Pearl Drop Crystal 'V's

V08-3a - Pearl Drop Crystal 'V' - Interlocking Band

Here's the latest creation ready with full instructions in beadwork kit or pattern form in time for teaching this weekend at the Ottawa Bead Society.

It began with a "What IF?" and the 'gerdan' morphed into these two necklace. This is a springtime variation of the Opulent Crystal 'V'. The interlocking band was tightened by alternating four seed beads instead of five. Swarovski pearls added drama. Then I thought of just suspending the netted 'V' from a string of luxurious pearls? I like it! Would you believe there are five different sizes of pearls between the two variations?

V08-3b - Pearl Drop Crystal 'V' - Strung Pearls

This is so new, you'll just have to ask for it. I'll get it and other new goodies into the Catalogue in May. Better yet, come to see them in person to the Toronto Bead Society's Bead Fair May 1st & 2nd or Bead & Button Show in Milwaukee.

"Around the Wheel" with Margie Deeb

Thanks to Toronto Bead Society for inviting color expert Margie Deeb to Toronto last week. I was thrilled to be in town and in Margie's class about the Color Wheel. Not only is she a keen-eyed intuitive artist with a passion for color and author, but she is also a wonderful teacher.

Color theory came alive with colored pencils used to fill in appropriate slices on miniature wheel graphs. The complimentary "cmy primary mixing wheel" spinner quickly became an indispensable tool.

The challenge of combining paint swatches into pleasing color palettes was great fun! There was a synergy with everyone learning from each others combos. And the learning didn't stop there. At the TBS meeting Nov 11th, Margie showed "Finding Inspiration Anywhere" with examples of extracting colors for beading. What a perfect conclusion to a colorful day!

Top l-r: Maria, Bennett McCardle and Margie Deeb. Bennett is wearing a medallion from one of my loomwork classes. Bottom l-r: Maria, Margie and Jackson Dunlop with swatches galore. Thanks to Jo-Ann Woolverton for the photos.

Rypan Designs in Dutch newspaper

What a thrill it was to hear back from Sandra once she returned home to Holland! In her quest to learn everything she possibly could about beadwork, Sandra found the Oasis Bead Show on the internet. She came to Toronto specifically for the show and managed to cram in seven workshops in the space of three days. As her first "teacher", I was proud of her accomplishments in my "Suspended Swags" beadweaving class and gave her a copy of my BEADWORK Oct/Nov 2009 as a souvenir.

After a brief visit to New York City with bags full of tools and beads, Sandra delivered on her promise of getting her story about her beadwork odyssey published in a Dutch newspaper. Here's the intro in translation:

"Sandra's Atelier/Sieradenparadijs has already got a good name on beautifull and her exclusive jewelry, but Sandra is always looking for new posibilities to make the new trends and techniques fit in collection......"

Visit Sieraden Paradijs. Engage the translator. Better still, the eye candy needs no translation.