Framed Again

I picked up my framed piece today and am much happier with it. The reverse mat eliminated that annoying white line between the beadwork and the mat and the sharpies touched up all of the places that the white interfacing might have shown through due to the piece not being exactly square. The museum glass I decided to buy makes it very difficult to tell that there is even glass over the beadwork.  

Now, I am waiting to hear from Bead & Button about whether or not I got into Bead Dreams this year. I wonder how they will be contacting people?

Framed

Well, I went to pick up my piece at the framer and took this photo. Then I decided I wasn't happy. The mat was cut in the traditional way, leaving a white line all the way around the piece between the beadwork and the mat. This really wasn't what I wanted. So the framer cut a new mat with a reverse bevel. I went in this morning armed with my Sharpie markers to see the new mat. I ended up going around the whole piece with my markers, coloring the white interfacing next to the outer edges of beads. This way, since the piece isn't exactly square, the small places that don't have beads will not be obvious. 

The owner of the shop decided that, since there was still the possibility that I wouldn't be happy after the mat was put in place, he wanted me to position it myself. So he put on the glue and I put the mat where I wanted it. I was finally happy with what it looked like... and I get to pick it up tomorrow morning!

On a side note, I started working on my 2nd piece for the 2008-2009 BJP, using the same green beads I used on Elemental Earth. They were already out and I was feeling like I wanted to use them some more, so there you go.

Elemental Series Complete!!

I finally finished my Elemental Bead Embroidery Series today. :) I am very excited and will be submitting my Bead Dreams application tonight (or tomorrow at the latest, since that's the deadline)!  I really like how Earth turned out. It is so hard to get a good photo of this piece!!!

Elemental Earth - Half Done

Well, I wanted to have the whole thing finished by now... between choral rehearsals / concerts, tax season, and life, I just didn't get there. I get to pick green beads tomorrow, though, for the leaf, and hopefully get it all done by next weekend so that I can enter Bead Dreams.

Yesterday's Progress

Preparing tax returns is unfortunately taking much of my free time right now. I'm working on this whenever I can, though, and still plan on having it finished by the middle of March so that it can be framed and photographed by the Bead Dreams application deadline.

Elemental Earth's Colorful Start

I am entering the home stretch for my Bead Dreams entry. I have a whole slew of brown and creme beads, pearls, glass, and stones sitting in front of me just begging to be picked for Elemental Earth. =D

Elemental Water - Complete

Elemental Water is finally done! All I have left is Elemental Earth and the whole series will be done and ready for Bead Dreams!

Getting Ahead of Myself

It's kind of silly for me to be thinking about this right now, since I'm trying to finish my Elemental Bead Embroidery series for Bead Dreams. But I'm wondering about something... I've had people asking me if I sell patterns for the pieces I've made, particularly my Embroidered Butterfly. And I was wondering how I should sell it. 

Should I sell it as a pattern only, with no text instructions? 

Should I include some sort of instructions, maybe kind of basic?  If this is your choice, what kind of instructions do you think I should include? 

Should I do one or the other with beads included for a kit?  I've made a poll in the sidebar to the right and would appreciate any input you all have.

I might also sell patterns for some of the bead embroidered cuff bracelets I've made (or will make as I finish out the 2008-2009 Bead Journal Project).

After you vote (or even if you don't), please leave me your comments.  Thanks!

Edited to add:  How much do you think I should be charging for something like this? And if there are instructions, how detailed should they be?

Water done! On to the leaf...

Just finished the water.  I love the way this turned out!  It's my favorite so far.

Making waves... or what I did on my kids' snow days!

Well, here's what my Elemental Water panel looks like now.  I am gonna make my end-of-February deadline for sure on this panel... if I can keep this level of energy on it, I'm sure to be done in time to enter Bead Dreams.

Round and round

Steady progress on my Elemental Water panel.  My goal is to get this one done by the end of February and the final panel, Elemental Earth, done by the end of March.  Then framing and submission to Bead Dreams by the deadline on April 9.  I did about half of the circles today, so there is hope for me getting it done in time.

Bravery (or progress towards impossible goals)

Well, I decided that I want to enter my Elemental Bead Embroidery Panel Series into the Bead Dreams competition this year. I'm not sure if it's even possible, since I have almost half of it to go and the entry deadline is the beginning of April... and I'm an accountant. Not really the best time for me to plan to spend hours and hours working on this. But if I'm going to enter, this is the year to do it, so I'm going to try my hardest to get it done by then.

Wish me luck!!

Not slacking, just busy

As usual, my photography leaves much to be desired.  I used my camera phone to take this pic and it's horrible.  This is why I scan my pieces!

I haven't had much time to work on this project recently.  I am a member of the Asheville Choral Society and we had two performances of our annual Christmas concert this past weekend.  The last month has been filled with music and not much else.  Trying to catch up on sleep and figure out my marketing for next year have also been high on my list of time stealers lately.  I'll be carving out beading time on my Christmas break, though, so hopefully, the next update will have many more beads on it!

Elemental Water Progress

The color's not quite right on this scan, but this is what the panel looks like right now.

Elemental Air Scan

Scan (much better resolution) of Elemental Air.

Elemental Fire - Scanned

Well, I finally got my scanner hooked up (to an old computer since it doesn't work on Windows XP or Vista) and was able to get a good shot of my Elemental Fire panel.  :)  Click to see a VERY large detailed version.

Colored Background for Elemental Water

Here's what my interfacing looks like right now.  I love my new BIC markers!!

Elemental Water Sketch

Here's the sketch for the 3rd panel in my Elemental Series for the 2007-2008 Bead Journal Project, Elemental Water.

Elemental Fire - complete!

Finally done with panel 2!  On to panel 3 - Elemental Water.

So Close!! Elemental Fire Update

Lots of progress today - yay!!