The Pot Sweetens! Artists Helping Artists

I am adding to the silent auction pot here at The Cerebral Dilettante:

These gorgeous sterling and fine silver earrings by Susan Fincher of Libellula Jewelry are now available for bidding, together with my copper jellyfish earrings! Susan was eager to join in as a partner in this Artists Helping Artists auction, and offers her support and warmest regards.

Here are some details about these lovely earrings:

• torch-balled sterling silver ear wires
• hammered, fused fine silver circular links
• (PMC) paisley fine silver stars
• torch-balled sterling silver headpins w/Czech glass beads

Everything but the Czech glass beads were handmade by Susan. The current bid from the previous post was $40--as those of you know who make jewelry, sterling silver is very valuable right now! By bettering that bid, you could be the proud (and crazy hot) owner of both pairs of earrings. A steal by any definition! These earrings are only available together, by bettering the previous high bid.

Would you like to be the winning bidder for BOTH pairs of earrings, from this post and the previous post? New bidders will be eligible, and previous bidders can increase their bid to be eligible for both pairs! Please, no bids on individual pairs; this fire-and-ice duo stays together! Please make your bid or rebid on the previous post. 


Bidding closes midnight, Sunday December 11. Thanks to Susan!

Little Fishies

Water, water, water, everywhere water! That must be why I'm thinking of fish. And bright fish in tropical colors at that! It's a bit dreary here in the mountains right now, so this must be a spot of self-help therapy. I'm dreaming of warm tropical waters and sunny colors...

Here I've entertained myself with a cheerful little tableau of three whimsical glazed ceramic fish buttons (by MuddyMuse on Etsy), navigating their way through a sea of glass and gemstone "bubbles" in fresh, summery (I'm guessing here, "summer" exists for me on a purely theoretical plane) greens and blues. I've attached them all to a solid copper base via hand-forged headpins in a random pattern, and used short lengths of silk ribbon in "faded denim" by Flamekissedartglass to attach the focal to copper rollo chain.

Happy Little Fishies

The wonderful little sage green lampwork spacers are by Pinocean, and the larger spacer in periwinkle blue is by Studiorent. (I also recently found another lampwork spacer shop on Etsy, TheSpacerQueen --loads of colors, both opaque and transparent, all about 5x8mm each, perfectly freakishly uniform. Quick shipping and great prices. Check her out!). Other beads here include denim lapis, some seed beads in matte powder blue and lime green, little matte blue glass discs from Happy Mango, fancy jasper and one lonely moss agate.

OK, time for me to go take some Vitamin D and sit under a light bulb. I'm starting to look like Gollum.

New Boro Beads from Pat!

Pat stopped by yesterday to bring me the beads she made for me for my special project. Here they are!







Aren't they lovely? Even though I suck at photographing boro beads? The lighter set is in a more denim/cornflower blue, with hints of plum and light sage, and splashes of rich cerulean blue. The darker set has a deep midnight blue ground, with varying shades of cerulean blue and cobalt, with hint of deep red plum and soft green. My photos just don't capture all the color variations. Just what I had asked her for! I'm super excited because there's a bunch of other gemstone beads I can combine them with, beyond my "special" project ("special" meaning I didn't have any of the items necessary to make it and had to go out and buy them all. It's a compulsion, like becoming unbearably thirsty as soon as the plumber turns the water off. I keep getting fab ideas involving materials I do not possess.)

Pat Redinger of BeingBeads on Etsy makes really lovely boro beads--really eye catching patterns and wonderful combinations of colors (see my previous post). She also sells them singly! How great is that? Sometimes you don't need a whole set, or you might want to mix and match. Check out her shop!

Look What I Bought!

I just couldn't wait. I started circling over Kelley's shop this morning and there were GORGEOUS BLUE BEADS!! I've been neglecting the color blue and that was going to be my next thing. I warned her. Or tipped her off, rather. And there they were. ADD TO CART.



There was another set of beads in a barely-there palette of cream-to-creme brulee, lavender, and sky blue. I love subtle shades, and these beads are so versatile in their coloring I could combine them with all sorts of things and they would be spectacular. I love how clear they are--I think it will be a nice contrast to the usual opacity and semi matte finish of the types of gemstones I use. ADD TO CART.



And then to just really cement my dedication to using lampwork, I bought a couple more from another seller, LA Jewelry Designs.



I've been really into this slatey teal color lately. Haven't used it yet, just...collecting things. I love colors with a lot of gray in them. ADD TO CART.

OK, just had to share. Best go get busy with the pendant I'm making with the first of Kelley's beads.