A Star is Born

Well, despite the busyness of my last week, I did manage to bead embroider the nine-armed sea star I want to place on my seashell block...
 

All the elements I'm including on this journal block are treasures that Jim, Jack and I have found on the beach while visiting my father every Spring in Naples, Florida.  Repeating the same beach-combing routines year after year, has created a familiarity with the flora and fauna that thrives in his coastal home town.  And through this familiarity, we have experienced a good deal of fondness and affinity for the animals, shells and plants that live and die on the beach there.

When Jim found this nine-armed star, it was still alive so we tossed him back after snapping this picture...
 

I'm pretty thrilled to be including him on the block along with the rest of the treasures that wash ashore in Naples.

To be honest, I did experience a good deal of angst and indecision about how to go about stitching the star, eventually deciding to proceed with bead embroidery on ultrasuede.

As I spent hour after hour beading this little guy, I kept thinking what a very expensive experiment this will turn out to be if it doesn't work out. Not expensive in money...but in time...

The proof will be in the next step when I cut the beading out and attach it to the block.  I plan to pad the  base layer with cording so that the star arms curve and are somewhat three-dimensional.

At this point, I'm pleased with the beading but I'm still unsure whether or not it will all turn out well in the end...

Fingers crossed until next time...