I live!

Contrary to popular belief, I exist, and am still working on jewelry. Adding to the still for sale list:

Necklaces
The Jumble of the Winglytoads and Jabberwoks a necklace of black glass, rutilated quartz, crystal, gold, agate, and various brown and gold beads - $55
The Play of Sunlight Under Branch Jade, mossy agate, sterling - $55
Midnight Fairies Dancing glass, agate, obsidian - $45 SOLD


Earrings
4 pairs earrings, $12 each
4 pairs earrings $12 each on goldfill hooks
4 pairs of earrings, priced as marked
3 pairs of earrings$12 each

More rosaries and stuff.

I seem to be doing a lot of commissions these days. I like that part. However, with all the stuff I've done for others, I decided it was time for me to make something for myself. So, we have two rosaries for myself. The long amber (yes, that's all amber) is my new one for garb. It's based on a 16th c. pattern. The amber and malachite is my "fiddle" for using at work or when I'm bored. Both are knotted rosaries on silk. I also just made an anglican one out of wood and tin for a for a friend - I'll picture that probably tomorrow.



I went past the bead store today, and picked up far too many beads. They were having a yard sale. This is the pile I picked up. I'll have an emerald and sterling rosary done for that big thing in Pennsylvainia, as well as some other bits. I'll probably be bringing my working bag and the minor kit.



If you see a string you *must* have, let me know.

New Sale!

Sale Post!

I am seeing some expenses coming up, so new Sale Post! Goes through Friday, July 18. Email fallingleafarts@gmail.com for purchasing. I am also availble for commissions in similar veins to availibe work, if one so desires...

Currently Available:

Necklaces

The Colors of March at Home Golden glass and malachite on gold chain and wire. 19" and $40.
Of Time, Memories, and Unknown Legacies Alabaster, gray agate and dark quartz strung with black glass. 25" and $45
I Can Has Growing Things, Plz? Silver, blue, and green glass, with some fun oxidized beads that I really can't get enough of, on three strands. $65$60
Aubergines Fun little eggplant glass beads and pearls on base chain. $40
Warmth of the Flame Red and black glass on golden wrapped wire. $45
Midnight in Elven Territories Vintage glass and crystal in blues and black and silver on this one, a two-strand necklace. $55
Ashara's Side PathsFoiled leaves in autumn colors with gold glass and jet. $40
Life of the Sun Glass, malachite, gold wire on wrapped wire links. 20" $65
The Rustling Silence Winter/clear glass leaves and sterling $55
For to feel the Breath of New Life a spring themed necklace in pale greens and lilac with silver beads. 22" $55
Sonata on a Starry Night Vintage crystal and black glass, about 18" $45
"Wait," She said to Her Son. Jade, golden chain, and a goddess pendant. $35

Pendants

Oak, Ash, and Thorn Bloodstone pendant and copper leaf on copper $20
Lightning Scribles silver, bloodstone, and vintage crystal, $20

Bracelets

The World is Born of Flame red and gold glass and gold bracelet at 7.5 inches $25

Earrings

2 pair earrings green and brown glass on silver and red glass leaves and jet on gold. $15 a pair
Blue Earrings 1 Blue and black/blue oxyidized glass on sterling. $12
Blue Earrings 2 Longer blue and black glass on sterling, $15
Red Earrings 1 red and silver dangle-y earrings, $12
Green Earrings 1 Malachite and golden-toned glass on gold, $14
Tears of Summer gold and golden-toned glass on gold. $9
Valley Rock teal and black speckled and striped glass on sterling. $15
Thine Ancient Mistress - Small Wonders blue and green oxidized glass (which never photographs well) on silver. $12
Thine Ancient Mistress - Offshore blue/green oxidized glass and silver on silver. $15
Prairie Song - Autumn Leaves chestnut and golden-hued glass on gold $12
Prairie Song - Wind in the Grasses Tigerseye and freshwater pearls on gold $15

Other Pieces
With Blood, Tears A four decade rosary for the dead, in creamy alabaster and vintage crystal (on the left)$45
Of Samhain Eve under Hunter's Moon Pearl and Malachite prayer beads on a fives and nines pattern, Worked. $35

I'm Back (with earrings!)

Sorry about the hiatus, I've just not managed to be good about posting as I should be.

My mother made out like a bandit last week while I was home - 4 pieces in 3 days. And another one on the way from my father

In the mean time, we have several new pairs of earrings.

A grain of sand - $12 glass and pearl


The Heart of a Living Stone - $15 jade and sterling beads


Mossy Shale - $12 glass


To prick the Sun's Scarlet - $12 glass


Willowwaiths - $15 Vintage crystal

Sale!

Just a reminder that the sale goes until tomorrow at midnight. Pick it up cheap while you can.

Massive Earring Post

I so rarely take good pictures of my earrings and post them, mostly because it's a)hard and b)I make so many of them. Like the sale post, this will probably grow today as I get things photographed and edited.

Blue Earrings 1 Blue and black/blue oxyidized glass on sterling. $12
Blue Earrings 2 Longer blue and black glass on sterling, $15
Red Earrings 1 red and silver dangle-y earrings, $12
Green Earrings 1 Malachite and golden-toned glass on gold, $14
Tears of Summer gold and golden-toned glass on gold. $9
Valley Rock teal and black speckled and striped glass on sterling. $15
Thine Ancient Mistress - Small Wonders blue and green oxidized glass (which never photographs well) on silver. $12
Thine Ancient Mistress - Offshore blue/green oxidized glass and silver on silver. $15
Prairie Song - Autumn Leaves chestnut and golden-hued glass on gold $12
Prairie Song - Wind in the Grasses Tigerseye and freshwater pearls on gold $15

Lightning scribles

Lightning Scribles - silver, bloodstone, and vintage crystal, $20

Having fun with the pendants, but I left most of the good stones for it at the other place. Oh well. More next week.

Earrings

Two pairs of earrings, the gold ones are glass and jet, and the others are silver and glass. $15 a piece.

A note about earrings - I prefer the kidney backs or leverbacks because they don't fall out. If you prefer hooks, let me know and I can change these out.

Oak, Ash, and Thorn

Oak, Ash, and Thorn is one of the few pieces I'll ever do in copper, but the design called to me. Bloodstone and copper, $20

The World is Born of Flame

All glass and gold, The World is Born of Flame is about 7.5" long, so mostly for those with smaller wrists. $25

I had fun with this- Bracelets feel like an abbreviated necklace and don't take as much mental/emotional effort. It's like they're cheating.

Currently Available/Sale Post

Sale Post!

My wall is full, and I need the space. Therefore, have a sale! 10% off of everything not specifically marked down, and this list should be growing daily this week. Sale ends Midnight on Monday, April 7 (Sunday night) Shipping is $3-$5 depending on where you live and what you buy. Email fallingleafarts@gmail.com for purchasing.

Currently Available:

Necklaces

The Colors of March at Home Golden glass and malachite on gold chain and wire. 19" and $40.
Of Time, Memories, and Unknown Legacies Alabaster, gray agate and dark quartz strung with black glass. 25" and $45
I Can Has Growing Things, Plz? Silver, blue, and green glass, with some fun oxidized beads that I really can't get enough of, on three strands. $65$60
Aubergines Fun little eggplant glass beads and pearls on base chain. $40
Warmth of the Flame Red and black glass on golden wrapped wire. $45
Midnight in Elven Territories Vintage glass and crystal in blues and black and silver on this one, a two-strand necklace. $55
Ashara's Side PathsFoiled leaves in autumn colors with gold glass and jet. $40
Life of the Sun Glass, malachite, gold wire on wrapped wire links. 20" $65
The Rustling Silence Winter/clear glass leaves and sterling $55
For to feel the Breath of New Life a spring themed necklace in pale greens and lilac with silver beads. 22" $55
Sonata on a Starry Night Vintage crystal and black glass, about 18" $45
"Wait," She said to Her Son. Jade, golden chain, and a goddess pendant. $35

Pendants

Oak, Ash, and Thorn Bloodstone pendant and copper leaf on copper $20
Lightning Scribles silver, bloodstone, and vintage crystal, $20

Bracelets

The World is Born of Flame red and gold glass and gold bracelet at 7.5 inches $25

Earrings

2 pair earrings green and brown glass on silver and red glass leaves and jet on gold. $15 a pair
Blue Earrings 1 Blue and black/blue oxyidized glass on sterling. $12
Blue Earrings 2 Longer blue and black glass on sterling, $15
Red Earrings 1 red and silver dangle-y earrings, $12
Green Earrings 1 Malachite and golden-toned glass on gold, $14
Tears of Summer gold and golden-toned glass on gold. $9
Valley Rock teal and black speckled and striped glass on sterling. $15
Thine Ancient Mistress - Small Wonders blue and green oxidized glass (which never photographs well) on silver. $12
Thine Ancient Mistress - Offshore blue/green oxidized glass and silver on silver. $15
Prairie Song - Autumn Leaves chestnut and golden-hued glass on gold $12
Prairie Song - Wind in the Grasses Tigerseye and freshwater pearls on gold $15

Other Pieces
With Blood, Tears A four decade rosary for the dead, in creamy alabaster and vintage crystal (on the left)$45
Of Samhain Eve under Hunter's Moon Pearl and Malachite prayer beads on a fives and nines pattern, Worked. $35

The Colors of March at Home

The colors of march at home- Gold and green and sunbeams coming in through the windows. I made this around Christmas because I needed to work with the green an remember that spring will in fact come someday. Since I'm where I grew up this weekend (and where i'd left the necklace), it's time to add this one to the collection.

Glass and malachite on gold chain and wire. 19" and $40.

Of Time, Memories, and Unknown Legacies

Also left with my parents at Christmas was this piece in alabaster, agate, and smoky quartz (at best guess). My grandmother left me these strings of stones that she brought back from Bangkok in the 50s, and this was the first piece made of the wealth. 24-26" or so, I don't know where my tape is, but long. With some weight to it. $45

Rosaries

Here we have Fires of the Soul- glass and copper on copper- and In Excelsis Deo, amethyst and onyx on sterling. I had fun making these, and they went to specific people because that's what they needed/wanted. I am assured that they get a lot of use, and they only went home last weekend.

MiniCon

For those three of you who read this regularly, these necklaces are going with me to MiniCon unless someone buys them first.

Tears of the Godess
Moonlight on a Distant World
Heart's Blood
"But the hero has boobs!"
As Lightning sundered the heavens
Wait, She said to her son
Sonata on a Starry Night
Midnight in Elven Territories
Warmth of the flame
First Frost

I am only taking 10 pieces this year, so I'll make something new if one of these goes away. email to reserve your pieces now...

When Brigid sang to the Trees

So when I was in Boston last summer, shopping for beads for wedding jewelry, the bride fell in love with this string of tourmalines. I said I'd make her something out of it, and I finally have managed to have all the pieces in the same place at the same time. (I couldn't find a pendant. Then when I found a pendant that would work, I couldn't find my silver hashi. So I used the pendant in another piece. Then I found the hashi. Found a new pendant about 2 weeks ago, and discovered some motivation yesterday. However, motivation not being equal to time, I just managed it this evening.)



This is "When Brigid sang to the Trees," a tourmaline and pewter piece (though that tail and the silver hashi are sterling). It's not particularly big, and I had to move down to my extra fine softflex to string this, and still lost 5 or 6 of the beads to fractures. I had planned on making it longer and just couldn't manage it with the fragility of the tourmaline. Private sale.

string and things

So the past week has seen me more immersed in my string habit than I had been (this was a good thing. Yarn withdrawal is never pretty). However, I've spent a lot of time recently focusing on earrings, and now a new piece in sage glass and banded smoky agate; "With rings on her fingers and bells on her toes."

What the Dinosaur said to the Fly

What the Dinosaur said to the Fly is all glass and very blue, with some great irredecent black beads in with the crystal pearls. More seed bead work, yes. Expect the influx of seed beads to stop shortly, since I'm about out or supplies and have a ton of wire sitting around at the moment. $35

I Can Has Growing Things, Plz?

This will probably be my one and only necklace spoken in LOLcats.


It might have been a bit cold here recently. And brown. With snow. I needed something with color in it, and with the day job my hands weren't up to wrapped wire - heck, any wirework - this week.

Glass, with some fun oxidized beads that I really can't get enough of. Three woven strands, and there was a lot of time into it, so $65

Aubergines

Here, finally, is Aubergines, a cluster necklace that I've had about half done for a year. Glass and gold chain. And those little beads are really truly eggplant purple with little gold stems. I've had fun with this. $40

Sale!

Expect a lot of new piece posts tomorrow (Aubergines, What the Dinosaur said to the Fly, I Can Has Growing Things Plz?, and several earring sets, some named, some not). I'm including those things in the 15% off sale, starting tonight and going through midnight Monday (Feb 18).

I may make some bracelets and a lot more earring sets, and reconstructing Heart's Blood with a new pendant. Depending on how motivated I am tomorrow, they may also be posted in time for the sale.

The warmth of the flame

The Warmth of the Flame- Something I worked up for this evening's Valentine's Day party, as Heart's Blood was last year's piece. This one is all glass on wrapped wire links, and yes, it is long enough not to need a clasp. $45, since it took me most of the afternoon.

Midnight in Elven Territories

Midnight in Elven Territories

We walked the night
And watched the stars
and moon light
through leaves barred.

Lots of glass in this one with some vintage crystal, and it's very blue. The strands twist around loosely and if it doesn't sell, I'm seriously taking it in to the gallery as an art piece. -$55

It may be sale time soon.

Ashara's side paths

Ashara's Side Paths, made while at SuperCon last weekend. There's some glass, jet, and more of those AB leaf beads based on the brown, which makes it double sided. I think it's a touch monochrome, but I like color. The spring necklace, as pale as it is, feels like it has the same lack of contrast.

$40

Finding things in Rochester

Last weekend I was in Rochester, MN, which has one of the better bead stores known to man. I spent far too much money, but I picked up several strings of beads that I can't get anywhere else that I know I use, and a lot of leaf beads. Some of the most gorgeous grape-leaf style beads in a variety of colors. Last night I started working on a black and blue piece using the blue-washed aqua leaves and pearls and some crystal beads I still have. And I need to make something for tonight in reds and golds...I hope I have enough gold chain left.

Worktable:

Life of the Sun

Here, finally, is the Summer necklace, Life of the Sun. It went through several incarnations until I finally just went out and bought the 22g wire I knew I needed from the beginning. Lots of glass, with a little malachite. It took me forever. $65

And I found my camera again!

Wait, She Said to Her Son

Jade, golden chain, and a goddess pendant. Because it just needed to happen. $35

Because the light of indian summer shines differently

Autumn - Because the light of Indian summer shines differently

Despite the fact that I can't get a decent picture of the aurora borealis/oxidation effects, I keep using leaves and beads that are covered in them. These leafs are bronzed with hints of crimison, gold, and green. They make me happy. (obviously. Spring has similar but subtler effects on the white/blue/purple side of things, On a Still Pond in Summer is all ab leaves, and whenever I see a string of them I *have* to pick them up. SHINY!) Also, I can't manage to make this look even and get any of the color. My camera and I have been having discussions.

Anyway, Seed beads, bronze, glass - $55

The rustling silence?

Winter - The Rustling Silence

chain, sterling wire, and glass. This is the adorned chain piece of the series and so far, my favorite. It feels like ice and the bones of leaves. Yes, there are matching earrings, though I can't get a good photograph of them

$55

For to feel the breath of new life

Spring- "For to feel the breath of new life"

In the Liquid Silver style that means I don't really need to deal with chain- I like working in this for the delicate, airy style that it conveys, as if the beads are suspended on nothing.

silver, crystal, and pressed glass- $55

Sky Winds Her Pleasure

One of the very first pieces that I worked on, and just delivered after several "but you forgot it at my house *again*"- Sky Winds Her Pleasure. Liquid silver, glass and pearls, $40

Seasons still forthcoming

I wonder if Michael's is still open...

I have three of my four "portfolio in seasons" necklaces done. Summer is not coming together nearly as nicely. Part of it is a time issue- I've been cleaning a friend's house from "disaster zone" to "lived in" (they have 2 small children, 1 teenager, 3 cats, and 1 dog...and another exchange student/teen who arrived yesterday). Part of it is the fact I wanted to do wrapped links and I'm not nearly good enough to do them in the 20 gauge half-hard gold wire that is the last of my gold supply, so I gave that up. Part of it may be a sizing issue, in that there is not enough variety in the sizes of the beads to make it visually interesting or not enough spacing or something. We'll see what I work out this week.

Place holding picture of the summer planning tray-

So I mentioned previously the strange double necklace that I'm having to make for my grandmother's friend and her daughter. This is it- "When the Moon hides Her Face from Glory- 1 & 2" They're not exactly alike, the first one was longer and this one has more of the small beads as spacers. This is one of those organic 2 or 3 bead designs that I don't even really think about as they come out. $35 for something in the same vein.

Art commences

So I started the seasons series last week- four leaf necklaces in the four predominant styles of my work (liquid silver, seed bead, wire link, adorned chain) in order to create a mini portfolio.

I'm usually fairly organic when it comes to design- I pick out beads I think work together and then just make something. This usually works fairly well. For a project like this, though, I need to plan more thoroughly. And I try to always challenge myself- Three of the four I feel like I have the practice of down. Standard styles/patterns for me. I decided to be a lot more challenging in the execution of the summer piece, and I think that will be a post all it's own.

Really, I started this project to use some of the multitude of leaf beads I own. I'm at least working through that bit.

On Names

Sometimes (mosttimes) Art names itself.

Elise's pieces have fantastical names that often superficially don't relate to the visual aspect at all. And they're great names.

Looking at her work taught me that things, even jewelry, should have names. If you ask, they'll often tell you.

Some names I struggle with- "As lightning sundered the heavens" is still not quite the right name, but it's where that particular piece is right now. I'm not skilled enough to find anything better- yet.

Sonata on a starry night, however, is that necklace's name. I knew exactly what it was going to look like when I was finished before I pulled out the work boxes. To some extent, that's because it has been wanting to be made for about a week but I've been concentrating on other things after the holidays and making commission pieces rather than items that don't have an immediate buyer or recipient. The name, in part, came before I started it- though it's been refined through a couple of stages. "Of Samhain Eve under Hunter's Moon" has been sitting on my rack for weeks, nameless, until I went to post it this evening and finally asked what it's name was.

I seem to be getting better at hearing these names, and what the pieces wish to be. For all the semetry that I end up with, I rarely know what I'm going to do and I just start stringing or making links or playing with chain. Art is spontaneous work, and I'm really happy to be doing it.

Pray

On the left is "With Blood, Tears", a four-decade rosary for the dead. The paternosters are alabaster and the gauds and drop, faceted crystal. $45

Right is something slightly off the standard Christian rosary pattern- Five sets of nine pearls, and the gauds are malachite. "Of Samhain eve under Hunters Moon" is it's name and I like how it turned out. $35

A newfound wealth

So I mentioned in the post about "Cantata on a Starry Night" that my grandmother had left me a few beads. For scale, in the pictures on the left, none of the long beads are shorter than an inch. I have a) a random assortment of stones including jade, alabaster, and agate. b) moss agate c) something I'm tentatively identifying as bloodstone, and d) a hell of a lot of alabaster. These are just the really impressive strings, I've got strings of real pearls and glass pearls, sterling beads and gold beads, odd bits of chain, coral, jade, quartz, agates, glass, etc.

I still remember Grandmother getting a Christmas card every year from her friend Jimmy in Hong Kong. Her two favorite places in the world were that city and Bangkok- I've got enough Thai enamelwork on sterling to last any sane person a lifetime--And my cousin has an equal amount of jewelry for me to sort through from her mother. Some of it is the same stuff, things my grandmother brought back for her. Like the sterling bracelets with the enameled bells that chime lightly in with a breath of movement. Some of these pieces I remember her wearing, and some I remember slaving over with the toothbrush, trying to get clean.

Most of these stone beads are just too *big* for what I usually do, so I'm having to figure out how to incorporate this new wealth. So you'll be seeing a lot of experimentation here shortly- Like Cantata, and the pieces known as "Of Time, Memories, and Unknown Legacies" and "With blood were tears".

Sonata on a Starry Night

Sonata on a Starry Night - $45

This is a piece using seed beads and bits off of one of my grandmother's crystal necklaces that she picked up in Bangkok in the 50s. She left me all her jewelery, most of it from Hong Kong or Bangkok as those were her very favorite places.

And now, dinner plans call.

Old Work

Ok, here are the things I've done- Most don't have prices on them as they were gifts or made for me, but necklaces generally run $30-45 and earrings $10-15

Revealed
On a Still Pond in Summer - This one, the center pendant was a place holder before I found the large clear/white glass leaf that went on it just before shipping. No pic of the final product. Yet. Though here are the earrings
Blue Earrings 1 Blue earrings 2 There was eventually a necklace that went along with these, but it got sent off before I took a picture. On the other hand, I need to make another one- Daughter is trying to steal Mom's necklace and so they want a second.
God Grace the Dawn
Green Earrings
For through the years I have toiled
Fire's Eye
The Illusion of Substance - This may get sold if someone makes an offer, as the original owner never wore it and left it with me.
Leaves on the Wind
Of Light , Life, and New Beginnings Made for a wedding, and I need better pictures of it and it's accompanying set. (Hint. Hint.)
Threesaurus
Something Blue a set of hair combs for the above wedding.
In which the Rain falls
In the jungles of Bali
The Cool of Autumn
As seen in Solstice Sun - the earrings of this set are used in the user pic to your right.
One does not think of elves as having pocket lint
Of the Joys of Spring
What the Autumn Left Behind

I still need pics of more than half a dozen such pieces that are out in the wild, such as "Whispers from a forest night", "Caging Freedom", "As water drips from the fingers of Bhudda", "Our Roots are of the crazy and unknown" "The colors of March at home", "Sky winds her pleasure", "Of Time, Memories, and Unknown Legacies", "Blood in the heart of the Tree" and "Bast in Summer Sun"

I've made a lot of jewelry in the past couple weeks. And I'm about to make a lot more..."Sonata on a Starry Night" is a formal that's on deck, and a set of 4 seasons in leaves that I'm half done with.

Currently Availible

Here's what I made and still have availible after my gallery showing, still linking to the test bed for some of it. We'll see how it goes as I figure out this new format.

Earrings - prices listed on tags
3 pair- malachite and glass on gf, grey glass with oxidization on sterling, teal/black glass on sterling
4 pair- Green glass on gf, gold/crystal on chains on gf, red glass on gf, red glass on sterling
6 pair- Red dangly glass on gf, red glass on sterling, pearl and chestnut glass on chains on gf (the glass is approx. the same rich brown as the wood), glass and brass on gf, red glass and brass on gf, red glass on gf.

Necklaces
Wait, She said to Her son $35, jade and goddess pendant on golden chain
But the hero has Boobs! lots of green glass leaves on golden chain
As Lightning sundered the heavens $65 amber and amber glass on silvered chain.
Heart's Blood $40 jet, pearl, and red glass with an onyx and sterling pendant.
Tears of the Goddess $40 $35, amber glass on golden chain, this is one of my favorite pieces, but will someone free up the space?
Moonlight on a distant world $40 $35 Malachite on silvered chain
Ice Wine $35 $30 pearl, glass, and sterling.

I have 4 tree sculptures of various sizes as well, in gold and silver bigger than this one, and there will shortly be a post of things that I made and gave away, and made and sold at the gallery.

Intro

In the interests of starting a new year correctly, I'm moving from my test-bed blog over on livejournal to a full blown Blogspot blog. Whee!

This is going to be the place where I end up posting jewelry- those projects that are in progress, those projects that I'm selling, and those that are long gone. Think of it as a net-based portfolio, if you will.

I'm a Minneapolis-based jewelry maker, and I design every piece that I make. I started back making jewelry about this time last year, trying to remember what I had done many years ago. The wonderful Elise Matthesen inspired me to find where I had put that small bead bag that slowly had been collecting pieces, and to see what I could manage to create this time. A couple friends asked me to make something with this bead or in those colors...and I was off. It has morphed in this last year from something that I do and get materials costs for to something that is an actual business.

I recently finished my first gallery show, so over the next few weeks my goal is to rebuild my stock and chronicle that process here. If you see anything you like, let me know- I often have some of those beads left over and can make something simliar.