is fast approaching and I have been making kits and even putting a new design together for my students. The workshop being offered on Friday October 26th from 6-9pm is Steampunk Style Beaded Cogs. Here is a quick photo of the new design using the same technique being taught in class.

You can also find me at meet the teacher on Friday from 11:30-1pm. Many of the teachers will have their wares for sale as well as contact info for future reference.

 For the first time ever, "The Native Spirit Earrings" kit will be available too.

The Native Spirit Earring!

Hope to see you at Bead Fest.

Blessings!

Where to begin?

It has been a very long time since my last post. Hang on to your hats because I now have a laptop dedicated to staying connected that no one else will be using- ever.

I have been beading- but not on anything very  important.

 I participated in a bird RR for a beaded art doll group on yahoo.

I also had the privilege of delivering a RR doll to its owner after 9 other ladies worked on her. We had to put all the other dolls on hold so that we might deliver "Joy" as soon as possible. The dolly's mommy was very ill and was concerned that she may not see her doll before she died. Well, we barely made it. She received her doll only a week before she went home to be with the Lord.

Carol Anne was a  remarkable lady (forefront) and an amazing friend and mother.

Kathy is an awesome friend too (also pictured).

Usually the passing of a loved one while working on a beaded doll puts me in a funk. Having been able to deliver hers really gave me some closure on that kind of creative funk. 

I have a show to do this weekend and Bead Fest to prepare for in October.

I will be teaching Steampunk Style Beaded Cogs.

What can  be done with the technique.

Class kit sample (southwest colorway).

Hope you have a blessed day and I will be posting again soon.