Hello, my beautiful beady friends. I guess it’s pretty obvious what happened after making a post about struggling to find motivation to bead and then disappearing for a month. Oops. I’m definitely still struggling with finding the motivation and sustained interest to work on my beading projects. I know that it’s a combination of seasonal depression and general pandemic stress (we are in a third wave where I live and it’s not safe or responsible to gather with my friends indoors and becoming to cold to see them outdoors). It’s totally reasonable to be feeling pretty blah right now. But it does make blogging kind of hard.
So, even though it’s been almost a full month AND I missed the second post of September, I’ve only made three things to show you.
First up, I had been messing around with my stash of 11/0’s and made some bead soup to empty out of the remnants of some mostly-empty tubes. I decided it would be fun to do some more herringbone and made this cuff bracelet.
I found these small, rounded Hematite cubes in my stash and thought they would be fun to include between chunks of herringbone and the deep metallic green coloring of them went really well with my seed bead mix.
(I have no idea how this matte, colorful bead can be hematite, but that’s what the tag said and they had the expected weight *shrug*)
I popped some copper Tierracast findings on the end and really like the finished look. After that, I still had quite a few of the cubes leftover and thought it would be a cool idea to try to use them all up in my next project. So I found some coordinating beads and made another simple spiral rope.
Each cube is framed by a tiny 1x2mm rondelle and seed beads in 11/0 round, 11/0 Delica, and 15/0 rounds. I had just enough cubes to get a decent sized bracelet.
But then after I put my seed beads away, I realized that I had a bunch of rondelle crystals left and… wouldn’t it be cool if I could use all of those up in my next project?
And, like some sort of miracle, I had exactly enough of the crystal rondelles to frame this Hummingbird tile that I have been wanting to embroider for the longest time. I got this tile from the secondhand consignment section of Bead Stash near Dayton, OH before it closed, so I have no way of getting more and no information on who made it or where it came from. But I was absolutely delighted to use up all my rondelles on this little pendant.
In this picture, I have one of those little orange-wood stick cuticle pushers that I use to do my nails to show you how big the bail is, haha. It’s about 4mm in diameter. I wanted to add the seedbeads on the border to pick up the colors in the tile, but I also wanted to keep it fairly clean and simple, so the bail is as simple as possible.
But that’s all I’ve done in the last four weeks. Most of the time, I get home from work and all I want to do is eat (a lot) and sleep. Nowadays, I go to bed at 8:30. But I think it’s okay to be feeling a little glum and a little sad. It’s hibernation season and I know my energy for beading will come back on its own, eventually. Thank you guys for being here to read about my projects when I finally get around to doing them.
How about you? How’s your motivation doing right now? Are you finding the energy and inspiration you need and if so, can I have some?
Wescott Jewelry 
Hi Samantha – I think all of us having to stick around home since March are feeling the same way. My neighbor said she read that monks struggle with the same thing and it’s called acedia. Like you, I almost have to force myself to bead or do anything else, but I do it. I get my exercise in every day to help with the doldrums. Hang in there!
LikeLike
I feel your pain Sam. I force myself to do my crafts. Not sure it’s the time of year, the weather, epidemic or just me. I do find I am encouraged when I have someone to craft with.
LikeLike
Hi Sam,
I do understand. I’ve been just getting around to designing stuff on my own…though designing with beads is certainly easier for me than some other types of design (as in, sewing face coverings).
Then there’s documenting my work…which I haven’t been doing…even though, yes, I am capable of drawing out the steps. I just haven’t wanted to. I don’t know why.
I’ve also been developing a pattern of going to bed and then waking in the early morning fresh, then going back to bed in the regular morning and re-waking later. That’s every other night. On the nights in between, I just stay up late.
I’m not quite sure what that’s about…
And 1x2mm rondelles! You can see those?! ;D
LikeLike
I appreciate hearing that I am not alone in being unable to bead a lot right now. In addition to reasons you listed, my oldest cat has had a huge set back in his health and I almost lost him about a week ago. I really can’t get “into” actually beading when my emotions and my head are so messed up. He IS alive right now though, so, I am hoping to do better with beading, which ultimately cheers me up. <3
LikeLike
Great post, Sam! I appreciate it, and the inspiration you’ve given us. Love the bracelets, too. Even though I am home-based without any craft shows this year, I can’t find enough hours in the day. Yes, extra steps you have to take to be safe and constant low-level stress will rob anyone of energy, and the earlier sunsets do not help. That said, I get up every morning thinking about the things I need to accomplish……if I manage 50%, I feel successful. Yes, I’ve lowered expectations, but yes, I feel good about what I can get done. I have so many things I am trying to do, I reward myself at the end of the day with beading until bedtime. It is not my job, but my reward, and looking at it that way keeps me very very happy. I will be looking for more great tutorials from you!
LikeLike
I’ve been there. Right now I’m going through a new creative period, giving myself permission to “play” and revisit old designs and make them new again. I keep a small box on my desk that has samples from classes and things that I have made, different techniques and color combinations. I call it, my toy box. I pull out the pieces from time to time and touch them, stack them, arrange them in different combinations. It can help me to generate new ideas.
LikeLike
I love your honesty. It’s been hard to find a creative spirit at times — and then I have a burst of creativity = escapism. Your work is so beautiful. I look forward to any reveals. Take care.
LikeLike
Hi Sam! I’m still trying to get some of my beads out of hiding since the move! I’m working on making the house livable, so I can bead. One of these days…*sigh*!
LikeLike
Your peices are beautiful. I love the pendant. And all of your designs are amazing. Thank you for sharing.
LikeLike
This is so kind. Thank you!
LikeLike
It is four years after that awful pandemic and I am struggling the same way as you did back then. On top of everything, I am retired and I have all time if the world, tons of beads and a BLOCK! …an hurting arthritis hands…. But I started something very simple and thought about some fancier edging. I already made three types of edging and took it apart. Well, at least it keeps me busy 🙃
LikeLike