My Search For Delinda Is Ended!

With a small change in her name, I found Delinda just up the road in Taos. Her focus is now sculpture, which if you check out her online gallery, you will note is nothing short of spectacular.



Unable to locate her or her publisher, I found a copy of her book, The Illuminated Beading Manuscripts Book II: The Loom, through an online bookseller. It arrived this morning. Aside from being a perfect resource on loomwork, it also had some contact info on the last page. I did a reverse phone-lookup, and from that extrapolated to a web search that found her current website.

Reading her bio reminded me of how important it is to grow, to change, to constantly evolve. Becoming well versed in one medium, we should never be so comfortable or complacent with ourselves as to discount the importance of being challenged, of trying new things, of stretching ourselves in search of our limits.

While her beadwork was (note the past tense) a small part of her artistic repertoire, her current works have the power to inspire us, no matter what our medium might be.

What I Did With My Odd Bits

and







I made keyring fobs, of course. I'm currently working on some beaded tins - see if you can make head or tail of these sketches -




I'm also working on an embroidered bracelet as well as teaching myself more chainmaille patterns (thanks to The Jade Dog), but I found myself with a few spare minutes and the need to empty a container filled with some practice samples. I no sooner put them up for sale at Etsy when one of them sold!!

That's what I'm talkin' about when I say

Ska-BOOSH!!

(belated) Happy Etsy-Versary to the Jade Dog

If you're not aware of The Jade Dog, well - you should be. Aside from being an amazing jewelry designer and fellow member of the Bead Artist Originals Etsy team, she's also my daughter and the person responsible for goading me into having an Etsy shop as well as this blog. It's her two-year anniversary of being on Etsy, and I'd like to extend her celebration beyond just the day.

If you have a few minutes, visit her blog here --> The Jade Dog Online and drop her a comment. Tell her I sent ya!!

Cheers!!

WHERE IS DELINDA V. AMURA??

Dream of the Nymph by Delinda V. Amura

I've been searching for any current information on this incredible artist/author, off and on, for several years and I'm coming up against a brick wall. Her website vanished some time ago - does anyone out there know if she's still teaching? Or even still among us? Examples of her work on the internet are so tantalizingly few and far between and I hunger to see/know more.

Desert Study #1

I feel like it might not be done. I wore it all day today and loved the way it felt. I'm not sure I like the beads I used for the closure - the color doesn't feel quite right somehow. I'm going to stare at it for a few more days before I put a price tag on it.

I was visiting all my faves over at Flickr when I came across some photos uploaded by The Jade Dog - when I read the caption, I went right to her Etsy shop and made a purchase - check out her blog posting HERE, and perhaps you can find something wonderful for yourself while doing a nice thing for a lovely family. I met the young woman from whose estate these beads have come - she was a bright, creative soul indeed.

Etsy Treasury West

The Tao of BAO:

I was just surfing the treasuries when I realized I was in prime position to snag one. So I did. Good thing I was primed for it, having already scoped out the Etsy shops of my team members.

What I Did On My Birthday Vacation

July was a great month for me on Etsy and here in the store - I sold several pieces (yay! bead money!!) - but that means I have to replenish my shelves a bit. I made a promise to myself to keep at least 50 pieces in stock there. So I've been beadin'.

Southwest Melange:


This is a combination bead crochet/charm bracelet. The crocheted bit is made up of Japanese glass seeds in different sizes, most of them being 24K gold lined. The charms are aventurine bears, Swarovsky pearls, dyed freshwater pearls, a large Indian glass disk, carved and dyed tagua nuts and glass rectangle/pillows, with bright copper findings and a magnetic clasp.

Autumn Bangle:


I have to confess, I didn't make this during my holiday - but I did unearth it. It was down in the bottom of my beadbag labeled 'remake-repair'. I looked it over and couldn't find any reason to do either, so I'm putting it into the Etsy store. I still remember how I made this - I cut up a wire coathanger, bending small loops on each end. I cut a piece of plumber's tubing to the same length. I then covered the whole thing with a tight bead netting. I found a copper bangle of the right shape and bent my construction over it to shape it. Then I wrapped a brass eyepin around the loop in the heavy wire and threaded on a bead cap. I glued it in place, clipped the eyepin wire to about a quarter of an inch and spiraled it into a knot of sorts. I had made several peyote stitch bands using this color soup, and this little bangle was conceived to use up some of my leftovers.

Romance:



I had been working with my southwestern desert palette for quite some time and my eyes were craving something different - something to rest on for just a little while. I found a bag in one of my stash drawers that held these colors - I extended it out a bit and added the brass for a counter punch. I sat at my table for about fifteen minutes, trying to remember how to make a wristra (a play on words - this is a ristra). That's what I call my version of the Jade Dog's fringe bracelet. As you can see, I finally remembered. All glass with brass findings and a lovely brass dragonfly dangle - *sigh*. I think it's romantic.

Adobe and Rain:


Another bead crochet bracelet in graduated sizes of beads for that wonderful spiral effect. I used silver plated findings, quartz crystal chips and Czech pressed glass shapes in crystal for contrast. The end effect, for me, was reminiscent of rainwater pouring down an adobe wall.

I'm still working on the Desert Study #1 - it only needs a bit of surface embellishment and it's ready. I started, and nearly finished, one other project - I decided to work on a leafy fringe spiral bracelet - it's been more than two years since I made one - and it only needs a few more leaves to be done.

Oh! And Inspiration #30: SuzYum Designs - while you're there, be sure to check out the Femage section. Yum indeed!