Three Earring Patterns

World Autism Awareness Day

Today, April 2, 2013 is World Autism Awareness Day.  I wanted to share a pattern for a free form awareness badge, done in brick stitch.

Autism Awareness is important to me, because my eldest daughter is on the spectrum.  I hope for more people to be aware of the signs and symptoms, to help with early diagnosis.  An early diagnosis allows for early intervention, and early intervention is the number one thing that can help with function.

I love Chickens

Part of being out in the country side, is the fun of keeping chickens.  I live on a farm, so we don't have to worry about city restrictions on how many or whether or not I have any Roo's.  We have 26 chickens right now - a mix of both hens and roos - who give us lots of eggs and lots of laughs.  Even if I never got anything from these "working pets," I would still enjoy them for their entertainment value.

Busy Bee Bracelet

I'm hoping this year our four bee hives will winter through better than last year.  Last year we lost all four hives and had to start over.  It was pretty disappointing.   But in the mean time, while we wait for temps to average over 50, here's a busy bee working away to make your wrist look gorgeous.

Leafy Pendant

This free form leafy pendant would look lovely suspended from a length of delicate chain.  I would either attach a jump ring to a couple of beads on each end (Make sure you reinforce those beads big time with Fireline!)  or perhaps start a delicate beaded strand from each side.

I think this piece has a bit of a nouveau feel to it, and would compliment a revealing neckline!

I'm Baaack!

Spring is back and so am I!

I know it's been a long hiatus, but some times real life just takes over.  I now have a Mac version of Beadtool and have started back to designing patterns.

I also have some other pieces I have made during my downtime.  I plan on photographing them in the next few days and sharing.

four part and nine part hand patterns for bead quilt

Since getting a hand to show up in any sort of detail within the confines of 1.5 inches is pretty hard, I thought I would experiment with designing squares that would go together like a puzzle.

Here is the first attempt.  I think it turned out pretty good.

This one is in nine parts, and shows a baby hand grasping a thumb.

There's just something about a tiny baby's hand holding onto you that is special and sweet and heart touching.  I know I am sentimental, but it would have to be a hard heart indeed that wasn't touched by a baby's hand. 

As promised

Here is a sweet angel pattern to work up for Christmas.  I am going to try and post a couple more angels for Christmas this year. 

With a bit of thought, she could be turned into a free form ornament.  The only hard part would be to attach the flame.  Perhaps a flame coloured crystal, attached with a piece of wire? She would definitely be beautiful worked in translucent beads - especially if her gown was worked in a brilliant jewel tone. 

Two pins by Candys

Candys has been busy the last few weeks and worked up two pins from my patterns.  She has been patiently waiting for me to post these - she sent them to me last week!  I have to confess that I have times when I don't where my days go.  I go, go go, and still haven't caught up!  I'm pretty sure we all have times like that.

photo by Candys

This lovely fox pin is from this post.  I especially like the way Candys edged this piece in the brown and bronze-ish beads. So pretty!  It gives a nice dimension to the piece and defines the edges nicely.

She also combined the two patterns to make one piece.  This is the sort of thing I like to see people do.  When  you take a pattern and make changes to it, you make it more personal and participate in all the wonderful variations of art.

photo by Candys

This piece is from one of last years breast cancer awareness patterns I posted.  Again, I really like the edging. It gives the piece a nice finished touch.

Anytime, anyone makes up one of my patterns please contact me and share!  I would love to post your work here.  Beady hugs to everyone! - Ginger

Cute Foxes!

These cute little foxes would also be adorable worked in free form, without the back ground.

Santa ornament

It's not too early to be thinking about making ornaments for Christmas.  This is a free form Santa with a very long beard to work up.  He should come together quite quickly in brick stitch.

mouse peeking out of a pocket

It's tiny and cute and would make a sweet pendant or pin.

09-12-2010 update:  I looked at this and realized there are two beads missing along the upper edge of the left ear!  I will go edit this and try to get an updated chart posted. - G.

Cute skull motif

This would be a fun pattern to repeat for a bracelet or to use for the front of a teensy amulet bag. 

Bead Quilt 2011

Jeanette Shanigan has announced the new theme for the 2011 Beaders Against Cancer Bead Quilt on her Yahoo group, BeadyShanigans.

Jeanette wrote:

"Yes, the theme for 2011 will be hand or hands, so those of you who are eager to
get started, may do so. Remember that the guidelines for 2011 will not be
posted on my web site until late September, though."

So it's time to get busy with our hands and do some beady hand work depicting hands.

I jumped the gun a little bit and did a few patterns already.  Hopefully over the next few weeks I will be able to add several more.

scorpion patterns

Since someone was looking for scorpion patterns the other day on one of the beading lists, I thought I would work a couple of patterns. (Well, truthfully, I never just stop at two, but ...) Here are a couple of them to share.

Since it's been a while, I just want to post a reminder: When ever one of my patterns is used, PLEASE send me a pic or two (or three!). I will even post it here to share. I love it when people make up my patterns, and I enjoy seeing all the variations. I also ask that folks don't go out and sell my patterns as graphs or kits. That would not be fair use. Please don't go out and make a bunch to sell - again, that would not be fair use. If you want to use my stuff to teach a class, please ask me first.

Camo Bracelet, a follow up...

Here's the desert camo flag bracelet beaded by Cindy K.!

In an earlier post I mentioned a request from a beader (Cindy K.), for a camo flag pattern and posted the bracelet design I came up with. I just heard from Cindy, who has finished the bracelet for a friend who is being sent T.D.Y. She sent me a great pic of the finished piece and I want to share it with everyone. I also have to brag on her - This is her third piece of peyote work EVER! I'm tickled with the great job she did.

I also wanted to point out she did a good job of compensating for extra legnth to go around the person's wrist, by extending the fastenings on both sides of the piece. This kept it balanced looking. I may have to go back and have the pattern be a bit longer, but she came up with a good solution for this one. I appreciate all the work she did and sharing the final pic with me (and everyone!).

I admit it - I'm a neopet fan!

Here's where I have to admit that I am pretty addicted to playing spelling games on Neopets. I'm too honest to blame it on my kids, and anyone who sees this and has a passing notion of neopets, will recognize slorgs. I don't why the little sluggy things are so cute, but they are! I finally gave in and worked up two versions of this bracelet pattern. You can can have your slorgs up, down, coming and going!

Even if you aren't a neopets fan, these guys are pretty cute. They also remind me of the slugs in the movie "Flushed Away" who go "EEEEEE!"

bell flower

Here's a bell flower based on a pic I took at the National Botonical Gardens. It would make a nice amulet bag.

girl scout emblem

I worked this up as a freebie - I came across a request for a pattern to use as a gift for graduating girl scouts. This makes a great ornament, pendant, or work up several to wrap around a glass ball ornament.

Abstract Patterns

These are some patterns I did early last year and thought I might share. I have always really like designing bead patterns that are geometric. I like playing with balance and colour to change the "weight" of the different elements. I know that these patterns, which came first, led in part to the pattern "Winter Doldrums."