Bezel a rivoli????

Beading and jewelry-making has its own dictionary. The first huge lexical speedbump that I encountered was "bezel a rivoli." Huh? a what? I really wanted it to be pronounced "bee-zul a rivoli" but my quest to be informed taught me that it was pronounced "be (short-e)-zul."

A bezel is a jewelry setting that encircles a stone, gem, or other element. It is often a flat-back piece of metal with a lip around the edge. In beading, it is a stitched ring that encases a decorative element.

Once I figured out how to say it and what it was, I set out to learn how to do it! Good fortune would have the front sides turn out fabulously well. Good fortune would also keep you from looking at the back sides...ever.

Reunited!

I know that war is devastating and tornadoes are destructive and that life is generally really hard. For this very reason, I need to rejoice in the little things.

A very little thing, indeed, but a treat for me this year is that I was reunited with earrings. For nearly fifteen years I haven't been able to tolerate the metal in my ears because of instant and painful contact dermatitis. It didn't matter if it was stainless steel or pure gold, it was not happening. One day after I was stricken with the beadworking bug I was thinking how nice it would be if I could wear the earrings I could now make. A simple idea struck...what if the actual metal did not make contact with my skin? I grabbed a pair of earwires and thoroughly painted them with clear fingernail polish. When they were dry, I slipped them in and waited. 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes...2 hours, 3 hours. No redness. No pain. No burning. Take it away, Peaches and Herb!

Norma Fairy Garden Ring

Can you tell how much I love making these? Each one has its own personality, just like real flower gardens.

Chocobaubles

There was a very eye-catching red and black necklace on a mannequin at Kohl's during the winter. It had a large silk flower on ribbon where this design has a bow, but it was very fun to try to replicate the look. I'm not sure if I should share this detail, but if you are concerned for our environment and appreciate re-used materials, you'll be glad to know that the ribbon was a part of packaging for Valentine chocolates!

Red Licorice Twist

Watermelon Swirl

(spiral stitch with tubular peyote ruffle toggle)

Purple Whirlwind

(fibers by Adornments)

It's a Wrap

(green ceramic beads, gold paisley Fimo, and Swarovski donuts strung on silver leather)

Crisscross Chocolate Sauce

Enola Cuff

(stretch cuff in my favorite color combo!)

Vintage Fresh 2

Kathy, from Icebox Antiques and Collectibles in International Falls, MN, has given me a vicarious thrill by shopping for vintage jewelry and beads that I can reimagine. These wine-colored beads spoke to me right away, but I wanted more glass and metal to make them look more up-to-date.

I showcased beads with interesting finishes and shapes and created a focal bead by netting around one of the larger ones. Finally, I strung some seed beads that I love (matte and rainbow peridot with bronze lining, shimmery burgundy, etc.) together with premade chain and added dangles of glass flowers and leaves.

Several days after I made the necklace above, I pulled it from its display and cut a few links from the chain above the glass flowers and leaves because the proportions were bothering me. While I was at it, I crafted some cluster drop earrings with the same motif.
I've added this additional photo of the necklace so that the beads are more easily seen. The initial picture showed the shape, but not the cool finishes and textures that enchanted me!

Vintage Fresh

Vintage beads from a broken necklace! Even though the finish on these plastic beads was worn, they were irrestistible. They had organic shapes, but an electric color! I played with some color combinations and decided that less was way more!

First, I made a focal pendant by wire-wrapping one of the "crumpled" beads. Next, I used a more substantial wire than I have previously to crochet new aqua seed beads together with glass bicones and faceted plastic beads that were rescued from a stuffy black vintage necklace.Note to self: Plastic crochet hooks do not stand up well to the lower gauge wire. Invest in an aluminum one.

Spring Play

The internet is a beautiful thing! After admiring the coil-style earrings around town, I found a tutorial online. (I'll post the link as soon as I can find it, again!) Honestly, my first try wasn't so great. I ended with one passable drop, so I took that to be a sign that it was meant to be a pendant rather than an earring. That said, the coiling gizmo was so fun, that some silly earrings came out of the deal. The photograph doesn't do the pieces justice...they are odd, but I love the colors.

Beach Bum

After the original necklace was complete, I came across this large sculptural turquoise bead. It was on my workspace near the multistrand piece and I saw that they were kindred spirits. Cool! I made a necklace that could do double duty by making a second pendant with the turquoise!

Crocodile Lariat

A gorgeous lariat made from a pattern in Beader's Handbook 2. I chose green because it is a pretty typical color in my wardrobe and would match with the many neutrals I wear. As I worked the pattern, my husband observed, "It looks reptilian!" Now, I call it my "Crocodile."

Nirmala's Wedding Garden--Completed!

It is finished and it is gorgeous! So pleased with the outcome that it was a little difficult to let it go! I hope the bracelet brings a smile to the face of the young bride and wish her and her groom all the happiness in the world on their milestone day, but even more so...a lifetime of love, commitment and forgiveness when needed =)

Wire Crochet-Multi-Strand Necklaces

Fairy Garden Rings

My daughter chose the colors for her ring and picked a combination of pressed glass blossoms and Fimo blossoms that I made by hand and tinted with pastel chalks.




This is a monochromatic design that was built around the fabulous aluminum roses that I found at The Bead Monkey in Edina, MN. (I'm going back for more colors!)

Nirmala's Wedding Garden

My first commissioned piece!
My friend wanted a bridal shower gift for a family member who was adopted from India. When she mentioned the possibility, I started thinking about the gorgeous Indian wedding gowns I had seen. They became the inspiration for the Wedding Garden in traditional (lucky!)East Indian bridal colors.

These photos show my design process and color selection. The finished piece will be coming soon.

"Out West" Inspired

My friend and I were chatting about my beading pasttime and she began to tell about a fabulous bracelet she bought at an art fair on her summer travels "out west." The seller works with a cooperative of Guatemalan women to produce the jewelry and then brings it to the States to sell. The next day she wore the bracelet and it was everything she said it would be...except it was breaking and tiny seed beads were pitter-pattering onto the tile. I wanted a good look at it so, of course, I offered to try to fix it! I was able to reinforce her piece of artwork and I started making plans to imitate it right away.

Liz Fairy Garden Ring

Bead Unique magazine (Spring 2011, Issue #28) featured an adorable project called The Fairy's Garden by the Design Staff at The Hole Bead Shoppe. I was smitten. As soon as I could track down some tiny Lucite flowers, I got started. Do you know, though, how once in a while a certain price will stop you in your tracks? The 30 cent teeny flowers did it for me. At the same time, I was helping my daughters create polymer beads for their Imagination Inventor's Fair and decided that I'd give some detail-work a try of my own. The flowers on this ring were my first effort and they turned out beautifully. They have spawned a number of other projects, as well. You may see them here later, in fact.

Show and Tell

Pictures will be coming soon, but this blurry little number from my iPhone makes a great placeholder!

This is Ruby Ru modeling "Carolina" (featuring glass and painted shell in turquoise shades.)

Inaugural Post

Greetings and Welcome to the workshop studio! You can contact me through the blog, at my e-mail address krischristiansen@comcast.net, or by phone 952 380 7230.