Neutral Green with Fuchsia Leaf Lariat Necklace

I forgot to post about this piece, it's already at the "Made in Michigan" Holiday Show at the Lansing Art Gallery, along with the rest of its matching earrings and bracelets. I decided I hadn't made a leaf lariat necklace in quite some time and I really enjoy this color group so it eventually came to be. I picked away at beading it in the evenings and finished it just before the show's drop off so I completely spaced on posting it to my blog until I ran into the photos. 

See this leaf lariat neckace at:

Reception: This Thurs. Nov. 9, 2023 from 5 - 8 PM

Holiday Webpage: https://lansingartgallery.org/2023-michigan-made-holiday-art-exhibition/

Facebook Event for the Opening Reception: https://fb.me/e/1pdOXENpb

Dark Teal and Copper Daphne Leaf Variation

In 2020 I didn't purchase any beads, I was busy honing my sewing skills and mask making for people who wanted to purchase them.  I need more beads like I need a hole in my head but sometimes it's just really nice to have new colors. I'm very driven by color and playing with color combinations. So in November and December I couldn't take it anymore and I purchased a whole bunch of Duracoat seed beads (the metallic coat supposedly will not rub off as it is a huge issue on the really shiny brilliant metallic glass seed beads) and sparkly "Cut" seed beads which give texture another level of texture to many of my pieces.  

While I was home with COVID for 2 weeks, I couldn't quite get off of the couch the first week but I could bead when I was awake. I poured over all my new colors of beads and put together this necklace and earrings set. 

Medium Leaf Earrings are 2.2 inches long from the tip of the earwire.

This copper seed bead really called to me and I don't have anything like this blue mix so there was a lot of visual satisfaction stitching these together. I feel like the metallic coated beads make beadwork feel a little more like what people usually think of "fine jewelry."  My work has sometimes been mistaken for metal rather than glass beads which makes me feel like I've gotten the look that I'm striving for. 

Small Pod Earrings are 1.5 inches long from the tip of the earwire.

Necklace is 19 inches long from the tip of the clasp to the first loop.

These will be available on my website's shop until they get on the move to a gallery. You can shop HERE.

New Jewelry Headed to Galleries: Old and New Design Favorites

 

It seems that whenever I think about "holiday colors" I lean into deep reds and purples.  I popped in lavender this year and am getting ready to bring some pieces to Lansing Art Gallery. I also plan on updating my work over at Angelwood Gallery in the next month.

The above long thin necklace design that I originally created to go with a dress for Capital City Film Festival's opening night a few years back is creeping its way into my repertoire.  I love the chunky dense look of my leaf lariat necklaces but lately I want a lighter, simpler, thinner option to go with a more wide variety of outfits. This piece is 5' 8 1/4" long and meant to be wrapped in various ways.

The Daphne Leaf Variation necklace has been sold so often I had forgotten about it.  I recently posted an old version on social media for a #TBT post and had a friend order one from me.  I realized that I really didn't have any left and I should get back to making this necklace option. Part of the reason I hadn't made any was I had run out of decorative clasps for the front and the prices have really jumped up on them! I have a few in my bead stash again so I'll be making these again.

Triple pod earrings are definitely one of my favorite earring designs right now. I'm working to make a pair every time I change my color pallets.  They are really interesting statement earrings and the way they come together in this form is very pleasing to me.

Bracelets that clasp.  My bangles are a somewhat standard size but  I do realize they are too tight to slip over your hand for many.  Especially the wider they get the less flexibility they provide to squeeze over a wrist.  My clasp bracelets designs don't provide as much structure (which from an artist-non-functional-standpoint is one of the things I love about the bangle structure) but they offer the option to fit more people.

Making earrings allows for color play as I get bead arrangements organized.  

Then yesterday, as I was laying out my work to take photos I came upon the above arrangement.  I'm not sure how to explain it other than is a bit like a draft for a future idea or piece of work. When the beaded pods come together they create a mesmerizing structure.  I've done one non-jewelry piece like this and I clearly need to keep playing. You can see Cleavege HERE.

Daphne Leaf Necklace Variation Necklace in Dark Blue

My friend Liz asked me to create a necklace for her based on an older version of a Daphne Necklace I posted for a #TBT (Throwback Thursday) on social media.  It made me realize that I did not have any of this style in my personal stock. To be honest, I cannot remember the last time that I made one! 

So while I was waiting for Liz's clasp to come in from Fire Mountain Gems I decided to make an extra necklace for my personal stock. I can use some new items for Art Feast 2021 in Old Town Lansing this Saturday. Since Liz was torn between bead color options I actually made a necklace similar to one of the color combinations she was leaning towards. Navy/Blue and Tan are a nice classic combo and it came out really lovely.

Bryan and I also went to a friend's wedding on Friday. There was a day when I had my outfit planned out way ahead of time and would be busy making jewelry to match. I have SO many clothes and I usually have plenty of my go-to colors at this point in my life. So with an Ignatius Hat (my favorite milliners ) a pair of leaf cluster earrings and my deco cat bangle we had a lovely time catching up and eating all the sugar.  

Long thin Wrap Necklace/Bracelet for CCFF 2019

I always have a jewelry piece that I'm working on.  Sometimes I get them done quickly because I can't put them down, sometimes I slog through a little bit at a time between other projects.  this one I slogged through because when I wasn't at work, I was focused on the River Terrace Church Installation.  This piece wraps to be a long, medium or short necklace, or wraps multiple times to be a bracelet.

This inspiration for this piece was a new dress I picked up at Grace Boutique in Old Town.  I decided it was perfect for one of the weddings I have to go to this summer, but also I wanted to wear it to the Capital City Film Festival Red Carpet event.  When I started this piece, I pulled all the different colors of beads that would match the dress is 15's, 13's and 11's.  My initial thought was to create this necklace in the St. Petersburg Chain Stitch (see below), but that was quickly scrapped.  It had too much going on, the stitch needed to be smaller and simpler.

Simple stitching is not my forte, but with all the color options I could still give this piece a complex feel.  5 feet, 9 inches later with a vintage clasp from my grandma's old costume jewelry I came up with a smooth multicolored blend of seed beads with little leaf and pearl accents.  This piece is very lightweight with a nice hang, almost like a very light rope.

You can barely see it in the above photo, but you can see the dress and how it didn't need a lot of extra pizazz with it's jewelry.  Honestly, the cut of the dress on my is just ok, but I absolutely fell in love with the fabric and print of it, it's very pretty and comfortable.

I chose this length so that I could wrap it 2, 3 or 4 times and wear it from a choker to all different lengths.  When it gets bothersome at work and I'm worried I'm going to snag it on something, I wrap it up to a choker or around my wrist.

Little Leaf Detail

Bracelet Pile

I'm just posting this now as a breather from finishing the huge River Terrace Installation and getting ready to lecture and teach at the Needlework and Textile Guild of Michigan next week to a sold-out workshop.  I can't believe I got everything done the week of Film Fest between floorset at work (rearranging the entire clothing sales floor for the new month and new clothes), volunteering at the Film Fest and finishing and hanging the River Terrace piece. What a whirlwind!  

Group Photo from CCFF. Film fest is always one of my favorite Lansing events,

this photo honors the pre-digital camera age where, due to Bryan's height, 

his head always got cut off in photos.

Ultraviolet Leaves, Netting and Necklaces Set

This set started with the Pantone color of the year, Ultraviolet.  It doesn't hurt that purple is one of my favorite colors.  The wide netting bracelet has already sold, so I created a smaller one.  I hope to get these on my online shop sooner than later, but a lot of these are heading to galleries this month.  So if you see something you need to purchase, let me know!

This long necklace with the braid detail has been in my head for quite a while, I'm glad I got around to doing it, the braiding, pinning and stitching to make it lay right took me 6 hours alone. 

This leaf lariat necklace begged for a few extra leaves than I usually put on.  I'm looking forward to wearing it asap before it gets to go hang out in a gallery.

Cluster Leaf Earrings

Small Netting Bracelet with 3 Swarovski pearls, adjustable.

St. Petersburg Chain Small Loop Earrings, sterling silver earwires

Green and Gold Lariat Necklace and Earrings Finished!

This weekend I finished up a green and gold lariat leaf necklace and pair of matching cluster earrings.  I'm excited to announce that my jewelry will be part of WSG Gallery's Holiday Show at 306 S. Main Street, Ann Arbor.

Yes, I am already starting to think about holiday shows and I'm making use of my extra time by getting a lot of beading done, so look out for a flurry of new work this week!

Tonal Arrow Jewelry in Blue and Purple

Well, I haven't blogged in a month.  Oops.  I've been working a lot more at the office, getting more training in as the law firm I work for grows.  I'm also trying to organize all the stuff I have in my house as my parents are cleaning out their farm and passing stuff on to me.  (Yes, stuff, that I want, but I'm so not ready to be inundated with it).

So I guess in March I started making these tonal arrow beaded jewelry sets.  The the first set most of the pieces sold at the Ann Arbor Fiberarts Guild Fiber Feast show.  I really enjoy this look so I've been inspired to make them in more colors.

This grouping I used the colors I had pulled for the Anniversary Party Set.  I really liked how they came together.

I also had to make another pair of the yellow deco wing earrings (I love them, I'll drop everything to make a new pair when the current pair sells).  And decided to do a tiny tonal arrow earring from the colors I'd been using.