Crinoid Fossil Stone Necklace

This necklace has a Crinoid Fossil stone cabochon. Crinoids are marine animals that resemble flowers and date back millions of years. The shapes that look like backbone skeletons are the stems, and the disc shapes are individual discs that have separated from the main stem during geological erosion. Millions of years ago these particular fossils formed in a limestone bed, and so they were incorporated as a marble material, rather than forming as individual fossils.

Mexican Crazy Lace Necklace

The cabochon is Mexican Crazy Lace Agate and the straps have Leopardskin Jasper stones.

Blue Lace Agate Necklace with Copper

Happy Father's Day!! - Box

Box weaving instruction from the book "Little Bead Boxes" by Julia Pretl.
Pattern for this particular box was purchased at Julia Pretl's website found at the following link - http://www.beadcave.com/julia/

"Flame" - Mexican Crazy Lace Necklace

I don't usually name my pieces, but I'm compelled to name this necklace "Flame".  The orange layer of this Mexican Crazy Lace stone reminds me of fire with flames reaching out to upper layers.  (The straps are peppered with carnelian stone beads.)

Ruby in Fuschite Necklace (with bracelet)

Ruby in fuschite cabochon with aventurine beads and Czech fire-polished beads.

With matching bracelet...........

Coral Fossil Necklace - Pink and Yellow

Yes, another coral fossil from Indonesia!!  Except this one is full of color. 

Each star-like feature is from a separate coral animal skeleton that has been fossilized (or agatized) over time. The colors are the result of the minerals in the water that contains the silicon that replaced the original organic structure.

Coral Fossil Necklace - cream

The cabochon in this necklace is a coral fossil from Indonesia.  The stones in the strap are grey/white lace agate.

Couldn't help myself....had to make a matching bracelet!!

Happy Graduation Chaka!!-- BOX

My friend, Chaka, just received her master's degree in clinical psychology from Cal State Dominguez Hills (CSUDH).  So I designed and made a box for her.  The school colors for CSUDH are maroon and yellow, hence my color choices for the box.

Each side has something different.  The side shown below is the logo for CSUDH.

The side shown below is a bull (toro), which is the school mascot.  Go Toros!!

And the third side is the school abbreviated name, CSUDH.

And lastly, the bottom of the box...the base underneath.....has "2012" the year she graduated, "M.A." for her masters, and "GRAD" for obvious reasons....

A big CONGRATULATIONS to Chaka.....she deserves it!!

Fancy Jasper Bracelet

Lariats Galore!!

Okay, so I made a simple lariat (the black one), and it was so much fun and simple to make that I had to make more!!

Happy Birthday Gigi!!---BOX

Box weaving instruction and design from the book "Little Bead Boxes" by Julia Pretl.

Happy Mother's Day!! -- BOX

Box weaving instruction and design from the book "Little Bead Boxes" by Julia Pretl.

Turquoise with Red Necklace

Turquoise with Brass Necklace

Here's variation #3. This one has a reversible bail. On one side, the bail has fire polished beads in one continuous line. On the other side, the beads are spotted along the center.

Mother of Pearl and Copper

Here's another variation from the necklace design posted yesterday. Still 2 herringbone ropes loosely connected with peppered accent beads but this time the focal is different. Notice that this necklace can be worn 2 ways -- twisted or "as-is".

























And here's a matching bracelet.......

Aventurine and Amazonite

I've been having some fun with a new design, shown below. Nothing fancy - just short herringbone ropes loosely connected with peppered accent beads. Have made 4 of such necklaces with some variation! Will soon post the other variations I made. More to come! :o)



(The cabochon in this necklace is Amazonite from California and the accent beads are aventurine.)

Copper with Cubed Stones

Again, more stones of my favorite color - blue. Love the combination of blue and copper, hence my choice in these two bracelets.

And they are the last of cube beads in my stash. Time to go shopping! :o)

The blue in these lapis lazuli beads are so rich and deep - gorgeous color!


Isn't turquoise a fun color!
This bracelet was made with the same copper seed beads as the lapis lazuli bracelet. Yet, notice that the seed bead color in both bracelets look different. That is not a trick of photography. As I write, I have the bracelets in front of me and the color of the seeds definitely look different in each bracelet. The copper color is 'influenced' by the color of its neighboring stone, be it turquoise color or deep blue. Happens quite often - I make a piece and the resulting color appearance looks a little different than what I had planned. Sometimes not to my liking, but sometimes a very pleasant surprise.

Scarab Box (designed by Julia Pretl)

Box weaving instruction from the book "Little Bead Boxes" by Julia Pretl.
Pattern for this particular box was purchased at Julia Pretl's website found at the following link - http://www.beadcave.com/julia/

Petrified Wood Necklace

Doesn't this cabochon look like a stone? Well - surprise - it's not!! It is actually petrified wood from Arizona. Well, technically, when wood petrifies it becomes stone through a mineralization process. So technically this is "stone" but it was originally wood. Amazing that a piece of wood changes over time to this! The strap has carnelian round beads that match the cab perfectly....

Blue Lace Agate Fringed Necklace

One of my favorite colors is blues (my other favorite is purples). So I can't get enough of the stones with blue tones in them. Blue lace agate is one of my favorites. The blue is almost pastel, so soft and dreamy. I've already made the ruffled necklace and ruffled bracelet with blue lace agate. And now I present this fringed blue lace agate necklace (with more blue lace agate goodies to come in the future!).

Azurite Malachite Bracelet