The Story's In The Beads - You Just Have To Listen

Sleeping Gypsy Bead Tapestry Wall Hanging - $350.00
This wall-hanging was woven entirely out of beads, and hung on a natural stick to recreate the picture “Sleeping Gypsy” by Henri Rousseau. The whole piece measures 10 1/2" x 9 1/4" for the tapestry, plus another 1" for the fringe, embellished with bells on the side.

Onathousandhills is the brainchild of an artist named Cheryl whose medium is beads painstakingly placed to create pictures much as a mosaic of small tiles builds a larger scene. I never knew that anyone else had ever heard of Henri Rousseau, assuming maybe he was too obscure and that I just happened by chance upon his work one day. Perhaps there really are no accidents, and whatever (or whomever) you need to draw creativity from is predestined to come into your line of vision. From that day on I have always loved his style of jungle animals and thick foliage that seemed to create a “where’s Waldo” effect with all the little surprises hidden within the thick canopy of a tropical rainforest. (I went on to explore bead-weaving as one of the jewelry mediums I work in). As I said, perhaps there are no random occurrences, just a fulfillment of what needs to happen so that we can develop ourselves and learn from those influences our eyes fall upon.

It is very fitting that with this bead-weaving artist’s attention to detail that she too would be drawn to the work or Rousseau.

It is quite amazing though that she was able to create this masterpiece after only 5 years practice! I must say, that $350.00 is an absolute steal, so I really hope you art enthusiasts know how great an opportunity this is to own such a piece. This wonderful work of art (shown above) would make some collector blissfully happy, trust me; snap this up!

This piece is lovely also, utilizing peyote stitch for the bezel and tubular Ndebele stitch for the necklace strand. Ndebele was named for the region in Africa where the stitch is believed to have been invented;

Break Forth - porcelain butterfly cabochon necklace - $50.00
A necklace made with a porcelain cabochon, featuring a beautiful blue and yellow butterfly, the stitched bezel done in peyote stitch, using complementary colors, strand in tubular Ndebele (also known as herringbone stitch).

Doing bead-weaving myself, I know the kind of time and care that this next embroidered piece requires. This technique is truly an art-form and up until fairly recently has not received the kind of recognition it deserves. This bracelet is worth a lot more than she is charging for it, as its sheer artistry far surpasses that of the cost of the materials alone;

Shimmering Heart bead embroidered cuff bracelet - $25.00
This cuff is made with Delica brand seed beads and wood, with an ultra suede backing, to fit a small wrist, but the artist can lengthen the toggle if you wish it to fit a larger wrist. From the toggle to the end of the loop, it measures 6 5/8" but the wrist should be slightly smaller to get the right fit.

Cheryl is a proud member of Christian Artists Street Team;
http://castteam.multiply.com/

andEtsy Beadweavers;
http://etsy-beadweavers.blogspot.com/

To take a look at more of her beautiful bead-woven art, go to;
http://onathousandhills.etsy.com

To learn more about the artist and what she is involved in on a day-to-day basis, read her blog;
http://onathousandhills.blogspot.com

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