Beaded Hummingbird Needle Case Pattern by Beth Murr

Blue Hole - Signal Mountain, Tennessee

Finally at the age of 46, I can now say I have been to Blue Hole!

This is not a place that I would recommend anyone to dive into. From what the kids were telling me, the water here is eight feet deep near the edges. I can only wonder how deep the water is in the middle. I will never know because I would never jump into the Blue Hole. I have a horrible memory of the day the ER brought me a young mother that had jumped into the Blue Hole. She did not survive. I have asked my daughter to never jump into the Blue Hole and encourage her friends not to either. I hope that they will listen. 

The area around the Blue Hole is trashed with beer cans and broken beer bottles. This was so sad to look at. This would never happen on Mount Desert Island, Maine. I wish the county would develop a project to clean up Blue Hole and prohibit diving with a hefty fine. Wouldn't it be a great idea to, instead of diving head first out of a 30 foot tree into 8 feet of water, bring a few garbage bags and pick up the trash?

What's going on in the Clay Cave?

 

Here is the view from my kitchen window. I love to set up aquariums in different places around my home in the summertime.
 

I've been busy in the Clay Cave. Here's a couple of sneak previews. Can't wait to break out the Raku kiln.

Sea Turtles

 Raku Zodiac Cabochons

 

While the mud dries I am sneaking in a few rows in my latest needle case pattern. Hummingbirds!

Beaded Needle Case Pattern Book Cover

My first book of bead patterns. Here's the cover. Still formatting the book. Will be available soon! If you want to buy these patterns individually you can get them on on my website by clicking here 

Until We Bead Again, Beth Murr

Beaded Dragonfly & Tree Frog Statement Neck Collar by Beth Murr

                         

Finished! Man was this fun to make. I need supplies (imagine that) so I am off to the local Michael's and Hobby Lobby. I am going to wear this necklace and cruise the bead isles. I wonder if anyone will stop and ask me, "Did you make that?" This piece incorporates so many different techniques. Let's see...there is bead embroidery, peyote stitch, wire work, and leather work. Too much fun.

I hear rumblings in the Clay Cave. Now that this collar is finished I am going down there. It is time to make beads and sell beads. Why you ask. So I can buy more beads! Be on the lookout for awesome clay beads and cabochons you bead embroidery artists can use in your neck collars. I will be making seahorses, octopus, frogs, snakes and more. Get ready for something totally different in the world of Bead Embroidery!

Until We Bead Again - Beth Murr

The Bead Attic - Some Old Treasures

Occasionally I make my way up to the bead attic before it reaches lung frying temperatures! This morning I found my old pet seahorse, my shell anklet, a really skinny needle case my brother made me and a small stash of my favorite brown beads. These beads are the most beautiful brown beads in the world. So dark with a tiny gold flake that you can only see if the light hits them just right. My quest to find more of these is now entering it's third year. If anyone knows where to find them please contact me.

And then there was this. If I had been looking for it I never would have found it. I have not done my research yet, but I wonder if these are still selling on the Internet. Maybe someday I will make something with it. It looks like it would be a great tool for making tubular bead videos.

 
My latest bead project is moving right along. Definitely hooked on bead embroidery now! Dang just when clay season started! Oh, and then there is that Humming Bird needle case that keeps nagging at me too! Never enough hours in my days or nights. Depending on how you want to look at it. My circadian rhythm has always marched to a different drummer.

Humming Bird Webcam

If you haven't already seen this, it is a must see!
Click the link below, you'll be glad you did.
http://www.phoebeallens.com/ 
After you get over being amazed there check out this guy's You Tube channel. I call him the Humming Bird Whisperer. He has videos of Humming Birds drinking from the palm of his hand! Amazing Stuff!
http://www.youtube.com/user/russlouky
I have a new needle case pattern. It is Humming Birds. If I could only find the time to get it beaded up!

Beaded Needle Case Patterns by Beth Murr

 I am loving this static page feature that Blogger has now. Really Cool!

Just one more bead project before the Clay Cave draws me in!

I can already here it calling my name. I need to get down there. Last night I overheard the toads planning a takeover. I'm cold natured so bead weaving suits me in the winter months, but look out. Things are about to heat up! Raku is on the Soon To Do List. Break out the torches and the gas masks. It 's going to get smokey. Be on the lookout for some crazy focal beads.
Until We Bead Again, Beth Murr   

 

Koi Pond Needle Case Pattern

Feels like Summer to me. I was finally able to finish the Koi Pond needle case. Luckily I did not have to make any revisions in the pattern. I must be getting better with practice.

I am giving this needle case to my best friend in the whole wide world,  Angie McNabb. She is one of the kindest people I know. Not just to me but everyone around her. She is a great wife to her husband Steve, and a great mom to her son Dustin.

She  has always been there for me, even in my darkest hours. I remember when I finally divorced my daughter's father. I had nothing. He made sure of that. Well, really I had a lot. I finally had my sanity. The kids and I finally broke away from that nightmare. We moved into a little two bedroom shack. I would guess the square footage to have been about 600 feet. I had no bed to sleep on, no couch to sit on and no refrigerator to keep my food in. She gave me a king size 4 inch thick piece of foam to sleep on. After the hell I had been through in that marriage, I would have slept on a gravel road to get out of it. Angie has always had a knack for finding great bargains and free things. Living out of ice chests was getting old. Before I knew it Angie found someone who had a like new refrigerator that they wanted to give away. The only stipulation, they wanted to give it to someone that really needed it. Well I certainly met the criteria. She made it her mission in life to help me restore mine. Well at least it seemed that way to me. In no time I had a fully furnished home.

One Summer each of us built water gardens at our homes. I'll never forget when I convinced her to move her pet goldfish, Goldie, out into her water garden. He didn't last long. I just knew that he was going to love his new outdoor home. Goldie saw it differently. I felt so bad. Goldie was so big that he barely fit into a checkbook box. Yes, Goldie had to be buried and there was a small memorial service held. You see, my friend, Angie is very special. She has a heart of gold. I guess that is why we have been friends so long. No one else would put up with my craziness!

Angie, 
         Because you are the best friend I could ever ask for, because it was my fault that Goldie's life ended too soon, and because you never throw anything away, I am giving this Koi Pond Needle Case to you. I hope you like it! :)

Your Friend,
                  Beth

 

Here is Angie with her very talented dog, Daisy.

Koi & Cattails Beaded Needle Case Pattern

Coming Soon! Inspiration for my next needle case. Koi & Cattails. This will complete the first collection. The next thing I need to do is figure out how to get all of these patterns in a book. I would be grateful to anyone who has suggestions on how to do make an Ebook. Please share any experience you have had, good or bad. I'm all ears.
Until We Bead Again, Beth Murr

Beaded Needle Case Patterns by Beth Murr

                  The Dirty Dozen

Even Count Tubular Peyote Stitch Beaded Needle Cases Removing and Replacing the wrong bead by Beth Murr

In this video I will show you how to remove and replace a bead. This technique can save you hours of time. Did you ever finish an even count tubular peyote project and find a misplaced bead? Did you take out several rows just to replace one bead? You don't have to. Use this technique and save yourself some time.
Until We Bead Again, Beth Murr
Buy Beaded Needle Case Patterns and wooden Needle Cases on my website.

Beaded Needle Case Pattern Carousel Horse

Whew, finished just in time for me Mom! Happy Mother's Day Mom. I love you very much. You can buy this pattern at my website. Click Here.

Carousel Needle Case Pattern Coming Soon!

Really hoping I can get this needle case finished by Mother's Day.

Poor JJ, his nerves got the best of him.

Running of The Chihuahuas 2010 Chattanooga,TN

 

JJ my chi will be racing in The Running of The Chihuahuas 2010 in Chattanooga, TN. This will be his second year. Last year he was just a puppy but he tried. He's all grown up now. He is the favorite to win! Come out and cheer him on. This is a great event and admission is free!

Beaded Needle Case Pattern The Dragon's Castle

Here he is! This pattern went through several different revisions. Design changes, color changes. You name it. He went there. I finally found the right color combos. I must admit I had completely beaded up the first version before I realized the pattern and the colors did not work! Originally I had a winding road leading to the castle. That had to be removed as well. What a headache! But, like most artists, I will not quit until I am satisfied with my work. I knew a great pattern was in there. I just had to keep working until I found it! So, the moral of the story is....a ton of work goes into creating intricate beaded needle case patterns. Many things must be taken into consideration. Theme, design, color combos and balance. What looks good on paper will not always transfer around a 1/2 inch diameter wooden needle case! Until We Bead Again, Beth Murr

Dragon's Castle Needle Case Pattern Makeover

Lesson learned. Never bead when you are exhausted. I have probably spent more time undoing this project this week, than I have beading it. It has been a very long week. But, the good news is, it is over! Now, I can get back to my beadwork. Yeah!

The Dragon's Castle needle case pattern has been totally redone. Now, I just have to get it beaded up! I always like to test my patterns. What looks great on paper doesn't always look great in beads. Matte vs silver lined. Big issue here. For me, it depends on the piece. Somethings look good in shiny colors and some things look better in matte colors. I guess it just boils down to a matter of preference.

Like most bead artist, I just can't rest until I am satisfied a piece looks right. One bead out of place can drive an artist crazy. People say,"Oh, I would have never noticed." But the artist will always see the misplaced bead first and is never happy until it is corrected.

Hopefully, if all goes well, I well have this little devil finished this weekend.