Treasure Chest Jewels

The name for this set came from the tubes of "bead soup" used to make it. The ingredients of the bead soup mix included size 6-15 seed beads, E beads and bugle beads. If you click on the image to open it in another window, you will be able to see the colours better.

Eight N'debele beaded beads and one right angle weave-covered wooden bead make up the necklace. The nine beaded beads are on a gold toned neckwire I bought at Michael's in Dadeland Station the last time I was in Florida. I am waiting for a client for this set before adding the earring wires. The bracelet is done in N'debele stitch with brick stitch end tabs.

The focal bead on the necklace is a match to the beaded bead used as a toggle on the bracelet. I took a wooden bead as the base, coloured it with a permanent marker, glazed it with a golden polish, and then with seed beads and bugle beads created a right angle weave cage around it.

I've had to resort to scanned images because the digital camera has stopped speaking to me once again! If we resume a dialogue, I'll try to post better pictures.

Seven Stitches

Like many beaded pieces, I started this with one direction in mind and ended up following the beading muse to a totally different and unintended destination.

A one-, two- and three-drop peyote seed bead and bugle bead bracelet was what I started. Fifteen or so rows into it, I realized that since I was using bugle beads, which are notorious for cutting threads, I should have doubled the thread. Instead of undoing it, I rolled it into a tube and it became the bail around the one tortoise shell ring that was left after this piece was finished.

The tube alone lacked something, so I kept beading. One thing led to another and it became a pendant using ladder, brick, and flat N’debele stitches. I wanted the chain to be made of the same beads, but I didn’t want it to be boring. The center piece of the chain is tubular N’debele that transitions to a spiral rope stitch. The transition point is covered with tubes of one- and two-drop peyote.

A magnetic clasp is hidden in a tube of ladder-stitched bugle beads with N’debele spears on each side.

Same Stitch, Different Beads

These bracelets show the impact of using different types and sizes of beads with the same stitch.
Angled brick stitch was used for both pieces. The smaller one was beaded with delica beads in a matte finish. The clasp is two snaps that are hidden in the design when worn. The larger one was beaded with size 8 seed beads in an opaque finish. The toggle clasp is a beaded bead.

I got a commission for a choker to match the seed bead bracelet. But since it is for a man, I will need to design a more masculine clasp.

Thank you, Jah, for giving me the gift of beading. I pray for the wearers of my jewelry, even tho I don't always know in advance who they may be. If it is a custom order, I raise their name in prayers as I bead their piece. I want the love and soul joy I feel while beading to be felt when my creations are worn.

Four Pendants

The triangle pendants are peyote stitched delicas.

The brick stitched one was shown with a bangle inspired by Mandela's tribal collar. The other is a netted stitch.

Inspired By Mandela's Collar

Nelson Mandela's tribal collar was the inspiration for the bracelet below.
The bracelet is stitched in N'debele using various size beads to create the curve. The red beads are size 6, the yellows are size 8 and the greens are size 10s. The black seed beads on the inside and outside of the bangle are size 11s.

This bracelet is so flexible that it seems to float on my arm.

The pendant is brick stitched around a base metal ring.

Blue Spiral N'debele

This bracelet looks nice, but doesn't really wear well.

The beads are size 6 and size 11s in both silver lined clear and blue. The body of the bracelet is N'debele, with peyote stitched end caps. The loop is square stitching, with two brick stitch encased buttons creating the toggle clasp.

I will cut it apart and use the beads to make something else.

If jewelry isn't comfortable, it won't be worn.

Crystal Rondels

Ites, green and gold (red, green and yellow) crystal rondels are the design focal point for this set. The necklace, constructed of seed beads between bugle beads, is long enough to go over my head without a clasp. The pendant is made of the same beads and rondels.
The bracelet has two magnetic clasps, enclosed in beaded tubes.
The bangle was created with embellished tubular N'debele and tubular peyote stitches. For dimension and texture I used different sizes of black seed beads and bugle beads. The bangle holds it's shape because it is beaded around a large metal ring.

For Leslie

I recently met Leslie in Negril. She was vacationing from America with her fiancee. This was his first trip to Jamaica, while it was Leslie's tenth visit! She hopes he learns to love Jamaica as much as she does.

Leslie is an artistic soul. She loves flowers and she loves to laugh! Out loud! With enthusiasm! Her blog, Flowers of Life, can be seen by linking here.

She selected the semi-precious stones, oval peridots, and I chose the size 6 silver-lined clear and size 10 silver-lined green seed beads. The tab ends are brick stitched ending in a magnetic clasp. The band of the bracelet is embellished N'debele.

This shows the bracelet closed so you can see how the magnetic clasp is hidden inside the seed bead tube. It helps prevent the magnetic clasp from attaching itself to metal items like shopping carts, metal desks and stair railings.


One day when I hit the Lotto jackpot, I am going to commission Leslie to paint one of her beautiful murals on my back verandah!

Netted Druks

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A toggle designed by Geneva Beck was the inspiration for this bracelet. I found the instructions for the toggle clasp in the June 2007 issue of Bead and Button magazine. I wondered how it would look if I just continued beading the same netting stitch in the toggle instructions until it was long enough to make a bracelet. The bracelet is made with black seed beads and 4MM druks in varigated browns and greens. The clasp is made from recycled refrigerator magnets beaded into end caps.

Yes, I know there are magnetic clasps available to buy, but I don't live near a LBS (local bead store) and the beading muse insisted that this piece not wait. So, I found some old refrigerator magnets and used a tubular brick stitch to enclose them.

This will show you what the same netted stitch looks like as a toggle clasp. Geneva's design was originally done with seed beads and crystals. So far, I've tried it with faux pearls and now with druks.

Gold N'debele Bracelet

We have a function to attend on Sunday and I made this bracelet to wear. It is beaded with the N'debele stitch using gold seed beads and faux pearls. The tab ends are done in brick stitch for stability. The toggle is peyote stitched and attached to the brick stitch end tab.

OK, so this last shot was an attempt at being artistic. The N'debele stitch is supple and I wanted to show the bracelet's flexibility. Did it work for you?

O Ring Pendants

These pendants were made on rubber O rings purchased from an automotive parts store. The white seed beads were brick stitched around the inside and outside of the O rings. I like that these pieces had an unconventional start.

Zig Zag Brick Stitch

It seems as if the blue phase is finally over.


This brick stitch zig zag bracelet is made with matte delica beads. It is 8 inches long and closes with two snaps. Increasing and then decreasing every seven rows is what creates the zig zag shape. When worn, the two snaps disappear underneath the band.