process... journey... adventure

 When my daughter was small, she was gifted a 

talking teddy bear, he was all about 'adventure'.

To this day I hear his little recorded voice when I

talk about adventure. 

The voice was so full of 

hope.

My life continues to be a journey 

with adventure around many corners.

Hope for a new balance now is huge!

Below are progress shots of my newest design.

Sure to be an adventure when I start pulling

fibers and stitching. 

This all happened because Ruth posted 

these cool glass beads she'd discovered on line. 

That same evening I went down a 

rabbit hole looking at 

beautiful glass beads on line.

I felt a need to DO something and started to draw. 

My all time favorite way to ART. 

The drawings became paintings and one

 of the paintings became Marbles One.

Now, let me introduce you to Marbles Two!

It is an adventure and sometimes a struggle 

to decide how to paint a piece 

for you to stitch. 

I have to make my brain think about 

how the piece will be interpreted with a 

plethora of different fibers and beads.

I also have to think about how 

to make what's in my head

translate in the written word to you.

Luckily now, I can take a zillion photos

to use in my guides along 

with numbered charts.

AND... 

thank you to those that edit my words 

for each stitch guide I compose. 

They have become very

proficient at taking out my awful grammar 

but not the conversation 

I hold with you the stitcher.

Ta-Da!! Flowing or rolling into

'Marbles Two'

As a kid, the front yard of my grade school

became a marble playing arena.

I still have my crown royal bag of 

marbles with one steely!

Most of the girls played jacks,

a rebel from the start, I liked

marbles way better.

On a side note...

I love to read, 

I love illustrated children's books.

This morning I popped into my favorite

local book store to pick up a new treasure.

Of course, I came home with two!

A book full of illustrated Faeries and 

one of illustrated stories.

IF you're ever in Central Florida

Lakeland specifically...

you simply must visit this 

wonderful little treasure shop.

The Unbound Bookery 

owned by the equally colorful

Sandi Silverman

[863]670.0110

I'm all about being a mischievous fairy. 

This is currently under construction, two pages

of hand written decorative stitching ideas to 

get into the computer and diagram. 

Stay tuned.

...sharing techniques

My technique for a beaded edge to finish off your beautiful needlepoint.

This is a technique I developed years ago when I did all

charted work and wearable art pins.

The edge of beads provides the perfect folding line.

Use size 11 beads with matching beading thread.

[tip...I always beeswax my beading thread and

I use a short John James ball point size 10 beading needle.]

Follow Step One and Step Two as charted.

Next, trim away excess canvas, leaving about

an inch plus all the away around as in first photo.

Now miter corners and fold in sides.

I lightly press with a warm iron. This does not

require you to mash with the iron, there is 

enough sizing in your canvas that lightly

pressing will hold it in place.

Insert a piece of felt under the folded edges.

This adds some extra depth to the piece and

it hides the folded edges from being seen

through any openness in your work.

 I mount all on covered acid free foam core, 

cut about 1/4" smaller than beaded edge piece.

The center picture above shows the felt

being attached.  I use white glue for this, let 

it dry completely.  The last step is to attach the 

stitched piece to the board. This is accomplished

with clear or white nylon thread. This enables

you to sew through the edges of your piece without

the stitches showing. Sew through piece and just the edge

of the foam covered board.  

Now you can hand this all to your framer to mount 

on a backing board [I use the same white glue for this.]

I came up with this so that there is no glue on my 

needlework! My pieces float beautifully in 

the shadow boxes I use for framing. 

Tada!

Hmmm, my marbles....

I really didn't lose them ... I even added a couple more.
[and the Crown bag with my steely's is well hidden]

TaDa!!
'Marble One'©
Painted canvas and stitch guide by moi.
Please join us in Lutherville, Maryland at 
our magical studio, The Beehive
September 16 & 17, 2017
for the playful stitching of 
my newest design.
You're sure to have a blast with us!
Class is sponsored by my extraordinary distributor
Ruth Schmuff Designs
call for details
410 . 296 . 0405
sales@bedeckedandbeadazzled.com

Pssst!
I'll even show you how to do this part!!