THE ROAR OF MARCH ALREADY?

So many special celebrations in the first quarter of the year - and March is no exception.  My hubby and I celebrated our wedding anniversary - 35 years married - 37 years together to be exact, on March 11.  Who knew it could last?  :))))  So, I begin this post with a lovely Spring array...  Thanks, hon.  xoxo

 

 

And, if you see a piece showcased in my blog that catches your eye, and you would like to know if it is available, or pricing, feel free to inquire.  Many of my pieces could be recreated w/slight change and color combo, or even if you like the one posted, it may be available.  Comment below, or email me at jdreamz4u@gmail.com. 

 

 

Color makes such a difference in picture presentation, doesn't it? So, I am constantly looking for a fun background change.  I'm not there yet -- this may be a bit too much, but I did like the majenta color.  It kind of makes the metallic/grey pop.  I used a more neutral background below with the same piece. Whaddya think?   This bead pattern is so versatile and just so substantial looking -- I have made a few different versions--super duos and 11's with some fire polish and 4mm pearls thrown in here and there.  Thanks again, Eileen!   I put the leaf toggle on upside down -- I think it provides more options - hang it in the front for a more dramatic focal piece, or place in the back, as a regular toggle.

 

Earrings to match.  Love these little birds on the filligre oblongs.

 

  Here's the more neutral background.  Which do you think presents better?

 

My newest completed project - a really fun pattern, learned at Bead Street (thanks Eileen!), with the very newest two-hole lentels in green, jade 3mm Czech pearls, and 11's. The lentels stick up ever so slightly, to give it a little depth. I couldn't leave it alone, after I thought it was finished, and further embellished beyond the original pattern to add a scallop of 15's and 3mm carnelian rounds. This color combination speaks to me!!

                    And last, but not least -- I'm decorated and ready for the Easter Bunny to deliver some Reeces chocolate bunnies!!!!   YUMMERS!

SPRING MOTIVATION!

I finished my latest project -- the necklace to match the earrings at the end of my last blog entry.  It's my version of Maria Teresa Moran's pattern for a bracelet, which I modified to make into a necklace.  Turned out, well..., gorgeous!  It drapes nicely on the neck.  Many hours of bugling, so to speak, ha ha, but nice effect.  And, I don't usually like repetition, but this pattern was a lot of fun so it kept my interest.

A large crystal centerpiece, with twisted bugle beads around the focal, 6 mm bicone crystal and 8 sb and 15 sb inside the bugles.  Smaller triangles thereafter with two different bugle beads, matte and shiny, with 11 sb, 15 sb and 4mm bicones.

Necklace and earrings.  Nice combo.

 

This necklace was a fun change from the stitching and repetition of the last piece and the colors make me happy!  Fun tagua nut rounds and a new chain maille pattern - thanks, Sandy, at Bead Street!  It's a Byzantine pattern.  I hadn't done that before and of course the options are endless.  Everyone else made a bracelet with a bead wired in the center or a few interspersed inbetween the chain maille, but I did my own thing... imagine!  Next will be a bracelet... hmmmmm... not sure exactly what I'll do, but it'll include these colors OF COURSE!

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!

WHIMSY GRABBED HOLD!

The weather here in Boise has been sooo awfully cold, and the air inversion is just plain depressing.  The grey cloud just won't blow out -- we need some weather for sure!  So, on my day off, and in celebration of the Presidential Inauguration and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, I decided to do something fun and different to raise my spirits.  And, it worked!!!  I created some new little joyous people to dangle from your neck, or put on a pin, or whatever you choose.  These are a lot of fun and the options for creativity are just pretty dang endless.  I also added another fun project I completed for a friend.

Now, I ask you, is this whimsical, charming girl too darling or what?  Can you see the scarf? 

And these pewter shoes... I cannot remember where I picked these up, but I've been saving them for years!  LOVE THEM with this project.

My second girl... used turquoise stars for her shoes.  So dang fun!

Full view with earrings. 

A very fun necklace for a friend.

RINGS N THINGS . .

It's Friday . . . ahhhhh.  I'm looking forward to a weekend with real glee!  Hope I can take an hour here or there to zone out w/my beads.


Another design using leaves and tuquoise rounds



My ring design using salt water pearls, peanuts, swarovski crystals




A decoupaged peacock bead embellished with 11's, 15's and drop beads...it's so light!

My pictures of this necklace are slightly lacking... The glass on the necklace was hard to capture, but the milky finish on the larger white beads is lovely with the copperish/goldish czech rondelles and the brass seed beads/chain.  Love love love these brass modeled beads.

JUST IN . . .A few of my newly completed January projects!

A beautiful tagua nut embellished with RAW and peyote.  Czech glass 3mm around the outside of the nut as final embellishment, which just made it pop!  Pearls and czech glass for the chain. 

Simple earrings to match tagua nut necklace

A necklace/earrings/ring set using duos, seed beads and pearls.  Earrings also have czech AP glass drops added

The earrings up close

The ring that matches... these rings feel so nice on your finger!