by Barbara | Jan 31, 2018 | Art Jewelry, Art to Wear, Beaded Beads, Beading, Beads and Materials, Components, Delica beads, Designer Patterns, Earrings, Embellishments, Handmade, Inspiration, Jewelry kits, Materials and Supplies, One-of-a-Kind, Sterling Silver, Tutorials
I’m busy building a new earring wardrobe… here’s the latest addition. I’ve kicked the geometric triangles up a notch with a few shades that are borderline neon! I can’t help but feel happy when I’m wearing these “Color Play” –...
by Barbara | Dec 14, 2017 | An Aside, Beading, Beads and Materials, Embellishments, Handmade, Inspiration, Materials and Supplies, Mixed Media, One-of-a-Kind, Seed Beads, Techniques
I will get back to beading and metal work, but every now and then I need to step back from it all and delve into something totally new. In this case, I’ve wandered off into working with paper collage, creating tiny one-of-a-kind boxes, pillow envelopes, bags,...
by Barbara | Nov 17, 2017 | An Aside, Embellishments, Handmade, Inspiration, Jewelry kits, Materials and Supplies, One-of-a-Kind, Uncategorized
What am I doing this week? I’m creating tiny gift boxes and bags. With the holidays rapidly approaching, I’ll need hostess gifts and small tokens of appreciation to give to friends and service people. To make this process easier than cutting and measuring cardstock...
by Barbara | Oct 29, 2017 | An Aside, Art Jewelry, Art to Wear, Cabochons and Gemstones, Components, Designer Patterns, Embellishments, Gemstones, Handmade, Inspiration, Materials and Supplies, One-of-a-Kind, Resin, Rings
Last August while on vacation in California, I purchased some wonderful natural crystals from which I created molds. This collection of blue and teal faux crystals were created from those molds. I have a theory as to why some of the faux crystals come out crystal...
by Barbara | Oct 13, 2017 | An Aside, Art Jewelry, Art to Wear, Beads and Materials, Cabochons and Gemstones, Components, Designer Patterns, Embellishments, Gemstones, Handmade, Inspiration, Materials and Supplies, Mixed Media, One-of-a-Kind, Uncategorized
The deadline for latest Fire Mountain Gems contest featuring Swarovski Crystals was October 8 and I finished this neckpiece just in time to enter! I had been so busy finishing up my latest geometric beadwoven bracelet that I’d forgotten the contest was closing....
by Barbara | Sep 2, 2017 | An Aside, Art Jewelry, Art to Wear, Bead Embroidery, Beading, Beads and Materials, Components, Embellishments, Jewelry kits, Materials and Supplies, Mixed Media, One-of-a-Kind, Polymer Clay, Seed Beads, Techniques, Tutorials
I am so excited!!! In early March I entered my bead-embroidered neckpiece featuring polymer clay flowers and butterflies in Fire Mountain Gems and Beads “Creative Clays” contest. I’ve been eagerly awaiting results of the contest and winners have...
by Barbara | Aug 16, 2017 | An Aside, Bead Embroidery, Beading, Beads and Materials, Designer Patterns, Embellishments, Handmade, Inspiration, One-of-a-Kind, Seed Beads, Techniques, Tools, Tutorials
Some of the best finds are in antique stores. I am always on the lookout for items I can repurpose and up-cycle! Recently, I came across two small, very flat wooden cigar boxes that I’ve utilized as portable bead cases that I can toss in a bag at a...
by Barbara | Jul 29, 2017 | Art Jewelry, Art to Wear, Cabochons and Gemstones, Classes, Components, Designer Patterns, Embellishments, Fine Silver, Gemstones, Handmade, Inspiration, Materials and Supplies, One-of-a-Kind, Patina, Resin, Rings, Sterling Silver, Techniques, Tools
I took a class taught by Richard Salley (great teacher BTW!!!) and learned to make the “Ketoh Bracelet”…typically a wrist guard worn by Navajo Indian archers to protect their forearms from the snap of their bowstrings when shooting arrows. It was a...
by Barbara | Jul 24, 2017 | Art Jewelry, Art to Wear, Cabochons and Gemstones, Components, Designer Patterns, Embellishments, Gemstones, Handmade, Inspiration, Materials and Supplies, One-of-a-Kind, Resin, Rings, Techniques, Tools, Tutorials
There used to be a TV show back in the 1950’s called “You Asked For It”, but in this case I am referring to the tutorial I promised for making “Resin Faux Crystals and Druzy Cabochon”. I’ve had several requests for a tutorial and...
by Barbara | Jul 21, 2017 | Art Jewelry, Art to Wear, Components, Embellishments, Gemstones, Handmade, Inspiration, Materials and Supplies, One-of-a-Kind, Resin, Rings, Sterling Silver, Techniques
I’ve seen it and even took an early morning bike ride downhill from Haleakala on one of my vacations to Maui. This latest resin ring so reminds me of a volcano glowing with shades of bright fire surrounded by red-hot embers! What gives it this magnificent glow?...