Spiritcloth

http://spiritcloth.typepad.com/spirit_cloth/

I get alot of daily newsletter things on various subjects; cretivity, beading, fiberarts, polymerclay, spirituality, befief systems, etc. One of my favorites is Spiritcloth. Jude Hill is consistent in her contributions and I find her an amazing person, one who Ii would like to be when I grow up, only I am sure I am older than she so that isn't likely.
Her work is unique, nothing  else is like it. I find it inspiring consistentlly and bet you will too.
Check it out. Spiritcloth stitching a story could be called Sspiritcloth, Stitching a Life.

Well it was a lot of fun. I am not completely happy with it because I need more practice in making the copper wire beads. I like the polymer clay beads,( barrels, drums, lentils), and the fabric beads came out nice too. But the copper wire beads? For one thing I've had the wire forever and do not know the gauge. I may have had better luck with a slightly smaller gauge. Oh yeah, I am going to try again. The idea came from a design by Cyndi Lavin, Jewelry Crafts Magazine, March/April 2007. I made a slew of changes. the original used hand painted satin cord, I used a simple dark cotton cord. the original beads used were purchased ceramic rather than polymer clay. If Cyndi recognizes it I doubt if she'd want to claim it!! But who knows?

Little old bead maker me!

I've been making beads every chance I get. Polymer clay beads in brown and gold and copper in shapes as varied as drum, lentil and coin. Small round and cube PC beads in pastels and multi-colors. Fabric beads of small cheetah print, paper beads in deep reds, rose, mauve  and varied greens, copper wire beads ( a first, I need more practice). What fun! I'm in the finishing stages, coats of sealer, trimming, filing, shaping.The brown and metallic beads, copper beads, and fabric beads are for a neck piece that is to have an African flavor. (Stay tuned!)

I
I've been making beads every chance I get. Polymer clay beads in brown and gold and copper in shapes as varied as drum, lentil and coin. Small round and cube PC beads in pastels and multi-colors. Fabric beads of small cheetah print, paper beads in deep reds, rose, mauve  and varied greens, copper wire beads ( a first, I need more practice). What fun! I'm in the finishing stages, coats of sealer, trimming, filing, shaping.

Crystal Spider Necklace

Perfect for the season. Appropriate but still pretty!

Berry Patch Bracelet

Blackberry patch bracelet to go with necklace. It is interwoven brier vines with ripe and partially ripe berries,  and a few berry vine leaves. It attaches with a berry red button and viney loop-. I love this berry stuff. Still have earrings and a ring to work on.
What will I do after berries? Hmm, I've been pulled back again to beachy things. Maybe pearls, seas colored seed beads, shells, polymer sea life? will it be jewelry? Or maybe a wall hanging or table piece .....so many ways to go. Stay tuned.

Magical Monday:

Drove to the coast to the Indian village to take a friend some canning jars and lids etc. It was a great day for the ride. It is only 70 miles but takes over two hours as the roads are narrow winding and precarious. When leaving the village to drive back there is a road sign that reads, slides and washouts the next 35 miles and it isn’t kidding!

I wanted to see the ocean beach and visit some of the inlets on the straits to take pictures and just soak the seasonal changes into my being. I didn’t realize until visiting with Lila briefly that her late daughter Kim would have turned 55 yesterday. We visited her grave on the way back. The graveyard has the usual crosses but also totems and Orca carvings, glass globes and plastic flowers. It feels peaceful there, but still alive as well. An interesting aura.

It was sunny but misty from time to time and a huge rainbow arced over the ocean and ended in the village, visible just as we drove over the ridge into town. Welcoming. I was a northwest native in another life and driving into Neah Bay always reminds me of returning home.

It was a magical day to start out my week.

Blackberry bramble bead necklace

Vines and berries, leaves and stamen....everything but the stickers! I like how this turned out. Be sure to click to enlarge and see the details.

Finally!

I have some of my berry beaded jewelry ready to post;
I really admire the jewelry artist, author, beader Laura McCabe. She developed interesting necklace designs based on wild weeds  that commonly grow in her home area,New England. her work started me thinking about what common weeds growing wild in my native area, northwest Washington would lend themselves to beaded necklace designs.
My favorite, wild blackberries came to mind first. I remember Br'er Rabbit outfoxing Br'er Fox by crying "Don't throw me in the brier patch, do anything, anything, but don't throw me in that brier patch." Of course that is exactly what Fox would do, and Rabbit would be home!
In late summer we would go on wild blackberry picking excursions, I would have a small pail which I was expected to fill before I could go exploring. I loved those sweet summer days, The warm cedar scent in the air, the mysterious animal tracks and sometimes droppings. Mom warning me to stay close, as bears loved berries too (along with wandering kids).We pinicked all around a huge patch of berries one day to see bear wandering up the hill away from us. He had picked his way around the opposite side of the patch as we circled around unknowingly. No problem, there was plenty enough for us all. Guess he wasn't in
a mood for kids!

Daily Om

I've added Daily Om to this blog so that on days when i don't have the oomph to get a project up there will be something else for you to see. Something I often find valuable and helpful and hope you do too.

A sample of Today's harvest. 

PC Cockatoo

Little Cockatoo, another after
Christie Friesen's style. He is scheduled to become a focal bead in a pearl and crystal necklace.

Little fish

Little fish.
Another small pastel focal bead, created with a delicate necklace in mind. I've got a nice little stash of focals now so soon they must start to become more.
Still working on the blackberry bramble bead necklace evenings, and to top it off I've come up with both a bracelet and earring ideas to go with!
Get busy Rae.

Dragon fly

Simple little irredescent dragonfly focal bead. I think she would look just right on a necklace of pastel seed beads and tiny pearls.With maybe one or two slender matching ribbons. Hmm.

New color scheme

A new color scheme developed for me from last night's dinner.
We had salmon patties, buttered sesame seed broccoli, and creamed Peruvian purple potatoes.
Beautiful!
Rich salmon, lively spring green, and medium pinky lavender. wow!
Beads?, clay? both?

Sea Shapes, fossil like

With these I used real shells, coral and rough natural  pods and seeds.

they look good strung with pastel seed beads and small

fresh water pearls.

Luna Moth

Polymer clay Luna moth after the style of Christi Friesen. Made with natural shell and luminaire highlights.
A real joy to make after many months of being "off clay" due to being a couch potato. yes, I can do a lot of clay work right here but getting a stock of it pre-conditioned made the whole process difficult. So mostly I beaded.
Next I'll dhow you some of the results of that.
Presently I have more polymer clay critters to finish  with protectant and buff.
And in the beading category I am jouyously creating a blackberry bramble necklace complete with berry clusters both ripe, semi-ripe and green. What fun!

I am intending to be on a Healthy-as-heck role. I'm so much more than ready. New stuff to show you too. b Both in beads and clay.
So beware Rae is back!!

Green Man and forest Woman

These two have been a long time in the making. I learned a lot in the process, but still have a long way to go. If one learns by her mistakes I should surely know nearly everything!1 Did as much un-doing as well as doing. The colors do not show up as deep and bright as they are.What's the deal blogger?

Anyway you get the idea.

A Football Game Gives Hope

Spring! Hurry up!

This was so fun to make.

 Started with a length of ribbon a little longer than the circumference of my wrist.

This is an embroidered ribbon, looks like it was made on an embroidery type sewing machine, inexpensive, a little over a dollar for a roll. You can buy the whole thing with no need to  have it measured.

I used seed beads in a mix of greens, and pinks mostly size 11s,  Then i added glass leaves and blossoms in pink and green as well. A loop on one end will fit over one of three blossoms on the opposite end  giving you a closure to fit three sizes. A couple of hours on three evenings and it was done.

I love spring and have been celebrating it's inevitable entry into this year since, well, last year, solstice!!