My Last Meditation: Legends of Lothlórien

Last night spent at ER with "presumably kidney stones". Yeah... Well, after giving couple of births that was not biggie, really... Something tells me it was not the end of it either...

Well, enough complaining ;)
This is the last necklace made for Fashion Colorworks 2010.


This is my favorite color combination of the three one could choose from: Dried Herb - Eucalyptus - Aurora.
The cabs are Russian - Serpentines and a gorgeous rich-yellow simbircite. Simbircite is really difficult to get if you do not know any Russian lapidarists, thus use the opportunity to get it from Rosita & Bernie Pisarchick on Etsy - they've got some really good stuff in their shop, I give my word for it.

Some close-ups, and a comment - it was very difficult to capture the colors in this one. The lucite flowers are yellow in reality, but appear almost olive-green when put next to the necklace ;) Even under the daylight.

And the clasp:

As was planned, the first necklace was embroidered, inspired by Tibet, buddhism, spiritualism, etc. The second is a result of my passion for sci-fi, made using classical beadweaving techniques. The third shows my passion for nature and fantasy, it is a story told in free-form.

I will take all three with me to Prague. This is the first time I am going to an international beading convention. I would really like to come to the Bead Dreams one of the next years, just to see it ;)

After completing these three pieces, I would like to make another one, outside the contest. It would be a Christian meditation, with whites, light blues and golds. Not sure which technique yet, perhaps mixed.

Right now on my plate there are:
- necklace for Artbeads blogging program - due 21st of June;
- commission order (large freeform colar) - due 10th of July;
- bridal order (hair jewelry and dress embellishment) - due 1st of August.
;o)

Take care, All!

Meditations for Fashion Colorworks, part two

It is called "Alien Worlds". This color combination, Tomato puree - Fusion Coral - Violet, was the least favorite of mine and the most difficult to work with. I find it just too aggressive... Well, it was a good challenge to make it work, in my opinion.

I thought about glass-stone-silica flowers with fleshy coral-pink and red leaves and vines (or tentacles?) of lilac and violet. I've ordered violet seed beads of the same color, but different finishes. It gave quite an interesting effect.

Made using netting embellishment and several different beadweaving techniques. Just wanted it to be purely beadwoven, and just a part of the clasp is ebroidered.





Speaking of the clasp... Well, on e-bay I've found stones marked as "genuine natural Argentina rhodochrosite" for $2.99 and free shipping. Felt fishy - rhodochrosites are rare, I've read! Well, a mineral collectioner in Stockholm said those were not even close to real rhodochrosites. Most likely, it is onyx-type of stone, presumably from India, and it has been definitely dyed.
After talking to her, I've made some research and have managed to find the genuine natural Argentina rhodochrosite. It is in the clasp. I felt that the natural banding pattern of the "fake" stone were very much in line with the colors we were given to work with. Here are the close-ups of the imposter:
and of the real thing:

Watch out when bidding on E-bay!

And have a nice day, of course! :)

Summer Swap @ Biser.info

I'm back from Germany. What a lovely country! If you have not been there yet, I'd highly reommend to visit it. This time I spent couple of days in Munich and then went for a conference in a small city of Freising (hometown to the world's oldest brewery). Yes, it was great ;)

While I'm pationately waiting for the Swedish Summer to give me some good light to re-take the pictures for the Fashion Colorworks, I'll blog about the Summer Swap at biser.info.

There is a lovely girl - SweetJane, or Genya (who likes freeform jewelry) and I got to make a necklace for her.

Here is is:


Unfortunately, it has been damaged during the transportation all the way to Moscow - one of the amethyst beads broke in two. Luckely, Genya's husband has managed to mend it.

Couple of close-ups:


(love the focal, it's a colored & facetted druzy "dragon vein" quartz, quite bulky to be honest)


And here it is on its new owner:


Looks like it fits! ;o)

Fashion Colorworks 2010, part one

Somewhere between trips-conferences-seminars and other professional insanities, I've managed to finish my submissions for Zoya's contest.

Working with two of the color combinations (that is 1st and 2nd) were quit challenging, especially the 2nd one. It took me some time to understand what I wanted to make and how to make it ;) It was a bit of a meditation, hence the name of this mini-series - "Meditations".

The first in the series is a necklace in color combination #1: Amparo Blue - Turquoise - Pink Champagne. It is called "Skies Above Potala".


It is inspired by Tibet and Lobsang Rampa's books. The cloud pattern is quite typical for that part of the world (to be honest, I was sketching those clouds during an extremely boring seminar about scientific ethics, khm...). The focal is a natural turquoise cab.


While figuring out the secrets of layered bead embroidery and exploring different types of bead embroidery stitches, I came across the work of the fellow Etsy Beadweavers member - Joanne of Thistle Dew. I am particularly in love with her Bead Dreams entry this year: this necklace. Thanks for the inspiration, Joanne!

Tomorrow I'll fly to Germany for a conference. Stay tuned, there are more contest entries to see!

The Beauty of FRIENDSHIP

Long time no see, heh? Still busy ;)

I wanted to share some things with you today. Couple of days ago, I've finished taking a teacher's course in pedagogics at university level. In one of the excercises we had to rank different things and then discuss them in groups (just to demonstrate how group work functions). There were many personal things on that list, like power, wealth, parenting, self-realisation, etc. One of them was friendship. Makes one think, right?

I just wanted to tell that I've met many friends by beading, both in the EBW team and in Russian and Swedish beading forums. We have swapped our beadwork with some of them, and I bought some of the things to have a memory from particular persons. Today I'd just like to show you the things that my friends did. I cherish them, and wear them often. With pride.

These two are the wonderful things that I've got from Naan Pocen, a talented EBW member from Italy. They were made for the EBW spring swap. Got them long ago, but it took ages to take pictures! Sorry Naan...

This is the barette (my first beaded barette ever!). Love the colors and all those crystals!

And this wonderful bracelet is another present from Naan. It can be ordered from her shop on Etsy, but sorry folks - I've got the original! ;)


I've got this lovely chainmaile necklace from Natalia from Malmö, we met at biser.info.

And this one is from another Natalia from biser.info, she lives in the U.S. Just check out those earthly colors!


About a week ago, I've received a polymer clay pendant made by Lorraine of TrinityDJ.

I will just put it on a strap and wear around my neck as it is.


Just as a reminder, earlier I've blogged about the beadwork mady by Rachele and Esther - the curious reader will find it here.

And this gorgeous bracelet was dropped into my mailbox today! Maria, you rock!

Guys, I really appreciate your time and energy put it these pieces. THANK YOU!

Ode to Czech seed beads

Thought I'd treat you with another creation of mine (modest? moi?) ;)

Seriously though, this is one of my favorite pieces, made almost entirely of Jablonex seed beads. On Facett, we had several hours to complete a piece that was made only with seed beads and beads of max. 3mm in size. No books, no internet, just beads we've got with us or that could be found in shops on the show (selection of just seed beads was quite restricted).

BUT, there was one shop that I loved. Here is the link: Beaded Jewelry. The owner had an amazing selection of 13/0 and 15/0 true cuts, as well as Jablonex 11/0, and I just went for it.

I wanted to make a carnation, and it was challenging to make it look different from the gorgeous hibiscus flowers of Kerrie Slade - an artist whom I respect a lot.
That flower is made with 11/0 garnet and some Matsuno 15/0 ruby red AB. It is the largest in this bouquet, masuring 1 inch (2.5 cm).


The crocus on the left is made of the charlottes 15/0 (so beautiful in real life!). The stamens are made of 15/0 charlottes, plated with 24K gold, and their heads are made of 1.5-2 mm Swarovski crystals.

The entire composition is 7 cm long (a bit over 2.5 inches).

First prize in "Small bead jewelry" competition. I won a big pack of marvelous Czech beads!

Back from FACETT-2010!

Sweden is smaller than Russia or U.S.A., and there are less beaders living here. This weekend, MANY of us, Swedish beaders, have gathered for annual Facett beading convention in Stockholm.
That was so well needed beading vacation! I met many old friends and made many new ones, gave two workshops in freeform and took one myself (polymer clay). It was just SO MUCH FUN, you cannot imagine! Organizers, you rock!

I spent fortune on beads ;) However, I've managed also to win some... After three days of non-stop beading, I came home with six new additions to my Etsy store - those will be added gradually.

One of the beading competitions that I have entered was named "Maffigt!", that could be translated as "Bib". The stuff made for it was supposed to be just that - bib. Earlier that day, I've bought some sparkly dichroic cabs, Czech charlottes 8/0, round 6/0 mix and Bali-style beads that were somewhere inbetween bronze and gold. The idea struck me like a lightening. The huge glass cross came into the picture a bit later that night, it was necessary for ballancing the composition.

I called it "Gothic Magpie". It feels a bit vampirish-gothica-something, but not that dark. The cabs remind me of the european magpie (Pica pica). Had to link to a picture, because the Australian magpies look totally different :)



Will be on display in my Etsy shop as soon as I find a measuring tape ;)

P.S. Oups, forgot to mention - my Magpie won first prize!