My Heart On My Sleeve....or wherever

This little blue heart brooch featured my first attempt at making a polymer clay face from a mold. I altered the features, ever so slightly before baking the clay and painting it.

The bead embroidery was done on buckram, in my usual way, after gluing the face cabochon on.

Hearts are one of my favorite symbols and I find them showing up more and more in my art and accessories. I love blues and greens, and used lots of fun beads on this piece to give it texture.

"A joyful heart is good, like a medicine"

Proverbs 17:22

Ladybug Garden

This "button" brooch was created with bead embroidery on a button form from the fabric shop. I love the little ladybug beads and have used them on a few pieces. I decided to built the piece around the ladybug, and fancied her exploring treasures in her garden. Button forms can be used to make brooches, or pendants if you add a bail for a chain or beaded necklace. I hope to try some other pieces with them.

"Then God said 'Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind, cattle and creeping things and beasts of the earth after their kind' and it was so"

Genesis 1: 24

Southwest Diva

This chevron style necklace was woven, in right angle weave, with a needle in turquoise and coral colored beads and has a southwest feel. This was my first attempt at this style and it has become a favorite, because it can be embellished to look so many different ways. This one has a magnetic closure for ease in putting on and taking off. 

"Keep sound wisdom and discretion, so they will be life to your soul and adornment around your neck"

Proverbs 3: 21 & 22

Hot Tamale Wrist Ruffle

 

This bracelet was inspired by the focal bead, which is a multicolored art glass bead with splashes of orange/red, green, baby blue and  black. I have so much fun making this style of bracelet. The same technique can be used to make something whimsical or elegant, just depending on the ingredients I use. In this case, I felt that the results had a "southwest meets art deco" feel, thus the name. 

I used a lot of jet black seed beads to construct the ruffles and lots of pretty red beads, pressed glass flowers and leaves as the "doodle" beads on the ends of the ruffles. A pretty button and seed bead loop make up the clasp. 

"And the vines in blossom have given forth their fragrance. Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, and come along."

Song of Solomon 2:13

 

 

The Red Tent Necklace

This is a chevron style necklace I created as a prize for a raffle to raise funds for The North Carolina Friends of Midwives. It is called The Red Tent because we held an event in which a room was decorated in red and a diverse group of women came to tell their birth stories. It was an incredible experience to listen to stories that were triumphant, and others that were heartbreaking. Each woman was allowed to share, and tell her story in her own words, through her own perspective.
One of my other passions and callings, besides art, is doing everything I can to improve the quality of maternity care in my community. One of the ways that I do that is to support midwifery. And if I can do that through my art, then all the better.
The necklace was woven with a needle in right angle weave with blood red size 11 seed beads and embellished with 4mm faceted crystals. A peyote toggle and loop make up the clasp.

~ And so it was, when she was giving birth, that the one put out his hand, and the midwife took a scarlet thread and bound it on his hand, saying "This one came out first." ~
Genesis 38:28

Honey Gold

Today I am featuring another ribbon style lariat, this time in champagne, or butterscotch colored beads with peach, gold and white freshwater pearls. The "ribbon" of the lariat was stitched in ndebele or "herringbone" with Chinese seed beads. They have a beautiful lustre, kind of an AB finish, but more understated.

"The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous all together. They are more desirable than gold. Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb."

Psalm 19: 9 & 10

Blueberry Wine

I have always been fascinated with lariat style necklaces. There is just something about the drape, the "slinkiness" of them that is so elegant and unique. I decided to do this "ribbon" style lariat with some yummy beads I found at Ding's Design in Winston-Salem, NC. my hometown, where my dear friend Paula Meyncke teaches seed beading classes.

These size 11 matte beads are called "Blueberry Wine," thus the name of the lariat.

I used peyote stitch to create sections and then attached the sections with seed beads and freshwater pearls in various hues of wine and light purple. On the ends of the lariat, I added a crystal or two.

"May he kiss me with the kisses of his mouth. For your love is better than wine."

Song of Solomon 1:2

Spring Bouquet

The inspiration for this free form peyote stitch bracelet was a beautiful bouquet of spring flowers that I brought to a friend who was battling cancer last March. The flowers were all shades of purples, blues and bright yellows. They were incredibly beautiful, and I was intrigued by the colors. So, naturally, I had to make something to remind me of them. I love free form peyote, because I never know exactly how the peice will turn out. I allow it to be a completely intuitive process, and I am never disappointed with the results.

I used seed beads of various sizes and added some pearls and large faceted beads for texture. The clasp is a peyote toggle and loop.

My friend went home to be with the LORD,  and I know he is enjoying flowers that far exceed the beauty of the ones I brought him that day. He is now perfected, healed and whole and experiencing the glory of the heavenly realm.

"and He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will be no longer any death, or mourning, or sorrow or pain, for the old order of things shall pass away"

Revelation 21:4

Purity

This cuff bracelet was inspired by my love of turn of the century period piece movies.

I attached organza ribbon, in a pleated fashion, to buckram and began embroidering away. I used hex beads, 4mm pearls, size 11 seed beads and pressed glass leaves. I attached it all to a bracelet blank and backed it with royal purple ultrasuede.

I imagine this cuff on the wrist of a virtuous young woman, like Elizabeth Bennett as she is elegantly dressed for the ball at which she is, perchance, introduced to Mr. Darcy.

"Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers, in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity." I Timothy 4:12

Little Bag Blue

This blue bag was lots of fun to crochet. The design is by Lydia Borin at

Bead Wrangler

Lydia crochets her gorgeous bags on Jean Stitch thread, which is not for the faint of heart... or the weak of eye !

I have great bifocals, but being somewhat faint of heart,  I chose to do the bag with #10 crochet cotton and #10 seed beads. I was very pleased with the result. I love all of the fun loops and the netted design of the middle part of the bag. I may have to try another one soon. 

I am fond of the color of these beads. They are a light sapphire with an AB finish.

I love to make bead crochet bags and have sold quite a few of them to people who want to use them to hold a special treasure. A lady bought one of my white bags to put her father's photo in on her wedding day. He had recently passed away, but she felt that his photo in the bag was a beautiful way to hold his memory as she walked down the aisle to meet her groom. I was so touched by the thought of that.

 These little bags make a spectacular presentation of a gift, or could be used to hold a written prayer, rosary or favorite piece of jewelry. The bags also remind me that while earthly treasures are fun, they don't last forever. Spiritual treasures are eternal.

"Sell what you have and give alms; provide for yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches or moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Luke 12: 33 & 34

Baroque Brooch

I love brooches. I hope to create many more of them !

This one was constructed in my usual way of embroidering with beads onto buckram. The componets in this brooch are very similar to my Genesis collar, minus the lavender colors. I added some white freshwater pearls for contrast.  

"His truth shall be thy shield and buckler." Psalm 91:4

           

Rainbow

I call this bracelet Rainbow because of the way the colors fade into one another in a prismatic fashion.

It was needlewoven with size 11 seed beads and has a peyote stitch base. Then I embellished the top with little wavy loops to give it a sense of motion.

A pearl button and loop form the clasp.

The rainbow is a sign of God's covenant and promises. 

"The rainbow shall be in the cloud and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth." Genesis 9:16

Genesis

I call this bead embroidered collar, Genesis, because it was my first collar creation and it was definitely a work in progress. I have added one feature to it since this photo was taken, by adding some delicas to tighten up the peyote around the turquoise stone, which set it off rather nicely !

I used chocolate brown 3 cuts that I cut off of one of my mom's old cocktail dresses, some amazing vintage lavendar 3 cuts that I cut off of an old bead crocheted bad that my dog partially destroyed, some turquoise colored size 11 seed beads, some blue coin pearls, dusty lavendar size 11 seed beads and lime green size 11 seed beads.

I rather like the paisley motif  and hope to use it again in future works. I think it gives an illusion of motion and life in a similar way that a spiral does.I like themes that celebrate life ! And I thank God for creating all of the beauty I see every day. I thank Him that I am able to celebrate life and beauty in my artwork. It is an act of  worship to Him, and I hope it brings Him pleasure.

"The God said, 'Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together in one place, and let the dry land appear; and it was so. And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters, He called Seas. And God saw that it was good.'" Genesis 1:9

Gray Dove

Gray is a beautiful color, in my opinion. Some may think it drab, but it reminds me of lovely things like doves, dapple gray mares, stormclouds, and the color of the ocean at dusk, just to name a few.

I created this bracelet with right angle weave in soft gray size 11 seed beads, gunmetal colored 3 cuts and 4mm blue gray pearls. I love right angle weave because it can be embellished in so many ways.

The clasp is a vintage metal art deco button and seed bead loop.

This bracelet belongs to a beautiful lady.

"Though you lie down among the sheep folds, you will be like the wings of a dove, covered with silver..."

Psalm 68: 13a

Scarlet

I love RED ! And The scripture verse below was my inspiration for this necklace.

I am a Christian. In my opinion, Christianity is not about being religious. It is about having a relationship with the Living God, who is LOVE.

I wove this necklace with deep red size 11 seed beads and 4 mm faceted beads and 4 mm round white pearl beads. A pearl and seed bead loop make up the clasp.

"Come, let us reason together" says the LORD. "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow. Though they are crimson, they shall be as wool."

Isaiah 2:18

Cleo's Cuff

 

This bracelet was inspired by a Bead Dreams challenge that I entered a few years ago.

The challenge was to create a free form peyote stitch bracelet.

I had been doing a color study on ancient Egyptian jewelry and so I decided to use those colors for my piece, which were blood red, lapis blue, emerald green, turquoise and, of course, gold !

I added a few extra elements, such as scarabs and a lotus button to complete the look.

I wonder if Cleopatra would have liked it. I enjoyed creating it !

"Now, when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying,"Arise and take the young Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word....."
Matthew 2:13

Inspired by Monet

One of my favorite painters is Monet. This "wrist ruffle" was inspired by his use of color and impressionism.

I fancied a field of wildflowers in a rolling meadow on a temperate spring day and used it as my inspiration in choosing the beads. There are are size 11 seed beads in varying shades green, pink, red, white and blue, with an eclectic mix of other beads in the same colors, including Swarovski bicones, cats eye, and pressed glass leaves. A beaded loop and a  lilac colored button, embossed with a floral motif, serves as a clasp.

"The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come. And the voice of the turtledove is heard in the land. "  Song of Solomon 2:12

Angel

I believe in angels. I found this coin and liked the image of the angel on it, so I decided to make it the focal point on this bead embroidered cuff bracelet. The beads used are 3 cuts peacock AB finish, size 11 seed beads in dark root beer, and transparent gold. The embroidery was then attached to an old pewter cuff bracelet and backed with black ultrasuede.

This bracelet has been sold.

Last Christmas there was a story in the news about a litle girl who was dying, and the staff at the hospital saw a figure of light in the hallway as they were praying for her.

And a miracle happened. The little girl, did not die, but lived and went home to spend the holidays with her family. I believe that whether we live or die, we are in the company of angels and secure within the love of God.

"Then the angel said to them "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be for all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ, the Lord."