Chain Saw Massacre

Thankfully I bought a small chain saw. It was a little more powerful than my hedge clippers. Manly men would not be impressed with this almost kid's sized chain saw!

I took the implement of destruction out of the box, added the oil. And read the directions. It was enough to scare the crap out of me.

Having investigated more than a few nasty chain saw accidents in the course of my day job, I already had a great deal of respect for the thing.

In addition to the chain saw and booklet of directions there was one more item in the box. It amazed me. Really? A prophylactic for the chain saw? Surely they did not think that this flimsy plastic would last long if it were meant to protect the blade while it is in storage. It HAD to be a chain saw prophylactic! At least I do not have to worry about my chain saw being randy and procreating!

See that piece of plastic? It is a chain saw prophylactic.
What else could it be?

All protected now! The female garden tools
have little to worry about, when I am not
watching!

I got out my safety glasses...I had to set the example, right? It would not look good if me, the OSHA investigator, got eye injuries from flying debris.

Let me at it!

What Form!!

Ozgar's turn!

I started on one tree. Then Ozgar was eager to help. He maimed, er...trimmed the other 3 trees. To you, it might look like a bad hair cut. To me, they are a thing of beauty. Nice and short, and manageable.

Before...Happy tall trees

After: Carnage!

Mid Week Already!

Since I had 3 furlough days to use this month, and some comp time, I lumped them all together so I could have a full week off.

And it's mid week already! DARN it all!! Why does time go so fast?

Since the weather was fairly nice, I did some weeding. Spring was definitely making it's entrance. I caught this butterfly resting on a bush.

Even Steve got out to mow the lawn. Maybe it was the neighbor mowing his lawn that spurned the dueling lawnmower version of male rutting behavior?

Dueling Lawn Mowers. Is YOUR lawn safe from

the likes of these guys??

Even Ozgur got into the spirit of Spring cleaning! He looks great wearing my garden shoes!

Who is this handsome man?

I went and bought a chain saw yesterday. I used to trim the 4 cypress trees in the back yard with big clippers. I can't do that anymore. They have gotten too big. The Chain saw is still in the box. I will tackle that chore tomorrow. I will let you know about this adventure!!

My new implement of mass destruction

The Poor trees that will meet uncertain
pruning!

Then...I did finish the pin I posted a few days ago. I don't know if I like the idea of a pin. Do you like it? Should I make it into a necklace. Would you want to make a project like this?? Would you be interested in a kit? It would be quite limited as I only have a few of the vintage tulip cabs (in blue and in pink).

I worked on some new Art Nouveau Tile Patterns. I have one or 2 more that I want to do before I have Steve add them to my website with the others. Here are the 3 I have finished.

As for the Hungarian Outfit project...I think I have the skirt designed...I just hope it will work as I want it to. I am chomping at the bit wanting to get into it!

Also.. beginning this Friday, I will take part in the Blogging A-Z challenge hosted by Lee of Tossing it out. Every day (except Sundays) all of us (over 700) will blog about something beginning with the letter of the alphabet of the day. So Friday is of course the letter A. I have most of my alphabet worked out to one degree or another. A few letters, I am presently stumped on! My posts are a mix. A few serious, most perhaps not. I hope you will enjoy them.

BEGINS THIS FRIDAY!!!

Fire Mountain Gems Has Blown Me Away!!

I just received an email from Fire Mountain Gems that really made my day. I was not expecting this at all.

It is rare that I enter a contest. Last year I entered The Kiss in their yearly contest. While I did not win, the piece was used twice for the back covers of magazines. I was quite happy with that. Now, they have featured me on their "Jewelry Artist Success Story"!


CLICK HERE FOR THE ARTICLE

I am thrilled for the honor. I think I will be thrilled for a long time for this!  :)

If you like the piece, I sell the kit on my website: Click Here

It Was A Long Week

Darn Day Job! It just takes up too much time!  This last week was especially troublesome. We had a training class to go to in Sacramento (85 miles north of where I live). Since I always choose to make the commute rather than stay up there, it makes for LONG days. Up by 5am, on the road by 6, then finally home by 6:30-7pm.

I did manage to pop at the gym most days before coming home. Gotta keep up the momentum! (Click here). But there was little energy left, or time for anything else.

Barney is flooded!

It was a really wet week. It rained like it rarely rains in these parts. Gushers. Even hail. When I got home one evening there was a pile of what I thought were soap suds. It was actually a pile of hail!

The best thing about having to go to Sacramento is being just a couple of blocks from U Bead it. It's a great bead store. Of course, I stopped in and bought way too much.

Since my last project was finished, I have not accomplished much. I am still studying Hungarian dresses and embroidery for my next major project. But in the mean time, I started this little piece that I made with a vintage tulip cab. What I am going to do with it, I don't know yet. A pin? A pendant? I have not decided. I still need to make the long leaves to stitch on top of the base. Maybe by the time I get that done I will be hit with some bright idea.

The beginnings of I don't know what

What do you think? It is about 1.5 X 1 inch.

An Award For Me!

I received an award from a writer (a real writer) today! And a very pretty award at that!

Thank you, Deirdra for the award!

I think Deirdra has a beautiful, magical site! Take a look! (Click Here)

The Japanese Spirit

This may be politically incorrect...but something struck me as pure wonder...and makes me respect the Japanese even more than I did, and frankly makes me feel a little less so of my own fellow Americans.

Remember Katrina?  A horrible thing to happen to our own people. The thing that strikes me is the difference in spirit. Do you remember the looting, the lawlessness, the entitlements that our own people where demanding in aftermath of the hurricane?

Do you find it as remarkable as I do that there are no reports of this in Japan? Surely if it were happening our reporters would have been on that story like white on rice. But no, there are pictures of the Japanese waiting patiently in line for gas, for food. They wait, they help and they are remarkably calm.

I am in complete awe of the Japanese people and their civility and their sense of honor and respect for one another. I think our people should stand up and take note and learn a bit of something about helping each other and standing together in a time of need. Don't you think so?

Here is a bracelet that you can wear in honor, remembrance and respect for the Japanese people. The rising sun of the Japanese flag is replaced by a heart to represent our love for them. If you make and sell this bracelet, please contribute towards a charity of your choice that helps the Japanese people.

1.5 X 6 inches, 18 colors for peyote or brick
Pattern will be emailed to you.
$2.00

Guest Post: A Style Guide

Here is another guest post by Natalie Bell for Beads Direct.

I need your vote on continuing the guest posts. Do you like them? Should I continue or not with this type of guest post. Vote on the side bar poll, or leave a comment and let me know!




STYLE GUIDE

Following on from our last post, this week we go into more depth with the colour green and how it can be used to compliment your spring style...





STYLE/ GREEN

Connotations

// The colour green is situated between blue and yellow in the colour spectrum. These bright, fresh colours are all often associated with spring; blue skies, yellow cornfields and freshly cut green grass.
// Green is also habitually connected with nature; that great outdoorsy feeling! Think tea parties and enchanting forests!
// It is also known for its calming and soothing effects; running rivers and trickling streams. Very relaxing!

TIP You can recreate this outdoorsy woodland feeling with Beads Direct’s range of wooden beads.





USING GREEN


Effects

// Several shades of green used together create a fresh, springtime feel.
// Using green with blue reverberates nature; waterfalls, blue skies.
// In reference to Mardi Gras; green combined with bright purple or fuschia can create a lively juxtaposition. This is due to their opposing positions on the colour wheel; a vibrant contrast!
// Also, when combined with yellows and oranges, it can create a fresh, fruity palette.
// When combined with pastel colours, such as lavender, champagne, baby pink and peach, this can create a fresh, springtime, floral feel.

// For a more vivacious look you can use vivid coloured beads in block colour patterns to take you through to summer.

TIP Beads Direct’s range of pearl beads work like a dream when trying to recreate that fresh, springtime, floral feel!

GREEN GLOSSARY


Getting to grips with green

Green can appear in many different forms, ranging from blue through to yellow and beyond! So we have created a green glossary to help you identify with the different varieties!

Aqua Electric cyan
Aventurine Spangled creamy forest green
Blue Zircon Lively pastel blue with green undertones
Chrysolite Light olive green
Chrysoprase Bluish to apple green

Emerald Rich green with a faint bluish cast

Jade Silky light mottled green to imperial bluish green
Olivine Olive green
Peridot Sparkling light green, varying from crisp apple to lime and olive green
Sea foam Fresh whitish green pastel
Teal Deep bluish green, dark cyan
Turquoise Greenish shade of cyan, an amalgamation of pale blue and green



THANK YOU FOR READING!
To see the full range of beads, have a look at the Beads Direct website!
Content Copyright © 2011 Natalie Bell
Images Copyright © 2011 Beads Direct

An Empty Table

My "clean" work table. Lucy is waiting patiently on her perch for me.

Now that I have finished my Bead Soup Project and the Guatemalan Costume, I have cleaned my work table. At least as clean as it will be.

I have mixed feelings about being "done". It's nice to have something in progress that I can just go to. No planning, just bead. The other side, is of course, I have accomplished my project! It always feels good to have something finished, especially a challenging project.

So... what's next?

I might fill in some time working on smaller projects. Maybe even some new designs. It has been a long time since I really did some design work. I bet there are some that are wondering why I have not created new designs in a long time. It's good to have a break and come back fresh. Without a break after so many years, burn out does set in.

What I really want to do is work on my next costume. I want to do a Hungarian one. So this entails a lot of time looking at costumes, looking at how they are made. What styles of embroidery are out there. If there are any Hungarian readers out there (I know there are a few) who can give me suggestions, tips or help, please let me know!

Designing this outfit will be a HUGE challenge, but one I am very excited about.

My plan at this point is to work on a costume from the Kalocsa region of Hungary. I would like to do a skirt, blouse, vest and apron.

Guatemalan Costume Pattern

This pattern is for the full costume. It also includes a pattern for a belt.
The project is 10.1 inches wide X 21 inches long (double sided), and uses 23 colors of Delicas and 6 colors of size 15 Delicas for the belt.

For peyote stitch.

I will email this pattern to you, when you order it here. It will also appear as a downloadable pattern on http://www.beadedbear.com

$25

Huipil Pattern

Here is the Huipil Only pattern version (I will have the full costume ready in a day or so). Both patterns will also be available on http://www.beadedbear.com in a few days.

It is 10.15 inches X 9.3 inches (when folded to make it double sided) and uses 16 colors of Delicas.
Peyote Stitch.

$15.00

I will email the pattern to you when you order it here.

At Long Last!! Completely Finished Beading the Guatemalan Costume!!

Having had a break on my Guatemalan project to take part in the Bead Soup challenge, I went back to working on the final details after my Bead Soup project was done. I still had the belt to make. I decided my first try would be too wide (even with the size 15 Delicas). I revised the pattern twice before I decided it was ok.

Working in 15's is slow. It takes much more time to cover the distance. But in the end it was worth it. I do like the feel of the 15's. They are so much more delicate.

So here is the finished project. I should have the pattern ready in a few days,  for those of you who may be interested. I will be offering a Huipil (blouse) only version, and the full costume so that you have your pick!

10.2 inches wide,21 inches long, 23 Delica bead colors in the dress, another 6 colors in 15's, a whopping 97, 810 delica beads (not counting the belt as I don't know how many are used with the 15's).

View of Front

View of Back

Guest Post: Setting The Stage For Color

I thought it would be fun to have a guest post now and then. This post is by Natalie Bell who works with Beads Direct .  Let me know if you like reading a post from someone with a different spin than I have. And also, take a look at Beads Direct!

Enchanting Green Jewelry Glistened on Oscar Night, and is Set to Continue into Carnival Season...

 It seems that Oscar night was in a maritime province at the weekend as a sea of enchanting green jewelry glistened across the red carpet. This pursues the array of delightful emerald green dresses worn at the Golden Globes in January earlier this year. Angelina Jolie wore a sparkling floor length emerald green dress adorned with sequins and glittering beads, whilst Mila Kunis was dress in a deep green elegant dress embellished with twisted fabric flowers.

This bold and beautiful trend resurfaced on Oscar night as Celine Dion, Reese Witherspoon, Annette Bening and Amy Adams were amongst just some of the guests seen parading their faceted green jewels. On the night, it is fair to say the stars’ emerald gemstones and jewels heralded sophistication. However, Colin Firth’s wife, Livia Firth went green in a different way as she wore a recycled dress created by London designer Gary Harvey. In her Vogue blog, she states that ''Every element - including zips, corsetry and the original toiles - is recycled. The only thing that we’ve used that is new is the thread that actually stitches the dress together.'' To top it off, she completed her outfit with Fairtrade® certified eco-mined jewelry designed by Anna Loucah whose creations have been said to create a sense of magic realism.

These themes will traverse through into spring, and due to its effervescent nature green has already been deposited as the colour for spring accessories, where we discover marine flora through an underworld of vibrant aquas and spring greens.

As spring comes into bloom, we will see English gardens flourish and the hype of festival fun will be upon us, and I think you’ll agree that it’s the perfect time to get creative with beading. Especially with Mardi Gras just around the corner! Often referred to as carnival season in England, Mardi Gras is to be celebrated on Tuesday 8^th March this year where there will be fun-filled celebrations across the world. There will be parties, dancing, balloons, beads, masks and costumes galore – perfect to get us in the mood to get creative this spring!

      

For some top tips on creating some fresh spring jewelry from Beads Direct, check out our post next week!

In the mean time, why not take a look at the Beads Direct website for some great ideas for some inspiring spring beading creations.

©2011 Natalie Bell

Perhaps You Should Rethink Your Prices!

In this month's Rachel Ray's magazine (in the Faves Style section), I saw a pair of earrings that looked like something I had made dozens of. And perhaps you might have made as many, especially if you sell beadwork at shows as I do.

Many of you know that I often thump the drum regarding selling at prices that are reflective of the artistry and talent that we have, and not to sell so cheaply. It is one of my pet peeves. But this did make me do a double take, and I nearly swallowed the lemon peel in the water I was drinking.

I followed the link: jodysingleton.com and sure enough, it was not a misprint. $135!!! I think I am selling my work for a bargain price!!

What are your thoughts??