How I spent my paper vacation

Beaded ornaments for a bottle of shells.

 

Every now and then, as mentioned in my knitting entry, I veer away from the paper arts to explore other creative outlets. It’s very refreshing to use different mediums of expression, enlightening to look at projects as beginner, and inspiring to meet and see a variety of new artists either online or in person.

In April, I breezed into my local bead store—Gemstone & Bead Imports on Okeechobee near Military. http://gemstoneandbeadimports.com/ . The sparkles drew me in, the colors soothed my cravings, and the sample projects lifted my heart. It was time.

I’ve done beading before; I pick it up and put it down. I venture into altered steampunk style pieces fairly regularly and I made a lovely collection of beaded crystal ornaments for Christmas gifts one year. This time—I wanted Swarovski crystals and I wanted them in clusters.

I signed up for a class called “Beaded Bead” with an exceptional teacher named Kim Leahy. Check out her web site http://estherbeadwork.com/  and blog.

Take a vacation from your primary form of creative expression and enjoy where the road leads you. Be sure to send me a post card!

The class was from 10:30-12noon and I only left at 2pm because my blood pressure had exceeded the threshold for standing or sitting up any longer. (The store is 3 minutes from my home, thank you Great Creator).

I made two beads by the pattern in class, one under gentle guidance and one with more independence. I loved that teaching technique and I want to use it more in my own classes. Essentially, she taught the whole project, gave written directions, and encouraged you to complete a second identical project while she was available but not directly involved.One of my beads has become a pendant. The other bead along with a “freestyle version” I created at home have been pulled into home décor duty in our bathroom.