Kits

The Blooming Star takes its name from the blossom decorating its center. A 5-petal bloom sits atop a 3-dimensional self-supporting star. A sparkly crystal center twinkles in the middle of this double sided Christmas ornament. Crystals are used to embellish the tips and spokes of the star. The petals are puffy and hollow and are self-supporting as well giving the star its 3-dimensional structure.

The Blooming Star is the perfect ornament to adorn your tree every Christmas or as bespoke family heirloom or as a very personal and precious gift for a loved one this Yuletide season.

What is a curl?

As a verb, to curl is to form or cause to form into a curved or spiral shape.

And as a noun, a curl is something in the shape of a spiral or coil, especially a lock of hair.

So what is our Curl? This Curl is a cubic right angle weave tube that has been shaped so that it coils. It coils around a Prismatic Right Angle Weave core tube and the curl section forms the focal for the bracelet. Although fixed to the core tube at both ends, the Curl is in fact a free standing and self-supporting moveable coil around the core.

Click here for the accompanying Curl Necklace.

What is a curl?

As a verb, to curl is to form or cause to form into a curved or spiral shape.

And as a noun, a curl is something in the shape of a spiral or coil, especially a lock of hair.

So, what is our Curl? This Curl is a cubic right angle weave tube that has been shaped so that it coils around a prismatic right angle weave (PRAW) tube. This Curl not only serves as a decorative pendant to the lariat, but it is also a clasp of sorts. Winding the curl around the PRAW tube will bring the 2 ends of the lariat together fastening them together. A small magnetic clasp is both ornamental as well as functional, to prevent the Curl from unwinding. Suspended from the internal PRAW tube is a beaded bead finial of luscious pearls.

The Curl is not just jewellery but is also a kind of fidget toy. Curl and uncurl your curl. Twirl it around. Play with it.

Click here for the accompanying Curl Bracelet.

Various cultures around the world have a great deal of influence on my work. La Boîte à Bijoux Chinoise or The Chinese Jewel Box is one where the intersection of 2 cultures gave birth to this happy creation.

During my recent sojourn to the beautiful Loire Valley of France, I had the great fortune to stay at the beautifully restored neoclassical Château du Grand-Lucé. At the Château there is a beautiful room called the Salon Chinois or the Chinese Salon with beautiful paintings by Jean-Baptiste Pillement. Pillement was a highly regarded muralist of the 18^th century who counted among his patrons Louis XV, Mdm de Pompadour and Marie Antoinette. The murals in the  Salon Chinois is one of only 3 completely intact remaining today. Chinoiserie was absolutely de rigueur during the period and this beautiful room had it in abundance.

The beautiful Chinese pavilions depicted in the murals with their curved hip roofs (庑殿顶 or wǔdiàndǐng) and resting hill roofs (歇山顶 or xiēshāndǐng) immediately leapt out to me and La Boîte à Bijoux Chinoise was born. The body of this small but intricate jewellery box is my interpretation of these Chinese style roofs with its elegant and seemingly interwoven curves. Embellished with nothing more than delicious magatamas or drop beads, the box is totally self-supporting and is woven completely in peyote. The lid is topped with a beautiful Czech gold foiled cabochon to create a precious “roof” for the jewellery box. The box sits on “legs” made of delightful Baroque cabochons. The number 8 is also extremely important to the Chinese as it is associated with wealth, prosperity and fortune. As such, La Boîte à Bijoux Chinoise is woven with 8 distinct repeats and sits on 8 “legs” to ensure that the owner of the box will be imbued with the power of the number 8.

A happy confluence of Chinese inspired architecture found in a French chateau.

To purchase additional gold foiled cabochons please click here.

A locket is a pendant that opens to reveal a space used for storing a special photograph, a precious lock of hair or any other small keepsakes. Lockets are usually given to loved ones on holidays such as Valentine's Day and occasions such as christenings, weddings. And during the Victorian Age, at funerals.

Wear it next to your heart. Keep your secret close. The locket lid is a glittering rhinestone bezelled in cubic right angle weave. The locket is hung from a sinuous rope decorated with 2 glittering bezelled chatons. It opens to reveal your Secret Within.

Glass Rhinestones available from here

Wooden Disks available from here

The Belle Époque era is a period in French history between 1890 to 1915 charaterised by optimism, regional peace, economic prosperity, colonial expansion, and technological, scientific, and cultural innovations. In particular, it was a time of increasing wealth and flourishing arts, literature, music and theatre. In contrast to the horrors of recent wars, it is often considered the golden age and a time when joie de vivre was experienced to its fullest.

Belle Époque jewelry encompassed three jewelry design periods: Art Nouveau, the Arts and Crafts movement and Edwardian. Precious metals like gold and platinum, thin fluid lacy lines, cloisonné enameling and gemstones feature prominently in Belle Époque jewelry. In particular pearls, especially cultured pearls, gained massive popularity.

La Belle Époque features a beautiful navette rhinestone encased in cubic right angle weave bezel. Cubic right angle weave fluid lines embrace luxurious crystal pearls. The pendant is suspended from a delicate pearl embellished cubic right angle weave collar.

Lakshmi is one of the most popular goddesses of Hindu Mythology. She is known as the goddess of wealth and prosperity. Lakshmi typically wears a red dress embroidered with golden threads, symbolizing fortune and wealth.

Lakshmi is resplendent from its glittering crystal centrepiece to its decorative tassel. Worked in Cubic Right Angle and Double Cubic Right Angle Weave, the necklace is lush and luxurious. A beautiful sparkly centre piece is hung from a slinky rope with echoes of the decorative DCRAW disks embellishments.

As seen in Bead Art & Embroidery Japan October 2020

Glittering and sparkling, a circle of 8 hearts radiate from the center of the pendant giving this piece its name.

The lacy ring of hearts lie on top of an equally sparkling crystal. Embracing this ring of hearts is a beautifully woven cubic right angle weave bezel. To ensure there is an even more sparkle the side of the bezel revels a rings of twinkling Czech firepolisedh beads.

The rope is cubic right angle weave with double cubic right angle weave accents woven with delicious tiny firepolished beads.

Definitely a statement piece for the bling aficionado.

Additional glass rhinestones are available here

La Dolce Vita or the good life, is a celebration of how wonderful beads are during these unprecedented times of global pandemic. The ability to indulge in my passion for beading is so comforting to me, as it must be for a lot of you.

La Dolce Vita uses Cubic Right Angle weave to form graceful arcs which embrace a beautiful Swarovski pearl. These arcs form a gentle curve to sit at the base of your neck. And suspended in the center is a magnificent crystal that glitters and shines brightly.

A keepsake is a small item kept in memory of the person who gave it or originally owned it. We treasure them as it brings back great memories we had with that person. What is more appropriate than to keep it in something as beautiful as the keepsake itself.

The Keepsake Vessel is an 8 sided self-supporting bead woven container worked exclusive in peyote. The vessel is embellished with surface netting as well as an embedded crystal cup chain. The vessel stand is self-supporting “wings” embellished not only to look beautiful but also to give structure and support. The lid is topped with a beautiful Swarovski pearl.

In all a fitting vessel for your precious keepsake and the beautiful memories it brings.

Cubic Right Angle Weave squares in various sizes are connected to each other to form the pendant. Squares of various height embrace a sparkling crystal at its center to give sophistication to the necklace. A slinky detachable strap is knotted around the distinctive bail.

Cuff Available here

Additional Chaton Montees Available here 

ERRATA

If you have purchased or downloaded the instructions prior to 29 May 2020 please note that Step 50 should read as

"Repeat Steps 1 to 35. Set aside for now."

Cubic Right Angle Weave squares in 2 sizes are connected to each other to form the cuff. Squares of various height embrace a sparkling crystal at its center to give sophistication to the cuff.

Necklace Available here

Additional Chaton Montees Avaiable here