Saturday 19 January 2013

Assorted chokers & more skull components -- and earrings!

The farmer's market was slow again today so I had plenty of time -- at least four mostly uninterrupted hours! -- to make things. Mainly, any interruptions consisted of going to Peter's Bakery for samples of apple strudel (I also bought one, my fave go-to dessert these days), and to the Butcher's Blend when the sausage samples were laid out. At one point, Uncle Dad showed up with samples of pizza and I dare anyone to say no to fresh-cut vegetables and cheese on a thin crust... phhht... not me!

I'm probably like most of you out there, I buy far too many beads, never use most of them, and end up forever falling back onto my own particular favourite beads and shapes. Me, I love the look of all silver and/or mixed metal compositions. In this case, I added one 4mm bright copper jump ring between the Tibetan style large beads (my absolute favourite shape) and the stainless steel plated beads.


I also love the endless possibilities using Tibetan/Tibetan carved agate beads.



And here are more of those skulls I started working with last weekend. I ordered 200 of them from Arton this week and at the rate I'm motorvating through them, they won't last very long. I'm making components for another choker, as well as to offer for sale, and I will be making more with the top loop turned, so that I can jump-ring them together into a chain.



I made a pair of "lady skull" earrings with the addition of a copper daisy spacer.


And then it was all of a sudden time to go home, from whence I will not budge for the next four days while I type my fingers further up to the next knuckle, or so it feels. I wonder how many billion keystrokes I have made when I finally hang up my keyboard and pull the plug on this infernal, timesucking device...

Thanks for looking!

3 comments:

Nelson Beads said...

Those silver beads are very nice, and I really like the copper spacers in between them. Like the Tibetan carved beads, too.

I remember when I used to love typing. Now it just hurts. I don't know how you do it. This editing job I'm doing is trashing my fingers.

Lisa Yang Jewelry said...

I'm not sure which I love more. The mixed metal necklace is classic but current with the leather cord. I love the simplicity of the Tibetan carved agate - and well, maybe the skulls are my favorite. I'm not sure I'd ever wear them, but they are so cool looking in the silver metal. I could see the 'lady skulls' with a chain tassel - but I've had tassels on the brain lately... Nice work (as always)

Barbara said...

Thanks, Lisa. I'm trying to make more guy-ish stuff, but now that I've gotten smart and buy these types of beads by the hundreds, if not thousands, I can make some full 20"+ metal and mixed necklaces for women -- also with the leather string ties, a looser look that I love, versus the stiffer, adjustable choker style. I also like that a lot of beads seem to be available with larger holes, which these all have.

I wish I had kept better track -- although I suppose I could go through my sales book! -- but I can't tell you how many skulls I sell. It's unreal. Just hope the trend keeps up. I have a huge box of feathers if anyone's interested. I was informed by a six-year-old that "nobody wears feathers anymore". Eeeesh. That hurts.