What have we been up to lately?
Hello, world. It's been too long, but as you know, I like to keep busy using all the skills I've been given. I've been teaching, trying to finish school, helping Marty learn to talk, working in the garden - and, of course, designing new things. Some of those things are websites and other blogs. Check me out: Alyssa Mandel, and also Sarasota Belly Dance. Most recently was a veil and a set of hair combs for my niece, Sarah. Sarah was married in an outdoor ceremony this June, and she carried a bouquet of hydrangeas. To complement her theme I created a set of three combs decorated with different sizes of hyndrangeas made of white glass beads with red centers, to match her color scheme. The veil was a plain white two-layer, with no edge to give it a breezy, light feel. Mike, her intended, is very tall so we decided on a somewhat puffy veil to add a little height for balance. As soon as I get pictures (that's a hint, Sarah!) I'll post one to the site.Right now I am hard at work on a beaded border for Kristin's veil. I am handstitching glass seed beads and Swarovski crystals to the edge of both layers of a 108-inch veil . . . it's taking a long time but it's coming along beautifully. I learned some new things, too - apparently the proper tool is sometimes right in front of you! Beading on tulle is difficult, so it's usually stabilized with a tear-away product like Sulky or Solvy. But tissue paper works just as well - sorry, Sulky!Marty is sleeping in a big-boy bed now, so tonight after he nods off to dreamland I'll be stitching away to the first new episode of Burn Notice this season.
