Inspiration from Bead Street Classes

In the last couple of weeks I have received at least a dozen emails from people in  Italy, Hungary, Germany, London, the Netherlands and Turkey telling me what fabulous beading we are doing in lil' ol Boise, Idaho.  Who knew?  I do know that the Super Duos (aka Twins) and Peanut beads (aka Farfalle or Butterfly beads) have been in Europe for a while.  I also know that the CzechMates (aka Tiles) and Tila beads have not.  So I'm sure that's part of the interest in this blog.

A big, big, thank you to my  Czech glass bead vendor - I get the new beads first and then our instructors create new patterns for our classes.  But then our students take those patterns and tweak them, bling them up and make them their own.  All of that even before the new beads are even introduced at the major bead shows. 

Some of you may not think this is a big deal but  I came to Boise in 1972 before there were any bead stores in Boise, the only art show was 'Art in the park', and long before Boise Town Square Mall.   Since I was a beader - resources and inspiration were lacking in this otherwise wonderful town.  To remember those days and now get emails suggesting we are on the leading edge of jewelry trends - even creating  'the'  trend..... amazing!

So keep up the great work.   I've been telling everyone that their creations are 'fabulous'.  Hopefully they now believe me.  Here is a sampling of students' work.  As a side note, we currently have 30 colors of the Twin beads, and 50 or 60 colors of the Super Duos should be here this next week. We also stock almost 100 colors of the CzechMate Tiles and 60+ colors of the Japanese Miyuki Tilas.

Irene beaded this  ladder stitch bracelet using bugle beads
 in a random pattern.  She also made the flower from polymer clay. 
 I think this was the very first project she did with clay.
You can find a how-to for the 'Chan Luu' style bracelet under Videos.

This is going to be a new class - coming soon. 
 From Penny Dixon - see more of her work on her blog,
http://www.pennydixondesigns.com/



This is from Janet.  She learned this technique in a Russian Spiral bracelet class
and then made this great necklace. I think she found this wonderful ceramic pendant
in Seattle when she was visiting her new grandchild. 
Oops, maybe giving away too much info.
Love how she beaded her own 'bail'. 




Nancy Sathre-Vogel, created this freeform peyote piece a while ago. 
But I just recently learned that the 'fish' are actually
 chopstick holders she found in Thailand.
Nancy and her family are hiking the Rocky Mountains
this summer but we will schedule her freeform
peyote class again in the fall.



Janet learned how to bezel a couple different ways
 in two or three different classes. 
Now she is 'bezeling' a lot of things - here a Tagua nut.



Love how she finished this necklace with her own 'beaded toggle'.



This is just a small portion of  Deb's beautiful, freeform necklace. 
 She learned the technique in Nancy's Freeform Peyote class. 
 Deb also combined 'ruffleing' and netting (she learned in other classes)
and added other stitches she already knew, to make this stunning piece.



A closeup of another section.  We'll have more on this later. 
 I think this necklace deserves a post of its own.

A beautiful peyote and netting ruffled pearl necklace.
 This was done by Boise Bead Society President, Mary Ireland,
in a class she attended at Bead Street.

Joy beaded all of these.  Top one she learned in Bead Street's Tila Band class
from a pattern designed by Adele Kimpell. 
Middle is a pattern Joy purchased from Kassie Inman. 
Bottom from a Tila/Tile Spiral class taught by Sandy Taylor from another Adele pattern.

Right Angle Weave (RAW) with Peanut beads beaded by Virginia. 
This is the 'Gator' pattern designed by Adele Kimpell.
 Virginia created her own version by changing the pattern 
and then adding 6mm pearls down the center.
I like this version alot.

A beautiful embellished peyote bracelet beaded by a gal from Twin Falls.
You can learn basic peyote from one of our Beaded Bead classes.

This bracelet much prettier in person. 
Beaded by Yvona from Nicole's "Ice Ruffle" pattern. 
 We have convinced Yvona to teach this -
 hopefully, sometime this summer.

This is another version of Sandy Taylor's Tila / Tile Herringbone class
 taught using an original pattern from Marcia Balonis. 
The Tiles (aka CzechMates) have been replaced with
Czech glass pearls and seed beads



We teach a number of Beaded Bead classes at Bead Street.
Masoumeh created these bracelets using beads she made in class.



 For more information and other photos, see the link at the top of this blog for a class schedule.  You can also click here for a link to Kassie's site beadingbutterfly.com.  Or here for Adele Kimpell, http://www.beadreamers.net/  and here for Marcia Balonis, http://www.baublesbybalonis.net/ .  We are currently scheduling classes for June and July.   If you would like more info or to request a class, just send us an email.

Freeform Peyote

We managed to squeeze in another Freeform Peyote class with Nancy.  Because this is a two-part class with 'homework' in between - we need to try and schedule this when students don't have gardens, vacations and  other life issues to deal with.  No, we are not so obsessed with beads that they are the ultimate priority in our lives.  My friend Barb, from Portland, did travel to Boise to get in on a class with Nancy.  Okay, so maybe some of us are obsessed.  Here are photos of the first class and hopefully the gals will bring in their finished projects so all of us can see them.

Elaine is making a necklace in some of my favorite colors.

Barb made great progress. 
She did send me a photo of her finished bracelet from her phone to my phone. 
When I figure out how to get the photo to my computer, I'll pass it along,

They look pretty serious don't they? 

This is Linda's 'beading palette'. 
Freeform is a little easier when you have a good selection to choose from.

This is a great example of using 'bridges.'

Tile and Tila Spiral

We do a lot of Tile (aka CzechMates) and Tila classes.  Sandy Taylor taught this Tila Spiral in February (see March 3rd post).  This is another great pattern created by Adele Kimpell that Sandy purchased for our students.  Thanks to everyone for bringing in your finished projects to be photographed.  You have no idea what an inspiration you are to everyone.  Keep up the great work!



 

Great colors for all of these and very trendy - 
colors we are seeing everywhere this spring.  

More Spring Flowers

We recently had a sale of all of our Czech flowers and leaves.    Because the weather has been so rainy lately, many of you have chosen to stay inside and design 'flower gardens' for your wrists.  Here are photos of some bracelets Janet created and brought into the store to share. 

Beautiful colors and Janet added some Vintage Lucite and a flower button.

A tiny lucite flower layered on top of a Czech bell flower.  Really cute!



Also from Janet.   Another color version and beaded loop for her closure



Here's one worn as a necklace. Great work Janet.



Even Joy had to admit these were really nice.
Thanks so much, Janet for inspiring all of us.
Keep up the good work!



Freeform Peyote Tutorial

It's inventory and tax time so have not had time to post much lately - and now we are into April already.  How did that happen?  Thought I would concentrate on just finishing one project before starting something new - a brand new concept for me.

This is more of a "how to get started with freeform" instead of a real tutorial.  You can find many on the Internet but this is how I started.   I am not a freeform beader.   So for me, starting with a little structure and control worked a lot better.

Here is the beginning of my freeform bracelet.   Notice I used mostly 11's and 15's with some 8's and very few 6's.  I kept the first strand free of any larger beads and just did segments of each color.  I forgot to 'blend' - so I have a few areas that are blocky.  Hopefully I can take care of those when I am ready to embellish.

Here is the second phase.  I have added 'bridges' because I want this piece to be looser and notice I am now blending colors from one to another.  These 'bridges' are  just little half inch to one inch segments of peyote stitched beads coming out from one area and connected somewhere else.  If they seem too skinny - just add another row of peyote stitch to that segment only.

Third step was to add picots and ruffles - just here and there - to create a lacier look. 

For those of you who took our 'Ruffle' class - this should be easy for you -

 just ruffle along a few segments, here and there.

Here is the finished piece.  At least I think it is finished. 

Bead instructors will tell you the piece will speak to you and tell you when its 'done'. 

 So far the only 'speaking'  I hear is  "pick me, pick me, buy me". 

So, I'm going to let this sit for awhile, start another piece and see. 

If you know peyote stitch - give this project a try. 

You do not have to make your item this large. 

Try a thinner band for a simple bracelet. 

 If you want to make it larger without continuing with freeform

- add a couple of larger focal beads, or a vintage button, or a colorful cabochon.

 Any questions - email or come into the store - we'd be glad to help.  Enjoy!

If you would like more info, Bead Street carries some great beginner, intermediate and  advanced books on the subject.  And. we also have a great beginner class as well. 

 Let us know if you are interested - we'll get one scheduled.

Three Signs of Spring

Spring is finally here.  How do I know?  Well my ducks have arrived.  How do I know they are 'MY' ducks?  Check out this photo.  They flew in, waddled right up to my back door and actually pecked at the window.  They remembered who fed them last year - survived through the  hunting season - and are back this year for more food.  They are My ducks.

Second sign of spring - Flower and Leaf sale at Bead Street,  Buy one get one free on the entire flower and leaf wall.  To inspire you - check out Janet's fabulous, fabulous flower garden bracelet.  These are not even my colors - but I love this!  She said she was inspired by Nancy's Freeform Peyote class - where she learned to trust her own sense of color and  to give herself permission to bead 'outside the lines.'  Well done Janet!  This is wonderful - thanks so much for bringing it in.

Notice how she finished her closure.  Nice.

Much nicer in person.  I couldn't stop taking pictures.

The third sign of spring,  This is Enrique'.  Yep, he actually comes  to my door when I call him.  And I feel like an idiot calling his name when I am out in the yard (as if he were a dog).  But I do it anyway.  After all, someone has to feed him.  And if I don't - he 'pecks' on the back door - just like MY ducks.

I know, I know, the photo isn't great.  My cat "Charlie" sits on the inside of the door and presses his nose up against the glass - which leaves 'nose prints' all over the door.   And no, I do not have time to keep it clean.  It's beads or a clean window, and I choose beads.

Don't forget the sale - now through the end of the month.  This is your opportunity to stock up for all those wonderful flower projects that will be in the beading magazines in the next few months.   Happy Spring!

Popcorn Bead

Below are photos of some great bracelets.  Most of these have been made with the new Matsuno Peanut beads from a design created by Kassie Inman that she named the  'Popcorn Bead'.  These are a lot of fun - I've made a bowl full of these myself.  Maybe someday I'll get them made into a bracelet or necklace.  Until then - check out our customers work below.     If you'd like to make these - you can click here for a link to Kassie's site beadingbutterfly.com/tips-freebies.   She has a lot of great tutorials and other patterns for sale as well.   Beautiful work gals.  Thank you Joy, for finding this tutorial and letting me know.  And - thanks Kassie for a great design.

Made with the new Peanut beads combined with copper and gemstones.



Joy combined these with the new acid-etched Czech glass





Don't these look like lampwork beads?



Ethnic or sparkly - either way beautiful!



These are Debs - and one of my favorite colors. 
 Don't have these large silver nuggets in yet - hopefully soon.