Monday, April 27, 2015

A New Garden Bracelet - From Beginning to End
































This bracelet started with a scrappity clipping from a magazine.
I think it was a Martha Stewart living that I picked up at a garage sale last summer.

Then came figuring out how I was going to shape off mandrel rose petals.
These are Cim's 'desert pink' with 104 white frit. 

I really like this single bead. 
It has petals of transparent gray over a core bead of Effetre 'pastel violet' with Val Cox 'purple rose' frit.

Above are all the glassy bits ready to assemble.
The little off mandrel leaves are transparent gray with Val Cox 'hi ho silver' frit.
The round ones are plain old Effetre 'white.'

I laid it out several different way before starting to cut and hammer the sterling.
Lately, I like things that are no where near symmetrical.
































Besides my glass beads and lots of sterling silver, this bracelet has big juicy chunks of rough cut amethyst, faceted labradorite rondelles and some tiny green freshwater pearls.
































Here's a good look at the pink petal end of the bracelet...
































...and the amethyst end of the bracelet.
































I love making my own clasps.
Commercial ones were never quite right for these big garden bracelets.


No comments: