decorative arts – SpectralBeads

In progress (baby shots of a gift)

Describing the process of creating a piece of beaded jewelry as a gift.

Site Plans, and working on a late Xmas gift

In which I mention beginning work on an updated vision of this site, and continue working on a project for Xmas.

There is no substitution for practice…

…though at the moment, I’m not practicing. Not beading, at least. Writing, that’s another story. I still have to work on an Xmas present for someone, though this person wouldn’t mind it being late. I think one of my greatest issues…at this point, at least, is that I’m more skilled with color combinations, than IContinue reading “There is no substitution for practice…”

New projects: Bee earring pair, completed. NFS.

The author describes part of the experience of having designed and made a set of beaded earrings for the holidays.

Wanting to work: a beadworker’s temptation toward watercolors

To paint or not to paint? As a beadworker, I use color all the time. Sometimes, though, I really want to break out of pre-fabricated colors in glass, and into the flow of watercolor…

Fun with Chevrons

I have actually gotten back to my beadwork, including design: I started playing (again) with a pattern I found a very, very long time ago. This was my introduction to Chevron Stitch, in The Art & Elegance of Beadweaving, (2002), by Carol Wilcox Wells. Well — actually, the pattern I was playing with a fewContinue reading “Fun with Chevrons”

Moving on: macrame lessons and new stitches

It’s been a few days. In the interim, I’ve had a couple of tries at doing micro-macramé; once, without reviewing or following directions; the second time, paying close attention to my cord orientation and the instructions for double half-hitches given in Joan Babcock’s book, Micro-Macramé Jewelry: Tips and Techniques for Knotting with Beads (2nd Edition).Continue reading “Moving on: macrame lessons and new stitches”

Who am I?

Not to get all meta on you, but you’re probably wondering who I am. For the past ten years, I’ve run a blog over at Hidden Jewels. That blog started out as a private affair and only later made its way onto the search engines. Although I know it — well, exists — it seemsContinue reading “Who am I?”