VALENTINE'S DAY LOST ... plus

Valentine's Day came and went, as has the whole month of February actually -- unfortunately, the bronchitis-flu, coughing, ache all over visitor came to see me and has been here way past the four day limit -- more like five weeks and counting.  So,  I haven't done alot of beading since the first of February. My eyes just won't focus! But, I am slowly and steadily seeing some light at the end of the tunnel.  Here's what I was working on before my visitor. I didn't get to wear this lovely on Valentine's Day!  I think I'll just make my own HEART day (or week) and wear all my red!!!  :)  Have I mentioned I love HEARTS?  :)



I wire wrapped loops for the chain and added silver fire polish, with a few red fire polish interspersed. 

 

 This is a better exposure, showing true difference in the red crystals.

Too much exposure on this one, but still pretty.  Small amount of chain is shown wound around top.  Yep it's a darlin' salt shaker (w/hearts!!).  I am constantly looking for new props!  This one worked!

This heart is two toned using AB copper and yellow crystals. 

 

 

 

Earrings to match, OF COURSE!  Crystal hearts with 4mm - copper color.

 

 

A necklace I made to match peyote dangle earrings (shown earlier in my blog - around Christmas).  I learned this way fun pattern from Eileen Barker @ Bead Street, where else?  Love love love this pattern.  So many things you can do with it.  I added the little top drilled flowers as an extra point of interest.  They fit in perfectly!

 I made these earrings following a pattern designed by Maria Teresa Moran.  She made a three tier bracelet, featured on the cover of Beadwork magazine (Feb/March 2013).  These earrings are absolutely gorgeous and I'm in the process of designing my own version of a necklace to go with.  Love the copper crystals with the turquoise and multi-metal seed beads.  I haven't really worked with bugle beads much, so this has been a fun project using two different bugles.  One with sheen and one matte.

 

PRECIOUS METALS

A new special order project just completed for a special customer! Thanks, Bri! She requested mixed metals as a gift for her mom's birthday, and in the beginning I was a little stumped, but am so happy with the way these pieces turned out. I just kept redoing what I didn't like, and it all came together in the end. And my best critic, my hubby, gave this set a glowing thumbs up.

Necklace bracelet and earrings all together.  Lots of different metal pieces combined for a rich look. The necklace was seed beads and fire polish, with bronze chain intertwined throughout.

I started with the earrings because I found this wonderful design by Liz Stahl Ijust had to try.  These are a nice size and drape.  And, YES, I personally test all my creations by hanging them on moi first!  They looked loverly on...

 

I wire wrapped the center gold round to a larger vintaj hammered copper round and then surrounded with a bronze vintaj round, adding some dangles of fire polish and a bright copper key. 

A better view of the bracelet, which started with the large copper center piece and grew out from there.

 

A bracelet of lace.  Beautiful pattern learned at BeadStreet.  Thanks, Eileen.  Love this pattern, which was originally designed by Eva Marie Keizer, and then the pattern was altered slightly by Eileen to include only one row of the super duo pattern and an outer edge of scallop embellishment.  I bead rather tightly, so the scallop really meanders.  Fun!