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I've been doing beadwork for about 8 years
now.
I remember how this whole 'obsession' got
started, actually, so does my son! He was with me, when I saw some
Santa earrings at a craft show that I just loved. I could tell by
studying them, that they would be real fun to try as a project. I
had Kasey, (my son), come with me to the craft store to look at patterns
& beads. Poor little guy was only in second grade at the time
& remembers that I wouldn't leave the store til someone showed me how
to make the foundation to start them!
This is 8 years later & many many many
earrings later too. I work with the disabled & it can sometimes
be very frustrating- not the children mind you, but the 'professionals'
that we must work with. My beadwork has been such therapy for me
& a relaxation & joy for me too.
Even though my hands have always been a bit
shakey, it has never interfered with my love of creating. I work
mostly with seed beads & patterns from books. I may not be able
to draw well, but I certainly am able to make lovely artwork come to life
in my bead projects. I have learned that beads are very forgiving
& that I can always rip out one & start over. Not always the
same in 'real life', so it's good to be slow & deliberate in
actions.
I have also learned through my beadwork to
relax more & I also find more beauty in most things that I
create. I started out beading simple Santa earrings, got bored with
the more manufactured looking styles & moved into more sculptured
earrings. Once I mastered that, I tried my luck at making amulet
bags, which is where I have stayed for the last year. The amulets
turn out just breathtaking & to know that I made them myself! My
next 'feat' will be to try a Dutch Spiral necklace.
I'm now finishing an orchid amulet bag
& just learned how to twist fringe. I intend on learning how to
make a twisted rope necklace, to attach to the amulet
bag. I include a photo of a mermaid bag on this page
- the pattern was created by Shannon McDowell . Although
I have added many freshwater pearls to that bag, I added one to the
clamshell that the mermaid's holding. The shells that were used for
that project, came from Molokai, Hawaii, where my husband & I spent
our second honeymoon last year.
I try to collect beads, shells, or stones
from wherever we go for our anniversaries, just to make special projects
that won't let me forget the beauty of where we got the
materials.
My favorite amulet bag is a peacock
that was made from a pattern by Barbara Elbe. I made the matching
earrings as well. The photo shows me wearing them, & holding my
beloved Eclectus parrot 'Skittles'. He's also been such an
inspiration to me with all of his natural, yet elegant
coloring. I also include a photo of a giraffe amulet bag
that I made for my husband to hang in the living room. The pattern
was from Valerie Hixson's 'Wild Things'. So is the eagle amulet bag
that.
I have a new design I was
working on & it's finally on CD.
It's my Marilyn Monroe
amulet bag. I got the pattern from The Beadgang's
green book.
It's the first pattern when you open the book. My husband
thought it would look good if I did a Dutch Spiral for the necklace
part. I
wanted the 'fringe' area to look different also, but not
to draw from the
beautiful artwork, so I also used a small amount of
Dutch Spiral for the
lower area. I hope you like this as much as
I do. I get many compliments
every time I wear
it.
I also have I have a website, (who
doesn't)? My website shows more of my work. I make mostly
animal & Angel jewelry. It's http://www.picturetrail.com/busybets
. I hope you enjoy surfing my beadwork, almost as much as I do in
creating them!
Betsy
My email address is
angeltrak2@aol.com
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Here's my giraffe that I
made for my husband to hang in the dining room. I got this pattern
from Valerie Hixson's 'Wild Things'. I added some grass to his mouth
to make it look like he was eating, as I didn't like the tension right
there, now it's covered up!
This is
my second attempt with the amulet bags & I loved how this one turned
out. It also is a pattern from Valerie Hixson's 'Wild Things'.
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