Beaded Dragonfly

For my last Preschool Storytime of the spring I was looking for a simple but fun craft for the kids. I found an idea for a beaded caterpillar on pinterest. While it was cute, I wanted something a bit different. I came up with this beaded Dragonfly.

It tied in well with the bug stories I was able to find in the collection and the Stella and Sam episode about dragonflies.

What you need for one dragonfly - 1 Pipe cleaner (15cm), 2 pieces tissue paper (about 13cm x 6.5 cm), and 7 pony beads.

Everything is ready to make a dragonfly

Here are the steps to make your own!

Fold pipe cleaner in half and place one bead on in the center.

Twist pipe cleaner ends close to bead to secure.

Pinch tissue paper in center to create wings.

 Place between pipe cleaner ends next to twist. Twist ends again to secure wings.

Bring pipe cleaner ends together and put remaining beads over 

both ends of the pipe cleaner to form body.

All six beads are on to form body. Kids could be encouraged to create a pattern.

Fold each remaining pipe cleaner end over last bead to secure.

Here is my flight of beaded dragonflies

You could make your own flight and use them to make a mobile. You could stick it onto an adhesive magnetic strip to make a fridge magnet. 

Your dragonflies could become fireflies with the use of glow in the dark beads.

Here are my other preschool craft ideas - Valentine's Day Monster Card and Owl Puppet.

Happy beading! 

ABC's of Creativity - January Review

Maria of Rypan Designs made it part of her start of the new year to get her newsletter out to her mailing list (you join the list using the form on the right). As I was helping her prepare the content of the newsletter we came up with the idea of having a bi-weekly posting on her blog about creativity. We call it the ABC's of Creativity.

I offered to help with the creation of the blog posts. So far I have done A is Art and B is Beads.

A is Art includes links to online galleries for inspiration as well as my favourite art to jewellry creative path.

Starry Night by Van Gogh

Hand made beads by Heather Power inspired by painting

Finished necklace by Jo-Ann

B is Beads has a variety of beads from ancient shell beads to lampwork and beaded beads.

Photograph Marian Vanhaeren and Francesco d'Errico (from nationalgeographic.com)

Lampwork beads by Amy Waldman-Smith

Belissimo Beaded Beads, designed by Marcia DeCoster

Only 24 more letters to go.... I will review each month's letters here at the end of the month.

Happy Beading!

Fall Pantone Bead Swap Reveal

On Monday LiliKrist, my partner in the swap, got the package I sent her. She liked how neatly I had packed it. I was looking forward to arrival of her package from Indonesia. When I arrived home from work on Monday night there was a tag on my mailbox to let me know that I had missed a package. I was not able to get to the post office until tonight on the way home from work.

Here is what I picked up.

Inside was this beautiful quilted pouch fill with neat little wrapped packages.

The contents all laid out in their labelled bags.

Here is a closer look at the beads for each colour.

French Roast - daggers and seed beads

Honey Gold - mushroom beads and seed beads

Pink Flambe - Swarovski bicones and agate beads

Tangerine Tango - Java seed beads in orange and dark orange

Ultramarine Green - Aventurine and petal beads

Bright Chartreuse - lentil and square beads

Olympian Blue - Agate and Handmade Ceramic bead

Titanium - crystal drop beads and recycled glass beads

Rhapsody - Stick beads and owl bead

Rose Smoke - round and heart beads

I am looking forward to playing with these beads and make some new pieces.

Thanks LiliKrist for these great beads from the other side of the world!

Ottawa Bead Purchases

Before we left Ottawa yesterday we did a tour of some bead stores. Our first stop was the new location of Canada Bead Supplies. I found some great beads and a kumihimo disk.

Beads from Canada Bead Supply

Our next stop was right next door to the just opened The Glass Shoppe Studio  owned by Grace Edwards. We saw the great setup for the lampwork studio where classes will take place. You will be able to watch a class through the window between the studio and Canada Bead Supply. I purchase one of Grace's lampwork beads that will go with the green beads I got a Canada Bead Supply.

Lampwork by Grace Edwards

Our last stop was McBead Creations. Having recently expanded there was a wide variety of bead to see. I found some bugles to use for snowflakes, pressed glass ovals for stringing, lentil beads and some seed beads. 

 McBead Creation purchases

After leaving McBead Creation Maria and I headed back home to Toronto. It was great to visit Ottawa and spend time with fellow beads, but it is good to be back home.

Here are some other bead purchases made during our time in Ottawa. From our Sunday dinner host, Carole Tillman, some great lampwork beads.

 Carole Tillman's lampwork

In addition I have bead purchase from our first day stop at Dragon's Lair Beads. Spacers, angel wings, delicas, seed beads and crystals.

beads from Dragon's Lair

I hope the create a number of projects using some of my purchase during the rest of my time off work.