I know a lot of beaders, and therefore I know that a lot of us share the same habits when it comes to beads... we hoard. It doesn't start out as our intention (at least I don't think it does), but as we see all those beautiful little bits of glass, metal, and clay, we just can't resist them. All we can think about is how pretty they are and all the lovely things we could make to use that beady goodness.
But then time comes into play. There's never enough of that, it seems, so we pack those pretty beads away carefully to be used another day. And then we see more pretty beads. And we have to have them. But we don't have time to use them. And they're packed away. And the cycle continues...
For someone like me, who's been happily beading away for about nine years now, the bead hoarding begins to reach astronomical proportions. I resist the urge to buy new beads, no matter HOW pretty they are (we won't even talk about the gorgeous lampwork hearts I bought yesterday... ahem). I make resolutions for myself to use beads from my "stash" rather than buying new beads, and sometimes I'll actually go to my stash and grab some beads after spending a couple of hours ogling beads online. Sometimes.
So why all this talk of bead hoarding? I'm throwing down a challenge to my fellow beaders -- go dive into your bead hoard, your own personal stash, and pick out some beads you've had stored away for a future project. Choose some you've had for a long time, some that haven't seen the light of day in years. Then make something with them and show it off! Post pictures to your blog or your Facebook page, and tell everyone how good it feels to use some of your bead hoard. Maybe we can all find and support each other if we tag our creations with #beadhoard.
Here's a little something to inspire you -- I just finished this bead crochet rope, which I've named Tutku, a Turkish name that means "passion." The rope is crocheted from cream colored pearl finish Czech seed beads that look like spun honey, and the focal beads I used for the ends of the lariat (the beads that inspired the Turkish name) are polymer clay beads made by DDee Wilder. I've had the polymer clay beads for four or five years now, so long that I even forgot I had them until I went through my bead hoard. I think they deserve to see the light of day, don't you? :-)
Well, here it is. The new year. Not so new any more, as it's already almost the end of January.
Did you make any resolutions? I think I resolved not to resolve... Last year I did pseudo-resolutions. Things I wanted to do, jotted down in a notebook. I got a few of them done, but not nearly as many as I wanted. Oh well. I had a fun year anyway. :-)
One thing I want to do this year (and mind you, it's not a resolution) is to get more things listed in my Etsy shops. Did you know I have THREE Etsy shops? Sheesh.
My primary shop is time2cre8, where I have all my beady creations and beading patterns. I can't even estimate the number of beadwoven pieces I've made over the past several months that need to be photographed and listed. I also want to UNlist some things, pieces I made on a whim that have just sat there in my shop taking up space. It's time for them to go.
Then I have a shop called time2split, where I began selling off some of my art supplies and some vintage stuff I've collected over the years. I only opened that shop as a way to destash, but it's turned into quite an enterprise now. It's stocked with different types of cardstock and art paper, as well as piles and piles of handmade envelopes (my way of working through a scrapbooking paper addiction). Since there's still lots of destashing I need to do, I want to get more listed in that shop too. Not a resolution, though. :-)
Last but not least is the third shop, time2cre8too, where I have stationery items. I started a line of stationery a few years ago that I call Captioned Critters, and I've been slowly stocking the shelves in the time2cre8too shop with mini notecards and stickers. I also have a bunch of Alice in Wonderland things, all made from the gorgeous illustrations by Sir John Tenniel. The plan this year is to add more critters to the mix and a bigger variety of items that feature all the quirky animals I've found.
Note that all of my shops have "time" in the name. That's one thing that seems to be in short supply, but I'm having a blast making things.
What about you? What do you like to do with your time? Do you make things? Cook? Read? Exercise? Travel?
Whatever you do, I hope you're having fun!
