Friday, September 30, 2011

When things come together - amazing !!


Sometime ago I was experimenting making flowers and made a few but never did anything with them.

Recently I purchased some metal filigrees and also never got around to doing anything with those.

This morning I was tidying up my workspace getting ready for a class tomorrow when I came across the flowers and the metal filigree. I looked at one then the other and here is a picture of what I did with them.

Very pretty and more will follow with Christmas coming up.

Monday, September 26, 2011

Meet Antoinette

Here is a bracelet I have called Antoinette.
When designing this piece I kept thinking of the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versaille, the heavy embellishment and decoration of interiors during the times of Louis XV and XVI. 
I also imagined Marie Antoinette wearing such a bracelet - although in diamonds and emeralds.. I like the young colours and the frilly embellishment - thus the name Antoinette.

I don't know if other people have images and stories form in their head as they create new designs but I do and often these images/stories become my inspiration.
I was going to enter this piece into the Melbourne Bead Expo exhibition but have since come up with other improvements. So now I am able to show the design.

I will be entering three items into the show this year - a necklace and two bracelets. It is a great thrill to be able to exhibit and this year I intend to be in the audience for the award nominations.

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Christina's Earrings


I have been busy the last two weeks designing pieces to enter into the Melbourne Bead Expo and haven't been able to post anything new onto my blog. I have been working hard to come up with some real show-stoppers having been awarded the "Best of Show" last year. Pictures of my new pieces will be posted up mid-November so stay tuned.

Thankfully, my friend Christina requested I make a pair of earrings to match a lariat she has (pic below). This morning I happily sat down and came up with the design to the left. This earring is double sided giving it the weight needed to dangle well. The diamond shapes graduate down in size to give a pleasant tapering look to the earring.

I am very pleased with this pattern and see a lot of potential for this in other areas.

Friday, September 16, 2011

Explorations in colour

Here are two earring designs in four different colour ranges.

Top left - Montana blue Swarovski crystals, pale green, purple and grape.

Top right - black crystals, red and silver, always a good one.

Bottom right - black diamond crystals, grey, pink and silver

Bottom left - purple crystals, green, mauve and silver - another favourite for me and many ladies.

All work beautifully together.

My biggest problem lately seems to be coming up with colour combinations. Sometimes I do very well - like these - and yet other times it takes a lot of experimentation to get something spectacular.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

At the Black Tie dinner

My darling friend Anthea and I, all dressed up for a black tie dinner last Friday evening. I think she looks beautiful and I love the "camp" jacket she is wearing. Very Priscilla with that collar.

I rarely dress formally so it is nice to see myself this way every so often. I recently came across pictures the last time we went to a formal affair - maybe 16 years ago - and there is little change in Anthea but lots more grey and size for me.

I am not worried as I am on the way back down again having lost 7kgs over the last couple of months - 6kg more to go.

Friday, September 9, 2011

Anthea's Bracelet for the Ball

I am escorting my dear friend Anthea to a black tie affair at Parliament House this evening. Naturally she is wearing some of my jewellery.

Here is the bracelet I designed for this evening in the two colours of the necklace she has chosen, black Swarovski crystals and copper seed beads.

As I was making this, I could see heaps of potential for another bracelet with little colour enhancements.

I am keen to have another go at making one but it will have to wait until tomorrow - that's if I don't party too much this evening.

Stay tuned for the next version.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

The Wedding Necklace

I've been commissioned to make a bride's necklace, in Marcia DeCoster's "Cascade" design, using the colours from the shirt her fiancee will be wearing on the day of their wedding.

Here is a pic of the necklace. These are not colours I would normally mix together, however the shirt was very attractive so I guess the colour pallette was already working.

Swarovski Light Smokey Topaz bicones with Topaz Czech drops and a copper seed bead base.

The final fitting was last evening and I finished it this morning. The bride is quite petite and blonde and the necklace looked absolutely wonderful on her.

She certainly will have all eyes on her for her special day - as it should be.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

61 has come and gone

Here is my gorgeous friend Anthea and I after steak, chips, salad, and a couple of beers at the local with another friend Garry.

I celebrated 61 years on this earth with my friends and had heaps of well wishes from unexpected sources through the day and felt suitably "fussed over".

I still shake my head in amazement that so many years have "clocked-up". When we are younger, 61 seems ancient and yet when you get here, and feel how you feel, it is really just a number.

Friday, September 2, 2011

Another Shazaam - in the making

After taking all week to re-energise myself from working to get ready for the Art Show, then working all weekend at the show, I finally sat down yesterday morning and began to bead again. This is an order I am making for a bride to soon be.

I call this necklace (designed by Rebecca Peapples) "Shazaam" as I think the lightning strike effect reminds me of a kiddies television show years ago.

I have since done some research and discovered Rebecca has converted an Italian upholstery and needlework stitch from the seventeenth century, called Bargello, also called "flame stitch" because its characteristic zigzag pattern resembles flames. 

We are lucky to be able to take something so old and create something very today and very striking. This is the third one I have made. One can be seen in the gallery. 
Thank you Rebecca Peapples.