Pick your Path - a secret Beadalong with Cliff Swain-Salomon

The past months have been very busy for me.

 I've been working on several patterns among which my brand new Lady bug, and a tassel (Gazebo, for IBW) and I still am working on on my rainbow project, for International Beading Week. I just wrote a separate article about this. I am a permanent IBW Ambassador after all.

I have also been working since quite a while on a design parallel to the mystery project for the secret beadalong with the wonderful Cliff Swain-Salomon who invited me to join him in this project for the Facebook Group Seed Beads & More.

Pick your path flowers and pods

 We called this project "Pick your Path", because that is exactly what it was all about: making decisions as to what to make with the techniques taught: we made bezels, petals, flowers and pods... 

Pick your path flowers

 

 

Cliff and I published alternately a portion of each step, in writing and in video, so that each participant could try the various possibilities and in the end, choose what they liked most.

 

In fact, we very gently took them down the rabbit hole of designing with beaded elements.

 

Pick your path - various elements and steps

 

I enjoyed seeing what people made. So many different colors and styles! And one big surprise was that no matter what color was chosen, everything that folks made looked lovely. 

 

We mentioned that the pod could be all sorts of things (a pumpkin, a Chinese lantern, a poppy seed pod, a pomegranate). 

Then, folks started to see things that we hadn't mentioned, like an urchin, a cactus... 

Someone even mentioned a thistle, and another a puffer fish! 

 

 We were happy to see that, thanks to our teachings, many felt more confident to create their own flowers and pods, and some even tassels and a potted daffodil flower with stem and leaves and all.

Pick your Path flowers, one with IBW flower petals.

We kept secret until the very end that all the way long, the participants were making...

 

... pencil toppers!

 

How fun is that?

 

I developed a design in parellel, based on my portion of the bead along. It started with a photo of a "Fritilaria Meleagris" posted by Anita Adamson a while ago and of course with a photo of urchins.

 

 

Here I used my own bezel, which is very different from Cliff's. I also included two seed bead brands - and used another bead count. It is also a pencil topper, but it can sure be a flower... 

 

 

 

... or a table decoration, a hair pin adornment, a focal, a brooch, a bottle lid, a doll house poof or a knob cover if you leave out the inside tube... 

 

 

 The way the various colors are placed is the result of many, many explorations.

 

 

You will find the tutorial how to make this urchin here. 

I will be really grateful for your support.

Please note that the urchin is different from the Peyote Cactus (the cactus that gave the name "peyote" to the beading stitch). 

 

Peyote cactus

This cactus includes Cliff's bezel, fine petals and embellishments. The pattern is already half-way done, and, as soon as I can, I will get back to tutifying this fundraiser for RMHC - the Ronald McDonald House Charities.

 

Of course I will let you know when it will be ready, on Facebook and through my newsletter (subscribe to my newsletter to be sure to not miss it).

 

Peyote cactus

 Last but not least, I updated my workshop page with 2 more dates for the Sunshine workshop - there will be more dates, so if these two don't suit you, do not worry. I still need time before I can get "back to work" and take care of this type of things. 

You can contact me to be added to a waiting list. Don't forget to let me know your time zone so that you don't get added to the wrong list.  

 

Sunshine beaded by Eileen Montgomery (Canada)

 

 I look forward to beading together with you again. 

And perhaps we will meet on a special
Zoom drop-in during International Beading Week.

 Be(ad) well, take care

 

Cath

IBW 2021 - "Hanging in there"

Beady peeps holding hands

 

International beading Week 2021 starts in one week!!!

Visit the Beadworkers Guild website, go to the page for IBW related events and then come on over to the group, invite/tell folks about your upcoming events if you plan to do something, may it be online or in real life. The incredible Cate Venn and her not less awesome husband Christopher, are hosting an informal Zoom beady get together the evening of the 29th and posted details about it in the group.

If you don't organize an event, show us your work made with one of the IBW patterns generously donated by the IBW Ambassadors. Show us photos of your mini-meetings with your beading buddy. Or videos if you like that better. Why? Because we need to share, more than ever, good moments. We need your joyful participation to help

HANGING IN THERE

which is our motto this year.

 

Thanks to the lovely members of the moderating/admin team who work hard behind the scenes, we will have a wonderful week of beading frenzy the IBW Facebook Group despite the pandemic.

Like every year, I am "hanging out there" to contribute too, and I will show you how to do my kind of freeform peyote. I don't think that I can call it freeform "à la Cath", but if like me you prefer to have some sort of methodology to help you "letting go" of strict structure, this might be your thing. And if this method is less about "letting go", it is a lot about "acceptance", because the beads will dictate their will.

 

My project may look like nothing yet, but wait for it! I am confident that you will love the final result. I'll show the WIP and will give guidance in the group, starting the 24th!

Hopefully, it will inspire you to get out more beads and do freeform peyote.

 

Gazebo cascading Tassel

Best of all, for us folks who cannot meet in person, the Guild has programmed MANY "drop-in" ZOOM meetings, bringing beadworkers together to share the love of the art of beading and stay in touch despite the sanitary restrictions. Beading keeps us sane! 

 

Find all the dates here.

 

As every year, the Guild will do a draw and to enter, all you need to do is making a tassel and sending a photo of it to the Beadworkers Guild. Post it in the IBW Facebook group too, even if that is not mandatory. There are wonderful prizes to win!

 

You don't have to be a member to join the fun. And it's free! All you need to do is place your reservation in your cart in the Guild's shop, check out as a guest, and there is nothing to pay.

 

Among the new patterns offered by the IBW ambassadors is included my Gazebo cascading tassel. It will be available only during IBW so make sure to not miss it.

 

Of course you can become a member of the Guild any time, and get the beautiful 4 quarterly Journals. 

I am sure that you will like the bunch of bead-obsessed folks you will meet and will adore the magazine. 

 

 
And you know what? This month's issue cover girl is... moi! With another tassel and a necklace! Here two photos showing the necklace  left and the tassel on its own right. I should have made a video of it. It sparkles so much!

 

Last but not least, you can use a special discount code in my shop at the occasion of this wonderful week of beading frenzy.

Use coupon code
IBW2021

to get 20% off on everything during IBW (from 24 July to 1 August 2021).

 

Happy Beading to all!

Cath