Color Relief

I have been so bored with all the neutral colors I have been working with I had to do something with color. I have quite a stash of lampwork beads created by fellow Etsy artisans so I put them to good use. You will also find other lampwork beads, Czech glass, Swarovski crystals, hand blown glass and some vintage glass beads and Lucite as well.This necklace was created using micro macramé in a beautiful technique taught by Stephanie Sersich.On one side I used red and orange ending up with yellow and the other side is blues and green ending with yellow.It measures 9.25 inches from the clasp to center and the center dangle hangs a full 4 inches from the bottom of the necklace.

Divella Delights Daily Special

Every day at Divella Delights I have one item I mark at 50% off for the day. Today's special item is this bracelet.

A bouquet for your wrist and a smile for your heart…
I had a wonderful compliment on one of these bracelets from a customer. She said, " It makes me smile every time I look at it"...that is what I call a success!
In this garden created in bright, sunny summer oranges and blues you will find Treasures such as 4 artisan created one of a kind lampwork beads, Hand Blown glass, Vintage Lucite leaves, Czech glass, and a variety of other beads carefully selected and woven together. The clasp is a button and loop closure. This bracelet is a standard length of 7 inches. Each bead and gem is individually knotted in a core of waxed Irish linen for a lifetime of wear making this series perfect for any day when you need a smile or for that matter every day!

New Beaded Flowers

Beaded Flowers
As usual I am on to something new. This is a photo of what I think will be the center of a necklace. I plan to do a combination beaded and micro-macramé neck for this one with a total length of around 18 inches.
Each petal, rose and each leaf was individually beaded then fastened to a piece of felt. I have since attached the C-Lon cord to the ultra suede and fastened that to the felt to begin the macramé portion.
It will be free form and I am thinking asymmetrical so balancing will be a bit tricky, as I do not want it sliding around once it is on the neck.
Although I enjoy doing these quite a bit, I can’t seem many being made as they are very time consuming.
Let me know your thoughts!

The Garden Collection

Gifts to make you smile!The old days and ways of making jewelry have certainly changed in the past few years. I love the "anything goes" philosophy of creation! The only limit is my imagination and willingness to explore. One thing that really helped me get out the box was the book Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. I was very conservative in my approach for the first several years I was making jewelry. Then slowly I began to branch. Not everything has worked but when one of my customers said to me: "Every time I look at it (bracelet) I smile". I knew at that moment I was on the right track. This series is not to be taken seriously! It is not for an evening at the Opera. They are however, a LOT of fun to wear. Some of my customers have purchased colors they have never worn then went shopping for an outfit to match. What a wonderful applaud that is.The more I learn the more fun I have and the harder it is to come out of my studio. I learned how to do macramé and along with my other techniques I am making these bracelets. They are such an amusement! Even the shopping for these is a lot of fun. I look for anything interesting…different colors of course and different shapes, textures and materials. I love to incorporate genuine gemstones into them when I can and sometimes even pearls! It is such a pleasure watching these evolve. They seem to take on their own direction. Often, in fact more often than not, they take a turn in a way I had not predicted.I will get back to the more conservative soon I suppose with the changing of the seasons. For now though, I am having a blast.

Come by and see my new Garden Collection at http://www.divelladelights.com

On your mark, Get set

GO!
This is the bracelet I am giving away to the person who has the most referrals who sign up on my e-mail list this Saturday, July 11th
In the event of a tie I will draw a name at random from a hat.
The only catch is that the people you refer need to email me with your name so I know who referred them. They can do that at info@divelladelights.com
What?! You are not on the e-mail list yet? Just go to the bottom of the home page and sign up. Then send a note to all your friends. To make it easier you can copy and paste the note below or write your own.

Hi!
I would love to win the bracelet at www.divelladelights.com/blog. Please sign up on the e-mail list this Saturday, July 11th. Sign up is located on the bottom of the front page. Thanks!

GOOD LUCK!

HUGE JEWELRY AND FIBER SALE

Happy 4th of July!!
This weekend to celebrate the 4th most of my shop has been reduced 40% to 60%! Sale ends Sunday.
Have a wonderful and safe 4th of July and remember to thank someone in uniform for their serviceand our freedom!

Jeanne Wertman and her Leaves

I have been desperately attempting to make some macramé leaves to use in some designs I have rolling around in my head. Thanks (and MANY of them) to Jeanne Wertman for helping me out there! She is wonderful lady from Ohio who has shared her knowledge with me. Check out her designs here: http://www.picturetrail.com/grannyx she is quite astounding, not to mention patient. So thanks to GrannyX I have been working on some new ideas using those fabulous leaves. I have pictured one of her designs here so you can see how wonderfully talented she is. I can only hope that in the years to come I can develop my craft half as well as she has developed hers.
Thanks Jeanne!!

Playing with Rocks

Playing with rocks
For anyone who has read my blog lately you know that I have been playing with macramé. My 6 year-old granddaughter gave me this rock so I decided to d something with it. The neck is macramé with $3 cubes and the rock has been wire wrapped with silver non-tarnish wire. It was fun to make up and I have a special piece of jewelry from a very special girl!

The Watch Continues

OK…day two of the macramé watchband. Slow but steady. I had to take several rows out because I decreased one too many for the buckle. That reminds me, if you are going to make a watchband and finish it with a buckle you will need to decrease as the watch face is generally wider than the buckle. Also here you can see I have begun putting holes in for the buckle prong. All you have to do is not tie the middle two ends together on one row every 4 or 5. Also if you need help getting started or a refresher on your knots here is a good site http://www.free-macrame-patterns.com/ Hope to see you tomorrow!

Watchbands, Cell Phones and Puppies

We have a very cute ½ Lab, ½ Pit puppy who has decided that my husband’s watchband and cell phone are really yummy. While I cannot do anything about the cell phone, I was thinking that I might be able to make a watchband.
I started learning micro-macramé about a month ago so I got out some Omega nylon cord (colorfast) and went to work. I decided to do it in black as the watch face is black and it is after all, for a man. Learn along with me or just pop in for a good laugh!
I don’t have much of the watchband done yet but here is my beginning.
I cut 12-56 inch strands of the Omega, as the watch is quite large. I fastened it on the watch using larks head knots. I added one size 4 cube to the center 2 strands then worked left and right side diagonal double half hitch knots. Before you ask I have no idea why it is not just a hitch knot rather than a double half…hmm. I am adding a #8 black matte seed bead in the center every other row of those diagonal double half hitch knots. I would like to put something more colorful in there but I will play with the next one. I have a couple of rescued watch faces for women. I need to keep this one simple as I am just learning.
So far so good. Now I have to fix supper for the poor watchless, phoneless man.

Monthly Winner and Other Ramblings

A bouquet for your wrist and a smile for your heart…
I had a wonderful compliment on one of these new bracelets from a customer. She said, " It makes me smile every time I look at it"...that is what I call a success!
I am absolutely convinced that once these bracelets really hit the streets, I won’t be able to keep up making them. That wouldn’t bother me a bit as I have so much fun creating them! In order to really get them out there, I have decided to run a short term 30% off sale on them. And because it is a pain to separate them I have all the bracelets at the same discount, lucky you. Enjoy!
The winner for this month’s free drawing is Tonya! Congratulations Tonya! I hope you enjoy the gift I am sending you.
I am beginning to get orders already for the winter hats! I had a lady contact me with an order for 3 of them and here we are in May…well, nearly June but you get the point. I am also talking with some local boutiques and the local jewelry store has taken them as well as the felted clutches. The gallery who featured me last month has decided to buy outright rather than consign which is so much easier for me. She sold many of the ones she had and is buying the rest as well as more on the website. That says a lot as far as confidence goes. I think at this point I will forgo consignment, I am just too busy!
The summer hats did not go so well so I am donating them all at the end of the month. I hate to see them without a head in them, they are so cute!
I hope you are all enjoying the Spring, I am looking forward to Summer as it is still a bit chilly here in Waterville, Maine!

Gifts to make you smile!

Gifts to make you smile!
The old days and ways of making jewelry have certainly changed in the past few years. I love the "anything goes" philosophy of creation! The only limit is my imagination and willingness to explore.
One thing that really helped me get out the box was the book Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. I was very conservative in my approach for the first several years I was making jewelry. Then slowly I began to branch. Not everything has worked but when one of my customers said to me: "Every time I look at it (bracelet) I smile". I knew at that moment I was on the right track. This series is not to be taken seriously! It is not for an evening at the Opera. They are however, a LOT of fun to wear. Some of my customers have purchased colors they have never worn then went shopping for an outfit to match. What a wonderful applaud that is.
The more I learn the more fun I have and the harder it is to come out of my studio. I learned how to do macramé and along with my other techniques I am making these bracelets. They are such an amusement! Even the shopping for these is a lot of fun. I look for anything interesting…different colors of course and different shapes, textures and materials. I love to incorporate genuine gemstones into them when I can and sometimes even pearls! It is such a pleasure watching these evolve. They seem to take on their own direction. Often, in fact more often than not, they take a turn in a way I had not predicted.
I will get back to the more conservative soon I suppose with the changing of the seasons. For now though, I am having a blast.

Metal Sensitivity

Do you or someone you know have sensitive skin? Does even the finest gold or silver turn your skin colors? Does your sensitivity only apply to plated metals? Are you fearful of the metals containing lead and seeping into your skin? Lots of people have allergies or sensitivities to metals and have trouble wearing jewelry they love but there is an answer! You can wear the latest styles and be free from rashes, itching, fear and more.
Check out all the wonderful macramé jewelry. Now, before you shutter from visions of giant owls with huge jeweled eyes staring down at you, listen up! What I am talking about is micro-macramé. Same knots, to be certain…those are eternal but wait until you see what’s being done with them. Rather than using large ropes and thick cords there are many of us designing jewelry using thread and small cord such as Irish linen. The possibilities are nearly limitless. I have even done some with pearls and other gemstones. In fact, most of my micro-macramé pieces do contain genuine gems! How exciting is that?
Take a look at this photo…fun isn’t it? This just gives you an idea what can be done. Of course, smaller scale can be done as well if you prefer the more classic look. The point is that many of us are designing jewelry with those of you in mind who cannot wear all the beautiful trinkets that fill the jewelry store shelves.
Check out your local jewelry store. Many of them have realized the desire for handmade, local jewelry over the imported stuff that fills the malls. My local jeweler took a chance on me a few years ago and she has been very pleased, not to mention successful. There were several months last year that the only sales made were my designs! She has half the store filled with local designers, the other half remains the typical, everybody has one items. You can guess which side does better.
You can also shop online for artisan created jewelry. The choices are infinite. Happy shopping!!