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January 15, 2017

Micro-Mosaic Class and Looming Projects

If each new year were a race, it would be safe to say that I come off the blocks too quickly and lose my kick by the end of the race.  I need to learn to pace myself.

And so this year starts like most before it - tons of ideas swirling in my head.  Ideas on ways to improve my websites, new products to design or build, lists of new interests or techniques to explore... plans, plans, plans!

Perhaps this year will be different and the momentum will continue throughout the year.  But, probably what's more important is that I still find things that I enjoy and the energy to do them.


Among some other things, I started this year by breaking out of my shell and trying something new - a class in micro-mosaic at the Bead and Design Show in Pasadena.  These are the class projects - can you guess which is mine?

By the way, the show is over today, but they'll also be in Tucson later this month and Costa Mesa and Santa Clara in March.


Mine is the tree (that is incomplete in the first picture) - but I did get it done before the end of the class. If you are familiar with micro-mosaic, you'll know that the rose and daisy flowers are traditional shapes for micro-mosaic.  Trees and landscapes, not so much.

Pretty much everything about the structure of my design is non-traditional.  What the heck.  People have already been there and done that! 


The class was excellent.  Carole Witt, the instructor, will be coming out with a book on the topic soon.  She was enthusiastic and helpful and I thoroughly enjoyed it, even if I didn't feel like I was very good at it. Of course, learning a new skills and applying it in 3 hours is a bit stressful.  I am pretty sure Carole is the owner of the bead shop String Bead in Chico.

Carole taught the traditional method for micro-mosaic and then we cheated a little using apoxy sculpt clay as the background for the glass so it would harden in less than a year.  Yes - literally.  The traditional background materials takes that long to cure.  We cut our own pieces of glass from thin rods, planned our design and then went for it.  I don't think it's something I'll be doing more of in the future, but I have some bezel cases from Nunn Design that I've been wanting to use and a bead mosaic may be filling one in the future.


In addition to taking a class, I purchased more beads (of course!).  These are crystals - smaller than I previously purchased, mostly 3 mm.


And these are crystal cubes.  I think all of these beads are going to be perfect for looming projects.

Oh my - looming!!  I may be obsessed.

I mentioned that I have been trying out a Mirrix 8" Lani loom and making leather bead bracelets and crystal loomed bracelets, but OMG, I dusted off another loom I have (the basic beginner type) and I ordered a Jewel Loom, which is a very portable plastic loom... but I also have two more looms on order!  The last two are Ricks beading looms (one is a Little Ricky travel loom).

Honestly, how can I compare the different types of looms if I don't own one of each?  Well, actually, I did compare them to update the article in the link, but I still like to have the first hand experience with each type.

So, more bead looming is on my list of things to do this year.


Here are a few more goodies that I picked up at the bead show.  I've been looking for buttons for the leather Chan Luu style bracelets and I like these simple gold and silver ones.  I've been dying to make a leather bracelet with pearls. The round closed jump ring connectors are great for brick stitch.  It's still one of my favorite stitches and I don't think I had rings this size already.

I have more goodies to share from the bead and design show as well as a few other new projects, but I hate to show it all at once.  I've got plenty of time and future posts to show it all.  So, until then, be sure to sign up for some social media sites and you'll know what else I've been up to.

On the social media front, this year, I think I'm loving Instagram.  Pinterest was my favorite social media inspiration site last year but the ads are killing it a little for me.

Don't get me wrong, I still check in and pin.  It's just not as great as it was before the promoted posts started to be so prevalent.   My facebook page is still most likely to be updated with my most recent posts and tutorials.

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4 comments:

  1. I like the Jewel Loom for 4 mm cubes and 2-hole Tila beads but that metal bar is pretty hard to get out after you've added the warp threads.

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    1. That's funny. The metal bar was pretty hard to get in too! Well, at least now I'm prepared. thanks!

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  2. The micro-mosaic designs are so cute! The one you did, the tree, is the prettiest of the bunch. The design is really clear compared to the others. I might trying doing some micro-mosaic designs myself.:)

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    1. Thank you - you are very kind (very kind - lol!). I am planning on trying micro-mosaic again using beads and a frame. I've got all the materials ready - just need to get started.

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