Autumn Dance

Man, I like copper!  So warm and rich  and it complements so many other colours.  Pair it with warm beads and it's autumn; pair it with cool colours and it's perfect for summer.

This bracelet was fun to make because I got to hammer, use my torch (I'm a budding pyromaniac!) and just put the whole thing together with no idea how it would turn out.

So here it is - Autumn Dance - dancing between the ancient and the funky new, and the somberness of fall with the joy of knowing the seeds will wait and spring will always come.
Copper, glass and gemstones - $35

Bubbles & Butterflies

Whoo Hoo!  Finally had time to get some work done! 

I had a whole bunch of watch faces in my stash and lots of ideas in my head, but when they finally made it to my work (kitchen!) table, they had ideas of their own.  The first watch was supposed to have a pearl and crystal band but I'll have to try that one later and see what it ends up as the third time.  Butterflies kept creeping onto this band and they didn't want pearls.  Time To Fly
The band is approximately 7" and the watch is stainless steel.  Clasp is magnetic (it's upside down in the picture) and the band is all Swarovski crystal and Swarovski crystal findings.  $22 CD


Bubbles

Okay, thought me, we'll put the pearls on the next watch.  Apparently my left brain and right brain don't communicate, because the next watch not only made me go upstairs and root out a stash of funky clear beads that look like gasoline puddles, it made me learn how to do a Peyote stitch. 
I really enjoyed making this - the clasp is right at the watch face ("Life Is Good") so that it can be worn upside down or rightside up, whatever your fancy.

The bubbles really look like bubbles, although my pictures don't show it properly.  It's a very happy, good-mood watch and very unique and pretty.
Stainless steel watch, silver plated  "Life Is Good" clasp, 7 - 7 1/2" in length, clear, resin beads.
$20

Time to think about Christmas presents!

Up West

Prince Edward Island sits in the Gulf Of St Lawrence and to somebody "from away" like me, it seems to be divided into three distinct sections.  The north-west of the Island is a medley of Irish and Acadian settlers; the eastern end seems to be more Scottish and the centre, which includes Summerside and Charlottetown, had a more sophisticated nucleus of old merchant, shipbuilding and fox breeding families.  Like any urban area, families from east and west, and like me, from away, have gravitated to commuting distance from employment.
If you live "across" (on the mainland of Canada) and go to western Canada, you go out west.  If you live on Prince Edward Island and go to the western end of the Island, you go "up" west.  Being directionally challenged and someone who can get lost in a small mall, I assume the "up west" is because you're also going north, but I wouldn't want to be quoted on that.

Anyway, still on my turquoise kick, only this time it's so-called "white" turquoise.  Whatever this gemstone really is, it's a beautiful creamy colour with brown and black, interspersed with real turquoise chips and sterling silver beads.  The feather charms on the agate pendant are silver plated.  Because it has a real western flair, I've named it "Up West." 

Sterling Chain

In my mind, this is one of the prettiest necklaces I've made, and one of the hardest to photograph.

It has a large Swarovski Graphic crystal part way down the side and picks up a diamond chain and small oval link chain.  The three chains end at a smaller vintage crystal just past the centre if it's worn full length.  The beauty of the large round link chain is that you can clip it as a shorter necklace with the three strands in the centre.  If I hadn't been so anxious to get it up on my blog, it might have photographed better outside, but not in the pouring rain that we're getting today and supposed to get tomorrow. 

Special thanks to Designs By Sheila in Saskatchewan for the idea of putting the swarovski crystals with the large chains.