Here are a few pics of my progress on my watercolor on silk, beaded bird:)

I used mostly clear iridescent sequins so the color beneath would show through while also giving the little guy some sparkle. I did use a black sequin for the eye because I wanted it to be really dark.

I was not sure at first how the get the detail in the little spindly feet. I thought about using sz 15 seed beads but I did not want to have to wait on an order. I was too eager to finish:)

My solution: Embroidery! 

I stitched a little of the beak to make it nice and pointy and his little feet.

I like it.

And just because I thought it was neat looking:

So I think my experiment was a success:) 

Next I will give acrylics a try. I plan to water them down and use them like watercolor. Otherwise the dried acrylic will be too hard to stitch through.

I will keep you posted!

I am working on an experiment.

I want to paint a sweet bird very loosely on silk habotai with watercolor and then embellish with beads and sequins:)

Here are the first stages of my first attempt.

We have been working hard! 

Here's a slightly overdue update and sneak peek!

We were so lucky that our friend Lindsay had some left over purple paint that just happens to match the purple in our logo perfectly! 

So our entrance is a beautiful set of purple folding doors:)

After we removed the shelves, with Lindsay's help, that had been hammered into the wall, Marianne went to work giving it a nice coast of white to freshen things up. 

Here we go!

Tomorrow we get the keys. . .

Here is a quick peek and the rest will be a surprise!

But you have to wait until April, that is our projected opening month!

Yarn in the front, 

BEADS in the back!!!

We have experienced a few loop-dee-loops in the past few weeks but we have landed heads up and are ready to bring downtown Savannah a bead store. 

We are so excited to get into our space and fix it up so it is inviting and functional. All of the collecting and shopping and visualizing we have been doing will finally get to come together in reality!

Stay tuned for updates:)