There are some things you make that are really fun,
seed bead bracelets
but take so long to make or are so special you can’t ever consider selling them.
These peyote stitch seed bead bracelets are about two inches wide and at twenty or thirty hours apiece are not a practical item to try to mass produce. But making them is much like knitting, just a needle, thread, and picking up the next bead to fit in the pattern, or the next color that calls out to you. I had fun weaving these while watching TV, until a certain black and grey kitten arrived at my house and I had to hide such temptations.
The black and white one is a Mayan design called the Hunab Ku, a spiral that shares the wisdom of the yin and yang symbol.
If you click on the image you can see them at full size. By starting the weaving with a row of black and white beads or a very high contrast set of colors, it helps to keep the pattern straight until you get the rhythm down.
Tags: bracelet, kitten, mayan, peyote, seed, spiral, stitch, weaving, yin yang
private reserve, seed beads | mary | 
May 30, 2010 2:47 pm | 
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Hello Mo fans!
Miss Nimbus returns
Miss Nimbus returned this week from her convalescence in the mountains. Mo was unbelievably cranky! He reacted with plenty of hissing, growling, swatting, and even charged at her. Then he went and sulked under a bookcase.
It was quite amusing hearing him growl while eating, “ggrrmmnlnrr, grrup, ggrrrhrmp, grrrmplh, grrlahr, glramph, grllu, grrllm.” He would be sitting next to me, look across the room at her, start growling and then smack me!
She was entirely relaxed, not intimidated in the least, and happy to be home.
I woke up the next morning with Miss Nims snuggled up to me purring, and Mo lying on the floor ten feet away, front legs under him like his arms are crossed, GROWLING at us! That brat stole his spot!
Miss Nims loves her big brother and follows him everywhere. By the fourth day they were settling down and I finally heard a purr out of Mr Mo. I am going out of my way to be extra nice to him.
People are sometimes puzzled when they see my jewelry.
glass rods
You made the necklace, and the beads? The bead stringing they can understand, but they are sometimes shocked to hear that I made the beads themselves and ask how.
It all starts with glass rods and a torch. Here you see my work area with the many colors of glass rods arrayed on a hotplate. The red knob at lower left is part of the torch. At lower right you see the didymium safety glasses. Click on the photo to see a larger view.
Lampwork is the term used to describe working with molten glass using a small ‘lamp’ or torch. The beads are made by heating up the glass rods until liquid, and wrapping it around a steel rod coated with a release agent. After the bead is complete, the rod is removed and that leaves a hole in the bead.
Stay tuned for weekly posts about beadmaking, other artistic adventures, and the Friday Mo report!
Hello Mo fans!
Mr Mo
Mr Mohawk, aka Mr Mo, aka Mr Silkypants, is my black cat. He has a natural spiky hairdo that inspired his name. His buddy, Miss Nimbus, is white with some dark thunderstorm grey spots and a grey tail. The salt and pepper cats.
The Moboy was lording it over the homestead for a second week. Miss Nimbus stayed a second week at the cat convalescent center in the mountains. I hear she is finally approaching regularity after a diet that includes cooked pumpkin and prune juice!!
Meanwhile, Mo is so happy to be the only cat and have his mistress all to himself. He will come over for a snuggle and that extra high pitch to the purr tells you he is REALLY happy. There are purrs and extreme purrs.
Here’s a photo of Mo in the garden, sporting a bead on his collar, hanging below the bell.
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