The miniature Beanie Babies, made for McDonald's in 1996, arrived and were better than I had even anticipated. Each was factory sealed and thus brand new with no funny smells or suggestive spots.
Here is Claude the Crab (with clauws). I started on him on Monday and by last night I had only gotten this far. I think I picked the hardest one to do - he has ten legs! What you cannot see is the plastic bag I tape him into with only one leg exposed at a time. That tames the time I need to untangle my thread from him. There are 12 more of the various animals, plus four bears, so I am feeling very rich at the moment.

Did this sketch of the gallery from my photo that is happily now on the CHAC website. Showed it to Barbara and she liked it so today when Vistaprint put an ad for a $5 t-shirt on my Japanese translation site I was prepared. Naturally there was $5 shipping but still that makes a custom t-shirt for $10. Was shocked how wobbly my drawing hand was. It has been so many years since I have tried to do this kind of drawing. Was pleased, though, that my feeling for line was still intact!

Worked on a couple of these beaded bails for various unused pendents with holes. I got a very fine "chain" by using 15s with Delica hex cuts. Have ordered more of the crystal marquis cuts so am making bails ahead of getting the order on the 19th. Need some more / new things for the summer at CHAC and the booth they will be having at the Gualala Arts May Fair.
I broke my homemade rule of not going on Ebay and went looking for Beanie Babies. I found a bunch of new, still sealed in packaging, McDonald's beanie babies for $7 and was the only bidder. So I got them all, with postage, for less than $.75 each. Am rather biding my time waiting on them to do more embroidered animals.
I did not enter the Etsy challenge as the theme was nautical and I had no good ideas in that direction - or maybe I was tired of losing?

Sus called yesterday to say they would keep my cloud piece up for the May Show. I was so thrilled I found the energy to want to add the threads. So I began a marathon unreeling of thread. Even though I had 7000 yards of white thread I was afraid the mass was too little to show up at the distance and with the size of the piece. So today, on the way there, I stopped off to buy up all the poly batting the local fabric shop had. In the lower photo you can one bag there and Sue and Scott on their way up with two more. I think I could add even more but for now, the cloud has a smoother bottom than before. Sue, gem that she is, got more and better lighting for me also. The piece looks better than it did, but it still is not as good as the image I had in my head.

Was able to make and finish this one because accidentally (but there are no accidents!) last week I had tried out this combination of ivory Delicas and transparent pale pink 8s in a Russian spiral so that was all done. The lacing was even the perfect length. All I had to do was put on a clasp. Thank goodness I still had two of these copper S-hooks. Again the bail was a joy and I was able to do it better than the white one I made for myself. Am thinking of redoing it. I would like to do more of these so I got out my catalog and started my order for May already.

I had a great time at the ukiaHaiku Festival! Above is the one good photo I got from my seat in the audience.

The next photo is of the jewelry I wore. How's that? a report on what I wore! I finished the necklace at about 11:30 the night before. I like the 'bail' as it looks big and brave enough to hold up that huge glass crystal. I have another in pinkish hues that I am now working on - when I get my energy back!

Got the fairy-angel done but it was too late in the evening for a sunny photograph. With the brightness of the face, the best way to photograph her could be in these light conditions.
On Thursday evening I started to bead the back side of the wings and it was not going well. I do not know if I was the problem or if the piece did not the wings to be double-sided with beads. In frustration I gave up and began to search through all my doll stuff as I knew somewhere I had an extra pair of ready-made angel wings. I tore stuff out of a closet AND a cupboard and never did find those wings. What I did find was this feather boa trim in white and in red! I was well-prepared! So I sewed, as you see, the red feathers to the backside of the wings and turned it around so the feathers surround the doll. I do like what the Universe wanted as it gives the softness I would prefer. The photo of the wings from the back was not sharp or I would show how great it all looks.
I sewed the suspension device where it seemed best, but when I hung her, I had the feeling she was tipped too far forward. I guess I should not plan to take her to PA today but need to keep her around a bit longer to get better acquainted.