Cliantha Necklace

In this necklace I wanted to incorporate beaded beads with a mandala and decided sections of silver chain and wire wrapping would be the perfect way to connect everything.  This was also an exercise with color and bead finishes to unite the piece. The AB finish on the blue drop beads helps to do this.  Margie Deeb's books are excellent references on how to use color in your designs.  She also offer's online classes at CraftEdu.

Salvaging Garish Beads

I have beads in my stash that I've acquired over the years that have garish finishes or colors.  I read an article (can't remember where...) about salvaging some of those gaudy beads.  It suggested using fingernail polish remover to change a color or finish and then giving them a good rinse under running water.  For this to work, the finish/color has to be non-permanent.  You can test the permanence just by dropping a few beads into the remover; the color or finish should begin to come off with in a few minutes.  I decided to try this with some peach bugle beads of which I wasn't too fond.  I soaked them in the remover for a couple of hours and they went from being a pastel peach to a beautiful pearly, satin white.  I'm very happy with the results and will try this on other beads that could use a color/finish boost!

Native Orchids

Some of our native orchids, not to mention pitcher plants, are blooming right now in south Mississippi. I love this time of year!

Rose Pogonia Orchid

Grass Pink Orchid

Purple and Yellow Trumpet Pitcher Plants

Some beaded flowers I did a couple of years ago of Grass Pink, Rose Pogonia, and Upland Spreading Pogonia Orchids.  I really need to write patterns for these! They are made with a combination of French and Victorian beaded flower techniques.

Pattern - Victorian Filigree Bracelet

I've been working on a bunch of patterns for various pieces of jewelery lately and I just finished the pattern for the Victorian Filigree Bracelet.  It is available for purchase in my etsy shop.  I hope to have more patterns finished very soon.

The patterns includes both illustrations and photographs along with a very detailed narrative. I am more than willing to give help to those who need it, if any problems arise when the piece is being made!  Just drop me a line through email.

Serpentine Bracelet: Golden Seashell

Another colorway of the Serpentine Bracelet: Golden Seashell

Bead Class!

Exciting news!  I get to teach a bead class!  I haven't taught one since Hurricane Katrina flooded the local shop where I used to teach in Gulfport, MS.  Gerry of ClayDesignsbyglee is the organizer of this class and I am very happy she has given me this opportunity.

Details:

Jeweled Honeycomb Bracelet Workshop
Date: June 12, Saturday
Location:
June Bugs Checkered Cupboard
120 W Canal St, #B
39466- 4508 Picayune, MS
(601) 798-2226
Time: 11-3pm
Cost: $30 plus supplies*

Another version of the Jeweled Honeycomb Bracelet: Vineyard:

 

I haven't managed a post in the last 2 weeks due to a hectic work schedule resulting from the Deepwater Horizan oil spill.  I've been doing tons of field work and have been completely worn out in the evenings.  As of today, we have small tar balls washing up on MS beaches and barrier islands.  We don't have an oil slick in the area, which, for the moment, is very lucky.

Victorian Filigree Bracelet - Blue Green

Victorian Filigree Bracelet - Blue Green: 11/o and 15/o seed beads, firepolished beads, sterling silver findings

Victorian Filigree Bracelet - Soft Pink

Victorian Filigree Bracelet - Soft Pink: 11/o and 15/o seed beads, firepolished beads, sterling silver findings

Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

My regular day job is as a fish ecologist at the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.  It is a really neat place to work and I enjoy my job very much.  The Deepwater Horizon oil spill could have terrible effects on the reserve and surrounding marshlands in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Over this last week, our staff has been working very diligently to gather as much data as we possibly could before we are impacted by the oil. Many agencies in Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida and Alabama have been doing the same thing.  Today we can smell oil fumes at our home in Ocean Springs. If you are interested in more information, NOAA keeps an updated website with forecasts and trajectories of the spill.

I want to share photos of our beautiful reserve prior to this environmental disaster.  Now we are just waiting to see how bad it will actually be.

Bayou Heron

Pt. Aux Chenes Bay, northern portion

South Rigolets

Salt marsh at sunset