So I was wrapping some Kona cotton for shibori, in an attempt to approximate what I created earlier. I knew my fingers were getting sore but little did I know that I not only developed a blister in the top bend of my right pinkie, but that I'd ripped it clean open.

I also have a blister on the inside of my left middle finger. Guess the left pinkie is toughened up enough for pulling FireLine, cause it's tender but no blisters.

That goes to show you exactly how hard I pull on the string when wrapping fabric for shibori.

Let that be a lesson to you.}

I submitted a deeviation, went through the entire process, SAW my deviations page and yet.. it's not in my gallery.

So I went through the process again. Resubmitted it again, it told me I already had one of that name, fine, it's not there, but fine. So I changed the name, and continued. Saw the main page for it, and It Too, is NOT IN MY GALLERY.

This is really getting fucking annoying.

Between the sudden maint error pages, the page not founds, the photos vanishing (one of my older deviations completely vanished, red x where the photo was vanished), ever since I became a sunscribed member, I'm not sure I want to remain a sunscribed member.

I had no issues before I paid for this crap. So what the fuck???!!??

And yes, I'm pissed.

(Edit- I found them in the regular catagory section, deleted them and resubmitted it a THIRD time. Now it's showing up. So not happy with the service today)

I got featured !

Pretyy nifty.

Need to go through the rest of the photos from the Blue Ridge Folklife Festival/Mountain Comforts Quilt Show and get them posted.

Got some more really cool pics of the draft horses. Too bad we can't upload video, as I have some cool videos too.

So I signed up for the shibori fat eigth swap on the Dyehard list. 8 fat eigths that you dye in the shibori style(any shibori technique) and send in for 8 different pieces of shibori dyed fabric by 8 other people.

I just finished unwrapping and washing out my yard of Kona fabric I did for the swap.


To read more, go here.

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 12 PM EST FRIDAY...

AN INCH OR TWO OF SNOW AND SLEET IS FIRST EXPECTED TONIGHT. THEN FREEZING RAIN MAY GENERATE A COATING OF ICE UP TO TWO TENTHS OF AN INCH THICK ON TOP OF THE SNOW AND SLEET.

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW...SLEET...OR FREEZING RAIN WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES...AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.

It means that IF we do get what they are calling for, the wildfires that are still burning (Green Ridge Mountain and over by Carvin's Cove, both under control but the winds yesterday whipped them up some) might actually get beat down but good.


Just glad it's happening this weekend and not next weekend, when the InLaws are heading down from Jersey. Speaking of In Laws...

My Father In Law is having a late midlife crisis.  *nods sagely*

How else to explain his buying of a motorcycle.  And not just ANY motorcycle, oh no.

A Ducati Monster motorcycle.

Mom in law says he's like a kid in a candy store.

*shakes head*

So I bought some Almomd Milk today, in original and vanilla flavors. Been interested in trying it, to see if I can cut back on the amount of milk I drink, thereby cutting back on calories and fat intake.  

It's not bad, not bad at all mixed with homemade chai.  Went really well with the fresh spicey shrimp summer rolls I just ate}

I saw Hazelnut Milk and Organic Oat milk too. Hmm...

But still no sales..

Going on just over a month now.
Come on, Etsy, bring me some sales.

Views don't translate to sales, unfortunately, otherwise I'd be rich right now.

Heck, even the views in my other shops never translated to sales.

I'm not the only one, I know. Apparently , low sales/no sales are happening to everyone.

It is rather discouraging, to say the least.

Ah well.  Maybe things will pick up soon.

For the Etsy BeadWeavers Monthly Challenge for April.</i>

It's a good one too.}

But I can't say what it is until it's posted to the blog. So you'll just have to wait.

Let's just say, I need to stock up on beads in certain colors again, and I have a centerpiece all picked out, just need to buy it.}

It's going to be interesting, to say the least.

Currently, I have some shibori to finish up.

From working on beadwork anyway.

I have 2 pieces for next month's Monthly Challenge already finished and listed, so all I have to work on is my Bead Dreams piece for right now.

Until I come up with a Challenge Theme for April anyway.

So I've been working on some chainmaille. In pure Copper no less.

Have a Japanese 12-2 cuff nearly completed. Just need to get copper colored toggle clasps for it.

Then I'm going to do a double Helm Weave bracelet.

Should have photos by the end of the week.

We don't celebrate Valentine's Day.   We celebrate the day AFTER Valentine's Day.

Why? Because 16 years ago yesterday, Mark asked me to marry him. On bended knee in the mud outside the bowling alley on Camp Butler, Okinawa, Japan.

We usually give each other something small, not too extravagent. This year, he went a little more extravagent.}

To read more, go HERE....

So I was sitting there, staring at the work I've accomplished on the piece I want to enter into the Bead&Button Bead Dreams show, thinking over what I need to do tomorrow.

I was trying to figure out how to keep the vision of the piece going while narrowing it at the sides to curve it around to the back when it hit me.

Epiphany.

Who says it HAS to be a necklace or a collar piece? Why can't it be a beaded hanging piece?  A sculptural piece?

It was as if a light had been turned on. Yes, that would work so much better and it would explain why the piece itself was twisting and turning like it was instead of behaving like I wanted it to.

Wow. Such a simple change of plans and everything becomes so much clearer.

Sorry, no photos until the entry deadline is alot closer.

I love sunny days.

Sunny days make it so much easier to photograph a piece and have its colors be as true to form as possible.

Winter Sun can be harsh, and stark, but diffused through the bare branches of the Oak Trees above, it's softened just enough.

I took advantage of the early morning Sun today to photograph 2 silk scarves, a new necklace and rephotograph Our Lady of Storms.

I'm much more happy with these photos than the ones I took first. Even though I use the GE Reveal lights, there's nothing that compares to real, honest to goodness Sunlight.

So, next month's Challenge is 'Stormy Weather' and it appears that I'll have 2 entries for this one again.

Towards that end, I had to run to A.C. Moore for some pin backs for one piece.

Me- I need to go to A.C. Moore to get pin backs.

Mark- Pin backs?

Me- Yeah, you know, pin backs.

Mark- *look of uncomprehension* What are pin backs?

Me- You know a pin? Well, it has a pin. back.

Mark- *dawning of understanding* Ohh... I get it.

Me- I'm blind now.  The light bulb over your head just blinded me.

Mark- Why didn't you just say you needed a pin?

Me- Because I have pins, upstairs in that square plastic container. I need pin backs.

Mark- Whatever.

Me- You truly are a blonde sometimes, you know that?

Mark- Bite me.


Yeah, it's fun sometimes in my house.}

Not ONLY am I planning to enter the Bead&Button Show's Bead Dreams Contest, but now I find there's another bead constest/show nearby that I'm considering entering.

The Bead Museum of Greater Washington, DC is calling for entries. Celebrating Beads.

The MAIN difference is that this is most definately a juried show.  So anything I might enter has to be above and beyond my high standards.  As well as having extremely awesome photographs.

*gulps*

At least I have a few months more to work on that one.}

[link]

The Etsy BeadWeavers Monthly Challenge  is up for voting!
so come on by, check out the gorgeous works and vot for your favorite, which I hope will be mine! (#24)}

Come on by and vote today!

Well, I tried to find a tutorial online explaining how to do Mexican Huichol (pronounced ' wee-chol' ) Bead Lace.}

Apparently, it's not that popular or netweave has taken over as the name, which is understandable as it IS a version of netweave.

I did find a site that shows how to do the flat, straight Huichol beadlace.   Here.  They call it ' Mexican Beadnetting ', and yes, it is VERY similier to African netweave.

I also found numerous sites show casing Huichol beadart, such as Here, but unfortunately, you can't pull the images up close enough to see the beading pattern/stitch.

So I guess I'll have to attempt to EXPLAIN how to do this stitch.} As soon as I find the paperwork I have on this, I'll see if the website still exists.

I have no photos, so use your imagination.  You'll need a beading needle, or whatever needle you use, and beads.

First, thread a length of whatever thread you bead on.  I'd say roughly 10 inches so a small piece. Which is a good size for a beginner.

Next, pick up an even amount of beads. Say,  12 beads.   holding the free end of the thread, take you needle BACK through the beads, creating a loop. Tighten and tie this loop in place.

Pick up 3 beads.  On the loop of beads, skip one and go through the next. Do this all the way around the loop, until you have 6 ' points' on your loop.

Pick up 5 beads, and go through the SECOND bead on the points, which are the first 3 beads. Repeat for all 6 points.

Repeat, picking up 7 beads, going through the THIRD bead of 5, all the way around.

Repeat as many times as you want, increasing the number of beads picked up by 2 each time and always going through what essentially becomes the center bead on each pont.

Continue until you have your bead lace as large as you need it. Make sure you asre pulling the thread snug, but not super tight.  You want some 'give', so the piece will lay flat.

I have made these with as few as 3 points and as many as 7 ponts.   Seed beads seem to work best, Delicas work well too.

See this photo for more examples-
[link]

Honestly wasn't sure I'd get this piece finished.

It'd been an unfinished piece that I'd work on every so often in between other pieces for so long, that I think it started thinking it'd never get completed.

So when the Challenge Theme was announced for this month, I knew that this piece would be perfect for it.  Then of course, real life intervened, what with family visiting and my dad's heart issues again.

But! I finally finished it, early this morning, around 1am. I cut it real close this time, again, as the Challenge entry timeframe ends on Tuesday.}

Make sure you go by the Etsy BeadWeavers to vote on the gorgeous creations being presented! Voting starts on Weds, I believe, maybe Thursday.

"Spring In The Forest"

I figured that since I have an account here, I might as well start using it.

Besides, the more publicity, the better.}