I learned another new skill. I took a class at my local bead shop and learned how to knot. It was first developed (I believe) for use with pearls. They were very expensive, and rare and a little fragile, so stringing them next to each other, where they would bump and rub, was not a good thing. If you strung… Read more →
The Bead Renaissance Show was in town. I shopped till I dropped! There were some really great vendors, and some that were not there that I sorely missed. Karen Bye of Byebeads.com was one I look forward to every year and she was conspicuously absent . I ADORE her vessels, and the aromatherapy scents she sells for them. Luckily, by… Read more →
This is a really fun bracelet to wear. It is stretchy so it is very comfortable. It was made with square stitch on elastic using large rounded triangle beads, in a pale clear blue lined with white, and a pale blue lined with silver. private collectionBecause the beads are triangles they line up next to one another either point up… Read more →
I just found the greatest Blog. Trishalan Designs at trishalandesigns.blogspot.com. If you were interested in the Kumihimo post I did, take a look at her site. She does some amazing work! She has more braids than I knew existed. Trish also makes some of the coolest bracelets I have ever seen. She calls them Wrist Cuffs (great name!) I believe… Read more →
Private collection I have been playing with flower forms lately. I made these for my mother for Mother’s Day. I really like the tulip form from The Beaded Garden by Diane Fitzgerald. That was the starting point for these earrings. They are done in Delicas (c) with sterling sliver findings, and are worked in herringbone.The bead coming out of them… Read more →
So, I got a new toy! I went to the Bead Renaissance Show, and fell in love with a technique, that was new to me. It is an ancient art form that has been updated by Hamanaka. It is called Kumihimo. It is a form of braiding. It is really amazing what you can do with it. Pre-Hamanaka it was… Read more →
I used to design and build glass, in a Stained Glass Overlay ( SGO ) studio. I got these little glass trinkets when I worked there. I thought they would make really great earrings. They are all glass, and I am pretty sure one pair are Swarovski (c). They are on sterling silver posts with sterling ear nuts. I made… Read more →
As I said, Edward Scissor Fish is very dimensional. You can see his little suede lined mouth in this picture. That is where the scissors are supposed to go. I love his top fin, I got it to be very wavy. It is two layers thick, and when you stagger the layers, you can coax the fin into a wave… Read more →
Private collectionThis most amazing creature is Edward Scissor Fish. He was a kit from Beadalot Enterprises Inc. (they seem to no longer exist), although I added a little and changed a little. I just love him! He is probably my favorite of all of my “odd little figures” that sit in a happy group where I can always see them.… Read more →
So, I thought I would show you a piece in progress. I am making this bracelet using bead embroidery. This is a technique I really love. I have not done as much of it as I would like.For some great instructions look at the book Beaded Embellishment: Techniques & Designs for Embroidery on Cloth (Beadwork How-To series) by: Amy C.… Read more →