Rivoli Pendant

Here is the latest Rivoli creation.

Lavender Dreams

My second Rivoli necklace. Have to love the glitz Swarovski crystals give to a project. Some of the beads in this necklace change from purple to blue--depends on the light source.

My Snow Day project

Tuesday I had a snow day instead of school. (It was very icy here.) I had a few little projects that I put together, but then I decided to make some sparkly wheels (Nikia Angel's design) and I had enough 4 mm rounds to make five wheels. After I finished three of them I counted the 4 mm beads that I had left and decided to make one over-sized wheel with the extra five beads. I ended up with 4 normal size wheels and one over-sized wheel. The large wheel didn't lay flat but I kept playing with it. After I got it flatter I decided to see if any of my Rivoli Swarovski's would fit inside the wheel. I had a beautiful volcano one that was perfect for the necklace. I made a peyote/netted holder for the rivoli. Popped the rivoli in the center and stitched it in on the back of the sparkly wheel. Then I created one of my "braided" necklaces and attached it the y-shape sparkly wheel creation. Let me tell you--it is eye-popping beautiful. Enjoy.

Swarovski fringe 2

This one is a little different than the first one. I used a lot more of the 2mm round Swarovski beads on this one (over two hundred). I have also been making Queen's Ransom a kit from Cathy Collison (Glass Garden Beads in MN). I am trying to figure out how I could make a rainbow with this pattern.

Swarovski galore

I made this up on Monday night and finally got it scanned tonight. There are 19 of the center-drilled Swarovski tear drop shaped crystals and a lot of 2 mm round Swarovski crystals hanging from the peyote stitched pendant. Talk about glitz. I think this pendant sparkles a lot more than a diamond. (Although, I must admit I like the way diamonds sparkle.)

Fossil Necklace

This necklace has a couple of fossil snails, a carved bone piece and a variety of beads.

New Rainbow Pendant

This is another happy accident. I was trying to duplicate a pyramid that I made and it turned into this. My Mom is doing better. The wedding is getting very close. Bye for now!

Update

Well, after my crazy summer I am off to a crazy fall. I haven't been online much. No new pictures to post. I have things to scan, but I have my computer in the living room and not connected to the scanner. I have a new geometric shape--pyramid. It was another happy accident. I had a friend share some ideas tonight and now I have a lot of new things I want to try (thanks, Donna). Since school started I have been busy with tests and I haven't had much internet access at home. So I decided I would just let people know what is happening. Recently I was in Ames--my mother has been in the Intensive Care Unit (she still is). Hope all of you are well, bye for now!

Update on the Heart Purse

Well, it isn't a purse yet, but it is getting closer. This is the top of the purse. I have had to change the way I am making the purse because it is too hard on the bead work to try and twist the purse inside out after stitching it together. I had it half way stitched when I figured that out. Oh, well, that is what happens when you try new things. Hope you like it.

My big winner at the NE State Fair is

The one with the five cabochons. I have already started planning new pieces, but I have a lot to do for the wedding also. My niece gets married in 11 weeks. I have to finish the love stones, the DVD and the purse. Hope everyone is doing well.

Research on Roses

I wanted to make a rainbow rose trellis necklace, so I was doing research on the different colors that roses are. I found two different green roses. I didn't find what I would call a real blue rose, so I have to exercise my right as a creative artist for that one. I was amazed by how many different roses there are.

Other than the research I have been trying to get my living room so that it doesn't look like it was taken over by beads and a bead artist. I know that there are lots of people that have more beads than I do--I just don't know any of them.

Something new

Here is another trellis necklace. This one I didn't enter in the state fair. I really like it. I was wearing it at a bead store the other day and the people there just thought it was part of my shirt.

Sorry

Sorry that I haven't been posting more. School has started which means that I am icing my knee in the evening instead of beading. Internet access at home has been sporadic. I took my home computer to school today so that I could update everyone. I hope to be able to post and bead soon. Thanks.

Really, I am still on the planet

Sorry it has been so long since I last posted. I have had a very busy summer and I haven't had internet access since I got back home. I am going to show you the picture of a couple of my Nebraska State Fair entries. The fair hasn't started so I don't know how they will place.

Necklace is done

Hi, I finished the necklace yesterday, but I don't have pictures. I am visiting my nephews in Missouri and I don't have a digital camera or a scanner down here. The necklace will be one of many entries in the Nebraska State Fair.

Update

The first wedding is over. I have successfully seen my nephew get married. He is now in a family of four. I took the boys for the wedding night so that the groom and the bride would have the night alone. Everyone loved the bracelets--the flower girl even gave me a kiss.

Next wedding in November. I am still working on the purse for that wedding. I am working on my entries for the NE State Fair. I have a really fun necklace I am working on now with a garden theme. Thought everyone would want to know what I have been up to. I have lots of stories from the wedding. Thanks.

Beaded Heart

This is for my niece's wedding. The heart is going to be attached to a purse that I am making. The heart is made with vertical netting, but to get it into the heart shape I had to attach rows to the "finished" rows. This was the first time I have done vertical netting and it was a little tricky adding the rows to the finished area. I really like the way it turned out and my niece is going to have a spectacular purse for her wedding this fall.

Big Project

I have started a big project--the purse for the bride (November wedding). I have worked on the netting for the purse the last two nights. The netting consists of ivory seed beads and 2 mm gold filled beads. It will cover the entire front of the purse. In the center of each of the diamond shapes is going to be a 4 mm Swarovski siam crystal. Yes, I have plently of the crystals for the purse--I ordered 300. I ordered 1,000 of the gold filled 2 mm beads and they are almost gone. Wow, I thought they would last longer than that. Bye for now.

New stuff

The attendant's bracelets.

The attendant's earrings.

Bridal Necklace

Close up of the heart.

Red Rose for the bouquet.

And a red rose bracelet.
Okay, I am doing this update with a dial-up connection. I am at my sister's house and I have been working on jewelry for the weddings. I have lots of new pictures that I just scanned with my sister's scanner. Her scanner is a little different from mine--hers is on a slant so the jewelry kept sliding around when I was trying to scan it, so please excuse the clumped jewelry.

Bridal Earrings

These are the earrings for my niece's wedding. They are made from the same beads as the bracelet. Leverback earrings with CZs are from Halstead's. Tried a couple of different designs that I didn't like well enough to even make a second earring. I can't wait to show these to my niece next weekend.

Scream 2

This one I changed some of the colors. I wanted to make one with more purple.

Kristina's Bracelet

This is for my niece's wedding. It has Golden Shadow Swarovski beads, gold and some pearly seed beads. It looks great in person--shimmers and catches the light. I am hoping to show it to her in person over Memorial Day weekend.

Scream

A friend sent me this pattern in February. I finally got one finished. The friend that I wanted to make this for is retiring this year and I had to get it done before the end of the school year, which is in two weeks. Thanks to Jeanne for sending me this pattern!

Crystal Bridal Bracelet

Can be worn by a bride, or anyone for that matter. It glimmers and shines and puts rainbows all over the car when I drive. I had to put a second loop of beads to hold the bracelet on. When I had it clasped without the second loop it flew off my arm three times. After you do the toggle the normal way, put the second loop of beads over the button and presto--it stays on.

Beaded Cabochon

This was given to me by a glass blower friend. Sometimes the blown pieces don't make it to the kiln without breaking. He takes the pieces and flattens them so they can be used as cabochons or drilled for jewelry. Well, this pretty purple piece was sprayed with titanium before it broke. Because it is translucent I didn't want to glue it to anything. So I made a beaded edge that grabs the cabochon but it can still be viewed with light shining through it.

This piece came to be after working on the "Scream" with delicas. I was making great progress on the "Scream" and had to change threads. Well, I broke some beads in the middle of the piece and decided to work on something different. I am going to look for a thinner thread to use when making delicate pieces.

Pink Rose

I have been playing with the rose design. This rose is about 1 and 1/4 inches wide and about 1/2 inch tall. I really like the dimension that this new style has. It appears to have petal upon petal and looks like a very full and healthy rose.

A Rose Bracelet

I just decided to try this last night. This is the second rose that I tried. I like this one better than the one I posted last night. It has an extra layer of beads in the rose.

Flower

This is a flower that I thought my work for bridal jewelry. I finally got a chance to try the idea. I haven't seen one like this before, but I had to try it and see if it would work. It is four layers of beads done in a netting style.

New pendant

This is one that I started working on when I was at the state tournament of Destination Imagination in Kearney. I finished it this morning and wanted to share the picture. The stone is drusy quartz where someone vaporizes metal onto the stone. This one is a rich purple that I think is awesome. I used iris seed beads to make a netting for the cabochon. Then I stitched a peyote back with a beaded bail with the same beads. I beaded the bottom of the peyote piece into a 'v' shape and the top is tapered up to the bail. Lastly, I added branched fringe along the bottom.

Update

Well, I am working on jewelry for two weddings right now. I am hoping to post some pictures of the jewelry later this week. The first wedding is in July and the colors are Sapphire Blue and Cornflower Blue. The second wedding is in November and the colors are ivory, gold, burgundy and a dark green. For the second wedding I am also making a purse for the bride. It will be beaded in the wedding colors and lined. I picked up some of the fabric for the purse tonight, but I need to find a satiny fabric for the outer layer and the lining. Looking forward to posting some pictures for all of you to see. Thanks.

Color shifting flowers and more

This necklace has flowers that change from purple and blue to smoky and clear. The flowers are so cool in person that the picture doesn't do them justice, but you can see some of the colors come through on the flowers.



Also, I have a spectrolite pendant that will fit on almost any chain. There are two cabochons in the pendant that have flashes of blue fire (the stone is also called labradorite). The end of the fringe has small blue/grey teardrops.

Amulet Bag

This was my first attempt at making an amulet bag. I made this without any instructions and before I had studied other people's bags. I have learned a lot since making this.

New Picture

This is a picture of some bracelets I made in the fall. It shows a style of bracelets that have been quite popular. The bead show for this weekend is over and I am already preparing for the next one which is a month away.

It's Sunday and I have nothing new.

Just to let people know what has been happening this week. I haven't beaded all week. I have been fighting a sinus infection that literally had me falling alseep at 5 or 5:30 last week. On Thursday, I lost my voice and I still don't have it back. Next Saturday I have a show--the Omaha Bead Bazaar at Westside Community Center. Hopefully I will have stuff tagged for the show. Thanks!

Rainbow

This is a design I wanted to try with the Ogalala stitch. I want to play with it more. I have a couple of thoughts after making the first one. This one is made with silver lined Delicas.

Jewels of a Galaxy

These are beads that I got Thursday night from Tanya. She wrapped silver wire around them while she was making them. After wrapping them with pure silver she put the beads back into the flame. This technique leaves little dots of silver on the bead that look like stars.

Rainbow Pendant

This is a dichroic cab that was made by Joan. It is in serious need of fringe, but I wanted to show how much I have done. I am going to get more cabs from Joan on Tuesday. This one actually had a hole for a chain, but I never wear it that way, so the seed beads came out and here is the first part.

An Award Winner from the past

This is a necklace that I entered in the 2005 Nebraska State Fair. It won a lot of awards and a friend of mine wanted me to post a picture so that she can show it to a friend of hers.

Reflections

This heart has been simmering on the back burner for awhile with the name "Reflection." Well, I finally finished it tonight. First, do you remember doing the little plastic bead designs with the kids? Ironing them to fuse them together. Well, this heart is that size. I found some of the old plastic designs and I cut the suede that size to bead with. I have six different designs and this was the first one of those that I used. The other shapes are from a die cut machine and significantly larger.

New fringe bracelet

This is made with beads by Jodie Marshall. They are bullseye colors. I decided to make a fringe bracelet with half of the beads and I haven't decided what to make with the other half.

Ogalala gone wild

Okay, here are three new pieces of eye candy. An autumn frog necklace--frog is carved tagua nut and the clasp is a copper button and seed beads. The tips of the netting have 3 mm cube beads on them and there is fringe hanging down from the frog. Pink bracelet contains a clasp of seed beads and a Tanya bead with flowers. The purple bracelet contains one of Joan's dichro buttons.

Ocean waves

This one is totally new. I finally learned the Ogallala stitch. I have a little pamphlet that one of the bead magazines published that contains this stitch. I made a bead soup to use for the necklace and then I fringed it with cube beads and abalone shell beads. I really like the way this turned out.

Rainbow twist

This I made to hang my name tag on at work.

Some Fringe bracelets

These are from a while ago, but I haven't posted pictures of them before. The brown one is made with lampwork beads of Aimee Perez (Lakeside Lampwork) and the beads remind me of dinosaur eggs. The blue and white ones are also made by here.

A new pendant

I have been working on this one off and on for a long time. It is a drusy quartz freeform cabochon.

Pretty in Pink

Okay, so finally something new to put on the page. (Also, news to share--my niece got engaged last night.)

A different kind of snowflake

This snowflake is a pattern that I created. I haven't seen it anywhere else. I have them in two different sizes. The snowflakes are a lot warmer than the frozen ones coming down outside this evening.

Other new stuff

Here are some other things that are fairly recent.