Turtle Box

It started back in July with pictures of the boxes posted by Julia Pretl on her Facebook page with the message that the patterns would be available soon.

Julia's Turtle Boxes

Later she posted a link to her website once they were available. I quickly added them to my collection. Then I had to decide would I use Julia's colours or my own. I looked thru my delica stash and then made a trip to fav bead store. Purchased enough beads (I hope to make all three).

Once I had finished some of my unfinished projects and up coming challenge pieces I was able to look at starting one of the boxes. I decided to start with the medium turtle box is the colours Julia used.

Start of the base

I got to the point in the base where Julia suggests attaching the head and the feet. My problem was that I did not have a crystal for the head in the suggested size (15 mm). So I put the base aside and started on the shell lid.

Start of the shell lid

As I was working on the shell I thought about other things that I could use for the head and feet. I decided to look in my drawer full of lampwork beads to see if anything would work. I found a wonderful bead that has some of the browns in it. I also had some teardrop beads from Unicorne Beads that would work for feet.

So it was back to the base to attach the head with a spacer from Unicorne for the neck. I had to play with what bead to use for the turn around. A simple seed bead was too small, crystal did not sit in place the way I would like, so I used a drop bead. Looks like a nose on the turtle.

Head and feet added to the base

Feet up view

Once the head and feet were attached I completed the base. I love using Julia's new method for starting the hem. It is much easier to get the beads on the inside of the box.

With the base completed it was back to the shell lid. This was a challenge as it has to be worked in such a way that it will accomodate the head. I had to undo a row and a half once I realized that I had misread the instructions.

Here is the finished shell lid.

Three views of the finished turtle.

Head on view

Side view 1

Side view 2

I started the box on August 24 and finished it last night (August 29).  The next two should go a bit smoother now that I have a better understanding of the design. Just need to find heads for a small and large turtle. I have enough of the tear drops to use for feet.

Hope to have a family of turtles completed soon.

Happy Beading!

In the mail - books and beads

Yesterday I was able to pickup not one, but two packages that had arrived in the mail for me.

The first was Jean Power's My Favourite Delicas 2. I had ordered this a few weeks ago.

I now have 27 new tubes of delicas. Some are colours I have, but many are not. I am looking forward to creating with them.

I loved the bonus spiral bound notebook for "Important beading notes". Are there any other kind of beading notes?

I also got two books that I had ordered.

The first is Marcia DeCoster's new book Beads in motion. I am hoping to get the supplies together to make the Saturn rings necklace.

The other book, Don't pigeonhole me!, is by one of my favourite children's author/illustrator, Mo Willems.  It is a collection of the sketchbooks he made to share with family, friends and associates. You get to see the doodles that lead to some of his books.

 Happy Beading & Reading!!!

Beadwork - Turquoise Star Box

Of course, I could not go a week lately without making another box. This is the star box. It has a narrowed opening and a lid with sides. I have used colours similar to the ones Julia suggested in her book Little Beaded Box. I have gone more meticallic and shiny.

I did not have as many problems with broken needles or beads with this box. I hope that will be a growing trend for future boxes.

Beadwork - Kaleidoscope Box

I finished the lid for this beautiful quilt like patterned box. I had a 4mm cube Jet Swarovski crystal that I used for a finial on the lid. It is neat change of shape from the triangle of the box.

I started another box, but will be posting necklaces over the next few days as I take classes at Creativ Festival.

Beadwork - Dragon Box

I finished my dragon box. I have decided not to put feet on this box. I have added a small square lampwork bead on the lid as a finial. I am pleased with the way it turned out.

I did some other beadwork this weekend. One is a piece for a kit cover for Rypan Designs, the other two were colour samples for display in the booth at shows.

Beadwork - Dragon Box update

I have worked on my dragon box over the week. I took a break on Thursday to take my nephew and a friend's son to the Ex for the day.

When I worked on it again I ran into trouble with zipping together the hem and sides. It seemed as if they did not fit together. I put it aside and started a new box. This morning I decided that I needed to resolve the problem of the dragon box. I undid the last row and a half of the hem. I reread the instructions from the class and realized that I had missed a row. Once I stitched the hem correctly it zipped together with the sides quickly.

Here is a picture of the box. I now only have to stitch the lid. Will start it today.

Beadwork - Little Red Puffy Star

On The Beaders Showcase I have seen some beautiful work by bead artists around the world. One artist - Lidia had pictures of these very cool little puffy stars. I asked if they were her design and if so did she have instructions. She willing shared with me her draft instructions for creating the cool little stars.

This is made with a combination of herringbone and peyote stitch. It was fun to make. I look forward to making more in a variety of other colour combinations. I think that they will make great Christmas ornaments.

Bead Challenge - Blue Southwest Charm

I have done many of Marilyn Gardiner's chain mail kits. This is the first of her beadwork kits that I have finished. I have others that I hope to finish over this year.

This piece is peyote stitched with delica beads.