Black Romantica

Here is my version of Marcia's Romantica Lariat. I used mostly black 8/0, 11/0 and 15/0 seed beads. I bezeled around a vintage snap that I bought at Bead & Button this year, added a vintage round and a Swarovski button. Below is a close up.
I might have to make one of these for my ID badge holder at work. I will just have to determine what colour will go with most of my clothes.

Marie Dressler - finished!

Finished it! Here is my inspiration: a movie still from "Dinner at Eight" with Marie Dressler. I noticed this necklace on her and said to myself "Hmmmm, that looks interesting. I found the movie still and enlarged the necklace (don't you love the computer some days?) to study it.

Here is my completed piece - completed with 10 large rivoli's and seven smaller ones. I used a combination of right angle weave (Thank you Marcia), peyote and herringbone spirals (thank you Amy Katz). Don't adjust your colours - the background is black, and the necklace is all in silver and crystal.
For those who have known me a long time, you know that this is so outside of my comfort zone. I am thrilled with the feel and look of this piece. Isn't it regal??

Starfish and Stuff

It's a hazy, autumn day in Michigan.

I didn't have anything new to update, so I thought that I would show how I am

displaying my beaded starfish. It's a a beautiful piece of amethyst which I

pulled out of the rocky soil of northern Ontario, Canada.

The starfish drapes nicely over the sides of the rock.

Above is a group photo of the Beady Friends from our Alaskan Cruise 2009

This isn't the whole group, but a good portion of it.

Aren't we a good looking bunch?

Work on my mystery necklace is progressing - working on the clasp now.

Should finish over the weekend (with luck) to show it off.

Mystery necklace progresses

Look Marcia - components!

See? I was listening even though my lips might have been talking!

Some serious bling happening

Starts to take shape, but it's missing something..... That's right - more components and sparkle.

Although what made me believe that I could bezel a small rivoli like that?

Oh, yes, it was a third margarita. That's what did it.

More to come now that I have only one other deadline piece to make.

Well, two.

Instructions for Sunday's class at Stony Creek Bead Gallery &

Use the Muse.

(which I have started and might actually finish)

Liz and Denise go to the Beach

I joined a Collaboration Project with Glass Act (Southeastern Michigan Glass Beadmakers Guild) and the Great Lakes Beadworkers Guild. The theme, being that this is Michigan, "Water All Around Us." I was paired up with a wonderful bead artist, Denise Billups-Walker. We met at Bead and Button in Milwaukee in June and played some ideas off each other. Denise ran with the ideas and created these wonderful glass bathing beauties and other wonderful pieces (above are some of the little cuties - little flip-flops, clam shells, starfish, fish, palm tree and lighthouse - and bathing beauty below!).

I turned in my piece on Sunday, at the Great Lakes Beadworkers Guild Fall Bead Bonanza, and while I was happy with the piece, I was pleased to see that others loved it also. So here is the first peak of "Liz and Denise go to the Beach" which will displayed at the Lawrence Street Gallery in Ferndale, MI from November 1 to 30th. Opening night reception and announcement of awards is on November 13. See you there!

I confess.....

....I did it. I threw beads away.

Yup. I was so pissed at these size 11 beads that I didn't even feel like taking them apart. I was working on a "frame" about 3x5 inches, about 1/2 inch thick and it just wasn't doing what I wanted it to. It kept warping out of square. Figures that it's for a project that was due yesterday and it's now overdue. I started "debeading" and decided, bump it - toss. Naturally, anyone who knows me, knows that I didn't say "bump" but a much worse word. Yes, keeping it clean for family viewing.

Do I feel bad for throwing away about 15 hours of work? Work I did while sitting on the patio during my Fridays off during the summer? Yes, I do. Damn.

Back to the drawing board. Late.

More progress.....

I've been working on this almost exclusively all week and look what's happening....