SPRING!

I so want to see green, all the greens, from the lightest yellow-green of the new leaves on the elms to the deepest blue-green of our mosses. I am tired of grey, white and black. I want blue, Carolina blue skies, not the misty half washed-out tired grey-blue they have been all Winter, when they weren't just nasty old dark. Not even a color, just dark.

So, as the weather is snowing yet again, and Nature has yet to hear my plea and respond, I decided another bracelet, in Spring colors, was needed.

Here it is!

Now, for some flowers...

Who Wants to Go Shopping For Beads?!

The turquoise and dyed agate square are from Alice's Lace and Fabric Shop, in Whittier, NC, right on US 74 West. No website, but a wonderful place to stop for seed beads, loose stones, all sorts of Native American bits like feathers, turtle shells, leather and stone pipes, plus the only fabric shop for 60 miles either direction!

The Raku Button came from the John C Campbell Folk School gift shop- $4!!

The rest of the beads come from Birdsong Beads in Andrews, NC- a really cute shop with surprising goodies every time I go!

Sparkle A-Bridged

Cindy of beadlady.biz fame had these marvelous copper penny 11o beads (#481), and I wanted to test their finish as to stability. Another Stacked Sparkle form bracelet was called forth, but put a 3 bead bridge over and between the crystals, as well as alternating a single bead with the 3 beads called for, in the final step of the pattern. These are the very outside beads. Having 3 beads in every space made it ruffle up, but alternating with a single bead lets it lie flat.

The 8 mm magnetic copper clasp came from Flamingo Beads in Florida, and are super strong.

Last, but not least

A bit of Turkish crochet, in the form of bangles; one for my FL hostess Friend, Bebee and one for my transportation Queen, Harleen.

I will be taking this form of creating to the upcoming jury selection March 1, in Bryson City :-).

Soha turns into earrings-voila'!

Great pattern- you can find it here;

http://centperles.canalblog.com/archives/2010/01/27/16696458.html

You have to use Rocailles- the thinner, donut shaped

seed beads, or it will buckle like made, instead

of gently curving to meet your wrist. I cannot see

myself doing 6 or 7 of these, so did one as earring,

and like it well enough to do another.

Tip; do not try adding the rocailles on either side of

the first 4mm Czech rounds you put on the sides,

but add them in the next row. Continue around,

then add the center 4mm rounds- add another

rocaille between the two center 4mm rounds, so

that when you tack it down to one of the first rocailles

added in Row 2, it lies nicely.

Be careful going through your delicas multiple times

if you have matte finish- they are a bit delicate. Just

wiggle your needle gently to make room, then ease

it on through. If it seems hard, get a smaller needle.

I used my beloved curved #10 John James beading

needle and 6# Smoke Fireline. The rocailles came

from a hank of beads I bought in the 1980's, at a

Pow-Wow. I also used a 4mm Margarite, not a 6mm.

Happy Beading!

A bit of Holiday Cheer

Inspired by an online pattern from Bead & Button Magazine, that cost more than I was willing to spend! Mine uses 8o Matsuno beads for the triangles, has rivolis added on top, and is open at the base, so it can be used on another glass ball, if the first breaks. Click on any pic to open.