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!

Beaded Flowers, Leaves and Bugs

Remember in my last blog I mentioned that I am learning some new techniques? Well, here is my first flower. Now my brain is really racing. I am doing some bugs next; they look like fun too. So I am thinking I should do a bunch of white ones perhaps in a couple different sizes and incorporate it into a free form peyote necklace along with a couple of beetles or butterflies. I also want to put some of those wonderful micro-macramé leaves in there as well. I am going to try to draw out something rough but I want to keep it free form so I can bead as I go.

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!

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.

The Patriot

Celebrate your patriotism on the 4th of July or any day of the year. Made like my garden series but in red, white and blue, this bracelet contains lampwork, snow quartz, Czech, vintage and contemporary Lucite, and some non-tarnish silver tornado beads I twisted up. It has a red star button for a clasp.

Each bead and gem is individually knotted in a core of waxed Irish linen with coordinated threads for a lifetime of wear making this series perfect for every day or any day when you just need a smile.
See this and many more at www.divelladelights.com

Wrist Corsage

A bouquet for your wrist and a smile for your heart…
In this garden created in sunny yellows, scrumptious purples and lively greens you will find treasures such as genuine faceted Amethyst, Artisan created Lampwork, Vintage and Contemporary Lucite leaves, Czech glass, Golden Opalite, and Swarovski carefully woven together with the bright yellow button to a length of 7 inches.
Each bead and gem is individually knotted in a core of waxed Irish linen with coordinated threads for a lifetime of wear making this series perfect for every day or any day when you just need a smile.

Carousal Series, a banquet for your wrist
I have a new design to show you and one in the works. This was inspired by Stephanie Sersich from her book ‘ Designing Jewelry with Glass Beads’ although I have made a few changes in that I use different stringing material and I use a lot of gemstone rather than making it all lampwork. I am calling it the Carousal Series. I am working on some fulled beads and discs for a fiber version. I hope you will come by and check it out in a few days.
The beads I make with the wool are fulled by hand and they take a few days to dry completely so I am hold with those but in the meantime I ham having a lot of fun making the gemstone variety.
I have spent this spring learning some new techniques and mixing up with my old ones and am having lots of fun doing it. I like using all the leaves and flowers, it reminds me of a beautiful English garden
As always if you see a design and would prefer it in a different color, just ask!

Gemstone Jumble

A great new design using Rhyolite, Turquoise, Lovely faceted Smokey Quartz, Labradorite, Artisan created lampwork from 3 different artisans, Wooden charm by my hubby, vintage Lucite, a 3 pressed Czech leaves. Whew…
The entire piece is knotted with a complimentary green cord and the clasp is a loop and Lampwork bead by Rufus and Roxy.
As this is a first attempt I am keeping this one as it does have some minor flaws. I should have some for sale the first part of next week. They’ll run $40-$65 depending on the gems and other materials used.
I have purchased some great fibers and have some pretty hot ideas in mind so come on back in a bit.
I will be unavailable from 27 APR until 6 MAY but I’ll be ready to roll when I return!

Micro Macrame

Well folks, here I go again in pursuit of another lesson. A friend of mine had a book on micro macramé and it looked really interesting to me. My mind went away with all the design possibilities. It will be my new venture to incorporate some of that old 70’s style stuff with my designs. Understand that this is not done with the Jute we used back in the day. It is done with thread or very fine cord and beads…even gems! Yea! Sounds like it will be right up my alley. I have ordered the instructions and that should be in for me to pick up in a couple of days.
I am still working on the vases; in fact I have a beautiful black, silver and white one in the works now. It is smaller than the first one I did for 2 reasons. First to make it more affordable and second don’t you know those things take a long time?
I am also still doing the crochet bracelets, the woven gemstone work and free-form peyote so if there is something you would like, please ask.
I will be going on vacation soon and am trying to get my ducks in a row, learn new techniques to keep things interesting and figure out what I want to take with me for some possible new accounts.
Look for new designs at www.divelladelights.com