Polymer Crosses & Bead Crochet

Mix together some bead crochet,  polymer clay and beads and you've got a little southwestern flavor.

Fairy Door Pendant

 Some moss covered stone steps leading up to an enchanting little fairy door, hung on a bit of raffia.  Polymer clay and acrylic paint.

Magnetic Closure on Dutch Spiral

 I had an email asking what closure I used on this necklace.  I love the magnetic closures from Ezel Findings (click HERE).

A vase filled with my favorite paper flowers (20 years old), a crystal tray filled with my favorite perfumed lotion, talc and bath salts (Lady Primrose Tryst) and my favorite necklace (for this month anyway).  Hope your day will be filled with some beauty, sparkle and heavenly scents.

Southwest Bead Crochet

A little southwestern flavor.

Wearing Bead Crochet

I intertwined one of my bead crochet bracelets with another and slipped them on to a 19" cable choker. I gently pulled upward to create the "circle" (above).  A nice, big, bold  statement. 

 I pulled the knot widthwise to create a wide focal (above).  Quick, easy, fun and fresh.

Russian Circus Necklace

 I made a couple of bead crochet bangles (click HERE), but could not get used to the accent beads sticking up.  What were my choices?  Wear them (not much because I don't like them), re-design & re-make or, tear them out & re-use the beads in something else.   If the re-design doesn't work, the trash option is always there.  Re-design it was.  I had one magnetic closure left in my stash and it just fit.

 So, that took care of that end.  Now, with the other end, I tried a large polymer focal bead; didn't like it.  I tried a slinky dutch spiral focal; didn't like it.  As you can see, I ended up with a short bit of Russian Spiral to join the other two ends.  I used a You-Tube Russian Spiral video tutorial to refresh my memory.  It is not in English, but was easy to follow (click HERE).

I like it a lot because I can wear it with the magnetic closure in the back, on the side or as a focal.  I crocheted the bracelets using a couple of patterns from Judith Bertoglio-Giffin's Circus Bangle Pattern book which is available through her website (click HERE) or Sova-Enterprises (click HERE).  Hope your week is going well and is as much fun as a 3-ring circus.

Backgrounds

I wasn't happy with the photograph of the bead crochet necklace set against the black acrylic, so I purchased the white acrylic also.  My thinking was it would give a softer appearance.  Now, I don't know.  I think I am liking the white acrylic just because it's a new toy.

Bead Crochet

I finished this zig zag pattern (from Patterns & Graphing for Bead Crochet Ropes by Judith Bertoglio-Giffin) and couldn't decide on whether I liked a simple "S" hook closure or the toggle.  I ended up going with the S hook closure.  I'm saving the pretty toggle for another necklace.

Judith's bead crochet books can be purchased through her Bead LineStudios (click HERE).  

Maggio 2-Day Workshop

 I created a happy little collage of colors I love.  That little face is my "inner child".

I had so much fun playing with color.  I really needed a couple of days to restart my creative energy and this was perfect.   Maggie Maggio is an excellent teacher.  Her passion for color is contagious and her sense of humor is great.  I came away with a very detailed booklet on color with many exercises I can continue learning with, a laminated color chart I absolutely treasure and an understanding of color I never had before.  It was great.

Maggie Maggio Workshop

 Ahhhh, what a great workshop on color taught by the magnificent Maggio Maggio (click HERE).  I purchased her book on color, but never got the hang of it……..until the workshop.  A lot of "ah" moments for me.  Love the book, "Polymer Clay Color Inspirations" by Lindly Haunani and Maggie Maggio (click HERE)!

  The first day of the 2-Day workshop was sponsored by the Arizona Polymer Clay Guild.  It was great to see so many AZPCG members that I had not seen in a while.

Lots of laughs and sharing of ideas.  Maggie teaches color workshops from one day to four days.  Oh, how I would love to take her 4-day workshop.  Maybe someday.