Beauty and the Bead

Exceptional Lampwork bracelet - $60.00
Measures 7 ½” without the clasp. The bracelet includes one sterling silver prayer charm and another sterling charm with kanji on it.

Judy Richards of Cat’s Paw Artifacts is a lampworker and she also does bead-weaving and incorporates her own handcrafted beads into her jewelry. She belongs to the Portland (Oregon) Bead Society, and the International Society of Glass Beadmakers.

Probably one of her best figurative pieces yet, the shape of the horse bead above reminds me of the elegant prancing glass horse in the movie the Glass Menagerie. In addition to its flowing and regal movement, it is also a glowing transparent amber color! This will make an impressive focal piece for a necklace.

Lampwork horse Pendant- $20.00
38 by 38 mm - stands up on its own, but made to hang as a pendant with Swarovski crystals. Carefully kiln annealed.

This bracelet filled with dotty, textured lampwork beads looks like the supple segments of a caterpillar with its variations on a theme transitioning from bead to bead while the composition works together as a cohesive unit.

Below is a tribal design using a variety of materials and combining stamping, beadwork, lampwork, and PMC to create a very rich but earthy feeling. The disk is quite substantial and contrasts well against the blue-green and the brown of the stones.

Mayan Look Pendant with Jasper necklace - $40.00
This necklace has a 19 inch strand with Jasper, Turquoise, and a smaller lampwork bead with precious metal clay (fine silver) detail.

I have always been partial to Ocean Jasper and this necklace combines that with a lovely circular peyote stitch cord, bead-woven setting, and bail; a lovely combination of texture, color, and techniques. I know from experience just how long it takes to create a tube of mesh this length. You are getting quite a bargain at this price!

Ocean Jasper Cabochon Bead-woven Necklace - $65.00
21 inch bead-woven rope with a lovely bead encased ocean jasper cabochon.

If you will be in the Portland area don’t miss the STUDIO SALE at the artist’s homeDecember 8 - 2 to 5 p.m. Please convo her on Etsy for directions and her address, or you can also call 503-621-4942. There will be refreshments. (Let her know if you saw her feature in one of these 90 Day Challenge blog posts).

To see what else this artist has available online keep an eye glued to her shop:
http://catldy99.etsy.com

To learn more about her and what she’s doing, read her blog:

http://www.catldy99.wordpress.com

Celebrate!

Holiday Delight Ivy Earrings – $11.00
Approx. 2 ½” long, Czech glass beads with gold foil and Swarovski Crystal beads

Signature Sterling features Ohio State Buckeye jewelry as this artist, an Ohio native, is a big fan of college ball. She uses mostly Sterling Silver in her pieces but occasionally sterling plate. Also included in her designs is Swarovski Austrian Crystal and Swarovski glass pearls, lampwork, and life-like Buckeye lampwork beads. She is a self-representing jewelry artist (#1111) and is committed to high standards of quality and design.

These festive designs will warm your heart and make all your gift recipients happy!

Buckeye Nation Sterling and Swarovski Crystal Necklace -
Features Sterling cubes with lettering which says “Go Bucks”



Buckeye Bling - $20.00
Ohio State Lampwork, Sterling Silver and Leather Cord Necklace (features special Buckeye bead as focal).


Peppermint Stick Earrings – $12.00
Red and white Czech Glass beads and Swarovski Crystal; 1 ¾” long


Frosty Earrings – $27.99
Focal beads, created by lampwork artist, Crystal Hunt, are "snow-capped" with sterling silver rounds and Swarovski crystals in crystal moonlight. Approx.1 3/8” long. Be sure to see the necklace that matches these!

See more of her work at:
http://signaturesterling.etsy.com

To learn more about the artist, read her blog:
http://signature-sterling.blogspot.com

Long Ago

These remind me of cracked earth, and unlike most of Anne's other beads have a matte surface. I love the combination of brown and yellow with a touch of pink.

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Beads of Wonder from Down Under

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Anne Dundas is from Sydney, Australia and has been making jewelry since 2004. She started as a way to fill her time while caring for her mother with MS and then developed an interest in lampwork bead-making. She loves working with glass and playing with the colors, watching it melt before her very eyes, then shaping it into solid objects of beauty, and value to others.

Anne also designs business cards for other artist, something she started when somebody asked her opinion on their design. She played around with the graphics and found that she had talent in that area as well as in bead and jewelry design.
See her graphics at: www.annedundas.com/graphics

The bracelet pictured at top, Royal Desire won first place in the metalwork category of the Arts Competition at the Sydney Royal Easter Show. It is an unusual mix of chainmaille and Austrian crystal bicone beads. This particular weave looks almost like knitting.

Tien Hou-Queen of Heaven is a set of 8 lampwork beads with swirls of salmon pink, white, black, blue and gray. Along with it are some facetted pink transparent beads as accents. These are among my favorites of all her current collection.

Next are the pink and green equivalent; Inanna…Sumarian Queen of Heaven. Like Tien Hou, these beauties have central vortexes that spins out to spread pinwheels of color (in this case pink and green) widening out as the reach the outer edges, someone flat on two sides but edged with tiny dots of glass making them resemble a sea cucumber. They are somewhere between round, oval, and rectangular. These also have pink accent beads that come with the set, but they have 10 of her lampwork beads.

Better snap up these gorgeous things fast...before I do! I'm surprised they've been sitting there as long as they have. With any luck I will make some sales of my own so that I can buy some of my favorites before they're all gone.

If you would like quality and unusual glass beads and/or jewelry you should really keep an eye on her whole collection at http://annedundas.etsy.com/

To learn more about what’s new with the artist be sure to read her blog and sign up for her newsletter at www.annedundas.com/blog/