No More Excuses!

Well friends, I am back. Although I do not have a new creation ready to brag about, I do have a place to work prepared.

Just let me take a minute to tell you how the fates have been working against me... A month ago as I returned from Las Vegas, the furniture for our new home was delivered. I had a bedroom suite from American Signature and decided to look at the local (Daytona Beach) store to see what I liked there. I ordered a load of furniture from them! Helping the economy in my own way I guess.

The most important part of that order was a Deb work area. I had a great computer desk at the other house and lots of storage in the way of cupboards and built ins. Not so with our new home. So I needed a place for my beads and computer and perhaps a place to work on my beading that did not include the dining room table. Voila!



It was the perfect piece of furniture to accommodate my favorite things.

When it was delivered we noticed a bad scratch in the cork board on the hutch part of the desk combo. A tech arrived the same day(to fix another problem) and he took the cork board back to add a piece of cork on top of the cork that was damaged and would have it back in no time. Okay. I loaded the base but allowed the top to remain empty as I awaited the cork part being re-attached . After two deliveries, both that included a promise that the cork board would be ready and re-attached, I still did not have the cork in place. I was furious by now as it is 3 weeks time. I had to leave the deliveries to Harv so I did not go wacko on the guys delivering. They were not the ones that should have returned the cork. The Tech arrived after the second delivery and me going crazy on the store manager. Well at least explaining my frustration and disappointment in a less than calm manner. The tech arrives with the original board with a shabby attachment of cork. He was smart enough to bring along a second board and then started to reattach it...of course the holes in the back did not match up and now I have a partially attached board and I cannot hang my projects on the cork YET!

I warned the guy to have them send two men and a boy to reattach this one. I was loading the top, I had waited long enough. I gave them until this morning and now my beads have a place to call their own and I am back ready to bead. Yet the work station is not complete! I am way disappointed in the company. I made a huge order and they have been here 4 extra times because there were "issues".

I am still waiting for two items that will be available May 8th. Yes you heard me right. I had to order the day I did to assure that I would get all parts and then once the delivery was scheduled some 3 weeks later, some things were no longer available.




Projects waiting for completion



Drawers with just the right items in place.




You know that they will be rearranged more than once before I am happy with where everything is located!





Completed projects waiting to be hung!

And soon I will be bragging about a new item. No more excuses!

No more, honest!

Moved In and Relaxing

Side View






















Moved in at last. This may have been the longest move in history...well maybe not. It just seemed like a long time. We had such a busy January and February planned before we bought the house that it prevented us from moving in as soon as we would normally have done.

January found us entertaining Harv's brother and his wife as they Snow Birded south toward their final perch near Orlando. We had a great visit and enjoyed their company. It was a great way to update us on their family's activities.

Shortly after they left, I had to fly to Harrisburg where Kim and Betsy met me and I then used Kim's PT cruiser to drive to Reading, PA and a wonderful judging assignment for the Lenape Bulldog Club Speciality.

Home for a week and then it was off to Las Vegas for our winter trip. We had had a great winning trip this summer and hoped to do that again. However we had a great time, but lost our collective a_ _ gambling. Oh well it was fun and lots of great food. Harv got to watch his Steelers win a historical 6th Super Bowl. We were at the Hilton for a autograph signing of a football on Friday followed by the party to watch the game. A great time.

Home the sixth of Feb. to start the final stages of moving in. We finally completed the move on the 17th of February. A big thank you goes out to my Sister in Law and Brother and our Son in Law for all the help on the final move in day. It was two small U Hauls worth.

Now I can get things organized here and start beading. No more excuses right.

I do have a wonderful work area for me two hobbies...beading and computer. The "L" shaped desk has a hutch top on the long side that will hold the beads in the many drawers. There is a cork board that I can use to display my projects. I am loving the comfortable space as I write.

Promise to post an on topic blog shortly!

Hugs to all.

The Florida Keys

When it comes to beauty, the Florida Keys rank right up there. Several members of our family spent the end of the year and New Years Eve in Islamarado Key. We were there from the 27th of December until Jan 3. It was a week of wonder. Wonder if I will wake up in time to photograph the sunrise, wonder what time I would start to lay in the sun, wonder what was for dinner! It was really a fun week.

Saturdays the 27th and Jan 3rd. were pretty much days of travel. There were 4 vehicles in our party, three pulling trailers with boats or kayaks. Harv and I have a car that cannot tow anything. We were the end of the line in case there was any trouble so we could stop quickly and help. Upon arriving at Breezy Palms our residence for the week, the boats had to be put into the water and tied up. In the dark, with wind, it was not an easy feat and I am glad I was not a part of it. We unloaded our car and gave unwanted advice and suggestions!

This was our first trip to visit the Keys and we woke the next day to a pleasant surprise. The ocean front motel was in a beautiful location about mile marker 80. It supplied a view of the ocean to rival any. The wind continued until mid day Monday so the 28th was not a good day to put in the kayaks or go out in the boats. Most of the group got some sun or swam in the pool or just rested. I believe I was sunning about 8:30 AM.

On Monday we had planned to take a trip to Key West. My daughter, Jessica, drove a car with her Mother and Sister-in-law and baby Jay. My son Bryan drove the other car with his wife Stacy and Harv and me and our Granddaughter Jayda. Jay, Mike and Jacob stayed behind and fished on the ocean. We took the Conch Train ride to get a feel for what was on Key West. At $29 per adult it was worth it, but I question the appeal for a gratuity on the engine. Oh well it was a great trip and our driver/guide was very informative. It was a wonderful overview and gave us a chance to decide how we wanted to spend the rest of the time there. We broke into small groups and did our own thing for about 2 hours and then departed before the festivities at sunset in Mallory Square were we had parked. The cruise ship that we had been on Nov. of '07 was in dock.

Each morning Jessica and any who were up early, met to photograph the sunrise. Four of the 7 days I managed to make it.


I mention that we had three cars pulling boats coming down. Bryan and Stacy pulled the kayaks. And I am so delighted they did. The kayaks which Jessica and Michael own were for me I know. I enjoyed kayaking with several family memebers. I loved the solo runs with Jessica and with Bryan the most. What a great way to share the beauty, with your children. I think this whole trip was a fishing trip, but for those who do not fish it was great too!


Did I mention that when the air was calm so was the water? This is the Atlantic Ocean within the protection of the Reef. So clear.



Each morning was beautiful and different at sunrise. A wonderful way to start the day.


At the end of the day we are together, my best friend and me..

The Year That Was!!

As 2008 draws to a close, it seems like a good time to reflect on where that year has gone. A great time to think about the changes that have occurred.

January we did our winter trip to Las Vegas. It was a fun time as usual. Ate too much lost too much money and had a ball. We love Vegas.

February marked the arrival of the Deibles for our first extended winter in Florida together. Since we had bought the house here they would visit for short times once or twice a year. However they bought their own place. They bought bicycles too and fit into the community as if they had been here for years. How wonderful to enjoy time together. We do a lot together. The Sanibel Island trip and Tarpon Springs was terrific. They found better shells than we did though.

March was a sad month for us all as we traveled together to visit our Father, Duke, in his final hours. I guess we should not be sad at all as he had a beautiful life. He filled his time in a positive way and created beauty. He demanded lots of the people he loved but in equal parts to the demands he made on himself. He was a truly talented and diverse individual. Before the end of March, we waved goodby to Gordie and Candy. March is our anniversary. 32 years! I almost forgot I started beading in the early part of March and that was what got me blogging to begin with.

April is my birthday month. I turned 62. Did I say that out loud? I mean 27. Hey I have to admit my age long enough to apply for Social Security right? Wow that is a milestone.

May is beautiful and hot in Florida. We love it. Such fun times spent with our Florida children. We sure do enjoy them.

June brought the Deibles back for a short visit. It seemed to extend to the time when we were heading north for the Summer. Our trip North included a quick visit with great friends in western NC mountains. They live near Franklin. The travels take us far enough west that we do not visit Bryan and Stacy in Charlotte this trip. On to PA for 3 months. Upon arriving in PA, Harv got the yard work in order and I did some inside cleaning (YUK). We then started cleaning out my Dad's attic and closets. It was only fair to his wife to remove the many things that were of no consequence to her and were only taking up space. To say that my dad was a pack rat that did not want to discard anything is putting it mildly.

July I put a For Sale sign in the window. As the economy was what is was, we thought it would take us 4 or 5 years if we ever sold the house. Or should I say until my Brother would sell our house. We need him to sell anything we are selling, as we are not good at it. However Gordie is the best salesman I have ever known.

August was a time for garage sales...ours. Work work work. We then went to Vegas again. The annual summer trip. We brought some of our money home that we had left in January.

September saw us starting to pack up for an early return to Fl. We decided to leave the Garage sale items on the tables in the garage for next summer. We removed the For Sale sign as there had been only two couples who had looked at the house and they did not return. By the 12th of September, we had the Saturn filled to capacity and were headed down the road to FL. We stopped and visited two days with Bryan and Stacy in Charlotte. Stacy and I surprised Kelly my neice at her work. It is always fun to see Kelly. A week after returning back home in Florida, we got a call that someone wanted to see the house...in PA. Hey Gordie want to show the house??

Well the rest is history so to speak. The house sold and we had to fly up in early October to empty it. That was accomplished in record time and soon we were on the road with a U HAUL full. Thanks again Gordie and Candy. Two days later after a brief drop off of items to Bryan and Stacy in NC. Forgot to drop half of them, duh.

November was a colder than normal time in FL but sure was warmer than PA for the most part. We did our normal things, Harv exercise and me shop. Well I also had Jessica and family over for a few meals and coffee. We did the Flea Market/Farm Market on Wednesdays and everything was back to normal. Thanksgiving was at the Carters' in Ocala...wow do we enjoy them.

December has been a bit of a whirlwind. We shopped for our cards. I know that is not Christmas shopping, but it is what we do. Money always fits. I do continue to shop nevertheless. We just do not buy gifts for others. I love to shop. On a trip a little over two weeks ago I suggested to Harv that we stop by an adult community near-by that offers homes of block and land you own...tada.


Yes we bought it! And now we have another house to sell!

Merry Christmas to all and a Happy New Year too.

We are off to the Keys with the Carters', both families, as well as Stacy and Bryan.

See you after the New Year!

What are Friends For?

They are there when you need them. And you are there when they need you.
I appreciate my reader friends who are supportive and suggestive. FIREWIRE is the answer. I have been using it for several months. I just bought my first crystal. I have been using the smoke color for awhile as it was all that my local Walmart had. I was introduced to Firewire on the Beaddreamz Yahoo Group. It is fishing line and although I have seen it in 50 yard spools at bead shops for $10 it is $13.99 at Bass Pro Shops as well as at Walmart for 125 yards. A bargain as bead weaving thread goes nevertheless and the best I have found for both strength and knoting. Thank you readers for the suggestion although I was using it but more for the others who also read this blog. I had not thought to mention that I no longer us NYMO.

I have been away from reading that group recently as I have been way busy??? Doing what??? who knows? Just do not seem to be beading as much as I want or following Beadreamz as much as I would like.

Jessica's Repaired Bracelet


The broken bracelet that was Jessica's first is now completed. It is done with all new Japanese beads...no more Chinese. It is still made similar with three tones of blue. The pattern is my favorite Russian Spiral. The darkest blue beads are randomly added and it was the way I made the first so I did that again. I like the randomness of the placement and it just seems right. I have never done this with any other bracelet and yet I love it. I really need to do this more often as it really does make it a one of a kind gift.

Beading Catastrophe

It was my second time for one of my works to fall apart or lose beads. It was funny as I do not expect my work to fall apart. To say I was shocked says nothing for how my daughter Jessica felt when she was showing me how loose her bracelet was and it seemed to disintegrate before our eyes. It was the very first bracelet I had made for anyone except myself. However we must remember I have only been beading since March of 2008. In that short time we would not expect this to happen.

I made all my first bracelets with NYMO. I like Nymo alot, but at the beginning I did not condition the NYMO because I simply did not know I should. Because it was not conditioned, it tended to look fuzzy or frayed the longer I worked with it. I would say that it was weakened for sure. Again I did not know much about anything then. I really do not know much yet and I expect in 10 years there will still be lots for me to learn. I try to learn and listen to others and yet I imagine there will always be broken works to be repaired. What Jessica does not know is that I will not use the same beads as they were the Chinese beads I started with and now I do not buy Chinese beads at all.

I do not know if it was fact, but I was told recently that all Chinese beads have a high lead level??? At the DeLand Fall Art Festival I met a women with the most incredible Bead Work I had ever seen. It was out there as the best I have seen in person. How could I not ask for a card. I just listened to everything the woman said and gazed at her work and then walked away. Some of what the women told me was that she had written many articles in the past and that most of her work and ways she does things are copyrighted. How could I not find out her name? I did ask where she was from and I remember it was South East Florida somewhere. Hope that I see her again.

She did say that she beads without patterns and ad libs most of her work. When I say it was beautiful and neat and I wanted it, I am not exaggerating.

Welcome To My World! Carol's Challenge

Carol 's Challenge was intriguing and today I attempted to follow through with it. However, it is a day that Blogspot does not want to upload my pictures, again! This is a issue I originally blamed on Vista operating system but now I am more inclined to blame the blog owners. Hey we have to blame someone it could not be something I may do wrong.

Where I live in Orange City, Florida

The Challenge was simply to photograph your world to let those who may read your blog know what you see and even perhaps do in the day. Those of you who read my blog because of the seed beading know what I do when I can and have seen my work. That is what led me to Carols blog and her challenge. http://beadsandbirds.blogspot.com/ She too is a beader. An interesting lady with many dimensions.

A brown anole; there are so many of these, I love the green anoles best.

Some kind of woodpecker working on the bamboo stand a couple of blocks from my house.

The fruits (?) of a palm in my neighborhood.

A naval orange tree. The fruit should be sweet with our cold weather! Brrr

My favorite live oak as you enter my community. Love the old south look it gives.

Sandhill Cranes are everywhere and I love them, I call them my chickens.

The night before the challenge 7:55PM

The Shuttle on the 14th as seen from in front of my house.

The shuttle as it climbs into the darkness. Breathtaking each time we see it!

Thanks for visiting my world!

Quickie

Oh, so you were expecting another story!

Because I got the pictures to load I thought I would do a quick blog nothing to do with the Beading. Just to see if I could get some other pictures to load. How about the Baby Jay's first birthday!!??

Blog ya latter! It worked again.

A Whale Tale opps Tail!

Just when you where preparing for a great story...oh well.

The best of the story is that this is one more of my unfinished works that now is a finished work. I just finished as a matter of fact. I decided to document it before doing anything else today or it would be put on hold for a day or two. You know how busy retirement can get!!

It is Jay's birthday celebration today and so even the pool is out for today. That is busy right?

I just tried to load the pictures that should accompany this blog and sure enough they would not load. It is acting like it did a few days ago. The awful truth is that I thought I had made an adjustment on my computer that again allowed me to download as before. Well folks that is wrong, there has been no change to the security settings in the time from when I could upload again and now, when it is not working. Cuss word, that stinks! Now I am back to square one. I think it is the Blogspots problem and not mine after all. So the truth of the matter is I have no control over this dysfunction and I hate to not be in control. Those who know me best, agree!

A few details about the Whale Tail necklace since I can not use pictures today. I bought the glass tail at Deland Craft Fair in September. It was a neat hand crafted piece in colors that seem to speak of the sea.

The pendent beading was done in Peyote with size 15/0 beads and zippered. The loop that attached the tail was added to the zippered tube. The beads are an iris collection that are as varied in blues and greens as the sea also. They have some purple and golden colors to add to the drama.

When I started the necklace I found that using the standard Russian Spiral stitch was going to make a much too large diameter to fit within my pendent. (Did I do this necklace backwards or what?) I decided I would try with all size 15/0 beads and again it was too big. Well that stymied me for a time. Invention time I guess. I varied the stitch in size 15's to make a diameter that would work. I used the Iris mixture and a clear blue also in size 15/0 but I only used 6 beads per round. What? you say. I started the pattern or a new pattern not a standard Russian Spiral one. I started with an iris then a clear blue three times and knotted into a circle. I then added an iris a clear onto the thread and stitched them into the next clear around the circle moving counterclockwise. It made a tube of beads that look very much like Russian Spiral but may be another stitch altogether by another name. If you do know of another name for what I did please let me know so I can name it correctly. Until that time it will be called six bead Russian Spiral variation

!

Jade for Jayda

This is a Peyote bracelet with a heart shaped cab that I made the bezel for and started before I left PA.(the first time in Sept) It is done in jade colored size 11 rounds and brown size 15 rounds. The whole bracelet is a little drab as both are matte finished beads.

The jade is shiny, but not the best example of jade I have ever seen. What distinquished it at all is it is from a necklace my Mother had and I removed the heart from silver backing and made the bezel. I had Jayda, my youngest granddaughter, in mind. Being named Jayda just seems to mark her as needing the piece of jade, right? She is really too young to appreciate the time I have taken to make it for her or that it is a small piece of her Great Grammy.

The toggle is really a vintage button that is about the same color as the brown beads.

The loop is really two loops. The end one is the final one that Jayda will grow into. The green loop is the temp one for now. It doesn't look too bad having the two size possibilities. I can use the brown loop and I have large wrists. She may never grow into it and I will have to make other arrangements later. For now, if she evens wears it, it will do in the green loop.

I am finally trying to finish everything I have started. I have a gold and square crystal bracelet to finish and a whale tail pendent necklace in the works and that will complete all the started projects. I also have to repair the red Freeform Peyote bracelet that had a major break. I will get to all these. On the work station is the Whale tail necklace. The pendent part has been done for some time. However, the necklace was about 4 inches long for a long time also. I have worked on it and it is a little over 10 inches now. Today I put over an inch on before I saw an error. Jessica wanted me to ignore it and go onward. When you spend all the hours to complete a necklace you do not want a known mistake in it. It is bad enough to complete a project only to find an unknown mistake in the early stages. I cannot ignore a mistake so I ripped and ripped but now it is ready to go forward again. When it is done I will Blog about it. Then it is the "unusual" crystal bracelet on deck.

Have a great night. Now that I am able to get pictures to attach again, I think I will try to add some of the Russian Spiral bracelets pictures I had been trying to add to the last blog. Check it out and see if I was successful!!

Russian Spiral Pattern

There are more hits on my blog entitled The Versatile Russian Spiral than any other I have done. Based on that I have been trying to decide what if anything I should do to address that. I did not do a tutorial on the Russian Spiral in the other blog but I think it is time to add a location for those who are trying to learn and have stopped by.

The pdf file below is wonderful for learning the pattern.
http://www.beadpatterncentral.com/russianspiral.pdf

There are a few suggestions that I have learned by trial and error. The first is that I do three added loops of beads before I tighten my thread to allow the beads to come together in a stack. I roll the beads back and worth as I put even tension on the thread. How you hold the beads and thread seems to be a struggle at first and then you fall into a pattern that is easiest for you. I find that it helps to wrap the thread around my left little finger to keep the thread tense while I add the next three beads. If you are right handed you will be working in a counterclockwise direction. If you are left handed just do the pattern in a clockwise direction. I do find that if I pinch the beads together that the bead that the thread will enter...the one directly after the larger bead seems to pop up a little allowing the needle to enter it easier. I also find that if helps to make sure that you always have only 3 large beads at the top of the spiral or bead stack. (no more and no less). I think it helps if you use say a larger size of beads when learning than you may wish to use later on. Size 6 for larger and 8 for smaller. I prefer the smaller 11 for large and 15 for small. I have also done the same size bead but with distinctly different colors so it is still possible to tell which bead the needle enters. Same color and same size beads are not a recommendation for this pattern. I am sure there are those who do this, but it is not me. Make it easy on your self when you learn. If you need a few inches to learn and then tear out that is okay. I have many false starts when learning a new stitch. I just cut and start over I do not tear out I save it for latter often. I also use a long enough thread so I do not need to add thread on a bracelet. That is about 3 yards. I leave a tail on the start side of 8 to 12 inches. That will be the one side of a clasp.

A little bit about adding thread...knots. Any good bead magazine will tell how to tie knots and the different kind to use. I use a a variety of these and still sometimes get a mess. What you ask is a mess...a knot that will not pull through so I have a loop. Where the heck did that come from?
Also I have pulled a knot tight only to have my thread (strong as it is) break at the knot. Now before I mentioned that I usually use thread long enough for the whole project when it is a bracelet. Imagine now where that darn knot must be. You got it. The bracelet is complete and I am finishing off at the clasp. The only thing I do here is curse and undo the bracelet back far enough to tie on a thread and then finish again and hope I have no more knot problems.
Adding on a thread can be tricky also...again we are doing a know or series of knots. I find that if I put the two ends of the thread together and make a loop near my work and then pass both ends through and then start knotting and snugging all three free ends. I can secure a tight knot with very little size that will hide within a bead. I leave a long enough tail on the ends so I can weave them through my work later and tie at least 2 more knots within the finished work. I try to have 3 knots total for every end. No wonder I get into knot dilemmas.

When I finish off a bracelet I use French wire and a toggle on many of my bracelets. When I am very ambitious I make the loop and toggle. That is another blog. If I buy the toggle and ring, I buy the best I can afford. When you use the best beads, the best thread, and the best findings you feel like it was worth all the time to make. Do not make a cheap material bracelet and invest your valuable time.

Back to the French wire and how I use it. I cut 2, 1/4 inch length of the wire. When I reach about 6 to 6 1/2 inches of lengh I stop and end the bracelet. I add a large and small bead twice and then the French wire which is hollow and threads well. I then add the clasp end and take the needle back through the last small bead. If you are working in larger beads you will need to substitute a 15/0 bead for the last small one so the French wire does not go within the last bead and you can snug it up into a protective loop over the thread that is around the clasp. The clasp will not wear on the thread then. That is the real purpose of the French wire. There are other findings for this purpose. I do not know how to use them. I have only used French wire. Remember I am a novice at this, too.

Good luck and comment and leave an email if you have another question.