Shell square and green pearls

I was intrigued with this square made of shell and noodled over it for a few months until I had a special occasion and decided to make a bracelet with it. The flat green coin beads matched the blouse I was going to wear. I had no trouble putting the colors together - but how to actually construct the bracelet while keeping the center open? And I worried about the bracelet being too big - for it would certainly want to turn on my wrist because the shell square was so large and rather heavy. But it turned out just right, with a bit of fiddling with the length of the side "straps".
Completed 6-5-09 >>MPK

Mexican Lace & Shell

The brilliant cabochon of Mexican Lace Agate, cut by MacNeal held color challenge for me. The light shell beads and drops went well - but what to use for a clasp? I found the solution in this antiqued copper toggle that brings out the dark copper #11s that surround the cabochon. I added chips of Leopardskin jasper to make the necklace more interesting. Completed 12-05 >>MPK

Tuxedo Bracelet

An early experiment with pattern, this bracelet created its pattern as I stitched it in Peyote. The beads are Czech #8s The fabric-covered button with its tassel originally came from a blouse. I liked it much better on the bracelet! Completed 5-04 >>MPK

Raku cube bracelet

In the years that I have been beading I have not seen many #11 Czech CUBE beads on hanks. I saw these at a show. Again I bought all of the hanks she had - 3. I fell in love with the matte bronze/blue/purple color. I wanted something simple for these beads so as to show off their smoothness. So I went for an unadorned peyote stitch strip, but it seemed so narrow and not at all like the wide cuff bracelets I frequently wear. So I added a single row of fringes to each edge. Then I paired it with a Celtic knot glass button from Awesome Beads & Buttons. Using black Silamide for the construction, the bracelet feels like silk on the skin and has a wonderful drape. One of my favorites. Completed 12-06 >>MPK

Spring green leaves

Autumn leaf beads are very common in jewelry designs. However, to find leaf beads that call to mind the fresh green spring sprouts that brighten our yards and gardens is rare. I bought the matte green Czech #11s first while wandering through a show. The Czech pressed matte green beads came from Awesome Beads & Buttons. I bought all he had. However, marrying the two in a design was not easy. I first wanted to make a necklace, with the beads on the ends of fringes. But that didn't lay correctly. I needed something grass-like to put them in. I decided to try this big chunky design of plain peyote base with the embellishment of the leaf beads and just a few little grassy fringes... But it got away from me a bit. There are nearly two hanks of the matte green beads on this bracelet. Since it was the first of the heftier embellished Peyote stitch bracelets I made, I learned a lot. Each stalk is individually knotted to the base. This bracelet took over 25 hours to make. (I thought I'd go crazy with it.) Unfortunately, I can't get those apple green matte Czech #11s. So, there will never be another one quite like this. Completed 10-05 >>MPK

Hot, Red, and Hefty

The Czech pressed red/gray flame-like beads were the inspiration for this peyote stitch bracelet. I placed them with matte red Japanese beads, and stitched with red Silamide thread. This is another of a series of embellished peyote-stitch bracelets. In my experience, bracelets like these with embellishments are time-consuming to construct, but the results are so worthwhile! This is a thick and substantial bracelet, and a joy to wear. Completed 3-07. >>MPK

A Multi Mix bracelet

This combination of matte Czech beads from Shipwreck presented both opportunity and challenge. Rainbow - goes with everything and nothing at the same time.
To the stock hank of mixed colors I added matte black; it seemed to make the other colors pop a bit. I also used black Silamide thread. The bracelet is clasped with "raspberry" beaded beads. Completed 5-07 >>MPK