Start the New Year with creativity!

2009 is drawing to a close, and I just can’t believe it. I think I’m still waiting for summer, which may have occurred in Minnesota on June 20 between 2:16 p.m and 2:48 p.m. I must have been taking a nap or something, because I missed it . . .

It was a strange year, wasn’t it? Bad weather, wars, the cruddy economy . . . heck, there have even been a bunch of cougar sightings in my sleepy suburb! I don’t know about you, but all this craziness has left me feeling the need to focus on something positive.

We’re a bunch of artistic people, though, right? So how about we get all those creative juices flowing and focus on abundance? Abundance in love, peace, prosperity, and gentleness. I’m a big believer in the power of collective consciousness, and imaginative people like us need to lead the way.

Create abundance with your beadwork
As beaders, we grace our surroundings with lovely works, adding to the beauty of our world. So how about we kick off the new year by turning our beaderly attentions up a notch, making the world an even more beautiful place? Try learning a new stitch to add to the repertoire. Or incorporate unusual beads you’ve never used before. Maybe combine beadwork with another favorite craft such as knitting or paper arts. Take a class from a favorite instructor. Subscribe to a great magazine such as Beadwork. I truly think that by increasing our creativity, we can make a difference. Hop on the train right now by literally producing abundance within your stitches. Try these three different increase techniques:

To make a mid-row increase with peyote stitch, first add two beads where one would normally go.		In the next row, add a bead between those two beads.		For the following row, work across the beads as usual.

Here's an example of the peyote stitch increase in Sharon Bateman's Peyote Donuts. These donuts came about by playing with tubular peyote. The spiraling pattern can be worked in colors to complement a lampworked bead and then strung with accent beads to make a whole necklace.

Brick Stitch Increase

To make a mid-row increase, add an additional beaded stitch to the same loop from the previous row.		In the next row, treat that stitch as part of the regular row.

Try practicing with Carol Dean Sharpe's Heart to Heart which uses an increasing and decreasing brick stitch. For the perfect ending, brick-stitch a separate heart-shaped "button" for a button-loop closure.

Right-angle weave Increase

To make an increase in right-angle weave, add two side beads where you’d usually add one bead.		In the next row, work individual units off each of those beads.

For the right angle weave increase try Lisa Kan's Corsage Cuff. This shimmering cuff's right-angle-weave base is bead-embellished differently on each side to make it reversible. The removable lacy flower pendant cleverly hides a strong magnetic cl

How will you be a leader in the “creativity abundance movement” in 2010? We’d all love to hear about it on Beading Daily.

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