Beading

Got the goodies package from Mary Alice - yay! She sent me 2 packs of blue beads; the small and the large ones. I debated about using the small beads for the petals, for a more refined look, but decided on the bigger beads instead. I'm in the middle of doing the outer petals, using the para technique with a large pale blue bead and a small medium blue bead. I will finish this up before going back to Japanese embroidery.

Progress with the kikko's so far...

Japanese beading

Mary Alice taught a Beginning Japanese Beading class that was quite fun. The project is a rose brooch. It is much easier than Antique Mirrors, I will have to make a conscious effort not to neglect Antique Mirrors while working on the beading. Discipline, discipline!

Mary Alice agreed with me that the kikko was badly done, so here's the revision. I made a thinner twisted thread, and used a T-square to line up the weft. It looks better now.

I got two more pieces - one is Midori Matsushima's goldfish, taught at Blue Bonnet Studio a few years ago:

Mary Alice talked me into doing Phase 8 - Fuzzy Effect, with this piece Ducks on rocks (Is that a drink?!) I think I'm set for life.