I am still blogging

Hello, lovely readers. 

I am still blogging because I am still beading. 

Last year, I participated in the Black and White Together Project, led by Prof. Sam Norgard (USA) who was collecting beaded warped squares to create an art project. This project was part of International Beading Week organised by the Beadworkers Guild UK.

I was able to make about 70 beautiful squares to send the US. I was really excited to be a part of this global entreprise.  

By clicking on the video below you will see a sample of my participation. 

Through this project I have found the fascinating geometric beadwork of the Contemporary Geometric Beadwork by Kate McKinnon. Click here to go to her YouTube Channel. I have her two books in digital format because they are out of print, and the used ones reach hiper high prices.

I have not been able to do much of geometric beadwork beside the warped square - the geometric shape is called hypar.

I have found two compilations of YouTube videos on geometric beadwork: Bead Patterns  and Geometric Beadwork Techniques

Tomorrow starts this year's International Beading Week. 

Stay strong and be(ad) happy!

International Beading Week is Now

Hello, dear readers!

I cannot explain why but I am sure that threading seed beads and making beautiful things is therapeutical for me, and I need that, so I decided to take part in International Beading Week.

What is that, you ask. 

International Beading Week is an annual event organised by The Beadworkers Guild in the UK. This event runs from 25th July (today) until 2nd August.

I am learning to make some beaded beads following a tutorial by Katie Dean. They look like Portuguese 'pastéis de bacalhau'. See for yourself in here.

I have only managed to make the first bead so far.

Two days ago, when I couldn't figure out what to do next, it looked like this.

Unfinished beaded bead by unhappy beader

Today, I have managed to finish my first bead. It has a mistake but I am happy I was able to complete it.

This is one of the three identical 'faces' 

Seen from a different angle

Tomorrow, I will make another one, and another one, and so on. 

Stay safe and take care.

Happy New Year

Hello, dear readers.

I am not sure anyone will read this post as I haven't posted anything for a long time.

In fact, I am not even sure people are still reading blogs. Everyone seems to be obsessed with Facebook and Instagram.

Anyhow, I want to let you know what I have been beading.

Christmas Wreath Pendant Necklace

I made this Christmas Wreath Pendant Necklace for myself. It is beautiful and dainty, and it has a 3D thing to it. I have bought the kit from the Crystals and Ice on-line bead shop in the UK.

I don't know about you, but I spent loads of time watching YouTube videos on beading last year. You subscribe to a beading channel and then you feel that you need to watch to each and every single video the beader releases. If you subscribe to many channels, you spend all of your free time doing that and not any beading. 

There are several beaders out there whom I admire a lot. One of them is Brazilian beader Núncia Maia. When I saw one necklace she had designed, I knew I had to try it as I like its modern look including the use of pearls and cotton waxed cord. You can watch the Youtube video here.

Simple Necklace, a design by Núncia Maia

Simple Necklace in dark blue

The light brown I made for myself. The dark blue was a Christmas gift.

Also from a YouTube channel, this time from an Italian beader, I have tried a discrete and delicate beaded ring made with seed beads and crystals. This young lady from Italy is Maria Teresa (surname?) and uses the name Mary Creazioni. 

Delicati Ring, a design by Mary Creazioni

My version uses 15/0 seed beads unlike the original version

The materials I have used are Toho seed beads in three sizes (11/0, 8/0 and 15/0) and crystal rondelles in 4x3mm that are so popular nowadays. Unlike the original version, I have put 15/0 seed beads instead of 11/0 when filling the spaces. You can watch the video here.

Last, two Christmas gifts. One is a double wrap leather bracelet in Chan Luu style with Preciosa Czech glass beads and a beautiful Tierracast button. I have strung it with Fireline. 

double wrap leather bracelet in topaz 

the bracelet when worn

The other Christmas gift is a necklace with a tassel, so trendy nowadays.

Actually, I had to make two necklaces to gift, one is grey and the other is turquoise.

My shop on Etsy is currently closed as I rethink it.

Have a beautiful year!

~~~
Neste post, falo das minhas últimas criações dos últimos meses. Um colar com um kit da loja inglesa Crystals and Ice, colares com design de Núbia Maia (canal no YouTube), um anel de missangas e cristais criado por Mary Creazioni (canal no YouTube), uma pulseira de cabedal de duas voltas ao estilo Chan Luu e, por último, colares compridos com borlas.

Bom Ano!

Bead-It-Forward 2019 (Flowers)

Hello! First of all, thank you so much for your lovely comments. I greatly appreciated them.

This is just a quick post to say that I am participating in Bead-It-Forward 2019.

The deadline for the beaded squares to be received is 31st March.

If you can know more in this post of the Bead-It-Forward Blog: http://beaditforward.blogspot.com/2019/01/2019-theme-flowers.html

I am sorry about the low quality in this photo taken with my mobile phone. I could not locate my camera.

I am using a pattern from a former event: 
http://www.facetjewelry.com/bead-buzz/projects/2016/10/bead-it-forward-flower-patterns


The beaded squares will be stitched to quilts and put on sale on Etsy, for instance. If you want you can contribute too by buying the finished quilts: https://www.etsy.com/shop/BeadItForwardQuilts


EDIT:
These are all the beaded squares I was able to make this year. I had great fun in stitching them!

Back To Beading/Regressei às criações

Hello, dear readers. 

I am back to beading and blogging too. Some blogs that I used to follow have not been updated for some time too. Is everybody only on Facebok and Instagram? Do people still write on blogs? What programme or application do you use to read blogs?

Are there are blog hops in the coming months? I would like to participate but I do not know about any this year or even next year. 

I am sure though that I want to join Bead It Forward though next year. For those who do not know, Bead It Forward is an annual event in which beaders contribute with small squares stitched in peyote that will be put together in quilts which are later auctioned being its revenue directed to breast cancer research. 

The following creations include pendants handmade by Majoyoal, artistic name for Mari Carmen Rodriguez, who currently has a Etsy shop. I bought them on DaWanda, a platform which is going to close soon.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Voltei aos trabalhos com contas e missangas depois de uma longa interrupção. Certos blogues que eu acompanhava não estão a ser atualizados. Está toda a gente apenas no Facebook e no Instagram? Vai haver blog hops nos próximos tempos? Para quem não conhece a expressão, blog hops são «encontros» de blogues nos quais os blogueiros combinam um dia para publicar um post dedicado a um tema.

Sei que quero participar no Bead It Forward de 2019. Este é um evento anual em que se participa enviando quadrados feitos em peiote que serão mais tarde costurados para fazer quilts (são algo parecido com colchas de retalhos). Esses quilts irão a leilão e a receita daí proveniente irá reverter para a investigação do cancro da mama.

BEAD IT FORWARD
Página no Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeaditForward/
Blogue: http://beaditforward.blogspot.com/

As fotos são de colares que fiz com pendentes artesanais em cerâmica por Majoyoal (Mari Carmen Rodriguez).
Respetiva loja na plataforma ETSY (mercado norte-americano de produtos artesanais mas com vendedores de todo o mundo):
https://www.etsy.com/shop/Majoyoal