Contrariwise ramblings

2 weekends ago I went to a bead show. I was like a kid in a candy shop. (Ooooo. All those bright shiny things! Did I need them? Probably not. Did I want them? What do you think. )

I added quite a few things to my stash of beads as you can see on the right.

I thnk I must have an infatuation with iridescence, because I bought a lot of labradorite, kyanite, and abalone. I really love the way they pick up the light. Unfortunately, they don't photograph too well, which is always a trial when I'm trying to take pictures of them for my online shop.

Anyway, I thought you might be interested in a few new pieces that I've made from these recent purchases.

The first thing I made was this ring. I'm not really sure what the bead is made of. (Anyone know? I think it may be little pieces of abalone assembled into a mosaic.) I love the way the little mosaic pieces glow with different shades of blue. And when the light hits them just right, you can see flashes of pink.

As soon as I saw these beads, I knew they would look great as the centerpiece of a ring. I couldn't wait to get home and make one!

On the left is the finished ring. I already got a commision to make a ring in a larger size. It's also listed in my online shop.

I only bought 3 of these beads because they were pretty expensive. Now I want to kick myself because I didn't get more.

Next, the kyanite. (You can see them in the lower left corner in my stash photo, above.)

My local bead shop sells this stone, but the price is OUTRAGEOUS. I love the look of it. It reminds me of ancient Roman glass. The kind that's been in the ground for centuries and, after it's dug up, is weathered and has a wonderful almost rainbow-like iridescence.

The long, teardrop-shaped beads would be perfect for earrings and for pendants. I made a couple of versions of earrings. I thought these beads would look good in a simple contemporary style which would focus attention to them. So I made earring that had a single long drop hung from a silver earwire. No wire wrapping. They looked OK, but I wasn't that enamored with them.

Then I tried wire-wrapping the kyanite beads and pairing them with some faceted moonstones that I had. The kyanite has a slightly rustic look to it, which I thought would be enhanced if I oxidized the sterling. Plus, oxidized silver would make the moonstones pop.

You can see these earrings on the right.

Look! Look! I even managed to pick up the blue iridescence of the moonstones in this photo! (Sorry, I had to brag. It's so hard to capture it. For each photo that captures some glimmer, they are 50 that are rejects.)

I like the way the blue flashes of the moonstones complement the blue of the kyanite.

I'm also started working on a necklace with one of the kyanite beads as a centerpiece last night. Only the center of the necklace is finished. (Sorry, it's not the best photo.) The kyanite pendant is flanked by about 7 inches of sterling "chain". Rather than have the chain go all the way around the neck, the rest of the necklace will be a gemstone. The clasp in the back will match the chain.

(If you'd be interesting in subscribing to my blog and receiving it by e-mail, just click Subscribe to Contrariwise ramblings by Email.)