Introducing This Year’s Dozen

Note to self: Cross “create a blog” off to-do-list. I finally did it!! Will I say anything of interest to anyone? Will I embarrass or make a fool of myself? Only time will tell.

Well, for starters, I am Donna or otherwise known in my quite tiny and limited crafty world as don_mae or don_mae2.  I am recently retired and no longer an 8-to-5 clock watcher. I can stay up as late as I wish and drink liquids past midnight. Whoo-hoo!!

In the wee hours you can usually find me in pj’s blinking and staring at my computer monitor. I like to play card games or post witty comments for my on-line buddies to read with their morning coffee.  But mainly I like deciding which pile of beads needs “therapy” the most. You see, I have a thing for beads, as in making pretty jewelry BEADS. I have them in bins, boxes, bags, on shelves, in drawers, under tables. They are everywhere!!  I like to occasionally pick them up and imagine what part of the body they will eventually adorn.  Then back they go, in their safe places, until I envision the next brilliant idea for necklaces, bracelets or earrings.

Lately, the ideas popping up have been with tiny beads lined up in rows of 6 or 8. Peyote Flat Even Count.  I recently took a couple of peyote classes and now I am hooked. I have to admit I was so clueless to peyote that I called ahead to see if wire would be used. LOL!! Nope, it is all done with needle and thread. Granted, I am a beginner and am limited to simple designs but I am enjoying the process of seeing the beads line up in rows of pretty colors.

Here are two examples of peyote bracelets I designed and created in purple and olive green. I named them Square Links.  I am currently working on a multi-colored bracelet with a matching necklace.

In addition to sewing peyote jewelry, I also like to string beads on wire.  Now I have to figure out how to incorporate beading into my other crafty interests:  macrame and sewing.

Over the next few weeks (months) my plan is to expand my knowledge and stray from my comfort zone AND BLOG ABOUT IT.

• I want to learn new and exciting jewelry techniques.
• I want to turn some of my draft macrame designs into actual items.
• I also need to reintroduce myself to a ”new” one year old sewing machine in need of dusting off. Hello, Janome!! I will get you out from under the table!! Promise!!

Oh yeah, BTW, This Year’s Dozen represents the calendar year, Jan-Dec, and my blog will focus on my learning experiences during these months. Since January and February are history, my Year’s Dozen will begin with March.

So, hopefully you will come back as I embark on some new experiences.