Long Time No Bracelets

So I've been incubating these. I churned them out over last weekend--it was so fun! I dug into my lampwork stash, and finally used the copper buttons I made several months ago. This one below has recycled glass in sea green from Happy Mango Beads (I am almost out of these and they are out of stock. Somebody heeeelp meeeeeeee), rustic olive green Indonesian glass seed beads also from Happy Mango, gorgeous lampwork I received in a bead swap from the lovely Alice Peterson (I wish I knew who made them...Alice, can you remind me where they came from?) and genuine turquoise.

Olive Grove on the Aegean

This one is all plums and coffee browns. I started with my new stash of recycled glass beads from Happy Mango--round ones in plum and these nifty little cupped flower shapes in dark amber brown--and combined them with berry and lilac moukaite, Czech crackle glass, purple aventurine, and coffee-brown porcelain discs on nut brown Irish linen cording.

Plums in my Coffee

These lampwork beads caught my eye, I have a thing for vertical stripes on lampwork, and since I had lots of red, orange and white beads I decided to just go with that. (I got this lampwork at my one and only trip to Hobby Lobby, when I was in Billings one year for the holidays--which is about 8 hours away by car. It's a good thing, if there was one nearby I'd be broke.) The little discs are carnelian, the big oval and small faceted round are red agate, the faceted orange ovals are orange aventurine, and the white lozenges are snow quartz (LOVE these beads). The red seed beads are Indonesian glass from Happy Mango.

Chili Pepper

For this one I used some of my favorite lampwork in my stash, which I don't think I have ever successfully used (I used them in a pair of earrings once which were "meh", so I took them apart)--dark olive scrollwork over a toasted marshmallow ground from My Lampwork Garden (see, it took me so long to use them the shop closed, like a year ago.) I combined them with my new recycled glass from Happy Mango in plum and green (I LOVE LOVE LOVE these little tulip beads, I'd run away with them to Sandals if I could), more Czech crackle glass, and an oval of saguaro jasper.

Forest Flowers

This bracelet is practically orgiastic (I love that word) in its autumn color. I was possessed by some kind of autumnal spirit. It all started with the speckled lampwork from Bebes Glass Beads which has some kind of power over me. I combined the lampwork with recycled glass (of course) in green, one little sliver of amber, a Czech table cut glass pear (LOVE this bead), aragonite, and green opal (which in this case are actually golden.)

Orgy in Autumn

Oddly enough, I think this is my favorite bracelet from this lot. The inspiration was from the button, which had a super dark detail and interesting rosy/peachy colors--I put it under the iron (as I did with the others) after I LOS'd it to bring up the color. I used my new lava beads from Happy Mango (I'm in love with lava), a lovely stoneware bead from JJPotteryBeads, more of Kelley Wenzel's mauve and ivory "dragon eye" beads (love these, I still have some left-YAY!), moukaite, batik pattern bone beads, a little lampwork spacer in rosy peach from the lovely Michelle at The Spacer Bead Shop, and my last wood dragonfly bead (which I got at my only trip to Michael's, which is three hours away--also a good thing.)

Dragonfly

And I just got started on my brass button stash with this one and then I ran out of steam. More old lampwork (from another shop that has closed, like a year ago) in delicious pale strawberry/apricot and toasted vanilla, combined with more moukaite, another of these fabulous stoneware beads, a couple more of Michelle's rosy peach spacers, and my own brass beadcaps and headpins.

Sherbet

So there you have it. I will undoubtedly be using up the rest of my brass buttons so there will be more of these. Now I have to go start working on some roman shades for the living room. And I'm totally making it up as I go along. I couldn't figure out a way to make them with duct tape so I have to sew. Sewing makes me cry.

AJE Earrings Challenge Reveal 18 weeks 37-38

Caught behind the eight-ball again with the earring challenge...but I coincidentally have three new pair of earrings to share!

Lily Pads and Roses

I soldered a bunch of copper rings, and patinated them in different colors; I mixed dye oxide patinas from B'Sue Boutiques to achieve this lilac-rose color. I thought I'd go girly and combine them with Czech glass dagger beads in moss green from Happy Mango Beads, and ivory lampwork in a lily pad theme from Kelley Wenzel. I put little Czech glass roundels in bubble gum on the earwires. (Also notice the little seed pods--from my Mommy's garden! I love new props.)

For these, I started with olive green copper rings, and fished around in my stash for some beads--aha! More Czech glass dagger beads from Happy Mango, in olive and azure, lampwork glass spacers from Julie Miller in cornflower blue, and Indonesian seed beads in olive green also from Happy Mango. I thought sterling silver would be nice (sterling silver beadcaps also by me):

Cornflowers and Moss

I just love this etched lampwork, it glows!

These remind me of fields of hay in September on the plains--golden! (More seed pods from Mom!)

Fields of Gold

I started with copper rings that I patinated with Old Lace and Violet dye oxide patinas from MissFickleMedia, and combined them with Czech glass leaves in caramel from BobbiThisnThat, lampwork glass "dragon eye" beads from Kelley Wenzel (somebody tell her to start making beads again, I mean it), glass tile beads in amber on the earwires, and antiqued brass.

Phew, that's all for now!

You can see more at my Etsy shop HERE.

Empire Lariat, and a Little Flash Gordon

Empire Lariat

I've wanted to make a lariat style necklace forever--Lorelei Eurto and Erin Siegel's new book, Bohemian Inspired Jewelry, finally tipped me over the edge on it! I had created these two double-sided mixed metal medallions from 26 and 24 gauge brass and copper sheet (textured with British coins from my own collection and from Joel's Coins--a halfpenny, a one shilling coin and a two shilling coin), and thought I might use them in a lariat one day. This piece is sort of a melding of Erin's "Afternoon  Tea" piece and Lorelei's "Flirtation Lariat" from their book. With the British theme on the medallions I felt like I should keep colors subdued and more classic looking--I'd love to do another medallion lariat with a more southwest look (I sort of have a half formed idea for one but I don't know if it will work).

I used a pair of my copper ribbon/leather ends riveted with copper tacks from Melinda Orr, some of my textured connector rings, brass bands that I textured with other coins, and some of my brass beadcaps and copper ball headpins. I hung little cascades of Czech glass beads (the multicolor Picasso ones are from CraftAnne--LOVE them!!) from short lengths of brass oval chain from LimaBeads. Because these are not real coins, and I used fairly lightweight sheet, they're not very heavy. You really can't have that much weight on a lariat or it will kind of strangle you--haha!

This will fit a 13"-15" neck (more choker length on a 15" neck).

(Here's the other side of the medallions)

I also did these last week, but it took me a while to photograph them. I like the old-timey futuristic look (like Flash Gordon! purely unintentional). I'm totally getting into mixed metals!!

Jet Set

These are with sterling silver earwires and wrapped cross-bar, copper, and silver-plated petal beadcaps from Ornamentea. Silver foil Czech glass beads in fuchsia from FusionBeads.

I had plans to make a few other things this weekend but as usual all this took way longer than I thought it would. But I did get a fabulous morning bike ride in with the BF so it's all good.

I Can't Get the Eggs and Bacon Done at the Same Time, Either

I've been intending to make earrings with these raku lampwork discs from BlueSeraphim, but just didn't get it done until last night. About a week after I finished the bracelet that would have gone with them (see previous post.) It would make far more sense to have done these earrings a week ago and listed them with the bracelet. Or better yet, listed them both with the necklace I did several months ago. (However, my inspiration was just not ripe for all these things at the same time.) I have the same problem with cooking. I have eaten many self-cooked meals in stages. First the toast, then the eggs, then the bacon, because I couldn't seem to get it all done at the same time. Ah well, this is my cross to bear.

So here they are, I've been meaning to try fastening disc beads to small strap-like pieces of metal. I like bending the top of the metal over to form the loop. I stamped a little design on these. I'm still totally spastic with the metal stamp, just can't get the design in there very deep (wimp?) and it moves around. Going to have to practice. Maybe I need a small sledgehammer.

Do you raku? I do.

With iolite and little purple glass beads

I cleaned my fingernails for this picture so I wouldn't look like a carny.

That's all for now, I have to go get ready because we're having bar food tonight.

Some Custom Work Finished Last Night

This is one of those requests by a customer that makes you think, "Ick." I didn't think combining the brass and copper was going to work, but once I got it strung I really liked it. Might even have to make another one! Freshwater pearls, copper and brass accent beads, and some little glass tile beads in a smoky color.

Leather: The Path to Casualness

Plowing through more of my stash of lampwork--these again by BeingBeads in an amber and blue granite pattern. I wanted to do something a little more casual and rustic-feeling, so I got myself in the mood with some deerskin lace in cocoa from Magpie Gems. I started out with some very lightly oxidized brass beadcaps, but they added too much glitter to it and just weren't giving me the rustic feeling I wanted. So instead I used the same beadcaps, but deeply oxidized in ammonia fumes to a dark bronze. I added more of my teal quartz (wish I had bought four strands instead of two...), a little wood, and some nifty fluted dark brass tube beads I got locally. The connectors are the ring halves of some little brass toggle clasps. I wrapped the leather ends in oxidized brass wire and finished it off with a hand-formed brass S-clasp. It's about 19" long.

Acquired Wealth

As opposed to inherited wealth. I have neither. (Unless you count my beads. I have converted a good portion of my negotiable currency to beads and bead-related items. When we experience a complete societal breakdown and dissolution of our financial markets I'll be the richest broad in town.)

The pendant on the necklace above was entitled, on the Happy Mango Beads site where I found it, "Acquired Wealth." Maybe this is what rich Ghanaians wear, or used to wear, as a badge of wealth. I don't know. But I keep rubbing it like a Buddha, hoping some of that wealth will come my way. (Well, if somebody buys it, it will.)

I was sitting in my studio (which we also use as a living room), pondering what I should make, feeling a little bit of designer's block. I went and pawed through my pendant stash and came up on this one, with a vague idea for a color scheme. I actually then completed a necklace with it and didn't like it. So I cut it up and started over. Kept the garnet and carnelian, and added the "trade beads" (I'm not entirely sure about this, as the 12-year-old clerk at the bead store seemed to be improvising when I asked her what they were--if anybody can verify this, please do!). They look like red agate to me with some sort of etched stripe applied--they're really stunning. (The little girl also informed me they were planning to stick around, which I hope was true.) I'm wishing now I had used some wire spiral tubes I made instead of the commercial ones that are on there, but I think it's all right.

I really need to get a life.

Somebody Spank Me

Because I've been a very knotty girl. Twice.



Brown knotted waxed linen with glass, wood, assorted gemstones, pewter and silver plated accents. Hand-formed sterling silver hook and eye clasp. I got carried away again so it's a little longer (8.5"), just right for a 7" wrist or larger.

I just kept going since all the beads were out and lying around already. I didn't feel like putting them away. Especially since I hurt my back.



Lead-free pewter Ashanti style cross pendant. A little shorter than 19" long. Also knotted brown waxed linen. I didn't really feel like choosing a color scheme so I just used them all.

I was going to knot this last one, but the holes in the tourmaline were so small I would have had to use very fine silk, and I figured the copper heishi would slip right over the knots, so I strung it instead. So I'm knotty AND strung out. Just like Lindsay Lohan except with more to show for it. Handmade Tibetan copper and brass coin pendant (made by those Tibetan refugees living in Nepal), little tourmaline rounds, and some larger moss agate rounds near the pendant. Brass and copper heishi. It's about 17" long.



That's all I had in me today, a mental health day off from work. Actually I did the bracelet last week. So it was a two-pendant day. I was moving a little slower because I hurt my back this morning bending over to pick up a bead pole dancing. That's right, Monday morning pole dancing. That's where I get my coffee money for the week.

Not What I Had Originally Planned

Well, this wasn't at all what I had started out to make. I was determined to use my bronze Summers Studio pendant, but it just didn't work out. So I will continue to hoard that one until I can devise the PERFECT setting. I was so looking forward to using that, I almost gave up halfway on this one. I hate having to start over with a design idea. And I wasn't thrilled with this disc of chrysocolla, it was just so plain. In the process of creating a bail for it I got carried away adding gewgaws to it (there was epoxy), and I like it a little more. (For more info, CLICK HERE).



I had started out with bronze-colored chain (I left my brass chain in the ammonia fumes for a LONG time, until it turned sable brown), so I decided to stick with that. Used some of my hand-forged beadcaps that I had also bronzed in the ammonia fumes, and then spent ALL day trying to figure out what else to do with it. Finally settled on these great wood wheels from Beads and Pieces (fabulous wood bead selection). And of course, being me, I had to add just one more thing. So I dangled some little turquoise glass roundels partway along the chain to keep it from being too naked. I did have some brass spirals on there too, but then there were just too many curlicues everywhere and I took them off.



Didn't have time for the new torch yesterday. Frankly, I'm a little nervous. Making fire with something that's delivered in a truck is a little daunting. My cigar lighter torch is much less threatening. Bic is harmless. You light them at concerts. Unfortunately the thing I just made (above) was not on my to do list, so I can't cross it off. So the list is the same length. Long. I guess I should add it on there and THEN cross it off. But my list would still be the same length. Damn.