I'll be teaching a class next month:

Beginning Crochet Class
San Diego Art Institute Conference Room—Tues., Feb 16, 12 noon to 2 PM

Fee: $5 SDAI Members, $10 non-members

Limit: 10 adults

Class will cover basic stitches (chain, slip stitch, single crochet, double crochet, triple crochet), and basic foundations—standard chain stitch for flat, square pieces and for “crocheting in the round”, and a ring start for flat circular pieces.

To bring:
1 skein of a smooth, worsted weight yarn in a light or bright color (Red Heart “Super Saver”, “Vanna’s Choice” or similar acrylic yarns; Peaches & Crème or Sugar & Cream cotton yarn).

K, L, M or N hook— aluminum, plastic, wood or bamboo. Note: if you have arthritis or your hands get cold easily—wood or bamboo are better choices.

Usagi Yojimbo 25th Anniv. Project

Well..... The picture of Usagi is done, but am having problems with the background/amulet bag portion. On attempt #3 now.

Have finished a Groo "kopin bag" and a matching water bottle carrier, and have supplies for UY 25th Anniv cell phone charms and DoD items. Now to find the time to make them....

Comic Con prep...

Got started on my primary "special project" for this year's CCI art show-- drafted a pattern for a "Usagi Yojimbo 25th Anniversary" amulet bag... need to get the beads still. Not sure if I want to do the background in black (hard on the eyes to bead...) with a red UY (per the sticker Stan made) or white with black "ink" to make it look more like a "sumi-e"....

Scanned in Stan's sticker... adjusted the colors... uploaded it to "Easy Bead Patterns 2.0" software... corrected/adjusted the "pixels"... all in all, about a 2 hr process.

Condor Con 2009

I set up my table at the Condor Con Art Show this afternoon-- 80 pieces, which is less than usual. After setting up, I realized I had forgotten the bid sheets... and since the idea is to sell some of these pieces, I had the option of going home and fetching the beautifully (?) mail-merged and neatly printed out ones that were sitting in front of my computer, or hastily fill out 80 new sheets.... Didn't need to think toooo long. It would have taken longer to fill them out, than a round trip home, and the thought of paying for parking twice (and for the gas) was barely considered compared to the risk of terminal writer's cramp.

Dear, sweet Glen Wooten, the Art Show director, is very patient with this sort of thing.... And the parking attendant didn't charge me for the quick in & out stop, so he's officially a sweetie, too.

Facebook Fan Page

http://www.facebook.com/pages/San-Diego/Simplexities/48685277317

If you have a Facebook account, you can become a "fan" of my page-- I think that will mean you'll get updates when I add anything to the page. Anyway... I put up a few albums of my beadwork and crochet projects.

I am once again reminded I really need to get pictures taken of a lot more....

Homework Project

This is an art project done in liu of an essay on "Appreciation of Buddhism" for the Ministers' Assistant Program of the Buddhist Churches of America (http://www.buddhistchurchesofamerica.org/).

I'm not sure how long it took to make-- doubtlessly, a lot longer than an essay would have. I still need to mount it properly, but first need to get another "calligraphy board"-- I messed up the one I was going to use for backing when I drilled the holes to wire the hanging bar to it.

Project stats: I designed the pattern; base fabric done in peyote stitch using 11/0 seed beads, 54 beads wide by 75 or so rows (not including hanging loops). Bead appliquet/enhancements done with 15/0 seed beads. "Thread" was Fireline "Crystal", 8# test. Bamboo skewer for hanging bar. Will be mounted on a Japanese calligraphy board-- probably using adhesive "dots", since the wiring attempt was a failure, and the board on a washi "frame" used to display such boards.

UPDATE: the glue dot thingies didn't work, either.... Beadwork is too heavy. Will probably sew it directly to the washi "frame".

First Place Winner-- BSSDC Member Challenge

"TOO PRECIOUS" Necklace

The "challenge" was to use a baggie of beads-- mostly seed beads-- in various bright "jewel tones": sapphire, fushia, teal, and purple seed beads, and a few other smallish beads. The theme was Deep Jewel Tones. http://sdbeadsociety.org/members/challenges.htm

I added amethyst, apatite, citrine, and peridot gemstones (mostly chips/mini-nuggets), additional glass and paua beads, and the utterly, too precious Hello Kitty acrylic beads I got from Chris Prussing (http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5569264). The clasp is Bali silver with a faceted amethyst.

FAQ Answers: No, this one is not for sale. Yes, I wear it. To work. No, I don't have instructions-- I kinda made it up as I went along, and really can't say exactly how I did it... other than that each strand is a different length of strung beads, brought into a single strand to which is attached the clasp. I have no idea how much it cost to make, or where I got anything except the challenge beads and the Hello Kitty beads.... and I don't think Chris has anymore of those (she has some very cool beaded beads, though...).