On my bead tray

rock star sized cuff - 67mm wide

I'm working on a super-sized peyote stitch cuff.  I found a great pattern for this peacock feather cuff - Pavo Real - from the Fairy Factory.  Right now a number of the cuff patterns are on sale so go and take a look.  The pattern is easy to follow and written for brick stitch also (2 for 1).  I switched out one of the listed colors - the background was designed as clear crystal ab, but I'm using a white ab satin.  I was a bit afraid that I would see the thread through the clear beads (Delica 51...anyone tried those?).  Maybe I need to buy some and try them out myself because I've seen a couple patterns using them for background.

this baby really sparkles on the wrist

I'm all of 80 rows into the piece and have something like 120 more to go!  When I get closer to the end I will be able to decide how to close the piece.  I have a few concerns because of how wide it is, but I know I will be able to design something workable.

My neighbor is thrilled that I've given up my desire to keep peacocks in the yard and have channeled my energy toward recreating their feathers in beads.  Their screams can be ear splitting.  We actually have some in the neighborhood, but they are hidden away on a farm so we only get to see a wayward one once in a blue moon.

Coltrane update

Win an awesome cuff from NEDbeads...

Check out this amazing cuff from NEDbeads...and it is in one of my favorite colorways!  Are you drooling yet?

Lisa Peters made the gorgeous focal button

of course I love the floral motif!

Check out the NEDbeads shop at Etsy and this great bracelet tutorial that uses Twin beads.  I've been wanting to give these a try since they debuted. 

give Twin beads a whirl!

Check out what Lori is giving away at Pretty Things

win this set of letter stamps from PJ Tools and...

this hammer made just for stamping metal!

Hop over to Pretty Things to enter.

Loads of work in progress & dog on the mend

sweetpea butter fly designed by Huib Petersen

I've been doing just what I try to avoid - working on multiple projects at the same time.  My life outside of beading is filled with half finished project and things I can't quite get going so I love focusing on weaving a piece and seeing it through to the end, then starting a new one.  I need that boost I get from a sense of accomplishment upon completion.  Here are a two of the many pieces hanging about:

drop three peyote tube beads with a messy wrapped loop - only 12 more tubes to wrap

Coltrane has also been making strides.  He picked up a toy and brought it over to play, he started doing more steps, both up and down, he rolled onto his back in a stinky spot, and he is cleaning himself again!  It took ten days on all his drugs to get him this far.  He is on the taper down side of his prednisone and has 20 more days, and has 12 more days of antibiotics.  The poor guy was 28.6 lbs. on March 21st and only 26.6 lbs. on Friday. I started giving him some little snacks during the day and in the evening after dinner which seem to be giving him a little more energy.  He is is particularly fond of yogurt, corn tortillas (actual tortillas - not chips so there is no salt), and anything with peanut butter.

Mingus (red) sharing the couch with Coltrane (black) for a nap

Coltrane update

I'm sleeping - go away

Coltrane is doing much better this week.  He had his last seizure on March 28th, his 8th birthday, and finally went on medication.  The radiologists at UF vet school decided that the hydrocephalus was probably an active process so we began treating him for a brain infection.  Still, no one seems to know what sort of infection he has.

Of all the tests he received, everything from blood work, to CTs, to MRI's, and a spinal tap, the only thing which every showed up anything but normal were the images on the MRIs.  They revealed the hydrocephalus and two areas of his brain with problems.  We spent a week waiting for spinal tap results which we hoped would show if he had an infection or autoimmune/inflammatory disease.  Each test came back negative.  Finally he wasn't making enough progress and had his birthday seizure so the vet neurologist put him on prednisone and an antibiotic.  He is still taking thiamine (B1) and he gets a Pepsid AD to make sure all this stays down.  

Lots of pills!  The crazy little boy comes trotting in the room each time he hears the pill bottles rattle.  He wants peanut butter.  I really don't have to put much on each pill and he gobbles/sucks it down.  The fastest he moves all day is at feeding and pill time.

Coltrane & Mingus

He is walking much better. He is much more sure-footed and can walk a bit faster and even trot.  This week he started jumping up on all the furniture again and going down stairs sometimes, but he still doesn't want to go  up stairs.  His hind end seems to be a bit weak still and we think he may still have a vision problem.  To help him out I shaved the fur from the bottoms of his paws.  He had some big tufts growing between his pads and I thought this might make him lose traction on the wood floors.  He really didn't like the shaver at all, but it was Mingus who ran around barking and barking while I worked on Cole.  When I was done Cole grabbed Ming's leg and pulled to try to bother him into playing.  They had a great time playing much like they used to play.

I'm hopeful that he will recover.  Right now I'm concerned that when he comes off the meds the problem will come back.  For now, he still has almost two weeks of antibiotics and something like 22 days of prednisone so I will put off any serious worrying until then.