Strawberry Blossom Bracelet

After making the strawberry kitchen items, I moved away from crochet.  I knew I wanted to find a way to use some of the beautiful lampwork glass strawberry beads in my stash.  As I searched the web for inspiration pictures of strawberries, I decided I'd like to add some blossoms too, so I found some lucite flowers and bright green lucite leaves.

The bracelet chain is sterling, and the findings are sterling-filled.  The beads are a mix of handmade lampwork berries, Czech glass, and Swarovski crystal.  The whole piece was a joy to make. 

Gilmore Girls Charm Bracelet

Recently a favorite customer asked me to make her a Gilmore Girls inspired bracelet.  I've only ever caught a few episodes of the show, so she chose the charms herself, and we worked out a color scheme based on a few iconic images from the show, the Luke's sign, the Dragonfly Inn sign, and a deep sky blue from many of the title cards of the show.  I really like how this one came together color-wise, and she seems to be thrilled with it. 

Pumpkin Spice Charm Bracelet

Love it or hate it, you know your Facebook & Instagram feeds were full of them today....  The Pumpkin Spice Latte has returned, and heralded the season of PUMPKIN SPICE EVERYTHING!  So to celebrate, I created a Pumpkin Spice charm bracelet.  Goes great with yoga pant and Uggs....  Or you know, real clothes. 

The charms include pumpkins both big and small, bags of coffee beans, coffee cups, muffins, croissants, shortbread cookies, and milk cartons.

The beads are a mix of Czech glass, Swarovski crystal pearls, and stone, in shades of pumpkin, copper, rich coffee brown, cafe au lait, and a touch of deep green, in a nod to the iconic coffee house's green straws.

After staring at this all day, now I'm wondering if I have the makings of pumpkin spice muffins in my cupboard..... 

Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?

I'm afraid I've gotten a bit behind on my blogging.  My only excuse is that I've been crafting so many extra Harry Potter and Outlander bracelets to put away for the holiday rush. But I have managed to get around to a few new designs.  This first one is probably my favorite new design in a while.  It was inspired by my partner edelC in the Back to Hogwarts Swap on Craftster.  Hers was the prototype, but this is version 2.0

While witches and ghosts and ghouls in orange and black abound at Halloween, I wanted something a little sweeter, that could be worn all year long, so the beads are a mix of deep teal, purple velvet, jet black and crystal clear.  Most of the beads have an AB finish to lend the design some extra shimmer.

The charms include cauldrons, swirling stars, spell books, broomsticks, cats, magic wands, hearts, witch hats, and a fantastic witch on a broom from TierraCast charms.  I like how sleek and clean the lines of the charms are on this one, giving it a slightly modern feel.

I have some new wine charms to share soon, full of autumn and Halloween goodness.  Meanwhile, I can't wait for Halloween itself.  This is the first time we'll be home during Trick or Treating for the last several years, and I'm really hoping we get a good turnout of kids coming our way.  

How about you guys?  Are you all ready for Halloween?  Any fantastic costumes in the making?

Good Witch Charm Bracelet on Etsy

  

Movie Lover's Charm Bracelet

I've got several new designs planned out that I want to make this fall, and I've finished the first one!

Like so many of my designs, this one was inspired by a fantastically talented friend, and young film maker.  Her name is Kasey, and once you've met her, you'll never ever forget her.  From her bright eyes, to her adorable drawl, and on past the surface to the unfailingly generous and deeply intelligent, woman underneath, Kasey is a wonder.  When I first met her she was studying both theatre and film, and hopes someday to be a screenwriter and filmmaker.  

With her long blonde hair and infectious smile, she could be the picture of the All American Girl.  And if you only met her in passing you might think she'd make a phenomenal cheerleader.  But what Kasey really wants to do is make horror movies.  The bloodier and creepier the better.  I imagine her as a director someday showing up to a day of filming, with a pan of homemade brownies for the crew in one hand, and an extra five-gallon bucket of stage blood in the other, 'just in case'.  

While I always felt myself inspired by my students, Kasey was one of those rare people who can get complete strangers excited about a topic they would otherwise have no interest in.  And so, how could I not create a bracelet inspired by her love of film?  I'm really in love with several of the charms on this one.  The tiny popcorn you might remember from the Take Me Out to the Ballgame bracelet I did a few months back.  There's a couple on a date at the movies, a clapperboard, tiny theatre, soda, camera, directors chair, an Oscar, tickets, and a few film reels. 

I work hard to find great charms whenever I'm designing a new bracelet, but there always seems to be one charm that I just fall in love with as my favorite on each project.  This time it has to be the couple on a date.  They are leaning towards one another, with their sodas and popcorn, and his arm around her shoulder.  I like to imagine they are watching one of Kasey's favorite scary movies.  

The beads are my usual favorite Czech glass, in shades of black, white and grey as a nod to black and white film, and deep red, reminiscent of the velvet drapes at movie palaces from the 1930's and 1940's.  Overall I'm pretty darn happy with how this one turned out.  I've got three more new designs in the works at the moment that I hope to get shots of soon.  One inspired by my recent trip home to see my family, one by my longing for cooler weather, and one that's a bit of a departure from my usual style...

Movie Lover's Charm Bracelet on Etsy

A Bracelet With No Name

I've been working on putting together a sewing themed bracelet for the last few weeks, inspired by the totally kick-ass costume stitchers I've worked with over the years.  I had already gathered the charms, and Friday afternoon I finally had time to start putting them together.  The charms include a bobbin, iron, tape measure, buttons, safety pins, sewing machines, shears, "I <3 Sewing", a spool of thread, ruler, embroidery snips and a bobbin.

After getting all the charms together, I started racking my brains trying to come up with the perfect color scheme.  After much puttering, I finally settled on bright magenta, deep teal, jet black and a dark grey hematite.

The only thing missing now?  A name!  I haven't been able to settle on something for it.  I think I might have to poll some of my stitcher friends for their opinions.  How about it?  Any ideas?

Love Wins

On Friday morning started off like any other.  I got up, walked the dog, went to the gym for my regular workout, had breakfast with my husband who was on vacation, took a showers, and was in my studio trying to get another round of my rag rug finished before a midday yoga class.  Jim called from the living room that I needed to stop what I was doing and check the news.  He sounded both serious and laughing at the same time.  I asked what was wrong as I frantically pulled up Google News.  Just as I read the first headline he answered: The Supreme Court had just ruled in Obergefell vs. Hodges.  Marriage equality was now the law of the land.

I frantically read through the articles flying up on Googles News, and flipped through Facebook.  As I saw such an outpouring of joy, so much support and love posted over and over, I couldn't help the tears that started to fall.  They fell for my friends and family who have struggled for so long to be accepted, to be heard, and to be treated the same as every other citizen of this country.  They fell for my husband, and how much his love has meant to me in the past ten years, and the joy in knowing that everyone will now have the same opportunity to experience that kind of love and commitment.  They fell for the children I hope to have someday, who will be born into a world where he right to marry whomever they love is fundamental.

I pulled myself together and rushed over to yoga, where I simply could not keep my mind on my breath.  It was both a distracted, and a fantastic practice.  Afterwards I wanted to celebrate so Jim & I went out for sushi and bubble tea.  As the day went on, despite my wonderful mood, I started to worry about the backlash that would inevitably show up somewhere.  I started to scroll through my Facebook newsfeed a little more carefully.  But you know what happened?  The love just got louder.  The support just kept coming.  For a full 24 hours, everything I saw was so positive and joyful.  It filled my heart all over again.

I'm sure there is plenty of negativity spewing forth out in the world over the issue, but it was a joy to see that none of that found it's way into the posts of the people I call friends.  After so much happiness, I knew I had to craft something out of my emotional high.  So here it is.  What could I call it besides Love Wins?  Because that's what love does.  It is the best of us, the best of what we can be.  It pulls us out of despair, it reminds us that we are not alone, it heals deep woulds.  Love wins.

Love Wins Charm Bracelet in my Etsy Shop

Back to the Gypsy That I Was

When I create a new design for a charm bracelet, I usually make 3 copies and then sit back and see if they sell.  Sometimes a new design is instantly popular, and sometimes it takes just the right person wandering through who falls in love with that almost-overlooked design.  Eventually I am ready to make a new batch and even though the theme is the same it can feel like a whole new design.  This is version 2.0 of my Gypsy Fortune Teller charm bracelet, and even though I've done the theme before, it was like creating an all new bracelet this time around.

I have always been fascinated by old fashioned wooden gypsy caravans, with their brightly colored paint jobs and the fantasy of taking your snug little home anywhere your heart wishes to go.  Traveling the world with your friends and family, and meeting fascinating people along the way.  Add to that the archetype of the mysterious fortune teller bedecked in silk scarves and bangle bracelets, and you have the start to a good adventure story.  

In an unusual twist, for this bracelet I actually started by choosing the bright colors for the beads, before finding all the individual charms.  I used bright rich jewel tones including amethyst, sapphire, peacock blue, teal, peridot, amber, ruby, scarlet and red-violet.

The charms include references to traditional methods of fortune telling like palmistry, the Tarot deck, crystal ball and Ouija board, as well as paying card suits, scales for justice, wand, the Fool, the zodiac, a coin, a cup, a tiny caravan, moon, sword, crown for the Empress, skull, hearts for the Lovers, and the sun.

I'm thrilled with how this bracelet came out.  Much more so than the original version which never sat right with me.  It always felt like nearly what I wanted it to be, but not quite there.  Now if only I could find myself a little caravan to go adventuring in...

Gypsy Fortune Teller Charm Bracelet on Etsy

Hot Days, Hot Foods, Hot Chefs

I'm not sure what the weather is like where you are, but here in Nashville it's HOT.  Temperatures in the 90's, with high humidity and no end in sight.  The kind of hot where you can feel your skin start burning as soon sun touches it.  At least this ginger girl can.  My parents say I'm Irish, English & French, but I'm starting to wonder if there is some vampire in our background.  I'm pretty sure there is a serious chance of immolation when I next walk Astrid.

Thankfully the house is nice a cool.  A huge departure from the summers we spent in Kentucky, with spotty air conditioning that didn't extend to the kitchen at all.  I was constantly on the lookout for summery meals that could be made in the crockpot so I didn't have to stand in the kitchen at night, sweating over the stove.  This year I get to make whatever I want for dinner, regardless of outdoor temperatures.  What has all this got to do with jewelry?  It gave me the nudge I needed to finally put together a bracelet that's been in the works for months.

It started when I found the adorable little bulbs of garlic charms in the photo above.  (Far left, next to the clasp ring.)  They were so beautifully detailed that I had to pick them up.  Over the next few months I started seeking out more cooking charms.  It took over 6 months to gather them all, but I love the collection that I assembled, and was thrilled to finally be able to do something with them last week.  

All in all, the charms include garlic, cutting board & knife, fork, plate of steak & asparagus, skillet, cook book, spatula, pepper mill, plate, carrot, bottle of wine, cheese grater, measuring cup, rolling pin, sausage on a fork, and wedge of cheese.  They are all beautiful, but my favorites have to be the plate with a steak and asparagus on it, the pepper mill, and the cheese grater.  The detail on them is just amazing.

When I make a meal that I'm especially proud of, I tend to feel pretty bad ass about myself, and I wanted to capture that feeling in the bracelet.  To do so I mixed jet black beads with some fiery reds, oranges & yellows.  Most are Czech glass, but there are also some great goldstone beads thrown in for shimmer.  Thus the Hot Chef Charm Bracelet was born.

Finally, I'll leave you with the recipe I plan to make for dinner tonight, that I would never have considered making in our last house: Moco Loco.  A fragrant rice made with coconut milk, topped with spiced ground pork, a fried egg, and an awesome sweet & spicy soy sauce reduction.  The recipe was given to me by my Friend David, but it originally came from the book Breakfast for Dinner, and has become a favorite in our house.  I tend to alter the recipe slightly by adding some ground ginger, onion powder, and minced garlic to the pork.  Give it a try!

Around The World in 80 Charms

One of my favorite things about Etsy is the ability to find local artists and craftspeople.  And for them to find me!  I was recently contacted by a woman who lives here in Nashville, who wanted a custom bracelet made to commemorate her world travels.  I told her I'd be more than happy to create one, and asked for a list of the places she wanted represented.  She sent me back a list of 30 countries including Egypt, Morocco, Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland, China, Laos, Cambodia, Japan, Thailand, Poland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, Greece, Italy, Turkey, Tanzania, England, India, and Nepal!  Talk about jealous.  I would love it if I was able to visit half the places she's been.

After explaining just how many charms could fit on a single bracelet, we narrowed down her list to her all time favorites, which was still 20 charms. They include a train, a lion for Africa, flamenco dancer for Spain, St. Peter's Basilica for Italy & the Vatican, Big Ben for England, an elephant for Thailand, Star of David for Israel...

the Eiffel Tower for France, Asian dragon, Parthenon for Greece, whirling dervish for Turkey, sampan for China, passport, Great Pyramid for Egypt, coo coo clock for Switzerland...

the Taj Mahal for India, windmill for the Netherlands, a camel, beer stein for Germany, plane, and Buddha for Laos, Cambodia & Thailand.  Due to the large number of charms, there are fewer bead pins than I usually use.  They are a mix of Czech glass in shades of warm sand, rich amber, jet black and crystal clear.  

I'm thrilled with how it came out, and hope the customer enjoys wearing it as much as I enjoyed making it.  

I Could Really Go for Some Crackerjacks Right Now

Some of my projects are in process for weeks on end.  There are little bowls on my work desk half full of charms for upcoming bracelets, while I await more charms that I've ordered to arrive, or while I await that moment of inspiration when everything suddenly clicks and that half formed idea for a bracelet suddenly comes together.  This was one of those projects.  Not the kind where everything comes together, but the kind where I was waiting for it to do so.

I knew I wanted to do a baseball themed bracelet, but I was having serious trouble with exactly the right color scheme, and what to fill a couple of spaces with.  I had tiny baseball players, balls, bats, mitts, hats, and even some I Love Baseball charms, but there was definitely something missing.  I racked my brains and couldn't come up with the rest of the plan.  My solution?  The same one I had for the last 4 years I worked as the Costume Shop Manager at a university in Kentucky.  Ask my friend David for help.  David ran the Scene Shop for the same department, and though we were in different areas of theatre technology, we often helped on another out on projects.  He is one of those folks who will always help you.  I mean ALWAYS.  The kind that even with their plate is completely full, when you ask for help or advice, they always comes through.  The kind you call Friend with a capital F.  It also helps that he's a raging baseball fan.

When I texted him for help, I expected to hear back via text in a while.  But no, Friend called to help because he had "too much to put into a text".  Let me assure you, that is the exact thing you want to hear when you're stuck on a project without inspiration.  He suggested the inclusion of peanuts, popcorn, or cracker jack.  Turns out there are no tiny cracker jack charms out there, but there were some adorable popcorn and peanut charms, so into the mix they went.

My other concern was what color beads to use, without using any specific teams colors, so that it could be for any fan.  I did know I wanted green for the grass, and Friend suggested white or clear for the ball.  I soon also found some awesome acrylic ball beads.  I generally only use Czech glass or crystal beads, but they were so perfect that I just couldn't pass them up.  The dual color scheme wasn't working though, and I realized that I needed to add in a neutral to make the green pop.  In came a sandy tan for the diamond.  Now things were finally coming together!

After a lot of frustration I'm really happy with how it came out in the end.  And I'm glad for the reminder that when you're at your wit's end, you can always turn to a friend for help.  Thanks Friend. 

Take Me Out to the Ballgame Charm Bracelet in my Etsy Shop

California Dreamin' ....On Such a Cloudy Day

Do you ever ask a question, only to answer yourself just a moment later?  I hadn't intended to create another travel or place themed bracelet so soon, but somehow I've got two more in the works.  One I already finished and another that's in pieces in my "to be created" bowl.

While I was working as a costume shop manager in Kentucky for the last several years, I got to know a wonderful dance professor named Lisa.  She always seems to be more full of energy and fantastic stories than anyone else.  I've often joked that she is my Fairy Godmother of Fun, swooping in to pull me out of my everyday routine, into an adventure at a moments notice. While Lisa adored her students in KY as much as I did mine, she longed to return to the home of her heart, California.  After a few years of looking, she found a new position teaching there, and is moving away this month.  While I'm thrilled for her, I'm also going to miss her terribly.  Her going away clearly called for a charm bracelet designed just for her and her dream of a new adventure in California.

I started with the idea of the dream of California as part of the American consciousness.  The idea that anyone can start anew there, can find their best self in this golden state of sunshine and promise.  And yes, the Mamas and the Papas did come to mind.  The idea of longing for the sun and warmth of California on a cloudy day.

The charms include a map of California, a dreamcatcher, disks that say "dream", shells, a surfboard, sun tan lotion and a palm tree from the beach, peace signs, grapes and a wine glass, a film canister, the bear and star from the state flag, a sandal, and of course the sun.

The beads are a mix of Czech glass and semi precious stones in shades of ocean blue, azure sky, plum wine, sand, and golden sunshine.  Since Cali has always had it's share of the hippy vibe, I included aquamarine which is thought to help connect you to your spiritual being, dragon veins agate to heighten creativity and protect against bad dreams, and purple jade to attract love to your life.  I can't wait to send it to her once she moves in a few weeks.  (Because everyone deserves to have gifts arrive by mail when they move into a new place!)  And even more, I can't wait till we could afford to go visit.  

California Dreamin' Charm Bracelet in my Etsy Shop

Meanwhile...  I'm working on another travel bracelet already.  This one is a custom order for a woman who lives here in Nashville, commemorating all the traveling she has done around the world. And she's been EVERYWHERE!  I couldn't believe the list of places on the list she sent me, and will be lucky if I ever get to see a handful of them. Since the last charms finally arrived today, I'm hoping to get the bead pins worked out this afternoon.  Here's a peek at the charms.

Who even knew you could find a whirling Dervish charm?  Or a tiny Taj Mahal?