Tip Wednesday: Take it with you when you go.

Okay, the title for this post comes from an experience that I had yesterday at the bead store. Let me set up the situation for you. I was working on a bracelet project and had come to the end of the tube of red size 11's that I was using. I was out with my mom, and I told her that I needed to run into the bead store really quickly and grab another tube of red beads.

While I was in the bead store I was faced with a dilemma in the form of about six different colors of red! In the back of my mind I could hear my aunt saying, "You know, the human mind cannot remember color." She told me this a long time ago, and I never believed her until yesterday.

Do you see that? Yeah, uh-huh, those are two completely different shades of red. It's a shame too, the one on the right is the color that I've conveniently run out of and the one on the left is the beautiful new color I have which doesn't match my current project at all! I decided to Google this phenomenon and sure enough came up with this article which talks about this very thing. Who knew?

So, to explain the title of this post, and my tip for today... the next time you need to match a color, you should definitely take the old color with you when you go! Have a great day Wednesday!

Totally Tubular!

Okay, bad 80's jokes aside, here's what I've been working on this week:
First up (and the reason for the title post) is my first tubular peyote bracelet. It's a bangle made with 8's, 11's, and 15's and I think it turned out pretty good for my first attempt.

Here's what it looks like on my arm.

Next up is a herringbone bracelet, made with gemstones to kind of break up the flow. I made it to match a sweater that I have which has this black fleur-de-lis-esque pattern on it. Well, after finishing the bracelet, I realized that instead of capturing the pattern from my sweater, I successfully wove Batman into my bracelet. To the batcave!

Finally, I created this necklace using herringbone weave, and following the same technique as the bracelet, I added 3mm faceted glass beads in between different sections of the necklace. I REALLY, really like this technique, so you'll probably see some more of this in the future. I ordered a bunch of those little gemstone rounds earlier, and now I have a place to use them!

Have a great Monday! Hopefully, this week will be a little calmer for me than last week!

Bloggin' Again

Here's what I've been working on lately. I know the colors are a little dark, but it matches a brown sweater that I have with a black pattern on it. The more I look at the pattern, the more it reminds me of an anchor...hhhmmm...may have to work this one up later in nautical colors. My favorite thing about this bracelet is those little round gemstones between the patterns, they fit perfectly, and give a little interest to the bracelet. I'm really enjoying making it.

Lastly, I wanted to show y'all a picture of the birthday girl. This is my niece Dodie, she turned 1 on October 20th. What a cutie! In this picture she has her Donald Trump hair. (that's what we call her post-bath comb over!)

I'd like to also thank Mellisa and Leann for your sweet comments from my last post, I'm definitely feeling better and getting over my creative slump. Thanks for your encouragement. Have a great weekend, I'm attending a dance showcase today at the studio where I take lessons, we'll see if I can't get you some good pictures for Monday! Que tengan buen fin de semana!

Uninspired and Frustrated

I'm sorry there won't be any Tip Wednesday today, I just haven't had time this weekend to take pictures or work up something. I've felt a little under the weather, and am also suffering from a little bit of beader's block. (Okay, so I made that up.) I'm just not feeling any inspiration right now. I've also ripped out a piece of beadwork that I've been working on twice because I'm not liking the outcome! It's been frustrating to say the least. Hopefully I'll be back to myself by the end of the week, and I'll have something to report.
However, I can't leave without giving you a picture, so here's a pic of some Christmas presents that I made last year for my aunt-in-law. She happens to be a big college football fan of a certain team which happens to be ranked pretty high this year. I hope she doesn't want a new set for Christmas this year. Letters in beads is hard work!

Mellisa and Me or Two Heads are Better than One

I wanted to post a picture of a collaboration that I've been working on with Mellisa of Chinook Jewelry. This is a bead embroidered pendant that I created using one of her beautiful cabs in the center of the pendant. I'm still in a debate with myself as to whether or not I should bead a chain to go with it, or simply use something in leather or ribbon. I'll let you know as soon as I figure it out. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the collaboration!

I wish...

I wish I spoke French, because then I could sit down with Liliad Bijoux, the creator of this lovely cuff and we could talk beads and pearls in a French corner cafe.

If I spoke German, I could exchange e-mails with Wahnmachtsinn who has perfected the art of the bezel as is evident by this amazing cuff and its beautiful center focal.

Finally, if Hungarian were my second language, Ande could explain to me how she created this incredible pendant and show me what inspired her to put together these beautiful colors...

I wish....what do you wish?

Tip Wednesday: Learn a New Skill

I'm about to admit something very shameful for a jewelry designer. Are you ready? Here goes...

I can't wire-wrap my way out of a paper bag. Don't believe me? Here's the proof....

Click on the pictures and see if you can get a real good look at the disaster at the end of that bead cap. Yeah, uh-huh, it's a train wreck. So, my tip for today is not just for you, it's also for me. Learn a new skill! I've decided that in order to take my jewelry design to the next level, I need to add some skills. I think wire wrapping is a great place to start.

So, my next question, how does one do this? Well, that's where Bead and Button Magazine comes in. Check out this page full of great videos to help you learn all sorts of wire-wrapping techniques.
Once you're there, check out the little links to the left. B&B offers all sorts of videos to take your jewelry design to the next level.

So, here's my question, just to get you thinking...What new skill do you want to learn? What is your weakness as a designer? Where do plan on getting info to help you build your skills?

Before I go, I wanted to tell you about a great giveaway. Carol Dean Sharpe of Sand Fibers is giving away one of her famous triangle pendants. Visit her blog for more info and how to enter. Have a great day and remember to try something new.

In English y en espanol...

Well, I'm back from Washington and I must say it is beautiful this time of year. The weather was wonderful and we spent three really nice days learning a lot about the history of my country and I have a renewed respect for the men who gave everything to found this nation.
I know I haven't posted anything in while, so I wanted to take this opportunity to promote the work of another artist that I know. Tom Sapp is a professional photographer based here in Wilmington, NC. He came to me and asked if I would like him to take some professional photos of my jewelry. Of course, I said yes! He wanted a new photography challenge, and I was thrilled to have professional photos of my work. So here they are, I hope you enjoy them.

Ahora que he regresado de Washington, D.C. te tengo que decir que durante esta estacion del ano, la capital es lindisima. Hacia muy buen tiempo y pasamos tres dias aprendiendo mucho de la historia de mi pais. Tengo aun mas respeto para los hombres que sacrificaron todo para establecer este pais en que vivo yo.
Yo se que hace mucho tiempo que no escribo nada, entonces queria usar la oportunidad para promover el trabajo de otro artista. Se llama Tom Sapp y es un fotografo aqui en Wilmington, NC. Me pidio que lo dejara sacar fotos profesionales de mi trabajo y claro yo acepte. El queria un desafio nuevo con su fotografia y yo estaba muy emocionada de tener fotos profesionales de mi trabajo. Aqui estan...espero que les gusten.

Tidepool Ring
The circles remind me of what happens when you drop a stone into the water.

Los circulos me hacen pensar en lo que pasa cuando se cae una piedra al agua.

Fractured Bracelet

Washington, D.C.

No posts for a couple of days. Takin' the fam to Washington to soak up some history. Pictures when I return!

The Keys to the Kingdom

Recently, I re-read one of my favorite books. Sabriel, by Garth Nix, is a fantasy tale about a young girl who inherits her father's position of being The Abhorsen, a necromancer whose job is to bind dead things that have stayed too long in life. It is one of my favorite fantasy books and ranks right up there with Tolkein, L'Engle, Lewis, and Le Guin in my book. When I finished the book I was inspired by the cover design, to create something to mimic the key pattern in her tunic.
This is the result. I call it Keys to the Kingdom and I was lucky enough to find these little lock and key clasps hanging out at my local bead store. It is woven with matte delicas and the keys were created using silver delicas for contrast. I'm really in love with the way this bracelet turned out and it's the second time that I've used a double clasp, which I also really like.

My last picture is my entry for the October Art Bead Scene challenge. I created a twisted herringbone bangle and used a connector from Jennifer Heynen as a focal point. It doesn't have a clasp, it's just wide enough to slide over my hand. Every time I look at it I think how cute it would look on an elementary school teacher. I really like the look of the twisted herringbone as a bangle and will probably be doing another one of these in the future.

Finally, I have a question for my bead buddies. I'm heading up to Washington, D.C. this week to take my mom to Mount Vernon and the Smithsonian. Does anyone have any good bead spots that I absolutely MUST visit?? I'd be so grateful for the suggestions! Have a great Sunday!