This might end up being 5 segments. I'm scheduling these posts today (Sun.) and I'm hoping my Miyuki and Delica beads will arrive tomorrow, so I can include them. I want to get some of those previosuly mentioned projects going and get them in my studio. I will just write another post with those if they don't arrive tomorrow.

On today's tour, first we have bugle beads. I have quite the selection of bugles. I have some that are incredibly long-sent to me by a friend who thought she wanted to weave beads, but found out she like silversmithing much better. She sent me some of her stash, including those incredibly long ones. Besides those, I have your basic twisted bugles, and the straight ones, both in a wild assortment of colors.


The next stop is the DynaMite drawer. They come in these nifty little containers, (you might have noticed some reused one in other pics)that stack nicely in these deep drawers. I know-I said I didn't like bead containers stacked on each other, but in this case, the drawer is deep enough and I have enough DynaMites to be able to stack like colors and finishes with like. For example, the transparent cobalt can stack on top of each other.


The last stop on the tour today is what I consider to be my "misc." drawer. It has all the beads that don't fit in any other category. It has the acrylic accent beads I use on my ornament drapes. I prefer acrylic drops rather than glass on some cases because of the weight factor-glass weighing more than acrylic. It also has my box of business cards, my earrings cards and a small stuffed penguin I picked up someplace for some reason. Not sure he shows in the picture.

My creating and storing with seed beads-pt.3

The tour today will start with the second storage cart. I'm not sure what those things are "officially" called-rolling carts with drawers, I guess. It didn't take me long to find out that those carts don't roll too well when the drawers have pounds of beads in them. LOL!

This is a picture of Matsuno seed beads. Matsuno is the 3rd largest of the Japanese bead manufacturers, with Miyuki and TOHO in front of them. I like them because they are quality beads, come in an incredible range of colors and finishes and are reasonably priced. FireMountainGems sells them under the name DynaMite.

The open spaces are for beads that are going to be used in a couple of projects this week. One of the things my muse did while "we" were organizing is come up with things to create. Since I knew it would be a few days before I got to working on those projects, I set the beads-and everything else-for those 3 projects aside. Yep, 3 projects-sometimes I think my muse thinks I can bead at the speed of light. Notice the first drawer.I don't like beads stacked up like that because it makes it hard for me to open the drawers and "cruise for color" when I want to do something. See, I told you it will soon be time for another cart.

The last drawer today has crystals and bi-cones-all pretty and sparkly. I love the facets on these and how they reflect the light. I always try to catch that when I am photographing a finished piece, but it isn't easy.

Thanks for hanging in there with me and a HUGE thanks to the AFlessthan(10) guild.

Creating and stash showing-pt.2

On today's tour, we will see how the things in the first 3 drawers of the cabinet the small organizer sits on, live and are stored. I organize my beads by size, brand and when I can, color. Every beader I know organizes their beads according to how it works for them and we all have different ways of doing it.

This first drawer has all my Czech beads in it. They are Ornela Czech beads. Ornela has been making beads for many decades, if not longer, and they make great beads. The colors are really intense and rich. For the pinks and reds, they use gold in the color-just like in ruby glass-which is another of my glass loves.


The second drawer holds the wonderful beads of TOHO. This Japanese bead company has been in business forever. They make wonderful seed beads-in all sizes and finishes and have an outstanding reputation in the beading world. The different containers are because different suppliers package their the way they want. The small rectangular-tictac-containers-I have gotten from a couple of different places. They are a handy size for many types of beads.


The last drawer opening on today's tour is my gemstones, agates and other rocks. LOL! If you peek toward the middle back of the drawer, you will see those baby food containers I mentioned yesterday.

Have you ever seen a magenta sock moneky?

If you haven't you should-they are cool. You can see one on the Artfire ShopswithLessthan10sales guild featured studio this week. It's CuriosityPiqued http://www.artfire.com/users/CuriositysPiqued .

Lori is the owner and creator of the fun items in this studio. She has an incredible variety of stuff-like a magenta sock monkey-and a lavender one, too. I love sock monkeys especially when they are marching to the beat of their own drummer.

Lori also has some other neat stuff in her studio. Among those things is a belt I just love. She has had a life long love of creating things in the fiber art category and it shows. Her work is wonderful.

So here are a couple of pictures, then you really should go see the magenta sock monkey-I mean her studio-for yourself.

Tali's Creations

Tali's Creations is the Artfire Guild with Less Than 10 Sales studio of the week. This wonderful jewelry studio can be found here http://www.artfire.com/users/talicreations .

There are many beautiful pieces of jewelry in Tali's studio, but my favorites are the pieces she has designed for Breast Cancer Awarness in honor of her sister who lost her battle with this all too common form of cancer.

Tali also has some lovely necklace sets in her studio. These sets consist of earrings, a bracelet and a neckace. You don't often see this anymore and it's nice to get matching pieces in one set.

Here are a couple of pictures of her jewelry, then you can click the link and see her studio and maybe find a nice gift. After all, Mother's Day is coming up soon.

Changing blogging ways

I've been blogging about Artfire Crazy Train riders since it started. I have gotten off the train for a break and I am turning my blogging to blogging for one of my Artfire Guilds. Artfire Guilds are kind of like etsy street teams.

I will also be venturing out into other commentaries.

The Artfire shops I will be blogging about are all members of the Artfire Shops with Less than 10 Sales Guild. For whatever reason, these shops, including mine, have less than 10 sales. The Guild was started to help them promote themselves and to promote them. I'm proud to be a member. Once a member reaches 10 sales, they leave the guild.

So, tune in tomorrow and see who is the first shop blogged about.