Process Pics. Autumn Splendor

I made the necklace Autumn Splendor last late fall, when Joan Jensen from TazWood Creations suggested me to try her wood cabochons in my designs. A burl is a rounded outgrowth on a tree trunk or branch. Burls yield a very peculiar and highly figured wood. Because the number of trees that produce burl wood is quite low, the wood is scarce. These hand turned by Joan Jensen cherry burl wood cabochons have subtle inlays of turquoise in the burl's natural void.


I was so amazed by these beautiful cabochons, that immediately started designing my "autumny" necklace.


Then I beaded around the cabochons...


...and after that blended two sizes of wooden round beads, six colors of seed beads in three different sizes, as well as bugle beads and dyed cultured pearls. A brass toggle clasp was the perfect closure to this beadwork.


Beautiful TazWood cabochons and Autumn Splendor are shown together in the current issue of Beadwork magazine. The necklace was a finalist in the Wearable Expressions 2008 international contest and was being exhibited by Wearable Expressions in California. Here is the slide show of creating my necklace, and closeups:

Autumn Splendor

Where the week went!

What fabulous weather we have been having - ok its not going to last (in the southwest at least) so of course I've been making the most of it! Monday, a bank holiday or May Day as we call it, was really warm and we (the family) went to TRerice, owned now by the National Trust, a beautiful Elizabethan house and gardens. Elli and E even had a go at playing Cornish Kayling - a game of skittles, and ELli tried her hand at brass rubbings. LOts of sunshine and a run around the maze - great fun. Mamma, Gump and Nanny came to - so cups of tea and slices of cake finished off the day!
Of course when the weather is fine my designs tend to turn blue don't they and this one is no exception - named Arethusa after the NYmph who who turned into a fountain - these turquoise briolettes are gorgeous!
This bracelet is named Rioja and is garnet, crystal quartz and bali silver - all wound onto dainty chain for a really slinky feel - I'm working on a kyanite, iolite and moonstone one at the moment and have slightly pink arms from sitting outside this afternoon!!

What's new?

I've been a bit quiet lately on my blog, however I did a few more things that I added to my shop.
A small sterling silver pendant with purple freshwater pearls, done in freeform wire wrapping style. It's reall too cute :)
Modified version of the original Vita pendant with adding some gorgeous freshwater pearls around the frame, I feel it fills the whole pendant quite nicely now.
Listed a double spiral turquoise chainmail bracelet I made a while ago and never got to list until now. Sterling silver, as usual.
And if you are making greeting cards with stamps, I have a whole bunch of unmounted stamps that I need to destash. Haven't made greeting cards in at least 5 years, so I'm afraid I won't be returning to parchment and to stamping anymore, I'm too much wrapped in making jewelry :)
So you can get the whole batch for only 25 Euros here. I might list some other cardmaking supplies later on, once these stamps are gone.

Thursdays child

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My Elli was a water baby - from the moment I first started swimming with her she showed no fear, she was even swimming under water by 14 months. Sadly at 20 months I fell over in the water dunking not only myself but Elli too - one of those slow motion times when you feel you were under water forever. Straight after she caught chicken pox quite badly and so we missed going to the pool for 8 weeks - after that she had totally lost all confidence in the water and the pool became a place of turmoil not fun.

I booked her in for swimming lessons which were a bit hit and miss - she would only do certain things and I believed she'd be learning until she was 18 (well she herself said she didn't want to swim until she was 18!!!) By mistake she was moved up a class - the teacher M is young and Elli from the start built a strong relationship with her - the trust grew and 3 terms later she is swimming - not like a fish but hey I don't expect major miracles!!

This bracelet Aqua was made as a huge thank you to M for all her time and energy she put into helping Elli overcome her fears. M starts university in September and Elli and myself will miss her - hopefully everytime she wears Aqua she will think of Elli !!

Beads by Caroline Hannon with turquoise and silver.

Thank you

One more day!!

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I'm so excited this time tomorrow I will be on a train to London woohoo!!!! I can't wait - shopping heaven and at least this time I have money to spend - mind you when I last did this 2 years ago I had no money but spent it anyway!!

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YOU may wonder why I am posting loads of pics of earrings well I have two reasons really, one is I had a visit from J&R today - I was R's nanny for over 7 years and she has a love of jewellery so guess who left with a bag full!!! Including her Mum I should add - love them!! And second my dear friend Caroline (you know the one , talented lampworker extroadinare!) wants a pair of earrings - so why she can't make a pair for herself lol - in fact it probably would have been easier to send her the componants ;0) Only joking sweetie!!!

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Wonder what she'll pick ?????

How depressing!

The weather here in the UK stinks - its wet and windy and more like March than June and everybody you speak to seems to be depressed or low because of it - where is the sun???

Tomorrow I was supposed to be having my hair cut but friends from Spain (My old boss when I worked in a photographers) are here for a week and they asked to see me - I can't wait I haven't seen them for 4 yrs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (scary thought I probably weigh a lot more since I last saw them )

I have been busy making I still have commissions coming out of my ears (I finish one and get more - not that I'm complaining its definately keeping me busy!!)

This one is called Bali Butterfly made with 10mm turquoise and Bali silver with a fabulous Bali silver butterfly clasp

The earrings are called Bali Babe

© Gemheaven 2007