Sorceress of the Ice

Thanks to a new challenge from Artbeads.com, I've dug deep into my creative soul to discover what I think "Winter Enchantment" is all about.

A lifelong Mainer, winter isn't exactly a new concept to me. I've had 38 years of bitter cold, snow and ice. Yet throw in the word "Enchantment" and my view on the frosty season takes on a whole new meaning.

I had the honor of waking up one morning not too long ago to find that the morning sun had won its daily battle with the winter clouds, resulting in a spectacular show-and-tell of azure sky, glass-like trees covered in melting ice and Mr. Sun himself high in the sky radiating over the whole scene in pride. My drive to work was more like a tour through some obscenely high-end art gallery. Everywhere I looked, I saw nothing but sheer beauty. The landscape was glorious. Breathtaking. Just look for yourself!

When I saw the next sight (below), everything fell into place. What I envisioned was the forest home of a long ago and far away Sorceress of the Ice, straight out of your favorite fantasy story. I could just imagine her long, flowing, silvery-white hair and icy blue eyes. The idea of "Winter Enchantment" hit me square in the nose. I finally got it!

Then it all came together. Those beautiful icy stiletto branches coupled with the soft arcs of trees bent nearly to their limit by the sheer weight of it all...I decided to make my Sorceress of the Ice a magnificent necklace that only one so "Enchanted" could pull off!

The colors were a no-brainer: Crystal whites and the lightest of blues with just a hint of somber wintery gray.

My flavor-of-the-month beading technique is Kumihimo. I am in love with Japanese braiding! The process is very rhythmical and soothing and the finished product is always one I'm happy with. This Artbeads.com challenge was no exception.

The clasp sits in the front of the pendant and is camouflaged by the little spikes of beads and crystals, including Size 6 TOHO seed beads in Lined Crystal Colonial Gray.

The piece de resistance is, of course, the stunning Swarovski Avant-Garde crystal pendant measuring a whopping 40 mm! This component is a true beauty and I couldn't wait to work with it.

In addition to light blue silk cord, the body of this piece is made of Size 6 TOHO seed beads in Transparent Crystal AB.

Thanks, Artbeads.com, for getting me out of my traditional Maine winter blues by challenging me to think outside the snow-covered box!

Disclaimer: All TOHO seed beads and Swarovski crystal pendant used in this project were kindly provided free of charge by Artbeads.com as part of their Design Partners blogging program. The author of this blog has not received any payment from Artbeads.com and any posts about their products represent the author's personal opinion only.

Early Bud Under a March Frost

Hello, Fellow Beaders!





This is the piece I produced for the Artbeads.com blogging program. Here in Maine, we're more than ready for some sunshine, so "The Beauty of Spring" was a theme I could definitely relate to!

The 22-mm peridot Swarovski Cubist focal piece was such a wonderful source of inspiration that I had great difficulty in deciding what to do with it. This focal piece was very easy to work with because of the way the hole was drilled and the size of the hole, accommodating a number of attachment options. My original plan for this piece evolved and I couldn't have been happier with the result.

As you will see in the detail below, I complemented the Cubist focal piece with both 6-mm faceted peridot Swarovski cubes and 4-mm faceted peridot Swarovski cubes to balance the look and highlight more "early buds." As with the focal piece, I adored working with the Swarovski cubes and due to the versatility of these little darlings, any number of combinations could have been achieved.

I'm really into the use of color right now and I love color transitions. That's why I wanted this look to invoke a feeling of early spring by using medium-dark green on one end and crystal-white on the other. The crystal faceted bicones on the "winter end" of the necklace remind me of the late winter frosts that try to sabotage beautiful early spring buds. As you can tell, I had a great time with this piece. Thanks again, Artbeads.com!

Happy Beading!

Disclosure: 22-mm peridot Cubist (product code 6650-PER22) as well as 6-mm/4-mm peridot faceted Swarovski cubes (product codes 5601-PER6/5601-PER4, respectively) were kindly provided free of charge by Artbeads.com as part of their blogging program. The author has not received any payment from the above and any posts about their products represent the author's personal opinion only.

Cabin Fever 2010

My second home, Beads on the Kennebec in Augusta, ME, and I are working on a contest to beat the late-winter blues in Maine. It's called "Cabin Fever 2010" and the theme is "What does winter in Maine mean to you?"



I happen to like winter (although admittedly I'm more than ready for spring and I write this as it's snowing like crazy outside) so I designed an inspiration piece that reminded me of the beautiful first snow where the entire world seems to be white and blue. I just so happen to be a cabochon fiend so this was truly pleasurable to work up. I'd welcome your comments and if you live in Maine, stop by and sign up for this fun contest with some fantastic prizes!



As always, Happy Beading!

Don't forget to check out http://www.beadsonthekennebec.com/