I Hate Beaded Kumihimo, but I LOVE it!!!

If you've followed my blog for a while, 

you will remember a few posts about beaded kumihimo, the garbage can, and elevated levels of stress!

I LOVE the look of beaded kumihimo!

I hate the stress and my inability to make beautiful beaded braids.

Well, the times they are a changing!

Look!

 It's not perfect, but it is a braid!

I'm not sure what I did wrong so that the threads show.

If you can help me, please leave a comment!

All I can say is that it is a start!!!

Stay tuned!!

UNCLE!!!! #$$@&^&**^$ Kumihimo

All right! I've said it: UNCLE!!!!! I GIVE UP!!!!!!!

If you are familiar with my blog and Deb Batten's blog, you will remember that Deb and I have decided to add a regular feature to our blogs in which we challenge each other to develop and nurture our creative souls. Each month, we choose a type of creative skill to enrich and nurture our creative souls. This month, it was: BEADED KUMIHIMO! All I can say is: $#$@^^%&&&***^%$#
As you can see from the photo, I was not very successful with this craft. Something got tangled, and the rest is history. I don't know what happened with Deb, but this is my fruitless effort. Deb, I hope you were more successful than I was. Next month, we'll be on to another craft. For now, this mess is going into my UFO box, most likely, FOREVER!!!!!! When it comes to nurturing our creative souls, I can only speak for me on this one. NOPE! I'm finished with beaded kumihimo.

I haven't finished my pictures from my trip

However, I do have some bead photos to show.
This is the first one. When I woke up this morning, the temperature outside was -6 on March 6! We are so below normal right now. I want spring! I want summer! I want to be warm!
That's why I like this bead. It's a biagi style bead. That means the hole in the center is bigger than the normal hole, and the bead will fit on a larger sized chain or kumihimo braid. This floral bead was encased after the flowers were made. That means that I used transparent clear to cover the base bead. I love this one. I don't know if I should sell it or not. I'll have to make a decision quickly on that.

The next bead is also a biagi bead. I used two different colors in it. I used a dark blue and some dark ivory to which I had added some silver leaf. I like this one, too!

Now this set of beads already sold. I really liked the set! I hope that the buyer is enjoying the set because she likes them and can wear them without a coat. They were made with a periwinkle blue base. I sculpted some flowers on the top of the bead. Really pretty!

This is a beautiful neckalce that I made using a big holed bead. The opening is almost 3/4" in width and a kumihimo braid. I love mixing fiber with glass! I have this for sale in my etsy store right now. It can be worn throughout the year, particularly for work. I love it!

This last bead was fun to make. I don't know why I didn't photograph both sides of the bead, but I didn't. It's also a biagi bead. It's a flip flop! I am so ready for spring! I think I need a warm vacation soon!

I guess that's all for today. I have to go and check the kiln now. I want to get the beads out to see what they look like after soaking. Oh, how I do love making those beads!
Check out my etsy store! http://www.rosebud101.etsy.com
You might find something you like!

Remember How I Whined about Not Being Able to do Beaded Kumihimo?

One slight adjustment, and that was all I needed to do.

Ta-da!!!

The first success!!

Using bigger beads!

Putting one of my lampwork beads in the center!

Stink eye!

Newest one.  Love it!

No more whining.  I love beaded kumihimo.

A Few of My Favorite Things

I really do believe that things happen for a reason. 

I have been having some 

"computer issues"

involving my photos.

As I was trying to fix the issue with the help of the good people at Apple,

I suddenly began to import thousands of photos!

I don't know where all of them came from.

Some did come from my blog, but others,

I don't know.

They were mine.

I just don't know how 

IPhoto managed to import them

As I was looking through them,

I saw some of my old favorites.

These are beads and jewelry I made that I really liked.

Here are some of my favorite things.

I made this heart using glass from recycled wine bottles!

I need to make more of these!

I made this "creature" from a photo of a tutorial that was being offered several years ago.

I didn't buy the tut because the creature in that tut was made from 

boro glass.

I only use soft glass.

Boro is very hard glass.

This vessel is one of my favorite vessels!

I truly enjoy making vessels, and this one really stole my heart.

After two years of frustration, I finally learned how to make

Beaded Kumihimo!

This was one my first completed bracelets!

I used one of my tiger bead beads as a closure.

I love beaded kumihimo!

I'm starting to get better at this craft.  I've added beads in the middle and more beads for closure.

 

 Last, but not least, my 

ULTIMATE FAVORITE!

The eye patch I made for my cataract surgery.

This was fun to make and

fun to wear!!!

Stay tuned.

New topics coming soon!

All right! A bit more on my Hate Love Relationship with Kumihimo

I realized yesterday that I was turning my disc the wrong way.  It seemed logical at the time.  If I was turning my disc the wrong way, shouldn't the bead go on top instead of on the bottom?

Well, I made this braid with beads doing just that.

Take a look.

 Guess I was wrong.

The bead still needs to go under the thread instead of over.

Oh, well!

I do like this braid, though.  I'm not going to take it apart.

I will make a bracelet out of it.

Stay tuned.  More kumihimo next week. 

Maybe, I'll get it right yet!!

 

Beads! Beads! and more beads!

Beads! Beads! and more beads! There are beads all over my house. I find them in the chair. I find them everywhere! Beads! Beads! and more beads!
Okay, so that's a silly little poem, but it's true. There are beads all over my house. Storage is quite a problem at times. If I leave my beads to close to the edge of something, my dog tries to eat them. If I move them to another area, I have to find room to house them. If I fill up an area, I have to find a new one. I have beads in plastic containers. I have beads in medicine bottles. I have beads on towels in the bathroom. I have beads on paper on my desks. Yes, I said, desks. I have beads on my television. I have beads on the floor. I have beads in my closet. I have beads all over.
Now, you are probably thinking, she doesn't clean up often, does she? I do, but those beads just keep reproducing and reproducing. I love them dearly, but I think I need a bigger house. I clean up my beads by sending the vast majority to the childrens' hospitals in the Twin Cities. I also send them to Beads of Courage. I take part in exchanges with people around the world. I love these exchanges! These clean me out, but when I am not looking, like little rabbits, these beads continue to reproduce. I just need more room.
The beads I'll show you today are beads that I have made. In future posts, but I'm not sure when, I will be featuring other wonderful artists that I know. So, here's the first of my beads that you'll see. They will be back from time to time.


This is one of my favorite hearts. I made it using a transparent pink with rose frit. It is so pretty in person. Right now, I have it featured in my etsy store. I love it!

I've been on a heart kick lately. This heart, though not one of my favorites, is a favorite of a lot of people. It is also featured in my etsy store.

These are some of my favorites, too. They are made with mandrels that are 3/16". That means they will fit a bigger chain or bracelet such as the Pandora style or even a kumihimo braid. They are meant for immediate use. The base color is cobalt blue. I've accented these beads with white and clear. Love them. These are featured this week on ebay.
I do realize that I have to resize my photos. I thought I had done that enough. I guess not. They need to be smaller. I'll keep working on this, so, until next time. Look for beads around your house. I'd write more, but it's almost time for Dr. Phil.

Our Monthlly Challenge! Firebird Flamework aka Deb Batten v. Me aka Mallory

Well, it's that time of the month again,
Stop it, you know what I mean! Deb Batten aka Firebird Flamework and I are challenging each other so that we can develop and nurture our creative souls.

We are trying different media each month with the hopes that, as we progress, we will become more fluid and creative in our greatest love, melting glass. We want to awaken those parts of our brains that govern the creative process and make ourselves more receptive to those creative urges and inspirations.

This month, we are tackling beaded kumihimo. Right now, we are scheduled to reveal on the 26th. Come see what we make! This is going to be fun!!!!!

You can check out Deb's side of the story on her blog here. See you at the end of the month!

Happy Valentine's Day and the Challenge

Happy Valentine's Day!

I wish you and your soul mate a very precious day of love!!!!

To my children, I love you both!

To all of our family and friends,
we love you, too!




The Challenge

As you know, Deb Batten, aka FireBird Flame Work and I, challenge ourselves each month to extend our creative souls and try a new skill or work to enhance those we already have.

Last month, the challenge was Bead %$#%%^****(())) Kumihimo. Certainly not a good one for me. However, we continue, although a bit late this month, to pursue a further development of our creative souls. This month, and this was Deb's idea, especially since it's my fault we are running late, we are challenging ourselves to work on copper, but wait, it's not just that. The name of our challenge this month is:
Color Me Copper.

So, what will be doing? Deb and I will be challenging ourselves to work with different ways to patina copper. I'm sure looking forward to this one! We will do the reveal at the end of the month, so stay tuned. You can also check out Deb's blog for her side of the story!

This That and the Other

Bits and Pieces of News!

1) Still loving that beaded kumihimo.
This is my latest bracelet.  I am now in the process of stringing a necklace.  It will be my first!!!  I can hardly wait to wear it!!

2) I'm having a drawing on my Face book page.  To enter, all you have to do is "like" my FB page and leave a comment under the item you would like to win.  Oh, yes, it's two items that I will be giving away.
Here's the link to my FB page. 
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rosebuds-Lampwork-Beads/152068214814970

Here's what I'm giving away.

One of a kind lemon blue shards.  These will never be repeated.

Good for lampworking!

This little mini set with a bird!!

Get on over there!

If I remember, I am drawing the winners names' on Sunday night!!!

Otherwise, it will be soon after!!!

:)

Blogability v. Creativity

I have been told to blog as a means of promoting my beads. I try. I don't blog as often as I should.

Part of my problem is spending time on the computer. I seem to spend hours here reading blogs, reading posts from my forums, downloading photos from my camera, resizing those same photos, uploading the photos--well, you get the picture. Pardon the pun.

I have also recently joined a new team on etsy.com It's called Lampworketc. Street Team or LEST for short. This is a very active group of artists and promotion is the name of the game. Since joining this group, my sales have greatly improved, so I am truly grateful for this street team. However, we do have to be active participants in the group and on the forums of Lamworketc. This adds up to more computer time. The patch for the group is at the top of this blog.

Now, what happens to the creative urge as I blog and post photos, comments and ideas? My muse seems to sleep through it all. I have fallen asleep at the computer along with my muse. When I wake up in the mornings, my muse is still groggy, but when we go do to torch, she opens and eye and begins her work. Somedays, my muse simply stays in the background as I work on basic skills. Other days, my muse sleeps in. I don't like those days. Those days are not productive days. Then there are days when my muse is so active that I cannot keep up with the ideas that flow through my brain. I try to slow them down, but they won't slow down!
I make quick sketches. I try to bring these sketches to life in a bead. Sometimes I can, and sometimes can't.

Then there are the days when the glass wants to speak. I have learned that on those days, it is best to let the glass direct the creative flow. I might want one result, but the glass wants another. It is best to allow the glass to flow on to the mandrel and take shape as it wants.
My muse is silent then. My muse recognizes that glass must flow as it choose, like molten lava, and change the space it occupies.

Creativity vs. Blogability. That's a difficult choice to make. Today I chose to blog. I hope my muse is happy since I mentioned her in this blog. I hope that the glass is happy, too. Me, I'm just tired. My brain needs a break. Look for me to come back when my muse is directing me to blog.

This is a necklace made with a kumihimo braid I made with a big holed bead to keep it together.

I call this bead, expanding star. The light in the center is the reflection from the flash. I love both the bead and the photo. I doubt that I can do this again.


I simply call this one Beach Shell. It's so pretty in person! The photo does not do it justice!

I call this one, Blue Rose Garden. It reminds me of a victorian garden. I love it!



I just call this guy Dotted Yellow Fish because that's what he is! He's cute to hold in person, and he's not slimy!

Sigh! More Drama!

I can't sell this beautiful bracelet.

As you know, I have become addicted to beaded kumihimo.

I made this bracelet using daggers.

I love it!

I want to sell it, but I can't.

Oh, here's the bracelet.

Know why I can't sell it?

The bracelet is too heavy.

The clasp that I fashioned using my lampwork beads opens.

It won't stay closed.

Sigh.

I'm not sure what I will do with this, but it has to be made again.

I will be taking it apart.

Should I make it into a necklace or rework it into a bracelet with fewer daggers?  

What do you think?

Three Beautiful Things This Week!

Three Beautiful Things This Week was inspired by a wonderful blog that Clare writes called Three Beautiful Things. Everyday, Clare writes about 3 Beautiful Things that happen each day in her life. It's a wonderful blog! I can only hope to imitate her in a very small way.

1) It's a day of relief from our heat wave and drought.  Last night, I turned off the air and let the fresh air into the house.  That was such a great way to sleep!  There are only 58 days left until the official start of fall!!!

2) I learned how to make beaded kumihimo this week.  Thanks to the help of a friend, I learned!!!  Wooo Hooo!  More on that next week!!!

3) Had dinner with a friend that I hadn't seen in ages last night!  It was great to see her and catch up.  I love it when this happens.  You forget how much you missed them very quickly!!!