Cross In Lucite

The pendant is a cross embedded in lucite. I used a combination of right angle weave, netting and peyote to make the band that holds the lucite oval. The necklace is made of seed beads and a beaded toggle clasp.

Cultured Kulcha

A base of faux pearls stitched in right angle weave sports an embellishment of ites, green and gold (red, green and yellow) seed beads. The gold-toned clasp is connected to the bracelet with rings of clear seed beads. I like the feminine look and feel of this piece.


While finishing Nurse M's fifth netted pearl set, I swore I wouldn't do another one for at least a year. But about half way thru it, I begin to visualize it being done in different colours, rather than all the sides of the net being the same colour. This is the manifestation of that vision.

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.

Client Designed

This is the first time I have had a client completely design a set, then commission me to make it. She chose the AB noir seed beads and the glass pendant. Having seen many of the beading stitches I use, she selected right angle weave for the cross on the front of the pendant and the center of the band around it.

She chose the length of the peyote stitch chain. I did recommend the creation of the peyote tube bail, since it allows the pendant to move more freely on the chain. The toggle clasp is done in the peyote stitch, also.
The earrings are on 14ktgp earwires.

Links of Loops

I bought these tortoise shell rings in a fabric store in Mandeville several years ago. When I bought them, I was attracted to the colour, but had no idea what I would do with them. I would take them out and look at them every so often waiting for inspiration to strike.
I used gold and silver-lined bronze seed beads to make right angle weave loops to link the rings together. One of the rings became the loop for the peyote toggle clasp.

The shot below lets you see the opening of the links a little better.

This and Therapy

All of my energies (physical, emotional, creative and spiritual) have been channeled into my therapy sessions and my beadwork. If the truth be told, the beadwork is getting me thru the therapy. Learning to regain my balance and walk again without fear of falling is hard at my age. The therapy hurts and I am expected to inflict this pain on myself on the days I don't go to the clinic. I can't imagine facing this without Jah and prayer!

When I do all the rehab exercises I have been given, it wipes me out! There has been nothing left over for blogging, no reading beyond the local newspaper, no phone chats, no texting, no e-mails and I haven't even responded to those of you who have been kind enough to visit and share your thoughts. I've been given three blog awards that I haven't accepted yet and I don't know if I will ever catch up.

OK, OK, the pity party for one is over. This is what I've beaded during my blogging absence.
I finished the N'debele bracelet that was on my bead board. Gold and bronze seed beads with brown stars were used. The toggle clasp is a peyote tube.

This embellished N'debele bracelet doesn't photogragh well. It truly sparkles! I used size 6 silver-lined clear beads for the base with transparent peacock blue bead insets. The embellishing seed beads are opaque royal blue, transparent peacock blue and transparent light olive green.

This N'debele bracelet has four rows of seed bead embellishments with gold glass bead inserts. The toggle clasp is a beaded bead.

This is another one that has more sparkle than I can capture with the camera! It is tubular N'debele of silver-lined clear beads with blue insets and embellishments. The magnetic clasp is hidden inside a right angle weave tube.

These are a few rings I beaded. I need to find a better way to photograph rings. The picture doesn't really show the details well.

This set is for the wife of the doctor who performed my orthopedic surgery. She saw several of my beaded pieces during one of my check-up visits. The doctor called me later that afternoon and placed an order. The faux pearls are captured in a net of gold and bronze seed beads. She will wear the pendant on a gold chain.

Right Angle Weave Cross

When Sistren Shauna saw Idren Clay's bracelet, she ordered this cross for her Mother.

The beads are size 6 opaque seed beads. The stitch is layered right angle weave. The base layer is black.

Sistren Shauna will provide the chain from which to hang the cross. The box chain in the picture is for illustration purposes only.

Phases

I have been working on this piece in fits and starts for several months now. The necklace is 29 inches long and uses opaque seed beads ranging from size 13 to size 6. (For non-beaders, the larger the sizing number, the smaller the bead.)

The toggle is a two-drop peyote beaded bead. The center beaded tube is covered with an outer layer of two drop peyote. Both layers have black seed beads brick stitched on the ends. The stitches used in the body of the necklace include one and two-drop peyote, ruffled peyote, spiral peyote, celini spiral, right angle weave, netting and ndebele.
Several of the segments are embellished for dimension and texture and fun.
Accuflex beading wire runs thru the clear tubing that is inside the necklace for support.
I need to pick one of the segments to replicate for a bracelet. Any suggestions?
The loop can be worn at the back of the neck or asymetrically in the front as a focal point as our wooden sistren below is wearing it. Here it is in it's entirety!

Hematite and Seed Beads

Feel free to critique the photography as well as the beadwork. I am still learning both.



The centerpiece of this bracelet is a hematite-coloured piece of aquarium glass. It is encased in a netting of pearlized seed beads and hematite beads. The band of the bracelet is a base of 3mm hematite cylinder beads stitched in right angle weave, then embellished with the pearlized seed beads. The clasp is a silver base metal toggle clasp.

This is a gift to a friend. She is very high on my prayer list just now. Life has been giving her some rough punches lately. But she is a survivor and will bounce back to higher heights.

RAW Druks

My comfort level with right angle weave (RAW) is increasing. The stitch path never felt right to me. But, just like riding a bicycle or swimming, even tho it starts out feeling odd and uncomfortable, if you keep at it, you will soon master the skill.

With mastery comes the increased comfort level.

This bracelet was created using varigated black and aqua 4MM druks. The original intent was for it to be done with only the aquas, but there weren't enough of them, so I added a row of black druks.

This was the first time I have used a monofiliment as a stringing medium. It is 6lb test and was so close in colour to the aqua druks that I gave it a try. Let's hope it wears well.

RAW Fiesta

Click thumbnails for larger image in another window.

While proof-reading the post from yesterday about my struggles with the Zulu square tube and RAW (right angle weave) beading stitches, I realized that I was giving them more power in my life than I was happy with. I want my comfort zones identified, but still expandable.

I feel truly blessed that I have found in beading the kind of soul-healing escape that others may find in music or poetry.

I started this RAW stitch bracelet yesterday and finished it this morning. It has a peyote stitched toggle clasp and is embellished with seed beads.

I am dream-, plan-, thinking about another bracelet using the Zulu square tube stitch with pearls and gold seed beads. Sounds like another comfort zone is about to be expanded!

Two Crosses

These crosses were done as a special request for the wife of one of my husband's childhood friends. She couldn't decide whether she wanted the pendant to be flat or dimensional, so I did one of each to give her a choice.

She kept both of them!

The flat one on the left is done in peyote stitch and the thicker one on the right is done in right angle weave (RAW).

Lady Roots Is A Featured Designer!

I was delighted to see one of my necklace designs featured on an fantastic site, Beading Gem's Journal.

Sistren P and I have shared several e-mails and she expressed an interest in featuring one of my other pieces. Since I haven't been able to get to the internet regularly, I didn't know she had put up this one for her readers to see.

Since I read her site as often as I can, I have to admit, seeing my work there was a thrill. She features jewelry designers from around the world. I am honoured to be included with some amazing designers.

Aquarium Glass

Both the pendant and the bracelet were constructed of netting around small aquarium stones. The pendant stones measure 7/8 inch wide and the bracelet stones are 1 inch wide.

The bracelet band is tubular Ndebele. The toggle is made from two of the aquarium stones encased in RAW (right angle weave), peyote and netting stitches. The weight of the three center stones required that I use at least two of the stones in the toggle for balance. Otherwise, the bracelet kept sliding around on my wrist, so that the center stones were underneath my arm, not on top, as intended.

I could not find a way to get a picture of the bottom of the toggle. It is a netted Star of David. I will keep trying and if I manage to get a good shot, I will post it. ****UPDATE****LOOK! I think I got it!

Many thanks are due to those of you who continue to visit here, even when circumstances prevent me from blogging daily. We have not yet had 48 consecutive hours of electricity since the passage of Hurricane Dean last month. But when I can get on-line, I will blog.

Comments welcomed, subscribers adored!!!

More Aquarium Glass

Look So Different, Essentially The Same

That is true for us humans, as well. No matter how different we may look on the outside, we are basically the same. We are all The Father’s children; some just more obedient than others.

The foundation stitch for both these bracelets is RAW (right angle weave). From essentially the same beginning, we end up with such a dramatically different ending. The center row is basic right angle weave. Alternating the size of the bead used between the “up” and “down” beads of the RAW stitch is what creates the curve. Using different sizes and types of beads gives each bracelet it’s own distinct style.

The black and white has varying sizes of faux pearls and seed beads. The toggle is a cage of netted faux pearls with a loop of 1-, 2-, & 3-drop peyote stitching. The toggle was designed by Geneva Beck and featured in the June 2007 issue of Bead and Button magazine using crystals. I like how it looks with pearls, too. Do you?

The aqua and clear has seed beads ranging in size from 6-15 in the band and the toggle is made from three bi-cone beads that also become a decorative dangle. It reminds me of the gentle ocean waves that caress the white sand beach at a place in Negril that I love so dearly. OK, so now I hear the call of the beach, the beads and the blogs!

Hematite Cross Necklace

This necklace design was loosely based on the large, elaborate EthiopianCoptic crosses. Two-needle right angle weave stitching was used for both the necklace and the cross. The cross was embellished with smaller beads. The clasp is a trailer hitch.