tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88651300259673756102024-03-13T23:49:35.083-07:00The Beaded PassionBright Circlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06411792426837068865noreply@blogger.comBlogger218125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8865130025967375610.post-44719397962928070202012-11-20T08:04:00.000-08:002012-11-20T08:04:07.532-08:00Q&A with the designerQ: When making a piece, do you design in advance or make it up as you go?<br />
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A: Both! Most of the time I already have a good idea of what I want to do with a piece when I start, but make up the details as I go. Sometimes the process goes smoothly (but not too smoothly--this is a creative endeavor after all), and sometimes this design-as-I-go approach leads to an unfinished project, but that's all right. Unfinished designs lead to great jewelry down the road, when I find that perfect element to complete the piece. There are times when the materials to make the main body of the piece are all gathered together, waiting for me to pick them up, and I just let them sit, as ideas percolate.<br />
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For example, one of my latest designs did just that, sat in my 'to make' drawer for some months. I'd come home from the Bead & Button show with a mix of silk and leather cords, and a perfect coppr clay focal from Green Girl Studios. I knew I wanted to do a braid of the cords, with the focal at the center flanked by various bits and bobs. When I started actually pulling out charms and such from my stash to put into the necklace, I knew the time was right to make the necklace. And look how it turned out!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBipJD9HVyWXBBDjR8LcSQ7FRVGe3cJ-iVSOsXHLTzvUh4UNcgzPZAt9l3O-MdTdI8y08BdiQxwARL4PzxebbV9NFEhUch9eCYGJoMel4iSSaKKW5L9fnLulZ3LlC9zGo6xxvp7gQ2u1tU/s1600/bird+girl+story+necklace+(4).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBipJD9HVyWXBBDjR8LcSQ7FRVGe3cJ-iVSOsXHLTzvUh4UNcgzPZAt9l3O-MdTdI8y08BdiQxwARL4PzxebbV9NFEhUch9eCYGJoMel4iSSaKKW5L9fnLulZ3LlC9zGo6xxvp7gQ2u1tU/s400/bird+girl+story+necklace+(4).JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The necklace is inspired by the Green Girl Studios stories of the Bird Girls from the Beach of All Things Lost, who return important talismans to the people who lost them. I call this my 'story necklace'.<br />
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<br />Bright Circlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06411792426837068865noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8865130025967375610.post-172982463046731072012-11-16T06:43:00.001-08:002012-11-16T06:43:50.215-08:00Designer Q & A <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9y_I9trZxDbd9qURswMe_GeNxx91iNOV-ffrY5dLp1G9rYRq97o-3T_GgnzrBunq2-PVyWbFugM2kIwXxmdAi3sjKleYVd177PdHZoe2UETsVteNPVgX0Jm3C3T4doPeo49gsROs1BeEG/s1600/100_5784.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9y_I9trZxDbd9qURswMe_GeNxx91iNOV-ffrY5dLp1G9rYRq97o-3T_GgnzrBunq2-PVyWbFugM2kIwXxmdAi3sjKleYVd177PdHZoe2UETsVteNPVgX0Jm3C3T4doPeo49gsROs1BeEG/s320/100_5784.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Q: How would you describe your first beading project?<br />
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A: Accident-prone! *laughs* It was a bracelet combining 5mm red faceted glass beads with vintage gold-plated beads that had very abrasive holes. I had strung the bracelet on the wrong kind of thread and the abrasive holes kept cutting through the thread and my bracelet beads would scatter all over the floor--at home, at church... you get the picture.Bright Circlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06411792426837068865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8865130025967375610.post-3593248693955856382012-02-25T10:56:00.000-08:002012-02-25T10:56:58.901-08:00Q's gift<i>The breath left Lwaxana as her eyes widened. All of her archness vanished in the unadulterated amazement of what she was seeing. The pendant hung from his hand in front of her. Within the glittering jewels there seemed to be suns, exploding and being formed continuously. "Will you accept this small token?" asked Q...</i><br />
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Since the first time I read that paragraph, I have wanted to make that pendant.Bright Circlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06411792426837068865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8865130025967375610.post-39645294367535806252012-01-26T11:30:00.000-08:002012-01-26T12:04:00.568-08:00Jewelry from the Bones pilot<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://bones-daily.com/photos/albums/bones/s1caps/1x01%20Pilot/020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://bones-daily.com/photos/albums/bones/s1caps/1x01%20Pilot/020.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Here's Bones's Angela flashing her lacy bra at an airport agent to get a quick answer. Oh and look, she's wearing a necklace. Looks like a three-strand pink and red bit, with faceted and dyed stone and glass beads knotted onto thick silk cord. A little on the mainstream side but not bad at all.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://bones-daily.com/photos/albums/bones/s1caps/1x01%20Pilot/135.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://bones-daily.com/photos/albums/bones/s1caps/1x01%20Pilot/135.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> Brennan is wearing what looks like many strands of coral glass held together by brass rings, with a large brass hamsa pendant.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://bones-daily.com/photos/albums/bones/s1caps/1x01%20Pilot/252.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://bones-daily.com/photos/albums/bones/s1caps/1x01%20Pilot/252.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Here's Angela in a romantic gold chain necklace with stone or crystal beads with a lacy-looking centerpiece with fringe coming off the bottom.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://bones-daily.com/photos/albums/bones/s1caps/1x01%20Pilot/448.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://bones-daily.com/photos/albums/bones/s1caps/1x01%20Pilot/448.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Most of what Bones wears I can't imagine ever wanting to wear, but they sure do work on her, like this chunky necklace. Possibly horn or stone nuggets, and not just one strand, but three, with a carved stone pendant off the lowest strand.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiUylc5m3l8Je3cPsotWHa0RoYKqIsluKvgXmknh4-lKeHrkdcz3weLw1kJXLXl2RICRT-kvIIYGMRGKuIVXkmcu4mI4m7JVTmvBdWQMV4bssJOaFxBgS8omnSksEGTIi7QvsCXW4FoBMg/s1600/angela.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="556" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiUylc5m3l8Je3cPsotWHa0RoYKqIsluKvgXmknh4-lKeHrkdcz3weLw1kJXLXl2RICRT-kvIIYGMRGKuIVXkmcu4mI4m7JVTmvBdWQMV4bssJOaFxBgS8omnSksEGTIi7QvsCXW4FoBMg/s640/angela.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Angela's necklace here is a little blurry but it looks like another multistrand affair with a large green Venetian-style foil-lined glass square focal, with faceted glass bead fringe coming off the bottom.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://bones-daily.com/photos/albums/bones/s1caps/1x01%20Pilot/590.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://bones-daily.com/photos/albums/bones/s1caps/1x01%20Pilot/590.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Brennan's taste in jewelry even extends to her earring choice--here a sort of half-shield medallion thingy with a column-shaped dangle in stone, crystal or colored glass.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxbp8_x7m6lRChzYR_BxPiR_CJOSOjsHPM-E24VfavJDXZTy_AisitH00kSYTCcifOos790pv-u-5Kfhezsr5WWORhhBeTk73nXtDQyPyb7-KEEE0fhqxXxMm3sR_203VAyYEaW5w5iWLN/s1600/angela's+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxbp8_x7m6lRChzYR_BxPiR_CJOSOjsHPM-E24VfavJDXZTy_AisitH00kSYTCcifOos790pv-u-5Kfhezsr5WWORhhBeTk73nXtDQyPyb7-KEEE0fhqxXxMm3sR_203VAyYEaW5w5iWLN/s640/angela's+2.jpg" width="572" /></a></div> Hard to tell exactly what Angela's got on now, but it's definitely a multistrand something, probably a mix of beads on chain, with maybe a carved stone celtic knot of some kind. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9dRp3fzqbCdQUXscEjDnp8p1yzgCzeEWLSKUPrkNrj6qIf5IqnfGk_vUz3V5JWq9DLMJeUEkqm0rJcHFfXK5-P1JCwLK2UwHRhNa6FuhSaJHNxEIuxl2Vr8-ckFQSitq03vVzrxUExybU/s1600/bones+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9dRp3fzqbCdQUXscEjDnp8p1yzgCzeEWLSKUPrkNrj6qIf5IqnfGk_vUz3V5JWq9DLMJeUEkqm0rJcHFfXK5-P1JCwLK2UwHRhNa6FuhSaJHNxEIuxl2Vr8-ckFQSitq03vVzrxUExybU/s640/bones+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> Understated neckwear at a military funeral at Arlington Cemetery, Temperance still picks something with character. From what I can see, it's a leather cord with maybe a curved silver tube and a small metal, stone or bone pendant.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirHD83dHxfTZtFTb0Lxdt3lC8gE6KgItkoYkDMPCrs6jGIwAkp4XkEtjIZriCBtCFzlx6PciQIUgciriEPlFSGip1ian5As-NOHSmebfD4khLEBzGGCvG14EEOPBlRBop3SyGDn-j-k6TP/s1600/bones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="582" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirHD83dHxfTZtFTb0Lxdt3lC8gE6KgItkoYkDMPCrs6jGIwAkp4XkEtjIZriCBtCFzlx6PciQIUgciriEPlFSGip1ian5As-NOHSmebfD4khLEBzGGCvG14EEOPBlRBop3SyGDn-j-k6TP/s640/bones.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Here she is looking stubborn and slightly stupid (it's the eyelid position in this particular shot) wearing a beaded Y necklace with plenty of stones--probably agate and carnelian, and look at that strong drop in the center. More carved stone at the bottom, of course.<br />
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Wow, they sure do wear a lot of jewelry on this show. I think it also helps communicate the passage of time.Bright Circlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06411792426837068865noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8865130025967375610.post-51896814282559169722012-01-24T20:33:00.000-08:002012-01-24T20:33:43.015-08:00new direction<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://bones-daily.com/photos/albums/bones/s1caps/1x06%20The%20Man%20In%20The%20Wall/647.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://bones-daily.com/photos/albums/bones/s1caps/1x06%20The%20Man%20In%20The%20Wall/647.jpg" width="640" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'm going to take my blog in a new, hopefully more interesting, direction, starting now. I've been noticing for some time that there's more and more interesting jewelry in the media, so I'll comment on them, and if I make something inspired by a piece, I'll post that as well.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The show Bones frequently has Dr. Brennan as well as other characters. sporting bold necklaces like the one above, I've never seen a character in a tv show wear such noticeable beaded jewelry so often before. They're important parts of her character's style. Here she's wearing what looks like an agate or wood slice with brown stained horn beads and possibly pearls.</div>Bright Circlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06411792426837068865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8865130025967375610.post-60160803659163464262011-12-27T22:07:00.000-08:002011-12-27T22:07:34.907-08:00newish work<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_2hhth9wOBU/TvqwxjxIppI/AAAAAAAAAmY/10UTKvS17ME/s1600/100_3011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_2hhth9wOBU/TvqwxjxIppI/AAAAAAAAAmY/10UTKvS17ME/s320/100_3011.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Mint and teal silk ribbon with electro-dyed freshwater pearls knotted onto the length. Closes with ribbon tie. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LIbtS1rVZFY/TvqwzMylRUI/AAAAAAAAAmg/bVdvxf84T6k/s1600/100_3015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LIbtS1rVZFY/TvqwzMylRUI/AAAAAAAAAmg/bVdvxf84T6k/s320/100_3015.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Citrine faceted chunky earrings with sterling earwires (given as Christmas gift to a new friend). </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ICUVDes6U8E/Tvqw34LA_II/AAAAAAAAAmo/rhz84ZfYSyQ/s1600/100_3056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ICUVDes6U8E/Tvqw34LA_II/AAAAAAAAAmo/rhz84ZfYSyQ/s320/100_3056.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Loomed rainbow bracelet. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I-h8dL7h-VM/Tvqw8kQ4s2I/AAAAAAAAAmw/lZ4yErNWRTI/s1600/100_3009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I-h8dL7h-VM/Tvqw8kQ4s2I/AAAAAAAAAmw/lZ4yErNWRTI/s320/100_3009.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Beaded bead with 2 sizes of iris blue rondelle and transparent purple seed beads, giving it an overall violet appearance.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n0wDwXiEUSA/TvqxC9MJg7I/AAAAAAAAAm4/VmIh5Ir3LuE/s1600/100_3051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n0wDwXiEUSA/TvqxC9MJg7I/AAAAAAAAAm4/VmIh5Ir3LuE/s320/100_3051.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Herringbone bangle in three sizes/colors of seed bead: clear violet 11s, purple-lined aqua 8s, and frosted aqua 6s. </div>Bright Circlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06411792426837068865noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8865130025967375610.post-46919402415460276622011-12-25T16:35:00.000-08:002011-12-25T16:35:40.658-08:00double happiness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XXsNWhdqSvM/TveeIbAUpII/AAAAAAAAAmM/3xz45gRF_lg/s1600/100_3039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XXsNWhdqSvM/TveeIbAUpII/AAAAAAAAAmM/3xz45gRF_lg/s320/100_3039.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Last year I bought a book from Borders on sale. It as The Earring Style book by Double Happiness Jewelry's Stephanie Wells. Love it! I made a pair of double spiral hoop earrings straight from the book.Bright Circlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06411792426837068865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8865130025967375610.post-42188485356299212012011-10-16T17:07:00.000-07:002011-10-16T17:07:36.428-07:00Ribbon necklaces<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPdMX0kuOC_3iK1HEAHDSYPWs0Zu0RErhBeDy8jsYBnYajVEKHqLOx3FrAiTx7rzg7YDo6lkSH3vOpIa_mAv_wT1vkxw7fo2L27aSg89rDEUQCwwJCK6Oonay7PpIDf5VZpW-K71iQzaI-/s1600/custom+for+fran+%25285%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWxzwl73L_aEF5PUc121IkLL5NXSFb-gP3XZ9KZnCzl0uGtwy09jGn9Tl8qffwbOwq1rJQhXtZ9WNeqkgR0v2dK-j1BydPFOeBg3uaGqkMvFyLEgCNILSD8IGfysa_HpPHYmmatTT-_ck4/s1600/custom+for+fran+%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWxzwl73L_aEF5PUc121IkLL5NXSFb-gP3XZ9KZnCzl0uGtwy09jGn9Tl8qffwbOwq1rJQhXtZ9WNeqkgR0v2dK-j1BydPFOeBg3uaGqkMvFyLEgCNILSD8IGfysa_HpPHYmmatTT-_ck4/s320/custom+for+fran+%25284%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">One of my favourite new designs is the silk ribbon wrap bracelet/necklace. The ladies at Class Act Designs commisioned this bracelet above, after seeing my Forbidden Love necklace, below.</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRypEcoT3bJ3Ep6E7pSddwxw8UE036mM4pwdxW7pY51-XOxwSXOyzAExuq79Ex8s7fd2HibcihAfH6xAWmjmvPVEWV_taiVamDBYYv9EbtK46tl6s1XMFhlVUMYbMqPltpl-Et-IZBmRCh/s1600/forbidden+%25286%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRypEcoT3bJ3Ep6E7pSddwxw8UE036mM4pwdxW7pY51-XOxwSXOyzAExuq79Ex8s7fd2HibcihAfH6xAWmjmvPVEWV_taiVamDBYYv9EbtK46tl6s1XMFhlVUMYbMqPltpl-Et-IZBmRCh/s320/forbidden+%25286%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> I embroider 15/o seed beads onto the ribbons (they may need ironing; do this with caution) around a focal bead such as this metal heart from Green Girl Studios.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvuIRwM3oVO_hEyaJkKAdXN2WrPVFhbm98lTrKi2RFDJgc9B2pHZvumHgJ8S3sjn6fSDy6v1jCJw5mfZYsl8v3NVIOQ8SEWzrlPzuJMiVpF1mi4fmwei8SnOCzEbmxhQVyrFxsJhaJSAHR/s1600/forbidden+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvuIRwM3oVO_hEyaJkKAdXN2WrPVFhbm98lTrKi2RFDJgc9B2pHZvumHgJ8S3sjn6fSDy6v1jCJw5mfZYsl8v3NVIOQ8SEWzrlPzuJMiVpF1mi4fmwei8SnOCzEbmxhQVyrFxsJhaJSAHR/s320/forbidden+%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif-_9aHmN51C0A2HIC5KvEBkIhIlYC-Vau_ubtYjKyv8OmfSayfxyp2J7ULCfdn10FkXuVaM_FOrgG838p_L8dSb4_SjYJxT-3w_CTWM4WFuY2WqeMndGeYgWtfBibP-U7DT8Er591nn3C/s1600/shiva%2527s+fire+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif-_9aHmN51C0A2HIC5KvEBkIhIlYC-Vau_ubtYjKyv8OmfSayfxyp2J7ULCfdn10FkXuVaM_FOrgG838p_L8dSb4_SjYJxT-3w_CTWM4WFuY2WqeMndGeYgWtfBibP-U7DT8Er591nn3C/s320/shiva%2527s+fire+%25281%2529.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">When I saw this little Shiva Nataraja pendant at Tika Imports, I knew I was going to buy it. Why? Because I've been looking for one ever since reading the book 'Shiva's Fire', about a girl Parvati with the power of dance. I've looked for years for a pendant version of the dancing Shiva in his ring of flames, but only found little statuettes until the B&B show.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9UKp3xiIi2bSUMy7V9s3Yo1nNtlSv8qkUD7-ebwLdc5eD-bxBjULsY97-2ARCVaZJdrBNDzvf1ASzbqIo-4vmmeBpz7BL03EJHvJLE8d-dPbEicKvOVi0-6FX69eXFQS4rkVpIpsCxQx9/s1600/shiva%2527s+fire+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9UKp3xiIi2bSUMy7V9s3Yo1nNtlSv8qkUD7-ebwLdc5eD-bxBjULsY97-2ARCVaZJdrBNDzvf1ASzbqIo-4vmmeBpz7BL03EJHvJLE8d-dPbEicKvOVi0-6FX69eXFQS4rkVpIpsCxQx9/s320/shiva%2527s+fire+%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I paired the pendant with the hot pink and orange silk ribbon from Class Act Designs as befitting an Indian-inspired piece, and embroidered slanting lines in gold 15/o seed beads.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div>Bright Circlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06411792426837068865noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8865130025967375610.post-82080761853392665782011-10-10T10:24:00.000-07:002011-10-10T10:25:27.357-07:00Beaded bead special post<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://brightcircle.artfire.com/"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_M4r6UFlSrKyJo9d6zcKGJPkqf0KjAH9UJIbHCZmxdSL1ueShpX-jKc2kTkKZlAj1mM-fhuhXoLkpeniLV8pxG8iUDtCnJxNgBBENdrbu8_xvezbqT83bq-kL5ngOkNc8kHEEPYEXuGkl/s640/100_2968.JPG" width="640" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Beaded bead extravaganza! These beads are self-supporting beadwoven beads made with glass, crystal, stone, mineral, and seed beads, from about 3/4 to a little over an inch in diameter. Most are round, some are more fat saucer shaped. A couple are totally different as you can see. They range from $16-25 and you can get them through <a href="http://brightcircle.artfire.com/">BrightCircle on Artfire</a>. A few of them are already listed but this is a photo of all my full-size beaded beads, so if you want to buy, just pick the one you want, and let me know, and I'll put up a listing just for you, at a 10% discount from the original price if you tell me you heard about it from my blog. :)</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://brightcircle.artfire.com/"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKsxDC46ujoXxk84hfyf_T1BpcxqcebN686sXO0NI7G6i4Smkv7qs6o6k9OS_-0ke8ifeNp8DpPgo41JV1Aw8S4ThDTTlxuSojv-FhrlSemUfxGinQDHuQlcGVEg86eNXr42xxT0AKKjFx/s640/100_2966.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://brightcircle.artfire.com/"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLlrffmWvw7w9clUciL5SZkQVnpykbshWhlcsGt21jChhBqGp78_Uo5C4RXljjUdJFRug9F8RCmOCrKPyni78d5fYUUeYyFV7fcZ1j-RxyyV8Y43djYRRQaGbocnxh2OHpyiY9-OVV5-hR/s640/100_2967.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://brightcircle.artfire.com/"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh17I1H10oVnBDvO2syqClZtqnX_EzsntzVI8UoKLwgHlI1L1uwtIquEzllqeobVOf5n_CGA8zRAVT98R-SgUJLPNdDP_fu_AM5VP5VVo6i3Er-sIsC93tC5QwHagp0AZqJF4Vo-X3spbTU/s640/100_2965.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://brightcircle.artfire.com/"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzO11yoRT_hqQfp1P_uT868SND0f-3nS64bjAZuB40zPJ8A-sC-7lnH4tWWlwBqxecJ175noA4TG8Ji5cSBbfIsVPrpSmWyMUnjNx1vZ9Un205HPRoZ_nX-TjMzzsN6QxvoXO6zVqSAEN-/s640/100_2964.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>Bright Circlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06411792426837068865noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8865130025967375610.post-50698600557220581222011-10-05T14:56:00.000-07:002011-10-05T14:56:37.409-07:00matching jewelry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBmrNGLFaR1J_DUTAun2escPccON6vQAtaZ_2r5l-DPggOEsstLBtQLaDSlhTBCRLMhcQZc5GSZ7_ncY96J-BNCYJ46BQUKTvNKyMUl8QcHliy87auTvAtCMiYcD2In8uRIhYoxa_909eg/s1600/spyder+%25285%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBmrNGLFaR1J_DUTAun2escPccON6vQAtaZ_2r5l-DPggOEsstLBtQLaDSlhTBCRLMhcQZc5GSZ7_ncY96J-BNCYJ46BQUKTvNKyMUl8QcHliy87auTvAtCMiYcD2In8uRIhYoxa_909eg/s320/spyder+%25285%2529.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This pattern was in an issue of Beadwork last year, and though I rarely do projects straight out of magazines, I thought, what a great idea! I want to do that! So I even ordered some beads especially for this project, and made one in blue black and green--Megamind colors (have I already blogged about this?). The center beadwork around the cabochon (a shimmerstone I made) is a little different from in the magazine, as is the method of attaching it to the 'wings' but all in all, it's the same design. I wish I could have met Mikki at the B&B show to show her, but oh well. I emailed her instead. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0jRrkBw-rqBgdvkkwdxFBTVT_DCL7Kuy7awXj-dfJiyDTAcq2mgOC9_HvnAA3nkvadR07aV_Kv0Kb7ep2vnSmAJMD-lNmjQ4t-VSzcawMHnaJORQYxlc9FVmzdPBuCJBdG_quPEW8I-2Q/s1600/100_1768.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0jRrkBw-rqBgdvkkwdxFBTVT_DCL7Kuy7awXj-dfJiyDTAcq2mgOC9_HvnAA3nkvadR07aV_Kv0Kb7ep2vnSmAJMD-lNmjQ4t-VSzcawMHnaJORQYxlc9FVmzdPBuCJBdG_quPEW8I-2Q/s320/100_1768.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I had leftover beads, so I took the beading pattern of the ribs on the 'wings' and did it with tubular peyote instead of flat, andit turned out to be the exact right size to hold a 1ml vial of perfume! The little tube on the side of the cap does have to be cut off, but still.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGjj0KpaYfRh5YoeN13-ERw-ET3kemgeSuTDoHKgqPJ9A5vf5gqjOcx2Xxh_b0KsLnCEm0-PhEvdDrEPuR03hRZUs8qL58UAJMVN2-2PXTC62A4ORMQjIPsq3RDKnXud1vF5h0HngWOtq9/s1600/100_1775.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGjj0KpaYfRh5YoeN13-ERw-ET3kemgeSuTDoHKgqPJ9A5vf5gqjOcx2Xxh_b0KsLnCEm0-PhEvdDrEPuR03hRZUs8qL58UAJMVN2-2PXTC62A4ORMQjIPsq3RDKnXud1vF5h0HngWOtq9/s320/100_1775.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Bright Circlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06411792426837068865noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8865130025967375610.post-15118155710926948102011-09-18T08:55:00.000-07:002011-09-18T08:55:07.297-07:00back from outer spaceYes, I know--and I apologize for being gone so long. Been going through some stuff at home. I promise more posts are forthcoming.Bright Circlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06411792426837068865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8865130025967375610.post-22942746186951648522011-06-02T08:50:00.000-07:002011-06-02T08:50:38.078-07:00Oil On Canvas color challenge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrV-nxtoAbTROT17xZGvLwY_F4aWqxxlkjvyxrCAYzRBMXU_WHibg_3yj5nptYiGgnYT-kh3k3aXm1cIALebbPvDlDparOyuQqbxJmG0VxZvjS2IdLfmRkSx8HKeNBijkhp6TpX8v_lo8/s400/flamingjane_25394b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrV-nxtoAbTROT17xZGvLwY_F4aWqxxlkjvyxrCAYzRBMXU_WHibg_3yj5nptYiGgnYT-kh3k3aXm1cIALebbPvDlDparOyuQqbxJmG0VxZvjS2IdLfmRkSx8HKeNBijkhp6TpX8v_lo8/s320/flamingjane_25394b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgygBjgYe5JPzGDmSHSaeJIwIj9GWRTTUIAYjxpSu4qT7wY8PVoU5eNzXDQEi6kK7BQQ5gkwPdIuWoc-Fe6pZsQVGAOc8M_sh-Zi25xNGksjhOQ-VsQFUa_E3UHC_HLme0Jmf0T1QEWWO1M/s1600/golden++%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">Beading along with Marcie's color challenge over on</a><a href="http://labellajoya.blogspot.com/">LaBellaJoya blog</a>, the theme was oil paintings. The first one I worked on had a palette of golden orange with hints of beige and muted plum. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgygBjgYe5JPzGDmSHSaeJIwIj9GWRTTUIAYjxpSu4qT7wY8PVoU5eNzXDQEi6kK7BQQ5gkwPdIuWoc-Fe6pZsQVGAOc8M_sh-Zi25xNGksjhOQ-VsQFUa_E3UHC_HLme0Jmf0T1QEWWO1M/s1600/golden++%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgygBjgYe5JPzGDmSHSaeJIwIj9GWRTTUIAYjxpSu4qT7wY8PVoU5eNzXDQEi6kK7BQQ5gkwPdIuWoc-Fe6pZsQVGAOc8M_sh-Zi25xNGksjhOQ-VsQFUa_E3UHC_HLme0Jmf0T1QEWWO1M/s320/golden++%25283%2529.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I started with a base of right-angle weave using the last of my copper-lined amethyst AB size 6 seed beads, embellished on the edge with loops of frosted silver-lined golden orange 11s, with a pair of light orange opaque Delicas flanking topaz AB Swarovski crystals. I also embellished the base itself with more topaz crystals, frosted orange and tiny bronze seed beads. Hidden at the base of each fringe loop are bronze and metallic dark raspberry seed beads.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUNgZcngh3iH34NIJ-Fk5jDyr9PKa_uCWOndvfIjoa_07yGbTke0g-0n4zGefXxO_ZrZSnW886VyAiBk44Nhk8BrB8iEzOK9itVyvWQuiZKx4fOTLlyCJrG71dTlOXBXm4h42aBmmzUg9q/s1600/golden++%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUNgZcngh3iH34NIJ-Fk5jDyr9PKa_uCWOndvfIjoa_07yGbTke0g-0n4zGefXxO_ZrZSnW886VyAiBk44Nhk8BrB8iEzOK9itVyvWQuiZKx4fOTLlyCJrG71dTlOXBXm4h42aBmmzUg9q/s320/golden++%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I finished the necklace with loops of bronze and a gunmetal chain. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxns_z1XyYB2-ezApgWsrG3EzhoHGTDgYiRWM9mME1qLnYaRMY3gIRF6G_mhH49HOziclWPkVPE8Y7iIc9IDkMOwq0ymDDI_vNIq1Ze4x83D9i-YGA4mKSzimwXh8B-nK5WFESNLA_8WQ/s400/419px-Johannes_Vermeer_%25281632-1675%2529_-_The_Girl_With_The_Pearl_Earring_%25281665%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxns_z1XyYB2-ezApgWsrG3EzhoHGTDgYiRWM9mME1qLnYaRMY3gIRF6G_mhH49HOziclWPkVPE8Y7iIc9IDkMOwq0ymDDI_vNIq1Ze4x83D9i-YGA4mKSzimwXh8B-nK5WFESNLA_8WQ/s320/419px-Johannes_Vermeer_%25281632-1675%2529_-_The_Girl_With_The_Pearl_Earring_%25281665%2529.jpg" width="223" /></a></div> The second challenge palette was for this, the famous Girl with a Pearl Earring. (No, I didn't see the movie.) <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVOj8ZbWTpk-7aXqsP3H6tiKhuT7kYMpWhSJplO3J5KaKQuDD_YkaPCh2ei19NxLNHcnCb5TNlpqxqZiDQYjA2sfxhUA4psNYGoTvSBFZB1b3cTg9xpPGNmbS5DL3IZccl9sbH_Sy0tF6_/s1600/girl+with+a+pearl+earring+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVOj8ZbWTpk-7aXqsP3H6tiKhuT7kYMpWhSJplO3J5KaKQuDD_YkaPCh2ei19NxLNHcnCb5TNlpqxqZiDQYjA2sfxhUA4psNYGoTvSBFZB1b3cTg9xpPGNmbS5DL3IZccl9sbH_Sy0tF6_/s320/girl+with+a+pearl+earring+%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a> </div> I had a bottle with a slight neck that just begged for a beaded collar. I've been doing multiple versions of a modified 'Collier du Soleil' by Anna Elizabeth Draeger, made into a bracelet, which lent itself great to a collar. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0AAj3yIPuP9-4cC4v9Yat4Q40gwLmcWwSer1NOInz0Qa_JJ6UzZAplj7dbuxcZNsIZGo81lwXDl6Ub71xKawyeHysnvbGFUhNtPhvkJfIBXqS6MSauEnVrSQZ8KvYHfZHv5mClWlqJeIv/s1600/girl+with+a+pearl+earring.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0AAj3yIPuP9-4cC4v9Yat4Q40gwLmcWwSer1NOInz0Qa_JJ6UzZAplj7dbuxcZNsIZGo81lwXDl6Ub71xKawyeHysnvbGFUhNtPhvkJfIBXqS6MSauEnVrSQZ8KvYHfZHv5mClWlqJeIv/s320/girl+with+a+pearl+earring.JPG" width="240" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I used frosted black 8s, bronze and opaque blue 11s, cream AB Delicas, light colorado topaz Swarovskis and my remaining tiny blue pearl drops from the 2009 Bead & Button show. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2c5IGgBSzj9r4P-kUU4fK_R2QCVcbZKdOD2v7UnkmDSGALkrcfaj0y_Oh67HCUg70mHVLRZ1QyPfJsWROsoDPg93Dc3gDuZ-Fn-Nm6CV9o2BEDs0YpPJ_0OQ-Uq4AXEd6HOrmOJwSLdz_/s1600/girl+with+a+pearl+earring+%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2c5IGgBSzj9r4P-kUU4fK_R2QCVcbZKdOD2v7UnkmDSGALkrcfaj0y_Oh67HCUg70mHVLRZ1QyPfJsWROsoDPg93Dc3gDuZ-Fn-Nm6CV9o2BEDs0YpPJ_0OQ-Uq4AXEd6HOrmOJwSLdz_/s320/girl+with+a+pearl+earring+%25284%2529.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I had only two pearls left, so I made my own pair of pearl earrings with a few bronze 11s and black 3mm firepolished beads. </div><br />
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I'm clearing out space in my studio, so for a limited time these pieces are up in <a href="http://www.listia.com/profile/auctions/341959">my Listia account</a>, a place to get free stuff. Please register through this link <a href="http://www.listia.com/signup/341959">http://www.listia.com/signup/341959</a> as it gives me referral points. :DBright Circlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06411792426837068865noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8865130025967375610.post-82992678937024204362011-05-21T11:04:00.000-07:002011-05-21T11:06:10.420-07:00The Artfire experienceAs some of you may know, I opened a <a href="http://brightcircle.artfire.com/">shop on Artfire</a> last year. Recently I've been trying out their 30-day free trial of the Pro membership.<br />
Here are the 5 things I like about the Artfire experience:<br />
1. The option of a FREE account. No listing fees, no selling fees, no percentage taken out of any sales.<br />
2. The easy listing process, with everything on a single page, instead of going through five pages to list a single item.<br />
3. It's possible to make sales even with the free (basic) account.<br />
4. Within a few days of switching to a Pro account, I made a sale.<br />
5. Being allowed to share links to my other Internet shops.<br />
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Want to sell on Artfire? Follow this link to sign up: <a href="http://www.artfire.com/users/BrightCircle/sell-crafts">http://www.artfire.com/users/BrightCircle/sell-crafts</a>Bright Circlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06411792426837068865noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8865130025967375610.post-32757623222936565952011-05-13T13:58:00.000-07:002011-05-13T13:58:41.778-07:00Marilyn Monroe and Grace Kelly<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE90nfDda1AllGR7gTrUax0A9zRjk2tLAqDDEEPS5Nxa-n1c2Q9BkWGMmmf3Ix4swEtGupVRg7lCOatKnHIENeubbZuJBwWlHitjnQY4D0O_II6L7CZ0cwosjhV3riKCovwwHWzKXT83P9/s1600/challenge+marilyn+bottle.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE90nfDda1AllGR7gTrUax0A9zRjk2tLAqDDEEPS5Nxa-n1c2Q9BkWGMmmf3Ix4swEtGupVRg7lCOatKnHIENeubbZuJBwWlHitjnQY4D0O_II6L7CZ0cwosjhV3riKCovwwHWzKXT83P9/s320/challenge+marilyn+bottle.JPG" width="240" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Playing along with <a href="http://labellajoya.blogspot.com/2011/04/margie-and-me-glamorous-ladies-of.html">La Bella Joya's April's Color Challenge </a>gave me not one but two challenges. The first was to use <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinsWOGNYn_pS04gbY8VbFZ-KdKcH2Xkn0_KBwCw01e0i955cNOP6lopWBK8mXHM9Gv4ooEwEfUNAobfE6wYk1Jmr7aKCLU1sWbKM0qjjqJynSsRqmUGOGHPpo64fpw_4UXFzBCh1UXOKc/s320/marilyn.jpg">Andy Warhol's depiction of Marilyn Monroe</a> as my color palette. I chose cyan, scarlet, yellow, peach and hints of black, starting with a nicely-shaped glass bottle that once held tequila. It had a nice cyan shade. Then I embellished the neck of the bottle with beaded rings in the rest of the shades.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieRrE0eGNedavBg2qCxNEhGNNmwmL_eAoHzZhZEI3gAFUsFQvWuojyHsuB2K7a44TiHYRSlmjNtMghMq7efQvEtoC5hCZPj-YTqHcRT8dazpgiyYsIQO8C9cwwd9-sF6PCmXjN6gakPAhy/s1600/audrey+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieRrE0eGNedavBg2qCxNEhGNNmwmL_eAoHzZhZEI3gAFUsFQvWuojyHsuB2K7a44TiHYRSlmjNtMghMq7efQvEtoC5hCZPj-YTqHcRT8dazpgiyYsIQO8C9cwwd9-sF6PCmXjN6gakPAhy/s320/audrey+%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The second challenge colors were inspired by <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtjBrvBGgz9iOdc2bAv5jrBEoiTfdpzZiNn5Jj9wU9UAvlmNR_Hg1xJRTX5aww5n2J36s2V9PdGLkZhoBmYJSaV7gwidxH5Y06WTzcmjoptCyniJChkZo-SJcPmbMtPlLQzGdxz1dc3l0/s320/gracepalette.jpg">an elegant photo of Grace Kelly</a>. The palette of pale blue, cream, pink and burgundy were very appealing to me. I chose to make a variation on one of my signature beaded ball beads, starting with pale blue and gilt-lined opal seed beads (which appear blue next to blue beads). I then trimmed the bead with matte AB cream Delicas, pink-lined 11s and garnet AB Czech 11s, and paired the bead with a custom-dyed burgundy ribbon which exactly matches <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/22849153@N04/5673611373/">my new hair color.</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Bright Circlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06411792426837068865noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8865130025967375610.post-25107386012217110862011-04-19T10:06:00.000-07:002011-04-19T10:06:35.450-07:00Bronze flower peyote link necklace<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrrbyx7TODcGA6KggBT0L2PbDrBXNrK-UxBkpRr7NAQNbifXVk3dFjkWbXs6LPJFMxhDFIlfIFEU09_LI4_HjaRz9fB5mObro0g_wfvsyV9HSJFWoXmjKZ9mzTmblelpm1w0QRXp9iv3bP/s1600/bronze+chain.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZoIV1cN3O19HBo6fJqoooGiIax501WfnBIW7WJxhmxx0ebEjGoLuFD3rF8HlZulZ2btugRQTMmCo6cRp7alS6uXFcrICfpLO7p8yh1dyexjQ_uL7e8BVSGH3t5q7xjZDN6Wl7vlKLczIh/s1600/bronze+chain+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZoIV1cN3O19HBo6fJqoooGiIax501WfnBIW7WJxhmxx0ebEjGoLuFD3rF8HlZulZ2btugRQTMmCo6cRp7alS6uXFcrICfpLO7p8yh1dyexjQ_uL7e8BVSGH3t5q7xjZDN6Wl7vlKLczIh/s320/bronze+chain+%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>A while ago I came up with a simple pattern for a peyote stitched ring using 3mm or 4mm beads and 11/o seed beads. I always thought it would make an interesting beaded chain. Well, I finally got around to doing the chain. Here it is, in iris bronze, green, blue and purple 4mm firepolish beads, and bronze 11/o beads, finished with a gold silk cord and matte gold fleur de lis button.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrrbyx7TODcGA6KggBT0L2PbDrBXNrK-UxBkpRr7NAQNbifXVk3dFjkWbXs6LPJFMxhDFIlfIFEU09_LI4_HjaRz9fB5mObro0g_wfvsyV9HSJFWoXmjKZ9mzTmblelpm1w0QRXp9iv3bP/s1600/bronze+chain.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrrbyx7TODcGA6KggBT0L2PbDrBXNrK-UxBkpRr7NAQNbifXVk3dFjkWbXs6LPJFMxhDFIlfIFEU09_LI4_HjaRz9fB5mObro0g_wfvsyV9HSJFWoXmjKZ9mzTmblelpm1w0QRXp9iv3bP/s320/bronze+chain.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I'm astonished I ever used the gold silk (I got it at the Bead & Button show two years ago in a variety pack because I couldn't decide on my own), and quite happy. The detail I'm most happy about, however, is the little beaded beads on each end, connecting the links to the cord. You see, one of my greatest difficulties in using silk cord is what to do with the ends. Crimping on some metal finding is ok, but not great, and definitely wouldn't have blended well with this design. But I used one of the beaded beads to conceal a knot at the end of the doubled silk, and the other to connect to the gold button, which goes into a knotted loop of silk cord--the other end of the cord.Bright Circlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06411792426837068865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8865130025967375610.post-73869333095725802902011-04-03T09:51:00.000-07:002011-04-03T09:51:15.619-07:00Color Challenge RevealMarch's Color Challenge was inspired by Vincent Van Gogh's 'The Sower and the Setting Sun'.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Mg3VBRJGAB_VM1zSBUsO_aj9Z1s_MgPrd0v1LdSShjQY2Y7ZGggHUAmhuC-ghZzxQHGAUJaql-7xGlWaydV88dEI2Ple7iFJxH7n9DFlO4ome83L01qcKg-ONtkbibp-O79i_SkqXCI/s320/sowerwithsun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Mg3VBRJGAB_VM1zSBUsO_aj9Z1s_MgPrd0v1LdSShjQY2Y7ZGggHUAmhuC-ghZzxQHGAUJaql-7xGlWaydV88dEI2Ple7iFJxH7n9DFlO4ome83L01qcKg-ONtkbibp-O79i_SkqXCI/s320/sowerwithsun.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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I made an embellished 'plum blossom' pattern beaded bead with some of my newly-acquired 'tanzanite' shade crystals, frosted silver-lined orange, lavender-lined AB, silver-lined topaz, and opaque goldenrod seed beads.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_mIr7L875mGLyGUWDsxxfaZ8uI-A5ToNUdjFTbkLepgoY0UDin118BPSBZEQt4X7TR7reazKjUfoZoRfwMNQhXZDAV8brd06U5hYIioD47xY78isM-ur8sD2HVWvGcSjEpkoN2BGDsqoG/s1600/100_0496.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_mIr7L875mGLyGUWDsxxfaZ8uI-A5ToNUdjFTbkLepgoY0UDin118BPSBZEQt4X7TR7reazKjUfoZoRfwMNQhXZDAV8brd06U5hYIioD47xY78isM-ur8sD2HVWvGcSjEpkoN2BGDsqoG/s320/100_0496.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkezXFw6hVjnLWnVucwYGTgS3WWjftc8ODsayhLaid6PeDyRUdSTmhd0ut2_6-gZzCQAaWak_v24LRIjCzVNpkq-ZLtF3x2Uurap9nIL0BmK7I6Kh9UKF8FLxM22Wft6iB-teBlDSgglVu/s1600/100_0497.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkezXFw6hVjnLWnVucwYGTgS3WWjftc8ODsayhLaid6PeDyRUdSTmhd0ut2_6-gZzCQAaWak_v24LRIjCzVNpkq-ZLtF3x2Uurap9nIL0BmK7I6Kh9UKF8FLxM22Wft6iB-teBlDSgglVu/s320/100_0497.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It's still tricky for me to combine anything like purple and orange, but it helped that I used several finishes, picked only one saturated color grouping (the golden/orange one) and these oranges bordered on yellow anyway. Yellow is easier to pair with purple. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The painting has such variety of colors, and it's very gratifying to capture some of that in a single bead.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This and my other handmade beaded beads are available in my supply shop, <a href="http://paradoxmoxie.etsy.com/">ParadoxMoxie</a>. </div>Bright Circlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06411792426837068865noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8865130025967375610.post-74588921104465619642011-03-26T23:50:00.000-07:002011-03-26T23:52:07.131-07:00Project: Meridian faux-chainmail bracelet tutorial<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLFjl6-e7gSrlgErcmCF9FFF4tg1JP-AJG9HR2kKg25x6kFlly6j-3Z5Nsd5mshG9gGbSuZII0CBtb-rMtLbcqWFRHh2lo0lCaKTa5MS6f29vSLi8_RKBHE51K1Su04vg9HyzEE6J8F7AW/s400/100_0224.JPG" width="400" /> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">While I love doing some real chainmail, linking each little ring into several others, it can be tricky for the beginner, especially doing the first few rows while keeping all those jumprings in place. Well the other day I saw a chain which appeared to be European 4-1, but on second look was actually much simpler. I went home, recreated the technique and designed my own bracelet, adding large jumprings and an art glass hoop. The result was this bracelet, called Meridian. This super-easy wire bracelet requires only simple wire bending and minimal jumpring opening to achieve the sophisticated look of chainmail without all the fumbling! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">You will need: 18 gauge round wire, 28 or so 8mm 18 gauge round jumprings, 5 5.5mm jumprings, 2 16mm 14 gauge jumprings, 1 lobster clasp and 1 small Halo Heaven ring (from Unicorne Beads or Sonoran Beads). Tool list: round nose pliers, 2 pairs flatnose pliers, cutters, ruler. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9hMTLJ9k7mAYt2m3aC4SR4A7-O-KwMGgWJ1ajIGiw35UzhaH1IP_06GT9zdplDzDBGQu3twiF2fWWGcbQtG4ql8-YZ8r76KgiTWed0JClC_vWuLAoT5gFJvrefHIgsKXMm-TgJfOCRlxh/s320/figure+8+mail.JPG" width="320" /> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Step 1: Cut 27 pieces of 18 gauge wire, appr. 1 1/4 inches long. This will make enough figure-8 links to make a bracelet for a 7 inch wrist. Grasp the tip of the wire with roundnose pliers. and make a loop on one end. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCWuZO2_N3cl-sqD6vgbmFHsV6H5dght9lEAC9xczDIW4alBTdPKBujgEwyX7W9UroLungc2qjjRV2GKZ9kL4dtIEZOUMiShY8Qg8G9d2aeJ-m1aCLxz_fSilF4BYJKJeiAACaISecCMNC/s1600/figure+8+mail+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCWuZO2_N3cl-sqD6vgbmFHsV6H5dght9lEAC9xczDIW4alBTdPKBujgEwyX7W9UroLungc2qjjRV2GKZ9kL4dtIEZOUMiShY8Qg8G9d2aeJ-m1aCLxz_fSilF4BYJKJeiAACaISecCMNC/s320/figure+8+mail+%25283%2529.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Make a loop going the opposite direction on the other end, making a figure 8 shape. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2CqGsVxhDTQx2xBPMP0VGZajE3T9WTDYsmzXwPbclJC_0cnSrTIl8KJZvZ6WrfiYRWc_tApWOIFSh6eYDmZlD2xZISy90LLv2VB4kB1DCXrNuB9yNe4TfwW_L-tvJYRFXPgFCaE53J1DD/s1600/figure+8+mail+%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2CqGsVxhDTQx2xBPMP0VGZajE3T9WTDYsmzXwPbclJC_0cnSrTIl8KJZvZ6WrfiYRWc_tApWOIFSh6eYDmZlD2xZISy90LLv2VB4kB1DCXrNuB9yNe4TfwW_L-tvJYRFXPgFCaE53J1DD/s320/figure+8+mail+%25284%2529.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div> Repeat for all the wire pieces. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaW-ABLbKRr1nJkah-dG6Y4onDIZzIL_yxP8baqAmpKO2PfVysMNYQGF9VWJFeFYTI8-P_Sf9xj4Oh8oBmZdBJtk6NGKwTnY8DudeAW7Lhuhl1WNrs7r3b47WUwGhcQBDDXRfuy_B5QIqj/s1600/figure+8+mail+%25285%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaW-ABLbKRr1nJkah-dG6Y4onDIZzIL_yxP8baqAmpKO2PfVysMNYQGF9VWJFeFYTI8-P_Sf9xj4Oh8oBmZdBJtk6NGKwTnY8DudeAW7Lhuhl1WNrs7r3b47WUwGhcQBDDXRfuy_B5QIqj/s320/figure+8+mail+%25285%2529.JPG" width="240" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Step 2: Open an 8mm jumpring and place two figure-8 links inside. Close the jumpring. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjki-2Jkp3_WQ3YrwRXadDU0VfmGwzvHs5JGeN-uoWbfmwO5eALiUArpYee7267nThmZLLWSYCcg3P6E4rGo-FxyJCqX4WF1kPKPJuUOMmyNDNo0SBeiApWH6RJcr3nh-v1JeWoz4I0vOfk/s1600/figure+8+mail+%25286%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjki-2Jkp3_WQ3YrwRXadDU0VfmGwzvHs5JGeN-uoWbfmwO5eALiUArpYee7267nThmZLLWSYCcg3P6E4rGo-FxyJCqX4WF1kPKPJuUOMmyNDNo0SBeiApWH6RJcr3nh-v1JeWoz4I0vOfk/s320/figure+8+mail+%25286%2529.JPG" width="240" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Step 3: Open another 8mm jumpring, insert inside ONE of the pair on the previous jumpring, and place another figure-8 link on the new jumpring. Close. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Step 4: Open another 8mm jumpring, insert into the previous figure-8 link, and place another figure-8 link on the new jumpring. Repeat step 4 for a total of 13 figure-8 links. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzCEtriBpekcSer4PTbhrzR-GrdGmMviim1Eo2nv6oyojFdOwXVPvDiq0HiiFFZ2CZL7G1j4OKTDTGC2wHPuRraO7DN5a0Na761CSU4VaaedXMP1rk5NAQvTfZh_G6sTU6XCqRaVSIGVjr/s1600/100_0203.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzCEtriBpekcSer4PTbhrzR-GrdGmMviim1Eo2nv6oyojFdOwXVPvDiq0HiiFFZ2CZL7G1j4OKTDTGC2wHPuRraO7DN5a0Na761CSU4VaaedXMP1rk5NAQvTfZh_G6sTU6XCqRaVSIGVjr/s320/100_0203.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div>Step 5: Open a 16mm jumpring. Insert into the latest figure-8 link, and add the glass hoop. Close the jumpring. Open the second 16mm jumpring, insert a figure-8 link, and close. Repeat step 4 for the remaining figure-8 links, and end with an 8mm jumpring. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx2cZ5bFRsA1I8yUXuljlIEkdCsZjRG680yt0cKgh6HwwJTqRkaxbpBKhhiVDgDbjjhZc6_fk0GfAwbZyoL7AafH-zB1gqk2wGqJcpNJpXV4cGGQvAUBPaybxNvGFK22dTw1BNjkNKxLbA/s1600/figure+8+mail+%25287%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx2cZ5bFRsA1I8yUXuljlIEkdCsZjRG680yt0cKgh6HwwJTqRkaxbpBKhhiVDgDbjjhZc6_fk0GfAwbZyoL7AafH-zB1gqk2wGqJcpNJpXV4cGGQvAUBPaybxNvGFK22dTw1BNjkNKxLbA/s320/figure+8+mail+%25287%2529.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Step 6: Open two 5.5mm jumprings and connect the two 16mm jumprings with each. Close. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Step 7: Open a 5.5mm jumpring and connect the lobster clasp to one end of the bracelet. Close.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Step 8: Open two 5.5mm jumprings, and connect the last 8mm jumpring to the other end of the bracelet. Close. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Congratulations, your bracelet is finished!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Some fun variations include using a crystal, resin or metal hoop instead of glass, using more than one, and embellishing the faux-chainmail base edge with more jumprings, perhaps even combining it with real chainmail!</div>Bright Circlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06411792426837068865noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8865130025967375610.post-26557277271079021612011-03-19T12:25:00.000-07:002011-03-19T14:44:43.961-07:00Jackpot!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis8RTG0kPbqBxRHtFxrXEMAyfWutpfDc8DmW9fJAYlCzqURZiVgMkB_pWS_Zq4MyFhf81ooEkMt1LiD_FX_KNEKKEqSmXs1PUPrWZO1FbT9fHA0Cuyx3XNHV7NRAAhnQOPrhh9NO48iX4Q/s1600/firepolish+lot.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br />
</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.playcasino101.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/online-casino-jackpot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="http://www.playcasino101.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/online-casino-jackpot.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
There's a local auction where I live that goes on Friday nights, so every Friday afternoon when I come back from running errands, I stop in to see what's up for auction. There's a lot of yard-sale 'stuff', some vintage things, electronics, and usually several pieces of furniture, which is what I go to see. I'm in the market for a good desk with drawers and a shelf unit, and it's possible to get a really good price on decent furniture.<br />
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Usually I'm only interested in the furniture (everything else bores me) but yesterday I spied something I never thought I'd see--jewelry supplies, and lots of it. Boxes of tools or glues, zippered cases containing hanks of beads, packets of silver and coils of wire, two whole cases of seed beads (bead store Czech, not craft store Chinese), containers of sterling findings and components, and portable storage boxes containing all manner of faceted glass and Swarovski crystal.<br />
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I determined that I was going to buy at LEAST one case, even though I had never bought at a live auction before (and I was apprehensive, as the niggly details are really counterintuitive). But I went, and I bid, and I got a pair of $13 specialty stepped loop-forming pliers for only $5, two cases of sterling findings for $5 apiece (I was stunned that no one bid higher--I guess they didn't look very closely, or didn't know it was sterling) and another containing crystals for $5. Other beader women were there, outbidding me on the cases of seed beads. Every woman for herself, right? I'd say 'all's fair in love and beading' but that's not true, and also, it's a terrible cliche and overly cutesy for me.<br />
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The auctioneer moved on to a different table, leaving one case left unsold--the case containing glass, seed beads--and, I remembered, one case full of crystals, the one I wanted the most. Instead of just accepting that this wasn't for sale anymore, I asked when it would be auctioned--and the woman I asked happened to be the owner of the supplies, who worked at the auction and was willing to sell it outright.<br />
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Another lady was interested in buying it, and she made an offer. Even though it wasn't officially an auction anymore, I took a chance and made a higher offer (after making sure it was kosher to do so; even though it was in an auction house, I didn't want to step on toes by bidding when it wasn't officially an auction anymore). The first lady countered, and I countered again, winning the auction for $30 (lower than the amount I'd decided beforehand I was willing to pay). I knew that case had at least twelve containers of crystals, each valued at about $4, plus the other case of glass beads in a useful 4mm size (though the crystals were really what I wanted), so overall, I figured I was paying maybe 50% of the retail price (and normally I wouldn't be able to afford that much crystal even at 50% off, but I had some birthday money from relatives I'd been saving). <br />
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Well, when I opened up the beads later to look at them again, I found out what I'd forgotten--that each case contained not twelve but <i>twenty-four</i> containers! Twenty-four of glass and seed beads, and twenty-four of crystal! Not only that, but also.... there was a third container I had forgotten, filled with more of the finest crystal beads in the world! That must amount to around an 80% discount.<br />
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Yeah. Jackpot.<br />
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Now, on to pictures.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqHbeYeoj2rBDRIB-pyAfNGi7BVLPThA8_kjdraRoAuArXN8W13bCC0DpC2XMiiLB_jMwPItrncsXwpcOFcFr7HA322XUufxTezLC2n19vTa7I_CTNoIR4iVWfydEL1iaUzWzYat8skbmp/s1600/sterling+lot+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqHbeYeoj2rBDRIB-pyAfNGi7BVLPThA8_kjdraRoAuArXN8W13bCC0DpC2XMiiLB_jMwPItrncsXwpcOFcFr7HA322XUufxTezLC2n19vTa7I_CTNoIR4iVWfydEL1iaUzWzYat8skbmp/s400/sterling+lot+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Here is all the sterling out of the two boxes. There are fancy beads, smooth beads, big beads, small beads, findings, earring components, earwires with fancy beads on them, leverback and french hook earwires, and two kinds of bead caps. This right here is probably at least a $50 value retail. I left most of the silver in the original bags, which had the store prices written on them. It's always good to know the retail value of one's supplies. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here is WOULD be a picture of my new collection of 4mm firepolished Czech glass beads--except the goblins that live in my computer evidently ate the photo, because I can't find it anymore. I may put up a photo later.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu_sJJCCudfLvpYblW110WuaQGN8gjUa2GELaEitC-zSW6cc_mEaBAwtVA7t7l5HotKN1zrNlDng5-wET6KcwQ9Z-f1jDjCV33rTlHhiYDQtiLDqZjI-IZaDgH-d27yTFhDxveDa0Gp715/s1600/crystal+whore.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu_sJJCCudfLvpYblW110WuaQGN8gjUa2GELaEitC-zSW6cc_mEaBAwtVA7t7l5HotKN1zrNlDng5-wET6KcwQ9Z-f1jDjCV33rTlHhiYDQtiLDqZjI-IZaDgH-d27yTFhDxveDa0Gp715/s400/crystal+whore.JPG" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here is the first set of crystal, from the $3 box I got earlier in the auction. I transferred my new beads out of their boxes, into little bags where they won't rattle. I also like transferring, as it allows me to handle my beads without having to figure out what to do with them just yet. It's a bit like meditation for my creative process. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjit_nsyLhnsU7nxKkUdAXOmRg9uNo9Im8EiqonCZ26mogY9SeDPl1TOVf2xt2polfpDgXZwsMq262MGSFPnqdt5pwoZ2oKLMDLqUKfyslbrmONNBzZibyjHpJOtnZQgI33VXwBT7xw9Ph7/s1600/crystal+whore+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjit_nsyLhnsU7nxKkUdAXOmRg9uNo9Im8EiqonCZ26mogY9SeDPl1TOVf2xt2polfpDgXZwsMq262MGSFPnqdt5pwoZ2oKLMDLqUKfyslbrmONNBzZibyjHpJOtnZQgI33VXwBT7xw9Ph7/s400/crystal+whore+%25282%2529.JPG" width="353" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here is the full box of crystal bicones, with some of the firepolished glass on the upper lid. That's a good 4x6 inch box right there. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbSEtw1wVB38MP53XU7sLa-YX-Jq9TAcvni5wAkbmneN2Ns_HAkvKuAjRq8SuqCirn_T1EbZ4Vy6IsT8R8QZwgTIV_X-A_BSyU4SCq_y9OEULeecXJS0NDK3YwNnZLGokcZJmoj8vLg1dz/s1600/crystal+whore+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbSEtw1wVB38MP53XU7sLa-YX-Jq9TAcvni5wAkbmneN2Ns_HAkvKuAjRq8SuqCirn_T1EbZ4Vy6IsT8R8QZwgTIV_X-A_BSyU4SCq_y9OEULeecXJS0NDK3YwNnZLGokcZJmoj8vLg1dz/s400/crystal+whore+%25283%2529.JPG" width="335" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here is the second box of crystals. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis8RTG0kPbqBxRHtFxrXEMAyfWutpfDc8DmW9fJAYlCzqURZiVgMkB_pWS_Zq4MyFhf81ooEkMt1LiD_FX_KNEKKEqSmXs1PUPrWZO1FbT9fHA0Cuyx3XNHV7NRAAhnQOPrhh9NO48iX4Q/s1600/firepolish+lot.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis8RTG0kPbqBxRHtFxrXEMAyfWutpfDc8DmW9fJAYlCzqURZiVgMkB_pWS_Zq4MyFhf81ooEkMt1LiD_FX_KNEKKEqSmXs1PUPrWZO1FbT9fHA0Cuyx3XNHV7NRAAhnQOPrhh9NO48iX4Q/s400/firepolish+lot.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> And here is the entire collection of crystals after I transferred them into bags and consolidated the matching colors from bags in the earlier photo.Bright Circlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06411792426837068865noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8865130025967375610.post-14084302186252958032011-03-10T13:28:00.000-08:002011-03-10T13:29:12.341-08:00Milestone!A few months ago, I decided to enter an art gallery's exhibition showcasing young local talent. Most of the entries I knew would be traditional 2- and 3-D art: paintings, drawings, collage, and perhaps a bit of sculpture. My talent lies with beads, but instead of entering an elaborate piece of jewelry, I dove headlong into the biggest bead embroidery piece I'd ever done--and make it as a framed wall art piece.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJoUWK5yMlu65zSl7Sq345KvdOZqYBN7TBP4JppVLPnLzjXOXEUInqNEqKVxFAd5baV_onp2apP9AVIKPXQz3ALxWDcA__c6zwoHpULLZrFv6jFtItNSsu_IiVxVyHLVsSBzM6uvtbC3Um/s1600/and+so+you+shall+%252810%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJoUWK5yMlu65zSl7Sq345KvdOZqYBN7TBP4JppVLPnLzjXOXEUInqNEqKVxFAd5baV_onp2apP9AVIKPXQz3ALxWDcA__c6zwoHpULLZrFv6jFtItNSsu_IiVxVyHLVsSBzM6uvtbC3Um/s320/and+so+you+shall+%252810%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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I used glass beads, resin pendant, gemstone, seed beads, silk ribbon, shells, and my own shimmerstone cabochons. I'm particularly proud of thinking to use the ribbon.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCwuipYVnzSCzI8DsRYqOuYmtvyMNT9CrZGqKnWamF_BJjtyj4KGruOGsjB1Zcgcj1SnQ4q7LaayZziXBm3l2ctVfTLi02u-CY5o4_kWBpYLTAWiQOXS0BpN1OmAw5hT4LR6-9zZ72a1Bc/s1600/and+so+you+shall+detail+%25286%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCwuipYVnzSCzI8DsRYqOuYmtvyMNT9CrZGqKnWamF_BJjtyj4KGruOGsjB1Zcgcj1SnQ4q7LaayZziXBm3l2ctVfTLi02u-CY5o4_kWBpYLTAWiQOXS0BpN1OmAw5hT4LR6-9zZ72a1Bc/s320/and+so+you+shall+detail+%25286%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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I laid it down on the s tiffened felt base and sewed it on with tiny fuschia beads on top. It sort of reminds me of planty things, perhaps seaweed. You'll also notice that inside is filled in with a mix of yellow, light orange and pale pink beads, and over it is a beaded helix in pink, orange and yellow.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihdLYyNkG5N6nT5EpltzyFJhU9bap61M094-u_FRlqrgC8k3iJtGIAJEkoeLxTnYtEax_4hRpxhora8DVd7BCQcPSjLHprH-lt2yTyUrf1I6vcudhsrMtaxRZaaPgoroYQo1vZ1WfguB91/s1600/and+so+you+shall+%252812%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihdLYyNkG5N6nT5EpltzyFJhU9bap61M094-u_FRlqrgC8k3iJtGIAJEkoeLxTnYtEax_4hRpxhora8DVd7BCQcPSjLHprH-lt2yTyUrf1I6vcudhsrMtaxRZaaPgoroYQo1vZ1WfguB91/s320/and+so+you+shall+%252812%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Here is a corner of the piece. My sister persuaded me to buy three large green glass faceted nuggets which you can see here. Inside is a pink chalcedony 'flower' made from several briolettes, and in the foreground you can see an orange shimmerstone and a pink shell diamond.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikefdabuJjBkQ5lDEmODPzidnL_56ZXrqMqyzlvN0DOTovqNIRGCj1o5Kt2HPKPtdERvZ46owQRYGMIxXiUP2nUB6iNdFsI8IW6o5XXZ3bQtvSF3VEK6wO966A8uPB0UYGqnaxTXbgxNBQ/s1600/and+so+you+shall+detail+%25285%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikefdabuJjBkQ5lDEmODPzidnL_56ZXrqMqyzlvN0DOTovqNIRGCj1o5Kt2HPKPtdERvZ46owQRYGMIxXiUP2nUB6iNdFsI8IW6o5XXZ3bQtvSF3VEK6wO966A8uPB0UYGqnaxTXbgxNBQ/s320/and+so+you+shall+detail+%25285%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK6qAIVhIcSORsBc2XrOMA2ADJfg1pQo8cYVy8UA9nYCKAMTwjKjsZmRHAi-5ToqWv67IRxVqZA6tkcu-9CTbhKk1uiyARRRE9UJkTKqk2Cb8QeNeSfg24KLWqzOj1-5M2_-s0aeh1gN0y/s1600/and+so+you+shall+detail+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK6qAIVhIcSORsBc2XrOMA2ADJfg1pQo8cYVy8UA9nYCKAMTwjKjsZmRHAi-5ToqWv67IRxVqZA6tkcu-9CTbhKk1uiyARRRE9UJkTKqk2Cb8QeNeSfg24KLWqzOj1-5M2_-s0aeh1gN0y/s320/and+so+you+shall+detail+%25283%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Here is the upper right corner, before framing. I used a crystal-studded resin go-go component, put green fringe in the hole, and accented it with some green glass teardrops and a magenta glitter shimmerstone.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRaFslAEQhA5wlbYsp5pw8MiNT-_RpLXnNCeoVOG9z-AJMPKtFluhuFgjNU0l2gRzhxds-Lr10R-BCCya8myl5pzOglxRpUX9lILctFruVyDZasDcMR9BN15kEmt4KUPQtz1XJQU3YYxSc/s1600/and+so+you+shall+detail+%25287%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRaFslAEQhA5wlbYsp5pw8MiNT-_RpLXnNCeoVOG9z-AJMPKtFluhuFgjNU0l2gRzhxds-Lr10R-BCCya8myl5pzOglxRpUX9lILctFruVyDZasDcMR9BN15kEmt4KUPQtz1XJQU3YYxSc/s320/and+so+you+shall+detail+%25287%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Here is a detail shot of lines of yellow teardrops and a pale pink shimmerstone cabochon.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuCJLDaN0DImn_gadAkxFw_qqpxmYEOEscFdIkcbnC9-wUTh8NdLfvshFe0ELJX3ZY2nSVwNJyHVeA-Pz2EGT8VHBMgVdoOgAHYnezXFwI1Xqls1BOVQ8RlLMF7cmLGpSQmXaKlk9cYSD3/s1600/and+so+you+shall+detail+%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuCJLDaN0DImn_gadAkxFw_qqpxmYEOEscFdIkcbnC9-wUTh8NdLfvshFe0ELJX3ZY2nSVwNJyHVeA-Pz2EGT8VHBMgVdoOgAHYnezXFwI1Xqls1BOVQ8RlLMF7cmLGpSQmXaKlk9cYSD3/s320/and+so+you+shall+detail+%25284%2529.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and here is a green shimmerstone next to the pink ribbon and yellow drops</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGW9Q2NsZRaV2H51ebXe7OyWyZT4uDXIXHIZkXxE53Xj4oHZH9TKOctLy-CERJsOpMKN4oxMX5AQWW1ukU_pY3GUW4feRUl6T57YFmU3dKiXzo57Ua4ZQtunMMpY4c7qJpHW3RJYZjH4j6/s1600/and+so+you+shall+%25288%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGW9Q2NsZRaV2H51ebXe7OyWyZT4uDXIXHIZkXxE53Xj4oHZH9TKOctLy-CERJsOpMKN4oxMX5AQWW1ukU_pY3GUW4feRUl6T57YFmU3dKiXzo57Ua4ZQtunMMpY4c7qJpHW3RJYZjH4j6/s400/and+so+you+shall+%25288%2529.JPG" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Lastly, here is the final piece. It got accepted into the show, and was displayed on the gallery wall! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It's called 'And So You Shall', after a Monty Python sketch about fairies granting wishes to the police force.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Bright Circlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06411792426837068865noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8865130025967375610.post-68224089431104506712011-02-28T13:59:00.001-08:002011-02-28T13:59:47.736-08:00SandFibers GiveawayCarol Dean of <a href="http://sandfibers.etsy.com/">SandFibers</a> is doing a giveaway for her five-year Etsy anniversary! Go to <a href="http://sandfibers.blogspot.com/2011/02/celebrate-my-5th-etsy-versary-and-win.html">her blog</a> to find out how to win.Bright Circlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06411792426837068865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8865130025967375610.post-8503413442668961222011-02-21T19:22:00.000-08:002011-02-21T19:22:07.076-08:00Double Color Challenge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Having neglected to post my color challenge entries for Marcie's 'Margie & Me' color challenge for last month, I shall post last month's with this month's.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpsN2GpWqwbYPylSQcWsL06BudUBSBwgNSQSEZ2JhfU6Zn7fW5WOLfSIadc_8vOUBEs1VNQy1PMe6dXvWgWp47bQSJocqsZKTu8mQiWj7y0JJEH1XsuoVWwvgIICQYYKvcYQvSZzvw1IGt/s320/caterpillar+%25288%2529.JPG" width="320" /> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is the first one, inspired by a photo of a green jungle stream. Greens dominate, set off by bits of brown, so I used shades of peridot and bronze in this simple necklace. It looks a bit like a caterpillar. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXtTssDG2-s1fqUO1rX_4omEyrSxoAo2_vGBuIlURsF9HyTJdQaZR7I1V1fLLh25ittW7bUt9ySVzIciTq0QXT6JLgoF93z22WZ8mUGvDKh_h_uVJmjPvkxZCyaHzIqjmo4-5IqaMgshIx/s1600/challenge+mexico+%25285%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXtTssDG2-s1fqUO1rX_4omEyrSxoAo2_vGBuIlURsF9HyTJdQaZR7I1V1fLLh25ittW7bUt9ySVzIciTq0QXT6JLgoF93z22WZ8mUGvDKh_h_uVJmjPvkxZCyaHzIqjmo4-5IqaMgshIx/s320/challenge+mexico+%25285%2529.JPG" width="267" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Second is this rectangular centerpiece, inspired by the photo of a turquoise door in Mexico. The neckchain is embellished with a few jumprings with blue beads, and stamped metal cylinders.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Now it's on to February's challenge.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIEaxjNuEjSHjlgbkH1FFxdpB_k-G1UJKc0pGRDMxIeTT3NT6NQwHCoAgQ2LTe9Ym5Hqxppcix1PCk358YFzeKnIADN1zunXyqbK7WGcyzIJ8HIIc-crxiiP0n5MpUvHtxJ1Cc05u2kBU7/s1600/challenge+madrid.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIEaxjNuEjSHjlgbkH1FFxdpB_k-G1UJKc0pGRDMxIeTT3NT6NQwHCoAgQ2LTe9Ym5Hqxppcix1PCk358YFzeKnIADN1zunXyqbK7WGcyzIJ8HIIc-crxiiP0n5MpUvHtxJ1Cc05u2kBU7/s320/challenge+madrid.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> A photo of a yellow apartment building inspired this bracelet in crystal, dark cobalt blue and hematite silver/black, with a hint of light gray.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAUOtJ5yt1Zvzz7-ug6GujmRtEQmVTJ5bbSOanMYovYjgnJefb2ALh8hYNHrHmxNe7GV7s6GgJ7fBO5n8N9EyD8kG2z79Yhm2SJeAu84RvW_DmP9lBA3wzi2yNw3AVWFoTYceRhW948V9P/s1600/challenge+modernism+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAUOtJ5yt1Zvzz7-ug6GujmRtEQmVTJ5bbSOanMYovYjgnJefb2ALh8hYNHrHmxNe7GV7s6GgJ7fBO5n8N9EyD8kG2z79Yhm2SJeAu84RvW_DmP9lBA3wzi2yNw3AVWFoTYceRhW948V9P/s320/challenge+modernism+%25283%2529.JPG" width="259" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Finally is this pair of earrings, inspired by the sense of movement in the modern painting. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UyLv5-UfeHQ/TWMqEG3bIgI/AAAAAAAAAf0/s1600/challenge+modernism+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div>Bright Circlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06411792426837068865noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8865130025967375610.post-60523367326786817632011-02-14T10:24:00.000-08:002011-02-14T10:28:06.227-08:00Spyder<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5TdJyjaOqOYvJ9fa4VoiBerRyikFDbvE1TyaiT1T_wHQgo47Tg9LclyvG2fEZcrA81DVoH-UXzB3bDUoupFcao08vH7PY1GZJMH_2VDHx3KLK2CcYIHlLlgEUgZrSGi38UhWKvQB7RzhE/s1600/spyder.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5TdJyjaOqOYvJ9fa4VoiBerRyikFDbvE1TyaiT1T_wHQgo47Tg9LclyvG2fEZcrA81DVoH-UXzB3bDUoupFcao08vH7PY1GZJMH_2VDHx3KLK2CcYIHlLlgEUgZrSGi38UhWKvQB7RzhE/s320/spyder.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div>My latest project: Spyder! Credit for the design goes to... *checks magazine* Mikki Ferrugiaro, as published in the Dec/Jan issue of Beadwork magazine. Though I love magazine designs, usually I use them as inspiration, a jumping-off point for my own original designs. Rarely do I see a project that makes me want to simply replicate it, much less actually get around to executing it, but this was one such design. <br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUf4ydrMFdJDNI_6KtecN1Yq8fwJDBcm7YzBoLr3N6uzCmP9b7wT8vGHnYM1-AIwQkio-7R8jFdKUFNQjU4bSAp0VRQypNX3IhHG4E-F3RVP4RG7nGSXMV2iLbUlixld3Gw3rdK5-i3bZw/s1600/spyder+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUf4ydrMFdJDNI_6KtecN1Yq8fwJDBcm7YzBoLr3N6uzCmP9b7wT8vGHnYM1-AIwQkio-7R8jFdKUFNQjU4bSAp0VRQypNX3IhHG4E-F3RVP4RG7nGSXMV2iLbUlixld3Gw3rdK5-i3bZw/s320/spyder+%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Though it looks complicated and multilayered, the 'pleats' in the wing sections are achieved by strategic use of bead size. Mind you, this IS a more advanced piece--I wasn't sure how exactly to do everything when I started the project. For example, I didn't understand how to gather the pleats at one end, or how to connect the round part to the wing parts. Once I started, I somehow understood how to gather, but never did figure out how the magazine said to connect the wing parts, so I had to make up my own.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMwUbeXa74cKLgbseD_Khjc5Y9nGEJNg93jAJNVkIKyCc36NgmQnSa6YXkMc8_vwI00sNufu-uGRcc-19fANI-j3cap3u3hoyVLUBtJCuD48A_Y9ezwjeraTr9Iz6lWh8u9KlrFQQwG2Y8/s1600/spyder+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMwUbeXa74cKLgbseD_Khjc5Y9nGEJNg93jAJNVkIKyCc36NgmQnSa6YXkMc8_vwI00sNufu-uGRcc-19fANI-j3cap3u3hoyVLUBtJCuD48A_Y9ezwjeraTr9Iz6lWh8u9KlrFQQwG2Y8/s320/spyder+%25283%2529.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I made other slight alterations: using 15s instead of delicas on the straps, substituting a <a href="http://paradoxmoxie.etsy.com/">shimmerstone </a>for a rivoli, modifying the bezel around the shimmerstone, and embellishing it further. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My mother remarked upon seeing it that it looked 'a little like a spider', which delighted me to no end, as spiders make me think of one of my new favourite movies: Megamind. There's a part in which Megamind tries to threaten 'the girl' Roxanne with various ridiculous implements, but it ends when she blows a spider onto his face. He also pronounces 'spider' differently, turning the long i sound into more of a y sound.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Bright Circlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06411792426837068865noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8865130025967375610.post-87783077448328325092011-01-29T11:09:00.000-08:002011-01-29T11:09:46.918-08:00sneak peek<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnbVMsg6ZuHBAxVoATXvVG3saO9KMke1a1FiZtoci2m4BkfMKAu47A5QapV5oGZC0GCUlf347PV0ZI2cf9td7iPDiyn-lb9icTiS2VaQay34iazmdrCNoxJZze_OBe0SesvlnO2bQ6GNf0/s1600/preview.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnbVMsg6ZuHBAxVoATXvVG3saO9KMke1a1FiZtoci2m4BkfMKAu47A5QapV5oGZC0GCUlf347PV0ZI2cf9td7iPDiyn-lb9icTiS2VaQay34iazmdrCNoxJZze_OBe0SesvlnO2bQ6GNf0/s400/preview.JPG" width="400" /> </a></div><br />
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I'm working on my biggest piece of bead embroidery yet (I've only done pieces 2 square inches or under before) for an art exhibition at <a href="http://www.libertytownarts.com/">Liberty Town Arts</a>, a local gallery. It's been a real challenge, and a great learning experience. This photo is several days old, and have done so much work since then--I'm almost finished, in fact.Bright Circlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06411792426837068865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8865130025967375610.post-83479202828989646872011-01-22T20:52:00.000-08:002011-01-24T13:57:13.031-08:00Forbidden love<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/66588255/forbidden-love-heart-silk-ribbon-beaded"><img border="0" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRKtXllzHP_48E8eV6wJLvsA_S8T8Nlo6cqaSL_Szk7ZPdi8d47nnqPjbYPaOsMCdnCuW1wlDaAwkkM5tWrv9m0xaZYAsxE7AQYzjwhhPRa6QDbtXbezn7A3-i9dLnRVrgGOU7lERzsU-F/s320/forbidden+%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The most forbidden of loves is not that of a mortal for an immortal (basically, just a special-needs human, nothing forbidden about that). </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/66588255/forbidden-love-heart-silk-ribbon-beaded"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjRxFDrVpza4q3WUCwbtUWqWQjw0GaFu5t1ET9SGfRU3CXrZeCrTfpQqtoEBYKiQ11L9svX5E4EIuQdMQ8pzVbkEvU7nZcQOyCPyqWU9uIYQyeZszpKaEHWXU6Ulpsa672kp7vbKnvi-9g/s320/forbidden+%25283%2529.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It's not that of two people from familes who don't like each other. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/66588255/forbidden-love-heart-silk-ribbon-beaded"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbNA4ituKsRGxDYSUy1FMqq5_HyqeqTrUcu4MCjbXtvHARfGI5dFWrKXaWhsdRcsLuqkVwfNmKGGu6Ay2r4SwMAceJC5G8BV5-YbNMot4b988ifN2R0GyWFDW5X5CM1y_3NAdp7ZZ4on6C/s320/forbidden+%25284%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It's not the cheerleader and the captain of the chess club or whatever (yes, I read a lot of junior chick lit). </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/66588255/forbidden-love-heart-silk-ribbon-beaded"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP_O1v23a6i2fHWa_NXccahbnzUZ6kByhIaQ0n5kSU_yYIkpLJ1epf9AG0F34bhpzEgymfAJoWQvfCRK_tUNGszwfHAjrvHdU-2rpZms8D5yMZSzjtl_PRv-bkctFSikGQwWNloxrUK_R5/s320/forbidden+%25285%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The most forbidden of loves is that which you don't allow yourself to have.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/66588255/forbidden-love-heart-silk-ribbon-beaded"><img border="0" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi4CERdO5ZAKRyuXQ7cNkXs1yGhaCcqVyPsPB8LtTG9vz98mpj7OXpSCeF0hpIVQUM4nv6hdQetNde2_5DqZV7cAnX8EjrtSKXwLP6LssLb6p_hlnQ_ql4fAA0uRyO4WBmS1veXF2rtL8Y/s320/forbidden+%25286%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Made for HeartToHearts' 'Forbidden Love' contest, reflecting the theme 'Forbidden Love'. A hand-dyed silk ribbon is hand-embellished with tiny gunmetal glass beads, supporting a pewter bead, artisan-made from Green Girl Studios. It's a heart-shaped bead, looks like it's been covered with riveted steel plates all over. One side reads 'Unbreakable'. The unbeaded portion ties around the neck as a <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/66588255/forbidden-love-heart-silk-ribbon-beaded">necklace</a>.</div>Bright Circlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06411792426837068865noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8865130025967375610.post-77401497150988801012011-01-21T11:49:00.000-08:002011-01-21T11:49:25.865-08:00Catching up with projects<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'm currently working on three projects at once.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq954rGAgvEJsjAuErPEt-umIigzDFGYjVqplRrsUHVQ3UzMlbFMQcw5yT2FPRdAVU0eWHa6AiwOSa15IEeO8mu8FZ-WULC9tdveMBp2vO6aEkaLiPPwOefa6UNrciNvMWYrrUVKyVWSq6/s320/100_8950.JPG" width="320" /> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is the first one. It's a Crime Scene lariat, but done in loomwork instead of square stitch. I have not done loomwork since doing a few rows on my sister's loom ten years ago. I basically had to teach myself everything, but it was definitely worth it, as looming is FAR faster than square stitch. I worked on it until I ran out of yellow Delicas.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgub4-3xutrssVnehrMO4TlpUPjq-WISz-9SB1xdx2l01eO67TPuDa4QQIfUijR2gG5bIl1UahyphenhyphenViIknTbbg9KTfNPY0LmXJhpmpztV1mgXQzR1kv9gbNbQkcU3vX0VLBZt9kA6FoHAoQTS/s1600/100_8952.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgub4-3xutrssVnehrMO4TlpUPjq-WISz-9SB1xdx2l01eO67TPuDa4QQIfUijR2gG5bIl1UahyphenhyphenViIknTbbg9KTfNPY0LmXJhpmpztV1mgXQzR1kv9gbNbQkcU3vX0VLBZt9kA6FoHAoQTS/s320/100_8952.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here's a little preview of my current big project. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuxB2RZuy_th8ax0RFfyyR_niPJ25SLuAkf7kmz2FwrUT79WEagltlxMVT7KZ5JTb3PpVB5rkMInOV6tGL6AgtuEJyiKUsgWe4CpHbiwNKafTygdg-ya0Bkiv70zwV0496LuzK-3eMzyKs/s1600/100_8976.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuxB2RZuy_th8ax0RFfyyR_niPJ25SLuAkf7kmz2FwrUT79WEagltlxMVT7KZ5JTb3PpVB5rkMInOV6tGL6AgtuEJyiKUsgWe4CpHbiwNKafTygdg-ya0Bkiv70zwV0496LuzK-3eMzyKs/s320/100_8976.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It's a panoramic bead embroidery piece. I'm going to put it in a frame and enter it into an art exhibition, if I make the deadline. I'm not that fast at bead embroidery yet, (as it's still new to me) and the deadline is Jan 30th. Wish me luck! </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfa93HqSl7xRydkDLNtl9Bz-RkSDdg9l5mmfriNhTVRAwX00FWMDNWKEofcuZcpLWtjGqfBuVhem8ZV__Ih-4dtlBPpZSmgfFgFUo2v04ks3_ucKZt5TxyOz0hlKzCSuqd_nozTcCa-N0I/s1600/100_8942.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfa93HqSl7xRydkDLNtl9Bz-RkSDdg9l5mmfriNhTVRAwX00FWMDNWKEofcuZcpLWtjGqfBuVhem8ZV__Ih-4dtlBPpZSmgfFgFUo2v04ks3_ucKZt5TxyOz0hlKzCSuqd_nozTcCa-N0I/s320/100_8942.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">These are the beads for my third project. When I can't work on my bead embroidery project (it's not very portable, as it uses so many different kinds of bead), I work on this.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirDlg61JmHQfnB1_hmT9_PVyL_6Iey8atpUdpEgojBKm8qDL57yPoyp5yKUPcbsAYVU4_x-QW-Wjyxlb-WGrt1KedIoQ7LyS9F1p2cnvFMACrknOhYo67_ve-ZPHXaeCisFvej88-L4Tlb/s1600/100_8975.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirDlg61JmHQfnB1_hmT9_PVyL_6Iey8atpUdpEgojBKm8qDL57yPoyp5yKUPcbsAYVU4_x-QW-Wjyxlb-WGrt1KedIoQ7LyS9F1p2cnvFMACrknOhYo67_ve-ZPHXaeCisFvej88-L4Tlb/s320/100_8975.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The above ruffle is how far I've gotten. It's going to be a bracelet. </div>Bright Circlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06411792426837068865noreply@blogger.com1