Time to Torch plus More Kumihimo

I'm overdue for this weeks post.  No excuse other than it's been another hectic week.  So much for slowing down and taking things a little easier !  lol !

I'll be off to the torch this morning !  Yay !  It's been so long. I hope my glass muse has made a comeback !  I have designs in mind to play with or possibly make some bell flowers.  The latest bell flower tool I bought is the Carlo Dona 12mm 6 point flower.  The other two I have are the Carlo Dona 14mm 6 point and the 20 mm 8 point.  My favorite is the largest one.  These tools are the best quality tools made by a family that's been doing it for decades in Italy.  Anyway, I can't wait to play.  Hopefully I'll have something decent to show.

What has kept me busy all week is Kumihimo of course.  I made several pieces and thankfully only one had to be torn apart.  sigh.  I hate it when that happens but it happens to all of us.  We find that one little mistake that just happens.  lol !  And it was a pattern that one has to use tiny beads with.  I hate that too.  So that will be put away for another day.  :)  I did have much success with that pattern that has enthralled me lately.  I love doing it and don't see an end in sight.  :)  Pictured below are 3 bracelets I made using that pattern.  I love love love how these turned out.

Left to right - pale pink and lime green with silver and creme soda seed beads.  A hummingbird clasp brings it all together.  Pretty spring colors for sure !  And the hummers will be back very soon !  Next up,  Peach and shades of green and gold matte beads with silver and gold seed beads.  A pretty gold clasp to end it.  Lastly a gun metal and icey blue gray magatama beads with silver and pearl gray seed beads.  The clasp has 3 hoops to size this bracelet up to a very large size.  The one on top right is sold but the other two are available for sale if interested.  Just send me a message here in the comment section below.   

Next up, another dragon necklace.  :)  This one is so cute !  Great for a young lady of any age. lol !  A turquoise blue and pink dragon adorns this Kumihimo beaded braid necklace.  The colors of the braid match her perfectly in pink, turquoise, silver and gold.  She guards her precious orb close to her body.  The silver plated chain will extend the 17 1/2" necklace up to 20" if one chooses.  :)  And yes, I am obsessed with these dragons !  lol !  Soooo cute !

Lastly, another bracelet using that favorite pattern !  lol !  Yep, I just had to do it.  :)  I had this color combo in my brain for a while.  Love how it turned out.  This is AB Amber, gold matte mag beads with gold and AB amber seed beads.  I love how this turned out.  Perfect for fall however it can be worn any time of year.  The antique gold color leaf clasp works great with it as well.  Also for sale.  If interested, post in the comments section below.  This one fits up to a 7 1/2" wrist very comfortably.  :)

 I guess that pretty much shows just how busy it's been.  lol !  What's not shown is the two braids I made on my Marudai as well.  lol !  Craziness.  A slow down seems nearly out of reach these days.  lol !  It is what it is.

Until next time.........thanks so much for coming by.  I hope you come back again soon.

Titles - Naming Your Pieces - How Do You Do It ?

I find it hard to come up with a title to these posts.  Sometimes as I write, something will come to me.  Rarely does anything pop into my brain in the beginning.  Like now.   :)  I usually know the subject I'm going to blog about but never the title.  I wonder if writers of books and articles do the same or have problems coming up with titles ? 

As a lampwork bead maker, jewelry designer, etc, etc, I have never had luck coming up with names/titles to my pieces.   I sort of envy those that the titles/names just seem to flow off their tongues.  lol !  Does it really work that way for those folks ?  I even tried a baby book of names.  A couple of times I got paint color sample cards from the local paint store to see if THAT would spark something in my brain to make it easier.  Nope.  lol !  Eventually I just gave up.  If, and that's a BIG if, something pops in my head at the time I post the photo wherever that might be, then I put it up with the photo.  That is a VERY rare occasion to be sure.  lol !  So, on that note, here's what I did all this past week or so.  Enjoy.

I ended up doing 2 beaded Kumihimo necklaces for the focal piece shown below.  I couldn't decide between the two which looked best.  They're basically the exact same pattern and same seed beads HOWEVER one color was changed.  The one on the left has silver beads and the one on the right has gold beads.  All the rest of the beads are the same colors.  I've pretty much decided on the one on the left.  The one with gold beads actually looks perfect with another pendant I've had for many years !  lol !   Hopefully both pieces will be finished up by today.  :)  And yes, that pendant is a shell with artwork added to it !  This artist is on Etsy and this is her shop link  Sculpted Windows  Tell her Debbie sent you. 

  
I finished another beaded Kumihimo necklace before the one above.  Gotta say, I STILL can't make up my mind if I'm going to keep it or sell it.  lol !  I LOVE LOVE LOVE this little dragon !  Something about her just calls to me.  I have more coming because of her.  lol ! The artist gave no name in particular so I hope to come up with something - someday.  lol !  

                                

I had one more project I worked on last week and will be continuing that project into this week so will blog about that next time hopefully.  :) 

If you are interested in a dragon necklace, please let me know by posting a message below.  I get the messages via an email so they are not posted automatically.  This keeps spammers off my blog.  I then post them here if they are appropriate to the blog post. 

Thanks much for coming by.  I hope you come back again soon !  Have a great week !