"Dress Rehearsal"

"Dress Rehearsal"

Bead Embroidered Bracelet 

I've named this bracelet "Dress Rehearsal" in honor of my maternal grandmother whose love of sewing was passed down to me.  She lovingly made many costumes for my mother over the years.  I imagined her working on a similar project for a special costume in time for a dress rehearsal for a play, pageant, or parade.

For a number of months now I've been noticing on www.Pinterest.com these really striking bead embroidered bracelets that feature a swirling, pleated fabric.  It took me a number of clicks and following a few links, but finally I discovered that this "fabric" is called SHIBORI SILK RIBBON. 

Next, I just HAD to get some and try my hand at beading with it.  OH, is it wonderful stuff!

I firmly believe in keeping my business local and supporting my local bead shop.  But every once in a while, I need something different that isn't carried by my hometown bead shop.  Thank goodness for www.Etsy.com ~ this is where I find out-of-the-ordinary unique beads and beading supplies, and it makes me very happy to give my business to Etsy sellers.

If you are interested in incorporating Shibori Silk Ribbon into your beading designs, I encourage you to give it a whirl.  The silk ribbon is dyed the most delightful colors and arrives pleated.  It's up to you if you want to retain the pleats, or spread them out.   Yes, it takes a bit of patience.   The silk ribbon, I found, has a mind of its own ... it seemed easier to work "with" it than "against" it.

The silk ribbon is first gently tacked down onto Nicole Campanella's beading foundation (NBB), with thread in a color close to the ribbon color. I took tiny little (almost invisible) stitches every 1/2" to 1".  This kept the ribbon from moving around too much, and set the stage for the beading process to follow.

click on any photos for larger image

My bracelet includes a number of "Peacock Iris" iridescent beads, and most have an AB (Aurora Borealis) finish.  The bezeled cabochons are Jasper and glass.  The pearls are freshwater (dyed) and glass.  The crystals are faceted.  The round beads are Jasper, and the seed beads are Japanese Toho glass.  The gold clasp is made in Germany and embellished with iris Hematite cube beads.  Around the outer edge of the bracelet, I have sewn AB drop beads in various shades of turquoise, green, purple, and gold ~ interspersed with a picot edging.

On the underside of the bracelet, a turquoise UltraSuede lends softness against the skin.  This was such a delightful project that I could hardly wait to start another Shibori Silk Ribbon bracelet. Next up: in time for Autumn, the glorious colors of a fall sunset... 

I am always happy to share my sources:

Beads:

BEADS & MORE

215 Water St, Kerrville, TX 78028

(830) 896-9107  Ask for Lizz.

~~~

Beading foundation:

NBB by Nicole Campanella

www.Beadwright.com

~~~

Shibori Silk Ribbon:

ArtisticWeavers on www.Etsy.com

Deborah Weaver ~ Email:  DeborahWeaver56@gmail.com

"The Golden Bee"

~ Bead Embroidered Pendant with Necklace ~

"The Golden Bee" was created to showcase a beautiful rectangular pendant gemstone of pink dyed Jasper and an assortment of similar Jasper organic-shaped stones drilled for stringing into a necklace.

The Jasper stone was attached to a white foundation by Nicole Campanella called NBB.  This was before I knew she carried a hot pink NBB in the Tropical Berry color that might have been just perfect.  But with the white foundation, I merely used some liquid fabric dye to get the white NBB the color pink that I wanted.  Now I have the Tropical Berry color in my stash, ready for the next hot pink project.

Above is a closer view of the pendant.  I've included smaller pink-dyed Jasper stones in two different variations, plus a pink-dyed pearl, marbled glass beads, a hot pink cut crystal, bugle beads, Japanese  glass seed beads in a chocolate brown, gold, hot pink, pearl, topaz, and luster. 

The triangular gold piece in the 4 o'clock position is a gold button from my grandmother's collection - it truly resembles a gold nugget. Buttons from the `30's and `40's were so well made and very unique. 

Dangling at the bottom of the pendant I have added hot pink crystal bicones, bubblegum pink cracked glass round beads, and cut crystal AB drops in hot pink.  The little gold bee charm, after which the necklace is named, hangs from the bottom as well - it is anatomically correct on both the front and back.

The necklace part consists of strung pink-dyed and drilled Jasper stones with one glass seed bead in hot pink between each stone so they will drape well.  A gold chain with an AB pink crystal finishes off the necklace so that it can be worn at various lengths.

I seem to be drawn to Jasper ~ the different colors and looks always intrigue me. 

click on any photo to enlarge image





"A Moment In Time"

Pompeii, the Roman town buried under the fiery ashes from a volcano eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD is a story that will forever shock and fascinate us.  The terrified residents ran for their lives, but couldn't out-race the sudden and fatal combination of heat, smoke, ash, and burning debris raining down on them.  A few grabbed their most precious jewelry at the last moment.  It would be years later before some of these ancient pieces were unearthed and miraculously preserved.  The amazing fact is that due to certain atmospheric conditions occuring that day, much of Pompeii was captured for us to later recreate and see for ourselves . .   "A Moment In Time."

In my books on Pompeii, the colors from the ruins are my personal favorites : gold, amber, turquoise, red-orange, and copper.  These colors decorated the walls and homes of many citizens of Pompeii, mostly in painted frescoes or in colorful tiles.

Above: Photo from Pompeii wall that survived the volcano's eruption.

Click on any photo for a larger view

"A Moment In Time" is an off-loom beaded bracelet that I made using copper-colored glass Luster cube beads for the majority of the bracelet. These are sewn together using only thread - it is the peyote or gourd stitch that holds them together.  These beads have a very slight pink-orange tone to them and are highly reflective.  Working with them under any source of light was a bit of a challenge - as they almost blinded me, they were so shiny.  It was my first time to work with cube beads, as I generally use round beads. The cube beads lock together in a very satisfying way. 

The central focal part of the bracelet consists of a rectangular Red Creek Jasper pendant, a turquoise Magnesite oval cabochon, and a red-orange Carnelian faceted cabochon.  These three stones were embroidered by hand onto Nicole's BeadBacking in the Hawk Wing color.  After sewing down these cabs and bezeling them with cut-crystal bicones and tiny seed beads, I added amber-colored matte size 15 Delica seed beads around each stone to highlight them.

Although it's difficult to see clearly, I've attached a tiny copper bumble bee that was a gift from my daughter-in-law in the lower right corner of the Jasper gemstone - it is attached with a loop of seed beads so that it can move, as it is anatomically correct both on the front and back of the bee.

The very edge of the bracelet is finished off in a picot edge that features turquoise Hematite cube beads given to me by my dear friend, Linda.  The central picot beads are a Luster magatama or tear- drop bead.  Underneath the middle part of the bracelet, I have sewn a soft, burnt sienna-colored square of UltraSuede.

Although you cannot see it in the photo, the Luster beads that make up the majority of the bracelet are very flexible and drape almost the way fabric does - the movement of this bracelet is fluid as it encircles the wrist.  The closure is comprised of three decorated beaded toggles with three loops on the opposite side which blend in with the rest of the bracelet.