Monday, July 21, 2008

Rocky Sampler


"Pass backward through the bead below, then forward through the bead you just strung." The mantra of square stitch, which I calmly intoned who knows how many hundreds of times yesterday. Four 2-hour classes with 10-15 students each, and nearly all of them managed to square-stitch a circle (those that didn't get it may need peyote-deprogramming). Perhaps I could bring a radio-controlled toy plane to demonstrate what a loop-the-loop flight/thread path looks like? It was a fun day. The students were great (even when I was 30 minutes late); I imagine that TAKING four 2-hour classes would be pretty intense and they kept their cool (next time I will bring THEM the cherry m&m's).
Since my handout didn't show the finished project because it was too crammed with silly stitch explanations and diagrams, here's a pic of the bracelet in two of the color ways. But really, there is no requirement to make a bracelet...
Thanks to all that made the RMBS Sampler a success (as far as I know)!!

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

The Snake Goddess is BIG in Ohio


Bead International 2008 happened this spring at the Dairy Barn Arts Center in Athens, Ohio (where it is on display through September, then will travel through 2010). It is an honor to be a part of this show; the fact that Ungud was rewarded Best of Show is still sinking in for me. But he is pretty hot.

The name Ungud comes from an Australian aboriginal rainbow deity with trans-gender powers. The dress (not shown here) is brought forth from Minoan snake goddesses, themselves cloaked in mystery.