Pearls for Lona

My mother has a friend that she met at her church. Her name is Lona, and she recently celebrated her 100th birthday! My mom mentioned that Lona is in good health, and is definitely young in spirit.

I haven't met Lona yet, however she made me a wonderful gift. She filet-crocheted our last name into a doily-like, framable wall decoration! She gave it to my mom, and asked my mom to deliver it to us.

Now imagine this: A kind elderly lady, possibly with arthritic fingers busily working away to make a gift for the daughter of a friend of hers. How sweet is that?

Wouldn't you think that her eye-sight would be failing, and that perhaps the end-result would be--a little irregular, albeit made with love?

Well, think again!

I am also a crocheter, and have made several thread crochet pieces. (And, in case you're interested in my needle-work resume, I've won blue ribbons at the county fair on several of my crochet pieces. OK, please excuse my cracking knees as I arise from my curtsy.) I can spot a well-crocheted piece. And this piece could hold its own at any State Fair, and would probably strut away with Best-in-Show/Grand Champion!

Her stitches are regular. OK, not merely regular, but PERFECT! In addition to this, many needleworkers know that the correct blocking of a finished piece makes or breaks the end result. The blocking on this piece is impeccable. Every stitch in place, each row aligned. Superb!

I am truly humbled by the quality of her work, and touched by her generosity!

So my beads came out again.

I made her this bracelet as a thank you gift. I chose pearls, as they are a perennial favorite. I chose pink, because Lona is young, in just about every way! Instead of using a traditional box clasp that pearls dictate, I used a lovely--FABULOUS!-- filigree clasp that my Hong Kong friend, Winnie, sent to me. A little peg inserts into the center of the clasp to close it, and the peg is held in place with tiny magnets. I figured this would be easier to close than any other clasp, however this is probably overkill as I imagine that Lona's fingers are probably more nimble than yours or mine!!!

And because my mom told me that Lona is a spunky lady, I added a little kicking spunk to the center of the bracelet--a pearl encrusted with Swarovski crystals. (Thanks to Winnie, again, my Bead Angel!) Once again, my little signature: whimsy to a traditional piece.

I'll be sending the bracelet to her today. I can only hope that my pearl knotting-needlework will hold up under her scrutiny. Even if it doesn't, I can imagine Lona graciously saying that it does.

Now if I can only keep my fingers as nimble for the next 52 years...

Confetti friend

It is time.

I've worn contact lenses since I was in the 9th grade, for distance vision. But as I've gotten a little older--uh, I mean better--my close range vision has been declining. So I made the leap to tri-focals.

When I went to choose my frames, I had the choice between the ultra-conservative frames, the conservative-to-modern frames, or the funky frames. I purchased from the updated conservative collection, however I did audition a few pairs of the funky ones. They just weren't right for me for every day use; but I did chuckle to think that one of my friends chose from that exciting collection when she chose her every-day glasses!

She's my Confetti Friend. The type who's fun, and can usually get me to belly-laugh within minutes! We used to meet at a coffee shop for a late evening snack or a cup of coffee every couple weeks, just like on a Friends episode. Only we're a little older. And not as pretty. And fatter. (OK, so it doesn't sound much like a Friends episode after all! Thanks for discovering the holes in my little analogy.)

I'd be wearing my requisite blue jeans, a sweater, and the newest necklace I'd made. She'd be wearing a fun outfit- usually with some type of stars or sparkles or appliqued embellishment. And her cool glasses. You wouldn't know what to look at first--her smile, her sequins, or her glasses that could only spell F-U-N!!

I've missed being around her since my hubby and I moved. I placed a call and a text message to her with no response. So I pouted on and off, realizing that this new chapter in my life might have cost me my friend--a casualty due to geographical distance.

So I pouted some more. But I was NOT going to be the one to reach out again. I'm a nice person, I have a nice life, and I'm not desperate for friends.

Then I buckled. I realized that I actually could swallow my pride just one more time! I rationalized that if I didn't hear back from her I'd bury this friendship, or at least put it on the back burner.

I dialed. When she came to the phone, she sounded sad and worn. Much to my chagrin, I learned that she had been extremely sick, even hospitalized in ICU for several days! How awful! And there I was, feeling sorry for myself that she wasn't calling me. It wasn't that she wasn't calling me, it's that she couldn't.

I'm not sure what upset me more--that she has been sick, that she was sick and I didn't know about it, or the fact that the spunk and giggle in her voice weren't there. Instead, I heard fatique and pain. And that was heartbreaking.

That did it! I can't take this!! It was time for my regular therapy appointment.

Bead therapy, that is!

Since I'm in a knotting state-of-mind, I pulled out the funkiest set of pearls I have in my collection to design a necklace for her. Each pearl seems to be a different color, or shape or style. I strung and strung, knotted and knotted. The size and the shape of these pearls resulted in uneven hole sizes and hole channels. This made the stringing even more difficult, and I found the thread jamming up inside the holes, with me coaxing it through with kind words and the tip of a needle.

But isn't the result fun? Whimsical, which I think is my favorite type of design--a different twist on a traditional format; pearls in outrageous colors that look like crepe paper streamers! (Can you see the color of the knotting thread? Florida Orange!) This isn't a necklace, it's a party! Can't you just hear someone blowing one of those uncurling paper party horns?

Like a clown, I will do almost anything to get my friend to smile and giggle again. I hope this necklace for her does the trick!

So, here's to better health and days ahead, my Confetti Friend. You'll be smiling again soon. And when you're back to smiling, remember, it's your turn to call.

Opal Nuggets for Vanessa

Once in awhile I'll get a strand of beads that I call "keepers". A keeper is a strand that, well, I intend to keep for myself--like the necklace that appears in my last blog entry. The problem is that I tend to want to squirrel away too many things for myself. And that's not very nice.

Our niece, Vanessa just graduated from college. She has long, silky brown hair, and is an expert horse-woman. I wanted to design a set that would mirror her outdoorsy inclinations. (Many of you know that this might be difficult for me to do, since I much prefer an air-conditioned room to basking in 90 degree sun, but I digress.) I think I managed to design a set that can be tossed on after a brisk afternoon horseback ride. Alas, this strand tugged at my heart, and I knew I had to part with it since it would be perfect for her!

I decided to individually hand-knot these gorgeous Opal Nuggets (thanks to hand-knotting guidance from my friend, Winnie!) and tossed in some Golden Pietersite for good measure. Plus, the Pietersite gives the appearance of hidden flakes of gold left-over from California gold-mining. It kind of completes the whole riding-the-horse-into-the-sunset feel. I'm going with a theme here--please be gentle with me!

So here it is. I'm blasting this picture all over the internet even before Vanessa receives her gift because I'm so excited about how it turned out!

My keeper strand has turned into a sharer strand. And that makes me smile! But I'm not making any promises yet about sharing that honking hunk of turquoise that's propping up those earrings...

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!

C'mon, Baby! Let's do the twist!

The pastor at our church loves to tie in songs and song titles to his sermon. Uh oh, looks like it's rubbing off on me! (See not only this post, but also the one about diamonds.)

For some unknown reason, I'm on this twist kick. It's like I can't get enough of it! I saw a bracelet made elsewhere that incorporates a similar twist, so this series of bracelets is inspired by that style.

This is an unusual bracelet. Most bracelets encircle your wrist, with the clasp suppposedly staying at the middle of the underneath part of your wrist. Anyone who has ever worn a bracelet knows that bracelets have a tendency to move around on the wrist, and we are forever adjusting them, trying to get the clasp to stay in the middle.

This particular design prevents that problem from occurring, or at least lessens it. How?

First of all, the bottom part of the bracelet is made with approx. 300 lined, glass beads that I've individualy sewn together to form a twist pattern. They contain a couple different colors, so they appear to change colors slightly in the light. The twisted tiny bead portion *stays twisted* and also curves gently around the bottom of your wrist.

The top portion attaches to the base at the side, and the clasp for the bracelet is on the other side of the wrist. I wear mind with the clasp facing away from my body, but you can wear yours towards the inner portion of your wrist if desired.

(I'm actually toying with the idea of making a variation on this bracelet as a different design. I'm considering making the base and the top part of bracelets that attach to one another with decorative magnetic clasps, which look like beads. Then you could purchase from a series of bases as well as tops that could mix and match, putting you as the final designer. [Hmmm, should I wear the pearl top with the purple base or the blue base today?] I could vary the top parts---make some in gemstone bead chips, or clunkier gems, or dainty pearls or crystals. The possibility of the mix & match variations is staggering!!)

Please share with me your thoughts on that idea.

For now, I'm making the twist bracelets with a single clasp. And they are so comfortable! The twist cuddles your wrist with no pinching, and the top of the bracelet stays in place!! I love, love, love this design, and have even made one that I intended to sell, but couldn't part with it. (And I'm receiving many compliments on it.) ;)

The one in this post is: Apatite for Apatite: The top portion incorporates genuine gemstones called Apatite. These stones are blue gems with flecks of teal. They are linked together with sterling-silver handmade links. This is a definite blue jeans piece---made to wear with your denim!! Additional beads are sterling silver, and the clasp is sterling silver as well.

Sometimes, jewelry with jeans looks kind of silly. You are dressing down for a reason! But this piece adds a little class to the everyday look that I so adore. You can go from a frumpy to a polished look with one piece of jewelry, and this is it! De-frump by asking me about the price for this item!

Moukaite, Mate!

Moukaite is a gemstone in the jasper family, and is found in Australia. Put this baby on when you go to Outback Steakhouse for dinner!

Each moukaite gem on this bracelet is a hand-cut tulip-like flower. (No, I don't do the stone cutting.) Notice the awesome color variations in these stones, ranging from creamy white and tan and also the plum colors. The stones are grouped in pairs, with a purple rainbow fluorite faceted gemstone between. The set of stones is linked to the base with solid copper, hand-turned wrapped loops.

The base is plum-like lined glass beads, with a hint of copper color. The accent beads are coppe- plated, and I finished it with a hand sculpted and hand-forged solid copper hook and eye closure.

Many people love copper jewelry because of its wamth and swear that it helps alleviates arthritic symptoms. I am not making any medical claims, however. Dr. Donna says just buy the bracelet for its beauty, and if your arthritis feels better, then, fine!

Upon age, copper will achieve a patina which will only add to the character of the piece. (You can always gently polish it with copper polish if you don't enjoy the eventual patina look.)

So far, Dave says this is his favorite of the bracelets I've made, due to the fact that the stones are so unusual!

Please contact me about pricing. Matching earrings can be made by request.

Purple Jasper Twist

Please read the "C'mon let's do the twist" post prior to reading this one. It is the pre-requisite post, so-to-speak.

One of my favorite plants is lavender! We had lavender plants at our last home, and they were next to our garage. It was so nice to be greeted by a waft of lavender when getting out of the car and coming into the house!

Put on this lavender twist bracelet. Close your eyes, and you can pretend that you are in Provence, France, surrounded by fields of this fabulous plant with the heady fragrance. Open your eyes. Look, you have some of it encircling your wrist!

These purple jasper beads are accentuated with genuine tourmaline (pinkish) beads. Sterling silver spacers and bead-cones grace the beadwork. I sculpted and hand-forged the hook and eye clasp/closure using my tiny pliers, hammer and anvil. (The bracelet ring does not slip off of the clasp because it is stuck in amnongst the clasp's spirals.)

The earrings are also purple jasper, with tourmaline and sterling silver. I sculpted and hand-forged the earhooks, too. The teardrops on the earrings are wider and flatter than those used on the bracelet.

Please keep in mind: these are true stones, not plastic pieces made to look like stones.

When you buy my jewelry, you will be owning little pieces of art. Each piece is made individually, and is often a one-of-a-kind. Why purchase items from a catalog or a big-box store when you know that thousands of others may have the same thing?

Do you need this set? Oui! Please contact me for pricing information!

Are diamonds really a girl's best friend?

OK, we've all heard it before. We can even sing that line, even if we don't know the rest of the song!! But I'm wondering if diamonds really are a girl's best friend?

Have you ever misplaced a piece of diamond jewelry? I have, and that feeling is not pretty. I was miserable, went through a self-hate mode, ("How could you allow that to happen?") etc. I was fortunate, though, that my diamond ring was found!!!, and is now happily on my finger. :)

I have heard from others about their horror stories about losing diamonds and not getting them back. They all have that same despondent/aghast look on their faces when they tell their stories. My heart goes out to them.

I have also heard from others that they are afraid of wearing their diamond pieces because they might lose them. So they stash those gems in their dresser drawers, and pull them out occasionally to marvel at the sparkle!

Well, if any of you have those feelings, here is the solution!

This bracelet definitely has glimmer appeal! It contains sparkly Swarovski crystals and tiny gold-filled beads make a lattice-work design between them. Watch these babies flash in the light!! The bracelet is reversible---the flip side shows the crystals only. It is finished with a claps made from gold over sterling silver.

(A friend of mine saw a lady in a store with one of these on, and she gasped at her "diamonds". She approached the woman, who then told her that it was made from crystals. My friend immediately asked me to make her one, and this is the resulting piece!)

This piece is sold, but I have one that is made with silver lattice work over a slightly different shade of white crystal. The silver one is a little more muted, for those who want to subdue the glitz a little! And, I could of course make additional ones in the gold-filled style.

Lest my husband thinks otherwise, I'd better say: Hey, I'd take diamonds over crystals any day, honey, so feel free to shower me in them!

But to my other blogger readers I'll say: Swarovskis will give you the flash you want, but won't cause you to flip-out if you lose it. ;)

A girl can have more than one best friend, right? Please contact me for pricing information!

Cotton Candy Heart bracelet

One of my daughter's favorite treats when she was young was Cotton Candy. The puffy, gooey pink spun sugar seemed too good to be true. The sheer volume of it made it seem as though I was allowing her to eat a piece of candy that was almost as big as she was!

Then reality set in. As soon as she took a bite, that large volume disappeared and left a tiny bit of sugar in her mouth. She revelled in that sugar jolt, yet was disappointed that it wasn't really a Kristen-sized chunk of sugar that she was eating!

The cotton candy hearts in this bracelet were custom-made for me by a beading colleague out of lampworked-glass. You'll notice the little pink swirls and dots of "sugar" on them! The focal point of the bracelet is a pretty lamworked pink flower. Sterling silver hammered heart beads and genuine pink calcite gemstones are tucked into the bracelet as well!

For added interest, I made bead dangle charms. Each charm is different, and it's fun to pick through them and see how they differ!

Sterling silver heart-linked chain is woven through this bracelet, and it is finished off with a sterling silver heart clasp that is every bit as decorative as the remainder of the bracelet! As my Valentine's Day gift to you, I will resize it upon request so it will fit you perfectly!

Guys: This would make a great Valentine's Day gift for your special lady. Please email me for the (reasonable!) price on this bracelet. And, unlike real cotton candy, this gift is long-lasting!

Ladies: Why wait? You can buy this bracelet for yourself and have it in time to wear for your Valentine's dinner out! Please email me for the (reasonable!) price on this bracelet. (I don't want to post it publicly in the even that a reader wants to purchase this as a gift.)

And even though we're a little older, can't we enjoy a Cotton Candy treat now and then? After all, we're still little girls inside!

Happy Valentine's Day! Please contact me for pricing information so you can enjoy the sweet Cotton Candy Heart bracelet!

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is quickly approaching! I enjoy this holiday because it's a great excuse to let my husband, children, other family members and friends know that I love and appreciate them!

Save the money you'd spend on candy and think of this necklace, instead! It's something that will last, and is calorie-free.

Short, clunky chains are fashionable now, with the toggle closure in the front. With a nod to that trend, I made this piece that is more delicate and feminine!

A beading colleague made the glass puffed-heart for me. This heart dangles from a heart-linked sterling silver chain. The sterling silver toggle closure suspends the heart dangle that is topped with Swarovski crystals that dance and sway as you move.

Even though the prime-time to wear this is the Valentine's season, it would also look dynamite when you're wearing your white blouse and blue jeans. A little romantic whimsy tucked inside your comfy cozy outfits!

Hmmmm. Why give this away? Don't you deserve a little pampering too?

(Feel free to pass this hint along to your special guy. I'll even make sure it's gift-wrapped to save him time!)

The price is very reasonable, around the price of a large box of Dietsch's chocolate. I'll disclose the price to you privately in an email if you're interested in purchasing it. (Hey, perhaps your hubby wants to buy this for you--and he will want to keep the price secret.)

Hope your Valentine's Day is filled with love!

Monet bracelet

The pastel colors in Monet's paintings inspired this piece! I made chain sections using 14KT gold-filled wire strung with Rainbow Fluorite gemstones. I then made cascading sections with cut Ametrine and Citrine leaves on 14KT gold-filled wire. (Ametrine is a gemstone that is a combination of Amethyst and Citrine.) The gemstone foliage drapes from the Tourmaline branches,and these leaves even have tiny veining carved into them! 14KT gold-filled beads are interspersed, and it is finished off with a 14KT gold-filled clasp.

A very unique and feminine bracelet that is sure to turn heads! All the gemstones are genuine.

I can also make matching earrings if you'd like a complete set. Please contact me for pricing information!

Amazing Amazonite!

I love these stones! They're a wonderful light green color, perfect for Spring and Summer, or to remind us that Spring and Summer will be coming after this Ohio snow!

The necklace is a loose choker length, perfect to wear with a blouse or light weight sweater. It's made with several cuts of Amazonite gemstones: teardrops, faceted rectangles, faceted rondelles. You get a lot of rock for your money! Some Swarovski beads are tucked in for a gentle sparkle.

In order to appease those of you who prefer gold to silver, this piece is sprinkled with some 14KT gold-filled beads and a 14KT gold-filled clasp.

The earrings are also Amazonite, and were quite labor-intensive. 14KT gold-filled chain gently swirls around the gemstones. These dangle from 14KT gold-filled earring hooks. It actually took twice the time to make these as the necklace took in order to get the chain to hang just right!

These are original designs.

This set has sold, but I can make you one that is similar. I will not make it exactly as shown so you can have an original as well. Please contact me if you're interested!