Bumpy Knobby

Opaque black and silver-lined clear seed beads in sizes 6-10 were used to make this bracelet. The toggle clasp is an embellished beaded bead with a seed bead loop.

Links of Loops

I bought these tortoise shell rings in a fabric store in Mandeville several years ago. When I bought them, I was attracted to the colour, but had no idea what I would do with them. I would take them out and look at them every so often waiting for inspiration to strike.
I used gold and silver-lined bronze seed beads to make right angle weave loops to link the rings together. One of the rings became the loop for the peyote toggle clasp.

The shot below lets you see the opening of the links a little better.

Inspired By Sistren Bev

I was inspired by Sistren Bev Carlson of Bev’s Jewelry to learn kumihimo, the art of braiding multiple cords to create a stronger, more decorative cording.

The kumihimo tutorials I googled were videos. Since I connect to the internet via a web-enabled cell phone that provides a blazing dial up connection speed of 28.8 kbps, it takes 6-7 hours to download a 4 minute video. Sistren Bev understood my plight and e-mailed a link to a kumihimo diagram tutorial.

I made a disk from cardboard for my trial attempts. I used new shoe laces for the cording material. The resulting cord is thick and I will use it as a luggage ID tie. For my next kumihimo project I bought embroidery thread, which will result in a narrower cord.

Thank you, Sistren Bev, for the link, for the inspiration and for the encouragement!

This and Therapy

All of my energies (physical, emotional, creative and spiritual) have been channeled into my therapy sessions and my beadwork. If the truth be told, the beadwork is getting me thru the therapy. Learning to regain my balance and walk again without fear of falling is hard at my age. The therapy hurts and I am expected to inflict this pain on myself on the days I don't go to the clinic. I can't imagine facing this without Jah and prayer!

When I do all the rehab exercises I have been given, it wipes me out! There has been nothing left over for blogging, no reading beyond the local newspaper, no phone chats, no texting, no e-mails and I haven't even responded to those of you who have been kind enough to visit and share your thoughts. I've been given three blog awards that I haven't accepted yet and I don't know if I will ever catch up.

OK, OK, the pity party for one is over. This is what I've beaded during my blogging absence.
I finished the N'debele bracelet that was on my bead board. Gold and bronze seed beads with brown stars were used. The toggle clasp is a peyote tube.

This embellished N'debele bracelet doesn't photogragh well. It truly sparkles! I used size 6 silver-lined clear beads for the base with transparent peacock blue bead insets. The embellishing seed beads are opaque royal blue, transparent peacock blue and transparent light olive green.

This N'debele bracelet has four rows of seed bead embellishments with gold glass bead inserts. The toggle clasp is a beaded bead.

This is another one that has more sparkle than I can capture with the camera! It is tubular N'debele of silver-lined clear beads with blue insets and embellishments. The magnetic clasp is hidden inside a right angle weave tube.

These are a few rings I beaded. I need to find a better way to photograph rings. The picture doesn't really show the details well.

This set is for the wife of the doctor who performed my orthopedic surgery. She saw several of my beaded pieces during one of my check-up visits. The doctor called me later that afternoon and placed an order. The faux pearls are captured in a net of gold and bronze seed beads. She will wear the pendant on a gold chain.