Saturday, April 12, 2014

Spring fever

Little Thumb
It is Spring, I am busy as a bee. It seems to me that I'm most active during this season. It might come from the awakening of nature, the smell of the ground, the beautiful weather, the light. I might be light-intollerant, it doesn't mean that I like darkness. As long as I can remain in the shade of the building where I live, it is ok. I can't wait to bead on the balcony again.

Little Red Hood
This year Spring is much nicer than the past 2 - 3 years. My Hortensia is growing a bit too fast, but that's often the case on a balcony. My bamboo is a bit thirsty, because I was reluctant to water it, fearing that it would freeze, which generally happens in March. But this year it was nice nearly the entire month. It's not a big issue - it grows like grass... (which is normal, because it's the same family). April is nice too, the temperature is lovely. The heating doesn't even function here in the flat...

Hyper Eddie hasn't left and it's nice, because I am really having fun with beads. There are 3 new files with pictures on my computer, Fairy Figurines, Creepy Creatures and Jeannie.

'I dream of Jeannie' Barbie
As part of the Facebook Group Bead Dollie, I wanted to follow Diane Hyde's advice "Play around and just make something quick, little, and fun." So I made a Little Thumb - because I've always wanted to make little boots based on my Calla Lily flowers. The little figurine shows the moment when Tom puts the fairy boots on and they adapt to his size progressively. A little Red Hoot soon joined him. I have started a 3rd character of the 17th-Century writer Charles Perrault. This is really fun!

Tiny tulips - "Oranje Boven"
For an informal challenge to make clothes for Barbies within the framework of Contemporary Geometric beadwork, I made a bellydancer outfit for the doll Kate McKinnon sent too me. The bustier is the first thing I wanted to make with the pear cup shapes of Gerlinde's Monte Carlo bracelet. You may already have seen the Monte Carlo pattern I wrote in collaboration with her; well this little bracelet has opened a breach in my imagination.
Little Angler fish
I made little orange tulips for the very first King's Day in the Netherlands - until todayDutch National Holiday was Queen's day, but now there is a king...

I also made a tiny Angler fish based on the peyote structure and a 3rd "Creepy creature" is already in the make.

And all this while continuing writing tutorials for you. Today, I am really proud to announce that the 2 tutorials to make your very own "Souls" necklace and/or ring and earrings (or both patterns together) are now available in my Etsy Shop. This was a labour of love when I made it for the Battle of the Beadsmith back in 2013, but also writing the tutorial was not the easiest thing. It was nearly as hard to explain how to make it than to make it. I hope that you will be as happy with yours as I am with mine.

Souls
Last but not least, at Contemporary Geometric Beadwork the editorial work of the Edit team (which I'm part of) has started.
Did I say that I'm as busy as a bee somewhere?


9 comments:

  1. I am so in awe of the creation of a tutorial for your BotB piece! I cannot imagine! I hope sometime soon to write tuts, but the illustration seems a world away. You HAVE been a very busy bee, and the idea of doing small fun things seems so very wise. In play we find such good ideas and inspirations, I think. Wonderful post Cath!

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    1. Thank you Marsha! I hope that you will soon bring out your own tutorials! Illustrating is indeed a world apart, but you know what? I think that there is nothing that you cannot do.

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  2. Beautiful! Thanks for sharing such beautiful works :)

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  3. Keep buzzing little bee! Loving your art!

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  4. I really love your "Souls" ensemble and would very much like to learn how to make it. Your pattern calls for size 9/0 Czech seed beads, which can be hard to find. Where did you find yours and in what color?

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    1. I've found them back - they call it a size 8 now: http://www.amazon.com/Gunmetal-Seed-Beads-Preciosa-Jablonex/dp/B00AU4NF8K/ref=sr_1_144?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1397396353&sr=1-144

      the size of the seed beads should be 2.5mm. 3mm seed beads are too big. ask your regular supplier, this is a very ordinary Czech bead.

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    2. here is another supplier: https://www.etsy.com/listing/71263123/80-czech-glass-seed-bead-hank-hematite?ref=sr_gallery_38&ga_search_query=czech+seed+hematite&ga_ship_to=ZZ&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery

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    3. and beadaholique seems to hold them too: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00188CH1S/ref=asc_df_B00188CH1S3080452?tag=thefind0050587-20&creative=395261&creativeASIN=B00188CH1S&linkCode=asn

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