Pins, pins, pins

Off on another odyssey of beading

I use stiff felt for both the base and the back 

with some thin card board in the middle for extra hold

and stability for the pinback

Sometimes i have a plan for these ladies

but most of the time I let the beads dictate the pattern

I try to organize my bead soup into base colors 

when I have enough I make a doll

and plan ahead for more

 I like to make a bunch of them all at once 

stopping every few to cut out two forms and the middle 

then mark and cut for the pin and glue that in is a pain

I want to be able to slap them together and go on to the next one

Especially when I have some creative juice flowing

And there is a different part of my brain that is good 

at the manufacturing nit-picky administrivia bit of being a creative

That tends to interfere with my free flow of ideas part

I don't like getting those bits cross-wired

It throws off my Groove

I get a lot done when I'm in my groove

Brownie Spirit

She looks comfie enough to sleep on doesn't she?

I am getting better at swirlies too!

Slough Spirit

What is a "slough" you may ask?

Pronounced sloo,  it is a swamp or wetland or a side channel or inlet, or a natural channel that is only sporadically filled with water.

We have a lot of those  around here in high summer you can walk on them just fine

but throughout the winter and spring one can sink up to ones knees into them and not only loose your shoes but your pants if you are not careful!

We have been very, very wet around here this year.

Sprouting Spirit

Every March I start to get that feeling of potential in the air

Things eire beginning to pop up throughout the yard

and Spring is just around the corner

So in celebration of that  this spirit doll is sprouting

Go Vote people!

A new Spirit doll I call her Voting Spirit

I am trying to stay as upbeat as possible, even though all the candidates I wanted to win, have all dropped out now.

*Sigh*

Maybe we will get a woman next time around

Who knows, maybe The next guy to win will set things right.

I have sopped saying "It can't get any worse"

because the universe seems to be taking that as a challenge .

















 there are a couple more inchies too

Making inchies

  So I'm back doing some small beaded things 

 I decided I would try doing some inchies 

 They are the perfect size to do while bingewatching something



 and so to challenge myself



 I chose to do the first few  from the bead soup pile




 Just to get started

 My first spirit doll

 for the bead journal project this year is also from the pile

with some opaque white seed beads to fill her out






 This one was not

from the pile and was supposed to look like flames



but she turned out a hot mess instead







 the next one is better and from the pile

I have a lot of purple seed beads!

I call her #9 




 Dottie is next

made from a broken pukka shell ankle bracelet

from a Hawaii trip and the last of the bugles

and the random seed beads in the pile

I also found another bead soup box


I wonder what will come from that?



this red one is all new beads from the box

she's a little lumpy but I think the lines are getting better

I am going to add some little  gold bell dangles to her bottom
when she is backed and pinned

I just noticed I have to finish her head though





 Then there are these two little embroidered guys

a bunny and fox for a later CQ project

I haven't decided where to put them yet but I am going to do more like this







They are fun little patches and will fit on anything  as they are inchies too.

I sew them on felt with an initial outline in a daisychain then fill it in with satinstitch and stem stitch for a  rougher texture

I'm Having so much fun with this!