The remnants of Hurricane Isaac blew through my area over Labor Day weekend, giving us some much-needed rain.
Not what the old-timers call a drought-buster, but we’ll take what we can get.
It’s the “side effects” we can do without — you know, the lightning and thunder, tornadoes and wind.
Have you ever been in Church and heard the tornado warning go off? I hadn’t either, until Saturday evening. What better place to be during wicked weather?
Anyway, with a holiday weekend and bad weather roaming around, I powered down the laptop and turned to some beading. Without further ado, I present some of my new creations (and the stories that go with them!):
1) These dangly earrings each feature three 6mm denim blue cat’s eye beads, interspersed with a 4mm hematite bead, antique round silver beads, and an antique silver tube bead in the middle. They remind me of summer — denim usually does — and what better way to celebrate the end of summertime than with beads?
2) This pair is made of seven 4mm rose bicones, interspersed with silver spacers and a silver circle spacer in the middle. This color is just so flattering to most skin tones! They’re light and delicate, and I imagine they’d look perfect worn with shades of blue or black.
3) Native American cultures have long hung dreamcatchers over beds to catch bad dreams in the net and filter good dreams down through feathers to the sleeper. That lovely tradition is what this pair of earrings is based on. I used two faceted turquoise Czech glass beads with a silver spacer in each one and a leverback closure for increased security.
4) More feathers! I saw these silver “feather” dangles at Hobby Lobby one day and they spoke to me. These chandelier earrings are the result. They might look heavy, but they’re incredibly light and make the most delicate whispering sound in your ears when you move your head.
5) A bracelet/earring set in Hematite. This stone is incredibly slick to the touch and is the gem form of iron. When cut or ground, Hematite gives off red dust that runs like blood when mixed with water. People have used this “red ochre” for thousands of years to paint caves and tombs. Here, I separated the Hematite stones with 4mm silver beads on the bracelet and used a toggle clasp. Trust me, it’s heavier than it looks — that’s why the earrings are shorter than I’d usually make!
6) Can you tell the Fighting Irish have been on my mind this weekend?? This pair mixes several different shades and sizes of green beads, silver spacers, and of course, a lucky four-leaf clover dangle. They must have worked because the Irish beat the Navy in Dublin on Saturday, 50-10!
Musings by an ND Domer's Mom 
I was in church once when an earthquake rolled through. That was pretty fun!
At least I know where our rain from Isaac went to, now. You got it! I do hope it helped the drought . I see there may be more for the midwest later this week. I’m ready for cooler temperatures, myself.
The earrings are so pretty. I like the feathers the best. Very, very attractive!
I’m ready for cooler weather, too, now that football season is once again upon us! Thanks for the compliments! Earthquakes at church? Gives new meaning to “fire and brimstone,” doesn’t it?!
Glad to see Isaac was goo for something productive! Very pretty!
Thanks, Suzi! What is it they say about busy hands and busy minds?! Kind of took my thoughts away from fretting over my son being out of the country!
They must have worked because the Irish beat the Navy in Dublin on Saturday, 50-10! Now, now. . . .;-)
I was NOT rubbing it in. Honest! This is a friendly rivalry, and whoever may have won on the field, it was the country of Ireland that really won — a bunch of Americans spending a bunch of money to stimulate their economy. Your son is in the Navy, I take it?? Those guys looked so handsome in their uniforms!
So pretty! I see a marketing opportunity with #6. Just sayin’….I always love weather and the opportunity to hunker down. Glad Isaac just left you with souvenir rain!
We got nearly 4″ of rain — woo hoo! I know, that’s a far cry from the 20-some inches New Orleans got, but they’re used to rain. As of this past summer, we definitely are not!
Beautiful jewelry, Debbie! Proof that creativity can flourish when we unplug. So happy you finally got some rain though you probably could do without the winds,tornadoes,lightening. But the Irish won in Dublin so I assume all’s right with the world!
Yes, Kathy, all’s right with the world when the Irish win! Best of all, my son Domer and the Band arrived in South Bend safe and sound, with lots of memories!
Glad you got some much-needed rain. Your jewelry, as always, is so lovely!
Thank you, Monica. I just love being able to design and create something. Playing with beads is a wonderful pastime!
Lovely.
Love the black w/ black bracelet! WOW!
If you could feel those Hematite stones, I just know you’d love them more, Kim. They’re cool to the touch and very slick — so slick, I have trouble holding onto them sometimes. One of these days, I want to get brave and grind one to see that red dust, ha!
Nice pieces! I’ve never been anywhere with tornado sirens…scary!
I especially like #3 and #5. #6 made me smile, though 🙂
Thanks for the compliments, Janna. You mean you don’t have tornado sirens where you are? Scary. It’s kind of a way of life here in the Midwest. We even have “test” runs once a month. It’s good to be prepared, I guess. For sure, our towns have spent a bundle getting them installed and working.
I like that you have this beautiful activity (it seems too important to call a hobby) side of you. Do you sell your work? If now, where do you keep it all? It must be challenging to store it, because I would want to be able to see it all the time! Preferably by a sunshiny window to amplify the colors. Neat!
Your words warm my heart, Lynne — thank you! Every time I meet someone who compliments my jewelry, they want to know where I sell it. Right now, I don’t. I’d like to, but setting up an Internet store, then dealing with shipping and returns, etc., is more time-consuming than I’m willing to invest (particularly since I need to get my novel in shape and sold!). Obviously, I have boxes and boxes of the stuff, lying around waiting for their forever homes!
What better place to be than in church when mother nature strikes with any kind of fury? You’re right. Good for you. Your earrings are so pretty. I’m seeing feathers everywhere these days….been tempted to put a couple in my hair with some beads. Am I a little dotty? I thought about your son last weekend when I heard of Notre Dame’s crushing win over Navy. Hope he had a great time! He is, no doubt, proud of the shamrock and green earrings you made. Perfect for a mom to wear to a football game there!
Thanks for the compliments, Barb! No, you’re not dotty — feathers make for a wonderful, summery accessory. The young girls are attaching them into their hair — looks fine on them, but it’s not my style. I love them on earrings, though. And yes, Domer had a fine time in Ireland, though he couldn’t believe how small everything was!
Debbie, my favorite are the dream catcher earrings! Oh my, they are lovely! Have you given some thought to starting an Etsy shop? I love, love hematite. I brought the Significant Other’s mother a beautiful hematite necklace from Spain. I’m glad that Isaac left your terrain a little less dry and inspired you to create these beauties! 🙂
Thanks for checking them out, Bella — your words are music to my ears! Hematite is one of my favorites, too. Nothing feels quite like it and maybe it’s my imagination, but I seem to feel better when it’s touching my skin. Weird, I know!