Leaf Me Bead

Lovely pendants with just a flash of Swarovski crystals and two very special beaded leaves.  I started making these years ago for my first gallery show in Wisconsin.  I realized, at the last minute, that I was supposed to have things for people to BUY....I did not!  All of my work was 'not for sale'.   So I worked up these sweet little things and they were a tremendous hit.  They are just so earthy in greens and browns and yet, with a little Swarovski embellishment, they're very pretty.  And I love the name!  I was saying it over and over,  just leaf me bead, to my family, frantically trying to get some of these made and voile!  There was the name!

I will be putting some of these up for sale in my Big Cartel shop.  I hope you like them!

SNAKES

I've been called brave two times this week!  The first time was by the Animal Control Specialist who came out to my house to help rid our premises of THIS:

A HUGE gray rat snake, sunning it's lovely self on a tree outside my bathroom window, suddenly decided to enter the soffit of our house.  I was freaking hysterical when I called Animal Control, but by the time they came out to the house, I had calmed down enough to receive the the biggest compliment of my life:  "You seem quite level-headed".  HA!

The snake is still in there, I've been assured it cannot enter the house from it's little nest, and yes, we are trying to trap this monstrosity!  I'll keep you posted on the details.

THEN, I was called brave because of THIS:

I'm quite comfortable playing with new ideas with my beloved beadwork, and not really all that fearful of making dreadful mistakes.  It can always be picked out or cut, or changed.  Even if it's not a masterpiece to begin with, I am always learning something new and challenging.  I love that!  This is a very long cuff constructed from the marvelous ideas presented in Contemporary Geometric Beadwork by Kate McKinnon.  I did it with Mad Men in mind.  I was imagining a plaid suit with a floral shirt, something Don would wear, but it became more like a bandana as it was beaded.    That was still definitely MOD, so it stayed.  Very 60's!

Diamondback

I've really enjoyed making the pattern for this diamondback rattlesnake hatband and really can't wait to wear it in Phoenix and Tucson in a few days!  It isn't finished because I've run out of beads which have been ordered but somehow, in spite of my constant looking in the mailbox, do not seem to have arrived!

There is a wonderful little beaded rattle with it that is just out of view on this picture, and I'm working on a rattler head which may or may not decide to cooperate with me.  Three dimensional forms can sometimes be quite difficult to create, but they do seem to form easier without a deadline!

I better go check my mailbox...

A Happy Promise

this is the very last post I will ever write without a tripod.  I recognize the need for a tripod!  I ordered one today, and it will be here in 5 days and IT WILL WORK.  It has to rectify this situation.  In the meantime I offer you this lovely, out of focus piece of happiness.

I found this piece in my stash of work, one I'd forgotten about for years.  It was my first attempt at free-form peyote and now that time has erased the pain of frustration, I think I like it.  It has beautiful color and technique and looks beautiful on.  Why don't I do more of this?  I would love to just sit down and play with my beads again.  I promise to not post any more out-of-focus pics of beadwork, and I promise to do more free-form happy pieces!  I'll post a pic of it in focus when my tri-pod arrives.

Jean Power's pendant

This is a wonderful pendant designed by Jean Power in her new book on Geometric Beadwork which you can view at  Jean Power.  This little darling is so cute!  The top lifts off to reveal a little vessel in which to put your Valentine's picture or lock of hair or any other little treasure you want to hide.  It's just adorable.

Now on to my next project which I believe is going to be changing my blog from blogger to wordpress.  Apparently that is a better place to blog because it's easier to leave comments and to follow but according to me, it's all about the same level of difficulty.  Hey, I'm for anything that makes life easier and prettier.  It's all about the pretty!

New Bangle Design

I did this wonderful new bangle design about two months ago but have just been too busy to get it uploaded on this blog!  So, without further ado, welcome to the newest design.

This employs a rather simple technique of placing a MRAW belly band on two sides of a strip of peyote, then folding it up and continuing a peyote strip that is zipped up.  Sound confusing?  Not if you buy Kate McKinnon's book Contemporary Geometric Beadwork.  Very simple!

Oh! My Dragonfly

Or Oh My! Dragonfly?  Which is it?  I just realized I've been using them both interchangeably, but would like to settle on one rather than flitting all around the marsh like this sweet little green darner.

Here's another Oh My! Dragonfly that I just finished as a special order for my Mother-in-Law.  You can say what you want about MIL's, and I do, but this woman has impeccable style.  Plus, she has the added benefit of having raised one of the finest men on the planet.  I'll give her that!  So thank you, Elizabeth, for all that and for this stunningly tailored color choice.

I will be putting this brooch in my shop, but in the meantime, here it is in all it's simple beauty.  This is a brooch sewn with a cute, little netted flower around a Jet black Swarovski rivoli.  Adorable on a lapel or a winter hat!

As with any beadwork I post, please feel to contact me personally via email if you are interested in it or in a special order!

Love,
Rayo