Mo-Which-What?

If you buy a one-litre bottle of club soda for mojitos, then the thing is, unless you're making for a larger crowd than I was, you're going to have left-overs. And if you're like me, juice-free (I prefer to chew my calories mostly, but I do like juice diluted with club soda, but I never have juice in the fridge), there's not a whole lot you can do with left-over club soda within a day or so, except make more mojitos.

Mmmm...

The club soda will go FLAT otherwise, people!

I've been productive too though, working on class samples for the next quarter (I have just over two weeks to get them done), instructions and samples and kits for Bead Fest Philadelphia (I'm teaching a few classes) and new kits.

The colours look much prettier in the photo than in real life - not what people usually say, but it's true! I've been bored at work, I mean more than usual, and apparently I get really creative when I want to be somewhere else. 

Analogously to knitting, where often my goal (after design, style, colour, etc) is to not have to sew any seams, in beading my goal is often to embellish-as-you-go (if I need to embellish). Usually I don't have the interest to make multiple passes on a rope to add things to it, so if I can figure it out as I go along, so much the better. The above is essentially a spiral rope with right angle weave connecting and forming the spiral arms. Simpler conceptually than in practice, where it's a bit fiddly. I started on the far side of the button using all brass-lined seeds for the RAW part, but it didn't show up quite so well until I used opaque beads as well.

These little beaded beads are fun on their own, quick and easy and variable, and I'm going to try something new at the local bead store this time: the beaded bead class will be a prerequisite for the class to make the necklace below.

People seem to sign up more readily for two-hour classes than four-hour classes, which have the added advantage (for me) of being able to be held in the evening after work. Sometimes I resent having to get going on the weekend as I'm invariably involved in something or another and Not Quite Ready. 

As far as students go, while certainly there are those who (much like me) like a relatively large-scale project that they can really zone out on, there are also plenty of busy beaders who want something that they can make in a single sitting, like a pair of earrings (these are perfect for that) or a pendant or a brooch or a link in a chain. Plus the beaded beads are sparkly!

I'm not sure when I'll have the time to make beaded thingies for myself though...