Showing posts with label holiday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label holiday. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

NEPTUNE'S RETREAT

These fabulous lampwork beads by Manuela Wutschke have been staring at me for a very long time. I'd take them out and play with them...rearrange them, think about them, admire them..then put them away. Nothing that I did with them every pleased me...nothing seemed to be right....
They are wonderful hand formed shapes and loaded with incredible detail--all of Manuela's bead are and if you've followed me very long you know she is at the top of my list of favorite lampwork artists.


As you see, I have finally finished them and I am so delighted with the way they came together yesterday when I once again started pulling and putting back, replacing and adjusting beads that might bring these stunning beauties together into a necklace that would make me happy. So I present to you my final, finished, fabulous necklace--Neptune's Retreat, in honor of the inspiration here at my little beach house by the sea.

Saturday, October 16, 2010

One Knot, Two Knots, Three Knots, Four......

A funny thing happened last night while watching tv with my hubby--my fingers got itchy. It had to be something simple, because otherwise I would be so distracted I wouldn't be good company. So, I started knotting, and couldn't stop. There is something very soothing about doing a little knotting now and then. I'm sure I wouldn't think that if I had to do it all the time, but sometimes it's just the relaxing thing that fills the bill. I scrambled for some odds and ends I had around the house and once I started I couldn't stop. These ended up to be the most comfortable, and delightful bracelets. I'm happy to say they made my itchy fingers sing!
This one is my favorite, although the pictures don't show it off as well as I like. If you've been around very long, you know matchy-matchy isn't my favorite, so I loved the color combo--yummy olive greens and dark aqua/peacock blues and the occasional round pearl among the coins. I also love the sterling and brass clasp from Pegasus--there's something very bohemian
..and very me about this one.


Well, I really liked this one too...I made this with leftovers of one of my favorite strands of carved mossy pink amethyst ovals. They were hand cut, which makes them just enough different from one another to please me. Combined with this delicious Saki Silver gold vermeil flower toggle, it puts a smile on my face.

Whoa, these lush rich wine colored mother of pearl ovals aren't too shabby either....and I love this exotic matte gold vermeil clasp to add a little warmth.




This bracelet with some fancy smancy larimar ovals was where I started, these have some yummy color variations and I used a very cool gold filled clasp that slips together for a lovely finish. These beads came in an exchange/bead swap with Lori Anderson---so thanks Lori, here's how I used your lovelies.

Knotting is easy, knotting is fun....once you start you'll never be done!