Laurie covered prehistory up to the Egyptian dynasties. Part two will be in October.
Show and Tell:
I'm mixing the show and tell in with the material Laurie showed us in her presentation, due to laziness. It is left as an exercise to the reader to decide which objects illustrated the history of beads and which are merely things members brought to share. Mouse-over the image to see a short description and click for a bigger image.
]]>From Polymer Clay Polyzine, way back in 2004, they're peeling the the shiny, holograph-y layer of a CD off and adhering it to polymer clay. Wild, no? It's not like there's a shortage of used CDs or DVDs here'bouts.
http://www.pcpolyzine.com/2004april/barettetute.htm
(via)
]]>You’ll notice that I didn’t start with Michaels because it is my unverified belief that they price all their products to give them a healthy profit even when using the regularly available 40% off coupon. In my humble (and unverified) opinion, this makes them evil so I try to give my business elsewhere whenever I can. But for $10, I thought, I can call them and check. That’s what phones are for, right?
After determining that there was no shop component on their websites to check prices, I found a phone number and called them up. Their voice menu lead me through hours and such until I got to the “talk to a person” option and picked it. The phone is allowed to ring 3 or 4 times before you are bounced back into the menu. I picked “talk to a person” 4-5 times before giving up. Later in the day I tried again with the same result. Today I tried again. This time I only had to pick “talk to a person” twice before I got an actual person. They took my request and presumably went somewhere to check, putting me on hold. Now, I was reading my RSS feeds and nattering with my offspring, home from school due to a cold, while listening to the hold soundtrack. This is to say I was distracted and not paying attention. When I realized that I had been on hold for over 40 minutes, I hung up.
Big thumbs down, Michaels. Opus, local shop that you are, I should have supported you from the beginning.
]]>The instructions warn the reader that you should have acquired the basics of yarn spinning on a wheel elsewhere and dive right into unconventional shenanigans.
I love the idea of spinnning. I remember learning the theory of spinning around about grade 4 and tearing tissues into strips and spinning little paper cords with my hands when bored, but I am allergic to wool, that mainstay of hand spinning, so I’m unlikely to make much direct use of this book. I remember, when first picking it up, thinking that maybe the fabric spinning part might be useful to me but even that includes wool. About halfway through, I was thinking that I’d finish the book and then either sell it or donate it to a library, but I’m not sure I want to let it go. The book fairly oozes creativity. It exemplifies thinking outside the box. For now, at least, I’m going to hang onto it and show it to the kids if they get down on some project that’s a little too rigid or formal.
Books mentioned in this post:
]]>Friday, March 26th (10-8) Saturday, March 27th (10-5), 2010 AgRec Building Abbotsford Exhibition Park Grounds, 32470 Haida Drive, Abbotsford, BC http://www.fibreswest.com/
Now, there used to be a show called Fibrefest International that was held close to the same place (the Tradex, I think) and apparently there still will be (see http://www.mail-archive.com/fibernet@yahoogroups.com/msg09426.html) I would point you at their website, but it looks like someone missed the domain name renewal and squatters got it. I thought that the two shows were related, maybe run by the same people, but now I’m not sure anymore. Certainly the same subject matter is being covered, although no live animals at this one to the disappointment of the offspring.
When I told my mom yesterday where I was planning to go today, she was totally game to come (and most welcome company for the journey (for me trips of longer than about 20 mins are long generally to be avoided when possible) there and back). Especially since mom has a smallish hybrid versus our (theoretically efficient, but…) family minivan. The offspring were polled as to their interest in coming. Gameboy, as expected, had no interest. Just as well as he had homework. Junior totally wanted to come even though I warned her that live animals were only a possibility and not a promise. Tiger surprisingly didn’t want to come. As we were leaving I heard her asking to play WoW. Fine, be that way. 8)
The trip went smoothly, as might be expected at midday on a Saturday. Entry fee was more than yesterday’s bead show, but at least Junior was free and they offered the seniors rate to my mom outright. Seeing the short person with us, they mentioned the drop-in workshop for kids of all ages (felted beads, $6) which we went and had a look at before signing her up for. I checked in at the end of each row and got through the entire show but for one row before she lost interest/finished her necklace.
The show took up at most half of the floorspace in the AgRec building. The BC Gem Show (didn’t it used to be the Rock and Gem show?) coming up in 2 weeks has historically taken up the entire floorspace. Fibrefest International used to take up the entire floorspace at the Tradex. Still, there were more than enough vendors to clear out my wallet.
As per my usual pattern, I moved methodically up one row and back checking end rows only to the width of each perpendicular row. Seeing a niddy noddy for around $19, I decided that it was time to get one (although I did get the materials for building one with PVC pipe, but never did build it). Shopping around I found one for $16.95 or something like that, but indecision over how big a niddy noddy I really needed (or do I really need one at all?) combined with a line at the till make me abandon the idea. I still love looking at tools, and I would love to try cord making on a spinning wheel, but you don’t buy something like a spinning wheel to try a goofy experiment. I did rent the guild’s rental wheel for a while many moons ago, but for the month (or two?) that I had it, I never got around to trying my experiment. All the more reason not to buy such a thing, although I am totally trying to get DH to build me one of these. 8)
Which leaves yarn (no, despite being a Weavers and Spinners Guild member for… 7(?) years, I neither weave nor spin). First up was some blue/green sari silk yarn from The Silk Tree for $6. I had previously spotted some glorious blue/purple “shibori ribbon” from Total Texture kinda like this but still folded and beautiful blue on top and royal purple on the bottom, intense colour throughout. The price card and fallen down and under something else, so a nearby price sheet which turned out to be for something else entirely ($5 things) covered the fact that this ribbon was in fact $20/m. For a pretty thing that I had no idea what I was going to do with it… too steep.
I then picked up a skein of Seduce (shiny!) and a skein of Origami (the texture, the colourfulness of it all! must learn to use sewing machine to embellish cords!!) from Stitches.
Lastly, I got 2 balls of bambu 7. One solid black, and one variegated black and white. I want to try to make something like an ikat braid. We’ll see how the repeats line up.
Mom didn’t get anything except some sheep buttons for Junior. She was disappointed that there were no live animals, but happy with her buttons.
Picked up some fliers for 2010 Fibre Week at Olds College, Olds, AB (June 25-July 2) and Interlacement a symposium celebrating the guild’s 75th anniversary at Capilano University, North Vancouver, BC (May 17-23, 2010).
Gas was 13 cents cheaper per litre out in Abbotsford than Vancouver/Burnaby, so we topped off the tank and headed home just in time to pickup Tiger and get the girls to their dance class. When I got to the rec centre, I discovered that the Middle Eastern Dance Association was having their Grande Bazaar. Tempting, but after all the entrance fees I had been paying lately, plus the fact that I’m not dancing anymore (but, but: shiny, jingly, colourful pretties!) I decided against. Maybe I’ll change my mind and go tomorrow. Maybe I’ll take up belly dancing again…?
Next up:
BC GEM SHOW April 9, 10 & 11, 2010 Ag-Rec Building, Central Fraser Valley Fairgrounds, 32470 - Haida Drive, Abbotsford, British Columbia.
* Friday: 10:00am - 8:00pm
* Saturday: 10:00am - 6:00pm
* Sunday: 10:00am - 6:00pm
Admission: Adults - $6.00, Students (6 - 17) - $2.00, Under 6 (accompanied by an adult) - Free
See you there!
]]>In any case, today I went to the Canadian Bead Oasis Show, Vancouver 2010 MARCH 26-28 2010 Empire Landmark Hotel Lower Level, Coal Harbour Room 1400 Robson St. Vancouver BC Canada
SHOW HOURS Friday noon - 8pm Saturday 10am - 6pm Sunday 11am - 5pm http://www.oasisshows.com/Vancouver/2010/
Went Friday noon-ish. No problems finding street parking (meters).
I went just for the vendor room, because that’s the kinda gal I am. $6 to get in for one day, $10 for all weekend (Ah! I just checked the website to verify that, and noticed that seniors are $3. I thought about that when I was paying (for me and mom) but didn’t say anything. Could have saved $3. sigh)
It was small as these things go. Whole Bead which will be a month later has historically been more than twice as big (although not based on the current list on the site).
I started off reasonably well behaved resolving to scan the room first and price compare before buying until I came across an adorable lampworked glass sheep by Jan Parada of Killer Beeds. Things kinda went downhill self-control-wise from there. Next up, some partially frosted onyx disc beads, appealing to my sophisticated monochromatic self, from Universal Gems and Beads. I’m pretty sure Samrat doesn’t remember that I had a booth right next to his 3 (4?) years ago at the Fraser Valley Bead Show.
Moving methodically around the room, next I came to Bedrock Supply Ltd. and got a Eurotool metal hole punch plier (what’s sad about that link is that Eurotool itself only has PDF catalog pages, and Bedrock themselves have no picture for those particular pliers, sigh) I imagine hammering the ends of wire, punching holes in the paddle ends and then attaching dangles…
Turning around, I scanned NLM Glass Arts where I thought: I don’t need regular beads, I have lots… Hey! Size 3/0 beads! The holes must be at last 2.5mm, maybe even 3!! The cord I could fit through there, and then there’s this other project I’m thinking of and these other beads would be nice and … Well, you know how it goes.
Lastly, I went back to ACC Bead where my magpie self picked up some blingtastic rhinestone balls and spacers.
Tomorrow, FIBRES WEST. See ya there! 8)
Friday, March 26th (10-8) Saturday, March 27th (10-5), 2010 AgRec Building Abbotsford Exhibition Park Grounds, 32470 Haida Drive, Abbotsford, BC http://www.fibreswest.com/
]]>Firstly, I’m allergic to wool, so I knit with cotton, rayon and the like, plus acrylic and other artificial fibres that don’t mimic wool too closely because I’ve gotten an allergic reaction off of some of those as well. sigh Anyhow, good quality (non-dishcloth quality) cotton isn’t cheap. I estimated the cost of this blanket at $500 easy. Way more if you count the yarn I bought when I was in the store getting yarn for the blanket. 8)
So, Tiger watched me knit this blanket for years and years. Eventually she decided she wanted to try knitting too. I had visions of little chubby fists clutching sharpened sticks go running around the room and disaster following so I put this off for a long time, but somewhere around late 4 I gave it a go. As might be expected she quickly lost interest and there was no running around with sharpened sticks (yay!). Off and on over the years we tried knitting and there was never enough attention span to learn the skill until she joined the knitting club at school (the benefits of peer pressure?).
Now, knitting is a skill that I acquired pretty much in parallel with that blanket. I remember trying somewhere in my tween era and failing dismally, but crochet was always something I could do. Thus in my mind crochet is easier than knitting and quick to pick up.
A couple of years back (when Tiger was 8 or so), when amigurumi was picking up steam I figured my cute-loving offspring would enjoy this movement and I should be able to teach the skills she needed to participate. bzzt! No luck there.
I tried again later with a Klutz Crochet book/kit in the hopes that the author had some insight into teaching children that I didn’t. This also didn’t work.
For a while now I’ve been thinking it’s me. Something prevents me from sharing my knowledge, especially with my kids. For some cosmically unjust reason I need to pay other people to give my kids the skills I should be able to freely share. But then, at least in this case, I had a breakthrough. I had just discovered Prudence Mapstone’s (free form knitting and crochet (scrumbling) pioneer/evangelist) new blog. Now, as anyone trying to learn a new skill will tell you, it’s disheartening to attempt something and not end up with something even close to what is in the picture. But with scrumbling, there is no wrong way to do it. You could never point to anything and say “that’s an error” or “that was a mistake” it all just adds more texture. So, I went and dug out my The Crochet Workbook and Jan Messent’s Wool ‘n Magic (Search Press Classics) and showed her the pretty pictures.
“See how cool it all is?” “Anything you do is fine!” “There’s no way to make a mistake.” And it worked. She DCs like gangbusters now and occasionally breaks into a fringy bit on whim. I showed her ruffles and she’s experimenting with those too.
She pointed out that her 2 siblings (7 and 5) don’t have their baby blankets yet. sigh I mentioned that I was thinking of scrumbling their blankets and have a few patches so far and she’s offered to help. 8) Maybe we can finish them before anyone else turns 10. 8)
]]>The deadline date for submissions is April 6, 2009.
The entry details are below, follow the link for full details:
Lampwork / Glass - New category for 2009!: This category will include beads, buttons, components, jewelry, or jewelry-related objects that are 85% or more glass made by the applicant. Entries that use someone else’s glass beads or components should be entered in the Finished Jewelry category.
Polymer Clay: This category will include beads, buttons, components, jewelry, or jewelry-related objects that are 85% or more polymer clay.
Beaded Objects or Accessories: This category will include a non-jewelry item or accessory, including, but not limited to, purses, shoes, sculptures, or wall hangings.
Seed Bead Jewelry: This category will include beaded beads, a piece, or an ensemble of jewelry, that is predominantly seed beads or bugle beads, including, but not limited to, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and rings.
Crystal Jewelry: This category will include a piece, or an ensemble of jewelry, that is predominantly machine-cut crystals, including, but not limited to, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and rings. Jewelry made using fire-polished beads, or cathedral beads, should be entered in the Finished Jewelry category.
Finished Jewelry: This category will include a piece, or an ensemble of jewelry, that is made from materials such as, but not limited to, glass beads, crystals, semi-precious stones, wire, metal clay, seed beads (piece must be less than 50 percent seed beads), found objects, etc.
Metal Clay- New category for 2009!: This category will include beads, buttons, components, jewelry, or jewelry-related objects that are 85% or more metal clay.
http://www.beadandbuttonshow.com/bnbshow/Default.aspx?c=a&id=200
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