How Bonnie got the Aloha Bracelet

Okay, you're not supposed to brag, but this really did turn out nicely! While in Maui for friends Tracy and Dean's wedding, I picked up this great bead bracelet kit at Aloha Bead. Design by Sarah Klopping. Kit comes with everything you need except tools. It took me about three weeks after getting home to finish it.

It's a single strand of ochos, and then you keep adding dangles. It's a great style that you could make many times after you see how. The button for the closure in the kit I bought is gorgeous!

Here's the funny part. The instructions mention that you want enough dangles to cover the work around the central strand. Total obsession took over and I kept adding and adding! I'd think, well now it will be done at the end of this length of thread. And then I'd turn it over and look and think that I needed to add dangles in just a couple more spots. Two hours later I'd set it down thinking it was almost done. Well, guess what I added too many dangles! It never occurred to me that the inner circumference was shrinking, but of course it was!

So that's how Bonnie ended up with this bracelet. She loves beaded things and she was the first one I thought of when I realized that I wasn't going to be able to wear it myself.

It was so perfect too, since she had just bought a neat purple dress she will wear it with. Isn't it funny how things can work out like that?

Art is Everywhere!

For the ArtBuzz challenge I posted my slideshow of art found on my birthday on Jones Beach on Long Island.

Finished!

What do you think? It's finished and all I have to do now is find a box!

In progress, fabric cone

Somehow I ended up working on this in two pieces, is that how you did it? Anyway, since my sewing machine is under about two feet of boxes packed for the move, I'm handsewing everything. The inside has some tulle and some lace I hand painted, a piece of my handmade paper (the pear stamped on it).


Captured some purple potpourri under a bit of lace and made a little topper with lace and peyote stitched beads, capturing some ribbons. This is the inside. Next time I'm finding some white felt and hand painting it too.



Now I'm working on the outside. Continually fussing back and forth on the shape so that the placement of the butterfly will be correct. Want it to show when the whole thing is hanging. Also redid the handle. Now it has fiber captured in a simple square knot. Think I'll cut holes now for the handle...

CPS Fabric Cone Challenge

The Cloth Paper Studio group on Yahoo has a new challenge/swap - the fabric cone.The directions are in the Quilting Arts Gifts special edition magazine. You can see some really beautiful ones by Ruth Rae here.

Step 1. Gather stuff together, isn't that fun? Don't you love to look thru your stash. I want to use this fab beaded butterfly, so I pick blues and purples. Got a funky piece of felt at A.C. Moore. Not that you will see it all that much.


The cone will be diamond shaped, and Ruth reminds several times in the instructions to keep your piece correctly oriented.Hmm, I'm really not sure about the music. Found some nice old music that had some nice words.

Layers and layers are how this works. Capture some interesting stuff in tulle, or net, or cheesecloth. I have a wonderful old purple chiffon scarf that is nearly completely see thru. And some hand dyed cheese cloth and sheer silks from the class with Julie Sibley.

Painted a glaze on the music, tore it smaller and stamped some on it. Like that better. Tried making a handle with cord from Anima Designs and some vintage buttons. Woke up this morning thinking that I need to do that over and put some neat fibers in the center. It looks too clunky right now.

The layers give such a rich feel and it is so fun to dive thru my stash looking for just the right thing. But I better get a move on, only have like a week left!

I was very inspired by Stacy's blog. What a great self-challenge. Love the 3X3s that she has. Everyone should check them out.

This is a page from my handmade engagement calendar for this year. The last week of April, first of May. Can you believe it is May already?