After Being Gibbs-Slapped By My Alter Ego....

In my previous post (here) I showed pictures of several pairs of earrings and asked what you thought about which should be worn by my Alter Ego, Zarqa Habiba, to the So-Cal Renaissance Faire.  This is the necklace that she was going to be wearing:

Full view: ended up wearing it without the carnelian
pendent there. It was too long for my neckline and
I'm of a fairly modest persuasion. Still, love the look.
Yellow rondelles are rough, yellow fire agates. Awesome!

 

A detail look.
Beads from ZnetShows.com, dangles and coins from
my stash. Bells were reused from a pair of Middle
Eastern chiming anklets.

 

Another detail shot.


 I was still contemplating which set of aforementioned earrings would work with this necklace when Zarqa gave me a disgusted look and Gibbs-slapped me!  Of COURSE!  Earrings should always match the necklace. DUH! (sigh)  So, I made these (and Zarqa was pleased):

They, and the necklace, chimed sweetly at the Faire and many people liked them.  And, since I was in an earring making mood, I threw in one more pair Because I Could!


Not sure what type, but the stone is agate (I think)
The metal was bought from Michael's pre-stamped
and I just cut out the shape. Bronze 1/2 circles and
copper wire. Warm, dangling goodness.

There will be another post later this week for ZnetShows and the beady goodness they've been letting me play with.  Check back, I'll have pics and links for you to check out. They've got AWEsome stuff!

Working Toward The Faire

I attend the Southern California Renaissance Faire with Friends every year and it's a blast! What makes it even more fun is to come up with what I call an "alter ego" and dress as that character for the day. I've mentioned mine before, Zarqa Habiba (Persian for Blue Eyed Friend) and you can see her here.  Whelp! I've been going over her outfit and re-working it a little bit for this year (still wearing the tats!) and some of that re-work has been her jewelry.  I've been working on a necklace with beads I received from Bill at ZnetShows.com.  It's not done, yet, but it's close (which, it better be since we're going this Saturday!) so here are some pics for you to enjoy.

Beginnings... we all have to start somewhere!



Closer to finished: stamped and colored the metal.
The yellow/green-y rondells are (I'm told by Bill at
Znet) Fire Agate! Who knew they came in yellow/green!?
I always thought they were carnelian/red and white!
Awesome!

Detail shot: the Christian fish symbol, swirls and twirls
I also dangled tiny bells like those worn by Middle
Eastern dancers. A lovely chime-y sound :)

Now we get to the hard part.  The earrings.  I've made a number over the last week and Zarqa is beside herself to choose a new pair for Saturday.  They're all fairly long (juuuuuuust shy of brushing her shoulders, but she doesn't have a long, swan-like neck, either) but they have that tribal feel she's loving.  Take a look and give her your vote?

So, that's it for today. Photos from the Faire Day will make their way on here eventually so you can see which earrings Zarqa finally settled on.

Oh, How Beauti-mous!

I showed you a few posts back that a beading buddy of mine was making me a bracelet.  Said beading buddy works with seed beads and does beautiful work.  Well, same-said buddy sent me the bracelet a couple of days ago and I'm almost afraid to wear it, it's that gorgeous.  I showed my dad and he says the same thing. It's a work of art!  Here are a few shots I took with my iPhone. Yes, sorry, that is my wrist in there.  Yes, I have freckles. It's what happens when you're a fair-skinned (used-to-be) red head.  Anyway, enjoy the pics of her gorgeous art work:



Love the Plume Agate: can't really tell from
this shot, but that "warp" to the right? Yeah,
those have faint blue inclusions in them.
I loved that when she let me pick the stone.



She picked the Blue Lace Agate to compliment
the blue in the Plume Agate. Love it! :)

Didn't I tell you? Art work! This is even
prettier in real life. The work is so delicate
looking yet the stones and size give it
enough weight to not look silly on my wrist.

Seed Bead Phobia

I have a friend at work who also makes jewelry, but she uses the seed beads where I use the larger glass or stone beads (or, soon I hope, made-em-myself polymer clay beads).  She has made numerous creations in the last few years that I've known her and I just feel my jaw unhinge every time she shares a photo of what she's working on or has entered in this fair or that contest.  Dorothy is just so creative. And WAY more patient than I am. I just don't believe I have it in me to sit down and work with those teeeeeny tiiiiiiny seed beads the way she does (and can). I just know myself well enough to know I'd get frustrated in a short amount of time and I'm not sure where the seed beads would end up, but it wouldn't be my table or a design (lol).

Anyway!  Dorothy is in the process of making me a bracelet and I tho't I'd share it with all of you and brag on her abilities just a little bit.

She tells me the main focal stone is plume agate and the side
stones are blue lace agate. Isn't this just GORgeous!?!?!