Spirals

Since I didn't get the twisty triangle finished, I thought I'd share some twisty, spirally bracelets.  The pattern is called a Celini Spiral and it's basically tubular peyote with beads that gradually get larger then smaller.  I love making these.  I've sold a few and I've taught a couple of classes.  It's fun and looks great.  I'm attracted to spirals.  I draw them, I look for them... spirals...

We're traveling to Lake Tahoe tomorrow... I'll try to blog on my iPad if there's internet... otherwise I'll try my iPhone.  Fun to learn new things!

Landing

Maybe this post isn't what you expected.  I was hoping to have a twisty triangle to show off but I tried too hard to manipulate the beads and I broke the thread!  Fireline, no less.  For the uninitiated that's the stuff they catch big fish with... it's strong!  But, I guess, I'm stronger.  When I get it finished, I'll post it, promise.
In the mean time, Peter and I are getting our front lawn ready for a new landing!  I'm so excited to have a shady spot to sit during the summer.  Our back deck and most of our patio are full sun.  I've also thought that in a culture that worships the three car garage... where you don't have to EVER see a neighbor if you don't want to... in such a culture a front landing/porch would give us the opportunity to say hi to the walkers.  It's a nice social statement.
We both worked with shovels and picks to level the spot where the landing will go.  Peter worked harder than I did... he's bigger... and stronger.

Lookin' good!!!

Wear it, Wear it, Wear it...

This is one of my creations that gets worn A LOT!  I love this necklace.  The chain is recycled from my mom's really old stuff.  The chain is 25" long and the dangle is a full 5"... that makes a long, cool necklace.  It looks great with jeans and a cute top or all dressed up.  What bugged me about it was the resin Eiffel Tower pendant that I made a while back... it was one sided.  When the necklace turned with normal wear the blank side would inevitably show.  So tonight, I put the same image on the "back" side.  The resin poured perfectly and I cured it under a UV light and now I have a 2-sided pendant.
Okay, now back to work on the twisty triangle... hopefully I'll post a pic of the finished triangle tomorrow.  For now, here's the Eiffel Tower Necklace...

Eiffel Tower Necklace

Weeding vs. Beading

The weeds are taking over our flower beds (see all the clover around the petunias below?).  Peter went out to mow the lawn and the guilt-driven me feels an obligation to at least make a tiny dent in the weeds.  But the beads, the beads, the beads.  They are soooo attractive and fun and challenging.  I'm trying to figure out this triangle piece.  The way the beads come together to form the waves is twisty-er than I expected.  I love the challenge of getting these tiny little things to create a shape and a form that is new to me.  It's like the architecture of a building... how a keystone can hold together the arch is really beyond what I could ever imagine.  Putting together beady sculptures and bringing the pieces together to create forms is pretty amazing... on a way smaller scale, but cool, none the less.
So the journey continues and today there's such a small question before me: to weed or not to weed?
Answer:  now that I've taken a break to write... I'm feeling the motivation to weed.

Powell Butte Ride

Riding bikes on Powell Butte is a challenge.  Up hills, down hills... tiny little deer trails.  Found out I'm not much of a "mountain biker."  The narrow deer trails through the woods were kinda scary.  I rode with both brakes on and I was sliding all the over the place.  As I spend the year be-ing me, it seems appropriate to discover that I don't really do mountain biking.
Peter on the other hand likes all kinds of biking... especially motorcycle riding.  I spent the afternoon checking out new bikes with him.  Dude, get a NEW one... a BRAND NEW one!

On a "bead-y" note... I got my Beadwork magazine today and there are a couple of cool, challenging projects I'm already considering.  Also trying to master a very cool "wavy triangle" pattern.  Really difficult to put together.  I'll keep interested readers posted.  

That's all for now, I need be disciplined and get back to work!

Bikes needing a rest after a big hill... also needed to check the map.

Fun-tastic Birthday

Family fun celebrating birthdays!  Jill and I have birthdays two days apart.  It often becomes a 3 day celebration... you HAVE to do something with the day in between!  This year we celebrated on MY birthday with dinner at Joe's Crabshack... lots of work for the food (cracking, shelling, poking)!  There were 12 in our party... all the kids, their spouse or significant others and all three grandkids.  Wow!
I made a pair of earrings right before we left for dinner.  Isn't that the best thing about making your own jewelry?  Get a new top, make a pair of earrings.

                                                     We wore the funny bibs, what the heck?

The journey continues

Today is my birthday... okay, I'm 59!  That's a good thing.  I'm starting this blog because I want to look closely at this year, take notes and remember who I am and how I am as I journey toward my 60th year.  Those birthdays with zeros are touchstones on our life paths.  I want to make sure I notice the pebbles and streams along the path this year.  Don't know if anyone will be interested in following this blog, but that's not the most important aspect of this little creation.  Life is about growing into our own being.  The older I get, the more I realize that it's okay to have some of life be about ME.  Not about my ego necessarily, but about who I am and how I am in relation to the rest of the world: family, friends, creation....
I have a passion for beading and be-ing... that's how I think about the title of my blog "beadayle"... get it?  Of course you do, you're brilliant!
On my last day of high school, as I was cleaning out my locker, a teacher was yelling down the hallway with some sage advice (origin: Shakespeare):  "Be true to yourself!"  Whoa, what the heck does that mean?  I've been trying to figure that out my whole life long.
So there ya go... the journey continues... toward REAL life!