I am so excited about participating in the Bead Soup Blog Party that Lori Anderson of Pretty Things is hosting.
While the party was being organized, participants asked to "Tell us how/why you became a jewelry designer, and what you like best about it." I considered this for a while and these are my thoughts. I started crafting early in life under the tutelage of my mother. If there was something to do with yarn, paint, fabric, clay, wire, etc, I probably did it all through the 70's. I started quilting when I became pregnant with my first son. Quilting was fine, but it was a long process, until I discovered art quilts. Then quilting evolved into dollmaking.
But it wasn't until I saw my first beaded art doll that it clicked...I can do this! I stumbled upon group of ladies in Dayton that call themselves The Dayton Art Doll Group, via an internet search. Here was a group of women that loved dolls and beads. The funny thing was that most of them didn't sew their own doll forms, and I knew nothing about bead embroidery. Carole Ohl, yes that Carole Ohl, a designer of the year for Bead & Button handed me a small baggie of bead soup, needle, a bit of Fireline, and a small doll to work with. I haven't finished that small doll yet, but this just fed my addiction to colors in various forms.
I found my local bead shop and another designer Julie Walker. I was very fortunate to be able to learn beading from those ladies in the group and the instructors (shout out to Jann Christiansen) at the Bead Cage. Unfortunately, the Bead Cage closed, but now Carole Ohl has opened up a new shop, Stash, which is less that 5 minutes from my house! My doll forms are now in her shop awaiting beaders new and old.
Back to the beginning....I don't consider myself a designer....yet. I am just a woman who loves learning everything I can about beads, fabric, clay, yarn, wire, etc.
While the party was being organized, participants asked to "Tell us how/why you became a jewelry designer, and what you like best about it." I considered this for a while and these are my thoughts. I started crafting early in life under the tutelage of my mother. If there was something to do with yarn, paint, fabric, clay, wire, etc, I probably did it all through the 70's. I started quilting when I became pregnant with my first son. Quilting was fine, but it was a long process, until I discovered art quilts. Then quilting evolved into dollmaking.
But it wasn't until I saw my first beaded art doll that it clicked...I can do this! I stumbled upon group of ladies in Dayton that call themselves The Dayton Art Doll Group, via an internet search. Here was a group of women that loved dolls and beads. The funny thing was that most of them didn't sew their own doll forms, and I knew nothing about bead embroidery. Carole Ohl, yes that Carole Ohl, a designer of the year for Bead & Button handed me a small baggie of bead soup, needle, a bit of Fireline, and a small doll to work with. I haven't finished that small doll yet, but this just fed my addiction to colors in various forms.
I found my local bead shop and another designer Julie Walker. I was very fortunate to be able to learn beading from those ladies in the group and the instructors (shout out to Jann Christiansen) at the Bead Cage. Unfortunately, the Bead Cage closed, but now Carole Ohl has opened up a new shop, Stash, which is less that 5 minutes from my house! My doll forms are now in her shop awaiting beaders new and old.
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| Some of my doll forms beaded by Dayton Art Doll Group |
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