Fun Trades and Gifties from the Retreat

1940s double-swirl center-hole button

Austrian Crystal Triangle pendant

1940s Heliotrope 18mm X 13mm Swarovski

early 1900s red glass hearts, transparent 13mm X 15mm

All the above were from a trade with Sherry Grove, for

a pair of crocheted wristers (fingerless gloves), plus she

gave me more yarn to make something pretty for her

and me!

Czech glass 2-sided hands (way cool!)

Harry Solly polyclay faces

And these were waiting for me when I got home;

18mm X 13mm Swarovski ovals, Tabac Golden.

From Ebay seller rystonesamanda- great price

and fast service!
Now, what to play with first??!!

More Gifties

I always forget how much I enjoy working with crochet and soft yarn, until it gets cold! Here are a couple of gifts that are from a free pattern at http://lionbrand.com/ called 'Wristers'. I have seen longer versions in the younger-set's clothing magazines, like Alloy. They work up fast (once you get over having to admire how each row looks, before starting another LOL).

I tried using the fuzzy yarn with the fat yarn, but had trouble keeping all those ends from tangling up, so just went back over the tops when they were finished, and added the furry bits.
Try THAT with your knitting needles ROFL! Really, I am truly the knit-impaired, but can crochet just about anything.

Enjoy!

Time for Gifts!!

I don't know about you, but I love making and receiving

handmade gifts! Whether they took hours or minutes to

create, something of the giver remains in these, unlike the

'very best' store-bought gifts!

These are two pair of Hawk feather earrings, for a very

good friend's daughters.

I hope they enjoy them!

More of this and that

This is what happens when you get beads that just scream to be used in herringbone, but you want to embellish afterward! Swar 4mm gold glass pearls, purple velvet Swar bicones, Czech reproduction button. Gifted to Bebee G of NC/FL!

Playing around with teaching myself RAW 3D, using el cheapo Chinese bicones, came up with this lovely cross, which will be part of a Christmas gift to a close friend. See, you CAN make something nice with those bicones- $1 for a 16 inch strand!

Riza C, a fairly new beader (since April 2010!!!) did the top two using the Alhambra pattern by Sabine Lippert. I like how she used the semi-precious Chinese Turquoise, Turquoise R/S, Indian Jasper and Autumn Jasper in hers.

The top of the three is Jan Wasser's Diamondback pattern, done with Indian Red and Indian Pink Swar bicones, the other two are Alhambra variations, original pattern by Sabine Lippert. I wish the 3.4mm fringe drops on the black and silver (Miyuki) didn't lose their silver coating, or that I had used the FP version, but I still like it. The charlottes are Tierra Cast, and they are holding up beautifully, though now that we are using our gas logs for heat, have to keep all the silver that I cannot put into the tumbler to clean in ziploc bags, because they tarnish from the sulphur in the propane. The stones in the black and silver are black tourmaline (the 8mm), smoky quartz R (6mm faceted) and black agate D (4mm). The lighter bracelet uses the glass pearls from FMG- not Swars, but they are holding up nicely. Both of these use the C clasps from Claspgarten, and I highly recommend them as easy to put on, yet do not come apart during wear.

Happy Moon, indeed! Face by Solly Creations, Kato clay with alcohol ink, embellished herringbone base. Gifted to Riza C of Bryson City!

What have YOU been up to?

More stars..

These are the stars created for the members of
our local beading group, which met for Christmas
dinner at Pearl's home in Cherokee, NC- she is
the mom of our instructor, Rita Owle, and it was
a joy to visit and see all the handmade cloth ornaments
she created and had about her home.
Now they want me to teach them to make the stars,
but I need to have Lidia's permission AND completed
tutorial, first!!And extra patience- some of these ladies'
fav stitch is frog stitch!!