Only the Beginning

Each project begins with a bauble that catches my eye...in this case it was two buttons (the ones on the upper right, under the word "Board")...they led me to the other buttons, the thread and the 11/0, 8/0 & 6/0 seed beads that will find their way into the finished bracelet.

Next I cut the threads and began with the antique black and gold button that will be part of the closure. After some experimentation with knots, I connected the button to the thread in a way that-I hope-will lay flat and make a comfortable and attractive clasp that's easy to manage.

I was off and beading...for the duration of a Syracuse Orange basketball game.

That was almost two weeks ago...and I haven't gotten back to the project. I was distracted by the macrame bracelet we made at the February bead guild meeting, then I had a dream about crocheting with the C-Lon thread I've become so fond of using in my macrame projects, so I detoured to give it a try:

The experiment has been an ugly failure. Freeform was a jumbled mess so I took a break to de-clutter my work space, then started again on something more symetrical...and as much of a mess. I've seen some lovely bead crocheted jewelry, but this isn't it.

I'll be getting back to the macrame piece this weekend.

Who Knows Where the Time Goes

So much for item three in my last entry. It's been almost two and a half years since last I blogged.

I've not been sick. I've not given up beading. I've not run out of thoughts or ideas.

I've been lazy...and, for a time, absent minded (I forgot I even had a blog). But a 2012 resolution is to get back to it. So here I am.

I've been down many beady roads since last I wrote and been mostly proud of the results. In future blogs, I may wander back over the past two years...I may not. While I've been away, I have managed to refrain from bulk bead-buying (though I wouldn't be doing my part to help the economy recover if I didn't buy some beads) AND I've finished well over three of the "Baggie" projects.

Beads have never lost their allure--I never know where they're going to take me. For the past several months, they've whisked me back to the 1970s and my macrame phase. I've been obsessed with micro macrame, particularly freeform micro macrame. Here are two of my experiments.