Wirework Bangles

Recently a friend of many, many years (from my childhood) found my website and started purchasing some jewelry from me. She picked my favorite bangle bracelets - which I had made about 2-3 years ago and was holding in my private collection, so I had to go back to basics and come up with some new ones.
Connie Fox has a wonderful website ( www.conniefox.com ) where she has great tutorials and it is from those that I learned how to do wirework bangles. Connie's bangles are awe inspiring, and she is the best teacher. I was also able to purchase beads for the bangles on her site, namely those of Donna Struther which are in the above bracelet. All the metal is sterling silver, but now I have also incorporated fine silver (PMC) dangles that I made recently. I am definitely going to make more bangles!

Tasha - the Ruler

Let me start this off by stating that Tasha is only 15 pounds and 11 years old. She rules our household. And she is very curious about anything that moves, including sea grape leaves and palm fronds on the ground. So, after Tasha sounds the wakeup alarm at 6:15 a.m. each morning, we go for a walk. Or to put it correctly she allows me to accompany her as she scouts the neighborhood for life. Yes, I am pulling on the leash in the picture - just a little - she won't move until she is satisfied with viewing whatever it is, and ready to move the next 10 steps.

My favorite spot to relax is at one end of the living room -

but Tasha must be stationed at the other end, checking for movement -










It is good to have a watch dog.

Fine Silver Lentil Pendant

I am so delighted with a new construction I learned to make from Susan Lewis in a workshop at the Miami Bead Fest last April.

It is a hollow lentil that is dry built - putting the two halves (which have been allowed to dry over a half ball shape) together with PMC paste or slip.

Attach a bale or carve holes at the top and bottom to enable it to hang. Here are two different pieces that I've made. The top piece is patterned in a French wallpaper design, the other is a croc pattern. Both have a cubic zirconia stone embedded in fine silver in the center. I love the slender, elegant feel - romantic or modern!

A Very Special Jade Pendant

Many months ago my sister-in-law sent me a jade piece that was very old and asked if I could do anything with it. It sat in a special box among all the beads and strands that I want to make into something special. But I had no idea what until recently when I attended the Miami Bead Fest and saw a strand of old jade in exactly the same shades, or at least I hoped so as I didn't have the pendant with me.
I have been using quite a bit of fused silver links with the PMC clasps I make and decided to try making an asymmetrical necklace with them. The result was pretty funky, so much so that my husband who doesn't ordinarily express too strong an opinion told me that Jennifer (his sister) would never wear it. He suggested to make it simpler and symmetrical. So much for my "arty" attempt, I redid it in a compromised style, and I even liked it better!

See if you agree!