"Enduring"

ENDURING  is my latest bead embroidered piece.  A dear friend gifted me with a long, beaded, lariat-style necklace, and I wanted to create a pendant for it. Although I had several colors and tones of "gold" beads, none exactly matched the ones in the necklace (of course!). So I used as many "gold" colored glass beads as I could in order to trick the eye into seeing these two parts as compatible.

The above photo shows the pendant part up close.  The colors are a little truer to life in this photo - even though I took both photos at the same time from the same place.  

The central stone is a Jasper cabochon with mottled colorations.  The other seven stones that are bezeled on the pendant are also Jasper, in complementary colors.  In addition to the glass Japanese Toho seed beads in various sizes, I have added topaz-color cut Swarovski crystals.

The two beads that hang from the bottom of the pendant are especially unique, and very pretty on both sides.  I didn't want to cover up one of the sides, and they seemed to show best with a little light coming through them, so I attached them as drops.

Click on any photo to enlarge image

The back is finished with UltraSuede in a gold color, with additional peyote stitching around the entire edge to hide any thread stitches.

The bale is a graduated "ombre" design in peyote stitch, wide enough to accept two strands of the beaded lariat necklace.

This bead embroidered pendant was sewn onto Nicole Campanella's beading foundation called NBB in the Hawk Wing color.  If you follow my blog, you know that I won't use anything else but Nicole's product - it's the BEST there is!  You can learn more about it at:  www.beadwright.com

"The Golden Hour"

A few years ago I attended an outdoor wedding that became my most favorite wedding of all time.  The setting with a few shade trees was decked out all in white, ecru, cream, and every shade of off-white that you can imagine.  Bleached linen tablecloths draped over tables, mosquito netting ruffled in the breeze, white chairs were lined up 'just so.'

White iron props were collected and carefully placed: antique urns, bird cages, elaborate candlesticks, lanterns, and gates. The resulting image was perfect peace, serenity, and beauty.

The ceremony was timed to occur during "The Golden Hour."  The sun was setting just behind the bride and groom as they said their vows, and the entire scene was bathed in the most gorgeous golden color!  Everyone looked stunning in this golden glow.  The time was just after 7 p.m.  I noted it on my watch, and remembered it as "The Golden Hour."

Recently I came across an old watch that I kept despite the fact that it was broken - I just couldn't bear to toss it out, and my jeweler assured me that there was no way to fix it.  It's a "skeleton" watch, meaning you can see through it to all the inner gears and mechanisms.  I set it to just after "The Golden Hour" and bead embellished it with golden beads.

The gold beads are in size 6, 8, and 11.  For contrast, I added some chocolate brown cut crystal rondelles and seed beads, then a final round of chocolate brown twisted bugle beads with three gold seed beads as a picot finish on each end.  

The foundation, which can't be seen as it is entirely covered up, is Nicole Campanella's NBB in the Hawk Wing color - which always works well with gold beads.

www.Beadwright.com

Above photo shows the back of the beaded watch.  Peyote stitches circle around with added dark gold beads for interest and contrast.  The bail is made of bugle beads + seed beads in the ladder stitch.  You can see the gears in this photo.  The necklace is a simple string of chocolate brown glass pearls.

"Queen's Ransom"

"Queen's Ransom"

Bead Embroidered Pendant and Necklace

click on photo to enlarge

Lately I've seen some really spectacular pieces called DRUZY or druse.  

In geological usage, druse or druzy is a coating of fine crystals on a rock fracture surface, or within a geode.

Most of the ones I've seen are set with a silver-toned bezel ~ and when I saw this one in my favorite turquoise-green shade set in a gold-color bezel ... I wasted no time in acquiring it.  I just knew it would make a very special focal point in a bead embroidered pendant.

Detail below:

To set apart the druzy, I have surrounded it with gold faceted rondelles in a dark gold color.  

The row next to it is made up of turquoise colored glass faceted rondelles with a slight dappling of brownish-gold ~ almost unseen, but adding to the overall look that I wanted to achieve.

This Druzy bezel had two gold "attachments" on either side - probably to make it into a necklace or bracelet very easily.  

I covered and hid both attachments with an additional turquoise rondelle with three size 11 gold seed beads on top.

The bead embroidery is done on Leaf Green NBB by Nicole Campanella.  As always, her beading foundation made the project a total joy.  For more information on this fabulous foundation, please check out:

www.Beadwright.com

Several rows of size 11 seed beads encircled the bezel, and the final picot edge features tiny size 15 light turquoise glass beads that are transparent with a gold interior finish.  

The bale is made from a number of gold size 11 seed beads in the "square stitch" pattern, and also has picot edges with the size 15 transparent glass beads in the light turquoise color with gold inside. 

Jazzing up the necklace, I've made three pairs of peyote-stitched toggle bars with an assortment of the beads already featured in the pendant.  These are interspersed with gold spacer beads, finished off with a decorative gold floral cap, and finally adding a gold toggle and ring closure.

While many think of turquoise as best paired with silver, I think the combination of 

Turquoise and Gold is fit for a Queen's Ransom.

"Stepping Stones" ~ Necklace Featuring Red Creek Jasper

The gemstone Jasper is playing a starring role again in my beaded creations.  This particular Jasper stone is called Red Creek Jasper, and the colorations of the stones range from a light creamy yellow, to a soft orange, on to a deep red, a gray-green, an olive green, and finally a brown.  Often the stones have most of these colors embedded in them in swirly patterns. 

click on photo for larger image

This necklace incorporates large Red Creek Jasper free-form beads (the long, narrow shapes), as well as a triangular piece in the middle, and several oval-shaped beads besides the round 4 mm, 6 mm, and 8 mm beads.  I've added Yellow Jasper in places to play off the yellow coloration.  In addition, there are a few Agates, and lots of Japanese Toho glass seed beads in olive green, dark taupe, and a creamy yellow - these are in sizes 6, 8, 11, and 15. 

The entire piece was hand sewn and embroidered bead by bead on Nicole Campanella's NBB foundation in the color Hawk Wing.  The backing is a soft tan-colored UltraSuede.  Around the edges of the piece I have added very delicate picot edging with tiny size 15 beads. 

The toggle bar and loop closure is made with seed beads, and I got a little ambitious and made a beaded bead as well.  I'm still working on improving that technique . . .

Here is a closer look at the various colorations in Red Creek Jasper beads. 

"Buried Treasure"

"Buried Treasure"

click on photos for larger image

For many years I've held a fascination for ammonites.  These fossilized shells with a spiral core are individually unique in size, shape, and overall appearance.  I chose 12 from my growing collection with the intention of making a bracelet, but clearly there were too many for wrapping around my wrist - and I was determined to use this particular group.  A necklace became the next best idea.

Photos are by my dear friend Sharlet Sizemore, 

of "Beads and More" in Kerrville, Texas. 

Many thanks to her for taking an accurate color photo.

A closer look below ...

Each of the individual ammonites were first bezeled on Midnight Black foundation (Nicole's BeadBacking) and completely finished (without the UltraSuede backing).  Once I had all 12 ammonites bezeled, I then sewed them onto Rich Brown  foundation (Nicole's BeadBacking).  After they were all positioned and held firmly on the foundation with stitches, I then beaded around the ammonites with various beads and gemstones.

Included in the mix were jasper and agate gemstone beads in sizes 10, 8, and 6 mm., some of which were faceted.  Also glass pearls, Swarovski cut crystals, Miyuki Picasso magatamas (delicate drop beads) and a variety of Japanese seed beads in several sizes including 6, 8, 11, and 15.

This was easily the most involved piece of bead embroidery I've ever attempted, but it was also the most enjoyable.  The bead embroidered section (minus the necklace) measures about 9" high by 7" wide.  The backing is a dark brown UltraSuede, and the necklace part is made with brown glass pearls separated by glass seed beads.  

For more information and to order the fabulous bead backing foundation (NBB) by Nicole Campanella, please visit her Web site:

http://www.beadwright.com/

Because her NBB so outshines the competition in the arena of foundation material, I was able to easily manipulate around these very high bezeled ammonites to work the intricate beading between them.  NBB will bend easily, and then magically return to the same perfect stiffness required throughout the entire beading project.  If you are a bead embroiderer and haven't tried it, please treat yourself to the best!

Now to continue my search for beautiful ammonites to make that bracelet . . . 

Photo above shows brown glass pearls necklace and gold findings.

click on photos for larger image

"Beyond The Blue" ~ Two Bead Embroidered Pendants

Here are my latest bead embroidered projects ~

Two blue pendants:

As with all of my bead embroidered jewelry, all of the beads are hand-sewn one at a time (if the beads are very tiny size 15, then two at a time), then they are sewn back through again for stability and security.  Not only does this help the beads to line up well, but it keeps them safely secured to the foundation.  

After the question I get almost every time: "How long did it take you to make this?" 
the question I hear lately is:
"Are the beads glued on?"  
No, the beads are all sewn on by hand, with a needle and thread, and no, they are not placed on the foundation already strung.  The art of bead embroidery will appeal to those who (1) love beads, and (2) enjoy sewing.  If that's you, I encourage you to try bead embroidery!   And if jewelry is not your thing, there are examples on the Internet (try: www.Pinterest.com) of bead embroidery done on quilts, purses, clothes, and other household goods.  You are limited only by your imagination.

The round 8 mm. lapis lazuli beads team up with blue glass pearls and 3 mm. sodalite beads, as well as cut glass crystals in sapphire blue, multi-faceted light blue beads (which appear cream-colored in this photo, but are a very light blue color), and various glass seed beads in shades of blue.

 Below is a closer view of the pendant itself.  Click for a larger image.

The toggle closure is made entirely of seed beads for continuity, and to keep the pendant and necklace from being limited to either silver or gold metal findings.

The top cabochon is an agate with blues and creams in a gently swirling pattern, and the bottom cabochon is a deep blue color (although the light is reflecting off of it in this photo).

This bead embroidery was sewn onto Nicole's BeadBacking (NBB) in the Royal Blue color, which was a perfect backdrop for the two focal cabochons.

For more information about this outstanding backing by Nicole Campanella, please visit: 

http://www.beadwright.com

The back of the pendant (not shown) is finished off in a dark blue UltraSuede.

I'm enjoying the process of making these bead embroidered pendants.  They work up quickly, and while the bead selection must be limited, they make nice little gifts.  The one pictured below features a Blue Crazy Lace Agate which is oval, and a smaller round glass stone above it.  These two stones are surrounded by two cut crystals on the side, Japanese glass seed beads bezeling the stones, and in the edging, and crystal bicones.  The back is finished off in a soft blue UltraSuede.

"Emerald Green Beauty"

"Emerald Green Beauty" is a bead embroidered pendant with attached necklace created with an emerald green oval glass cabochon and a rectangular black glass cabochon situated above it.  Surrounding the two main cabochons are black and green glass beads in various sizes and shapes, including two black faceted crystals on each side.  

Emerald Green just happens to be the Pantone Color of the Year for 2013.

Is green one of your favorite colors?  It's certainly eye-catching.

Black is the perfect foil to set off this rich color.  I've included a few green beads that have a bit of a chartreuse (warm) color to them, as well as some green beads that lean to a blue (cool) shade to give the central cabochon some added interest.  Although both are in the green family ... the slight variation adds an element of depth to the pendant.  Hanging from the bottom of the pendant is a black faceted glass drop with a very long and narrow shape.  The bail is made from seed beads, as is the toggle closure at the end of the black crystal necklace.  When I can, I prefer to make the toggle and loop closure with beads instead of a silver or gold metal closure.  That way, whomever wears the piece is not limited by my color choice.   

As it happens, black is a very hard color to photograph well - at least it is for me.  

Although it cannot be seen in this photo, this bead embroidered pendant was sewn on 

Nicole's BeadBacking in the Leaf Green color - a perfect match, and since the green glass cabochon was translucent, the Leaf Green NBB was an excellent choice that maintained the rich green color.  Each time I work on Nicole's BeadBacking in her various lovely colors, I send up a grateful thanks that I don't have to dye my foundation after I've sewn on all the beads.  Thank you, Nicole!  If you want further information about her great beading foundation, please see the link at the end of this post.

The back of the pendant is finished off with green UltraSuede, sewn to the front of the pendant with black glass seed beads in a picot edging.

Click on photo for larger image.

http://www.beadwright.com/

"Singing The Blues" ~ Blue Agate Bead Embroidered Pendant and Necklace

"Singing The Blues"

Blue Agate Bead Embroidered Pendant and Necklace

The pendant began with a blue agate cabochon around which I have added bead embroidery using size 11 Capri blue glass seed beads, size 11 silver seed beads, and size 15 Capri blue glass seed beads.  One blue agate round bead is diagonally attached to the rectangular pendant along with seed beads on each side.  The bail is made with the Capri blue seed beads and the silver seed beads, and was purposefully made large enough to slip off the necklace for when the wearer wishes to enjoy only the necklace and not the pendant.  A Capri blue seed bead rests between each bead on the necklace for graceful movement, and the finding is a silver toggle that complements the silver beads.  The back of the pendant is covered with a soft, light tan UltraSuede fabric.

"Shoreline Surprises" ~ Mixed Gemstone Free-form Beaded Embroidered Pendant Necklace.

"Shoreline Surprises"

*Click photo once or twice for larger image.

Mixed Gemstone Free-form Beaded Embroidered Pendant Necklace.

That's a long name for this project, but it goes a long way in explaining what it is exactly.

It is made up of an assortment of  glass beads, and the stones are turquoise, jasper, agate, sea shells, pearls, crystals, and two Ammonites.  (Click on the photo for a closer view.)

As in most of my bead embroidery projects, the beads are sewn on one at a time, or at the most, two at a time.  Then they are sewn through again (and sometimes more than twice) for added strength and to align the beads properly. 

There is one addition in this pendant that I'll call a " fiery crystal," although I don't know the exact name for it and I can't find them on-line.  (A very sweet friend sold me this one.)  It's very strongly AB-coated (Aurora Borealis) and prismatic with a flashing fiery look.  In the pendant, it is seen in the lower right corner and looks a bit yellow.  I'd be interested in finding more of these if anyone knows a source.  It's almost impossible to get a good photo of it, as it reflects light so strongly, but above I've posted two views. 

This project was very enjoyable and I learned a lot from it.  This is why I love beaded embroidery - it is challenging and meditative all at the same time.