Short, Sweet, No Pictures, 2 Links

Yes, the title says it all.

First link is to a tumblr page.  If you need color inspiration please be sure to bookmark kero.i.am.  This is simply eye candy.

As you know, I am at training.  I am beading, but not much. I love wire weaving.  If you are at all interested you should visit Nicole Hanna's blog where she is running a Finish It contest.  This is a fantastic idea for a contest, and I am considering giving it a try.  This is an opportunity to download a partial tutorial to learn how wire weavers achieve those beautiful pieces.  Nicole has some free basic tutorials, along with others, on her Tips and Techniques page.  You might want to see what she has to offer.

Traveling with Beads

Yes, I am actually posting something new, about beads, and with pictures. 

Just a Tote Bag

I am away from my new home in training.  Of course I wanted to take some beads with me.  Who knows, it might even save me from temptation should I visit a bead store.

To begin with, I stuffed everything in a tote bag.

Inside the tote bag are containers holding more beads plus some strands and bagged beads.

Now, I grabbed all of these beads out of my stash at the last moment before I left home.  

Doesn't seem like much inside the tote.

Really, it is just a normal sized tote.  But I stuffed a lot into it.

The entire contents

The above represents my new project.  I have several choices. 

1. I purchased Hindia from Studio 183.  I have had my eye on this necklace for some time.
2. I also purchased Fancy Fish from Skunk Hill Studios.  I would call it an impulse purchase, but for the fact that I thought about it for quite a few days; however, I had not planned on making the purchase quite yet.
3. My parents took a trip to Greece and my Mom brought me back beads with the intent that I make something.  

Beads from Greece

 Inside the tote are some larger beads.

Bagged beads and strands

Light blue beads

Indigo and white beads

Because I was pulling all of this together at the last minute I grabbed a bunch of larger seed beads that would suit whichever project I chose to work on.

Larger seed beads and a few 15/0's to test my eyes

Delicas

Of course I had to bring quite a few delica's pictured above.  That left room for some Czech seed beads, pearls, and a few more delica beads just for good measure pictured below.

Czech seed beads, pearls, and a few extra delica beads.

Beading does require tools.  I put together a tool box with yet another box inside.

Inside the tool box

I do not know what you consider essential tools.  I grabbed a magnifying glass (a Christmas time treat from Target), a brass bead gauge, a good sharpie, small ruler, fireline, hemostats (these work wonderfully as a delicate set of pliers), scissors, zip lock bags, a note regarding the beads I need for the Hindia necklace, and finally a small box for even smaller tools.

Small essentials

The small box contains three sizes of bead needles, used needles, bees wax, bead trays, and a set of wire earrings that were never finished.

I have been contemplating how to finish those Greece beads- multi strand or single strand?  The multi strand has just about created itself in my mind.  Of course that never works out the way I envision it.