SEA HORSE HAPPY!

Best laid plans for showcasing this darling seahorse necklace ... reminder to self - proper lighting is so important for photographing any creation.  When done properly, it highlights the colors and beauty of any finished project.  On the other hand, if the light isn't great, the piece ends up looking to be less than it is.  Unfortunately, this post was not taken at an optimum time of day and the natural light was way too bright.  I can't retake the shots as the piece has gone to a new home, but luckily I was able to reshoot the earrings (last shot).  Love my paint choice on the little Vintaj moons and over the large Czech pear drops they really pop and mesh with the shell chip colors in the necklace.  And, about that necklace... even though the lighting isn't perfect, it is an adorable piece, so well worth showing.  It began with a J-Lynn burnished wood tile pendant.  These tiles from Janice are so light, they truly can make any piece weightless, making it easier to add adornments of different weights from there.  Seems like most of my pieces start out with a heavier centerpiece or pendant, which limits what I can add to it.  On this piece, I kept the whole necklace light by adding a dangle with a painted Vintaj leaf, some 3mm fire polish, and a Czech glass star and flower and "o" rings to finish it off.  Then some colored shell chips and jasper tubes to complete the necklace.   A very fun, colorful summer piece that rests easily on the neck...

FALLING LEAVES ENSEMBLE!

I know I've said it before, and yes, you're gonna hear it over and over -- I love this time of year because it presents such a wonderful opportunity to make gifts and create jewelry for my favorite holidays... fall birthdays, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas... :).  The colors always speak to me, as the weather starts to change, and as the leaves take on their new gorgeous shades of red, yellow, orange, brown, I start to imagine special pieces.  I started this piece, designed by Deb Roberti, because I loved the shape of the necklace design, which sits so nice and flat on the neck.  It really started to speak to me as I alternated 4mm swarovski crystals with the 4mm fire polish -- it didn't over pop, but was just right, and in the sun, or specific light, oh it is so gorgeous!  I added something leafy to give it the fall feel... a J-Lynn Jewel's wood pendant with a few fire polish added for some dangle movement.  Someone is usually on my mind, spurring me on as I start my pieces.  And, this one said LU LU!!!    So, here's my creation for this year's birthday.  Lu, may you wear these pieces and feel my love for you each time you do.  xo

THANKSGIVING INSPIRATIONS.

A very wonderful Thanksgiving to those of you who follow me, or occasionally check my blog!  I wish you (and me!!) joyful time with family or friends or whomever you love to be around.  That's what it's all about - being with those who bring us joy, appreciate us, accept us, love us, and to whom we can bring the same.  

I've made some last minute Thanksgiving inspired adornments.  I am loving the fall colors so much, I hate to see this season end, but these are probably my last creations before Christmas designs begin.

The earrings above are my design using some darling art tiles by J-Lynn Jewels.  Janice does lots of different shapes and styles for Holidays and everything inbetween. 

The earrings above are also my latest brick stitch around a component design (thank you Sue at Bead Street for getting me started on these components!) adding some table cut Czech glass flowers and etched leaves, wrapped with patinaed copper wire in 22 and 24 gauge, with earring wires in 20 gauge.  These are so gorgeous in the light, as the second level of beads around the circle are translucent. 

And above, a darling pumpkin pendant by Humblebeads.  I wired in the leaves and added some curly q's for fun.  Also added a different color of the table cut Czech flowers from the earrings.  I do love these beads, which are hard to find.

MORE FINISHED HALLOWEEN!

More fun for this Season!  Love the changing of the SEASON, the colors, the fun of Halloween, the cooler temps (well... those temps are taking their sweet time arriving a little later than normal) and just the overall transition.  Each of the very separate four seasons here in Boise presents me with inspiration, and right now, this very moment, it's ORANGES, GREENS, PURPLES, BLACKS, etc.  Here's my second finished necklace using a J-Lynn Jewels tile and magnesite Jack-o-pumpkin, along with 3 different sizes/shapes of black onyx beads for the necklace, some lucite spacers, lucite striped colored rounds, Czech glass rounds and seed beads.  Copper and bronze wire, both used.  Fun and bright and spooky... well, not really very spooky, but very fun!  The purple necklace is from my last post, and as a refresher, has the beaded bead I made, along with the wood rounds and brass Ethiopian beads.  It's a great combo.

 

I included both of these pictures, because you can see more of the bottom of each necklace in each of the shots.

 

A little more vivid shot of this newest creation!  The black background gives different view I think.  And, I'm modeling this one below...

 

 

 

These orange Jack-o-pumpkins above are so cheery, with czech glass leaves and flower caps, instead of scarey, and those below, the colors of wonderful fall.

 

I like longer earrings right now, since my hair has grown some from my profile picture, and these earrings, using lampwork glass beads, are still pretty light.  Some onyx, some glass spacers, some Czech glass and flower buttons.

 

 

 

HALLOWEEEEN/FALL FUN!

A little SPOOKiness for Halloween.  


Some darlin darlin fire polish pumpkins.  I started with a Fusion Beads beaded bead pattern from their inspiration page, did some extra embellishing with the leaves and the top stems, and voila!  These are very fun to make! 

Spider anyone???

Some earrings to go with that spider?

A wonderful tile pendant by J-Lynn Jewels.  I added a 4mm FP beaded beads in purple with orange 4mm FP added to  the outside to give a little depth, plus some old brass Ethiopian beads, some wood beads, and some charms to top it off.  Isn't it cute? 

And, last, but certainly not least, some awesomely fall inspired, fun earrings!  Czech glass leaves, Czech glass pumpkin beads, semi precious stones, and some Lucite leaves.  A great combo!



Tagua Nut Inspiration/ Leather Wrapping Project

Necklace, earrings and wrap bracelet for a special birthday girl!.  My friend Aimee, who is the very talented girl who got me started beading, oh so many million beads and $$ ago....just celebrated her day.  So, here's what I made for her.  My inspiration started with the necklace, using tagua nut rounds, leather strapping and a wood art tile pendant from J-Lynn Jewels.  J-Lynn does lovely tiles in wonderful color combinations, and her pendants are so light and easy to wear.  Then I made the earrings to match, and these are just "so Aimee"!!!!  I randomly thought to insert the etched silver plate rounds inside the tagua nut circle to dress them up, and voila - it worked... perfectly I think!

And, arent these colors gorgeous together?  8mm fire polish, silver spacers, wood oblongs, wood multi angle cut spacers and lots of needle pricks in my fingers later...  I wanted to toss this bracelet across the room a couple of times.  The thread I chose was thicker than I thought, and it did not want to go through most of the beads twice, so I struggled each time.  Ahhh, at least the end result was worth the swearing, sore fingers and bleeding... :)  I learned to make my first leather wrap bracelet at where else?  Bead Street of course!

 

 

 





Here's the necklace.  I was having trouble getting a good picture in the right light.  One is overexposed and the other is a little dark, but you get the gist... A really simple idea, but goes with anything and easy to wear with a magnet closure.


The earrings are tagua nut rounds, silver plate etched rounds inserted in the middle of the tagua nut centers, 8mm fire polish and 4 mm pearls and czech glass rondelles