#pandemicart Archives

Dreaming of Beads! Really?

By Anne Marie May 12, 2021 May 11, 2021 0

I’m dreaming of beads, but what else is new? I’m close to the finish line with my #the100dayproject, so I will need to focus on other projects. Beads are definitely in the running! But first, here’s my weekly update on my free-form peyote ‘Dancing’ piece. A stash buster for sure, but it also relaxes me, and allows for a tight grip on my sanity. All this social isolation is starting to wear on me, and if it wasn’t for the fact that I work at BeadFX 5 days/week (I see people!), it would be even more difficult. Speaking of dreaming …

A Bead Muse Muses

The Bead Goes On!

By Anne Marie May 5, 2021 May 4, 2021 0

The bead goes on, but the question is what does it go on? I will explore that a little further, later on in the blog post. It wouldn’t be Wednesday, if I didn’t update you on my free form peyote ‘Dancing’ piece. Weekends, and TV time are perfect for working on this project, but I get the feeling that it’s actually my excuse to not do any other type of beading. My focus is almost Zen like, so it would be interesting to see what would happen if I turned everything off, then continued beading. Would the lack of noise …

A Bead Muse Muses

Creativity is Blooming – and that’s the truth!

By Anne Marie April 21, 2021 April 20, 2021 0

Creativity is blooming, despite the current state of affairs. Exercise your imagination, follow the rules, and get your vaccination! I truly believe that’s the only way to recovery. Ontario is under a Stay-at-home order, until May 5th. Here are the details. BeadFX is still open for curbside pickup. Exercise your creativity, and bead your way out of it! Sort your beads, buy more (from BeadFX, but only if you need to), then get ready, and just go! My creativity is blooming in strange, and wonderful ways, and I’m excited to explore the possibilities! Here’s the latest on my free form …

A Bead Muse Muses

Start a Conversation – with your beads!

By Anne Marie April 7, 2021 April 6, 2021 2

If you start a conversation with your beads, you need to make sure that you’re listening. Okay, it doesn’t need to just be beads, but for the sake of BeadFX, I do need to put some emphasis on it. Let’s start with my latest BeadFX Inspiration. I pulled the beads fairly quickly, but when I actually started working with them, found that I didn’t buy everything I needed. So, back to the store, start beading, then return to store, for more stuff. LOL! I’m getting dizzy from all the back-and-forth nonsense. I let my muse have her head (as usual), …

A Bead Muse Muses

March 2021 Bead Mat Update: Renewing my energy!

By Anne Marie March 31, 2021 March 30, 2021 2

My March 2021 Bead Mat Update is another study in contrasts. But it’s spring, so that’s all about renewal. People are wearing everything from shorts, to down parkas. LOL! Locals wear the shorts! I finished my beaded orb, so that’s first on my March 2021 bead mat update! Yeah!! Remind me not to juggle so many projects! My free form peyote ‘Dancing’ piece is in play again. It’s about time! On the bookmaking front, two versions of a wee, Origami Pocket book. Both will fit either a 2″ x 2″ ‘Twinchie’, or a very small book. My latest 100 Day …

A Bead Muse Muses

Colouring Outside of the Lines – Just because I can!

By Anne Marie March 24, 2021 March 23, 2021 0

Colouring outside of the lines is just something that I do! I’ve been doing this for years, so I’m not about to stop now! What does colouring outside of the lines mean for me? I allow myself to work on multiple projects, but I do not restrict myself to any materials, or techniques. That’s what it means! My beaded orb is almost finished. What will I do with it, how will I display it, and was it worth it? I don’t have all of the answers, but it was an interesting, exercise. Any day that I can play with beads, …

A Bead Muse Muses

Rocking with the Beads!

By Anne Marie March 3, 2021 March 2, 2021 0

Rocking with the beads means that I’m captivated by my latest project. But, I’m even plotting another one, because we all know that I have a fickle muse! I wonder what I will get up to next? My killer orb! I love it, but the dark blue absorbs all the light, and the project is quite obsessive. If the weather is nice on the weekend, I will take an outside shot! My third focal section, and I’m already planning the fourth! I love everything about intuitive bead embroidery. Does it show? My bankbook, and BeadFX knows this, because this is …

A Bead Muse Muses

January 2021 Bead Mat Update: Mixing it up again!

By Anne Marie January 27, 2021 January 26, 2021 0

My January 2021 Bead Mat Update is mixing it all up again! But what else would you expect out of me? I added a new beaded path, to my free form peyote ‘Dancing’ piece, during the U.S. Presidential Inauguration. The new path, includes the large green heart, that signifies hope, and renewal. Would you believe that I looked down at my bead mat, and there it was? Strange, isn’t it? Where did it come from? I stitched a new orb, and this one is Indigo! What’s next? A beaded one? Perhaps I should stop thinking, and just do! Next up …

A Bead Muse Muses

December 2020 Bead Mat Update _ Ring in the New Year with beads!

By Anne Marie January 6, 2021 January 5, 2021 0

My December 2020 bead mat update is late, because I forgot about it. BeadFX was closed for the holidays, and I was vegging out! However, I did redeem myself, by ringing in the new year with beads. I spent New Year’s Eve, stitching on my Free-form Peyote “Dancing” piece, and watching sappy movies. No, I didn’t stay up until midnight, because nothing much was going to change overnight. “Dancing” is now very sculptural, but that’s not all! It’s becoming an interesting backdrop, for other pieces. Next up on my December 2020 bead mat update, earrings! I decided to experiment with …

A Bead Muse Muses

Good Riddance 2020 – Come to Mama 2021!

By Anne Marie December 30, 2020 December 29, 2020 2

Good riddance 2020 is an appropriate title for this blog post! It has not been a good year overall, so I’m certainly not sorry to see the back of it. It has been devastating for many, but beading, stitching, arting, and crafting in general, has helped to keep many of us sane, grounded, and in control of our emotions. When this is all over, you will see that there has been a renaissance in the beading, quilting, sewing, and knitting/crocheting movements. I’m sure that there are other crafts out there that I might have missed, but you get the picture! …