Red and black

I'm still working on my studio, making a lot of progress.  I'll do one last post once I get everything in place on my new wall unit.  Until then, I'm going to post about other things I've worked on lately (and by lately that could mean the last week or the last year).

In case you're dying for more "in process" photos, here's one that should hold you until my next studio post:

 Really?  The studio must be too clean for her.

When I went to the Rings 'n Things bead show in May, I picked up a number of strands of dyed white wood 8x5mm saucer beads.  Each strand was only $1.91, and there were anywhere from 69 to 79 beads on each strand.  The colors are gorgeous, but the most startling thing about them is how light they are.  They remind me of the Three Musketeers commercials - if I don't hang on to them, they'll float away.

Here are the colors I picked up:

The big surprise is that I chose the lime green.  I've worked with it before and have decided I don't hate the color.

But this blog isn't titled "My goodness!  I like lime green!"  It's titled "Red and black".

I wanted to see if these saucers would work in Right Angle Weave (RAW).  I tossed the red saucers into my beading caboodle so I could work with them when I had time.  The spare time came right after the Bead&Button Show when I stayed the night at my mother's so I could take her to doctors' appointments on two consecutive days.

Although the saucers fit nicely together in RAW, there was an awful lot of thread showing at each corner.  I dug into my box and found size 15/0 black beads.  Nope - they slipped through the saucers' holes.  Next came 11/0 Delicas.  No, those were too small, too.  What else did I have in this magic box?  Peanut beads!  Black ones, too!  They were perfect.  One peanut bead between each of the saucers hid the extra thread and added an interesting element to the middle of the bracelet.

Here's the completed piece:

Right Angle Weave is a very quick stitch, so even with futzing around with the clasp (I had to redo the bar end to make sure it would fit through the ring), I was done in about an hour and a half.  This is while talking to Mom, watching TV (she made me watch "Toddlers and Tiaras"!), and having a dog on my lap part of the time.  I am looking forward to figuring out earrings that can go with this bracelet and maybe even a pendant.  Also, I can't wait to find peanut bead colors that will go with the other saucer colors.  While I have PLENTY of black beads, I'm going to find something different for the other colors.  If you have ideas (especially for the lime green), leave me a comment, please!

The other red/black I've loved lately has been with my skeleton keys.  In March I found some galvanized red 11/0 Delicas (#603) and 15/0 seed beads (#41) at Funky Hannah's (in Racine, WI) and just KNEW they'd look spectacular with the black skeleton keys.  I made up one set and put it on my sample board, so I'm making more that I can sell.

Here, I'll show you the ones from my sample board.  I can easily find it now!  Yay!

And now the sample board has been put away.  Goodness, is this nice!

The pendant was done in peyote, and the earrings were done in square stitch.  Both were embellished with black beads on top of the base tubes.

I wish you could see how gorgeous this red is in person.  The picture doesn't do it justice.  When the light catches the beads just right, they look like they're lit up.

I'd better get back to it so I can play more with these light as a feather saucer beads!

I'll be gone all day tomorrow, so you'll have to survive without me for a day.  Big hardship, I know.  :)  Back on Sunday!