6/26/2014

TOOTH DAGGER MAGNESITE / CORAL NECKLACE FOR FUN!

My own JDreams design using magnesite tooth daggers, Czech turquoise Picasso stones (like marbled lava rock) and authentic coral pieces inbetween.  Love this piece.  Very fun to wear and these colors are oh so popular.  Earrings to match.  I purchased the daggers in Helena, MT and the lava rock from my favorite bead shop, yes... Bead Street of course.  The coral I had in my stash... where so many of my wonderful beads live.









6/24/2014

VARIED COLORS CHANGE THE LOOK!

 A varied version of Svetlana Einy's design from my last post.  I think my choice of colors on this bracelet makes it look more Native American with the turquoise, mustard and dark coral/copper.  I did alter the pattern ever so slightly by inserting a few dark coral / turqoise bricks inbetween the triangles, which kind of gives a hinge look. I finished it off with button/peyote loop closure. 


 
 
A side by side comparison of my two versions of the same pattern - color can certainly change the look!
 
 

6/17/2014

2-HOLE BRICKS - SWITCHING GEARS TO A TONED-DOWN, MODULAR DESIGN

It just seemed like the right time to try colors I wouldn't normally choose, and this selection (thank you Sandy Taylor!) fit the bill.  This combination is wonderful with denim, which I happened to be wearing that day to class!  This is a design from artist and Starman Trendsetter Svetlana Einy, called "Shadow Valley".  A fun pattern using 2-hole bricks, coupled with two colors of 2-hole triangles, 11.0 and 15.0 seed beads.   This bracelet feels great on the wrist - light, flat and airy!  At first glance, the directions in the pattern are truly daunting, but it really comes together very well, as long as you pay attention to the direction of your beading, left or right.  If you forget, say... on one row, you might just have your triangles going down under instead of upright!  Ha ha ... Not that I would know anything about that.
 



 
My closure is a button/loop.  I embellished the brass flower with a Czech glass star flower and 11.0 and 15.0 sb.




6/16/2014

TAGUA NUT ROUNDS FINISH OFF PEYOTE CUFF


Bright , playful summer cuff, complete from my last post!  It took me awhile to figure out which fringe looked best and what might go in the center.  It just needed some flair... I have these wonderful tagua nut rounds in differing colors (took me awhile to find the darn things in my stash...) but once I did... oh, I thought the bright pink was perfect, topped with a small lucite flower and 11.0 sb.  I think the three center pieces really brought the free-form project together.  This is a bright piece, not to be worn lightly-- a statement all in itself. I love this bracelet!



 







6/12/2014

LENTILS, FIRE POLISH AND PEARLS ... +

A fun Saturday afternoon spent b-e-a-d-i-n-g!  Imagine!  This is a pattern designed by Eileen at Bead Street while she was in Paris a couple years ago with her besty Barb, with newly written instructions and class taught by Sandy Taylor.  Beads used were two hole lentils, 4mm fire polish, 4mm pearls for the center of the flower, 11.0 and 15.0 seed beads for the outer scroll stitch. 





This is one of my own JDreams designs using flat 2-drop even count peyote.  Colors added to colors.  And, it's still a work-in-process, so stay tuned for the finished version.  I started to use one fringe, and then took that off - started another version, and who knows where it will end up.  These are definitely beautiful spring colors that will go with so many things...