Creativity Gone Wild!

WARNING! CREATIVITY UNLEASHED!!

OK, I admit it! This is unusual. It's what might be called an "artsy" piece.

This is a "beader's beaded piece." It is making a statement about how I feel about the latest trend in bead competition pieces. It seems that many of the seed bead necklaces and collars are all about how much beadwork can be done on a design, with the focus on not just quality, but quantity of beads. I feel that this causes seed beaded jewelry to get a bad "rap". They are often considered as something to look at but too gaudy and strange to wear. If you pay attention to many of the bead competition pieces you'll see what I mean.

Now look at this stone! It looks like a piece of wood encasing a mass of turquoise. And the turquoise is desperately trying to escape with the energy and awe of a lightning bolt! You get the feeling that if you blink, the wood will combust and you'll be left with shards of turquoise flying all over the room!

Perhaps this necklace was once an overly-seed-beaded piece, destined to be an entry to a bead competition. And then a lightning bolt of turquoise zapped out of this stone and shattered all the other seed beads that tried to upstage it! And what is left? A more tasteful bezel. The gemstone vengefully showing who's boss!

Or perhaps this is a trick of the eye? Perhaps it is in fact not a piece of wood, but a stone referred to as Ribbon Turquoise mined from the Royston Mine in Nevada. And perhaps this stone doesn't encase the turquoise--maybe the turquoise laces through the stone, naturally forming this way.

Brown jasper (a stone, not wood!) comprises one strand of the necklace. The other is--you guessed it--genuine turuqoise!

So: Is this just a mined stone cut by a lapidary artist to maximize dramatic effect? Or is it a tuquoise lightning bolt striking out and annihilating excessive seed beadwork, proclaiming that the stone that God made is the Concert-master, and that seed beadwork should play second-fiddle?

You be the judge.

But do I detect a tiny bit of turquoise lodged beneath the central design, perhaps a remnant of some type of explosion?

******

This is my art, my piece. Most of the other jewelry on my blog is for sale, this piece being an exception. I doubt that an identical cabochon exists, and I'm selfishly hoarding it for myself. But I thought you'd enjoy seeing my gutsier side. ;)

Jaunty Geometric Geodes

Any woman who ever even glances at the television, movies or fashion magazines knows that open designs are all the rage! Large open chains that resemble small hoops are seen everywhere now! These open designs give others a glimpse of your lovely skin that is seen through the window of the shape.

A dear friend of mine chose these stones for me at the world-reknown Hong Kong gem show. The HK show is considered the cream-of-the-crop of all gemshows that exist. She spotted these gemstone geode slices, and was immediately taken aback by their beauty! (And who would have thought that the open-work chain that is so in fashion actually takes its lead from nature?!) The interior of the stones naturally have this open/"negative" space, and upon closer inspection you can see crystal drusy formations.

I complemented these stones with sterling-silver wrapped loops that link each stone to one another. Curved sterling silver tubes gently lead the necklace up your neckline to attach to open-work chain and a circular clasp.

A little dangle of chalcedony beads gives the person who is sitting behind you something pretty to look at, too! (That is, in addition to seeing the pretty back of your head.)

A definite fun piece! Imagine it paired with jeans, a t-shirt and a jean jacket. Or perhaps a monochrome look of a black turtleneck, black slacks, and then your statement geode piece! Oh, please don't let all the compliments go to your head!

Monet's Early Roses

My husband does something very nice for me for my birthday each year; he takes a vacation day from work to spend the day with me. I get to choose the activity, and it is all about fun! (i.e. Not spent cleaning the basement, etc.)

I decided I'd like to spend the day in Columbus doing whatever--shopping, dinner out, visiting our son, etc. Much to my delight I learned that there was a special Monet exhibit going on at the Columbus (Ohio) Museum of Art! So with two handsome men at my side (hubby and son) we went off for an afternoon at the museum!

Monet's works for the most part are lush! You can get lost in his paintings, floating in the tranquility of his gardens. That is until you see his later works. Perhaps due to his ailing eye-sight (?) his paintings seem to take on an air of wildness and urgency--like he's trying to paint brightly so he can see it, and while he still has the ability.

So I cannot claim to be an unconditional Monet-lover. Unlike my former doggie who became dearer as she aged, I feel Monet's works declined in likability as his age progressed.

But his early works are a taste of Heaven! Dancing colors that depict the most wonderful gardens! And it's to those that I dedicate this bracelet and earring set.

The rose petals on the lampworked beads seem to be fluttering and swirling in a surprise summer wind. This Monet-like display was captured on these beautiful beads that were hand-made individually by an Israeli glass artist. I chose to combine them with rhodonite gemstone carved-rose beads, silver-plated rose beads, and a sterling clasp and components. The rose dangle brushes against your wrist like a gentle rose petal, forever reminding you that the flowers that inspired Monet's incomparable works can also inspire you daily!

Please contact me to purchase this set!