Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Finding the Muse #8 Beads

Beads, glorious beads! My friend Cindy and I went to a bead show in MD over the weekend.

Shiny Sparkly! Every possible type and color of shiny sparkly bead. It was nearly overwhelming. We started in the lobby, where I purchase three small containers of unusual (to me) seed beads. 
 Then On to the Show! What a world of fun this place is. 
It became hard to choose among the millions of little possibilities here. I showed remarkable restraint however and did not get another kit since I have not made the cabachon setting kit I got last time. 
 Ideas flew around my mind like little birds! 
I had so much inspiration from shape, line, color and example that I wanted to say, if you are feeling uninspired... go to a bead show. 

This gorgeous pen is covered in beads. Wild large petal beads, the little circles are chain links in colors. 

I am inspired to renew my love of bead embroidery. These library books should help...


  I have done free form flat peyote before. I have made needlecases, jewelry, and lampwork beads. I often add beads to my quilts. 

I am now inspired to try encrusting an area of fabric with lines of beads. Stay tuned to see what comes! Meanwhile see what I bought at the show...
The entire purchase... (some of which was in that popcorn bag!) very restrained, no? A moon I can bead in place,
Cool retro style wooden beads in Waaay hip colors! Wonder what I'll do with those? 









diamond shapes, and half square triangle shapes... for fun... ya never know when they'll spur you on to create something....





weird pillow shaped beads
Yum, this is a sparkly crystal in a gold cage on a leather necklace. 
A bargain at $5. 


All that made me want to go through this bag of beads given to me at my last lecture...

Someone had given her an enormous Box of random beads. She pulled lots of strings for me, and I had a good time sorting them today. 



I suppose I should say something important about finding inspiration here but you get the point. Whatever makes your heart go pitter pat, likely has a trade show where you can go and be inspired to create your art. Inspiration is all around us. 

Other posts on beads are found under the label Beading Joy  HERE !

11 comments:

PaintedThread said...

So many sparkles!

Val's Quilting Studio said...

OMG!! I LOVE beads!! My youngest daughter was so talented at creating bracelets...I wish she continued it as she got older!!

quiltedfabricart said...

One can never have to much bling ;-)

Wonky Girl said...

My goodness so may beads ! The most I have ever seen in one place is at JoAnn's Fabrics (pathetic, huh?). It will be fun to watch what you make.

Joanne said...

A bead show! How cool is that!
You did very good indeed!

Kaja said...

I went to a bead show once and got waaay too excited. You can't beat all that shiny in one place.

sonja said...

Baubles,bubbles, bright shiny beads!

easyweimaraner said...

that's like entering the treasure cave of this ali baba guy... I would spend hours there just to discover as much as possible sparling things :o)

Rebecca Grace said...

Ooh, how exciting! I love beads and would like to use them in more of my quilts, but most of my quilts are either for babies or for beds, so beads are kind of a no-no. But when I see that extra sparkle beads add to show quilts, I am determined to sneak some in here and there whenever I can.

Glen QuiltSwissy said...

Your beads are just wonderful! I took a class from Tom Atkins a couple of years ago......his HUGE quilts are unbelievable

http://sweetpeapath.blogspot.com/2012/01/thom-atkins-man-who-beads.html

Rachel said...

So many pretty sparklies! I love that caged crystal!