Netting Bracelet and Earrings to match a polka-dot dress

Earrings $30.00

After working for hours on the wedding dress beadwork deadline I needed something simple, basic and colorful to bead. So looking through my closet I picked out a polka-dot dress that I bought during MLH's Conference at my favorite boutique in Holland: Frances Jay.  I'm not usually too big on polka-dots, but this was a cute dress and the cut was different than I usually wear and it actually fit me correctly.  Plus I really like the pop of the bright pink on the dark navy (or black, it's hard to tell in different light).

Bracelet $65.00

I originally thought I might make the bracelet all black/blue with some circles of the pink here and there, but I really preferred the pick as a smaller accent.  So the circles in the "netting" stitch alternate navy cut 15/0s and black 15/0s. I usually make this bracelet four circle wide, this time I figured I'd see how three wide felt.

(The dress inspiration)

The bracelet and earrings match and were fun to get into some new colors. This is a little sampling of the colors I'll be using for fall this year.

Wedding Dress Bead Embroidery Details

Doing the beadwork on Katie's wedding dress has been my beading focus over the past 2 and a half months. You've probably noticed photos of it in progress on my Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.  I'm really really happy about how the embroidered pieces turned out. Above is the focal pieces on the empire waist. (3 pieces all together).

The front of one shoulder.

The front of the other shoulder.

The back piece.

The back and should strands made me the most nervous, bead stringing isn't my forte.  Luckily Katie and her mom came over one afternoon and strung beads for 4 hours or so, which helped a lot.  Above isn't the greatest photo of the back, however, when the photos started coming through on Facebook yesterday evening, I was SO happy with how lovely the back and should strands turned out.

There was a lot of pinning and re-pinning.

At first I only made the shoulder pieces 4 inches long, 

I had to add another 2 inches to each side.

Should piece in progress.

Katie said she'd share some of the real photos of her in the dress with me, so more to come on the final look of the piece.  I wanted to get the details up before I forgot!

Home, Friends and Family abound...

Knitting circle with the bridal bead embroidery.

I've been picking up more hours at work and I feel a bit lost as far as getting any artwork done.  Luckily I have a bridal commission that I'm working on, which is keeping me beading.  Otherwise I might just stay in the bath tub with a book on nights I don't have anything going.  Which I'm trying to cut back some and stay in more, my house is starting to settle and feel more and more like home.

Measuring the beads for the dress.

I am getting at least one box unpacked per day, sometimes more. I just haven't the slightest clue where some stuff should go.  The interior house projects can be too overwhelming, so I have 2 focuses: 1) Fix the railing on my balcony and 2) trim all trees/bushes away from my house and garage so my homeowners insurance doesn't drop me.

(those cedars behind me are being cut back...)

Roof on the garage is not safe,  it's a good thing 

I was excellent at balance beam back in my gymnastics days...

I have a cool grill in my back yard...it needs cleaning out...

The pile of drywall, plaster and lathe and linoleum in my garage that I'm 

topping my garbage can with every Sunday evening.

As I keep reminding myself, my house is livable as-is, so house projects will be picked at.  I can. not. wait. to get back to my loom.  It's still wrapped up, but Amy coming over will give me the kick in the pants to have an unwrapping party and get a sample weaving on for my Porkies donation. 

So to keep myself in line, current art-pieces are:

1) Bridal Commission

2) Porkies Weaving (it might not be just a sample, I may end up just putting the piece on!)

3) Holiday Jewelry for galleries and the Ann Arbor Fiberarts Guild Show

I am always up for taking on beading classes too.  I now have space in my dining room to teach and would love to do small private groups.  My base-rate is, per person, $20 for the first hour, $10 for every hour thereafter. Tuesdays, Thursdays and weekends are my most-flexible days.  I'd prefer 2-weeks advanced notice so I can plan around work. You'll just have to ignore the boxes still floating around.

In the meantime, I have been having lots of fun and had friends in town more than I can remember.  I love having my own place. We celebrated Megan's Birthday then the next weekend Em came to visit from Colorado and I got to show her around Old Town and downtown Lansing.

Happy Birthday Megan!

Me and Em

Meat BBQ with Em on our Old Town day.

Because I want both my sides to be creamed corn with my brisket.

Abigail has invited me for the past 4 years to go charter fishing with her family on the weekend of the 4th.  I didn't have anyone to tell me they didn't want to do that, so I did, and I caught my first HUGE lake trout!

Me and Abigail

I couldn't stop staring at how beautiful the lures are. 

Definite inspiration for future jewelry.

And this past weekend, July 18th my second niece was born, Luna Lin.  My mom, dad and cousin Ky went to the hospital to visit. (After I played catchup with my dear friend Erin while I was in Fenton).

(No photos of the baby, that's the parents prerogative, 

I know some people are touchy about that)