WindyRiver

Link Love

2012-02-27T13:24:00.000-08:00

Some link love - these blogs have some great ideas for easy projects - be inspired!

Heidi in Lederhosen - a lot of fun tutorials involving sewing and embroidery

The Burlap Bag - a wide variety of tutorials. I really liked the burlap Christmas stocking and the curtain rods made from tree branches.

Needlework - great embroidery and sewing ideas

Mayahandmade - a fun blog with some great, simple projects!

and finally

Feeling Stitchy - one of my favorite embroidery blogs. Some tutorials, and a lot of free patterns. My favorite part is the flickr pool (see the blog sidebar to get there). There are some incredibly talented artists who create unique and wonderful things with the humble needle!

Cover Buttons in Fabric to Create Unique Cabochons

2012-02-21T21:45:00.000-08:00

I love beautiful fabrics, and I love setting cabochons into beaded bezels. As much as I love crystal rivolis and stone cabs, sometimes I want something a little different. In these earrings, I took two simple acrylic buttons and covered them in gorgeous silk jacquard fabric. Just cut two fabric circles one and a half times bigger in diameter than the two buttons and set the buttons in the middle of your fabric circles. Gather the fabric around the buttons and stitch it closed on the back on each button. If needed, add a few dabs of glue on the back of your new cabs to prevent your fabric from fraying. This simple technique will allow you to create endless unique cabochons to feature in your jewelry.

I finished the earrings off with a bezel of sparkling pink delicas and a spiral rope edging of gold and purple beads, and had to add the brass disc dangles to enhance the bohemian look of these earrings.

Embroidery and Appliques Dress Up Lavender Sachets

2012-02-08T12:00:00.000-08:00

There is nothing like the smell of lavender. It is one of the reasons I loved southern France - the fields full of beautiful purple bushes, the smell and appearance of the plant in just about every backyard garden. The buds of the lavender are dried and used in many products - I recently purchased culinary grade lavender and found that it was delicious when sprinkled over creamy white goat cheese that had been drizzled with honey.

I recently made a series of sachets that I filled with wonderfully aromatic dried lavender buds. For each sachet, you will need 6 tablespoons of dried lavender, two 5 inch squares of thin white cotton fabric, such as muslin, two 5 inch squares of thicker white cotton fabric such as duck or canvas, two sixteen inch lengths of sateen ribbon, felt scraps including green and two other colors, various colors of embroidery floss and a small amount of seed beads, and a small 4 inch embroidery hoop.

I started by sewing the two squares of cotton muslin together leaving a 3 inch opening on the final side. Carefully trim the corners at a 45 degree angle so there is less fabric bulk in those areas (see drawing below). I flipped my squares right side out (so that the raw edges were on the inside - poke the corners out with a knitting needle if needed) and filled the little pouches with the dried lavender. Baste the opening shut.

Create your sachet face by embroidering a flower motif on one of the 5 inch squares of cotton duck, which you have stretched in the 4 inch embroidery hoop. I created the flowers and leaves as shown - cut four petals in color A and four in color B - set them in position as shown and embroider over them in lines of various colors and accent with french knots if desired. Add some green leaves- set the felt leaves in position - and embroider veins on the leaves. Please note that I did not glue my felt pieces down - I used the embroidered embellishments to hold them in position. If you wish, you could lightly glue all your felt in position before beginning your embroidery. After you are done with the flower and leaves you can stitch some beads into the center of the flower. On some of my sachets I added swirling vines and flower buds using various embroidery stitches - get as creative as you like!

When you are done with your embroidery, lightly press out the marks left by the embroidery hoop, and sew the two pieces of cotton duck in the same fashion as the muslin - make sure the right side of your embroidery is facing in so that when you flip the sachet the embroidery ends up on the outside! Clip your corners as before and leave a 3 inch opening at the top of the sachet.

Gently insert your lavender filled pouch into the embroidered pouch, and then fold the two 16 inch lengths of ribbon in half and pin them in position at the top opening. Baste the opening shut, making sure the ribbons are firmly sewn in place - you can use these ribbons to hang your sachet from a door knob or a clothes hanger!

Fun Felt Hearts for Valentine's Day

2012-01-30T16:11:00.000-08:00

I have been enjoying embroidering on felt lately - it's given me a chance to go a little wild with color! These three necklaces were created by cutting the hearts out of red wool felt, backing them with fabric interfacing (you can use Lacy's Stiff Stuff for example) and creating the embroidered design. After the stitching was completed, I sewed two brass wire loops onto the backs and then lightly glued each heart to a piece of ultra suede. After the glue was dry, the ultrasuede was trimmed down to the size of the felt heart, and each one was edged in brick stitch and then a looped edging was added for a decorative effect. Each pendant hangs from 8 inch lengths of vintaj brass chain with a lobster claw fastener.

Gorgeous Beaded Quilts

2012-01-20T06:54:00.000-08:00

Please be inspired - visit the website of Thom Atkins - you will be amazed! His quilts combine applique, embroidery, bead weaving and bead embroidery and are beyond stunning. I am particularly intrigued by the dimensionality many of his quilts show - not only are they paintings in fiber, but many verge on the sculptural as well.

Happy 2012!

2012-01-10T05:25:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to all!

My blogging resolution for 2012 is to post more tutorials - I have really learned a lot from other embroidery and bead artists who have generously posted instructions for a wide variety of techniques.

In the meantime, I am slowly getting back into gear after a successful holiday sale at the RISD Alumni Holiday Show in early December and just a busy holiday season. I am currently finishing a commission for a group of earrings and am starting to get into production for my etsy store which is feeling a little empty right now!

I finished another ribbon cuff and also some really cute felt earrings. I plan to do a series of little felt earrings - they are colorful, fun and so lightweight to wear!

Here's to a productive and happy 2012 for all!

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-29T06:32:00.000-08:00

Yes, it's been a while since I have posted - it's been a very busy holiday season here in Rhode Island. I was very fortunate to have gotten accepted into the RISD Alumni Holiday Sale, which took some preparation and went very well. I was also thrilled to have been included in an etsy gift guide - which brought a lot of unexpected traffic to my shop and quite a few sales. This particular gift guide featured items under fifty dollars for last minute Christmas shoppers. I also was very pleased to have been featured in the tumblr site, swimmies of doom - they do a great job showcasing artisans of all types and also some interesting political discourse. All in all it has been a very nice holiday season, and I wish you all the best in the upcoming New Year. Here's hoping that 2012 will bring new adventures in embroidery and beadwork for all of us!

Jacquard Ribbon Cuff

2011-11-28T16:10:00.000-08:00

I apologize for the lack of posts as of late - I have been busy getting ready for my first craft show in over a year! I recently created this cuff, another in my series of jacquard ribbon cuffs. After the holidays I plan to post a basic tutorial on how to create these, as well a tutorial on the treasure boxes. In the meantime, if you have a craving for creating embellished fabric cuffs, you can check out this fabulous tutorial by Cyndi Lavin of Beading-Arts. Hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving!

Etsy Gift Guide - Gifts Under $50

2011-11-28T16:02:00.000-08:00

Much to my delight and surprise, I discovered that I was featured on one of etsy's gift guides. Truly a nice early Christmas present - etsy is one of the largest e-commerce sites featuring handcrafted goods so you can imagine how pleased I am!

Embroidered Pendants - Tips and Techniques

2011-11-15T07:55:00.000-08:00

I recently listed some embroidered pendants in my etsy shop and I wanted to share some of my ideas on making embroidered jewelry. One of my concerns with large, flat fiber art jewelry such as this is what I call the flop factor. I don't want my pendant to start curling up as I wear it or my customer wears it. In these examples, I embroidered on linen. Rather than mounting the linen in a hoop and embroidering it then, I figured out my pattern and traced it on the fabric, and cut the same pattern out of both the linen and some fabric interfacing. Lacy's Stiff Stuff works well in a situation like this as well. You want something with stiffness and body. I cut the same pattern out of both the linen and the interfacing. Then I basted the linen in position onto the interfacing using a thread that was the same color as the linen. Keep the stitching to a minimum - you don't want it to show later through your embroidered pattern.

After this step, I added a border of gold fabric paint to the linen. I layered the paint several times, and then cut the pieces to size. You don't want the fabric to fray later on down the road. Another option is to tuck the edges around to the back and hand sew the raw fabric down. I have done this in some of my fabric pendants as well - just try to keep the fabric evenly folded to avoid lumps and bumps. Some other options are to use a fusible interfacing so you can avoid having to baste your outer fabric onto the backing. If want to avoid paint, you can use an anti fray product such as Helmar Fray Stop or Fray Stopper which are sold at many fabric stores.

Embroider your pattern, and then cut a piece of ultra suede (or real suede if you prefer) a quarter inch bigger all around. Lightly glue your embroidered piece onto the suede. I usually put a few dabs of elmer's glue onto the back of the embroidered piece and lay it onto the ultra suede. The idea is just to tack it in place - be very sparing with the glue. Also remember, if you want to incorporate metal loops to hang your piece off of a chain, sew them in place onto the interfacing side of your embroidery before gluing onto the ultra suede. I prefer using ultra suede for the backing as it is easy to sew through - I have broken many needles on leather and suede.

After the glue is dried, trim the ultra suede to the size of your embroidery and add a brick stitch edging as I have done, or any other edging as you prefer.

There really is no one right way to do this - I just wanted to share some of my ideas on the topic!

Fabulous Footwear from Long Ago

2011-11-08T06:18:00.000-08:00

Fabulous footwear from history - these embroidered shoes are remarkably beautiful. Today, we tend to wear shoes where form follows function. Also, keep in mind that the embroidery on these incredible mules and slippers was done completely by hand. Another note of interest - in the seventeenth century men wore heels. The yellow and red mules were most likely mens' shoes. The yellow mules are from Italy and were made in the 18th century. The red mules and tan leather slippers are 17th century - I am not sure of the country of origin. The flat slippers with the ties belonged to the Empress Josephine, and date from 1804 (notice the cute little embroidered bees on the tips of the toes). Finally, the tall womens' boots also date from the 18th century. I am sure that only the very wealthiest people wore shoes such as these.

As an avid embroiderer, I enjoy looking at these shoes as works of art, and also am inspired by the beauty of the embroidery itself.

Featured on Cuteable!

2011-11-04T08:47:00.000-07:00

What a nice surprise - found out that one of my jewelry boxes was featured on Cuteable.com today. Cuteable features all indie crafts - please visit their blog and consider doing some of your holiday shopping on etsy, artfire or any of the other independent crafters marketplaces. I plan to support handmade this holiday season, and I hope you will too!

A Bountiful Harvest - Fall Themed Etsy Collection

2011-11-04T08:19:00.000-07:00

A collection of wonderful fall themed items that I put together featuring sellers on etsy. Just click on the image if you are interested in any of these lovely pieces.

Vintage Embroidery on Green Linen

2011-11-01T19:13:00.000-07:00

I have accumulated quite a large collection of crocheted and tatted doilies and embroidered items of many kinds over the years. Most of them were created by family members and I am amazed by the patience and talent that went into the creation of many of these pieces. Many of the items were created by relatives before I was born - so it is wonderful to be able to hold a piece of family history in my hands.

I thought I would share some of these pieces with you through my blog. Today, I am posting this lovely table cloth made of linen. There is a set of matching napkins, and the whole group was made by my husband's grandmother. I think the color really distinguishes this piece from the rest of my collection. Almost all of the pieces I have are either cream or white, so this bright green table cloth really stands out of the crowd. The cream flowers are actually appliqued linen with tiny tan decorative stitching, and the leaves and vines are white cotton embroidery chain stitch. I put a ruler on one of the photos so that you can see how incredibly tiny this chain stitch actually is. I am in awe of the patience and time that must have gone into the execution of this wonderful linen set.

Little Jewelry Boxes

2011-10-25T11:42:00.000-07:00

I had a lot of fun making these, and there are actually several more in the series. I started with a little paper maché box which I coated with several layers of a translucent metallic gold acrylic paint. I then embroidered little tops for each box and glued them onto the box tops with E6000 (the sturdiest glue I have ever met!). Voila - a series of little trinket boxes! My favorite is the square one with the addition of the appliquéd leaves. I love the bright colors on this one.

Cellini Spiral Revisited

2011-10-21T08:27:00.000-07:00

I recently started playing with Cellini Spirals again. When I first learned peyote stitch, I desperately wanted to learn the cellini spiral. It's actually not a hard stitch to learn if you've mastered peyote; and if you've worked peyote in the round at all it's an easy step to creating a cellini spiral. The key is to pick contrasting colors and a good range of bead sizes. I like a combination of 15, 11 and size 8 seed beads. Also remember that when beginning your spiral that the first round will have twice as many beads as the resultant spiral. In other words, if you load 2 color A size 15, 2 color B size 11, 2 color C size 8, then 2 color A size 15, 2 color B size 11, two color C size 8 for a total of 12 beads, your resultant spiral will be a small 6 bead tube. Each set of two beads becomes part of a stripe of single beads - that first round ends up actually being the first two rounds of beads once you step up! There are many good tutorials for the cellini spiral online and even some nice you tube videos demonstrating the technique. The olive green, gold, black and red pendant is a spiral I created recently, and the pink one is one I did several years ago which I have since sold.

Cellni spirals are time consuming - they make a nice accent section for a necklace versus creating an entire necklace using the technique!

Featured in the Handmade Gift Guide!

2011-10-12T08:29:00.000-07:00

Much to my delight and surprise, one of my embroidered and crocheted sachets has been featured on the wonderful blog The Handmade Gift Guide. This gorgeous blog is devoted to the promotion of handmade goods, and features wonderful themed collections of handmade items. It's well worth a look - I am glad to have discovered this fantastic blog.

Jacquard Weaving

2011-10-03T12:11:00.000-07:00

I recently purchased a small amount of several different jacquard ribbons - I love the tapestry like quality and colors of these particular ornamental trims and thought they would make perfect cuff style bracelets. The purple quartz cuff with green ribbon closure is the first result, with more planned!

I live in Rhode Island, which still boasts several fabric mills that produce industrial fabrics, and used to be a much larger manufacturer of fabrics. To my knowledge, much of this intricate, ornamental material, whether in ribbon trim form or in much larger yardage for upholstery use, is now manufactured in Asia.

The wonderful aspect of this type of fabric and ribbon is the fact that the patterns are created entirely through the weaving process and not printed onto the fabric after it is woven. The history of this technique is quite fascinating. In the early 1800s, Joseph Marie Jacquard of France invented a mechanized technique for creating repeatable woven patterns. Artisans had been creating beautiful woven fabric for centuries before, but the work was intense and incredibly time consuming. Jacquard's system sped up the entire process and also added the important element of repeatability. So wonderful designs could be woven over and over (step and repeated) to create an overall, intricate pattern. The key element of Jacquard's technique was in his innovative loom that allowed for specific warp threads to be raised independently from the others, allowing these intricate patterns to be created. In addition, patterns were punched onto cards that were strung together, much like player piano rolls - fabric designs became a commodity as well and these punch cards were widely sold allowing many factories to produce specific designs.

Posted below are several photos of 19th century jacquard weavings, and also my cuff which uses a lovely wide jacquard ribbon trim as it base in lovely shades of mustard, olive and purple.

Product Photography Using a Homemade Light Box

2011-09-27T05:36:00.000-07:00

Living in Rhode Island limits my ability to do outdoor product photography - it's less than pleasant to be trying to take pictures of your art on a windy, freezing day, especially if there is snow on the ground! I really prefer photographing my jewelry and accessories outside on slightly overcast days. The cloudiness reduces glare and harsh shadows, and I think the colors in my work, be it beadwork or embroidery, looks best in natural light. However, soon enough I will be forced to take photos in my studio.

I built a homemade lightbox similar to the one in this tutorial. Instead of using fabric on the sides, I first tried tissue paper which was too flimsy and also had the potential to catch on fire from the heat of the lamp! I ended up using frosted vellum - a thick, translucent paper often used in books for overlays. I often use two light sources - one at each side to reduce shadows. I use tungsten bulbs - remember to change the setting on your camera from daylight to tungsten or artificial light! My camera has a tungsten setting and it really helps the white balance come out correctly. Check yours or refer to your owner's manual to find out more!

Here is another nice tutorial that I found by googling homemade lightbox!

New Work

2011-09-19T06:56:00.001-07:00

Just wanted to post these photos of some new beaded pieces I created - they all use off loom beading techniques, with peyote and brick stitch being the predominant stitches I used for these items. One thing I would like to mention is bead finishes. I used to always purchase the shiniest, glittery beads I could find, and as of late, I find the matte and raku finish beads have a subtle beauty and richness of tone that I really like. All of these pieces are up for sale at my online store - with more to come!

More Sea Glass

2011-09-09T08:50:00.000-07:00

Another necklace using sea glass - with the added interest of tassels trimmed with peyote stitch bands. The bands were actually done in tubular peyote stitch using size 11 delicas right on the tassels after I made them. Tassels are not difficult to make - here is a nice little tutorial that will give you the basics. I hope to find some more small and very smooth pieces of glass to work with. Unfortunately, many of my sea glass finds are curved, having come from the sides of various bottles and would not lend themselves easily to beadwork bezels.

Lovely Beach Glass

2011-09-02T06:09:00.000-07:00

A softly sculpted piece of green New England sea glass is featured in this unique necklace. I created this ornamental bezel using primarily raku olive gold delica beads which have a matte but slightly iridescent finish that I think compliments the glass nicely. The tiny accent beads are shiny and iridescent teals and purples for contrast, and I also added some larger teal raku beads along the ornamental picot edging. This bezel was created using tubular peyote stitch - the bezel is open on the back allowing light to go through so you can really see the lovely green color of the glass. I used sturdy nymo thread in the weaving process - this thread is used by many beadweavers and bead embroiderers. I then created a bail with golden colored brass wire accented with an olive speckled Czech glass bead and hung the pendant on a gold tone brass chain. One of a kind art using local materials!

I really love the idea of recycling materials in my work - this has been a theme in many of my pieces. I have used a lot of recycled denim, which I adore. I was recently going through one of my collections of shells and sea glass and thought that the glass would make great focals for beadweaving and bead embroidered pieces. I made sure to pick pieces that were completely worn smooth by the action of the ocean.

Last year I took a Boston Harbor cruise to Spectacle Island, where I found a lot of wonderful bits of glass and pottery. This island is well worth a visit, especially if you are a collector of sea glass and pottery as the beach there is replete with wonderful finds.

Versatile Brick Stitch

2011-08-18T14:13:00.000-07:00

I find myself going back to brick stitch over and over again - it is a versatile and easy stitch to use! I returned to my fan earring design and added a little flair in the edging - I think it gives these earrings a little twist. I love making beaded earrings like this as it is a great way to make use of small batches of beads that are left over from larger projects!

Vintage Brooches with Beautiful Asymmetry

2011-08-17T07:44:00.000-07:00

I have a tendency towards symmetrical elements within my designs, and as of late I have tried to create some pieces that are pointedly not symmetrical - my embroidered pendants being a good example. I also have a love for vintage jewelry, particularly brooches, and found many that are beautifully eyecatching while being decidedly asymmetrical. These brooches from the 1950s and 1960s are great examples of this. (The brooch with the large blue focal is for sale in my vintage shop on etsy.) The placement of the rhinestones on some of these brooches looks almost random, but works in a wonderful, dynamic fashion which I find inspiring.

These brooches still look modern and wearable, and certainly would satisfy your urge to accessorize in the manner of the beautiful costumes on Mad Men.

Etsy Beadweavers August Challenge

2011-08-10T06:29:00.000-07:00

The etsy beadweavers street team has opened up voting on the August challenge. Every month members can participate in a challenge, and this month's theme is summer's juicy fruit. There is a lot of beautiful, colorful jewelry to look at, so please visit their blog to see all the wonderful entries. I created these unique blueberry colored statement earrings for the occasion.

Scale and Proportion

2011-08-08T15:31:00.000-07:00

Most of the objects I make can sit on the palm of my hand. I often use magnifying glasses to help me with my work - particularly when I am doing beadweaving and bead embroidery. I recently had the opportunity to work on a large scale, which was a very interesting change of pace.

My husband was reworking some jumps used in hunter horse riding. This style of riding involves the horse and rider making their way around a course with varying configurations of jumps in a ring. Often the jumps are decorated with bushes, flowers, shrubs or decorative wooden walls. My husband was making a series of wave shaped walls and asked me to come up with a design for them.

Since most of the people seeing the jump walls will be seeing them from far away, I thought a bold graphic design using a simple palette of highly contrasting colors would work best. My husband painted the jumps in the medium blue I selected then I added the design using dark navy blue and pale powder blue. I think the walls came out very well, and it was truly interesting working on a large scale. While I was painting these walls, I was really unsure of how effective they would be, but when we assembled them in the back yard and stepped back from them, I was thrilled to see how much visual impact they carried.

Working on a large scale forced me to be simple and direct in my design, and ended up being a very enlightening experience as well. I hope the horses like these jumps as much as I do!

More Treasure Boxes

2011-08-08T15:27:00.000-07:00

Two more boxes using the same techniques described in my previous post - lots of fun to make!!!

Product Review - E6000 Glue

2011-07-30T05:53:00.000-07:00

I have been using my newly purchased tube of E6000 glue to attached doll eyes to felt and to attach embroidered medallions to boxes. E6000 is probably the strongest glue I have every worked with. I tried pulling a doll eye off the felt backing I had glued it to after the glue had set - I could not get it to budge! I highly recommend this glue to anyone who wants a permanent and industrial strength bond between materials. I have not tried it on metal, but it sure sticks to plastic like no other glue I have tried.

On the down side, the glue is thick and tacky - I ended up using a skinny, pointed dowel to spread the glue carefully where I wanted it to be. It dries reasonably quickly - it will be fairly set within 10 minutes but requires a good day or two to really cure. You have to be careful where you apply it - you can't just brush it away, and you don't want to get it on your fingers. I have to offer this warning as well - it has a very strong odor while it is curing and it is not healthy to breathe the fumes of the wet glue. I have been doing my gluing outside - so I can imagine I won't be using this product as much during the cold New England winter. I have been gluing my pieces and letting them cure outside for an afternoon before bringing them inside.

Conclusion: Product works like a charm but is not the easiest to use and requires either outdoor use or a very well ventilated working area.

I have included some photos of treasure boxes I made using this glue.

Soft Sculpture Featuring Bead and Tapestry Embroidery

2011-07-22T07:52:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it's nice to work in a medium that is not your norm. I make mostly jewelry, but I do enjoy my forays into other techniques. I thought I would use my bead and tapestry embroidery skills in making some little soft sculptures. I was inspired by the colors and feel of Mexican folk art when I created these little creatures. They feature very realistic acrylic eyes - my daughter proclaimed them "creepy" but I think they are fun.

They are created using high quality wool and rayon blend heavy duty craft felt, polyfill stuffing and a variety of thread and beads. They were just a lot of fun to make, and of course satisfied my need to create insect art - insects and fish have been a recurring theme in my work.

More Etsy Treasuries!

2011-07-12T06:44:00.000-07:00

I been very fortunate lately - I have been chosen for a number etsy treasuries featuring handcrafted work from artists who sell their work on etsy. Treasuries are curated collections on a theme featuring items sold on etsy. Here are two recent treasuries. If you see something you like, just click on the item and you will instantly find out more about it! Please support the handmade movement!

Happy Independence Day

2011-07-05T07:16:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone had a great holiday weekend - in honor of Independence Day, here are a few antique American flags. The embroidered flag is from the early 20th century, and the beadwork is to my knowledge, pre twentieth century American Indian.

Fiber Art Cuff Bracelets

2011-06-22T14:30:00.000-07:00

I had such fun making the series of necklaces featuring both tapestry embroidery and bead embroidery on linen that I made two cuffs in the same style. One is a wider cuff with a really eyecatching focal stone, and the other is a little more subtle. I have really been enjoying working in this muted color palette, but I will be returning to some more brightly colored work in the near future!

One element I introduced to the larger cuff was the appliqued leather leaves with gold painted accents which really add something unique to this piece. I really like leather accessories and plan to introduce more such elements into my future work.

Artfire and Etsy

2011-06-22T07:28:00.000-07:00

I recently came to the conclusion that I could not give my artfire store adequate attention to make a go of it. I actually found artfire to be very easy to set up, but just was not getting much traffic to my shop. On etsy, I get a lot more traffic to my shop just because etsy gets a lot more traffic overall, and I also am a member of several teams that create etsy treasuries (collections) featuring other members' work which also helps get you exposure.

The reseller problem on etsy has been a disturbing trend as of late - resellers being people who mark up mass produced goods and sell them as handmade. Generally their prices are still much lower than truly handmade work so it does make you feel like your handmade goods can't compete. I think overall folks who truly support handmade don't mind paying a little more for a handcrafted item, but in the tough economy I can understand why shoppers are looking for inexpensive alternatives. Because this problem seems so pervasive on etsy, I had thought to try my luck at Artfire. I have come to realize that there are unscrupulous sellers everywhere, and unfortunately Artfire isn't free of the problem either. They do have a certification program where you submit photos of your creative and technical process and you can earn the right to display a handmade badge in your online store, which I think is an excellent idea and one that etsy should consider implementing.

Bottom line - I have already accumulated good feedback on etsy, I have more traffic to both my handmade and vintage stores there, and I think etsy is a little more visually appealing as a website. Etsy has also recently improved the listing process - listing an item for sale requires filling out one page of information, not 5. Artfire already had a very easy listing procedure.

I have to say that overall I liked artfire and found it very user friendly but a little less visually appealing. The problem for me does not rest so much with the venues but the fact that I have limited time to promote myself, having to contend with working full time in addition to finding adequate studio time. Giving my artfire store proper attention in addition to my two etsy shops was just a deal breaker for me - I just couldn't find the time to make it work. I am in the process of closing my shop on artfire. I would love to hear anyone's opinion considering the pros and cons of either site - right now, despite my misgivings about the pervasive reseller problem on etsy, it just seems to be working better for me. Please feel free to comment on your own experiences in this regard - I would love to hear from other artisans selling their creations online.

Etsy Treasuries

2011-06-17T05:01:00.000-07:00

A Decorative Beaded Edge Tutorial

2011-06-08T10:17:00.000-07:00

Here is a simple but very pretty way to finish of a bead embroidered piece or any fiber art piece where the piece has a bit of weight and stiffness. I like to use this technique on my bead embroidered pieces which are typically three layers thick - the outer fabric, the middle layer of fabric interfacing (or stiff stuff if you prefer) and the backing of either suede leather or ultra suede. First, following the example of the top sketch, add a brick stitch style edging of size 11 beads all around your piece. The brick stitch edging is a combination of brick stitching the beads together at the same time as sewing them to the fabric. The red line shows the thread path - in this case I am going from the front to the back of the fabric with my stitching. You can also work back to front if you prefer.

After completing your brick stitch row (it's best if your row contains an even amount of beads - if it's an odd number you will end up with an extra bead on the brick stitch row), you will be adding beads in groups of three. See the second sketch. In this example I used two size 15 rocaille seed beads with a size 11 seed bead in the middle of the group. You can play around with size, shape and color combinations. This row involves no sewing through the base piece - you are using the brick stitch row as your anchor for the picot edging. The red line shows the thread path - I have exaggerated it to make it easier to see what to do! There is an actual photo sample at the bottom showing the final result. There is no right or wrong way to do this - have fun with your own combinations of colors, shapes and bead sizes!

Finishing A Series

2011-06-08T05:11:00.000-07:00

These are the last three pendants in a series of five that I recently created. I really enjoyed doing these variations on a theme - and am now working on a slightly different look to this sort of design on 2 cuff bracelets. I particularly like combining the techniques of tapestry embroidery and bead embroidery - and plan to continue exploring this combination.

Work in Progress

2011-05-25T19:15:00.000-07:00

I have a lot of half finished projects right now - I am still working on my series or embroidered and beaded pendants. Pictured here are three of the six that I have worked on before the finishing touches of the beaded edging and fringe - I am almost done with the last three and am going to move onto some cuffs in the same color scheme. The crocheted lace in the photo is from an old pattern I found for Venetian lace - I think it will make a nice accent for a lavender sachet - I am planning on sewing it to some fabric and embellishing it with a few beads and a bit of embroidery. What's nice about this sort of crochet is you can make one of these lace units in about an hour - the only bad thing is using a tiny hook (1.1 mm) which makes my eyes tired after a little while. Anyway, I hope to have more completed projects soon to post.

Mixed Media Jewelry in Earth Tones

2011-05-18T12:39:00.000-07:00

I was given a piece of pale moss green linen and loved the color and texture - it made a great jumping off point for a series of mixed media pendants in subtle earthy tones. I used both bead and tapestry embroidery techniques to create the little flowery garden scenes and accented them with some wonderful vintage rhinestones from my bead collection. Rather than adding beaded ropes for the necklace part, I though simple brass chains were best - they don't distract from the small scale, and delicate nature of the pendants. Here are the first two in the series - one is fringed and one is not. I have three more in the works - all variations on the same theme.

More on Product Photography

2011-05-16T06:01:00.000-07:00

I recently went through my online stores and decided to rephotograph some items. Although I liked the products, upon reviewing the photography I decided that the composition and lighting in some examples, although adequate, did not really do anything to lend excitement or visual interest to the product. I generally shoot my jewelry and accessories on medium neutral backgrounds such as charcoal gray, brown or muddy olive green which seem to make the color pop. I do like white backgrounds, but unless they are completely neutral, rather than slipping into pink, blue or green, I feel they don't work as well. I had photographed my embroidered and beaded peacock earrings against a flat charcoal gray background and the photographs were fine, but upon reflection I just felt they didn't add any excitement to the product. Since I am selling my work online, I have to rely on photography to both give an accurate representation of my product in addition to attracting views and potential customers.

I reshot the earrings against textured weathered wood - again in a similar charcoal gray color to make the bright colors of the earrings pop. The two shots are not that radically different, but the grain of the wood gives just a bit more visual interest without competing with the product and also a slight sense of perspective which I think makes the shot a little more dynamic. Since reshooting this, the product has gotten a lot more views - I do think these slight improvements made a huge difference in presenting my product to the public. Please note as well that both were shot on overcast days in natural lighting for minimum shadows and/or glare, using the same camera.

Tutorial for Adding Crocheted Edging

2011-05-04T18:47:00.000-07:00

I have posted three steps in three posts - to better see the images, just click on the image area in each post and they will display larger on your monitor so you can better see the instructions.

Adding a Crocheted Edging to a Fabric Item STEP THREE

2011-05-04T18:46:00.001-07:00

Adding a Crocheted Edging to a Fabric Item STEP TWO

2011-05-04T18:45:00.000-07:00

Adding a Crocheted Edging to a Fabric Item STEP ONE

2011-05-04T18:44:00.000-07:00

Lavender Sachets

2011-05-02T11:15:00.000-07:00

There is nothing more soothing than the scent of lavender buds. I decided to put my embroidery and crochet skills to work and make some lavender filled sachets from fabric scraps in my collection.

Beautiful moss green linen forms the background for delicate floral embroidery in this lovely lavender filled sachet. I used split stitch, satin stitch and french knots to create the embroidered motif on the front of the sachet. The back of the sachet is white cotton broadcloth with an envelope style closure. After completing the assembly of the sachet, I edged the entire piece with blanket stitching and added a lacy crochet edging using cotton crochet thread in pale purple. I then created an insert out of white cotton broadcloth which I filled with 6 heaping tablespoons of french lavender buds and basted it shut.

I am working on a tutorial to show how to blanket stitch the edge of an item and then use that stitched edge as the base row of a crocheted edging. Stay tuned!

The Fantastic Seventies

2011-04-25T09:09:00.000-07:00

Recently I was the lucky recipient of some vintage fabric - a relative had saved a small amount of left over this cotton upholstery fabric from the 1970s. She had originally made curtains with this fabric - can you imagine how completely awesome that was? This fabric was stored for years in a chest of drawers so the fabric is still bright and not at all faded. I just had to make some pillows with this, and have enough to make a few more in the future. I love love love this material - just because it brings back memories of my childhood (now I've really dated myself!) I also used recycled denim and khaki for the backs of the pillows - I am really trying to incorporate recycling and repurposing of materials into my art - the notion of making something new with materials that would have either been discarded or abandoned really appeals to me!

Advertising Art - Soap Labels

2011-04-17T20:37:00.000-07:00

I love to look at different sources to get new ideas for color schemes and design elements. I recently rediscovered a book already in my possession - an old book of postcards that featured reproductions of soap labels from the early part of the twentieth century. Not only are the designs beautiful, but some of the use of color is both unusual and striking. I would like to share four examples - I apologize for the less than stellar quality of the photos. I hope you find these as inspiring as I do!

Black and White Handmade Treasures

2011-04-07T06:17:00.000-07:00

I was lucky enough to be featured in this black and white themed treasury featuring handcrafted work from artists who sell their work on etsy. If you see something you like, just click on the item and you will instantly find out more about it! Please support the handmade movement!

Black and White Floral Tapestry Cuff

2011-04-04T08:59:00.000-07:00

This cuff started out with a lovely piece of white cotton material that has a chrysanthemum floral motif embroidered in black. This machine embroidered material was repurposed from fabric scraps left from another sewing project. The cuff is completely lined with bright red ultra suede, which is very soft and comfortable to wear. There is a layer of fabric interfacing between the cotton and ultra suede to give the cuff a little extra stiffness.

The entire cuff has been edged with black seed beads in a brick stitch technique. Using the brick stitched row as an anchor, I added a fringed edging using tiny red and matte gold rocaille seed beads and more black beads.

Once the beading was complete, I added an Ikebana button for the closure. This is a beautiful button with a very matte black surface and a metallic gold floral motif. There is a reinforcement button on the inside to provide stability and to prevent the main button from pulling on the cotton. I crocheted a frilly loop with thin black cotton and red beads to add visual interest to the closure. I used a base loop of stiff C-Lon thread for the crocheted closure so that the button hole would not loosen after repeated uses.

Rainbow Dots Cuff

2011-03-29T16:35:00.000-07:00

Colorful concentric circles decorate the cheerful yellow cotton fabric that I used to create this unique cuff bracelet. The cuff is completely lined with bright red ultra suede, which is very soft and comfortable to wear. There is a layer of fabric interfacing between the cotton and ultra suede to give the cuff a little extra stiffness.

The entire cuff has been edged with black seed beads in a brick stitch technique. I sewed each bead on by hand using nymo thread, a sturdy, synthetic thread widely used by bead weavers and embroiderers. After finishing the brick stitch, I added a fringed edging using tiny red rocaille seed beads and more black beads.

Once the beading was complete, I added a vintage red button with a wave motif on it. There is a reinforcement button on the inside to provide stability and to prevent the main button from pulling on the cotton. I crocheted a frilly loop with thin black cotton and red beads to add visual interest to the closure. Please note that the crocheted closure was created over a base loop of stiff C Lon cord so that the cotton crochet will not stretch out or loosen while worn.

I really enjoy making these cuffs and the possibilities of combining colorful fabrics, beading, embroidery and the touches of crochet are endless!

Moon Themed Treasury

2011-03-29T06:29:00.000-07:00

I was lucky enough to be featured in this moon themed treasury featuring handcrafted work from artists who sell their work on etsy. If you see something you like, just click on the item and you will instantly find out more about it! Please support the handmade movement!

Bright Geometry

2011-03-29T06:23:00.000-07:00

I put together a little collection of brightly colored artwork with geometric patterns featuring handcrafted work from artists who sell their work on etsy. If you see something you like, just click on the item and you will instantly find out more about it! Enjoy.

Artfire

2011-03-25T06:29:00.000-07:00

I am in the process of stocking a store on Artfire. I am excited and hopeful about increasing my online presence through the wonderful tools available there. I will keep you posted on my experiences as a new member on Artfire and a current seller on etsy.

Artificial Versus Natural Lighting in Product Photography

2011-03-20T14:11:00.000-07:00

Since I began selling my work, one of my biggest challenges was presenting my work well in photography. Composition, lighting, staging and accurate color have been ongoing concerns. I prefer indirect sunlight, but since I live in Rhode Island and it is a bit cold outside for photography during the winter months I had to accept working indoors with artificial light. I bought some halogen lamps and really began playing with the settings on my camera this past winter.

I use two lamps and make sure that my camera is not only on the macro setting but also the halogen setting or the color is way off. I usually set the ISO to auto, but occasionally play with low versus hi ISO settings. I cross the light between the two lamps and try to create as little shadowing as possible for although shadows can add drama to a photo, too many shadows can distract from the details of your product (in my case primarily beaded and/or fiber art jewelry). I began to take photos that were respectable in the sense that they were pretty accurate for color. I generally used thick, matte textured stocks in various shades of neutral gray for the background, and also use some very old books that have great character as a staging object. I was satisfied with my photos but not thrilled.

It was a beautiful day today in Rhode Island, my family was off doing errands, my camera batteries were fully charged and I decided to retake some photos outside using some wooden planks for staging. I love the neutral color of the weathered wood, and I made sure to stay on the side of the house that was out of the direct sunlight to avoid harsh shadows and highlights. I have to say that although the indoor and outdoor photos are not all that dissimilar in terms of color and quality there is just something I prefer about the naturally lit photos. They have a softer, less harsh look to them. I have created a collage of two of my cuffs that I reshot today. The naturally lit shots are on the left. I would love to hear feedback and opinions on how you like to photograph and stage your products!

Mexican Inspired Cuff

2011-03-17T16:17:00.000-07:00

I just finished this cuff inspired by the traditional embroidery of Mexico and also the Day of the Dead holiday which is celebrated in early November in conjunction with both All Saints' and All Souls' Days. I used Dupioni silk as a base which is incredibly difficult to photograph. It has a lot of character with its slubs and being woven of two colors - in this case purple and dark teal. The fabric looks purple but at certain angles the teal really comes out giving it an iridescent quality. I embroidered my skull and flower motif onto the silk which I had backed with fabric interfacing for sturdiness. When the embroidery was done I backed the whole cuff in ultrasuede.

I can't say enough good things about ultrasuede. I have been a bit of a purist in the past, only using real suede or leather in backing my cuffs - and fighting it as far as stitching was concerned. Leather is wonderful but not easy to sew! Ultra suede is very soft, has the weight and feel of suede but is much easier to sew through. I now understand why so many bead embroiders like working with this material and plan to use it much more often in the future.

I edged the whole cuff with brick stitch and then a whip stitch fringe - the ultrasuede made this step a breeze!

Donations for Japan Relief Fund

2011-03-16T21:54:00.000-07:00

Just a short note - you can donate to the Red Cross
just by visiting their website and following the directions. Following the devastating earthquake and resulting tsunami, the people of Japan need as much help as they can get. Over 4.5 thousand are confirmed dead and over 8 thousand are still missing. It is winter time in the northeast of Japan so the survivors are now having to contend with snow and bitter cold, and a possible nuclear disaster.

Lovely Treasury

2011-03-16T17:48:00.000-07:00

A wonderfully colorful etsy treasury featuring my blue lotus earrings. An etsy treasury is a collection of items for sale on etsy curated by an etsy member. If you like any of the items included in this collection, just click on it and you will be taken directly to that item listing to find out more about it!

Embroidery Tutorial - Another Great Stitch for Leaf Shapes

2011-03-16T17:42:00.000-07:00

Another Embroidery Stitch Tutorial - the Vandyke Stitch

2011-03-14T14:38:00.000-07:00

This looks like a really nice stitch for filling in leaves on a floral pattern - almost like a combination of braiding and embroidery.

Embroidery Tutorial - Chained Feather Stitch

2011-03-13T17:43:00.000-07:00

I recently unearthed a small book called "100 Embroidery Stitches" from a box of books in storage. It must have belonged to a relative - and after leafing through it I realized there were some great stitches that I had never heard of and can't wait to try. I wanted to share a few of them with you - here is the first of several. Please note that this book was printed in 1967 and as far as I can tell has long been out of print. Enjoy and maybe even try the chained feather stitch!

Embroidered Cuff Inspired by Traditional Mexican Embroidery

2011-03-08T16:34:00.000-08:00

Another cuff that combines two of my passions - tapestry style embroidery and bead weaving!

I have been looking at the traditional embroidery of Mexico for inspiration, and created a series of colorful medallions that go around the entire cuff. After the embroidery was complete, I lightly glued a piece of soft suede leather to the back and trimmed it to match the front. I edged the cuff with brick stitch which served as an anchor for a whip stitch embellishment of different colored seed beads to add a playful touch. The closure is a silver plated tube sliding clasp.

Amazing Recycled Denim

2011-02-28T17:50:00.001-08:00

I am thrilled to have been featured in an article about artists who combine embroidery and recycled denim in their creations. The article called "Art in your genes, er, jeans" appears on the fantastic embroidery blog Mrxstitch. My embroidered fly pillow was featured along with a group of amazing artworks in denim - like the car covered in denim - simply awesome! Also featured is a fantastic kimono, completely made of denim. To find out more, just click on the links above!

Spring Colors 2011

2011-02-21T07:44:00.000-08:00

Pantone's color of the year for 2011 is Honeysuckle (a lovely pinky coral color) and around that color they have created a gorgeous palette. You can download a pdf of the spring color scheme, or just poke around Pantone's website for more color inspiration. I have always been a fan of orange and teal together, and in this new palette there are several colors in that family that could be used in combination to a lovely effect. Let these colors inspire you - they certainly make me think of the warmer days to come.

Another Treasury

2011-02-21T05:45:00.000-08:00

I have been fortunate to have been included several lovely etsy treasuries recently. Etsy, the handmade and vintage site where I sell my work, allows members to curate collections based on various themes which are called treasuries. Here is a snapshot of a beadwork themed treasury featuring my most recent cuff. If you are interested in learning more about any of the gorgeous items featured, or even purchasing, click on any of them and you will be directed right to the etsy listing for that item.

Etsy Treasury

2011-02-19T16:56:00.000-08:00

A recent treasury on etsy featuring one of my cuffs - I was thrilled at being included in such a gorgeous collection! Click on any one of the items to see more about it!

Silk Brocade Cuff with Corset Style Closure

2011-02-17T06:14:00.000-08:00

The body of this cuff is made from gorgeous silk brocade in shades of purple, magenta and orange. The pattern on the silk has paisley shapes and other floral elements. I backed the brocade with pink cotton, and two layers of fabric interfacing between the silk and the cotton help the cuff keep its shape. I edged the entire cuff in brick and whip stitching in shades of iridescent maroon and gold foil lined seed beads. Two double sided grommets provide a corset style closure, through which is threaded purple organza ribbon. The ends of the ribbon have been folded and sewn and decorated on both sides with clusters of seed beads for another decorative accent. To put this cuff on, loosen the ribbon, slide it over your hand and then tie a bow to wear the cuff as tightly or as loosely as you desire.

I recently purchased a bunch of two sided grommets and a grommet setting tool. I also got one of those little circular cutters that punches a hole where you want to put the grommet. I first tried one sided grommets, but the backs have a very unfinished look to them. The grommets that come in two parts are definitely the way to go! I thought it would be fun to experiment with other ways of closing cuffs, and one thing I like about the lace up corset style closure that I made using my new grommet tool and some ribbon is that it allows for some leniency on the sizing. I usually make bracelets and cuffs for 7.25 inch wrists - but many people have bigger wrists so it's nice to be able to have a cuff that accommodates a range of sizes.

More Recycled Denim - Colorful Embroidered Fly Pillow

2011-02-14T06:46:00.000-08:00

I finally finished it! Of course I started with super soft recycled denim - harvested from some old jeans that I washed in hot water with mild detergent. There is nothing softer and more inviting than soft, well broken in, cotton denim.

To get the fly image, I actually started with a photograph of a fly which I redrew in a more simple, graphic fashion. I wanted to be able to break it down into some basic shapes which I could applique to the front of the pillow and then embroider over it. Using silk and cotton scraps, I cut the pieces and pinned them into place and used a simple blanket stitch to keep them in position. Please note that I put anti fray on the edge of the fabric rather than folding them under. I am going to experiment with the way I handle edges on applique, but I think for the smoothest, least bumpy result, cutting them to the exact size and applying anti fray is the way to go. My blanket stitch is very small so the fabric will stay put and not shred. I then went over the fabric portions with decorative stitching to add color and also the veins to the wings. I opted to simply embroider the legs - cut fabric pieces for such thin areas would have been too difficult to deal with.

After the front embroidery was done, I gently steam pressed around my appliqued fly to get rid of that pesky embroidery hoop mark, trimmed and pinned the back in place and finished it off on the sewing machine. I stuffed it with nice springy polyfill and then finished the last three inch opening off by hand with a tiny whip stitch in the same blue as the denim so you can barely see it.

I am very pleased with the results, and am thinking of doing a similar project using a nice chunk of cotton khaki from some cotton pants my husband no longer wears.

Boudica Corset Style Bead Embroidered Cuff

2011-02-05T09:30:00.000-08:00

This corset style cuff was created for the Etsy Beadweavers February 2011 Challenge Royalty Throughout Time and was inspired by the ancient celtic warrior queen Boudica who led an uprising against the occupying forces of the Roman Empire in 60 A.D.

I wanted to make something shieldlike that also had a celtic feel to the design. I started with brown cotton broadcloth fabric interfacing over which I embroidered hundreds of tiny beads in a celtic inspired design. I then backed the entire cuff with soft tan suede leather and added grommets and a beaded edging. Black translucent ribbon is threaded through the grommets and the ends of the ribbon have been sealed to prevent fraying. In order to wear the cuff, slide it over your hand and tighten the ribbon and tie it in a bow.

The cuff was designed to fit a 7.5 inch (19 cm) wrist but because of the closure style can be worn looser to accommodate a larger wrist size. At it widest dimension, the cuff measures 3.25 inches (8.3 cm) and tapers to 2.5 inches (6.4 cm) wide at the closure.

Please visit the EBW’s blog between Feb 9 -15 and vote for your favorite entry from a wonderful selection of designs made by very talented beaders.

Stay Inspired!

2011-01-31T06:18:00.001-08:00

I wanted to share an inspiring blog I discovered a few months ago called Advanced Style. Blogger and Photographer Ari Seth Cohen documents the wonderfully creative style embraced by some wonderful people who just happen to be over 60! This is a wonderfully uplifting blog to read - I love seeing how creativity can stay with us and inspire us through all our years, and to see people using their own dress as a canvas to express their creativity. Please check out this blog - from the fantastic jewelry (some great items for inspiration here) and exotic fashion you will be amazed and inspired.

Trio of Embroidered Pillows Inspired by Tattoo Art

2011-01-20T06:23:00.000-08:00

I finally finished off some of the embroidered pillows that I have been working on!
I started with 100 percent cotton recycled denim which I harvested from old pants and washed with hot water and mild detergent yielding a soft, wonderful fabric for embroidery. Each pillow features a pink cotton heart that has been appliqued onto the front, and the edges have been treated to prevent fraying. I then embellished each heart with an edging and an ornamental design inspired by tattoos - a thorny, intertwining vine motif. I used brightly colored cotton embroidery floss to create each design and all the stitching was done by hand except the seaming of the pillow edges which I did on a sewing machine. Blanket stitch and split stitch are the primary embroidery techniques used. I stuffed each plump pillow with polyfill stuffing and then finished the seam along the bottom by hand with a whip stitch.

Dimensions: Each pillow measures 5.5 x 5.5 inches (139.7mm x 139.7mm)

Small Dog - Deep Snow

2011-01-14T11:49:00.000-08:00

I couldn't resist posting these. They have nothing to do with beading but they made me laugh. We got a foot of snow the other day in southern Rhode Island and my daughter took these photos of our little dog trying to navigate through the backyard. Hopefully this is the end of the snow storms for this winter - it's been a huge distraction! I have been spending some time in my studio and hope to have more things posted soon. In the meantime, enjoy these photos of little Cozy running through the snow!

Abandoned Projects Take on a New Life

2011-01-10T16:16:00.000-08:00

I have been tidying up my studio and have found several unfinished pieces which I realized had a lot of potential, and I am in the process of reworking some new life into some of them. I had created these medallion earrings last year and really liked them, but felt they would benefit from more fringe. Adding the extra rows with the bronze rice pearls seems to add a good finishing touch. I tend to work on one or two projects at a time, but do have a small pile of abandoned pieces. I am glad I didn't discard them - sometimes after letting them sit and then reexamining them, they suddenly become items with potential instead of abandoned ideas.

On another note, I wanted to mention Cyndi Lavin's ebooks on bead embroidery. The first chapter is a free pdf download, and I found it extremely informative. She also lists other ebooks for very reasonable prices. Her blog is chock full of useful information and tutorials.

Embroidery and Recycled Denim

2011-01-03T15:13:00.000-08:00

Over the holidays I did some tapestry style embroidery. My studio isn't heated very well, and it was easy to get the materials I needed together in a basket to work on in a more comfortable (heated) environment! You may have noticed my love for bugs (I have embroidered or painted several brooches featuring various beetles) and my undying love for soft, well worn cotton denim (which I have used in several of my cuffs). I have been hoarding old, ripped blue jeans cast off by various family members. They get a nice hot water wash, and then I harvest the legs where you can get the biggest pieces without seams running through them. I decided to make a non jewelry item for a change of pace, and sketched a common housefly from a photograph - simplifying it and then enlarging it to put on a pillow of recycled denim. I then made a puzzle of sorts out of it and created some appliquéd pieces as a base for my embroidery. All the details and appendages will be filled in with embroidered stitches. Here is the very beginning stages. Stay tuned for the finished fly which will be on a smallish pillow with an envelope style closure.

Happy New Year

2011-01-01T11:44:00.000-08:00

Don't have a lot to post in regard to beading and embroidery as I am busy cooking a large turkey and waiting for company to arrive. I just wanted to wish everyone a happy and healthy and very creative new year!

Rustic Hearts

2010-12-22T07:40:00.000-08:00

I have been pretty busy doing some embroidery and getting ready for Christmas - I don't have any new creations to post, but I did take the time this morning to look at some of the wonderful handmade items for sale on etsy. Here is a rustic hearts themed collection that I created. Have a wonderful holiday and a happy, creative new year!

Christmas Cheer

2010-12-15T05:15:00.000-08:00

I was thrilled to be featured in several treasuries as of late on etsy. Treasuries are curated collections of 16 items on a theme. Etsy members do the curating - so I am always thrilled when one of the talented artisans there deems my work good enough to include! This is one of my favorite treasuries - a gift guide featuring lovely browns and bronzes (including my little antique look earrings!)

More Fan Shaped Earrings

2010-12-07T06:04:00.000-08:00

I have really enjoyed making these fan shaped earrings using brick stitch around a soldered sterling ring base. This is the third in the series, and I kept the earth tone color scheme with a slight twist - I added two beads in the focus to change it up just a bit. I particularly love the combination of matte and shiny beads - the olive green beads are very matte and opaque, and the copper colored beads are metallic and shiny. So not only varying the sizes of the beads, but the finish of the beads, can add to the visual interest of the completed earring!

Kantha Embroidery

2010-12-06T16:51:00.000-08:00

Robin Atkins' Beadlust blog has a wonderful article about Kantha, a style of embroidery from Bangladesh. I was so taken by the photos Robin posted, I had to put up this link. I am completely inspired, and plan to learn a bit more about this technique!

Simply Elegant Pendants made with Swarovski Rivolis

2010-12-02T16:09:00.000-08:00

Beaded bezels are a favorite project, and Swarovski rivolis are a perfect object to wrap in a beaded bezel! I use a tubular peyote stitch - a 14 mm rivoli takes a base ring of 34 size 11 delica beads, and a 12 mm rivoli takes a base ring of 30 size 11 delica beads. I always thread my nymo through twice in the base ring, and then work two rows of peyote stitch from that base and then work two more rows in size 15 rocaille beads to cinch up the tube around the rivoli. Thread the nymo back through to the other side and work another 2 rows in size 15 to cinch up the other side, effectively trapping the rivoli in your peyote stitch bezel! Quick and easy - a base ring and a total of 7 rows of peyote - and then you need to add a bail. I like to use a soldered sterling ring that I anchor on with a row of tiny size 15 rocailles through which I pass the nymo thread multiple times for strength, and then string on a simple chain. It might be a simple project, but the beauty of the sparkly rivolis really don't need a lot of dressing up! You can add a picot edging or beaded fringe if you want a more elaborate look.

10 Percent Off on Cyber Monday

2010-11-27T15:08:00.001-08:00

I will be offering a 10 percent off sale shop wide at WindyRiver Handmade Jewelry and Accessories for cyber Monday - use the coupon code WINDYRIVER10 to receive 10 percent off anything in my store on November 29, 2010. Please don't forget to visit my vintage store, LesPetitsTrucs. If you use the coupon LESPETITSTRUCS10 on November 29, 2010 you will receive 10 percent off anything in the store. Please remember that shipping is always free within the USA. Happy holidays! My storewide 10 percent off sale will go from 12 am to 12 pm November 29, 2010 and applies to both my vintage and handmade stores.

Back to Beadweaving

2010-11-21T17:22:00.000-08:00

I had been doing a bit of work that didn't involve a lot of beadweaving, so I decided to revisit my favorite brickstitch earrings that start with a silver ring. I changed it up a little on two of the three I recently created to have a more fan like shape. It's interesting that despite the fact that the red and gold earrings and the teal and copper earrings are the exact same design, they have a very different feeling due to the colors and styles of beads used. I really enjoy working in circular brick stitch - especially changing the sizes of the beads from row to row to create texture and visual interest. For those of you who want to try this technique, I have posted this link before, but I would refer you again to the Inspirational Beading Blog for an excellent tutorial. Enjoy!

Holiday Colors

2010-11-16T16:02:00.001-08:00

The traditional colors for Christmas are green and red, with gold and silver also playing a major role in holiday color schemes. The colors have their origin in religious beliefs - the color green represents the evergreen tree which survives the year round even in the coldest areas, and therefore also symbolizes the idea of eternal life. The color red represents of the blood of Jesus. These colors are also a result of an old church tradition that started during the medieval times; the enactment of miracle plays for the public at large, which at that time was generally illiterate. These plays recounted the main stories of the bible for those that could not read it for themselves. They often used the branches of a fir tree festooned with apples that had been in storage to symbolize the Tree of Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden. This evolved into the practice of displaying a fir tree decorated with apples within the home around the holidays, which eventually became the modern Christmas Tree.
It's always nice to create gift items using these traditional colors, and to also consider some of the color traditions from other winter holidays.

In my parents house, they put up a Christmas tree but always include Hanukkah decorations to honor traditions from both sides of the family. Many Hanukkah decorations are silver and blue. There is no actual color tradition from Hanukkah, but the color scheme of white and blue comes from the flag of Israel, and possibly led to the predominance of blue and white or blue and silver in decorations for this holiday.

The traditional Kwanzaa colors are black, red, and green. Red stands for the struggles of the people and green represents the hills of Africa. Green is also considered the color that represents the notion of hope.

So enjoy the bright colors of the holidays and embrace the various traditions they reflect!

More Treasuries on Etsy

2010-11-12T16:48:00.000-08:00

I am lucky enough to be included in two more gorgeous treasuries on etsy. For those unfamiliar with etsy, treasuries are collections based on a theme that members of etsy can create to showcase items available on the site. Here are screen captures of the two treasuries, and I hope to create one of my own this weekend.

More Found Object Jewelry

2010-11-11T16:05:00.001-08:00

I have been taking a little break from beadweaving to create some jewelry from vintage components I had in my studio. I am a bit like a crow in that I love lots of shiny objects, and I have several small bins filled with broken vintage jewelry that I have been given by various relative or that I had purchased at flea markets with an eye towards making something with them one day. Beadweaving and embroidery are my favorite methods of working but are so time intensive it was refreshing to do some assemblage work.

The tile neckace is made of found and new parts - the chain and enameled tile were both harvested from vintage pieces and I added the little dangles with new elements that have a vintage look.

The fan shaped gypsy earrings actually were already earrings but had broken hooks and were very plain. I had debated doing anything with them at all since they had patina spots on them and other dings from being used, but I decided that with some embellishing, those imperfections would add interest to the final product. My husband bought a drill press for his workshop last year, so I received lessons in its use, and under his patient tutelage I drilled these brass fans with a series of holes and then added a series of pale blue picasso beads on headpins. I was happy with the result because they are full of life and movement now, and I was able to use some of the picasso beads from my collection. I am a huge fan of these beads and their irregular shapes and finishes.

I am happy to say that I have been hard at work doing some more beadweaving but I did enjoy my little foray into assembled jewelry.

Monday Morning Blues

2010-11-08T16:23:00.001-08:00

My peacock earrings are featured in this lovely treasury with a blue theme. I am always thrilled to be included in an etsy treasury - and this is an especially nice collection!

The Sahara Necklace

2010-11-02T02:59:00.000-07:00

The starting point for this eyecatching necklace was a portion of a damaged vintage necklace that I came across in my search for vintage jewelry. I loved the colors and shapes, and felt that it would be a nice challenge to breathe some new life into the beautiful enameled links. The metal Y shaped portion of the necklace is vintage with the exception of the teal picasso beads which I added on using brass head pins. I then strung a rope of alternating gold, orange and teal beads in different shapes and sizes to complement the colors in the repurposed vintage portion. The beaded portion has multiple passes of very sturdy nymo, a thread widely used by beadweavers, and is finished off with a gold plated safety clasp accented with a glittering swarovski crystal. The colors remind me of the desert with its golden brown sand and cloudless blue skies.

Milk and Cookies Treasury

2010-10-28T17:30:00.001-07:00

I try to make treasuries, or collections of items I like, on etsy as often as I can. It's a nice way to showcase other artisans whose work you admire. I made this one today, inspired by chocolate chip cookies and milk. Click here to get to the actual treasury and check out all their shops!

Another necklace using black lace - the elegant insect necklace!

2010-10-25T16:05:00.000-07:00

The elegant insect necklace! Beautiful black lace is accented with tiny foil lined beads and a vintage prong set clear rhinestone but has a strange little surprise. The focal is a brass beetle which adds just a touch of the unusual to this necklace. Each tiny bead was hand sewn onto the black lace using sturdy nymo thread. The beetle is also sewn on. I added soldered, silver plated jump rings to each end of the lace section and then strung short lengths of bronze, golden and white freshwater pearls accented with more of the tiny foil lined beads. The pearl sections end in another jump ring through which is threaded a double length of satiny black ribbon.

I purchased half a dozen of these lace pieces a few months ago and I am having a great time using different combinations of techniques, materials and colors to create necklaces using these delicate lace appliques as a starting point. Next on my list is the lace in combination with a vintage cameo. Stay tuned!

Victorian Gothic Necklace

2010-10-21T06:28:00.000-07:00

Another mixed media necklace combining beadweaving, bead embroidery, and traditional tapestry embroidery - I love the richness of working in multiple techniques at once.

I created this bib necklace using cotton backed with fabric interfacing to give it a bit of stiffness. I then stitched on a black floral lace applique and embellished that with tapestry embroidery using mainly a chain stitch. Purple, pink and silver floss were used - the silver floss is a shiny metallic polyester thread that will not tarnish as there is no actual metal component in it. Clear glass foil lined seed bead embellishments accent the lace, and a diamond like swarovski crystal rivoli that I bezeled in peyote stitch using foil lined glass delica beads creates a focal point. The bib is backed in soft black suede leather and edged with tiny size 15 black rocaille beads in a brick stitch. The bottom edge has a net like edging in silver and black accented with tiny Swarovski bicones. At the longest center section, the accent crystal is a vintage aurora borealis crystal bead. Two silver plated rings are stitched on the back and black organza ribbon was looped through - there are two strands of ribbon on each side with plenty of length so that the necklace can be adjusted to either choker length or longer as desired.

Blogger Cyndi has a number of great tutorials on creating beaded bib necklalces on her blog beading arts - be sure to visit her blog for some inspiration!

A Night at the Opera Necklace

2010-10-12T09:23:00.000-07:00

I didn't quite dig back to medieval times for inspiration on this one - I think it has more of a victorian flair. I really enjoy combining tapestry and bead embroidery together. There are also elements of beadweaving included - the center focal is a rivoli that was bezeled in tubular peyote stitch. One element I added to this necklace was an adjustable ribbon closure - so instead of committing to a length I added enough ribbon to wear it as a choker style or something quite a bit longer - I like the piece when worn as a choker, but it works just as well when worn a bit looser.

I also am beginning to play with live models when shooting my products to sell online. Although you can't see the detail as much, I think the photo grabs your attention because of the pose and mood. In the actual product listing on etsy, I use the other photos for those close up detail shots. It's really important to me to show the quality of craftsmanship that goes into each piece I make, and I try to always include a back shot to show that I believe it is just as important to have all sides finished as neatly and thoroughly as possible.

Gargoyle Love

2010-10-01T09:26:00.000-07:00

Inspiration can come from the strangest of places. I have always been a huge fan of gargoyles. The winged fellow sitting next to a pot of mums lives on my front stoop normally. I moved him up to the top of our front stone wall for photo purposes. (Yes, Spike as he is fondly known, is quite heavy to lift!) I also have several smaller ones in my house - the most recent one we got is a little dog that can actually be used as a water spout be right now he lives inside, safely out of the rain.

I was outside the other day, looking at Spike and decided to try to come up with and idea on how to incorporate a gargoyle image into my jewelry. I am going to think about this one and challenge myself. I don't know if I will come up with a solution, but I have a few ideas percolating.

I have included some photos of the gargoyles at Notre Dame in Paris, France to further inspire you!

More embroidery with beadwork and crochet embellishments

2010-09-24T09:22:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you just have to go where your inspiration takes you. I think of myself primarily as a beadweaver, but I really do love embroidery. I made the focus of this necklace at the same time as the purple cuff I recently posted - it sat on my studio desk while I debated necklace or brooch? I have had a box of various colored C-lon cording for quite a while, and have done the occasional experiment with it and realized the green one was a perfect match for my little embroidered piece. So with basic crochet chaining with added beads, I decided to make a necklace. I am currently working on some more pieces that combine my beading and embroidery skills - so stay tuned! I would love to try either true metallic threads or real silk embroidery floss in the near future - right now I have been using cotton for my stitched embroidery, and nymo thread anywhere I apply beads to a piece.

Inspiring Crafters

2010-09-20T09:14:00.000-07:00

I have been submitting some of my work to Craftgawker.com, and have had the honor of having several pieces accepted. This is a fun site, whose main goal is to showcase wonderful crafts with links to blogs that discuss the inspirations for the work and the techniques used in some of the pieces (they are not a commerce site). The photos of the work is always top notch. Many of the featured pieces link up to great tutorials that have inspired me to try new things at any rate. My embroidered bracelet featured in my last blog post is getting lots of views at present, and I am thrilled.

For all you aspiring chefs out there, try their sister site Foodgawker.com - some of these dishes look absolutely delicious and it is a great source for free recipes.

Tapestry Cuff

2010-09-14T06:19:00.000-07:00

For a small change of pace, I decided to work on a few pieces that were predominantly traditional thread embroidery. I started by cutting a bracelet form of 7 inches by 1.625 inches out of Lacy's stiff stuff and basting finely woven purple cotton over it to provide a backdrop. I then meticulously stitched this delicate, floral pattern in pinks, greens, teals and yellow tones using cotton embroidery floss. When the embroidery was completed, the cuff was backed with very soft pale tan leather and edged with matte metallic gold beads in a brick stitch edging. A sliding tube clasp was added and securely stitched on. The clasp is gold plated. Please note that the beadwork and edge stitching was all done with very sturdy nymo thread - the thread I use in my beadweaving work. I had a lot of fun making this and the freeform aspect of the design was very liberating.

Etsy Beadweavers September Challenge Bollywood Theme

2010-09-07T07:35:00.000-07:00

The Bejeweled Bollywood Bib Necklace with Malachite is my entry in the Etsy Beadweavers September Challenge. The bib portion of this necklace features a malachite cab with a beaded bezel in gold and iridescent iris beads. The background of the bib is fine woven emerald green cotton sumptuously embroidered with french metallic embroidery thread that is actually made of polyester so it will never tarnish. The bib is accented by glass beads surround by matte gold beads. The overall effect of the background is that of gauze or webbing. The entire bib and center focal are bordered with tiny loops done created with tiny size 15 foil lined golden beads accented with irridescent iris bead. (Iris beads are seed beads that are iridescent and range in color from purple to blue to dark green.) The bib is also fringed with more gold beads and accented with matte gold cubes and larger iris beads, and the entire area is backed with very soft tan suede leather for comfort of wear. The bib is designed to hit just below the collar bone when worn, and the necklace closes with a gold plated safety clasp that has a crystal embellishment. Other than the gold colored embroidery thread, nymo thread was used throughout the production of this piece. The beaded bezel has an extra pass of stitches around the top rows to ensure sturdiness, and the necklace portion has three passes of sturdy thread through it to ensure longevity. When looking for inspiration from the Bollywood theme, I happened upon an Indian wedding jewelry site and was amazed at the exuberance of color - most of the jewelry was ornate gold with every color of gemstone included. Red and gold and green and gold seemed to be popular color schemes, and I have always been a fan of green and gold together. To vote for your favourite Bollywood creation, go to www.etsy-beadweavers.blogspot.com -Voting goes from September 9 to Sept 15.

Japanese Kimono Fabric

2010-08-31T13:14:00.000-07:00

Another great source of inspiration for color and pattern is to be found in the beautiful fabrics made in Japan for creating Kimonos. Some of them include embroidered elements, which is an art form that I particularly love. (See this example.) While I work on several time consuming projects, I have been keeping my blog going with some things that have inspired me. Here are some examples of beautiful, silk, kimono fabrics. Enjoy!

More Inspiration From Afar - African Mud Cloth

2010-08-26T12:54:00.000-07:00

Another wonderful art form is the dyed, handwoven fabric from Mali called bogolanfini, or mud cloth. Unlike the Rangoli from my previous post, the colors are more muted, earth tones - as a result of the technique used. African women weave the cloth from cotton they harvest, and then the intricate patterns are dyed on using local river mud and a dye made from the bark of the bogolon tree. The resultant colors are varying shades of yellow, rust and dark brown. What I love about this art form is that despite the limited color palette, a rich textural quality is achieved by the intricate geometric patterns.

An Exuberance of Color - Rangoli Sand Paintings

2010-08-24T09:30:00.000-07:00

I am presently working on a Bollywood inspired necklace for the upcoming Esty Beadweavers' Challenge, and while surfing the internet for related themes and images to give me some ideas for pattern and color, I came across the artform called Rangoli. Apparently they are "painted" on the ground or floor using colored sand and are created on auspicious occasions, such as holidays, weddings, and other important days. I believe they are generally made by women as a sign of welcome to the home. At any rate, here are a few of these wonderfully patterned, round medallions. I love the tapestry-like effect and the incredible, exuberant colors they use.

Great Linkage

2010-08-18T06:19:00.000-07:00

Just want to post a few beading blogs that have great resources - information on contests, giveaways, various tutorials, and other helpful information.

Beadweaver

Beading Arts

Inspirational Beading

Glitter Glow

Ruby's Jewelry Design

Hope these blogs will inspire you as much as they have inspired me! Happy beading!

Circular Brick Stitch Earrings

2010-08-16T07:00:00.001-07:00

I recently revisited circular brick stitch - last year I had created several similar pairs of earrings, and thought it would be nice to recreate them using different color combinations. All three that you see posted here start with a sturdy, soldered sterling silver ring, which I feel adds a lot of stability to this stitch. The majority of the beads used in these three projects are size 15 rocailles - as I've said before, the tinier the bead, the more I love it! It might be more time consuming to work with these little beads, but because the stitches are smaller, and the rows are shorter, it seems to add even more stability to the work. In this case, since I am using the end product as a dangling earring, I really don't want a floppy, highly flexible disc - they need to be able to hold their own shape.

If you notice on the purple pair, I did use some larger size 11 beads - there is an advantage to starting your first row with the smallest beads and then gradually increasing bead size as you work out - you will nothave to keep increasing the amount of beads in the rows, and it does make it a little easier to work. When your work with all the same size bead throughout, it is necessary to increase the amount of beads in each row in order to keep your circle flat. When I do increases, I try to space them evenly around and find that if I increase 4 or 5 times in each row, that usually does the trick. It takes a little practice and there certainly is not an exact formula. One other note - I work with nymo thread, and it is important to stretch your thread before you begin beading. When I start a new project or add a new piece of thread to a project, I stretch it between my hands. This prevents loosening later on down the road - consistent thread tension is an important factor in this type of work and you don't want your stitches loosening up as time goes on. I have a pair of green and gold earrings I made myself over a year ago using this technique - I wear them quite often, and they have kept their shape and held up very well!

There is an excellent tutorial for working in circular brick stitch starting with a large bead as the central element on the fantastic beading blog Inspirational Beading. I finished my earrings of with a picot stitch edging, but I think the ring in the tutorial works very well with a smooth edge. So, pick something to stitch around and try different colors and sizes of beads and let your creativity fly!

Fall Colors 2010

2010-08-06T12:26:00.001-07:00

Pantone, among others, puts out a color forecast for each season. The colors can be applied to fashion, interior design etc. Here a few sample palettes for the fall color picks for this coming fall. I hope they will inspire you - I know I gravitate towards the same grouping of colors over and over again, and I plan to try to break out of those habits and try new combinations. I like the jewel like, warm tones that are represented in these screen captures. Enjoy!