Collar a Week: Petal Pink

The latest collar in my weekly challenge is technically last week’s, but since it’s only Sunday I’m going to say that it’s still pretty much on time. Although I haven’t yet added the button, the collar is otherwise complete and turned out fairly well. It took a little longer than I would have liked, and that’s entirely my fault. I decided to use some old black and white seed beads, rather than cutting into fresh hanks, so I spent just as much time culling as I did on the actual beadwork.

I’m not completely thrilled with how the pink looks in the design. As with many lined finishes, the magatamas look a lot darker lumped together in the package than they do spaced out in a design. I intentionally used all-black for the outer edge of the chevron chain in anticipation of this, but I was still hoping for a bit more color. Still, there’s something about the very pale pink set into the totally neutral beading that works. I think it will look even better when worn than it does in photos.

The previous week’s collar with a trio of daggers at the center also turned out really well. I’m definitely going to keep the design in mind for future projects where I want to incorporate larger accent beads. The long magatamas are not my favorite accent for the collar edge, though. I do still have quite a few that I could use, but I think they’ll be passed over for a while until I’ve explored other possibilities.

Mortira

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Copyright 2016 Inspirational Beading

Work in Progress: Magatama Collar

Last week I had planned to share the final rings that I was making to take with me to the craft fair, along with a promise that it would be the last ring update. Unfortunately, I was so busy preparing the rest of my inventory that I never got the chance.

Now that the fair is over, things are back to normal on the drawing board and the bead tray. This week, I’m just finishing up a piece that I started during the show. I brought along a few favorite bead colors and enough thread to start a project or two, to keep me busy during slow periods. On the second day, I nearly finished a pretty new collar with opaque blue and green seed beads and lovely little 8/o magatamas in transparent lime.

The new chevron lariat that I was working on for Set turned out great! It took some time to find just the right accent sizes, and I ended up with some additional colors like blue and green. Still, the Christmas beads added just the right amount of personality. My favorite part of the design is the colorblocked fringe. I find myself returning to this style more and more often since Apep, and loving the results.

What are you working on this week?

Copyright 2013 Inspirational Beading
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Collar of Death and Decay

With the huge variety of bead color and finishes available to us, one might think that every color palette would be perfect, sensational, or spot on. Perhaps if every beader lived across the street from a huge bead store and had an unlimited budget, this might be the case. Tragically, most of use are limited to what we’ve got, or what we can occasionally get our hands on, so it’s a real treat when a palette totally clicks and couldn’t be improved even a little bit.

My most recent Egyptian Gods piece was inspired by the mysterious and lovely Nephthys - daughter of the earth and sky, wife of chaos, and mother of the god of mummification. Like her sister Isis, Nephthys was a healer associated with kites (a bird of prey), but she was an underworld goddess representing darkness, decay, and regeneration. She embodied the cycle of life where new growth springs forth from death.

I knew right away which colors I wanted for Nephthys. Lots of black was essential, along with hints of green - not fresh and vibrant greens, but dark and mysterious ones. I mixed together some dark emerald and brown 8/o’s, some Indonsian glass beads in a brownish-green, and olive green seed beads, which look a little sinister among the other colors. I also grabbed some lime green long magatamas, hoping to incorporate the same wing-tipped design that worked so well for Isis.

When I brought all of the colors together, I decided to set the magatamas aside and let the more organic glass beads take the spotlight, and then everything just clicked. Who knew that darkness and decay could look so pretty? I created a netting pattern with just a single band of olive green, representing Nephthys’ domain, the edge of the barren Egyptian desert. The small green circle reminds me of my favorite poem, Ebb by Edna St. Vincent Millay - “…A little tepid pool, Drying inward from the edge”.

Nearly halfway through, I decided to bring the magatamas back in for a little texture. There are just a few ‘feathers’ at the center of the collar, facing away from each other. I couldn’t resist a connection between Nephthys and Isis. Although I do wish the green was a little less electric, I love the way the shapes of the beads work in the collar, even in just a small section.

Copyright 2013 Inspirational Beading
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New Beads: Long Magatamas

One of my favorite things about trying new beads, is that there is always an opportunity to learn something new. While this sometimes means trying a new technique, it can also help a beader learn more about the techniques they already love.

My bead budget for November was incredibly small, and once I had purchased some supplies I needed for a custom design, I had very little room left for new beads. I decided to make the most of it, and added a couple of magatama packets to the order, since I’ve been longing to try them all year. I grabbed some in blue, and I couldn’t resist the transparent lemon lime.

These leaf shaped seed beads have a lot of interesting qualities, particularly the angled holes, which make them ideal for organic inspired designs - they make excellent leaves and dragon scales. I wanted to put these beads to use in a design that would really show off their shape, instead of simply throwing them in with my usual work. Bangles have been done, and beautifully, so I had to come up with something else.

I decided it would be fun to replace the 8/o seed beads in a Dutch spiral with magatamas. They would look fantastic snuggled into the beadwork, and spiraling around the chain. After some debate, I settled on a palette of brown and gold to contrast the green and blue, and lend some more organic flair to the leafy shapes.

At first I was really excited about the idea, but after a few turns around the spiral, I started to get bored. The idea seemed to fizzle as I contemplated all the work ahead, even though the project was turning out as I had planned - perhaps better. It was then that I realized that I wasn’t interested in the project because I was forcing myself to do something that worked for the beads, instead of making the beads work for me. It was time to start over.

Instead of making a project that was ideal for the magatamas, I decided to take a chance and see how they would work in a design that was more my style. With the drop-like nature of the magatamas, I couldn’t resist trying a Chevron collar. I removed the topaz from the palette, and simply added some blue and green drops to the edge of dark brown netting.

Although taking the time to make sure that the long magatamas were facing the right direction with each stitch made the work go a little slower, it was much more fun that trying to please the beads, instead of the other way around. And now I have this fun little collar with blue and green leaves along the edge!

Have you worked with long magatamas? What’s your favorite technique to use them with?

Copyright 2012 Inspirational Beading
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A Bracelet a Week: Pina Coladas on the Beach

This week’s bracelet was pure indulgence. I wanted to make something featuring my new starfish color, aqua blue, and I wanted it to be fun and easy to create. I needed a simple, carefree design.

I can’t think of anything more carefree than freeform beadwork. The only style that I’m comfortable with is netting, which is easy to work, but has enough limits and boundaries that I still know what I’m going to get in the end. It’s also very aquatic and nautical, so it fits well with starfish. And since I really enjoy throwing lots of different beads together, I couldn’t resist.

In order to make blue starfish stand out, and look right at home, I created a palette that would look just like a white sandy beach - the kind that hasn’t been cultivated, polluted or in any way touched by humans. It would be imperfect, varied, and totally beautiful. So I started by mixing 11/o and 8/o seed beads in opaque white, lustered white, ceylon black/gray, light beige, and dark beige.

For accents, I went all through my bead stash and picked out beachy pieces, and assorted odds and ends that I might want to throw into a freeform piece. I began with pinch bicones in turquoise, crystal, and green meadow, frosted magatamas, the last of my pink shell beads and a few other bits of shell, just in case.

Almost immediately after I got to work on the bracelet, I omitted the turquoise and green beads from the accents. I was really happy with the more subtle colors, and I wanted to make sure that the blue starfish were the stars of this show.

Once the bracelet was complete, I went over the entire piece again, adding in peyote stitch and extra nets wherever it seemed fitting. Unlike most of the cuffs I make, this one has an overlapping clasp. I much prefer the seamless look for this piece, and I think I’ll strive for the same effect more often in the future.

Pass the coconut!

Copyright 2011 Inspirational Beading
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Black Swan Fringe Pendant

As a movie lover, I am a big fan of the sincere re-imagining. When a new artist pays tribute to an old one through their work, it can be an amazing collaboration. I especially enjoy films that take antiques and give them an updated twist. Michael Almereyda’s Hamlet, set in year 2000 New York City, is a fantastic example.

The fact that Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan - written by Andres Heinz - seamlessly merges a modern white swan vs. black swan story with a performance of Swan Lake isn’t the first thing that appealed to me when trailers and images of the movie started to appear. At first I was intrigued by the idea of seeing Natalie Portman in a thriller, assuming that she would only do one worth watching.

It’s unfortunate that films and stage productions do not share the same genres. Black Swan is more of a tragedy than a thriller. Though it has some spooky moments, it is much more sad than thrilling. I’m almost tempted to take a feminist stance, and shake my fist at yet another story where the heroine suffers for daring to be a woman. However, I didn’t interpret Black Swan as being ignorant to these themes, but sympathetic to them. No one in their right mind would choose the starved and solitary life that Nina (Natalie Portman) leads in order to be perfect, but she knows nothing else.

Nonetheless, I didn’t see Black Swan for the story or the cast, but for the costumes. When I learned that the ballet costumes, and much of Nina’s wardrobe, were created by my favorite fashion designers, Kate and Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte, the news wasn’t as exciting as I would have thought. This may only be because the pairing seemed like a perfect fit. Based on what I originally knew of the film, if you had asked me to guess who the producers picked to make the costumes, I would have guessed Rodarte.

Their feminine but unusual aesthetic is ideal for the themes of Black Swan, which follows a young ballet dancer through her descent from minor dysfunction into total madness. The dialogue is low key, and there are a lot of contemplative scenes with the tormented Nina. Strong visuals help keep the story alive, and the Rodarte costumes and wardrobe pieces certainly deliver.

The Inspiration:

Black Swan will be released to video next week, and I’m very excited to get my hands on the bonus materials. I love to watch the documentaries that accompany my favorite films, and learn more about them from the perspective of the creators. In anticipation, I wanted to create a necklace inspired by the gorgeous black swan costume - the highlight of the ballet.

The Beads:

Choosing a palette took some time. There are quite a few colors to consider when using the film’s images as inspiration - different variations of black, white, silver and red. Ultimately, I wanted to capture the intense, dark look of Nina’s black swan transformation. I knew that if I tried to incorporate too many of these colors, the mood would be lost.

So I went with a simple black and red palette. I already knew that fringe was going to be essential, and I eagerly scooped up some ruby crystal teardrops that I’ve been dying to use. They perfectly match transparent ruby Miyuki rounds, and provide a contrast to all of my jet black selections. I had to work with what was already in my stash, so I combined shiny and matte in hexes, magatamas, and seed beads in two sizes.

The Beadwork:

It had the worst time convincing myself not to recreate The Chimera necklace, which also works with lots of fringe. Because I don’t have metal findings as an option, there are only so many ways to put lots of bead strands together in one place. I did end up using a ladder stitch base, but with different approaches.

The straps are done in double St. Petersburg chain, with just a hint of the ruby red peeking out from the middle. The shapes and textures of the chain go so well not only with the fringe pendant, but the theme as well. They have a feathery look, that is more edgy than soft. I used magatamas for the center of the chains, which create a great raised effect and add some texture.

I think it might just be fit for the ballet.

Copyright 2011 Inspirational Beading
Rodarte and Fox Searchlight Pictures
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Bead Spotlight: Magatamas

Traditionally speaking, magatamas are unique comma shaped beads, which date back to the Jomon period of Ancient Japan. The word magatama roughly translates to curved jewel, but the exact symbolism of these beads is unknown. Usually carved from stone and gems, they do bear a strong resemblance to Yin and Yang, and are still considered a distinctly Japanese shape.

Today, most beaders know magatamas as the delightful glass seed beads with off-center holes. There are two styles of magatama seed beads. Long magatamas have a unique, almost leafy shape, with angled holes at one end.

The smaller drop beads have a somewhat pinched shape - they look just like round seed beads that have been pierced too far to one side. Because they perform just like teardrops, but are much more affordable, they are fantastic for bead weaving projects that use large quantities of beads.

One of the simplest and most fun ways to use magatamas is for adding a hint of texture to a design, like a spiky spiral rope with drops along the center. They are also fantastic for fringe and embellishing - a must have bead for everything from stringing to embroidery. Magatamas come in a variety of colors and finishes, including transparent, lined and frosted.

Here are some fun and easy projects using magatamas and drop seed beads to try, all courtesy of Caravan Beads:

Long Magatama Branch Necklace
Domino Pendant Macrame Necklace
Long Magatama Spiral Bracelet

What’s your favorite way to use them?

Copyright 2010 Inspirational Beading
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Blog Spotlight: Little Bear’s Mom

When I first started blogging, my posts were all written without I statements. I thought, who wants to hear about me? It turns out that just being yourself is the best way to connect with people who enjoy the same things, and that’s what blogging is all about.

One blog that makes these connections with flair is Little Bear’s Mom. Molly, a fellow Canadian artist, writes about many topics related to the art of handmade. Her posts are full of inspiration, often drawing on one’s roots as a source for ideas and finding an identity as an artist.

Every post is filled with fantastic images, from colorful treasuries to stunning outdoor photography. If you’re looking for a great blog to read and relax with, Little Bear’s Mom is a great place to start.

Today’s necklace design was inspired by some wonderful charm bracelets from the Little Bear’s Mom shop. These colorful baubles feature lots of movement and sparkle, and really embody all the things jewelry lovers love about jewelry.

To make this piece, I gathered up a selection of assorted top-drilled beads, drops and magatamas, then choose some seed beads in contrasting colors. After carefully counting and arranging the drops so that they would get larger at the center, I strung them on a thread scrap in the order that I wanted, then gradually added them to rows of spiral rope.

I love the way this necklace looks complex and simple at the same time. There’s not a lot to it, but it stands out. Here’s to being inspired by our peers!

Here are a few more great blogs to check out:

The Zen Veggie
MidnightCoiler
Christine's Beadworks
Bead Journal Project 3

Copyright 2010 Inspirational Beading and Little Bear's Mom

A Necklace a Day - Six

Although I love putting together trios of beads every months for Bead Color Triads, I don’t often have the time to put them to good use. Sometimes the beads I use to make a palette come together are ‘reserved’ for something else - an idea for a project that may or may not be completed one distant day.

This month, I decided it was time show how a recent bead palette really would look in a finished piece. Luckily, October’s subject was peacock feathers, and the bead choices were awesome.

I mixed together two of the palettes, starting with some brown grooved rectangles, Capri blue crystals, and matte black magatamas. I added golden amber seed beads with a beautiful warm glow, and light aqua fire polish rounds to add a little bulk.

Groovy Peacock Necklace

These groovy rectangles have been waiting around a long time for me to get a little inspiration. I finally decided it was time to just use them, as is, and stop worrying about whether or not a better idea might suddenly jump out of the shadows. I strung them with a few crystals, then used my favorite quick stitch - reverse daisy chain - to make some straps and voila! A new necklace with lots of sparkle is done.

If you’re trying to tackle an overflowing bead stash, you’ve just got to jump in and do it. What kinds of beads are you holding onto for lack of inspiration?

Copyright 2010 Inspirational Beading

The Power of Handmade and Ring Seventeen

One of my favorite things about being in Etsy seller is knowing that I’m part of a community that is making changes to the world. Just by providing local goods that are not mass-produced, handmade artists are changing the way that we consume. Many artists are also making a difference by up-cycling and reusing materials that might otherwise be thrown out. Still others are setting an example by using sustainable materials, or reducing the amount of waste that their business produces.

Some very dedicated Etsy sellers take this challenge to the next level, by offering their time to raise funds for important causes. When I learned about the shops fundraising for the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster, I decided it was about time I got involved, too.

So, today’s ring was created especially for Help the Gulf Coast - a collective Etsy shop run by a handful of dedicated Etsians. 100% of the net profits from this shop go to charities that support communities affected by the disaster, including Oxfam.

This organization is already well known for it’s humanitarian efforts. They have been assisting low income families in the Gulf area since the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Now their focus has had to shift, as the continuing oil damages change the lives of everyone in the area. Oxfam is now working with communities to assess the environmental and economic damages, while still working towards safety measures for the arrival of the next hurricane season.

Ring # 17 - Baby Fish Blues

With my Ring a Day project well under way, I had every reason to create a brand new design to donate to the cause. I thought an aquatic theme would be appropriate for this piece, so naturally I went with a starfish ring. The first beads I chose where abalone blue lined crystal. I did the starfish in coral pink, and added some frosted magatamas for accents.

The color combination is pretty, but also meaningful. This ring is my own tribute to the innocent creatures affected by all that we humans do. Red and pink coral, abalone, whales, salmon and sea birds are just a few of the animals that are being threatened by our activities. They are constantly bombarded by pollution, habitat destruction, and of course, human consumption. It’s a cruel irony that only we can help them from our own wrongdoings.

If you’re any Etsy seller, you too can donate a listing to the cause. Visit the Help the Gulf Coast blog to learn more about how to donate, or to see the latest fundraiser stats. If you can’t donate, many beautiful new items are added to the shop everyday. Even the tiniest purchase can help!

Copyright 2010 Inspirational Beading and The Sage's Cupboard

A Ring a Day - One

Summer is a great time to make changes. The days are longer, and sometimes it seems as if night will never come. Unless the heat is unbearable, it’s easy to be extra productive during the summer months. Although we’re still waiting for summer weather here on the West coast, I still felt like making some changes - hopefully for the better.

I spent much of May brainstorming ideas, trying to come up with some new segments and concepts for Inspirational Beading. I thought about some of the blogs I admire, like A Bead a Day and Wickwire Jewelry. I considered what some of my goals are, such as finally reaching 100 active listings in my Etsy shop, The Sage’s Cupboard.

And, suddenly, inspiration!

For the entire month of June, I have challenged myself to create a ring every single day. It’s crazy, but I think I can do it! The challenge will be to avoid repetition. I did cheat a little, and gave myself a head start. Ring #1 was started last night.

Electric Lime Ring

This is “Electric Lime”. I had the idea for this piece while making a checkered rope for a custom order. I love the look of bright colors against black and white. I just happened to have some lime green magatamas, which I love to use for extra texture. When the band was finished, I thought that the ring needed a little more green, so I also added a few drops to the finishing fringe. This is by far the tallest ring I’ve made, and I love the boldness of it.

I’m so very excited about A Ring a Day, and I hope you’ll join me in the coming weeks to see all 30 creations!

Caterpillar Bangle

Beautiful Blue
Photo Credit: Églantine.

Two of our favorite spring characters - the flower and the bird - could not get on without the insect. Bugs are often thought of by we humans as annoying, terrifying and even destructive enemies. The truth is that most of them are very important for keeping some of our favorite things thriving. Pollinators like bees, and decomposers like worms, make the flowers thrive. Every bug imaginable is food for some kind of bird, if they‘re unlucky enough to be on the menu.

Because I’ve never been concerned with things like having the perfect lawn, flowerbed or garden trees, insects have never been my enemy. Apart from things that skitter in the night, like spiders, I would rather photograph a bug than squash it. I say, let them go about their business.

The Inspiration:

One of my favorite bugs from childhood is the caterpillar. Every few years or so we would be bombarded with black and yellowish tiger moth caterpillars. It was like having a yard full of tiny stuffed animals to play with. I also really enjoyed the bluish forest tent caterpillars, which drove everyone else crazy by eating everything in sight. I liked them because they have these sticky little feet that tickle when they crawl across the back of your hand, and a very interesting pattern of color along their backs.

The Beads:

I wanted to recreate a caterpillar, so I started with 11/0 seed beads in light beige. This would be the base of my caterpillar, or his belly. The color is just like ivory, and I thought it was perfect for a new spring bug. Then I added 8/0 seed beads in light blue, marbled hematite, matte pumpkin orange, and light beige as well. I finished off the palette with some matte black magatamas for little insect feet.

The Beadwork:

When working on my Dandelion Bangle, I had wondered how it would look when using drops along the outer edge of the right angle weave tube. Making a caterpillar was the perfect opportunity to experiment with the extra texture. The magatamas make wonderful ‘feet’ along the edge of the beadwork, and stitching around them was easy.

I used the beige, black and orange beads to make a buggy pattern on the outer face of the bangle. It does remind me of all the caterpillars I collected as a kid. Although I know that these tiny bugs can do a lot of harm, I can’t help thinking that there would be fewer caterpillars if there were more birds to eat them.

I would like to thank Artbeads.com for providing the TOHO™ seed beads used in this piece. Inspirational Beading has not received paid compensation for including Artbeads.com products or reviews in this blog post. I have shared my honest opinions about the products used in this design.

Copyright 2010 Inspirational Beading and The Sage's Cupboard