Sunday afternoon crochet-

a quick beaded crochet bracelet

 Creamy cotton yarn, 6/0 beads and a little flower button...

A very pleasant and delightful afternoon!

Hope yours was also.

an Iowa vacation

Plantoir Sculpture

 I was so excited to see this- a giant garden trowel sculpture, located on the grounds of the Meredith Corp. offices. Of the many magazines they publish, Country Gardens is my favorite and I was leafing through a previous issue- and there it was! You can read all about it here.

Off to the Prairie Pedlar at Odebolt, which was also featured in Country Gardens magazine many years ago. I'll share some photos from here later.

Living History Farms-  "Living History Farms is an interactive outdoor museum which educates, entertains and connects people of all ages to Midwestern rural life experiences." I don't have any photos from here, but if you enjoy American history, you'll have so much fun!

Historic Valley Junction in West Des Moines 

is home to some great bead shops.

 Vacation should also include some relaxing and a bit of needlework...

And last but not least, lots of visiting and catching up!

Love you both!

How are spending your summer vacation?

A little black box full of fun!

And the little black box beheld...

Czech glass and Greek ceramic

Vintage lucite

Polymer clay

An assortment of copper chain, copper beads,

fossil stone, sunstone, ceramic disks

and more vintage lucite.

Lampwork

...all that and tons more.

A little shop that is jam-packed to the brim!

Friendly service!

Iowa Falls, Iowa

Valley Junction

On my recent trip to Iowa, I wanted to check out some beads shops at Valley Junction in West Des Moines which is only about 6 miles from the airport in Des Moines. A quaint area with lots of unique and specialty shops, there were three... count'em, three beads shops within walking distance of each other!



Each one was unique in their offerings. Artistic beads had a great variety of Czech glass, seed beads and findings, Eyebeads had an outstanding amount of the most gorgeous gemstones you ever laid eyes on and Fishlips3 (don't ya' love that name?) had an eclectic mix cloisonne, cinnabar, gemstones and lampwork.

The choices were indeed difficult to make, so below is just a small sample of each shop.

Eyebeads

Fishlips3

Artistic Bead

Evidently I couldn't even wait until I had photos taken before started working on jewelry!

Be sure to set aside plenty of time in your schedule if you go beading in Valley Junction!

P.S. There's a great little restaurant that sells soup and sandwiches for lunch. I can't remember the name of it, but you'll know it because it looks like an old fashioned store inside.


Patti

Soon to be new designs...

Colorful

Sweet

Cool

Delightful

As a design partner to The Beadin' Path, I received this fabulous mix of Vintage Lucite and Czech Glass. I've had it quietly tucked away in it's yellow mailing envelope awaiting the day when I could bring it to life as newly designed jewelry. Some ideas have formed, sketches have been drawn and now the fun begins.

The Beadin' Path has lots of other beads and components for designing fabulous jewelry such as artists beads, buttons, freshwater pearls, vintage components, seed beads and so much more! You'll love it all!!

Warm wishes,

Patti

Bead soup beads

Stacy's photo

These are my bead soup ingredients from my partner, Stacy. They are so neat! I love dragonflies and copper, so the focal is perfect. I'm definitely going to have fun with this combination of goodies. I'll be picking them up at the post office within the next day or so...can't wait to get started.

See what I sent Stacy at her blog Sissy and Jack's. I went to our local bead shop Ellacinders and meandered around. I started with the clasp and found a Botswana focal that complimented it. Then I chose coordinating beads and metals.

The big reveal is coming soon!

Patti

Cindy & Jeanette's cool, new adventure!

Presenting...

Cindy Wimmer and Jeanette Ryan

You'll want to check out their blogs for all the fabulous info!

Have a day full of sunshine!

Patti

Bead Soup Blog Party...soup's on!

The big day is here...
Lori from Pretty Things hosted a bead soup blog party and today everyone is showing what we've made from all the really cool goodies! If you click on the button above, it will take you to Lori's party page. Also, the complete list is below.

This is my bead soup mix that I received from Jo Ann at Jo's Jewels. I love green... this couldn't have been more perfect!

I've been experimenting... adding buttons, wire wrapping, chain and stuff like that; so I decided to see what I could do... and I have a new bracelet! It was definately a challenge! Many of the components had two holes, something I haven't worked with much. I have some two-holed vintage beads that I've had for some time now... guess I don't have an excuse not to work with them now! Thanks so much Jo Ann!! I'm going to be wearing it often!

Here is the complete list...

1. Lori, An Artists Year Off

2. Mallory, For the Love of Beads

3. Terri, Blooming Ideas

4. Cindy, Sweet Bead Studio

5. Lorelei, Lorelei's Blog: Inside the Studio

6. Kerry, Kab's Creative Concepts

7. Erin, Treasures Found

8. Jeannette, Jeannette Blix Wire and Metal Jewelry

9. Adrienne, Adrienne Designs

10. Nan, Spirit Rattles

11. Laurel, Rue's Daftique

12. Nancy, Beading From the Heart

13. Mary, MK's Creative Musings

14. Cassie, The Glass Beadle

15. Dot, Winchell Clayworks

16. Sharon, Sharon's Jewelry Garden

17. Lisa, Lo and Behold

18. Norma, Bead Dreams and Moonlit Fantaseas

19. Judith, Judith B.

20. Debbie, Prairie Emporium

21. Maria, Garden Path Beads

22. Susan, Kaplan Creations Jewelry and Glass Design

23. Melissa, Melissa Meman: Art, Love, Life

24. Marianna, Pretty Shiny Things

25. Lisa, Joolz by Lisa

26. Cristi, 2 If By Sea

27. Sandra, Marbella Jewelry Design

28. Maria, Greene Earth Originals

29. Barbara, Jewelry of Distinction

30. Leslie, Bei Mondi

31. Loretta, Designs by Loretta

32. Linda, Bella Bead Jewelry

33. Kathie, The Bead Cult

34. Patty, Plays With Fire

35. Nicki, Nicki's Reef

36. Anne Marie, Heart's Desire

37. Mary, Mary Harding Jewelry

38. Jayne, Mama's Got to Doodle

39. Emanda, Artemesia's Studio

40. Whitney, Whitney Lassini

41. Marcie, La Bella Joya

42. Suzann, Beadphoria

43. Jen, Jen Judd Rocks

44. Julie, Credit River Art Glass

45. Janiece, J Birds Garden

46. Kate, Organic Odysseys

47. Laurie, The Mermaid Tale

48. Michelle, My Crazy Crafty Adventure

49. Sue, Sue Beads

50. Janeen, Wild Vanilla Designs

51. Nancy, The Rabbit Muse

52. Kristie, Artisan Clay

53. Regina, Regina's Writings

54. Tari, Pearl and Pebble

55. Lyn, Lyn Foley

56. Beth, Sunshine Daydreamz

57. Cathryn, Chile Cats

58. Emma, Fred Bean's Nook

59. Connie, Cetta Cheese Chatter

60. Juli, Jul's Beads

61. Julie, RockerJewlz

62. Libby, LibbyLeu and Glass Too

63. Melanie, Earthenwood Studio Chronicles

64. Katie, My Life and My Beads

65. Zuleykha, Zuleykha's Polymer Clay

66. Rekella, Me But a Little More in Depth

67. Ricki, What's New at Ricki Voges Design

68. Lisa, Lucid Moon Studio

69. Jo, Daisychain Jewellery

70. Lynette, Rock Hill Designs

71. Lynne, Island Girl's Insights

72. Chas, One Woman's Haven

73. Ruthie, Rose Works Jewelry

74. Elizabeth, Turquoise Sky

75. Maire, Maire Dodd

76. Janet, Singing Woods

77. Eileen, Dorset Hill Beads

78. Julie, Miss Kitten's Jewels

79. Joann, Jo's Jewels

80. Patti, PJ Clark Designs

81. Mel, Kookie Designs

82. Erin, Every Heart Crafts

83. Dale, Flights of Fancy

84. Dee, Runako Designs

Can't wait to see what everyone has made!!

Patti

My bead soup mix...

in my favorite color.

See one here, one more here, and another here. You can get to all of them from here.

Birthday Fun!

Gram J., Ashley and Seth

On my first post, I mentioned that my daughter and her husband were coming from Iowa for Christmas. What a day! They were to arrive at our airport about 12 noon on Christmas Eve day, but when all was said and done, it was 8:30 pm. However, we are very thankful they arrived safely.

Birthday beads from Ellacinders

Since my birthday is in early December, Ashley decided to bring my birthday present with her. Birthday bead money!! (If you're a beader you know what I'm talkin' about!) While they were here we went shopping and stopped in at my LBS (local bead shop), Ellacinders in Lewisburg, PA. I didn't spend it all so you're likely to see what I purchase with the balance. The pink rectangles are to make something special for Ashley, which I'll post about later. The tool is a pearl reamer.

Do you have a favorite LBS to shop at and what do you like to buy?

Have a great day,

Patti