Something different

My days are not only filled  playing with beads . I enjoy mixed media crafts just as much.

 Crosses are currently my favourite theme and the above picture shows a project I started and completed yesterday. 

The newspaper roses are my favourite to make. 

Porcupine quills, twine, pieces of dyed

 bamboo, a length of left over gold wire, a glass pebble, nuts and anise stars were used to create the 

embellishments to be added to the two wooded crosses. 

The larger cross was 

painted with black craft paint , then white and while the paint was still wet, I

 used a nail to draw pictures in the paint . On the dried paint I rubbed chalk  pastels to add more dept. 

Remember that your fingers are the most wonderful tools . 

You cannot imagine how nice this art smells of anise . On the next project I 

think to add cinnamon sticks and cloves too! 

The smaller wooden cross was 

just brushed lightly with a white watery craft paint.

Our December Bead Retreat

This past December we enjoyed our bead retreat to the fullest.  You can see the table before we arrived and  below you can see what the table looked like  after we unpacked our beads and treats. For us the treats are just as important as the beads - you must remember, that we need to keep not only our hands fit and supple, but also our jaws. 

Once the table inside became too cramped, we moved the surplus bead stash to the big table outside on the patio.

We did make time to enjoy nature and this year even had time to go and do Christmas shopping in Parys.  Please note not Paris,  but Parys in the good old Free State.  Beautiful and very interesting shops  can be found in that little town. 

There were some sheep herding too, accompanied with lots of laughter and I must admit, I was only and onlooker.

 

As can be seen on the photo, these girls cannot only bead, they are excellent  chefs too! The food was amazing as usual and very healthy too. 

Cynthia treated us each to a special foot massage and I thought I died and went to heaven.

The weekend was so much fun, we even extended it with an extra  day.  Dawn, we missed you.

Thank you Elize, Cynthia and Margie - you are more than just my bead sisters! Love you, bead gals.

2017

"New look, new year ... will keep you posted"