Bejewelled 9,999 Carat Wedding Dress
Four pounds worth of gemstones in blues and purples decorate the dress. The carefully chosen carat value of 9,999 assumes that a one carat ring from the groom will make it an even 1o,000 carats.
Wait a minute. That doesn't seem fair. SHE springs for all those carats for a one carat ring? Unless HE scours around for a one carat rare gemstone! A pretty dress and a good gimmick but I doubt there would be any takers.
Source via ChinaView and Trendhunter
Chris' Pietersite Pendant and Goldstone Chip Necklace and Earrings
Her necklace featured a large, eye-catching and angular cut pietersite gemstone pendant. Chris then used goldstone chips to sandwich wooden discs for the secondary focal areas of her necklace. Burnished copper leaves were chosen for her earring dangles for the colour matched the pendant. Careful seed bead choices tied in all the earth tone and gold colours of her creation.
Chris received many compliments when she wore it for the first time and no doubt will receive many more.
Beader Design# : 210
Cindy's Blue Wire Crochet Necklace
Her forte is clearly in beaded wire crochet jewelry as you can see from this very pretty blue creation using all types of beads. Although some beaders may not enjoy working with wire, this crochet technique is actually very forgiving as it does not require perfect stitches. The beads are incorporated with each stitch as you make a chain. Three chains are needed to braid together, forming a necklace or bracelet. The designer's skill comes from the choice of beads, their spacing and the colour palette.
A good tutorial for this technique can be found in the project article called Gossamer strands by Stephanie Riger.
Beader Design #: 209
Baltic Amber Cabochon Pendant Necklace
Szarka is a 16 year wire-twisting veteran who deeply appreciates the gemstones she uses. She confesses to fondling gems and lets each piece dictate how the design unfolds rather than the other way around. Mother Nature is her muse. Szarka hopes each design is a work of art and they are indeed.
Her designs are gorgeous. No wonder I had the near impossible task of trying to select the one design that speaks most about this artisan. In the end, I chose her Baltic amber cabochon because, it shows her skill at wire jewelry making and her unerring eye for unusual focal beads. The amber had been cleverly carved to showcase flowers against a black background created by burning the amber from behind. Szarka emphasised the garden theme further with turquoise rondelles.
This is but one design among many. Her sampling of her latest collection for the season shows her versatility as an artisan. She may call it wire twisting but this pendant in a piece she aptly calls Kaos shows her technical skill in turning wire into cascades down one side of the pendant. Another collection of her work features a lovely carnelian necklace - Szarka loves carnelian as do many people.
Tempted? Go do some serious drooling on her blog.
Picture with kind permission from Szarka.
Graham's Bronzite Necklace and Bracelet
But Graham has a unique incentive. He designs virtually all for his lucky wife in order to buy himself "credit" so he can go off to enjoy HIS passion, model railways! The miniature scaled hobby explains why Graham is adept with the smaller tools and materials.
Graham picked large bronzite tiles for this necklace and bracelet set. Copper-framed black window beads and bronze potato pearls complimented the colours found in the gemstone tiles. But for contrast, he chose yellow picasso beads and red glass beads. His wife loves what he makes. I am sure, this set bought Graham double credits!
Beader Design #: 208
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Verdura Exhibition : Life and Work of a Master Jeweler
His talent in creating whimsical and truly innovative jewelry designs will soon be celebrated in a special exhibition of his work at the Lester and Sue Smith Gem Vault of Houston's Museum of Natural Science from November 16- February 17, 2008. So if you live near Houston, or are visiting, this is one special treat not to be missed. A close-up gallery of some of the designs on display can be seen here.
Verdura started his career initially as Coco Chanel's textile designer. They both shared an interest in jewelry. Byzantine jewelry designs inspired their most famous collaboration. Verdura created the multi-gemmed and asymmetrically patterned Maltese Cross brooches AND mounted them on hinged cuff bracelets in white enamel. The black and white photo shows both of them looking at one of the bracelets which she wore often. Coco Chanel went on to reinterpret the design in many forms.
There is none like his amoeba brooch (middle small picture) with its radiating bejewelled arms. The blossoms of very first Lily of the Valley brooch was supposedly crafted from the baby teeth of the Rothchilds' children in France with the top of each tooth covered with diamonds. But my favourite has to his signature piece, the Wrapped Heart Brooch. The 1949 version in the exhibition is 18k gold and platinum set with 62 cabochon rubies and 232 round diamonds. Another version can be seen here. The design was originally created in 1941, a Valentine's Day gift for the wife of one of Verdura's clients. The husband said "I want to give her my heart – make something fantastic.” And so he did.
Designing with Cloisonne Part II
Here the designer, Erin went with the concept "like attracts like". She used equally ornate gold filigree beads to augment her cloisonne beads. She adores oriental style beads and was determined to use plenty in her necklace and bracelet set. The gold beads add a bright punch to the black cloisonne beads she chose.
Suggestions for a Part III, anyone?
Beader Design #: 207
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Designing with Cloisonne Part I
Here we have a designer, Deidry, who chose to show off the cloisonne by using pale pink pearls for the rest of the design. The pink colour is picked up from the pale background hue of the cloisonne beads. Like all good designers, Deidry pays attention to detail. She used metal beads to bracket the cloisonne beads which in turn matches the metal elements of her focal beads and the metal clasp. Tiny teal seed beads at the clasp end also compliment the green parts of the cloisonne beads.
The next post will highlight a different approach to working with cloisonne.
Beader Design # : 206
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How to Search This Blog
Here are the six ways you can look :
1. SEARCH BOX
There is a search box at the top of the rightmost side bar. Type in what interests you and click on "Search Blog". If I have blogged on it, the relevant posts will magically appear.
If you have stumbled upon a themed series and can't find the other posts, use the search box. Type in the theme title I used for example "For the Younger Set" as for this post and then the other post in the series should appear in the search results.
If you are a beader from a workshop or party, just type in your name and all the posts with that first name will appear. Mind you, there may be more than one say, Cathy, but you'll know which is yours.
2. BLOG ARCHIVES
Also on the right bar further down is the Blog Archive. All individual posts in the current month are shown as titles. To open up a past month's post listings, click on the directional triangle. I've also got the blog's archives expressed as a Table of Contents page for those who wish to sample.
3. POST HUBS
The best tips, techniques and resources are now gathered together on my hub page called JEWELRY MAKING TIPS. This is the best way of searching via technique. Jewelry artisans might also find my JEWELRY BUSINESS TIPS useful. The EARRING DESIGN IDEAS hub is great for those stumped for ideas.
4. PICTORIAL VIEW
A neat way to search is to view my blog through just the images. Clicking on an individual image will open up that particular post.
5. VISIT MY BLOG
Subscribers only receive individual posts, so please do visit my blog itself to do some serious panning and digging for those nuggets! Here are some of the ways to explore the back posts.
Enjoy!
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Sherri's Gold Foil Bead Necklace
Her final design used three flat square gold foil beads strategically placed in the front, including one pendant. Taken altogether, this collection of beads gives the illusion of a large focal bead. Other foil beads also featured in the rest of the necklace with small silver-lined gold seed beads as spacers. The black bicone beads cinched her design as they were her chosen contrasts against the rest of the gold tone beads.
Beader Design #205
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Fiesta Flamingo Bead Bracelet
Lamp work artists are not the only creators of stunning focal beads. Beadweaving artisans such as Noeasybeads from New Orleans, use tiny seed beads to build up designs. If we find stringing these beads hard enough, then we can surely appreciate the technical skill of bead artists like her.
This gorgeous beaded bracelet was inspired by the neon lights outside the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas! What fun she must have had making it. The eight cabochon centres were Swarovski crystal vitrails (rivoli cut) with seed beads woven around them using peyote stitch. Not only is she good with design and colour but Noeasybeads also takes beautiful pictures of her work.
Check out Noeasybead's blog for more fabulous designs and THE inspirational Las Vegas photo.
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Melissa's Eclectic Necklaces
She had previously favoured long rope necklaces doubled up. But at her first beading session, she decided that it was time to change to shorter "princess" length (~18") necklaces. She created these two necklaces with the option of wearing both of them together.
Melissa chose peridot green pearls to go with flat round beads and white seed beads for the upper necklace. The green baroque brick pearls and glass beads used for the other necklace shows her flair for mixing colours - blue, green, rust and white all going together. Note her asymmetric use of the rust-coloured bicones. Not many beaders try this uneven trick. It can make a design less ordinary and speaks volumes of the designer's eclectic taste.
Beader Design # : 204
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What to make? Google Trends for jewelry makers
Chris' Fossil Stone and Picture Jasper Necklace and Earrings
But Chris didn't have to tramp any beach to find her fossil stone pendant - she just dug into my gemstone boxes and there it was! Fossil stone is a type of limestone from the carboniferous period bearing the impressions of marine fossils abundant in what was then a warm sea. Each fossil stone is uniquely patterned - there isn't another like it.
Chris chose black beads as her contrast because she loves that colour but she added small picture jasper round beads to match the fossil stone. Her resulting design is a timeless beauty.
Beader Design #: 203
References
Wikipedia : Carboniferous limestone
Myrna's Bronzite Necklace and Earrings
Therefore it is to no surprise that Myrna also chose bronzite for this gemstone has the colours that so appeal to her. There are flecks of black in bronzite. She capitalised on this using shiny black cigar shaped glass beads. They added a shape contrast to the rectangular bronzite tiles. Small bronze and black seed beads were the spacers used in both her necklace and earrings.
Myrna took her time experimenting on her design. The final result is worthy of that effort!
Beader Design #: 202
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Artful Paper Jewelry by Papier Colle
The added pieces of paper create depth and body to the work, a 3-D look to what would otherwise be flat paintings. The art community would describe this as "bridging the gap between art and life".
So I was delighted when I came across hand painted paper jewelry, a miniature form of this technique. I was also not surprised to learn that Susan Jo, the American designer is a Fine Arts graduate, the daughter and granddaughter of jewelers.
Her tiny papier collé brooches, pendants and earrings are gorgeously colored and layered. Every single design is unique, never to be repeated. The jewelry has been doubly laminated against rain and will last.
She divided her gallery into three collections : fan, ribbon and curls and swirls. Her fan angel earrings are my favorite for they are a standout right down to their Swarovski crystal centers. Perfect for the upcoming holiday season. The ribbon pendants and brooches are also noteworthy because a portion of the sales from this collection goes to the American Cancer Society in honour of her late husband. For more designs, check out her website appropriately named Papier Colle : Hand made paper jewelry.
References
Tate, London: Perspective, Viewpoint and Cubism
For more tutorials check out my Jewelry Making Tips
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A medley of beadweaving creations
What also amazes me is the assured way these young beaders pick their pretty colour combinations - without any hesitation. Not everyone is into pink as you can see. Perhaps we can pick up a few tips on colour sets from these creations?
Shown here are the work of eight girls ages 9-13 which adorned six necks, two wrists and one ankle. The designers are as follows:
1.Kate 2.Zoe 3&4. Amanda 5.Bethany 6.Georgina 7.Grace 8.Taylor
Beadweaving Collection #1
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Cathy's Shell Pendant Necklace
A large mother of pearl shell pendant carved in the shape of a flower anchors her garden theme. Cathy chose a small, single burnished copper leaf to rest gently on top of her shell pendant - just a reminder that fall is indeed well on its way.
Beader Design # : 201
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Empress Eugenie's Diamond Obsession
Louis Napoleon was the Beast to this Beauty - a short bow-legged unattractive man afflicted with tobacco-stained teeth and a strange lop-sided gait. His mother was the daughter of Empress Josephine by her first marriage before she married Napoleon Bonarparte and his father, the nephew of said Napoleon. What he lacked in looks, he made up in ambition as he succeeded in getting the French, who already threw out Louis Phillippe in the 1848 revolution, to accept a second Bonaparte empire and him as Napoleon III.
Louis lusted after Eugenie and she lusted after fine clothes and jewelry so the marriage was mutually beneficial at least in the beginning. Once Empress, she could afford to launch her career as a compulsive bejewelled clotheshorse. Diamonds were undoubtedly this girl's best friend. The Eugenie diamond, a perfect oval 51 carat diamond that once graced Catherine of Russia's hairpin was named after her. She wore it as the centrepiece of a diamond necklace. Amongst the French Crown Jewels is her brooch with Mazarin yellow diamonds. So obsessed was she with diamonds, she even once had a copy made of the Hope diamond.
As a foreign bride, she was not popular with the French and tried to curry their favor by turning down a gift of a 600,000 franc diamond necklace from the City of Paris. It must have choked her to have to spend the money instead on building an orphanage. It didn't work, as the French still derisively called her "The Spaniard". In the end, they got tired of Napoleon III too and proclaimed France a new republic.
The French government auctioned off her official jewels in 1887, many of them bought up by Tiffany of New York including the celebrated 222-diamond Mazarin necklace and hence into the hands of wealthy Americans. Her private jewels were also sold off to keep her in some comfort in her old age. By then, her interest in clothes was long gone.
References
Wikipedia : Eugénie de Montijo
Marian Fowler (2002). Hope: Adventures of a Diamond
Marian Fowler (1996). The Way She Looks Tonight: Five Women of Style
JJ Kent (2004) History of the Eugenie Diamond
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Original Post by THE BEADING GEM
Jewelry Making Tips - Jewelry Business Tips
Jen's Gemstone Chip and Paua Necklace
Paua is prized because of its beautiful iridescent hues of purple, blue and black. So Jen's choice of amethyst, blue lace agate and snowflake obsidian gemstone chips was just right for this necklace. I liked how she picked what are bead caps and added it as the metallic contrasts resulting in a very different kind of design.
Jewelry Tales : Hugs and Kisses Copper Bracelet
Cynthia Daniel calls her jewelry design business CND Jewelry Tales. Her original chain maille jewelry are all handcrafted and every piece comes with its own short story hence the "tales"!
This charming and novel approach is to me, best illustrated with her "Hugs and Kisses" copper bracelet. The tale here is one of a mother anxiously awaiting the first letter home from a son in college. When it comes, the letter ends with very large crosses and noughts, made big because the son knew the mother would be crying. The handmade copper bracelet design does indeed represent hugs and kisses; the hugs with the large jump rings and kisses with the chain maille woven knots. Cynthia had been thinking about her friend's son who just went off to college when she made this piece.
Cynthia also participated in the September 27 Stop Abuse Campaign, a blogdom event when many bloggers simultaneously posted about abuse. Her contribution on spousal abuse was her "Heart's Ease" sterling silver chain maille necklace with sapphires and a heart-shaped lamp work bead by Gail Kops of Beadles.
I found it rather fun to see what inspired the short story for each of her designs. For more stories and designs, check out Cynthia's blog.
Picture with kind permission from Cynthia.
Ashley's Turquoise Jasper and Shell Necklace
She was drawn to turquoise jasper, a gemstone that has the bright hue of turquoise but is so much more interesting. Turquoise jasper is mottled with the prettiest greens and greys - the photograph here does not do the gemstone justice.
The large turquoise jasper disc served as her pendant but I was delighted to see how Ashley picked first the turquoise coloured square mother of pearl shell tile beads thus brightening up the rest of the necklace and bracelet. The pièce de résistance of her design were the lovely bi-coloured faceted crystal rondelles in green and blue which tied all the colour elements together. A very pretty result, don't you think?
Beader Design#: 199
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Natasha's Bronzite Necklace and Earrings
Take Natasha's design here. She used the bronzite tile in the vertical position as a pendant. One thing I often talk about in jewelry design is contrast and that is exactly what Natasha did choosing to team the bronzite with gold metal and seed beads. And yet, she still tied in the brown tones of the bronzite with brown glass beads scattered throughout her necklace and earrings.
The resulting design flattered Natasha's complexion and colouring. She quickly realised the benefits of creating one's own jewelry. Not only is it fun, but the pieces truly "fit" the person in every way.
Beader Design #: 198
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Genny's Spiral Bead Necklace with Peyote Cuff
Genny Smith currently living in sunny Florida started her bead addiction the usual way - trying out a new craft and got hooked immediately. Much as she loves to design jewelry, she enjoys teaching the craft too. She is presently developing classes for the over-55 in her community. I agree with Genny, that teaching is not only fun but we get to meet so many lovely people.
Genny has written a few free beading tutorials on her website, called New Bel Chain & Bead LLC. Tutorials such as hers are invaluable to the beginner who wish to learn on their own. I am sure we can expect more tutorials in the future from this generous teacher.
I have picked her purple spiral stitch tutorial because it is an attractive and popular beadweaving stitch suitable for beginners. Spiral stitch is actually very easy yet looks complicated to the uninitiated. The seed bead colour combination chosen by Genny here is strikingly pretty. There are thousands of other possibilities. The peyote cuff adds a lovely focal point to the necklace, like a lamp work bead would do. The peyote stitch is one of the classic beadweaving stitches that beadweavers use a great deal to create beautiful designs with humble little seed beads.
Picture with kind permission from Genny.
Burma's Blood Rubies
Burma has been ruled by the military since1962. The current junta brutally put down a pro-democracy uprising in 1988 and refused to recognise the election win of Nobel Peace Laureate, Aung San Suu Kyi's party in 1990. The economy is in shambles, the people are struggling. The junta has been particularly harsh against the non-Burmese hill tribes like the Padaung (Karen subgroup) who want greater autonomy, forcing them to flee into neighbouring Thailand.
What has this got to do with jewelry? Plenty, for 90% of the world's supply of rubies come from Burma. The famed Mogok valley yields fabulous rubies - deep red pigeon's blood rubies - prized for centuries. Other fine gemstones like sapphires and imperial jade also come from Burma. The state controls the mines and sells the gemstones to fund their regime. Like the better known blood diamonds, these gemstones destined to grace many a pretty ring, cost many lives along the way for the conditions at the mines are truly horrendous. Young miners are deliberately and forcibly hooked on heroin to make them work harder. Many die because they contract HIV from sharing needles. Debbie Stothard of Alternative Asean Network on Burma said " These rubies are red with the blood of young people".
The only way to stop a unjust regime that won't listen is to choke their income source. People around the world are pressing their governments to support or beef up sanctions. There are already moves to stop buying Burmese gemstones. Three Canadian companies, Ivanhoe Mines Ltd., Jet Gold and Leeward Capital have ceased dealing with the regime, more will likely follow. In the US, the Illinois jeweller, Brian Leber, leader of The Jewellers' Burma Relief Project stopped dealing in these gemstones years ago. He shows his customers other alternatives and sleeps better at night.
Note : Myanmar is a name imposed by the military regime whose hold on power is not by the people's will. The people prefer to be called Burmese and their country Burma. Activist organisations also do not use Myanmar.
Picture source : Wikipedia : Ruby
References
Canadian Press, October 6, 2007 : Canadians rally across Canada in support of Myanmar dissidents
US Reuters, October 4, 2007 : Move over, blood diamonds by Carmel Cimmin
The Times (South Africa), Oct 7, 2007 : Calling Burma Myanmar is insulting to the Burmese
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