Begun, Undone, Redone et finis!!!!

Finally finished!!!

Once I got things reorganized and started again, this piece took on it's own wave action and led me thru the creation process. I left the large focal bead aside as it was making the entire piece fall to the inside of the wrist. A large focal bead looks nice when the bracelet is lying flat or on display , but for parctical wearing purposes , that same bead caused major design problems.

To take the place of a strong focal element I sprinkled many lustrous pearls throughout the waves of seed beads. Other very special elements include hand made recycled glass beads from Tanzania and several hand cut vintage crystals.

At the top of this picture you can see the pale purple seaglass cube that serves as one end of the toggle clasp. When closed it isnot obvious where one unhooks the bracelet. I like to integrate the closures into the design as much as possible as the clasp does not interrupt the flow of the waves.

(As always, you may click on any picture to see a larger image!)
This piece will now be combined with a set of earrings and a pendant necklace as a donation package for Liberty Town Patron's Show. The show opens in May and tickets will be on sale till one ticket per item donated has been sold. The raffle aspect, where ticket holders names are drawn to discover selection order , will take place at the end of May. This will be a very exciting event for patrons and artists alike as we watch the order of selection of our pieces!! No one wants to be chosen last!!!!
I am fairly sure that the Brier/Woodford Donation will be amoung the top tier of selections!!! (Keep your fingers crossed!!)

TAA DAAA!! A New Bracelet

I have become very intrigued with Free Form Peyote Stitched Beedwork. I should say intrigues and TOTALLY Intimidated and at a loss at the same time. I love the free flowing organic nature of the work and I have been carrying out a bit of research to discover where one begins!! Finally, I found a small article in the latest Beadwork magazine, so I figured that this was the time.!
This is one of those projects that has a definate begininng but the end can be as far out as one is willing to push it!!! A bit difficult to know when to stop- so actually a bit of planning is a GOOD thing!!! This is my first attempt and I know that I will be doing more pieces like this one , in different color ways. This piece was much less time consuming than the Beaded cuffs so i will be able to offer these pieces for sale at about half the cost of the cuffs!!
A GOOD THING!!
RIGHT???!!!!!

Here are some close up shots: (All photos will enlarge with a left click on the image!)





I have used bits of real shell, lavendar pearls and semi-precious stone chips in amoung the glass seed beads.


I created the face bead myself and here you can see more freshwater pearls and mother of pearl star beads.


The loop and button closure is fashioned using a vintage glass button. You can also see vintage crystal beads and more pearls.
I am planning to add this piece to my Etsy shop later today.
I am off on a Bead trip today- to a wonderful shop in Alexandria called Beads LTD. I may not return!!!
I am sure that I will find all sorts of new treasures to add to future beadwork!!

I hope that everyone has a wonderfully creative day!

More Beadwork

I have completed three more beaded zipper cuffs! Two will be for sale on my Etsy site SOON and the third, the bottom one in the above picture, is on it's way to Tanzania for my neice, Kate's 13th Birthday!! Happy Birthday Kate, a bit late but worth the wait, I hope!!!!
The Turquoise/Green cuff has been beaded for a long time but now the lining has been completed. The Orange and Pink cuff was finished just recently and the cuff for Kate was completed today and in record time!!

I love the way the cuffs look all stacked together! But then I do LOVE COLOR!!!!!


Here is a shot of Kate's cuff beofre I stitched it to the cuff. This is the best way to photograph all of the beadwork.


Once on the cuff, here is one end,


and here is the other end. The two blue donut beads are made in Africa from recycled bottles. kate and her Dad brought those beads to me last year! I also used quite a few pearls on this cuff. The green disk bead with the blue swirls is a bead that I made form polymer clay. When Kate vivisted this year and I showed her my Ocean Cuff, she could hardly put it down! I think that she will be quite pleased!!

Here is the middle section.

If you want to see even more detail you can left click on each shot for a close up view!!

I will announce the posting of the Pink/Orange Cuff and the Turquoise /Green cuff, to my Etsy Store ,in about a week. I will be away from my computer for about a week and will attend to business as soon as I return!!!