how to create fiber beads

~How to create fiber beads~

These are fiber beads that I created, oh what joyous fun they are to create!!!

First gather your materials...

* drinking straw

* white glue

* scissors

* muslin, tapestry, nearly any cotton blend material

* acrylic paints

* 22 guage wires ~gold copper silver

* needle nose pliers

* wire cutters

* beads, charms & glitter!!

Tear/cut your muslin or cotton material 1/2 to 1 1/2 inch strips, this will be the width of your beads. You will want different sizes of beads~ Cut your strips to about 6 to 12 inches long(experimentation is best)

Proceed to wrap the material around the end of the straw, adding the white glue onto the material as you wrap it around the straw. Make sure it is glued securely & then cut the straw leaving some still within the middle of the wrap. You can usually get 3 beads per straw depending on length of the beads you create.

Now let the fun begin!!

Paint metallic paints on the material & ends. Wrap fibers or yarn around the bead. Wrap wire pieces 5 to 6 inches long, around the fibers or yarn to hold it in place. You can also add beads & charms to the wire, then add glitter or try dipping the beads in embossing powders!!

Have fun creating!!!

~Izabella http://izabella.typepad.com/

this weeks featured artist Kecia Deveney

Lemoncholy's Studio aka kecia deveney

I have a lot of energy. I like to be busy and am rarely ever idle! I also tend to get bored quite easily, so one day I might make jewelry, the next day do a mosaic piece, then onto a painting or an assemblage. I grew up in the military and we moved every 2 years, so I've traveled a lot, have seen much culture ,diversity and experienced things that others will never see. I think that lifestyle plays into who I am creatively and how I see myself. I see myself as a free-spirited, gypsy type of soul. In my mid twenties, I suffered a horrible, life altering experience, when my older son, Tucker (then age 16 months old), suffered a traumatic brain injury due to medical malpractice. Now age 18, he is 100% dependent on care from my husband and I. My despair, anguish and grief over this traumatic event is what propelled me into the art world. I'll start with the cliche that I am self taught. I began making things as gifts and home decor and then onto art shows. It was at an art show that a woman put a name to my work, "altered art". I'd never heard the word before, nor realized that other people like to alter things. This was exciting! From there I found art retreats and dreamed about attending them, but didn't. Then one day I mentioned one of them to my husband, who surprised me by saying, "you should go". So I did - and that was it - I was hooked! I began making online friends who were so similar to me. It really opened a whole new world to me. Slowly I have progressed from classes, to blogging, to etsy, many yahoo groups and currently in the works, a website and now teaching. I'm in my studio every day and I consider this my full time job. Creating is a drug to me. It keeps me sane. I'm passionate about what I do. Through my blog, I've met many women who tell me I inspire them. This fills my soul with joy, that me, this grief stricken girl, can refocus that sadness into inspiration and help other women. It brings me vitality, so I've come full circle.

Kecia

blog: www.lemoncholys.blogspot.com
website: www.lemoncholys.com
etsy: www.keeshagirl.etsy.com
flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lemoncholys

ZNE Art, Paperie and Pleasantries

This weekend!! Art, Paperie & Pleasantries is being held at the Alameda County Fair Building in Pleasanton, CA. There will be lots of vendors, live music, book signings, make & take classes, coloring table for the kiddies and lots of pretties to buy! All the sparkly goodness happens Saturday May 2 & Sunday May 3, 2009 Noon - 5:00 p.m. both days, $3 admission, but get the dollar off coupon on the website. You can find more details here http://www.artandpaperie.com/index.html