Our next BIG MAC meetings are
Thursday, May 8 from 6-9 pm
POSSIBLY: Sat, May 24th (If I can have someone else in my chapter start and lead the meeting. I’ll be on my way to Kentucky that day. I’ll let you know for sure at our next meeting!)

For those who couldn’t make our 4/26 meeting (and even for those who did, but wanted to follow up… read on!
Some cool things we talked about at our last meeting are listed below. Note that this may be a complete list if I missed something while looking up the previous thing.

Ann Benson beading

Welcome!

One member had finished a very cool 3d printed box, but I couldn’t find a picture of it. The other things she makes are still worth looking at.

Nancy also created a Beaded dragon from Thread A Bead. There’s a cool video of the completed ones linked below. (Nancy’s one is named Arthur… cuz I asked)

Nancy had also made a beaded origami box and a bee box with a screw on lid but I missed the designer to both.

Linda showed off her puka (I think) necklace. She’d had a tutorial for a set of earrings, which became the centerpiece, and she designed the rest of the necklace around it. It was beautiful to see. Of note, the teacher had them use Ultra Suede but to glue it on Stiff Stuff for a firmer backing.

She was also wearing a necklace with five beaded squares, which was developed off of the Queen of Diamonds Necklace & Las Ventanas y Leslee Frumin. You can see the original design below for this intermediate level project, which uses Peyote and Ndebele stitches; the Neck chain is a unique stitch, according to the site: https://lesleefrumin.com/class-offerings/

I showed off the latest beaded temperature chart and we discussed how I did it. Since people seemed interested in my process, here’s a shared google spreadsheet with my legend, my tips and tricks, and images of my bead supply as well aso my workstation, and it includes a sample year: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15CtfbCZLks_vC8yzndLUH5EyHc2szemcc5SAh0EAKc8/edit?gid=579310532#gid=579310532

Nicole is working on a Phase 5 Japanese Embroidery center beaded purse as well as another phase/beaded item.
The purse hardware was not available anymore, but she was gifted the piece.
(I think her teacher is Mary Alice Sinton, out of Bluebonnet studio

We talked about different clasps. Some are available from Claspgarten which is a German company.

Another member was working on the Flower Beaded Bracelet, available/with pictures at
https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/888893903/flower-beaded-bracelet-tutorial

We talked about where one can check out beginner classes; Michaels store offered some previously which may still be online.
You can find them on their website: https://www.michaels.com/classes/beads-%26-jewelry
Or on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@michaels/playlists

Melissa Shippee (from Social Beadia) has some online classes
https://www.socialbeadia.com/melissa-shippee

Bead Soup has some upcoming zoom classes which include a Learn the Basics of Even Count Peyote in May 2025, as well as many more
https://www.bead-soup.com/upcoming-classes

Note: Laura is showing off many of the cool things she’s made at our chapter’s May evening meeting. If you are interested in attending via Zoom, please let me know:

Program 2025

The World of Off-loom Beading and Bead Embroidery
Thurs, May 15
7pm – 9pm CST
Social time: 6:30 – 7pm

One member is working on a cool stumpwork fox kit, which had dimensional leaves, a turkeywork tail (that looked adorable) and grapes hanging in bunches off of tree branches (that were beads of various colors!) I forgot to record the designer and wasn’t able to find it online after a quick search.

Also being work on : A tulip ball from TheBeadEngineer.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheBeadEngineer
Her store also has Cellini Eggs, that I’m just entranced by. Unlike other designers, her patterns list each individual bead instead of grouping like beads together, which can be confusing when doing 3-D peyote pieces.

Did I miss anything? Did you see something and have more questions? Please let me know.