a new bead project

after finally deciding yesterday that the Desert Dreams project just was not going to happen for now I spent some time surfing the web, thinking about redoing my website and my Etsy shop

and then this idea popped into my head

one of the things that I really enjoy making is beaded bracelets -- especially wide bead embroidery ones -- over a metal cuff form - like one of these

more recently I've done a couple that are not over a form, but have a clasp -- like these two

the up side of this method is that a magnetic clasp is a lot less expensive than those brass cuffs that I used, which means I can keep the cost of the bracelet down when I sell it

this is one of the drawings that I did yesterday as an idea for another bracelet

(I did a second sketch too, which I will show you later if I decide to actually do the stitching)


and here is the beginning of the bead work -- this piece is bead embroidery worked on a "sandwich" of two pieces of stabilizer with a piece of thin cotton/bamboo batting in the center

and its about 2 inches wide by 7 inches long - and will have a clasp -- probably a beaded toggle clasp

I feel much better about this piece than I ever did on the Desert Dreams -- so maybe I can actually get it done and submit it for the competition -- we'll see

now that its finally finished snowing its time to get out there and get the shoveling done, then hopefully some work on the beading!