#stitchmeditations

The Holidays Await: Let the good times roll!

By Anne Marie December 21, 2022 December 20, 2022 0

The holidays await, but are you ready for them? Not many beading days left, although if you’re not seeing your friend, or family member, until after the big day(s), then there’s still time to whip something up! Cheating I know, but you need to do, what you need to do, to make it all work without tearing your hair out! I didn’t get my mojo working until early December, so I’m behind on some of my projects. When this happens, and it doesn’t happen that often, I reassess my priorities, and pare down the projects. If it’s not done by …

A Bead Muse Muses

Mixing it Up Again! Or so it seems.

By Anne Marie September 14, 2022 September 13, 2022 0

I’m mixing it up again, now that August is over, and the switch to fall is sneaking up to us. The weather is still lovely, but the nights are more comfortable for sleeping. The kids are back in school, the leaves haven’t turned yet, and the moms have more time to work on their own projects. This piece is from 2012, and is another of my favourites! It contains intuitive bead embroidery, free motion machine embroidery, hand embroidery, and even some ruching. It definitely represents my “mixing it up” mood, and is a piece that I made, just because I …

A Bead Muse Muses

The Art of Letting Go!

By Anne Marie August 3, 2022 August 2, 2022 0

The art of letting go is not always an easy thing to do. I sometimes get caught up in what I think that I should do, versus what I really do want to do. So I try to compromise, and generally come out ahead of the game. This summer has been hot, hot, hot, and that did not exactly encourage me to create. On top of that, I don’t have any long-term projects on the go right now. Those time crunches really rev up my creative engine, and I often find that’s when I’m most creative. Crazy, I know! None …

A Bead Muse Muses

My Life in a Box!

By Anne Marie June 22, 2022 June 21, 2022 0

You might think that I’m a very out-of-the box person, but let me assure you, that my creative life lives in a series of boxes. Of course, I’m not talking about supplies, because that’s an entirely different blog post, which I will get to eventually. I’m terrible at dates, so I could not tell you how old some of these boxes are. Let’s just say that they started around 2007, because that’s as good a date as any. There’s a lot to be said for writing dates on your projects, but I’m bad at that as well, except for some …

A Bead Muse Muses

What’s Old is New Again: Isn’t that the truth?

By Anne Marie June 15, 2022 June 14, 2022 2

What’s old is new again, and I’m not just saying it! Of course, what’s old is also old, but that’s what memories are made of. Not to mention, what’s new, is still new, but that’s another story. First up is one of my favourite Bead Journal Project (BJP) series from the past. I never remember which year is which, and am too lazy to actually look it up, so let’s just say it might be 2009. This series is loosely based on colourful row houses. It was tons of fun, and includes many lasting memories. In each house, you will …

A Bead Muse Muses

Take it One Day at a Time!

By Anne Marie March 9, 2022 March 8, 2022 0

One day at a time, is a mantra that I’ve adopted for the world’s current state of affairs. I need that to help me deal with all the negative news. The world is crazy, people are suffering, and I’m having a hard time focusing on day-to-day issues. But life must go on, so I keep repeating “one day at a time” to myself. There are lots of way to cope with stress, and making art of any sort (or even just working with your hands), will help to calm your mind. I have an overabundant stash of stitch, bead, and …

A Bead Muse Muses

A Moment in Time – But still standing tall!

By Anne Marie March 2, 2022 March 1, 2022 2

A moment in time is all it takes to change this crazy world of ours, and that is not a good thing. My energy, beading, and stitch meditations, will focus on the current state of affairs, and hope for an early resolution. I’m finally back in the saddle again! I taught my first beading class last Saturday, and a good time was had by all. It was a Coral Fringe Tassel, and I’m happy to say that my reduced size class was full. Students are more comfortable with the idea of getting back into the classroom, and I couldn’t be …

A Bead Muse Muses

Just Moseying Around – at least part of the time!

By Anne Marie February 15, 2022 February 15, 2022 2

I’m just moseying around, minding my business, and creating a little something, something. Not all bead related, but what else would you expect? A collection of Bead/Stitch Meditation Twinchies (2” x 2”), that I made a few years back. It was supposed to be the start of a series, but it ended up being a very short series. I don’t remember why it stalled, but I was either engaged in something else at the time, or wasn’t fully invested. I really do love these little pieces! I promised that I was going to finish another necklace this week, so instead …

A Bead Muse Muses

Off the Rails Again – But I am productive!

By Anne Marie January 26, 2022 February 2, 2022 2

I’m off the rails again, but still having fun playing around with my new projects. My beading has mostly fallen by the wayside, but I have some new ideas in my head, so keep watching this space! I did add a few more beads to my Venus Jasper, and Enamel necklaces. You won’t notice much of a difference, but I do. I’ve added more beads to both, and now all that’s really left to do is figure out how to end the silk, then add a clasp. The No. 10 Griffin silk does not fit into either a clam shell, …

A Bead Muse Muses

December 2021 Bead Mat Update: Return of the beads!

By Anne Marie December 29, 2021 December 29, 2021 0

For my December 2021 bead mat update, I thought that I would show you that I’m fully capable of returning to beads. My mind is now in the right space, so I thought that I would do a little experimenting. I have been gifting hand made for many years. It wouldn’t feel like Christmas, if I wasn’t rushing to either stitch, or bead something. This year, stitching was the star, and beading took a back seat. But next year, it might be a different story. First up on my December 2021 bead mat update, is this rather plain, denim orb …