Bead Cruise Workshops: Recap

Last Sunday I flew back in from Florida after a 10 day trip on the bead cruise.  This was my second year attending and I had an amazing time!

Fashionably matching the tiles in Puerto Rico with my maxi dress.

This trip included stops at 3 bead stores (1 in Florida, 2 in Puerto Rico), 3 workshops, 4 ports and countless parties.

I was honored to have my beads featured in two of the workshops on the cruise.  The first was for Beverly Herman's Star of the Sea class.  

Photo by Beverly Herman

The Star of the Sea necklace featured my stoneware cabochons.  Techniques in this workshop included bead embroidery, peyote and herringbone stitches.

Making the decorative starfish

I have a pretty good handle on basic bead embroidery but bead weaving...bead weaving and I have a history of not getting along very well.  This little starfish took me FOREVER.  Thank goodness Beverly is a very patient teacher!  I only managed to get this starfish and the base bead embroidery done during this workshop.

It didn't help that this workshop was held in a room with an amazing view of the ocean.  LOL!

Working hard on their necklaces

I had also signed up for Tracy Stanley's Byzantine chain bracelet class.  I taught myself Byzantine weave last summer so I ended up assisting some of the other students in class.

Erin Siegel working on her Byzantine weave.

Norma making her chain.

The third workshop was Erin Siegel's Tribal Inspired Beaded Bracelet.

Photo by Erin Siegel

This workshop involved knotting waxed linen and included my ceramic buttons as the clasp!

Selecting the right button for each kit

Here I am working diligently on my bracelet.  Waxed linen is so easy to work with. 

I ended up buying some knotting tweezers from Erin and they were well worth it.  They really get the knot right up against the last bead.

My completed bracelet

Sarajo and Kathleen sat behind me in class and we had a blast.  Speaking of Sarajo, she was the lucky winner of the massive AJE door prize on the cruise!  Congrats Sarajo!  Enjoy playing with all those beads!

I actually made another variation of this bracelet over the weekend.  I have plans to make more in different colors.

Overall, the cruise was fantastic.  I did have some sea sickness here and there but I didn't let it ruin the trip for me.  If you ever get the chance, I highly recommend going on it.  You'll learn new techniques, make new friends, enjoy tropical locales and just have a great time.  

If you'd like to see more photos from my trip, make sure to check out my blog later this week.  I'll be posting a recap with lots of photo highlights.  

Happy Beading!

Make Your Own Simple Folded End Cones

I love strung and knotted pieces, and it always requires a lot of head-scratching to decide the best way to finish off the ends. Most of the time, I prefer to hide my "dirty work"--all the knots, crimps, etc.--involved in fastening the ends. This idea was inspired by some beadcaps I bought at a gem show:

I thought something like this might work as an end cone, if the two "wings" on either side were wider; then I could curl the ends over and hide more of my dirty work.

The easiest way was to just modify my poppy cap design, creating just two giant "petals." I started with a couple of discs, as usual (these are 1" in diameter, but you could make them any size you like), and textured them:

Then I made center holes, and two more holes on either side of the center hole:

I cut notches on both, as shown, with my metal snips, and rounded the ends a bit:

Then I annealed and pickled, then folded each shape over, as pictured, with my tiny bail-making pliers (but you could use a kebab skewer or something skinny like that as well):

Then I curled the wings on one side inwards, at a slight angle (so that it's slightly pointier at the top):

Then I folded the remaining wings up and over with my fingers, tapped them down gently with my nylon-head hammer, et voila!

Now you're ready to string and knot away!

Keirsten
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