As you probably cannot see, I have tied the 'extra' colorful branches on to the main branch. Now I am making peyote strips to cover the connections - where strings are now. Am thinking of reinforcing the connections with duct tape just so nothing slips in transport. Somehow I find these strips very boring to make! Covering the twigs took just as much time and work but somehow I was driven by the desire to see how the twig would look covered with beads. Now I am covering up a process and that is not so interesting. I may have to rethink how I attach these parts.
I did find an easier way to sew the strips on the twigs. Instead of standing and working with my arms in the air to stitch close the strip around the twig, I found I could close the strip into a tube and because branches are smaller at the tip, I could ease the tube up the twig. That will save hours of work and recovery as I would have to rest so long to get the circulation back into my arms and hands. Maybe that orchard is not such a bad idea after all. It is doable and I would not have to make the strips to cover connections! That would be good news!
The other good news is that Sheree Wilcox is coming by this afternoon. She never wants me to say it, but I think of her as my 'bead mentor.' Just an email and an address from her is enough to set me on to higher goals for my work. I am eager to see what she is working on as she always seems to be doing the thing that everyone else will be doing in a year or two.