September 28, 2013

It's an Owl Thing

Micro macrame owl bracelets by Sherri Stokey of Knot Just Macrame

Let's face it:  it's not a macrame party until somebody busts out an owl.  Preferably in various colors.

Micro macrame bracelet in khaki with copper and brass owl focal

I just thought these little fellas were so cute, I couldn't stop...

Purple owl bracelet

September 22, 2013

My Bead Show Finds

Raku and more from Star Spirit Studio

I finally got to attend a bead show a week ago and it was AMAZING!  I had such fun looking through all the wonderful pieces and meeting some of the artists I'd only previously met online!  I promised I'd show you my loot, so without further ado... the pieces above are from Sue Laupp of Star Spirit Studios.  As you can probably guess from my purchases, I fell in love with her raku.  I also picked up several pair of copper ear wires and some really fun buttons that look like cave art.  

I have Stephanie Haussler of Pixybug Designs to thank for getting me to actually GO to the show.  I'm such a homebody and inertia really gets to me sometimes (LOL) but Stephanie invited me AND sent periodic reminders and I am really, really glad she did.  Stephanie does beautiful beadwork and her husband, Chris, makes fantastic lampwork beads.  I couldn't help myself...

Lampwork from Chris Haussler of Pixybug Designs

I don't know which I like more - the skull with the flower or the bat.  And the buttons will be featured on multi-strand necklaces, I'm thinking.  It was really hard to choose a few to buy and leave all those others behind...

Rachel Pozehl of Two Dog Pond was such a nice lady.  We had a nice chat and I left with a few of her soldered pendants and some ceramic hands.  One can never have too many ceramic hands.

Soldered pendants and ceramic hands from Two Dog Pond

I'd wanted to meet Darcy Horn of The Jade Dog since I participated in one of her Design Challenge last fall (you can read all about that here).   She was just as nice as I imagined and I left with some fun beads and clasps from her booth.  I also bought some sparkly beads and some African Trade Beads from Julie's Xpressions.

Loot from The Jade Dog and Julie's Xpressions

Boy, this is getting kind of long, isn't it.  I told you I had fun!  I can't leave without showing you the lampwork set I got from Jodie Marshall!

Lampwork beads by Jodie Marshall

I'm not finished with it yet, but I'm already working on a necklace with Jodie's beads.

Multi-strand micro macrame necklace using lampwork by Jodie Marshall

And last, but not least, I got these cool clasps from Dan Starkey of  Ayla's Originals.

Dragon and castle, seahorse and Egyptian Eye clasps

See - I wasn't kidding when I said I had a really good time!  Many thanks to Stephanie and to all the vendors there for putting on such a great show.  

September 16, 2013

Fall is in The Air

Micro macrame bracelets in fall colors by Sherri Stokey of Knot Just Macrame

Okay, so I haven't been blogging much lately, but that doesn't mean I'm not making jewelry.  As much as I hate to see summer leave, I do love fall and I've been on a kick making jewelry with a fall vibe.  The first piece I made was a bracelet using traditional autumn colors:  orange, brown and white.

Close up of macrame knotting in fall colors design by Sherri Stokey

I love this bracelet, even if these aren't the colors I usually favor.  Me being me, though, I had to play with the colors a bit.  I added an unexpected pop of teal to the mix and did fall colors my way.

Close up of macrame knotting in fall colors with an unexpected pop of teal color

Now this one, I love!  Everything is basically the same in this second bracelet, except for the addition of the teal.  I can't believe what a difference it makes and how the piece now pops!

Then I went to a bead show and picked up some pieces from Star Spirit Studio (more on the bead show later!).  

Ceramic and raku pieces by Star Spirit Studio

I obviously adore her pieces and I couldn't wait to make something.  I used one of the raku leaves to make this necklace.

Spiral micro macrame necklace with raku leaf pendant

How's that for a beautiful piece!?  I love the colors in the leaf pendant and I wanted to accent it without overpowering it.  I used a spiral pattern of knotting to make a cord and added just a few rows of seed beads in the front.  Not too much color, but just enough, I think to bring out the colors in the leaf.  

I've still got lots of new things from the bead show to play with, and don't worry, I have pictures to share with you.  Stay tuned!


September 6, 2013

Necklaces in Micro Macrame

Freeform micro macrame necklace by Sherri Stokey

I spent some time the last few days working on necklaces.  This piece started out as just a little bit of a doodle:

Start of a freeform necklace in teal by Knot Just Macrame

Then it ended up being a necklace.  I rather like it - it's fun to step outside my comfort zone now and again and just play around.  Let the knots fall where they will.  I do have to admit to being a perfectionist at heart, though, and asymmetry is hard for me.  Even the random placement of beads in my multiple strand bracelets takes effort!  Yes, I have to plan out my random!  

Multi strand micro macrame necklace with Czech glass button closure

I am hard at work, though.  And I am working on a CraftArtEdu.com eClass for this necklace design.  It's going to be a fabulous class, so stay tuned!  






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