Surprise!! More Beading.

 In the summer of 2013, I took a class at the Rocky Mountain Region Seminar in Grand Junction, Colorado. The class was called Three for One because we got three projects in one class - two beaded beads and a necklace. In class we created two beads as practice for making the necklace. The top photo shows the beads I made (in 2013).  

The necklace project was in my bead project box I am trying to whittle down.

I guess my practice 9 years ago paid off because I did ok with these beads!!

The top one has a coffee stirrer in it to help keep the holes positioned correctly for stringing. The stirrer was too large for my smaller beads, so I just used a twist tie.

Here is my final result! I am very pleased with it. Now I just need to find an outfit to go with it!!

Also in my bead project box was this cute little pin kit.

That is all for now, next time I may report on some stitching!!! I have a project on a deadline and should get back to it.

EGA, Rocky Mountain Region Seminar Report

Warning - photo heavy, at least for me!

This past Thursday - Saturday was the Embroiderers Guild of America, Rocky Mountain Region Annual Seminar. It was in beautiful Grand Junction, CO - about a 4 hour drive west of Denver. Here is a photo I took out our room window of the Bookcliffs of Grand Junction. They are called the Bookcliffs because it looks like books lined up on a bookshelf. Hopefully you can see this if you click on the photo and get a larger picture. Although I imagine if you use your preferred Internet search engine and search for "Bookcliffs of Grand Junction" you will get some fantastic photos. I hear they are just beautiful when the sun sets and the light hits them.

 

 

The theme for the 2013 Seminar was Lucky Ladies since this was the year with 13 in it, they wanted to focus on how lucky we were to have our stitching and our stitching friends and to be at Seminar. Lots of ladylike things such as hats and decorated shoes were seen throughout, along with lucky things, like lady bugs and four leaf clovers.

 

Upon arrival we got our registration information and our choice of a handmade box. This is the one I chose.

 

 Inside was a thumb pin cushion and a heart shaped needle puller.

 

Our opening banquet favor was a chocolate sewing box.

 

Inside were scissors, needles, needle threader and spools of thread - all made of yummy chocolate, of course! I got dark chocolate and milk chocolate was also available. It was made by Enstrom of Grand Junction for our Seminar. I heard a few ladies mention how they got these at the last Seminar in Grand Junction (2005??) and they still had the sewing box, but this one they were going to eat!  I decided to take pictures of it and then eat it rather than save it. It seems wrong not to eat chocolate!!

 

Here are some photos of the decorations - shoes and hats. One of the members gave us a lovely talk and show of her collection of hats. Some from the early 1900s. It was fun.

 

 

On Friday our lunch favor consisted of a small bottle of Orvus fabric wash and a purse size package of tissue printed with shoes & purses.

 



On Saturday our lunch favor was a cute little hat pin cushion. Designs varied and this is the one at my place setting. Also in the photo is a pretty copper chain necklace that I got from my teacher as a thank you for being her class angel - which I will talk about more in a bit. I love copper, so it was perfect.

For the closing night banquet our favor was a chocolate shoe (dark or milk) and a post card inviting us to the 2014 Regional Seminar which will be in Albuquerque, NM.

 

Now on to my classes. I took two one day classes one on Friday the other on Saturday. I was the class angel for the class on Fridaycalled "Three for One" designed by Karla Gee of Virginia. I knew Karla when I was in the Carolina's Region and it was great fun to see her again. The class was called Three for One because you had three projects for one class. In this class we made two pendants using techniques we need to make the necklace (which would be the third project). We learned beading techniques and some wire work.

 

I finished the netted beaded bead (lower right) in class and bought some perle cotton so I could wear it during Seminar. The small bead and wire at top is our practice piece for making the loop. I finished the beaded bead at left about an hour after I got home, I only had the add the embellishments and make the loop in order to finish the pendant. Karla did the spriral for us, but showed us how to make it.

Our Saturday class was called "Two for One". We got two bracelets for one class. I finished about 3/4 of the spiral bracelet in class and did the rest when I got home, so I have that finished project to show off.

 

The other bracelet is a flat spiral with some fresh water pearls with small holes, so I decided to work on it at home with my better lighting and magnification.

Also in class each day they gave out door prizes and I was one of the winners. Inside the pretty box at left, was this mill hill kit.

I think that about covers the Rocky Mountain Region Annual Seminar Report for 2013.

In the next day or two I will report on the Sampler Guild's Annual Retreat.

 

Have a GREAT day!!

 

What's Up? And Preview of Things to Come

So much to say, I will just start off with last Wednesday on the drive home my SUV was rear ended. I happened to look in the rear view mirror in time to see her coming, not slowing and attempting to change lanes. She did not make it. I would guess her car is totaled. Front end crumpled up, air bags deployed, fluids on the ground and my cars back end. Thanks to my Volvo's crumple zone and whip lash prevention system (you can google that for some cool videos), I am not in nearly as much pain as I would probably be otherwise. The collision shop estimates she hit me at 40 - 50 mph!

Now on to better topics..... Last Saturday was a very fun Sampler Guild of the Rockies Retreat. This year instead of about 4 little projects, we had two and we had Paulette Stewart from Plum Street Samplers. Both are very cute and small enough to finish in no time.

Today, I leave hubby and Miss Maddie behind to head out to the Rocky Mountain Region's Seminar. It starts Thursday evening, but I am rooming and traveling with a board member who must be at the board meeting on Thurs. I am taking two one day classes both beading, on page 6 when you click on the link.

I plan to provide photos and updates etc. on both the Retreat and Seminar when I get back!!

Have a GREAT week everyone.