Filigree Garden



The time is going by so quickly this summer.  I've been away from the blog for a long time and I realized I need to post  pictures of the things I've been working on during our intense heat wave.  I thought I'd start with one of my newer designs, the Filigree Garden! 

Filigree is available in so many different components now and I love it.  I like to layer it and use beads with it.  I know that's not surprising to anyone who knows me, but I thought I'd mention it anyway!  I've discovered that a lot of people think that the only thing you can do to embellish filigree it to glue rivolis to it.  But, actually, there are a lot of different things you can do.  With very some finer gauge wire and odds and ends of beads you can create something like this.  I just sorted through my stash of flower beads and crystals, threw in a few drop beads and started working.  I used fine gauge wire to wire the beads to the pieces of filigree and then used jump rings to attach it all together.  I thought it needed some leaves to finish it off, so I made some dangles with some leaf beads.  The butterfly was to add some interest and break up all the sameness.  I just used a few seed beads wrapped around his body. 

This was a quick and easy project that is fun to wear, goes with everything and is like wearing a garden on your wrist!  I've beaded filigree before and I've got an idea for fall that I'm anxious to work on.  Can't believe I'm thinking fall already!!!

Here are few close ups. 

The butterfly in a rather dark picture, along with one of the leaf dangles.

I attached each flower center with different beads or crystals, and using different attachment techniques.

I hope your summer is going well.  After intense heat and powerful storms, we seem to be in a lull right now.  Hopefully, it'll continue!  Have a wonderful day and thanks for stopping by the blog.

Another closure idea

I've always been a detail person and so I've always looked for interesting ways to finish a project.  When I did a lot of needlepoint I would always look for interesting styles of framing for a hanging or a new way of making a pillow.  Same with my vests and jackets, whether they were fabric or knitted.  I love interesting closures and sleeve/cuff treatments.  Well, now that beads and jewelry making consumes most of my time I'm always thinking of new ideas for closures.  I love to have the closure in the front or on the side of a necklace. This is one idea that I really like.

This is a beaded wire knitted necklace I made a few months ago. The chips are three different strands I found at Michael's and mixed together to make a bead soup.  I used copper wire to knit the necklace and chose filigree rosettes I had gotten from Kabela Designs.  I wired a few of the chips to the center of each rosette and then attached them to the ends of the necklace.  I used jump rings to attach a lobster claw clasp to the rosettes.  I wear the necklace with the closure in the front. 

I start thinking about how I'm going to finish a necklace or bracelet when I begin the project.  Sometimes an idea comes quickly at the start and sometimes I finish the piece and still have no idea what to do.  That's when I go looking through the stash to see if anything presents itself as a good idea.  It's all part of the fun and the challenge of creating.  It really doesn't matter what medium you work in, the challenge of making something unique to you is always the same thrilling adventure. 

Here's the entire necklace, in a not so great picture!

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you have a wonderful weekend.