Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Happy Easter Week

Look at what the easter bunny did to my egg! Almost like an oversized beaded bead. This ornamental covering was supposed to include pearls, but the ones on hand didn't have the right type of holes. So, to improvise I used small mini drops instead and a did a varigated colorway. Umm, could be a useful idea for next year. I would have to start sometime in February!

This combined a peyote base row, right angle weave and netting stitch.

Monday, April 25, 2011

Happy, Happy Springtime

Happy Spring and Happy Easter to all... the new color for Spring and the Year is captured here in this sweet glass covered bracelet. Any of the Coral to Pink to Rose hues will brighten one's day don't you think? Try adding 3.4 mini magatamas as the embellishment to any one of your favorite bracelets. Or make a beaded bead and put them on the outer edges, ummm, pretty.
This special dainty bracelet I learned from a dear friend, now excuse me while I go make one in every color of the new Spring colors; turquoise, yellow, gray, parrot green and beeswax!

Monday, April 18, 2011

Slip Knot Lariat


A new delivery of sparkling Swarovski Pandora style beads has come into the shop, so we are all putting our heads together and coming up with ideas on how to use them in other ways. I remembered this fun idea that was shared with our beading group, the Bead Chicks, from the talented Robin Cowart of wegotthebead.com. Of course, my end product has been tweaked a bit, I added the dangling bits and changed the construction but she planted the germ of an idea...and a good one, too! Taking a long enough chain to fit over your head, fasten a larger bead, here I used a silver cube bead at one end. Add more chain below the bead for fashionable interest and now you have a support structure for the large hole beads. I suppose you could do this for Dzi beads or other gemstones with a large hole. The caveat to remember is that the width of two chains, sliding inside the hole, must fit easily into the large hole beads. Now you can buy one or two colors each and wear multiples or switch them up to match your wardrobe! Later, I'll show you how beautiful the new interchangeable designer beads are going to look, instead of these cat's eye stand-ins. Fun...Fun...Fun

Monday, April 11, 2011

From the deep blue sea...


Here is the lovely necklace I wore as Mother of the Bride, now called Mermaids Delight. Aptly named by the mermaids father (who was also Father of the Bride). This piece was created with our dauther in mind, the lovely Dawn aka the mermaid, on the occasion of her lovely October wedding to the young man of her dreams, Jeffery. Her shoes happened to be tall, beautiful satin heels of this deep oceanic blue...well, it was all the inspriation I needed to begin this creation.


It's elements include fresh water pearls, Swarovski crystals in Peridot, EmeraldAB, IndicoliteAB, Jet2XAB with a few Vintage Margaurites and two-toned 18mm Electra Rivilois. Various seed beads in sizes 15, 11 and delica beads were also used. A right angle weave base supports several clusters of flowers and leaves to form the bouquet style necklace. Each peyote stitched flower took about an hour to complete with several of the large ones taking a few days working on them here and there. Total time to complete estimated at two months. My dear friend and fellow Bead Chick, Jeanette helped me in crunch time and made the sprial rope, so delicate because it's all made with 3mm crystals and size 15 seedbeads.

I actually added a small element on the lower corner, if you look at the photo (of the necklace being worn) there seems to be a space where the point should end. I did mean for it to be asymetrical, however, it was a little off at the point so I added the small flower bit and it is much better now and complete.


So I'm happy to say that John took a photo and we entered it in the BeadStar contest...should know by June if it places in the finals. Hip-hip-hooray. I actually followed through on something and completed the paperwork, that in and of itself makes me happy!

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Talk about Color!




As mentioned earlier we were the happy winners of a contest sponsored by Beverly Ash Gilbert...well, today our gorgeous prize arrived! Take a look at a color feast for your eyes! We received a beautiful color wheel system with overlays for developing different color theories...plus the incredible "naturals" color wheel in both warm and cool color palettes. What a treat!!! Look at the fun bead soup mixes that also came, like it was Christmas in July...but it's only April. The color mixes above are Cherry Cordial, which looks so much like the Pantone color of the year honeysuckle, and Blue Moon, which just looks perfect for my wardrobe. Hey, didn't I make a Twirly Skirt in that colorway? Next stop the necklaces they become...Thanks to Beverly! check out her site for wonderful color theory support, books and tools. www.gilbertdesigns.net

Friday, April 1, 2011

His 'n' Hers wraparound Leathers



Ready to go! A simple strand or two of Campo Frio Mine Turquoise and a few feet of leather turned into a pair of nice cuffs for a special couple. Have had fun making these, except for the start which requires a lot of patience to handle loads of thread...gentle pulling , no breeze and no kitties or doggies scampering around! You could just keep on going until you ran out of beads.

Cuff 'em, Dano



Look at these beautiful examples of Bead Embroidered Cuffs. The bracelets in the photos above are being created by my Bead Chick Friends (and students:-) from the Great NW. Their first attempt at Bead Embroidery and they are showing such artistic promise! Notice the little beaded (3.4mm mini magatamas) drops in Cherryl's at the top, they will represent a cluster of grapes, in fact her whole piece tells a story. I love it when we can focus on a journey to tell and translate the thoughts into beads.


LuAnne's cuff, shown in the middle , has beadwork centered around a piece of gorgeous Austalian Opal, it'll be fabulous with denim jeans and a fun top..hey, for a chain mailler she can bead really fast! Very good transitions from one color to the next...notice the calming colors of this complementary color scheme.


Nancy's is a wonderful color study told in an analogous (colors side by side on the color wheel) colorway. She carried the lime green of the Caspite throughout the piece and anchored it all with the deep tones of navy and indigo. Another beader that comes to us from the world of wire and Chainmaille...They are all doing such beautiful work!