Something a Little Different. With an Owl!

I'm getting in to my stash now of pewter totem beads from Happy Mango. I used this little owl totem for this bracelet. Standard gauge Greek leather fit nicely through the holes of the lampwork (chevron pattern beads in goldenrod and carnelian red by Being Beads, and commercial "mocha swirl" lampwork beads) I wanted to use, and the turquoise glass spacers slid right on there.  (I was thinking of naming it "Harbinger of Death", or maybe "Mortality", in honor of traditional Native American owl symbolism but I thought it might be a turn-off).
 

I left a little space between some of the knots to add more dangling beads--carnelian pebbles, picture jasper, turquoise and trade beads hang from hand-forged sterling silver ball headpins. Pewter crimp ends with hand-forged hook clasp. I took apart some of my antique-silver-plated steel 5mm rolo chain from Lima Beads and used the links as spacers (they're already out of stock again! glad I loaded up!). I managed to restrain myself with this one--instead of getting overexcited and making a 10" cankle bracelet it is only 7 and 3/4" long. Perfect for a 6 and 1/4"-1/2" wrist, but it can be lengthened by about 1/4" with a bigger clasp. It helps when you only have a handful of beads!

I recently discovered that there is such a thing as 1mm Greek leather, so I can string Kelley Wenzel's baby raku beads on leather too! (I'm hoarding some of her beads, and she's going to make me more of her baby black raku, melon/mustard raku, and some of the red/silver/black!! I can't wait!!) I have therefore ordered this leather in red, marigold, dark blue, black, brown, and oatmeal (it also comes in dark green but I didn't get any of that). However, before ordering this leather I had already filled up my cart at Fire Mountain with 1mm waxed cotton cord (been wanting to try it) in red, turquoise, lime, lemon green, navy blue, dark green, chocolate, and black. Phew! I want to use them ALL at the same time. In fact, I'm going to make a maypole in the front yard.

My Reptilian Brain

I think I was a lizard in a former life. I must have been in the middle of a past life regression when I made this bracelet because it's all about the desert. I have desert on the brain.



Kelley Wenzel of Kelley's Beads has been counting down the days until her trip to Phoenix and all I can think about now is sun, sand, cacti, those creepy cow skulls, rocks, heat and lizards. And I like it. I grew up in central California, where you have all the joys of heat and crackling dry air without the charm of the actual desert. I would like to go to the desert. Did I already say that?

Picture jasper, my new favorite stone, is the star in this bracelet. It's like the desert's very aesthetic was captured in little spheres and sold to me for my personal enjoyment. I love love love it. Just looking at it makes me feel tan and warm. Or in my case freckled and warm. More little picture jasper rounds shake their groove thang (sorry, it's late at the end of the week) on a length of antique-silver plated rollo chain (which I have been trying desperately and unsuccessfully all day to long to remember where I got it), with some wood, a couple tiger eye rounds, and a little silver-plated sun/moon charm (which you can't see in either of these pictures--the important thing is that I know it's there). Hand forged nickel bead caps, and hand-forged toggle clasp. I did all the sterling ball head pins myself with my new badass propane torch. HOT DAMN!!!! Those suckers melt in a flash. Next thing you know I'll be a one woman sweat shop flooding the market with sterling ball head pins. Right on.



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