Baubles

After spending what felt like forever on the kaliedocycle, I needed a beady palate cleanser.

Something simple which didn’t require too much thinking.

Crescent beads and a newly arrived package of two-holed cabochon beads were just the ticket.

Of course, me being me, I had to try a completely different thread path for the second bracelet, to see if it would assemble differently.  It did.

Not better. Not worse.  Just different.  Now I’ve a mind to try the same basic design with a few modifications, and see if I can’t get an sine wave going.  That could be fun.

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Seaward

While sewing has been happening, there’s also been some beading going on.

An order of curved tooth dagger beads arrived a week back and I just had to make something with them.

Enter Seaward, as in heading to the sea.

The bracelet was loom woven, using a mix of blue galaxy tooths (tooths.  I just love that word) and chrome finish seed beads.  The whole is anchored with brushed steel end caps and a piscean clasp.  Edges are reinforced with a picot of silver beads.

Here Fishy Fishy!

Spiny Lizard

Admittedly, there’s nothing particularly reptilian about this bracelet, but hey, the working title was Gila Monster, and saying it was monstrous seemed worse somehow.

Playing with curved tooth beads in a cool copper color.  I believe it’s copper galaxy.  Anyway, they’re not a solid color but a blend of copper, steel and grey.  There are also shiny grey 6° in the piece.  Something to let the teeth drape, rather than clatter against each other.  While this bracelet looks hard and spiny it is in fact very flexible, rather like liquid mesh.

The edges are protected by a petite picot of copper beads.

For the Guys

All my beading to date has been with women in mind.  But this single-gender-ness got me to thinking. What about the guys?

If you look in the beading magazines and project books, anything targeted as being for men is simple and, well, boring.  A strip of leather.  A silver clasp.  Done.  I don’t think men are quite so simplistic.

So, as another self-imposed (I was about to say self-inflicted, but these were too much fun to make to get the “inflicted” designation) design challenge, I created something I though men might wear.

These are three-prong herringbone, made with Toho 8° triangles.  Supple but not drapey.  Cord-like.  When Prince Charming saw them, they got a big thumbs up.

While not for everyone, they are for someone.

Ziggurat

This bracelet was an experiment in free-form weaving.  Not free form as in absent warp and weft, but free form as in design.  I had no plan when I started, other than it should be dark and goth-like.

It was intended as a gift for someone, but alas, I have not yet perfected sizing my loom pieces, and it fell short of her wrist.  Pooh!

That said, I remain pleased with it.  The clasp is pleasantly hefty and solid, the woven band is nicely tactile.  With the sizing exception, it turned out well.

The black background highlights the Mardi Gras colored design, with it’s peaks and ogees.

Forget Me Not

This bracelet reminds me of the small forget-me-not flowers I used to see as a child.  They were always one of the first harbingers of Spring, popping up to remind one there was sunshine and warmth and longer days ahead.

The green base is bead woven on a loom.  I liken it to the stems and leaves of the flowers.  It was then enhanced with matte periwinkle circles, each one dotted with a yellow center.  A tiny blue picot surrounds the edge, and protects the warp and weft from wear.  (Try saying that three times fast!)

Shhh!  Don’t tell, but this is a birthday present for a dear friend who is an awesome gardener.  I hope she likes it.

Elko

I admit to having been a bit of a blog slacker these past couple weeks.  BUT I think I have good reason.I was getting ready for a show!  Wow!  I still can’t believe it, and I was there!

I spent the week before deciding on which additional pieces to bring – Something new?  Something blue?  And of course, Something Completely Different!

First, for those who don’t know, Elko is a fair sized town in Northeastern Nevada, about a six hour drive from Carson City, the state capital.  Predominant business there is mining.  Nevada isn’t called “The Silver State” for nothin’.  This weekend also happened to have a mining convention, as well as high school graduation, so it was a hopping place.

The Museum is absolutely fantastic.  While I tend to think of Elko as a small town (shame on me for that) the Museum is top notch.  The permanent exhibits are exceptional – Ansel Adams and Edward Westin to name just a few.  And me!  Not that I’m rubbing display areas with the likes of them.  Ha!  Ha!

For the reception they decorated an antique display case, and positioned it right up front as you entered the Museum.  I got to sit next to it, and show additional beadwork.  I brought some pieces that were in progress so visitors could see they really are created One Bead at a Time.

It was a Grand Time.  I thoroughly enjoyed meeting the Museum staff and visitors.  Everyone was delightful, attentive and personable.  If you’re ever in Elko, be sure to stop by!