Insta Blog :: New Mexico

I'm trying to figure out the balance between my love of blogging and my new favorite form of connecting online; Instagram. I do love being able to just post a picture, and walk away. But it has become more than that as the pictures become sort of an art form for me. But what I miss is the story telling that comes with a blog post. So I'm going to try out something a little different. I'm going to try picking a few of my Instagram posts for a bit more story telling. 

I was able to get a bit of beading done over the holiday (you saw my latest RBG necklace), which I finish one or two and have several in progress. It does give me a bit of anxiety having 'in progress' pieces knowing how quickly I will get pulled under once I'm back in the office. 

Anyway, for this 'in progress' piece, I pulled out a double cab set of azurite I picked up in Old Town Albuquerque from one of the many places specializing in Native American jewelry. They had a huge case of loose stones way in the back of the store. Like any self-respecting beader ... I headed straight to the back to dig. That pile of stones had me wanting to walk out with several bags, but I did show some restraint as I 'only' bought about 10 cabs. I brought in my reinforcement and had my daughter help me narrow things down.

Azurite has the look of turquoise, but for a much more affordable cost. It has intense, deep blue-green coloring and plenty of veining. So if you're in to that ... then azurite might be your stone. I prefer the veining, or inclusions, as it makes for much more interesting patterns in the stone. One thing I didn't know about azurite is that is slowly weathers to malachite (one of my all-time favorite stones). Apparently the elements, and particularly light, 'greens' the deep blue. Huh, that's cool. They say you should store azurite jewelry in darkness (a box, a drawer) away from heat. Perhaps that is why the case of azurite was in the back of the store? 

This one is still on the bead table as I decide exactly how I want to connect the stones and finish off the back strap. But it is at least some progress in a fairly long drought of beading.

UFOs :: Round 2

Karen announced another UFO hop, and like many of my bloggy friends we're all in. The motivation to work through all those half finished pieces on the bead table is strong. 

Many of us have stared down these UFOs for years shifting the piece this way and that trying to capture a glimpse of what the piece might look like finished. Myself included. I know I, for one, want to see these pieces come to life and move off my bead table once and for all!

The process is slow trying to work through my collection of UFOs, but I have finished another piece. This one actually includes two UFOs into one (score!). I paired a bezeled glass cab with a small bit of grey, beaded herringbone to create a 'bib fringe.' Not sure if a bib fringe is a real thing, but hey I'm in to fringe these days and I'm trying all kinds of variations. I liked how it looked together, so I went for it in this piece.

The problem was that I could tell that once I tried to include a backstrap it was going to twist and turn. So I mounted it (aka glued it) on a heavy gauge piece of silver that I had hammered. This created the perfect anchor for the focal and an easy way to attach some leather. Not sure why this final UFO was such a struggle with so many starts and stops, but it is finally in the finished pile. Now I'm trying to decide what might be next to tackle from this pile of UFOs.

Be sure to check out everyone else's finally finished UFOs: Karen, Francie, Christine, Therese, Bobbie, Kim, Liz, Liz E, Amy, Hope, Christi and Margo

UFOs :: The Everyday

I showed you my first grouping of UFOs in my last post. There are more. Many, many more. But let's work on this pile first.

Next up is the dark purple glass cab to the right of the green one I just finished. This purple one almost looks black and has a faint pattern in it. It is so hard to photograph to bring out the pattern, but this picture off to the upper left was the best I could do.

I was wearing this one around the house to check how it hangs and if it needed any adjusting. My husband actually noticed saying "oh that's a pretty one." He so rarely comments on any of my pieces that it threw me. I do like the simplicity of this one, and that it would be good to wear for everyday. I wear a lot of black and this one might just be ok to wear to the office. I might need to take it out for a test drive for a meeting I have tomorrow.

UFOs :: Completing Unfinished Objects

Hello, my name is Cynthia, and I am a bead-aholic. I get distracted like a child in a candy store when I'm standing in front of a table of beads. My mind races with possibilities, but many times fails to complete the thought.

We all like to joke about UFOs (UnFinished Objects) lying around our bead tables. I have a hopeless, and chronic issue with them. I start many projects, but get distracted somewhere along the way.

I'm not sure what causes it. Perhaps it comes from the rush I get when a pattern appears in my head and I hurry to get it worked out through the beads. And once I see the beads come together I get distracted by yet another shinny objects on the bead table.

Sometimes it is a technique I'm practicing and I work it over and over in my hands. It is like when I was a child and was learning the piano. I would work the same couple of bars in the music over and over again until my family would beg me to move on because they just couldn't listen to it any more. It could also be because the piano sat in the middle of the living room not far from the television. Yea, on second thought it could have been that. 

Lately I've been obsessed with cabochons. Tiny ones, misshaped ones, shields .... anything that can be glued and beaded around seems to be in progress and lying on my bead table. My kids like to joke with me that I think almost anything can be beaded. Perhaps. I do love a challenge. So when Karen put out a call to start a support group for UFOs, my beady friends assembled like moths to a flame. First up for me is this green glass cab that I have had sitting around for roughly 3 years. Not as old as some UFOs, but certainly time to finish. Part of my mission with completing these UFOs is to also try to use beads within my existing stash (aka no buying of new beads .... OMG did I just say that?). This necklace uses green aventurine that I've had much, much longer than 3 years.

Stone Cabochon Series :: #8

The one thing about blogging that I always find so interesting is that it keeps me curious, and pushes me to learn something new. And so it goes with this stone. This is a banded calcite stone that I purchased from Hampton Rock Shop. I love the stripes in this piece; it reminds me of the rock formations in Monument Valley. 

When I did a little background on calcite I found out that this type of stone forms in a globular shape from a precipice where calcium-rich water is flowing. Such as inside a cavern or off a limestone cliff. Some people classify these as just 'rocks' because of the impurities that tend to get trapped in the stone such as leaves, twigs and moss. Just rocks. Well I find the impurities the most interesting part of the 'rock' design. Impurities are what make life more interesting.

Lanie's Heart

Nothing I like better than to make jewelry for a friend. Especially someone who appreciates handmade. 

This piece was made for a friend that enjoys hearts. But as she's grown up her style has changed a bit. She's wearing more leather, and more sophisticated things. So I decided that I'd have to up my game a bit if I was going to design a piece for her birthday this year.

I saw a vintage Czech glass button that I really liked and decided that if I cut the back off I could turn it into a cabochon focal necklace. The Bead Girl says she thinks this has a bit of a steampunk look to it. Perhaps. I just like its old world feel to it. I'm hoping that it looks great with her leather jacket and that she enjoys wearing it.

Caribbean Blue :: Larimar

This year the hubby was determined to plan several escapes from the winter given how brutal winter was last year. And while it was much more mild this year, it has been nice to get some sun early in the season. 

The second trip he planned was the Bahamas, and while I've been here before a few times, they were quick single day excursions from a ship. It is much different to stay locally just off the beach. Our place has its own pool and a quick walk up to shops, restaurants and local beaches. It is the perfect place to simply relax. 

One thing that always strikes me about the Caribbean is the color of the water. It is just so blue. And when I recently saw this stone I just could not resist as it looks like the color of the water and seems to have the pattern of surf in it. The stone is called Larimar. 

A bit of quick research revealed that it is a stone found only in the Caribbean, specifically the Dominican Republic. It was named after the daughter of the man who rediscovered it in 1974, Miguel Mendez. He combined his daughter's name (Larissa) with the Spanish word for sea (mar) to create the name. The Dominican Republic's Ministry of Mining show records that in 1916 Father Miguel Domingo Fuetes Loren asked for permission to mine for a certain blue rock he had discovered, but he was denied. Years later Miguel Mendez, a Peace Corps volunteer, rediscovered the stone walking along a local beach.

The stone is formed from a crystallization of blue pectolite when it is pushed into the 'tubes' or 'chimneys' of a volcano by the hot gases. Today there are networks of mines left behind from crews who have had to excavate deeper and deeper into the old volcanoes.

It really is a striking stone, and I didn't want to over complicate the setting. So I decided to stay with the blue theme and used a thick blue leather cord and set the focal with silver. I kept it short as a simple choker with a magnetic closure in back. 

Bead Lessons :: Zig Zag Stitch

This necklace came together in pieces, and it all began with a beading lesson from my friend Christine. Each time we get together we try to share a technique with the other so that we're both learning something new. I do so love these little lessons.

I had seen a stitch over on her blog that I just had to try where she'd used a new variation on zig zag stitch using peanut beads. It creates amazing depth to this beaded chain (click on the link to see the beautiful piece she created). I picked out some metallic colors and got to work. I really just wanted to bead this new stitch to feel the rhythm of the pattern in my hands. I had no idea what I was going to do with it, and tucked it away. 

Once I was back home it sat on the bead table for some time, like so many other stalled projects. But then I pulled out a focal bead that Christine had gifted me from that last trip to Fishkill in the shape of a scarab. I added a semicircle of braided leather to complete the necklace and it all came together. I love the symbolism of the scarab as amulet in Egyptian history. It is said to bring protection to the wearer. I turned the bead into a simple cab to attach to the leather, connected the beaded back strap, and voila. Another Christine-inspired design! 

Punxsutawney [Might] Have Predicted An Early Spring

The last few winters have been down right brutal. One snow storm after another, and just when you think it won't snow again .... another storm hits in early April. 

I don't know if our little rodent friend Punxsutawney Phil was right, but I'm sure enjoying the warmer weather and early spring flowers. My crocus are in, and the snow drops are about to bloom. I love both of these not only because they are pretty, but it is the promise of putting those snow shovels away for another year.

My recent trip down to Florida kick-started my drought in beading. And with the flowers showing up in the yard, I was feeling like pulling out the beads even when I returned home to Connecticut. So I ordered a few things on Etsy including some vintage Czech glass buttons with dragonflies. I cut the shank off the back to make a perfect cabochon to bead around. I love the vintage mint green in the one. I think I'm going to put these on a simple chain so I don't over complicate the pattern. Thanks Phil for getting me going again, and fingers crossed we've seen the last of this winter!

Stone Cabochon Series :: #7

This cabochon set is the one where I hit the wall and was completely stumped as to why I just wasn't happy with the first version. 

Sometimes I will be beading along and just not feeling it. The beads don't look right, the color seems off or the way the final piece hangs is just off. That was the case with this one.

The original design I used a copper silk fabric. And while it looked lovely lying on the bead table, the second you put it on it was twisting this way and that. The balance and weight of the stones was just off vs. the delicate silk fabric. 

So I put the piece down to rethink it. And it just sat there for months on the bead table staring at me. I would pick it up and match it to another fabric. Nothing seemed to be working. And so I moved on to other projects as I circle around this one picking it up, and promptly putting it back down again. 

And then it hit me. Why wasn't I using chain? Of course that was what the problem was. I really like how these two stones came together. They are clearly not the same. One is a jadite looking agate (at least I assume it is an agate). The other has almost a Feldspar look to it with all the flecks. I have absolutely no idea what either stone is, but my friend Christine would tell me that when in doubt it probably is an agate!

The other change I made which might not be as obvious is that I pulled off the lower level of beads around the bezel. I realized once I switched out the neck strap that it was too 'bead heavy' for the cabochon. It just didn't need that extra layer. I find myself trying to simplify my beading these days. Not sure why, but just want a 'less is more' look.

Stone Cabochon Series :: #6

I have a few more of the double stone cabochons to post that I was creating last Fall. The others are here: #1, #2, #3, #4 and #5

This one is a pair of pink shaded stones that Melinda Orr gifted to me. They are not the same stone, but look beautiful together. 

Clearly I took the pictures of the Bead Girl this last Fall when the temperatures were still well in the high 80s. With all the snow we've had lately it seems so long ago! 

With this grey weather it is nearly impossible to get a decent photo of any of my work. So I am happily going back through all the projects from the Fall that I didn't get a chance to post yet. There are actually quite a few!

Amulet Bag :: Blending Ancient Egypt and Native American

I started this bag about 2 weeks ago and was hoping to finish it before the last ATTS hop hosted by Christine and Therese. I didn't quite make it, but I did finish. So here it is, my amulet bag.

The bag came together in pieces. I started with the top band of peyote in a 'basket weave' which I attached to a piece of suede. The suede was beaded or 'zipped' along the side with a ladder stitch and a bit of picot that I stitched into the bag to ensure it was secure.

Then came piles of fringe, can you ever have enough fringe? Its a bit unruly, and makes you want to constantly comb your fingers through it to straighten it out. The last piece I added was the scarab created by Lesley Watt from metal clay. I bezeled this months ago and it sat on the bead table awaiting just the right project. 

An amulet is an object that protects its owner from harm, which is different from a talisman that is believed to bring luck as well as protection. Amulets can come in the form of gems, statues, coins or even a plant or animal. The word origin is Latin (amulētum) and prevalent in ancient Rome. But the tradition stems from Egyptians who believed that stones were associated with gods, and that wearing these stones, or amulets, gave powers from the gods. By the time of Egypt's Middle Kingdom the scarab shape had become a powerful protection amulet particularly for kings, who wore stone carvings of the beetles for protection both in life and the afterlife.

While the Romans tended to wear stones as amulets, the Native American tribes tended to create small bags to carry sacred objects, medicine or tobacco. The bags were often painted, beaded or quilled with characteristic tribal designs. The Shaman (or medicine man) would carry 'medicine' in these bags to treat sickness or disease. But they were also used for luck, protection and strength in battle. Some medicine bags included paint (with powerful magic) which gave the warrior the belief that he was invincible in battle.

My amulet bag is a cross between these two cultures. It has the symbolism of ancient Egypt with Lesley's lovely scarab, but created as a bag to carry the amulet protection. And a bonus that it comes with lots of fringe that is so depictive of Native American bags.

Wire weaving with a friend

The last time my bead buddy Christine and I got together we tried our hand at doing some wire weaving. As is often the case when I'm trying something new, I walked away stabbed and bleeding. Truly. I'm such a klutz sometimes. I managed to run a piece of the wire up under one of my finger nails. ouch!

This is my second attempt at using this technique and I think it is going to take a few hundred more before this is comfortable to my hands.

That said, I do like how this second one turned out. I pulled out a large coin-shaped jasper bead I had in my stash and treated it like a cab. I glued it to some lacy stiff stuff and then added a leather backing that I stitched along the back edge of the cab into the wire weave casing. The results are a framing of the bead in a cab-like setting. 

It isn't perfect and it has too many imperfections to put this one in my shop, but I like the technique enough to try it again. If any of you are interested in learning how to do this, I highly recommend picking up Lisa Barth's Timeless Wire Weaving book. Great instruction that is easy to follow. Hey, if I can do it anyone can!

Stone Cabochon Series :: #5

It's been awhile since I posted designs from my stone cabochon series. I have continued to bead and create new designs, but just haven't had time to post.

I was gifted all these beautiful stones from Melinda Orr over a year ago. And I've been working my way through my stash. They don't match exactly, but that has been all the fun. I have enjoyed mixing and matching and beading around them. I have half beaded sets, and quite a few sets still patiently awaiting a strap design. I don't know why I get so stumped on straps?

This particular set sat on the bead table for months until one day I noticed that it was sitting next to another necklace with a hand made chain that really worked with the pattern. So I did what any designer does when hit with beader's block, you steal from another piece! Oh yes I did. I would rather figure out what to do with the other necklace than sit and stare at this one half finished.

For this set, I decided to try something a little different. I beaded around one, but left the second au naturel. I have absolutely no idea what either one of these stones are, but I love how the bottom one plays off the negative space in the one above. 

I have been having so much trouble lately with catching the light in a way to bring out the colors in the jewelry. But I find the pieces photograph so much better on a model. You can see my dilemma here in the picture off to the right. I must have screwed up the settings on my camera, and now can't seem to figure out what I had it on when the pictures were working. Which is really frustrating me.

I did do a little photo shoot with the Bead Girl to make sure I took pictures of the pieces piling up on the bead table to ensure I can show you what other beaded stone sets I've been working on. She was very patient with me pulling necklaces on and off, positioning then this way and that. I've neglected my blog lately, and I'm trying to carve out some time to make it over here to share some of the recent work. I do have more to come.   

Stone Cabochon Series :: #4

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park

Years ago, before we had our kids, my husband and I took a road trip through the Southwestern US. What a gorgeous corner of the world, and something that continues to influence me when I sit down to create jewelry. 

The red rocks and painted desert of the area are breathtaking and remain carved into my memory along with our hike down into the grand canyon as we watched a thunder storm erupt along the opposite rim. Mother Nature's light show was spectacular.

I will absolutely never tire of the bold, but simple colors and geometric shapes from local artisans. I am inspired by the Southwestern Native American tribes of the region with Navajo, Zuni and Hopi being personal favorites. If you have time to browse, check out my Pinterest board for some of the regions beautiful inspiration.

This set of red stone cabochons gifted to me from Melinda Orr were two of the first I paired together for this series. While they are not of the same stone, they seem to depict the shifts and changes of the rock layers throughout the region. It is one of the memorable things about visiting the Southwest. I love how you can see the the layers of sediment exposed to the elements over the millennium; a rich history you can study as you hike these magnificent natural wonders. You can see more inspiration on my South by Southwest Pinterest board.

Each one of these paired cabochons has taken on its own personality, and this one seemed to need a brass chain to draw out the flecks in the sandstone. As I think about it, the first time I ever saw sandstone was in the small market as you enter Monument Valley. The cluster of vendor stalls were full of local craftsmen selling items in the traditional native Southwestern styles, including pottery, blankets, clothing, bags or jewelry. I've been in love with the stone ever since and it continues to reminds me of our trek through this region each time I pull it out to create.

Stone Cabochon Series :: #3

Haystack Rock Cannon Beach, OR

For as long as I can remember there has been one place, that when I close my eyes it is what I see. I can instantly feel the cool mist on my face, the whipping wind twisting my hair and the roar of the surf. It is the one place that can bring me peace from the moment I crest the hill, and round the corner to head down the long drive to Cannon Beach. The rock will come in and out of view as I wind my way there. 

When I looked into the pattern of the stone that Melinda Orr gifted me, all I could see was the silhouette of haystack rock that dominates the view from Cannon Beach. I see a "moody" winter sky surrounding the rock. Just as I remember it being most days. 

My childhood was spent along this coast line at the various beaches in the area, but nothing captivated me as much as this mammoth rock jutting out of the surf. I always wanted to climb it, and I would shift around to a side, dig in and begin to climb a few foot-holds up. But my mother would notice and yell to "get DOWN off that rock!" Once upon a time I was 7 and would wait until I thought my mother wasn't looking so I could sneak in a little excitement, something I was definitely not supposed to do. Yes people climbed it, and yes it was wet, slippery and dangerous. But there was a time in my life where I just wanted to see the view from up top. 

I no longer have this piece as a friend bought this one from me 2 weeks ago. She tried on almost every one of my stone cab necklaces in this series, and nearly bought the one I showed last weekend. But in the end she took this one. I knew from the beginning that this was the one for her, but it took her most of the weekend before she knew it too. She also took the cuff I posted last weekend. When she told me she wanted it, I was a bit taken aback because she exclaimed "oh, this will be perfect for the wedding I'm going to!" Totally didn't see that coming. But once she told me it was a wedding on a beach and she had a cute cotton jacket it would match, it all made sense to me. Absolutely nothing makes me happier than to think of her wearing these pieces.

ATTS 7: Bead Embroidery

I just love this hop hosted by Christine and Therese. Each one has been a challenge for me to try something new. To practice a stitch or technique. This installment had us trying our hand at bead embroidery. 

While I have been doing quite a few bead bezeling pieces lately, I wanted to try some stitching into fabric. So that is where I wanted to start this challenge. With a piece of fabric, some beads and a simple design. 

The last time that Christine and I got together for a beady weekend, I decided to get started on a piece for this hop. Christine happened to have a bit of grey cloth that matched a bead bezel focal I had just finished. She gifted me the cloth and I got started. I attached the focal and continued the design on the fabric with the same beads. I was going to fill in more beadwork, but both Christine and I agreed simple was better.

But it did just need a bit more, and so I decided to do some bead crochet for an edge. I stitched that in place and then added a suede backing to the fabric. I love the way this one feels on ... that suede backing is so comfortable! And the cuff has that bit of boho elegance that I love. So a win, win for me!

I thought I'd show you all another piece I recently finished. I've been in a bezeling mood lately and I've created a number of pieces with some small polished stones that Melinda Orr gifted me. There is a wide variety and I've had so much fun mixing and matching them. I'll come back and show you more later, but here is one of my favorites. 

I've discovered a nifty trick. If I glue a jump ring to the back of my focal, and then add the suede, I can stitch the whole piece together with a small loop for me to connect the focal. So instead of a large embroidered piece, I get a few individual pieces that connect and have a bit of swing to them. I have a growing collection to show you all that I'be been working on for months. Yes, I am just a tiny bit obsessed with this style.

Be sure to check out the rest of the hoppers today: our hosts Therese and Christine, Amy, Liz E, Kim, Janet, Bobbie, Maryanne, Karen, Becky, Shirley, Lola, Lori, Karin G, Debbie, Paula, Wendy, Jasvanti, Ginger, Alicia, Sarah, Lizzie, Samantha, Sally, and Niky

Make A Statement :: Featuring Therese Frank's Cabochon

Today's hop is hosted by Sally Russick featuring cabochons. She's left the rules a little loose so that people can create with their cabochons using metal smithing, wire wrapping, bead weaving or bead embroidery. I decided to go with a beaded bezel for my cabochon. But not just any cabochon, but one created by my beady friend Therese. 

I wanted to give a little shout out to her hop for next weekend with the ATTS crew (A Time To Stitch) for the 7th installment. Christine and Therese have been hosting this hop for the last few years now (has it really been that long?), and this upcoming hop (Saturday June 6) features bead embroidery. Therese was so sweet to share with many of us her cabochons that she personally made. Her skills seem to know no boundaries, and now she's added lapidary to them. Click here to see some of the other's she made.

The one she sent me I think is just beautiful. It is a plume agate and seems to have a landscape pattern to it. In doing a bit of homework on this type of agate I found that there are several large areas in Eastern Oregon and Idaho (the Owyhee Mountains and Graveyard Point) where they mine this type of agate. They say that plume agates are a seam agates and get their names from the plume like shapes from inclusions in the stones. Many are cloudy plumes, but you'll find brown and black mineral inclusions as well. One 'rock hound' said that when the agate is exposed to the elements it tends to make it look fractured, stained and cloudy. However these stones form, they make for some gorgeous eye candy to bead around.

For my cabochon I decided to use a mix of 'mineral' colors in gun metal grey, copper, brass and gold to highlight all those beautiful inclusions in Therese's stone. I tried (for quite some time) to add leather for the strap, but it just wasn't going to happen. I gave up and went with a simple chainmaille instead which gave this piece just the right balance and substance that I was looking for.

Please be sure to check out all the other artists and their cabochon pieces: Sally (our host), Therese, Sandi, Karin, Paula, Veralynne, Elizabeth, Niky and Terri