Tudor on the brain

I haven't posted in a while, but I have been busy, busy, busy. Finally my new website updates are taking shape and I just need to put the shopping cart on it. I don't have a fraction of things on there that I want...so that will require more time this week. baby steps baby steps Not enough time for my bjp, but (this week I promise!) Between beadweaving jewelry, taking photos for the website, classes and the re-working of my website I'm slowly burning out...something has to give and I think I may take a break from classes for a while. (not to mention I need to clean my house once in a while!) I have had the Tudor jewelry collection on my brain and completed Six new pieces plus earrings to match. Three of the pieces are bracelets inspired by that wonderful show The Tudors on showtime. One is a bridal white, while the other is in brassy and tanzanite shades with plum undertones. I also did a netted white pearly bracelet with dots of teeny flowers on it, I'm still deliberating on what the center piece is going to be though. I also made up a black/brass/topaz necklace with a center rivoli, and I love the way it came out, just need to put on the clasp. Yesterday I did take a trip to my friend Marias store in Selma. I always get inspired by her 'mecca' of semi-precious stones. I met a new beader there, Mary. She was so excited and eager to get learning new things and wants to take a class. I love it! We talked about setting up a basic beadwork class at her store for the beginners, but I don't know when I am going to find the time!!! Like I said I'm burning out, but hopefully when I complete a few more things I can get back on track again.

Just a Test

Well....every day there is a 'new fangled' way for me to sit my butt at the computer...I'm emailing to my blog from my email and I wonder why there are not enough hours in the day to do my beading....Hope this works! testing testing..

Good Day!

Some days are bad, some are sad, some are redundant, and some are just darn good! Yesterday was a 'darn good' day. Although my stone garden bracelet has been in production for a long while now, the Bead Unique article came out finally. In todays mail I received a letter stating what my payment would be for the article! I only had a guess as to what I would get paid, but it was a surprise worth waiting for! Not huuuge or anything, but it was more than expected and that makes it a darn good and pleasant surprise in this economy. It made my day and my beading efforts worthwhile. This bracelet design came about a long 5 years ago, so I guess it has held up its' fashion appeal. I love making fringe, and this bracelet has a lot of it. Using a pretty focal stone is sometimes a challenge as to how best to show it off. Faceted slab stones are all the rage now in the fashion magazines, and I have seen whole strands of them in chunky type necklaces. My stone is amazonite and serpentine jade for the other featured bracelet. It was purchased at Bead Central in Selma. They have a huge variety of stones which you can buy by the strand or individually. My instructions used fireline thread, however since some stones are heavier than others you can string it with soft flex first and attach your toggle with crimps. Then use your fireline to do the fringing.

Luscious Tudors

The Tudors on Showtime
I just found a link to watch the Tudors streamline, it is free! The Tudors my latest inspiration for beadwork is in the form of a tv show. Although I have watched other previous tv series like Big Love, or the Sopranos, no tv series has inspired me like The Tudors on Showtime. It's FREE until April 9th and can be found in the 'top picks' section of "On Demand" It has me hooked and wanting more and I was able to watch several episodes one after another this way(when hubbys out of town I have a tudor fest while beading) I love making anything which looks like the queens jewels, 'cause let's face it, I'm not a queen and I'm never gonna' be one! Making beadwork reproductions and using glass and crystal rather than diamonds, rubies, emeralds is my thing. I'm only viewing season 1 on comcast On Demand, and meanwhile the season 3 season has premiered. I have a lot of catching up to do, but if you've seen it, surely you have noticed all the fantastic jewelry in this show? All the jewelry has been reproduced using portraits as reference. It was the time period of Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII, Jane Seymour, Thomas Moore....etc. In addition to being an interesting time period, and great show, the actores are exceptional, Johnathan Rys Meyers plays King Henry (he played Elvis years ago). In each episode my eye immediately focuses on the beadwork and jewels they have on the actresses and actors. Each piece is just absolutely stunning. Talk about inspiring, I look forward each week to seeing what they are going to be wearing next. The mens collars, the womens necklaces, the bodices, their necklines on their gowns, the coronets and crowns all just to die for. A particularly stunning piece I noticed was a crown which Anne Boleyn wore of spiky pearls that rose at least 6 inches in the center and gradually shortened on the ends from the crown of her head. I am so envious of the actress playing Katherine of Aragon, she has the most beautiful head pieces, crowns, and necklaces. Amazing! Each piece made based on the historical portraits from centuries ago. Not everyone was privy to wearing jewels in those days, because of certain laws and they weren't even allowed to wear purple velvet. Can you imagine? In one of the first episodes, King Henry chooses between three beautiful brooches to give to his mistress Anne Boleyn, each stunning in their own right. Onyx, rubies, gold lockets, pearls....I had to know more and immediately web surfed what I could find for some inspiration of my own. If you haven't seen The Tudors yet, you can view bits of Katherine of Aragons costumes here TUDORS and other info HERE and if you have showtime all episodes are online at the showtime site as well as ON Demand on Comcast tv. I'm on a roll right now and am working on a necklace inspired by 'the tudors' and I'll post it later...it will have lots of crystals and pearls and hopefully make anyone look a little regal!!!