Grape Jelly and Autumn Splendor: A Natural Pairing

Ashanti cross in pewter with garnets and Crazy Horse Stone.

I can't help it, those garnets make me think of grape jelly. And the Crazy Horse Stone make me think of plum glaze. I've combined them above with Hill Tribes sterling silver spacers, each intricately stamped with a tiny design, some other sterling silver spacer beads, and a pewter Ashanti-style cross from Happy Mango Beads. Hand-forged sterling silver S-clasp and rings. I love these two stones together.

I couldn't resist doing this monochrome number below--I've been obsessively churning out these heavy wrapped copper rings, and after they came out of the tumbler all darkly glowing I pawed through my pearl stash to find something to pair them with and these teardrop and potato pearls in dark copper said PICK ME. I love the varying colors of the freshwater pearls--from dark gold to bronze to copper to almost cranberry. The teardrop pearls look like molten metal to me--very irregular and organic looking. Wish I could remember where I got them. (Jewelry Supply?)

Copper and freshwater pearls.

Hand-formed spirals, oval link chain, toggle bar and ball headpins.

In other news, I can say that I have mastered (as far as I know) the art of sawing jump rings, and getting my saw blade strung nice and taut. My project for my upcoming staycation is to saw metal sheet with it, and do some etched and stamped pendants and charms. I have some sketches done of what I am hoping will be easy designs. I don't have the patience right now for the iron transfer technique so I will attempt to freehand them with my limited drawing ability. I figure if they look too kindergarten-y I can just hammer the crap out of them and turn them into beadcaps.

Inspiration Is a Lethargic and Dawdling Mistress

It has taken her nearly three months to provide me with a design for Kelley Wenzel's fabulous aqua lampwork nugget beads. They've been sitting on my Japanese-style glass top work bench since early February, within easy reach for fondling and thought experiments regarding how they might be best displayed. For a few weeks I was thinking of doing a variation on the tried and true turquoise-and-coral Southwest tradition, but with glass and carnelian instead. Then I got this fabu pewter pendant from Happy Mango Beads and the muse grabbed me by the throat. And this is what I coughed up:

Also a little red agate, one little dark red seed bead, a scattering of glass tile beads in aqua, and silver accents.

The rest of my hoard from Kelley's Beads sits forlorn on the work bench, awaiting their turn. I do pet them from time to time, so they don't lose hope. I'm kind of counting on Happy Mango to give me another jump start. Some more pewter pendants are sitting in close proximity to them on the bench, so I'm hoping they'll migrate towards each other and spontaneously merge into something divine.

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.

The Painted Desert

Burning red rocks, incandescent tangerine sunsets, delicate coral sunrises, and cool lilac shadows. I love the desert! I think I was a lizard in a former life. I love lizards too. Someday I would like to live in the desert. Or rather near a desert in a town with good infrastructure. In fact I could live near the desert RIGHT NOW. This set below was inspired by the colors of the painted desert. It includes brecciated jasper, yellow jasper (in the bracelet--at least I think that's what that is), garnet, carnelian, moukaite (LOVING that stone), golden jade, Czech pressed glass and table cut glass, a little bit of Indonesian glass and lots of rich, warm brass. The necklace includes removable hand forged extender chain so it can be worn anywhere from 17" (or shorter, actually) to 24". Pewter cross with brass overlay by Happy Mango Beads.

For your alabaster, or ebony, as the case may be, swanlike neck:





For your graceful ballerina wrist:



For your fairylike translucent earlobes:



Please note the bracelet is asymmetrical. I'm working up to an asymmetrical necklace. And a button (I swear it, Erin, really).