flat netting

I have been beading, but not taking pictures as often as I need to do.  The time change poses a problem for catching the light at the right time.  I'm getting too many shadows now at the usual time I wander out to take pictures.  I ran out and realized that I was about 20 minutes past the last good light.  But, oh well, I grabbed some shots anyhow.

I tried out flat netting a few weeks ago.  I made a very simple bright red cuff with large toggles.  One of the young ladies who has been in my class since last year (Spanish 1 [which I no longer teach] and Spanish 2) caught sight of it, grabbed my wrist, and declared that she liked this one the best of all she had seen.  I'm not sure I agree, but it was fun to flat net.

two colors of 11/o Czech's and some vintage pressed glass flowers

I love the texture of the fabric and the way the pearl finish beads play against the matte finish beads.

netting works up quickly - next to try some netting layered over another base to give it a bit of substance

I also tried a RAW pattern from the French designer Mu whose site I cannot find to add the link.  This one uses 6/o's and 15/o's.  I added a giant vintage button and a handmade steel hook for a closure.

bracelets mingling

the button is quite a bit more blue in person

Finally, a little bit of flower power and corgi cuteness...

The neighbors's cat

I don't remember her name.  I just call her Sombracita - little shadow - because she chases after us when we walk.

Mingus and the neighbors' cat.

The black kitty runs from her house when she sees us in the morning.  Coltrane and Mingus are always excited to see her and won't move until she crosses the street to greet them.  Then they promptly ignore her.  When we are on the walk back home she hides behind a shrub or in the shadows (we walk before 6AM), and jumps out at them.  Usually I see her hide while the boys are busy sniffing everything, but sometimes she manages to scare me too.  This was a rare weekend morning when she laid herself out on the sidewalk in Mingus's path and demanded attention.

kumi's got me

I've been kumi crazy all week.  Actually I'm working on just one thing, but because I've been super sleepy this week, I only proceed about 45 min. at a time.  I have had this gorgeous lampwork focal by Juls Cannon for a few months and I finally figured out what I wanted to do with it.  I decided that some little seed beads I had would really bring out the greens and blues in the lampwork, and I set out to make a kumihimo strand on which to feature the bead.

the Aurora Borealis focal bead from Juls

I strung 13 ounces of copper lined aqua 11/o beads onto 8 lb. Fireline and set up my kumi disc.  This sounds like something that can happen lickety split, but in actuality, it took two days (aka 1 1/2 hours when your working day is only 45 min.).  Having no bobbins around which to wind the 64 feet of Fireline I pulled off of the roll, I folded index cards and cut notches to keep all the line in check, but also allow for easy unrolling to extend length as I went.  I thought about running to the drug store and searching for some pink foam hair rollers, but I decided I'd better invest my $ in real bobbins.

My beads are actually a bit lighter in color.  

At first I thought that the index cards would grab each other and not work, but they didn't pose any problem.  So finally I had eight 8 foot long strands of Fireline laden with 11/o beads.  I started braiding and when I began to add beads I thought perhaps the endeavor was turning out to be a disaster.  I got about 3 inches into it (this is slow going - but to me who is used to working wide peyote bands, it seems pretty quick) and put it down for the evening feeling deflated.  My fingers were having a hard time grabbing the line and it was difficult to see if the the 11/o beads were really under the line in each pass.  I was feeling as if the fun had gone out of it.

Kumi mobile

The next evening I put on my big girl skirt and picked up the disc again.  This time I actually put on my glasses and thought about the dilemma.  I adjusted the weight at the end of the braid and whipped out another few inches.  Huh!?  I actually liked what I was getting.  Although I know next to nothing about that I'm doing, I do know that the weight on the braid and the counterweight on each of the lines will change to look of the braid.  So on I went.  I've gotten to the point where I will run out of beads.  Today I have to do that most dangerous thing - go on-line and place a bead order.  I need all the self control I can muster!

...so far...

This is 29 cm (11 1/2 inches) of braid.

Non-dog lovers should look away now - here is your dose of dog cuteness:

I was reading blogs and turned around to find my husband napping with the dog.