Art Bead Meets The Netting Stitch

What another Humblebead? Yes! It's not hard to see I how much I enjoy working with Heather's cuff beads. The stitch used to create the bracelet is 3 bead netting. Surface embellisments with twisted bugles, triangle beads and pearls complete the design. Some of the pieces I create hold memories of good times spent with friends, traveling or shopping at a bead show. However this creation is an exception. It was made during a very difficult time and a life changing event. I made this while watching the events unfold on TV after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Five weeks after the storm I bought it home and packed it away. Last week when I unpacked it and hung it on my display board. The beauty of the healing it brought to me came out. My niece is coming to Mississippi this summer with a church group to help rebuild in Mississippi at Camp Victor. It will takes years to rebuild the Gulf South and your help is need. Please consider makng a donation or giving up a week of your time to rebuilding. It will make such a difference to someone's life

EBWC Challenge Complete

Tonight I finished my entry for the Etsy Beadweavers Challenge. The cabochon is an agate. For the netting I used opaque one cut seed beads with pearl accents. A vintage button brings closure to the square stitched clasp. In many traditions agate is believed to cure the stings of scorpions and the bites of snakes, soothe the mind, prevent contagion, still thunder and lightning, promote eloquence, secure the favour of the powerful, and bring victory over enemies. Persian magi are also known to have prized agate rings in their work and beliefs. Information obtained from wikipedia. This stone was purchased from my local hardware store. It makes me chuckle to say that. The store is Baldwin Taylor Hardware. They carry an assortment of supplies for Lapidary, along with findings and other supplies for jewelry making. Today we had our bead society meeting. We have a great group of womem attending the meetings regularly now. Aleta taught how to make a bracelet with a ladder and brick stitch. What a great job she did with the presentation and instructions. This was her first time for teaching and she was a natural! The colors I chose to work with are really colorful. Light Bronze, Matte metallic purple, matte metallic yellow-green and matte opaque old rose. It reminds me of Carnival and cotton candy. I always spend to much time visiting with everyone to get much done.

Old Mine Cut Diamonds

I had the opportunity to help repair and reconstruct a 1930's pearl and diamond bracelet. The diamonds are old mine diamonds or European cut. I asked what the difference was compared to a precision cut stone. Old mind Diamonds were cut by hand in the mine. This was done to maintain control over the cutting and possession of the stones. You can read more about the history of diamonds here. To an experienced beader you might look at this bracelet and think what is so hard about that? It looks like netting. The bracelet had been repaired several times. Holding it in your hand you could tell it was loved and worn often. It is a family heirloom. On the last repair the pearls were sewn to the clasp with thread. On the other end of the clasp the thread was broken and some of the pearls were missing. Art of beading verses The Fine Art of Fine Jewelry Making I understood the thread path and Tammye knew how the attach the five hole Diamond clasp. We had to find a way to make the two techniques work together. Tammye used a size #1 silk beading cord and french coil to protect the silk cord against the metal on the clasp. Armed with her optivisor and fine tweezer Tammye was able to repair the bracelet. Tammye was New Orlean's expert on Jewelry repair. During her career in New Orleans Tammye assisted in repair and purchasing of fine jewerly. One of several changes after Hurricane Katrina, Tammye now resides in Indiana along with her husband and two cats Romeo and Frank. This last week my friends who owned Planc Coffee & Tea sold the shop and now reside in Plano Texas. So many changes are still taking place 19 months after the storm. I really miss my friends who have relocated.