Vintage Style Lacy Bracelet

How I wish that the nice way new year 2010 started would continue. The past few weeks have been so stressful for me. I have some unpleasant family and financial businesses I'm dealing with for quite a long time now, among other 'real life' regular stuff (two teenagers at home, to give you an idea of "regular"...;) , and this seem to take out a lot of energy from me. I try to find my mind & soul some rest by bead weaving, but this also doesn't work for me as it usually does. This reminds me of the say "muses are silent when the cannons are roaring"... I wish this period is over soon so I will be able to get back to my routine and concentrate more in my work.

I started working on this simple bracelet 4 days ago and it took me more than 10 hours to finish, would you believe it? I couldn't concentrate, kept mistaking the order of beads and couldn't complete one single row without unpicking it several times. Really annoying. If it wasn't my love for playing with different sizes, shapes and colors of beads in order to create texture in my work, I would have given up after just a few rows... I'm now glad I didn't because I love it!




I used one of Claspgarten clasps again - a gorgeous, sparkly, multi-strand rhodium plated clasp with Swarovski crystals set in it, and it fitted the bracelet's size perfectly. That was a relief - no need to struggle.. :)

I also used the same beads for this matching small pendant.




Let's hope the weekend will be peaceful, pleasant and fruitful! :)

"Slides" Bracelet in B&B Magazine

Wishing You a Very Happy, Joyful Creative and Prosperous New Year!!


What a nice way to start new year 2010! Yesterday I received my contributor's copy of Jan-Feb 2010 issue of Bead & Button magazine. My "Slides" (Layered Loops) bracelet project is published in it.

I have to thank editor Anna Elizabeth Draeger for simplifying the steps for attaching the clasp to the bracelet. Thank you, Anna, it was a pleasure working with you!

Heavy Metal Cuff

This is a new cuff bracelet, woven with textured, shiny corner-less brass beads I bought a while ago from TheJadeDog Beads (thanks Darcy, they're gorgeous!) and using another one of Claspgarten beautiful clasps (check Claspgarten main page and see an absolutely gorgeous bracelet, created by Diane Fitzgerald, using on of their clasps).

If I were to wear any jewelry, this cuff bracelet would probably have been my favorite. I love the simplicity of it!

Peace and Winter Olympics EBW Challenge

This is my entry (#13 on the list) for the EBW December Challenge.The theme was chosen by tied first place winners of the October challenge, AngelqueCreations and yours truly (thanks again for everyone who voted for my piece!).
I chose Peace and Jacquie of AngelqueCreations chose the Winter Olympics as a theme. So the two themes were combined and the idea was to create a piece that promote peace and understanding among nations. Friendly competitions like the Olympic games is one example of how conflicts can be put aside and differences in culture or religion become irrelevant...

The inspiration for my Peace on Earth necklace came from the dove with olive branch, which is the symbol of peace in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Another source of inspiration, which represent the other part of the theme, is the Greek laurel wreath that winners of the ancient Olympic Games wore on their heads.

Please visit the EBW blog, between now and the 15th to view all 19 beautiful entries and vote for your favorite. Your comment would also be appreciated.

Surprise in The Mail!

A little box came in the mail and I was so surprised to see these five gorgeous clasps sent to me, again, by Claspgarten! Thank you, Karin of Claspgarten! I am so grateful and flattered to have been chosen to design with your clasps... :)

I am so in love with the brass rectangle clasp I got and can't wait to start working on something with it (probably a bracelet) .. The photo doesn't do justice to the other ones with crystals... they are so beautiful and really sparkle!

I have completed working on a necklace using this large clasp I got in the first batch, but I can't post the images yet, since I am thinking of sending this necklace to Perlen Poesie magazine for publication, so it has to be kept as a secret for a few months..

Like it has always been for me, new materials to work with excite me and give my muse a huge push! Fun! :)