Leaf Pins Commission

Last year I mentioned in this blog post that I was gifted an amazing stash of delica seed beads (along with other fun things!) from a fellow artist who's sister had passed and had been a beader and fiber enthusiast. I has asked if I could make anything with her sister's beads as a thank you and she requested one pin in fall colors and then later one in spring greens.

I had finished the fall colors (above) at the end of last year and then the request for spring greens came in. I have struggled a bit with creating lately but the green one was top of my list when I got inspired and/or motivated again.

I just finished the spring green pin (below) and wondered the whole time, "is this spring green?" as it's not a color I use, like, ever. I naturally lean towards more muted, drab greens or swing the completely opposite direction into bright lime greens. Luckily, her sister had a collection of greens that added a new layer to my bead stash and plenty of option for spring green. 

These pins shipped off to Detroit yesterday and I'm inspired to use these greens that I don't usually lean towards. I have some earrings and a bracelet in the works right now. I'm reminded of the years where I used to use color forecasting to help me pick colors for a new set of beaded jewelry. That became overwhelming because, yes there are still trends, but it also feels like everything is "in" anymore. New, vintage, any color, any way you like it. I'm finding it nice to have had someone direct me into this color for some more spring beading. Updates on that new jewelry to come.

Fall Leaf Jewelry Set

 

The above set all began with a collection of beads to make a pin. The pin request was for "fall" colors. I created it as a thank you to the artist who handed much of her deceased sister's bead stash down to me. I made sure to use beads from her sister's collection for this pin. 

I liked the pin colors so much that I kept making leaves and created a set with a necklace, earrings and leaf bracelet. These will be available this coming Thursday, December 4th at I'll be at the Loewen Gallery in Williamston for Ladies Night Out from 4pm-9pm. 

I'm not sure what else to say other than I've been working on a lot of other things that aren't jewelry lately. So this set was a bit of a surprise when it happened. I'm starting to figure out how sequins should be sewn on to the weaving that came off of my loom in the spring. The house and property is buttoned up for the winter, many improvements were made along with our repairs with homeowners insurance. Artwork has been getting a bit too "worky" so I decided to be a beginner at something and have started learning elecric bass guitar. We're hitting a lot of punk, metal, hardcore concerts this month (3 in one week, lol) and I come back inspired, tired and at the same time refreshed from shows. Last night Andrew, the lead singer of Johnny Booth said to the crowd "Take yourself back to your first concert, the first time you felt like you belonged somewhere" and man, that is such a great summary of how I still feel going to shows, especially the smaller ones. Life is really good. 

Color Fade Bangles and Circlet Earrings for tomorrow

I feel like I'm not making jewelry as much as I used to, but when pop-up sales happen, new jewelry also happens. The above large checker earrings I wasn't going to make, but then I just had to get them out of my head...and they're just as wonderful as I thought they might be. I wore them to work today before cleaning them and putting them for sale tomorrow. 

If you haven't noticed my posting until now, the Ann Arbor Holiday show is tomorrow (Saturday November 8th) at Zal Gaz Grotto, 2070 W. Stadium Blvd, Ann Arbor from 10am-4pm. It's nice to see people, even if you're just stopping in to say hi or are curious about the guild and what we're up to.

I created some burgundy, tan and black pieces...I keep seeing that "burgundy is the color of the season" and red tones always seem easy to lean into during fall and as the holidays approach. Then I saw a teaser for an article "Forget about Burgundy - This Fall is All About Violet"...so I popped some of the suggested violet tones into the next color fade bangle and circlet earrings I made. It definitely pops more than the previous set. 

Neon with Muted Greens and Tan Jewelry Multi Loop Checker Earrings and Bangle

Between perusing Pinterest for current color ideas and watching the movie Poor Things I had the urge to play more with the neon green-yellow beads I have stocked up. The colors of, everything, in Poor Things from the costuming to the entire set and spaces was a feast of color combinations I wouldn't normally think of. I'm attracted to the color but sometimes struggle to use specific colors in a meaningful way. I like the neons but they're just...SO bright and that's not normally "me". Then I started seeing it blended with muted tans, browns and the sorts of greens that I know I can work with. 

I was in and out of consciousness with a cold at the beginning of April and these colors called to me when I couldn't get back to sleep in the early mornings. While I was stuck in bed and on the couch for 2 days straight trying to get over being sick I decided to bead in my waking moments starting with the Multi Loop Checker Earrings. These earrings reminded me that I had made the Two-Toned Double Weave Bangle which sold much too quickly. So I pulled out that pattern draft as a base idea with this collection of colors.  

I started the bangle with the same colors as the earrings but I had also pulled a very dark matte green bead too.  As I was beading I wasn't sure I was going to add it on and then it just..happened. I need the dark I guess, even if it's just a little bit of pop. It looks black in these photos against all the other lighter colors but I promise, it's green.  

I've worn the earrings to work a few times and gotten compliments, I plan on wearing this set to Cathryn Amidei's gallery reception tonight night at WSG Gallery with the neon boatneck bat wing lace top that I knitted last summer. 

Fall/Winter Jewelry at Lansing Art Gallery

 

A few weeks ago, I dropped a fresh color pallet of jewelry off to the Lansing Art Gallery for their Michigan Made Holiday Show. I've been working on pieces for our wedding so much that I didn't realize how badly I needed a color change. As much as I will always default back to purple and green, I was really excited to pack up a whole bunch of new bead colors. I gathered and had to thin down beads for the train ride to Chicago for our honeymoon. I didn't get as much beading done in those 6 days that I thought I would. Which is good, because it means I was not stressed about producing and I was enjoying our honeymoon moments. 

I started with this wide St. Petersburg Chain bracelet, just to get my colors lined up and see how I liked them together. It has some fall colors but still includes plenty of pops of brights that I've been enjoying working with.

Leaf Clasp Bracelet

5-Leaf Daphne Necklace Variation

This necklace can be worn off-center or with the leaves in the middle.

Tiny pod earrings

Hints of muted turquoise are running rampant through my beading right now. I'm sure I'll get tired of it soon. The weather has started to change and I'm feeling like crawling into yarns with my weaving and knitting. If you'd like to shop this collection, they will be at the Opening Reception for the 2022 Michigan Made Holiday Art Market; Thursday November 10, 5-8pm.  I'll be by that night too!

Beaded Blob Earrings in Southwest Colors

I don't make this beaded blob earring style often enough. I just love them, and when I do make a pair the next thing I know it's been sold or they're off to a gallery.  I put together a really fun color pallet with the Wide Southwest St. Petersburg Chain Bracelet and decided to apply it to my beaded "blobs."  

These are heavier than my earrings usually are but they have a nice swing and a lot of personality.

I was thinking of beaded blobs from the past, here are a pair from 2016.

A blue pair from 2017.

And a purple pair are in this post from 2010 (before I started mixing colors and bead sizes).

Do you want to see these new earrings in person?  I'll be at Art Feast 2021 in Old Town Lansing on August 21st, 10am-5pm!  Come visit, check out local artists and food trucks!

Angle Color Block Bangle and Earrings

I was quarantined at home last week after spiking a fever and having to get the COVID-19 nose-swab. While I waited to get my results back to get back to work (they were negative) I had some time to flush out this bangle pattern.  I had pulled the brown and white beads aside months ago but I kept having mask orders come in so the beads and the idea were set aside. Between naps and watching all of the Star Wars movies in a row I got this bangle and earring set completed.

It's not perfect, the one end doesn’t quite line up like it should but I wore it one day and never noticed so it's not a huge bother.  This design translated to earrings easily and I am really happy with the set. 

I had decided I didn't want the earrings to be too ridiculously long. So I created the first pair without the brown bottom block.  My curiosity got the best of me and I decided to make a long version too. It turns out that I like the longer version so much that I'm keeping it in my at-home stock so I can wear them whenever I want.  The long earrings ended up being 3.25 inches from tip of earwire to the bottom of the earring. One of the reasons I'm really into long earrings right now is that they still stick out when you're wearing a mask all day. You could still see these despite my mask, beanie and pigtails at work yesterday. 

The bangle and shorter (2.75 inches) set of earrings went over to the Lansing Art Gallery today. You can shop online with the Lansing Art Gallery now and also make an appointment on their website to shop in-person. Make a shopping appointment HERE.  Gallery online shop is HERE. I also dropped of the 70's-inspired rainbow bangle and 2 of the earrings set today. 

Me wearing the extra-long ones, getting ready for work yesterday,

Helen's Tiara

Deadlines are important for me.  I had set to work on this peacock tiara for Helen and since bead embroidery doesn't always keep my attention I kept setting it down.  It's been a year.  When she requested that I get it to her before an event she wants to wear it to in February it started living next to the couch so I would pick it up a little bit every day after work.  I got it done this week and I'm meeting her tonight so she can finish this into a tiara. 

I know Helen through the Ann Arbor Fiberarts Guild which has Fashion show every year where Helen shows off her amazing vintage dance dresses at.  One year I told her if she was ever to want to part with a particular piece, to let me know.  Consequently, she did as it wasn't quite as long as she'd like.  So we have been working on a trade.  When she came to me with this idea I was excited to do it and she even had a design to work off of for the peacock feathers.  We got the size down and she gave me some vintage beads to work with.  I also used gold and silver from my stash to make it a versatile metallic piece to go with many of her outfits.

(back side detail)

I was very attracted to the amber colored vintage seed beads she gave me so I'm hoping it's not too brown-heavy.  I kept picking them out as I went along.  I'm happy to breath a sign of relief having this done early enough to give her some time with it.

I found two articles on Helen if you want to took into her more, I'm not sure she has a website (I'll ask tonight and update if so):

https://www.designsfordancing.com/Helen-Welford.html

https://annarborobserver.com/articles/sewing_up_history.html#.XiRh_flKipp

This is the piece that we traded for, it's just wonderful 

and I make sure I have occasion to wear it.  <3 p="">

(Photo by Eat Pomegranate Photography)

I almost forgot that I wanted to do a weaving update too.  I'm about 8 inches along on the large Leaf Me Alone piece that I've been putting off working on for far too long!  I did a few small ones but its time to go bigger again.

Cat's Meow Bangle

I had finished this set in October, but I haven't had the chance to properly photograph the Cat's Meow bangle and earrings until now.  This piece is the result of slipping down a Pinterest rabbit hole of cat illustrations. I had been wanting to do some sort of cat bangle that was large, but not too terribly involved as far as the design was concerned and I found a ton of ideas that fit the bill.  I was concerned about the tail part of this cat design looking strange when converted into the peyote graph paper, but now that I have worn this a bunch, I don't even remember feeling like it looked off. 

I am so pleased with this piece that I'm not sure I'll ever part with it.  I wear a lot of browns and the blue that I picked out goes with a lot.  I would venture to say this matches a large portion of my wardrobe and I really enjoy wearing this as a set.  

The earrings follow the same design as the bangle and I wanted them long-wise but an everyday wear length, so I made them half of the cat head on each side.  

I post the progress of much of my work on my social media.  At the above length a friend said that she wanted it.  So I made another shorter one for her.  I think that this bangle, if one wants it a little wider would work well at the below length also.  I love how versatile this pattern ended up being.  

There is an additional narrower cat-head-only bangle at the Lansing Art Gallery right now (November 2019) for their holiday Michigan Made show.  I'm not sure that I'll get another one done for the REACH Art Studio Not So Silent Night event that I'll have all of my current available jewelry at for sale.  That show, along with a silent auction, food, entertainment and other invited artists is coming up on December 14th, 2019, 7 - 9:30pm. You can check out the Facebook Event HERE.  

2019 Squared Bangle (headed straight to Lansing Art Gallery)

I haven't posted the Cat's Meow Bangle yet, but I think it's appropriate to post this little set that I just dropped off at the Lansing Art Gallery today.  The colors come from the Cat bangle, but I dropped in some lavender and then went through my old patterns to see what I haven't made in a long time or do not have in stock anymore.  This Squared Bangle pattern popped up, originally inspired by a tunic/dress that I got from Grace years ago (2010 to be exact), the pattern still holds well in other colors.

I did decide to create a different style earring this morning from the pattern since I wasn't a fan of the original one I had made 10 years ago (see above link).  I love how it turned out so much I'm making a similar one for my holiday stock.

Speaking of holiday stuff, I'm not doing a ton this year, but I will have new jewelry at Lansing Art Gallery, and you can catch me at their Opening Reception on Friday, November 8th.

I have also already shipped work to the Textile Center in Minneapolis, MN for their Holiday Gift Shop.

The Ann Arbor Fiberarts Guild Show is Saturday November 9th, 2019, 10am to 4pm  Check out their Facebook Event Here.  I'll be there all day helping, demonstrating, etc.

I have one pop up event (so far, I may do one other) at REACH Art Studio's Not So Silent Night On December 14th, 2019.