new choker and a wip

Not the best pics so please excuse!
Most recently finished choker:

Right angle weave with matte and faceted size 8 glass beads; bezel & netting from size 10 & 15 delicas; cab worked on Lacy Stiff Stuff foundation


And work in progress:
This one is a little bigger than a quarter

stitched onto Lacy's Stiff Stuff foundation, size 8 glass beads w/size 11 square cuts, size 10 tri-cuts, and size 15 metalics
It will be paired with this section of netting:

Planned Purchases

There are two beading books that I plan on buying soon.
The Art of Bead Embroidery: Techniques, Designs & Inspirations by Heidi Kummli & Sherry Serafini
and
Creating Crystal Jewelry with Swarovski: 65 Sparkling Designs with Crystal Beads and Stones by Laura McCabe

Both look like excellent inspiration resources :)

I have Nymo!

Thankfully Island Bead had nymo available! I can finish up my experiment now :) Ok, I have to confess... I bought more than nymo LOL I also picked up a tube of S-Lon beading thread - its such pretty colors! A range of yellows, khakis, orchids, oranges & reds. Perfect for two different projects I have with both orange&yellow and orangish-red color schemes. I also bought beads for two more projects but I'm not admitting that yet LOL

doh! can't believe I forgot...

I can be such an idiot sometimes! In the midst of my teeth nashing over the lack of Nymo at Joann's & Michael's, I completely forgot about a local, independantly owned bead store, Island Bead ::head desk:: I'm not even sure they are open on Sundays but they were just 5 minutes away from where I was. It wouldn't have taken anytime to swing by their store.

I'm flipping through the October 2007 Bead & Button magazine and come to the store listings in the back. My attention was caught by two stores north of me. I was busily planning a Saturday trip to Cocoa Village and then over to Cocoa Beach when my eye spied the words "Melbourne". Huh, I thought, a bead store in Melbourne? Go figure. Then I read the ad... I repeat, I can be such an idiot at times LOL

I'm headed there after work today :)

quicky camera phone pic of my latest work in progress: dichroic glass cab with 11/0 seed bead bezel in peyote stitch, surrounded by 8/0 glass beads alternating with more 11/0 seed beads, starting to add glass oval beads and bugle bead fringe; all set on the previously mentioned Stiff Stuff.

Its only a work in progress because neither Joann's or Michael's had nymo beading thread. Both places were out completely! I swear its a conspiracy LOL but I've got some on order, so ha! I'll just move on to another project that can use the rest of my white nymo thread. My creative has been unleashed so double Ha! :P

Chalking it up a positive :)

I got home a little while ago from the Micco Community Sale. I didn't sale anything but I'm counting it as a success. Why? well...
1) as suspected, it was NOT my target market LOL median age of attendees was about 68
2) my pricing was high for that market but again, see above
3) I received many compliments on my creative designs, techniques and execution.
I may not have sold anything but I'm actually feeling very energized and excited about my work. I'm going to forge ahead and look into several local craft shows & street fairs :)