Just Some Misc. Stuff

I'm making good progress on my mask, but I'm having some trouble getting a good photo. I toned down the blue with some metallic copper paint, and the flash turns it really red, and it looks awful. If we get a good overcast day, I'll try it again.

I did get a pretty cool picture this week, though. Actually, my boss got the picture, but I'm posting it. I work near town, but not "in" town in a small office complex, and we're seeing a resurgence of wildlife lately, raccoons, foxes, and a lot of hawks and geese, but I haven't seen a wild turkey in 15 or more years, yet there he is, strutting across the parking lot! He scared the heck out of the lady who works next door. I really wanted a better look, but he wasn't having any of that!

So, maybe mask pictures next time, but this time it's just a turkey.

Be well.

Pay it Forward

My friend Beki is Paying it Forward. I posted, and am now doing it, too. So here's the deal, the first three people to comment on this post, and to promise to post a Pay it Forward on their own blogs, will receive a beady gift from me.
It seems like a pretty cool idea to me. The world could definitely benefit from a few random acts of kindness, and the beading community has a long standing tradition of generosity. It follows that this would fit right in.
So here are the rules: I will send a handmade beaded gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange (and email me their mailing address and favorite color), and who make the same pledge on their own blogs. I don't know what the gift will be, but it will be beaded, and you will receive it within 1 year, I promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward, by posting a pay it forward on your own blog.

Behind the Mask Challenge

I was having fits with this project. It seemed to me that everyone was covering the mask and doing bead embroidery...something I'm not really good at. I knew what I wanted, but it wasn't coming together for me. I'm not used to doing pieces like this and felt like maybe it was a mistake to try.

Then it hit me. I do not have to embroider this piece. I scrapped the felt and painted the mask blue. The ridges are rope I covered in beads, and I wrapped the outer edge like a cabochon. I'll add the "petals" to the outer edge. I haven't decided on placement, yet, but I'm getting there. There will be more paint... this blue is a little too intense for me. After that, who knows? I have until May.

The challenge is sponsored by The Beadin Path. http://www.beadinpath.com/