Tag: #time

Beading Tips Du Jour

Are you like me?  Do you find this really cool pattern & want to give it your own color combination but aren’t sure where to begin?  Well, allow me to share what has helped me.

Tip #1:  It’s okay to try out a combination and see if you like it.  If you don’t, it’s OKAY TO TAKE IT APART & START OVER!  It’s not a waste of time or money or effort.  It’s part of the creative learning process.  And, you don’t necessarily have to make the whole project to see if it will suit your taste or not.  Just GO FOR IT and change it if you want to!

Tip#2:  Maybe you have a peyote stitch or right angle weave chart that was taught in one color and you want to change it to a different color or to more than one.  Here are my suggestions:

1. Scan the chart into your computer, and then open it in an art program, like Paint Shop Pro.  (Or you can print it out & color it by hand, if you like.)

2. Fill/color in all the beads pictured with white, so you have a blank form with which to start.  (If you are coloring it in White-out or Liquid Paper, then you’ll want to let it dry, scan it again and print it out again.)

If the colored pattern is of flowers or some other specific design that you just want to change part of the color, only fill those particular beads with a new color.  Don’t white out all of the beads or you could have a doozy of a time recreating the pattern of flowers or whatever was there.

3. Starting with the last/most complete picture of the pattern, color in the beads as desired.  This will help you see what it actually turn out like.

When I first tried this on a chart, I had started with the first picture which only showed the first three rows.  first two rows

By the time I got to the overall pattern picture, it didn’t look anything like what I wanted.  So it really helps to work your way from an overall picture like this one backwards.  overall rows

Tip #3:  You don’t have to do the whole project on one thread!  It’s OKAY to make individual pieces and then stitch them together later!

Tip #4:  It’s OKAY to use glue to make your beads stay put!

The Bottom Line is:  do what you want to!  There are no hard fast rules in beading.  It’s what works for you!  So, play.  Have fun.  Enjoy.  Don’t make it be work!  Make it yours!  Let it go!  Breathe!  Each piece of artwork has its own beauty–“flaws” and all!  And remember, our flaws are what makes us sparkle!

Have a happy, beadingly fun, sparkly day!

#TheHappyBeader

The Happy Beader
The Happy Beader

A Big Thank You…

I had an absolutely fabulous time this weekend at Gem Faire! So many of you came to see me, took classes and hung out. I loved it! I had a blast! I feel like Tigger personified! Whoo hoo! You all were so nice, too! Thank you, thank you, thank you! Thank you all for a record breaking weekend! God bless you, real good!thank you block

“…whatever they do prospers”

As I endeavor to build my business, wanting it to grow and flourish–to prosper–is always on my mind.  I want to do my best.   I want to give my best to and for my customers, in whatever way I can & whatever that means, without worrying about “the money”.  But reality says, “Count the cost.  Consider what ends will be produced.  Is this where I want to go with my business?  Will this bless my customers?  Is this worth the time and effort I’m putting into it?” All these questions swim around in my head.

And then there are the myriad of other things to do behind the scenes, other than the fun of designing & making jewelry & patterns, etc.  There’s my website, emails, shows, working with vendors… then there’s the BOOK KEEPING–bluh!  I actually don’t mind it, but it seems like such a mountain to keep on top of!  And of course there are the daily chores around the house, and the TLC of a husband, 2012-08-25_15-19-09_5431211101503162 cats & a dog to consider. Snickers is hungry There’s family and friends to spend time with, and church–these are the easier occupations of life, at least.  But there are just so many good things to occupy my time that sometimes it is all so overwhelming.  AND in there somewhere, I have to take care of myself!  Do you ever feel that way about your life?  Do the details of life swim around in your head too, or am I alone in this?  And you want to be successful/prosper in your endeavors, too, right?   So why does it seem so difficult?  And why am I stressing about it all?  Why is it so hard to decide what project or task I should tackle next?

Fear is such a nasty thing.  It grabs you by the heart, and infects your mind, and if you’re like me, affects your body!  (I’m keeping my massage therapist and chiropractor in business, at least.  LOL)  For me, it’s the biggest mountain in all of this to overcome.  But what am I really afraid of?  Failing, failing myself, failing my husband, failing my customers, failing my Heavenly Father.  That last one is the hardest one.  But everyday He reminds me how much He loves me, that He delights in who He made me to be and that He is not a hard task master with a javelin in His hand, waiting for me to mess up so He can pass judgment on me.  Wow!  Where do we get such awful images of God?  He keeps on reminding me that it is He who is at work in me, that I am His workmanship (not my own workmanship), created for good works in Christ, that I should walk in them (not stress or scurry through them).  I don’t need to worry about failing.  He is as at work in me.  So, stop it, would you, Misti?!

Okay, so where does the title come in?  Yesterday morning, as I have been weighing what truly matters, what truly is important, the Lord reminded me that I really do need to spend time with Him in His Word for my well-being.  If you’re like me, reading the Bible can seem daunting–the big picture that I see is a huge book that I could never possibly read in entirety, and even if I did, how could I possibly remember any of it.   But I know I “should”; rather, that I need to.  But where do I begin?  So, I went to www.BibleGateway.com and thought I would see what they had to offer for Bible Study and reading.  I saw, “Scripture Engagement” and that sounded intriguing.  So, I started reading it.  It was refreshing and encouraging, as the Bible always is.  And in it was this verse:  “Blessed is the one…whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on His law day and night.”  Ps. 1:2  I didn’t stop reading there. The next verse really stood out to me.  “That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither–whatever they do prospers.”  Prospers… there is that word.  I knew that verse, I read it many times.  But there is my answer!   If I truly want to prosper, I NEED to meditate on the Scriptures, for in them are the words of life.   I want to be that tree planted by streams of water so that I will never thirst or run dry!  I want to yield my fruit in season, and I certainly don’t want my leaves to wither.  LOL  (I don’t think that is referring to aging, though.  LOL)  And YES, I WANT TO PROSPER!  So my answer is “Scripture Engagement”.   (Here is the link to that page, in case you are interested:  https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/scripture-engagement/)  The cool thing about this is that I love to write–obviously.  And writing my meditations on the Word help me remember what I read.   And hopefully, it will be an encouragement to you.  I really do want to be a blessing to you.  So, I hope my meditations help you.  And if you ever need prayer, please feel free to email me.  Okay?

I look forward to your comments!

Hoping your day “prospers” and your mountains seem more like an adventurous hike!

Misti

The Happy Beader
The Happy Beader