Learn From The Best

Have you ever taken a class from a nationally recognized instructor? You know, the ones that teach at the Bead and Button Show every year, or who plan fabulous “bead retreats” in exotic locations…If you ever get the opportunity to learn from one of them, by all means, sign up! I say this because I’ve taken a few of these classes, and I realize now how lucky I am to have learned from these very talented artists.

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to attend the Bead and Button Show in Milwaukee, WI. I signed up for several classes, just because I liked the projects, not because I knew anything about the instructors (I was a newbie at B&B, after all). One of the classes I selected was Millefiori Caning with Lisa Pavelka. I did not know who Lisa Pavelka was at the time – all I knew was that I lugged my pasta machine half-way across the country to take a class with her, and I had absolutely no experience with polymer clay. I walked into the classroom with my gear in tow, only to see rows of pasta machines on the tables for those students who “forgot” to bring one…

The all-day class flew by so quickly. I immediately forgot my irritation with the equipment because Lisa was so engaging, highly energetic, and best of all – fun! She shared her tips for caning and jewelry making throughout the day. She didn’t even get annoyed when I folded my clay incorrectly and created “mud” instead of the fabulous Skinner blend she was demonstrating (that I longed to make!). Did I know Lisa was a nationally recognized instructor with 20 years experience in crafting and polymer clay? No. Did I know she has written several books on crafting with polymer clay? No.

Last week I went into an arts and crafts store and saw a large selection of Lisa Pavelka’s products. She created her own line of craft products, from texture stamps and glazes, to foils and molds. At that moment it struck me: carrying that pasta machine all the way to Milwaukee was definitely worth the effort!

The Accidental Beader

How did you get started with beading? Did you have a magical moment when you said, “Gee, beading looks like a fun hobby. I think I’ll give it a try...”?

I didn’t. No magical moments, shooting stars, or visions into the future calling me to a life of beading. I guess I would say I was an “accidental” beader, slowly dipping my foot into the “beading pool” before I took the proverbial plunge! It wasn’t that I didn’t like jewelry – NO – I spent plenty of time looking for jewelry to purchase, but I just couldn’t find what I was looking for. I traveled a fair amount, and I was always looking for jewelry to match my work wardrobe, but I could never find exactly the right color, style, or quality I wanted.

After returning from one particular trip with a carry-on bag full of bejeweled impulse-buys that wouldn’t survive more than a couple of wears, I decided it couldn’t be too hard to make things myself. I was a creative person, right? I could put some beads on a string and attach a do-hicky so it wouldn't fall off my neck, right? I could put little beads on some stretchy string and tie a knot, couldn’t I? So, before I knew it, I had a roll of stretchy string and some round beads, which I strung up (but not before loosing more than a few on the floor) and wore proudly on my wrist! It wasn’t long before I was stringing on wire, adding findings, and investigating all different types of beading.

I was working on a Kumihimo project the other day and my son said, “Mom, how come you started with beading, and then you went to polymer clay, and now you are doing braiding?” Of course, my answer was simple: “because I can.” Beading offers so many ways to explore your creativity in so many different ways. And combining different techniques makes the creative possibilities endless and exciting. While I thought my son was observant in his question, I snickered to myself about the things I’ve explored that he didn’t mention: bead weaving, chain maille, bead crochet, precious metal clay…and the list goes on. There's no turning back - I'm hooked!

Kumihimo for Kids

I taught Kumihimo classes for kids over the school holiday. Kumihimo is a Japanese braiding technique that is easy to learn and appeals to kids and adults alike. The classes were well attended by a range of ages that made it really fun, and challenged me to adapt my instructions on the fly! Although the minimum age suggested was 8 years old, a couple of 7-year-old boys snuck in. Self-assured in their desire to learn the technique, the boys swaggered in with their Kumihimo disks in hand. It didn’t bother them that they were the only two boys in the class – or that all the girls in the class were older than them. I admired their self-confidence as one of the boys said, “Oh, this is easy, I know how to do this.” And that was before we even started!

I’m smiling as I sit here thinking about how quickly all the kids caught on. I only had to give a couple of reminders about which hand is left and right - which I sometimes have to do at my adult classes! All the kids made more than one Kumihimo keychain to take with them, and the two boys were braiding as they walked out of the store! Thanks for sharing your kids with me – they made my day!

Don't Be Afraid to Fail

I was sitting in the hair salon last weekend watching my daughter have her 10-inch pony-tail cut off. She has been growing her hair for more than three years to get to the required length to donate to Locks of Love. This didn’t come easy…NO! There were lots of snarls and tangles and arguments along the way, but with that was the determination of a now 10-year-old girl focused on donating her hair to a child who needs it.

I’m not sure I had that fortitude when I was her age. In fact, sometimes I’m not sure I have it now! It reminded me of the introduction in Grant Diffendaffer’s book, Polymer Clay Beads, which I have been reading recently. Grant’s introduction hit home for me, as I have been experimenting with polymer clay for the past few months, learning a great deal about the medium, but with no finished pieces to show for it. I was considering giving up on clay - thinking perhaps it wasn't right for me - when I began reading the book. Grant suggests his book should “empower you to approach your own creative endeavors without fear of the outcome…Keep in mind the master potter who would every year smash his favorite pot to bits to remind himself of the importance of non-attachment. A crucial stumbling block to artistic creativity is over-attachment to the forms we have created. Don’t be afraid to fail.”

After thinking about my daughter’s determination and reading Grant’s book, I decided I would continue experimenting with polymer clay. I WON'T be afraid to fail! At some point I have to finish something, right? And then I’ll give it away.

What's in Your Attic?

Two of my friends came upon a small gold box while cleaning their mother’s attic. Inside they discovered a length of small ivory pearls crocheted on variegated pastel cotton thread. It was loosely crocheted, allowing the soft pastel colored thread in pink, yellow, baby blue, and soft green to show through between the pearls. Imagine their surprise when they saw it – their mother frequently crocheted with yarn, but they didn’t know she knew how to crochet with beads!

My friends’ surprising find is just one example of the timeless art of beading. We’ve come a long way since early people strung shells on vines and hung them around their necks, but beading in one form or another has been around nearly as long as humans*. Contrary to some men’s opinions (including my husband’s), beading is not a fad. NO! Beading transcends time. Beading is eternal. Beading is an art form, a craft, a hobby, a therapy for some. Most importantly, beading brings people together - people from different walks of life, different beliefs, even different generations. Celebrate this holiday season beading with (or for) someone you love. What’s in your attic…?

*A Brief History Of Beading, Karen Vertigan Pope

Inventory Your Projects This Holiday Season

The holidays are upon us and what better time to take inventory of all the bead projects we’ve worked on this year. We’ve all taken some classes, learned some new stitches, and started LOTS of projects. I’m not embarrassed to say that I have my share of incomplete projects in the drawer. Every artist has to experiment, right? You have to try new things, sometimes dozens of times, before finding just the right design. There are necklaces I started only to run out of beads before finishing, new designs that just didn’t work out, a new bracelet obsession started in every color…and then there’s that Crystal Cuff bracelet I started for my sister’s birthday back in March…three years ago!

This holiday season, I’m making an early New Year’s resolution: to finish all - no, most - definitely some - of the projects I’ve started this year before starting anything new. Well, maybe just a few new things... After all, they make great holiday gifts!

Welcome to The Beader's Blog!

Welcome to the first edition of The Beader’s Blog. What do beaders blog about, you ask? Beads, of course! All kinds of beads – in different shapes, sizes, & colors, really cool tools, findings, threads & fibers, and the latest in beading supplies you can’t live without. Join me each week for tips, techniques, and perhaps some interesting bead facts... I’ll share secrets I’ve learned (sometimes the hard way!) as I’ve discovered beading as a craft and an art.

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