The Transformation Completed

As I posted a few days ago, I decided to remake this necklace.  I had never been happy with it even though I always got compliments when I wore it. 

One of the things I liked least about the necklace was the string of beads that the triangles were suspended from, so I started with that.  The original necklace was cream colored size 11 Delicas, size 8 hex beads, and 4mm cubes strung in a pattern.  I liked the cream color with the summery colors of the triangles.  So, I decided to stitch a spiral rope, one of my favorite stitches, out of the same Delicas and the same  hex beads.  I eliminated the cubes.  I think it makes a more substantial looking necklace.  Then I auditioned several ways of attaching the triangles.  This is the result.

I decided to make chains of triangles.  I used the hex beads to attach the triangles together and then used a hex bead to attach the string to the spiral rope. 

Here you can see the rope and the attachment of the triangles.  I had spent several weeks last year making the triangles after seeing an article in Beadwork magazine's December 2008/January 2009 issue about Phyllis Dintenfass and her geometric beadwork.  The project offered to go along with the article featured these triangles.  I love geometric beadwork so I pulled out some beads and started making triangles.  One triangle led to another triangle!  Each one is a different color on each side.  So, this necklace is actually reversible, which is very cool,  I think! 

I'm happy with the reworked necklace.  I think I'll enjoy wearing it more than I did before.  In fact, I think I'll wear it today, just for fun!

Thanks for visiting today.  I hope you have a wonderful and creative day.

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Playing with the blog!

I've been playing with the appearance of my blog.  I'm not the most tech savvy person, actually that's an understatement!  I'm not really tech savvy at all.  But, blogger presented these new backgrounds and I liked this one.  It's orange, after all, and it has flourishes, which I love!  And, I think it looks appropriate for a Gypsy's blog!  So, we'll see.  I'll live with it for a few days and see if I really like it.  Feed back is welcome!

Transformation

I'm in the process of taking this necklace and remaking it.  I love the peyote stitched triangles, but I've never been happy with the necklace.  I put it together quickly in order to wear it to an event, but I was never happy with it.  So, it's being transformed!  Stay tuned...

Where have I been?

I've not been around the blog or the studio much the last few weeks.  Part of the reason is petty things that life throws at you.  But, most of the reason is this...

the roses...

and these...

the fushias and mopheads...

the lollipop lilies...

and the clematis...

And so much more.   It's garden time for me, and this year Mother Nature has blessed us with an abundance of beauty.  Certainly, she's making up for 70 inches of snow! 

But, I've not abandon the studio entirely.  I'm playing with kumihimo, with beads (of course).  The results should be ready for showtime soon!  But, in the meantime, it's back to the garden!

Make sure you take time to stop and smell the roses!  Thanks for visiting.

Flamenco!

I've been trying to clear off my worktable so that I can have some room for new projects.  I have a hard time working with a lot of clutter around and that's what had happened to my table.  A lot of projects started and in little bowls, or on bead trays in various states of completion.  Well, I've made some progress, and this is the newest necklace to be finished.

I bought the art glass doughnut at a bead show last year.  I'm sorry that I don't remember the name of the artist who made it so that I could give her credit.  But, I loved the colors and knew I had to do something with it.   It sat on my worktable for months before I decided to combine it with a Cellini spiral.  I love the Cellini spiral, which is a bead weaving variation of tubular peyote. 

In a magazine I had seen a version of Cellini spiral which reversed itself.  You can see how cool it looks in the middle of the spiral where it reverses direction.  When the spiral was finished I had to decide how I was going to use it with the art glass doughnut.  I had been thinking of different ways of attaching the art glass to the spiral, using the spiral as a bail.  But, I didn't like anything I came up with.  After much fiddling I remembered that my daughter had made me a lenght of Viking knit from lime green wire.  I had the lime green silk ribbon and it had emerged as the best way to attach the glass doughtnut to the necklace.  I didn't want to hide any of the Cellini spiral by looping the silk over it, so I strung the spiral on the Viking knit and tied the silk to the wire.  

   

Here you can see the Viking knit wire with the silk tied in a loose knot around it.  I finished the necklace with two silver cones and a toggle clasp.  My husband and daughter think the art class looks like  girls twirling in their flamenco skirts, hence the name!  I'm really pleased with the way this necklace turned out.  I took a while to decide what to do, but I'm pleased with the result.  And, I'm pleased that I found a perfect project to use the gift my dear daughter made for me quite a while ago.

Thanks for stopping by to visit.  I hope you have a lovely day and get to create something wonderful!

The Muse Revealed!

If you love beautiful beadwork then head on over to Scarlett Lanson's site thebeadersmuse.com to see what the muse was and what it inspired!  The work is wonderful.  The judges had a very difficult time, I'm sure. And Scarlett is amazing to pull together a contest that has become international.

No, my entry didn't win a prize, but I had fun working on it and I now have a great freeform necklace that I just love!

This is the necklace and here is a close up of the Muse as I used it.

Thanks for stopping by.  Have a great day!

Clematis for Mothers' Day

The clematis in my garden are beautiful this Mothers' Day and I wanted to share them with you as a way to say "Have a happy, wonderful, restful day"!

A new, to me,  Ralph Evison clematis that reminds me of a passion flower.

 

White for peace.  Have a peaceful day.