Photo #353/365: Beading Station

I shopped my sister's bead collection, got some ideas and advice from her, and set up this beading station to work.  I used ceramic beads and waxed linen thread.  I braided the beads into the linen.  It was a lot of fun.  I will be giving the finished necklace to one of my friends.

Photo #90/365: Bracelets

On Sunday, I picked up this little stack of bracelets at the bead show. I have been having fun wearing them this week. It turns out that the colors look completely different in bright light than they did at the hotel. I just love sparkly things!

Photo #86/365: Rings & Things Bead Show

On Sunday I went with my sister to the Rings and Things Bead Show. It was great fun to look at all those beads. I especially loved the African Trade Beads, though most were way beyond my budget.

Photo #65/365: Bead Play

This afternoon I went out to Jacci's house to play with her beads and make some jewelry. We had planned to do this last weekend, but I ended up staying home sick. I have my own beads and equipment, but I am an amateur. Jacci, however, knows what she's doing. Before she became a certified gem appraiser, she had her own business making and marketing jewelry. She also has all all the trimming and trappings that are necessary to make a nice piece of jewelry.

The pendant is vintage, and Jacci picked it up at an auction some time ago. She gave it to me a couple of years ago. I've looked at it, and even worn it on a chain, but I wanted to make it a permanent part of necklace. I picked up some of the jasper beads last September when we went to the Marshalltown Bead Bash, and Jacci let me use some of her beads as well.



I've been thinking about how I wanted to put these beads together, so for a change, when I started laying things out on the beading tray, my plan came together pretty quickly.

Then it was time to string the beads. I used a brown stainless steel tiger tail. It was flexible and very easy to work with me. Once I had things together, Jacci helped me tie off the ends. She used gold wire to attached the final bead and pendant.




I am very pleased with my necklace.

Photo #15-16/365: Birthday Bash

I've had a great weekend celebrating my birthday. Jacci took me out to dinner at the Outback in Ankeny, where I had a delicious steak, and she gave me this beautiful bracelet. I can keep adding beads to the bracelet as I go. I love glittery things!

Photo #345: Beads

In spite of blizzard warnings, I spent part of the afternoon out at my sister's house. We were making necklaces with these fantastic beads. These beads were hand made in Greece. I love the textures, the shapes, and the colors. I brought my bead box, but Jacci's beads are way better. This is because Jacci knows what she is doing when she buys or works with beads, or any other kind of jewelry for that matter. We had a really good time.

Afterwards we went to Altoona Christian Church where Donner was directing a Christmas play, "Dinner at the Bethlehem Inn." It was a dinner theater, with the cast serving dinner to the audience. By this time the blizzard was in full force, so we drove in blowing snow both to and from the church. We are thankful to be warm and cozy once again in our respective houses.

Photo #268: Bead Bash

Today was another dreary wet day. I love fall temperatures, but I could do without all this rain. For a change of pace, Jacci and I went to the ninth annual Marshalltown Bead Bash today. It was really fun looking at all the beads and jewelry makings. We both picked up some great beads.



Jacci is a very talented and creative jewelry designer. I have made some pieces, but I'm not very good at it, yet. I do love the colors, shapes and textures of the beads. I have some vintage pendants that Jacci gave me a while ago. I was shopping for beads to go with them. There were so many beautiful beads, that it was difficult to choose just a few. Now that I have the beads, I have to make sure I actually do something with them.