Tutorials

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

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

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 

Simple, sophisticated and elegant.

La Manchette d'Élégance showcases the beauty of a magnificent gleaming cubic zirconia clasp. Strips of cubic right angle weave units are embellished and connected to form a simple pliable strap to hold the clasp as a focal. Supremely comfortable to wear, the cuff stays firmly on your wrist. Definitely an elegant addition to any wardrobe.

Accompaniment Collar is available here.

Cubic Zirconia Clasp is available here.

A ribbon or riband is a thin band of material, typically cloth but also plastic or sometimes metal, used primarily as decorative binding and tying. Ribbons are used for innumerable useful, ornamental, and symbolic purposes. Cultures around the world use ribbon in their hair, around the body, and as ornamentation on non-human; animals, buildings, and packaging.

Cloth ribbons are typically made of natural materials such as silk, velvet, cotton, and jute. They can also be made from a variety of synthetic materials, such as polyester, nylon, and polypropylene.

The Ribbon is a sparkling, pliable band of tiny seed beads forming a ribbon-like band. The band is then embellished with hundreds of tiny sparkling firepolished beads. The Ribbon can be made with or without the “bow”. The Ribbon is further accentuated with decorated tassels ending in delightful tear drop shaped beads.

Filigree available from here

But what is a snow flake? Simply it’s a single frozen crystal of ice. Always six sided in structure, no two snowflake are alike.

Snowflakes conjure up images of white Christmases and many legends have been passed on from generation to generation about the humble but beautiful snowflake. One of the most popular is that long ago, a shining star led the way to a child born in a manger. Snowflakes are believed to be pieces of that gleaming star that will guide us through our lifes.

My humble snowflake embodies all the beauty and tradition of this beautiful creation of Nature. Six crystal encrusted spokes radiate from a central crystal. Each spoke is embellished with sparkling Swarovski crystal montees reflecting light just like a real snowflake. At the end of each spoke, is a beautiful glass point with an Aurora Borealis surface diffusing light into a glorious rainbow. Between each spoke, a spidery web of beads and crystals further evoke the filigree beauty and grace of the snowflake.

Snowflake – a beautiful ornament for your Christmas tree this Yuletide.
Whether its for your own tree or for a friend or loved one, Snowflake will be a very personal and cherished ornament for many years to come.