Easter Island Necklace

Beaded multi-strand necklace using a bone connector and one of Barbara's Easter Island faces.

Enjoy.

Ancient Warrior and Colorful Beads Necklace

I have been working on this necklace for about a month.  I used little bali style brass two-hole connectors to connect the two sides and had trouble keeping the strands from twisting when it was worn.  I must have taken it apart and restrung it about six times.  I finally decided that the outer strand needed to be just a tad longer than the inner strand.  Now, if you are careful to straighten everything up before you clasp it, it stays pretty well.

I really like this look - I want to credit Lynn Ferro for its inspiration.  She makes the most beautiful gypsy looking jewelry with a southwestern flair.  I love her work and have admired it for some time.

I like the way this turned out, but it is nothing like the work that Lynn does.  She's wonderful!

Starry Road Slider Bead Necklace

Karen Totten has a bead in a new design for her that she calls a slider bead.  It is really a nice size.  My first inclination was to use it in a bracelet, but I am still experimenting with this style of necklace - one where beads are strung downward, rather than sideways, through a focal bead.  In fact, a similar necklace is being published in the Fall issue of Stringing.  I really can't wait until I can share that with you, but until then......

I also used African trade white brass and copper bicone beads and turquoise howlite with glass beads.

Great job Karen.  It is a wonderful bead and I really enjoyed using it.

Kitty Cat Necklace

Today I made this necklace.  The pendant is a small porcelain tile made by Popogirl on etsy.  I purchased a few of her pieces months ago when I wanted to try my hand at wire wrapping pendants.  This is my first attempt.  I have had the pendant finished for some time, but only today did it occur to me how to finish it up.  The beads on this necklace are quite small, the pink coins are only 5mm across and I used 24 gauge wire to make the rosary style chain.  As a result it is quite delicate and feminine for the cat lover.

I made the little triskelion design pendant bail.

Marti Conrad Porcelain Components - Cowgirl Jewelry

I made two bracelets and some earrings using my newest acquisitions from Marti Conrad.  I love the petroglyphic type rat bracelet, although there is some question about whether it is actually a rat or not.  I have searched the internet to try to identify the animal but have had no success yet. 

I love it when Marti includes charms for matching earrings.  I used jasper, a hand made lampwork by Lynda Cogbill, a pressed glass Trilobite bead (although you can't see it in this picture) and some fire polished beads.

I used three lampwork beads by Julie Burgard, Outwest, and lava stones along with African white brass beads.

Hello -- Anybody out there? Anybody in here?

I've not posted since Sunday, but I've been working hard at making jewelry to submit for the Winter issue of Stringing.  Deadline is quickly approaching.  I've got several things submitted and they even liked some of it and told me to send it in - I am so excited to share it with you.

Something, I haven't shared with you yet is that I have been notified that I have three THREE pieces coming out in the Fall issue of Stringing.  How cool is that?  I can't wait for you to see those pieces either - two necklaces and a bracelet.

Now, for what I can share with you.  I still managed to make a pair of earrings and a necklace for the shop.  The Easter Island heads made by Barbara Hanselman are proving to be quite popular.  I love this pair because they are more like us - they have different faces. 

 She also made the topper beads.  They have a pattern on both sides and the clays match so well.

Deb Houde of Overland Park, KS, Jatterwunky Studio, made the three lampwork beads in this piece.  The turquoise and brown she used goes perfectly with the wood beads and turquoise beads.  This is a short choker style necklace, the shortest strand is only 16" long, but it also drapes like a bib.  It is gorgeous on.

Easter Island Necklace and Earrings

As I announced on my blog yesterday, I was featured on the Earrings Everyday Blog yesterday.  It was quite an exciting day for me.  For those of you that missed that blog, here is a picture of the earrings that were featured there.

The pendants are by Barbara Hanselman.  I recently found her work and love it.  I have a pretty good little stash of it already and am having a lot of creative fun working with it.  Barbara finishes these with terra sigillata instead of ceramic glazes so they are ‘open’ to absorb the essence of the wearer. You can even drop essential oils on them which will infuse making them wearable aroma therapy. How cool is that?


 They seemed to be accepted very well and I was thrilled and humbled by the comments they received.

So here is the debut of the matching necklace.  This pendant actually has a face on both sides.  A note that Barbara included with it says, "A Talisman with Two Faces looking in opposite directions personifies change as well as transitions; it suggests being able to see into the past with one face and into the future with the other.  Double faced beads are also symbols of a "middle ground" where the individual can feel centered and exist totally in the now.  Carrying or wearing an image with opposing faces in any culture is purported to help stabilize the mind and make the wearer purposeful; able to focus on the task at hand."

As you can see, the faces are a bit different on each side and the necklace can be worn with either side out so there is no way to put it on wrong.

Gypsy Earrings with Howlite and Vintaj Patina

I love these new connectors that I found.  I used my new Vintaj patinas on these and sealed them with the glaze.  I just recently got those howlite melon balls too.  Something about them just appealed to me - I do wish they weren't quite so big, but oh well - it is what it is.

Enjoy

Let the Gypsy in You Come Out and Play

Made these this week.   I started them earlier in the week and was having a real challenge getting my dangles to come out the right length in relation to each other.  I wanted to hammer my own headpins and put the spade on the end -- hey that's harder than it looks.

Anyway, I tried again this morning, and they just came together first try.  Go figure.

I added another pair of Cheryl Harris' lampwork beads and voila!  Let me say something about her lampwork.  What I really, really love about it is that she makes smaller beads - I have way too many beads that are so large I will probably never use them - they are beautiful handmade beads, but for me, they are just too large.  Cheryl makes a smaller bead which I love.  Go Cheryl!

I love these connectors.  They are either brass or copper, I can't tell which, that had a thin silver plating applied.  I removed most, but not all, of the silver on purpose and they look really cool.

Enjoy.

Earrings Every Day Blog - I'm a Guest Today

Recently I was invited by Kristi Bowman to make a guest appearance on the Earrings Every Day Blog.  So, I got busy and made some special earrings just for the occasion.  CLICK HERE to visit Earrings Everyday and see what I made.

I'd put a picture of them here, but that would ruin the surprise.