Home again -

Good to be home from BeadFest Summer. As per usual, we had a wonderful time at the show, seeing our old friends and making new ones.

We fit right into our new home on Artisan's Alley and discovered that the drapery there matched our table coverings perfectly!

And we enjoyed shopping of course and talking with the vendors we see there each year.

Hope to return next year! But for now, time to prepare for Bead Bonanza, Southfield, MI - Sunday, October 9th.

Kokeshis

A while back I found this book in the DIA (Detroit Institute of Arts) gift shop - one of my favorite places to find neat book. I thought it was so cute and that maybe it could be an inspiration for beads.


Koskeshi are wooden Japanese dolls that have simple shapes and are painted with designs that range from simple to very complex.

It is an on-going project but am making improvements. 

So here are a few of my interpretations of Kokeshis - a work in progress -
A BeadPen made using one of the Kokeshi -

They make cute pendants as well.

New Work -

Here is a new piece I came up with 
using a bead made of silver glass using techniques I learned from a Haley Tsang class in silver glass.

I paired it with some crystals I had stashed away, some aurora rondells and silvery gray pearls. 

It took several tries it get it where I wanted it but I think it turned out well. The picture appears a little darker than the piece actually is.

When finished, it reminded me of Elsa, the ice queen in the Disney movie, Frozen. There are matching earrings and bracelet.

Savings for BeadFest Summer Expo -

Here's a coupon you can use to save $10 on your entry fee for the show.

Be sure to read the info on the coupon to be sure to get your $10 off.

And don't forget to mention Fire Foxes Glass!