Fall Colors for Caramel's Claws Necklace in Cinnamon

I was asked for kits in both the Sage and Cinnamon colorways, and have been out of them for ages.  It's really hard to find viable focals, but I have a set of each colorway now, and I am happy with the choices I have gathered together.  Here's a quick rundown in a larger scale than I can show you on Etsy.  These will go live in my ETsy shop tomorrow, Sunday, March 12th,  at noon CST.

Some deep jade greens, with cinnamon swirled throughout.  Deep and mysterious.

The most old-school Red Creek Jasper in the group.  Spectacular, and the last of its kind that I can find.

Also quite a classic collection of Red Creek markings and colors.  

Predominately cinnamon, with golds, greens, and deep, dark veining.

Nut brown with jagged deep green veining, and just a few hints of gold.

Various shades of brown and copper with a quartzy lightning strike.

The simplest of the group, in deep rich chocolate.  

This focal would feature the pretty curves and details in the bezel.

Some interesting dark inclusions in this focal bead, with creamy highlights.

The dark tones in this focal are almost purple, maybe best described as midnight.  

It has a petrified wood quality.  Unique and unusual.

For this week, I will leave these kits priced as they are at $52.  A kind of sale, because as I calculate my kit cost each time, it seems to go up, just like the cost of housing and groceries.  Then, on the 18th, they will go up to $55, so if you are interested, grab your favorite by St. Patrick's Day, to take advantage of the old pricing.  Caramel's ancestors demand to be fed, and the cost of peanuts has gone up...

How TOTALLY 2020!

 This won't be easy to explain.  It should have been simple.

Someone fell in love with the Vintage Jasper Necklace which she found on Pinterest.  She asked if I would still sell the tutorial, and I said sure, so I turned on the listing.  Then I thought, "Gee, I still have some of the materials for those kits.  What if I just buy some new cabochons?"  The buyer was enthusiastic, so I contacted Intrinsic Trading, (via telephone, I usually see them in person at the G&LW Show, but we all know how things like that were eliminated to keep us all safe) and bought 16 new rectangle cabochons and enough of the barrel pairs to allow me to make up some nice sets.  

The sales person mentioned that the rectangles were not all exactly the same size.  She showed me a photo.  I had designed the bezel to be largish, in order to make for easy fitting and finishing, so I thought and extra mm here or there would not be a big deal.  

An extra 4 mm however, is quite a big deal.  And 4mm in width, plus another two in length is an even bigger deal.  

There were two Millenial pinkish cabs.  Usually I choose the least worthy cabs to make my samples, leaving the best of everything for buyers.  But this time, (it being 2020 and all) I took one of these yummy pink ones.  I started with the basic bezel base to try to estimate what I needed to do.  Then I made my first try at an enlarged version.  I could tell it was too small by Row 8. So I made a third effort, all the way to the end, with a very thready corner which I found deeply unsettling.

 I thought the third one was good until the last couple bezel rows, and illustrated as I went along.  But I was wrong. 

So, time for a fourth effort.  Which was nice, and fit beautifully!

I created cab sets and allotted a few of each to the four colorways I had designed, and then faced the big dilemma.  There is simply NO WAY to show you the size and scale of what the kit will make, without making a sample in each color, and I already have 5 of these necklaces, and only 15 possible kits to sell.  Hence this long blog post.  I will try to write a more succinct version of this 2020 epic tale to put in each listing, but bottom line, I chose to show the cab and the color over making 4 more samples.

SO...  in a separate blog post to follow, I will show you the cab sets available, which I will post at noon, Saturday the 5th of December, CST, in my Etsy shop.  The new tutorial for the larger bezel will be a freebee if you already own the tutorial, and included with the purchase of the tutorial if you are buying now.  

PLUS there is a final page which explains how you can weave 6 possible rectangle bezels in a range of sizes from the tutorial.  It does NOT diagram them past the third row.  But it is possible, after setting up the framework at the right size, to use the tut to finish the bezel by just paying attention to what happens at the corners. 

Here's the chart of possible bezels.    

"You can increase or decrease the width or length of this bezel by the simple addition or subtraction of 4 beads, 2 on two opposite sides.  I think of these sizes in terms of the number of up beads on a side after Row 3 is woven.  The original bezel is 12 tall by 7 wide, and the XL above is 12 tall x 9 wide.  I’ll make you a little chart for your own use."

Original Bezel 34x20mm 80 beads in Rows 1&2 12 x 7 up beads in Row 3

Possible Bezel 34x22mm 84 beads in Rows 1&2 12 x 8 up beads in Row 3

XL Bezel         34x24mm 88 beads in Rows 1&2 12 x 9 up beads in Row 3

Possible Bezel 36x20mm 84 beads in Rows 1&2 13 x 7 up beads in Row 3

Possible Bezel 36x22mm 88 beads in Rows 1&2 13 x 8 up beads in Row 3

XXL Bezel 36x24mm 92 beads in Rows 1&2 13 x 9 up beads in Row 3

 You might notice there is an XL Bezel size mentioned.  That is because two of the cabs are smaller than the rest.  They are these:

I am not going to list these sets, because I believe the confusion factor will be huge, and I don't want someone buying one of these sets and then not having the exact illustrations they need to make them.  If you have already made this necklace, I think it would not be difficult to make them.  But as a first go, maybe more challenging.  But if you want to try one of them, I will make you a special listing and even give you a little markdown for the effort you will need to spend, choosing how to create your embellishment rows.  There are plenty of beads and rounds to play with.  The designer in you might enjoy that.

OK.  Enough already.  Stay SAFE and HEALTHY!  2020 is almost over, and next year promises to be better!

Finishing the Things I have Begun - Featuring Cherry Creek Jasper!

August has been a joy so far!  My new bead storage system has allowed me to find what I am looking for quickly and finish projects I have started over the last year.

A Brassy Blast

First, I finished a piece I began last Winter.  I have named it " A Brassy Blast of Autumn."  In February it was more about being colder than a witches... well, you get the idea.  When I put this together initially, it felt too crowded; desperately in need of breathing room. But now at the end of summer, surrounded by bounty and lush abundance, it seems fine as it is. Maybe even perfect. Someone suggested it looked like nuts and seeds, and I love that. Time sometimes heals my aversion to my work.  :)

I culled these cabochons from a big group of Cherry Creek Jasper, pulling just the golden green ones.



I thought it was done, but the tips of the three primary cabochons seemed blunt to me... so...



I contemplated a more substantial component as the drop.  But as soon as I laid it out, it looked like a little pursed-lipped, pouty face with a long beaky nose and slanty eyes.  Can you see that???  ACK! It is so easy to do that by mistake with symmetry.

So, you can guess what I did with that little component?

Earrings!

In the Jungle, the Mighty Jungle...

And then there was this other half finished piece... a spiral chenille rope and some cabochons.  I wanted to imply an animal, and had two pieces of stone that looked like a hoof print. But then I found this yummy marsala Cherry Creek Jasper teardrop and rounds, from Rainbow Artifinds, a lapidary couple in St. Paul, whose work I really love.  All kitties really have four toes, and a more oval central paw pad, but these had enough suggestive tiger-ish illusion when put together, to allow me to create "Jungle Boogie."

I like how the broken edge around the bezel kinda blends with the broken edge of the Chenille.

When I started this necklace, I was thinking specifically of a piece of fabric I have. I love animal prints, and will maybe make something for myself with it.  So I tried to think clean, simple, and bold, because the print is very busy!  The piece will need to be displayed on a plain (looks great on black!) ground, so the fabric could be a jacket, or skirt maybe.  Otherwise, the camo will eat the necklace!

  

Someone on Facebook suggested a jacket and LBD, and that sounds pretty good to me! But who knows when that might be.  It's funny, although I still have my Etsy shop, it almost never occurs to me to sell my work these days.  Maybe it should.  

I had fun with these claw/talon beads.  I am not sure of the official name, but I am quite sure they are Czech.  I give everything I make a "test wear day", and I put this on this morning, and when I looked in the mirror, I thought "claws out!" Brings up all the cat fight stuff floating about in my head.  If there were a buyer for this, who would that be?  Makes me smile thinking about it!

I could not resist the claw at the end of the extender chain! 

So, to list, or not to list.  I have some other beady work to list in a week or so, pertinent to another project. I'll contemplate between now and then, I guess.  

In the mean time, it feels good to be both organized and caught up.  Now there is only one thing to work on at my beading bench, but it's a long-term project, and it might wait a little while.  

For My Friend

This work is a gift for a friend on the occasion of her 70th birthday.  Last year, for my 60th, she honored me with a generous gift certificate to one of my favorite local bead shops.  I wanted to return the favor.

My friend is intelligent, a voracious reader, and loves opera.  She is a mother to feline fur children, currently, a tabby named Holly. She plays bridge, and is a loyal companion.  She owned a cabin in Wisconsin, and that was the part of her that spoke to me, in this design.  Oh, and have I mentioned, she is a private person, and I respect that.  No names.

I wanted to return to my roots, and produce an entirely woven piece for her, and chose this jasper because it feels like a Wintery Wisconsin woods sunset to me.  It is either Cherry (sometimes called Red) Creek Jasper, or maybe Picasso Jasper. I have had it a long time, and do not remember where I bought it.  It has a nice polish, and because of this, I am going to guess, Utah Picasso.  I am fairly sure some of the supporting beads are Cherry Creek from China, judging both by their matte finish, and the not quite perfect drilling that China seems to be famous for.  I chose this stone, both because of its outdoor imagery, and because the beautiful silvery gray in the stone is very close to the color of my friend's hair.

Since as we age, dexterity dimishes, I wanted to make the work easy to wear, and especially, because my friend lives alone, with no one to fasten a lobster claw for her.  I used  hidden magnets to close the back of the necklace.

I created a delicate pair of earrings, as she is a small woman with delicate features.  The bracelet is also closed with a magnetic foldover clasp.

I had to ask her for a wrist measurement, since the oval beads will not lay flat unless the bracelet fits snugly and even though she has said "no gifts" she did oblige me.  I am sure she knows what I am up to, but I hope she will accept my gift in the same way I accepted hers; as an act of love, support, and celebration of life well-lived.  Happy Birthday!

"Amur Maple" - Exploring Component Connections

Amur Maple Necklace

Sometimes, something outside is just so beautiful!  There is a little tree in my neighborhood, an Amur Maple, that has beautiful color each fall.  It's primary color is nearly indefinable.  Somewhere between cerise, claret, and burgundy, with hints of rust, and it has touches of creamy gold here and there.

Here's a closer look!

When I went the Gem and Lapidary Workers Show a couple weeks ago here in Minneapolis, I found at my favorite cabochon supplier, a "Cherry Creek Jasper" which reminded my of the glorious color in this tree.  I bought some ovals and tiny rounds and could not wait to play with them!

I have developed a passion for Miyuki 24k Gold Delicas.  I had some Dark Gold Rainbow, and they brought a beautiful bronzy rust to the color palette.  I bezeled everything and played around with embellishments.

I decided that I wanted to feature the beautiful stones, and also, wanted to continue playing with connections between components, with those shapes playing a starring role in the piece, so removed all the picots and began to connect the elements.

Oh, and one step back, when thinking about a neck strap, I remembered my "spoils of war." Going to "war" in the Battle of the Beadsmith brought an AWESOME set of dog tags to my home as a token of participation.  Along with the tags were some wonderful 6mm Czech brass tile beads.  I got them out and played with them until they looked a bit antique, and wove up two straps.  You can see the progression of my design, step by step from right to left, with a change in each generation, until the final one, which became the strap. Oh, those fantastic 6/0 beads are Czech too, I've been saving them for something special, and this seemed the right time!

 

 

I attached them to check the drape of my connections, and to be able to see how the strap and the focal piece worked together.  I am really interested in an airy look to my beadwork, and negative space that creates lovely shapes.  But once the strap was in place, I decided that some of the connections needed amplification to work effectively with the substantial strap.  So, with a stronger edge in mind...

 

The black background really helps focus the negative spaces and the improved relationship to the neck strap through the added connections at the edges and between strap and focal piece.

I am not going to list this piece in my Etsy shop right away, for two reasons.  First, I really like the thing, and maybe I don't want to sell it!  And secondly, I have to take good photos of many of my pieces for an upcoming project, and I don't want it to sell until I have it carefully archived.  So, on to the camera work!   One final glance, and then, off to clean my beading counter, and walk the doggie.  Happy beading to you!

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