Sneakpeaks

We've had some beautiful sunny, cold days lately and that was exactly what I needed to get the energy to work on my half dozen projects that I must finish in February. I'm solar powered, I guess. Today is a cloudy day. A snow blue sky. Earlier today a few tiny snowflakes danced around in the gentle wind, nothing seemily landing on the ground, now it's more of an actual snow fall. But still very gentle. The pic above is a month old, but that's how it looked around noon today. Only with less snow on the ground and bit of it in the air instead. (Or.. at least it did look like that when I began writing a few hours ago: no I don't know as it's pitch dark outside.)

So with the change of weather I've also changed down a gear. At least momentarily: I'll be working all night probably as night time is my creative period. Especially when it's not sunny. And with the bead soup blog party on Saturday I thought I'd take the opportunity to show a few sneakpeaks. Of my bead soup projects as well as my other WIP.



I had to wait an finish my bead soup necklace to let the anti-fray liquid dry. All I need to do now is trim the edges and add a clasp. You can tell I'm Scandinavian: I'm really keeping it simple and clean, even when using lace.
I spotted some wavy discs and all I could think of was lily pads. So I had to add some flowers. This is the clasp. The rest will have to wait: it's just the dics that's from Joanna's bead soup, but I still see it as part of the blog event so I won't show that until Saturday. Violet was the only colour available for me.
This bracelet/cuff isn't finished. It looks nice the way it is right now as well, but I'm going to do some more work on it. It's a leather cuff laced with cotton cord. I don't have the right tools for it so each hole is made by pushing a needle through it. First a leather needle, which is too weak to push all the way through, then a thicker needle to pierce the hole all the way and after that a third, even thicker, needle to widen each hole. I'm glad that part of this project is over...

What else am I working on? Well, a necklace I'm not really sure about the details of. But I've stitched a clasp for it. The angle makes the flower look a little wonky. I hope the necklace will turn out good enough to enter in a contest, but I feel so unsure about that right now.

This RAW bezel wasn't made for a contest, but I will probably redo it a bit and add to a piece of jewellery that I'll enter in a challenge. That's one of my new favourite greens there: gold lustered green tea (Toho). So yet another piece to add to my list of projects with deadlines.


Because of the deadlines there are also a few other projects I've had to take a break from. Then there are the project I have laying around for other reasons. Like this herringbone rope that I only stitch a little on, then put down, because I find it so fiddly and frustrating to add large beads to herringbone this way. On top of that I just think it looks skewd and wonky. But I will finish it. Someday...

I have another herringbone projects that's almost finished. I just can't decide whether or not to embellish it, which had been my initial plan. Also, I'm not sure on the clasp: I made it just a little bit too long so adding a clasp, I risk having a bracelet that'll slip over my hand while wearing it. This one's made with two sizes of Miyuki triangles, just like above. Colour's sparkling light bronze-lined aqua luster.

I also have other bits and pieces laying around everywhere. Like this flower made from two silverplated tulip bead caps. Good thing about it is that every now and then I return to it and think of a new way to alter the surface. First I stained it with alcohol inks. Then I added acrylic paint for a more opaque coloured finish. Last night I added golden wax on top of that.

And that's pretty much how it often look here: ongoing projects and UFOs scattered around the work tables (yes, I have to -- and then I do much of my beading in bed). To be found both in the bead room and the bedroom. But as long as I actually do pick up the UFOs at some point, I'm not worried. I like it. Only thing that's frustrating are all the WIPs I can't finish because I can't afford the supplies -- or in a few cases, the tools -- needed. Or wanted. A tight budget isn't fun for my creative side...