A little Stash Enhancement...

 I have big aspirations, I mean huge aspirations........I'm not totally new to beading, but I'm totally blown away by the amulet bags that I've seen and now have patterns and beads to complete.  Gaia is one of 4 that I've gotten over the last couple of years.  I'm not sure if I'm ready for a complex pattern yet, but I've been working my way up to it.  I've worked on smaller easier projects over the years.  Most of them I hadn't taken pictures of and regret not doing so since I give most of my finished projects I make away.  The small lady bug is about the size that I started with - these are Fern Creek designs, simple and quick.  I'm not sure how many little book markers and fobs I've done, maybe 6 or 7.

The flat book markers were the second type of beading I've done - again I've done 8 or 9 of them.  They are fun and I've given them to many of my reading friends and family.  These were designs by Threaded Needle Designs, my friend, who recently decided to leave the business.

The pen also Threaded Needle was something new and different that I tried a few years ago.  The only thing that I don't like about it is the beads break easily so it's not really practical to use.  I need to find something that I can put around it to keep the beads safe.

The last item that I've done is a crystal drop ornament which is by another designer - can't remember the name off the top of my head - but if you're interested I can get it for you, just leave me a message.  While the ornament, like the pen looks like it's beaded in the round, it's really beaded flat and then "zipped up the side.  I'm pretty good at beading flat, and have learned how to keep the tension so it's not too loose or too tight.

But if I want to do the bags I need to learn to bead in the round, so my next project will be to try a needle case (sorry no pictures of the one I have), and see if I can bead in the round.  Then I have a panda bear (http://beadpatternsbybetty.com/id56.html ) that was started for me by my beading/designing friend that is really cute and not a lot of color changes.  She started this when she was giving me lessons in beading in the round, wish I would have paid more attention LOL.  But I think I can do it with a little patients.  Then I'll work my way up to the more complete designs, I have a flat bead Eye-tie that will have lots of color changes (A Muse Ink  http://www.amuseink.com ) and then on to Gaia and her sisters Pyra, Hydra and Absinthe.....Like I said I have big, huge aspirations in my beading so look forward to some pictures of my work in progress over the next year.

I've saving my stitching updates for the full moon, and hoping I get a few more stitches in my Lady before I post her pictures this week :)   So while I've had a day of fun with my stash enhancement today, tomorrow I'm hoping to get back to stitching.....

I hope you all have some big dreams of your own and that you are able to expand your horizons and try new things.

Sandy