My Second Project in This Month's 'Bead' Magazine

I am a very lucky crafter to have had three projects accepted for this magazine. My third is hopefully coming out in the following issue. I design by 'playing' with beads and you can imagine how many things I give up because they just don't work! This one came about when I was doing my Level 2 C&G course. I didn't like the pattern that we had been given, so I decided to create my own, using the brief.

Cards...etc.

These are all part of my friend's commission. I am nearly there now, just three or four to go. I am meeting her for coffee tomorrow, so I will be doing them tonight!

Tubby Thursday

I lost 1.5lbs this week, so now have a total of 53 off. Again, I really didn't deserve to lose any but I think my cold is doing something. I seem to be able to eat more for some reason. I have had this blasted cold for over three weeks now and it is getting to be a right royal pain in the bum. I am snotty, coughing like a cigarette smoker, not sleeping due to the coughing - you name it. Still, I am losing weight, so, hey ho - every cloud and all that!

I am currently working on a project of my own design, so will keep you posted on that.

C & G Course - My Own Projects

We have reached the point in the course where we have learnt all the stitches and have completed all the artwork side of things. The rest of the time is now for us to continue with making our pieces for judging. These pieces need to be the following:


6 necklace and earring sets (one necklace must be netting, and one oat spheres)

One lariat at least 32" long

Two amulet bags, one netted and one tubular peyote

One major piece - a shaped object or anything to show our skill.


For my main piece, I have decided to make a cross-stitch pattern into a square stitch picture. I was originally going to work three photographs into cross-stitch patterns and convert the colours into delica beads. However, the photos that I have chosen needed too many colours and would have cost too much. I am going to make the picture in cross-stitch instead, and may do one of the three photos in beads at a later date.

Instead, I found some lovely little charts of seaside pictures in a cross-stitch magazine. Here is one of the charts worked up in beads...

I am not a big fan of square stitch because I always seem to make it look wonky somehow - as you can see, this one does too! I have also managed to break one of the beads, so it is likely that I will think of this one as a practise piece and will work it up again.

This is going to be my lariat. It is twisted herringbone stitch and I have tried to choose colours that I would not normally put together!

UFO Sightings

Of course, when I say 'UFO', I don't mean little green men and phaser guns! I mean Un-Finished Objects. All of these have been started but not (yet) finished. Some will be finished and some will probably be salvaged for the beads at some point in the future. In the mean time, they are sitting looking at me, reminding me on a daily basis that I am fickle!