Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Geometric Horned Rick Rack Bracelets make fantastic 'Landscape' cuffs

Pompom (Petal) Pendant
As I wrote in a previous post, my Battle of the Beadsmith piece 'Souls' leaves me a little bit "empty", as if it was the most important thing to say, the ultimate piece.
I am happy with this pause - it made me look back at the things I made over the past months (and even years) with satisfaction. I realize that it's been a pretty busy Spring, even if, strangely, it does not feel so.
I updated my website today, because since Esmeralda's bag, I hadn't posted new pictures and I feel a bit ashamed - about 10 pictures were missing, mainly my petal and flower shapes for which I've written patterns.

Nautical Warped Squares
More patterns will be available soon in my Etsy Shop, where you can also find the pattern for the warped square Nautical Flags (the alphabet and the numbers 0 - 9), as well as a pattern for 10 little pennants, made with oblong triangles for the numbers 0 to 10. Oblong triangles make lovely earrings.

The warped squares were inspired by a beautiful necklace in the book Contemporary Geometric Beadwork Vol. I by Kate McKinnon. This book is heavily inspiring - I wrote about it already here. I think that the after-battle pause is perfect for me to make things designed by other talented people - things I wanted to make but my own 'beading god' always had priority. I have tons of favorites.

Gabriella van Diepen's "The Devil's
Eggs Are Hatching"
When I saw Gabriella van Diepen's Horned Rick-Rack bracelet called The Devil's eggs are hatching in CGB I, I loved it hard. And I fell in love as hard with Maria Cristina Grifone's incredible Landscape 'Rick-Rack' which looks like an island in the ocean with trees and cliffs...

Generally I don't make beaded jewelry or objects designed by other beaders, but the beauties in this book are simply impossible to resist.
I love the shape and love the idea of painting a landscape accented by 3D mountains.

Landscape Horned Rick-Rack
by Maria Cristina Grifone
The difference between Gabriella's cuff and the landscape cuff is that the latter has horns built on the herringbone ribs, whilst Gabriella's bracelet has horns between those ribs, for a perfect organic look...

Voici my very own landscape cuff, Moon Rising over Kings Valley, where Gabriella's shape merges with Maria Cristina's landscape idea. The result pleases me tremendously. It was not easy and it took me more than a week (I made many mistakes due to fibromyalgia and my arms hurt easily... I need to rest them after beading), but I think that I will make another landscape cuff very soon.

I am waiting for Egyptian charms to arrive in my mail box for embellishment, but they seem to be lost somewhere between California and here.

Tell me what you think about landscape cuffs and geometric beadwork.


Moon Rising over Kings Valley


If you don't understand what I am talking about in this post, it might be possible that you don't have Contemporary Geometric Beadwork, vol. I! Get yours! You will love it. It's a must.


9 comments:

  1. This is beautiful work, Cath! Love it!

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  2. As another FMS SUFFERER, I commend you on all you do... You inspire me!!!! Thanks for sharing...

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  3. so glad that this speaks to you Lisa!

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  4. Did you buy the book too? I bought the 1st volume =) can't wait for the 2nd.

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    1. I was part of the editorial team LiliKrist and I am very happy that you like it too! Have you seen my Jalisco Bangle at page 214? I hope that you will give it a try!

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  5. I can't thank you enough! I have been looking everywhere for instruction on making this pattern. I didnt know there was a book too...thank you, thank you!!

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