Beadery ~ New Designs

My Beadin' Meetin' friend Mayumi made me this awesome bracelet!  She's soooo sweet, she thanked me for the challenge of making something that she thought would suit me.

I made her these earrings because the fun colours made me think of her.  I thought the fun new design would suit her too.  Because she's so fun.

I really enjoyed this exchange so I'm working on a trade for another Beadin' Meetin' friend!

Thanks Mayumi! ;)

Spinning ~ Workshop

Big thank you to everyone who came out and learned to use a drop spindle today at the museum.

Another big thank you to the Aurora Arts Society 

for sponsoring such a great event that brings artists together to teach their skills.

Beadery ~ Ryan's Mittens

Just in time for spring, I finished Ryan's mittens...  

I replaced the caribou fur with beaver and added beadwork.

Yes, I am stubborn, but I learned a valuable lesson.  

I heard that caribou fur would not be good for sewing.  The hair is hollow and breaks easily. 

Ryan's new coat + static electricity + caribou = big mess all the time

On the plus side, the beaded design gave me an idea for a new line of jewelry...  more photos to come!

Beadery ~ Reunited

My dear Maman is reunited with her beaded purse on the snowy streets of Toronto.

Beadery ~ Snowflake #2

New and improved swarovski crystal snowflake ornament!

It's difficult to photograph this lovely piece to capture the sparkly-loveliness.  My mom will be taking it to Nicaragua as a gift to her hosts while she volunteers.

Spinning ~ First Angora Bunny Project

From this fluffy, fluffy bunny.....

I knit this beautiful, super-soft, super-duper warm 

neckwarmer/headband.

It took three months 

for her to grow enough fur for this project, 

probably 10 hours to spin it, three days to shock & dry it, and maybe six hours to knit.

It's worth every minute.

Thanks to my boyfriend for the photos, and to Clive for the fur!

Stitches ~ Mittens

I made a pair of mittens for my dear cousin for Christmas.

The insides are hand-knit to wear in the spring/fall, 

the outsides are coyote fur, with a beaded deer hide cuff.

Knittings ~ Christmas gifts

I've had a very crafty Christmas this year,
which is one of the reasons I have not posted for a while.

I've been busy busy busy knitting, sewing, and beading gifts!

(I've also managed to complete coursework for my MA, 

but you know how pesky things like school and work get in the way of crafts)

My cousin's boyfriend is wearing a cozy hand-knit purple and red striped neck warmer.

Stitches ~ Smitten Mitten

A Smitten Mitten spun and knit (with my mother's help) for my uncle's wedding.  The caption reads: "In case of marital emergency, break glass and use smitten mitten".  

It took some work to find a frame and nice mat to complement to mitts, but I think it turned out well.

They seemed pleased.

Beadery ~ Photoshoot

Here's Beadin' Meetin', our weekly group that meets at the local coffee shop.  This week, we were joined by makeup artists Roselle Constantino and Alaina Reyes.  

My boyfriend Ryan Silke took the following images of these lovely ladies wearing my work.

Caroline was caught wearing my deer hide cuff.

Moonie is cuddling a 100% handspun dog fur mitten

Katharine is wearing my couched beadwork necklace

Seed bead Chroma Chrome series

Mayumi is wearing magnesite and peridot

Moonie is wearing paua shell and sterling silver earrings

Beadery ~ New wrap-around moccasins!

This is my third pair of moccasins completed in a year.  

I think this is the best pair yet!

They are being sent to Inuvik now to a lovely lady who lives in a greenhouse in the arctic during the summer, and teaches yoga in Mexico in the winter. 

I hope you always walk with all the luck and good wishes I send with the shoes!

Spinning ~ In the park

A spinning workshop I gave in the park.  

Many thanks to Caroline Blechert for your help (and for taking this photo!!!)

Gardening ~ Zucchini!!!

Look at this beautiful zucchini I JUST pulled from my backyard.  

IT'S A MIRACLE!

Especially because this is my garden:

Yup, I got containers from the dump and grow vegetables on rocks.

While I am bragging, this is my view from my front porch and kitchen/living room:

It is indeed Yellowknife Bay of Great Slave Lake.

Beadery ~ FotR

This very photogenic fellow artisan offered to model my pink necklace this weekend at 

Folk on the Rocks.

Caroline and I had a wonderful weekend chatting with people about beads and generally loving Yellowknife's community.

Thanks everyone for an awesome festival!

Spinning Tales

I finally learned to use a spinning wheel!  SOOOO much faster than a drop spindle!

The cockatiel's name in Vanilla, she was giving me lots of encouragement.

Thanks so much to Crystal for everything she has taught me!

Stitches ~ Swinging Singer

Spending the afternoon with Tom Waits and my swinging singer,

gearing up for Folk on the Rocks.

This is going to be great.

Beadery ~ Favourite new set

Extending the Chroma-Chrome Series

Beadery ~ Celebrating the Sun

         

Snapshot of what is to come

Beadery ~ Ptarmigan Tails

These are ptarmigan.  The ridiculous bird of the north.  They tickle me.

Here are earrings I made from their tail feathers

(which they shed in the spring... or when they die)

Beadery ~ iPhone case

I'm working on perfecting a beading pattern of a snowflake.

This one uses delica beads, and I think that may be the secret!