No fiber in this wandering ...

I am home from our family summer vacation and happy to be blogging again, but be forewarned: there is no fiber in this post. Lots of beads, but no fiber. I hope you enjoy my wanderings today anyway ....

This story begins with my Bead Journal Project pieces for 2007. Once 8 of the 12 pieces are completed, participants may post photos to their own page at the Bead Journal Project website (click the link to check it out & and sign up for next year's fun too). On my 2007 BJP page, I mention that I joined the yearlong project to learn and to expand my beading knowledge, stating: "I was fascinated with beads but tended to admire the beaded wonders created by others without daring to try beading anything on my own." Well, this post is all about my other beaded creations, not my BJPs (to see those, click here). Without further ado, may I show you the jewelry I have made?

The very first pair of earrings broke soon after I finished them. Disclaimer: I have not taken any beading or jewelry classes ;^) ... instead I have learned by reading, doing, then asking my dear friend Linda Teddlie Minton for help when I get really stuck (Thank you Linda!). Needless to say, I was not encouraged to try again very soon. But sometime this past spring, most likely just before one of our Beyond the Borders meetings, I got mad at myself and determined that I would make at least one pair of earrings.... which I did, using beads that my friend Susan King had given me (Thank you Susan).

As you can see, they are long and dangly and red. I love them & wore them nearly every day of our recent vacation. Last Saturday (July 19), that same energizer-motivator-bunny got me going again and I made two new pairs of earrings late that night when the household was quiet. The wee bewitching hours when everyone else is sleeping seem to be one of my most creative and productive times.


The next morning, while watching the live broadcast of the Tour de France bicycle race with my boys, I pulled out my beads again and made five more pairs of earrings. Now I am the proud owner of seven new pairs of earrings and I couldn't be happier. I love all of them -- even with the quirks and imperfections of my novice jewelry-making techniques.


Yet this is not the only jewelry I have made. An early mis-fire became one of my first BJPs (know which one I'm referring to?). I am getting ahead of myself. At the International Quilt Market and Festival two years ago, I bought a Looney Lentil bracelet kit from Wild Hair Studio. They assured me that it was a great beginner project, and they were right! This bracelet is truly the first beaded jewelry that I ever made myself. It was so simple that I dared to make another bracelet right away. I was also motivated by the wonderful bracelets made by friends Linda Minton and Nancy Dickey. My first solo attempt misfired and is now captured on my "DNA gone wild!" BJP piece. The second effort was more successful. Both bracelets need matching earrings and naturally the leftover beads were not easily located during my recent earring-making-binge. However, these (see photo) may work, at least until my next attack of "must-make-jewelry." My original bracelet is the top one, Looney Lentils is below it.


One more look at my growing earring collection. Hmm, I believe there are colors that are under-represented -- I will make more earrings one day, but only after finishing my 2007 BJPs, my arches for Textile Challenges, seven traditional quilts for my extended family, not to mention the other art quilts that are brewing in my head. Stay tuned ...