Gearing Up to Finish My Bead Gumbo

First, I'd like to wish Heidi a very, very Happy Birthday! She actually took a well-deserved day (or two) off! Hope you are enjoying your day!

Last post I briefly described the kinds of necklaces I make and I thought I'd show some of my recent work. I've been making a lot of jewelry lately, necklaces especially, even though I'm not quite done with my BSBP creation. It's my way to 'warm up,' like I do before I go for a run--a little stretching, jump  up and down a bit, wave my arms around, hammer a toggle clasp, etc.

So, to keep in practice, I've been working on things a little every night. This is a first for me. I usually get everything done at the last minute, the night before. Such a horrible habit. These are pretty simple pieces. Notice that 2/3 of the sample pictured here are turquoise. I do love turquoise; like, significantly to the .05 confidence level, ha! The two pictured on the left came from Magpie Gemstones. http://www.magpiegemstones.com/home.html

 

Here's a close-up of the necklace that's left-of-center in the previous photo. In this photo,
left to right, is pyrite, quartz, carnelian, and a sparkly druzy that had such a tiny hole
I had to string it on super fine beading wire (snuck some pearls in there, see that?)

This necklace is a little busier, but not too much. All those vintage royal blue white-heart beads provide a pretty stable backdrop for the cluster of charms and other vintage beads on the right side. I used as many different types of metal as I possibly could, but in small doses. I always try to use a second type of metal in whatever I'm working on. 

 

Another version below...busier still, but I like it. Again, white-heart beads, this time in what I would describe as 'sky blue,' just like in a box of 52 crayons. They aren't quite 'turquoise blue.' 

It can be worn doubled, as a shorter--
but not strangling--choker. It can also be
wrapped around the wrist as a bracelet.

 This is one of my favorites. It looks equally good with a t-shirt and jeans or a little black something. I'm into the clear quartz faceted nuggets, folks. Big time:) I think they look edgy with a little gunmetal something.

There is a funny story about the necklace--left and below--which was inspired by my friend, Cassady. The punchline is: I started it 5 years ago and finished it this past Saturday (we were rained in over the weekend and the holiday; very stormy here in NOLA).

Actually, maybe it's not such a funny story. Sometimes it takes me awhile to finish a piece. What an understatement!



I think the inclusion on this piece of jasper looks like a little
bird sitting on a branch (turn your head to the left, I can't get
the picture rotated). A lil' bird, or chipa, right Cass?



















Gratuitous pic of my sister, Dree, and me. I've got on the
sunglasses. This was taken last weekend at our party.
No, I haven't written about it yet. I didn't finish all of the
necklaces, duh, but I got close. More on that at a later
time. I'm still feeling a lil' bummed about it.