On my table

Currently on my table: the newest TILA beads from Miyuki. They're 5x5mm flat lovelies, so far in very cool albeit limited colors. Shown here are what I call pearly ivory (TL593) and metallic pewter (TL2002).
Having two holes makes them interesting and challenging to stitch. I know lots of artists are fooling around with them and I can't wait to see what you are coming up with! Here's a sampler of my own. Basically it's right angle weave but working with two holes means a thread path that needs a real spin. My sampler will be the basis for a cuff, so stay tuned to see what ultimately develops once the base is completed. I don't even know yet what I'll do next, but with large holes in the TILA beads, there's plenty of room for embellishment and layering.

Bead Fest Philly Circle Brick class, seats available!

Sign up, learn a cool stitch!

Babes and Beads and thanks, Virginia!

Just home from an annual Babes weekend with 8 other women at the Jersey shore. More than ten years old, this tradition means food, wine, beach, more food and wine, good books, laughs, and maybe a bit more food and wine. Oh, and I bring beads.


I'm the only beader, so I play with something while we sit around and swap stories and catch up. But I sell, too– my pals always want me to bring stuff for them to buy, especially those from out of town who I don't see all year except during this weekend.


This year it was time to make some converts. Last year I brought finished stretchy cuffs for everyone. This year I had a deal: I brought huge bins of resin, Lucite and wood beads and lots of stretchy cord. Make a bracelet for yourself but you also have to make one for me.

Not everyone was into making bracelets (though everyone was interested to see the results) but I got a nice armful of cool cuffs from a few of the babes (thanks George, Sam, and Kath) and they learned about balance and scale and other design basics. It was bead camp!


I was inspired to stretch from my usual symmetry (such as the cuffs at the top of this blog) by Sam's multi-bead black and green cuff. Hey, a bracelet of all focal beads! (Duh, right?) Here's my beachy version to remind me of Babe's Weekend 2010.


You just never know what will happen when you have babes and beads together–I also got a fabulous pasta-free zucchini lasagna recipe!

It feels so good . . .

. . . to be making jewelry again. More work will be in my web site Gallery soon.