Another Wedding &...

Another Finish!

Three weddings in less than thirty days.....I certainly hope my youngest isn't planning to get married anytime soon. My son Josh got married this weekend~ such a beautiful wedding! They say a family tree grows over time...I feel like ours has exploded all at once, but in a good way. 

I also wanted to share this beautiful finish from one of my students! Frances is in my Gum Work, The Art of 17th c Gummed Silk class that is currently running. It's not even over yet and she has made this stunning dome top casket of her own.

I am just so proud of her! I love her colours and design~ and that the three flowers stand up along the top like pretty little jewels on a crown.

Making and working with gummed silk is so much fun, once you start you can't stop! If you are interested in making your own, you can click the link above to find out more about the class.

I hope you have a great week ~Happy Stitching!!

Beads & Baskets

 My 17th c Inspired Beaded Basket 

Offered this week is a peek at my beadwork basket I made back in 2013, hard to believe it has been 9 years since I made this. Check the notes for the video, I have a link there to the actual 17th c basket in the Corning Museum of Glass's collection that was the inspiration for my basket.

I hope you do something today that not only puts a smile on your face but makes your heart happy too

XOXOXOX

17th Century Beadwork AKA "Beugle Works"

 Applying Learned Techniques to Different Projects

Over the next few days, I will be shooting a number of videos of different things I have made using the techniques I teach in my 17th c beadwork class, Beneath Thy Poft Oak.  So many marvelous things can be made using the core techniques from class~ change the beads... the pattern...change the colours and BAM! you can make some new something of awesomeness!!!  Today I will share a peek at my Padded Mirror Case. While I no longer offer this class specifically, I do still sell the pattern and figures for it. The surface work, three-dimensional berries and leaves, and clothing/figural work are all covered in the Beneath Thy Poft Oak class. I think the only thing not covered in this piece, is the making of Kings Crown, and the covered watte acorns. All of the beads on this piece are antique, which adds to its perceived complexity. As well, note that all of the beads are NOT the same. There are big ones, little ones, and metal ones....there are cut charlottes, and large bone beads (the berries above the Queen). There are opaque, transparent, satin, and greasy glass beads. For a proper 17th Century impression in your beadwork, aside from the colour palette, the more variation in materials you can glom on, the better!

17th c Beadwork Class

Beneath Thy Poft Oak, 2022 Registration Open

 Registration is now open for my 2022 running of Beneath Thy Poft Oak, The Art of 17th c Beadwork. Spaces are limited so if you are interested, you can learn more about all the particulars and/ or enroll here. You can also click the tab at the top of the blog page here for the Diamond K Folk Art Online Academy to see all the classes currently offered. 

 It's hard to appreciate any beadwork in a flat photo, so I made a video for you. I will have more videos in the coming days of other beadwork projects that can be made using the same techniques that I teach in class....my padded mirror case, beaded basket, and of course my beaded casket~ I hope you'll check back!