Copper and various beads...learning new techniques

I've been busy, busy, busy learning new techniques. This blog will mostly be pictures of the different pieces I've completed, and that are in the process of being completed.


Bear on a Mountain is completed, and will be mailed to my friend soon...I'm really loving that piece. Along with the red stone I found on John and Carolyn's property in New Mexico, the other beads are picture jasper, dream agate, tree agate, poppy jasper, red tiger's eye, bloodstone, zebra jasper, a copper leaf charm, a copper Celtic bead, and a couple of tiny copper beads, all wrapped within a copper wrapped 'frame'. It's a larger pendant measuring just over 2 1/2" long, and just over an inch wide. I chose to use leather for the necklace, and made a pretty clasp out of copper. With the clasp, but not including the pendant, it measures about 12 1/2 to 13" long. Make sure you click on the pictures so you can see more details on each piece.

I'd been wanting to try a couple of different new techniques, and this next pendant has several of them incorporated into it. It's a "Tree of Life" pendant, which is something I'd been wanting to try doing, and also has a little wire-wrapped beaded bird's nest in the tree. I'd wanted to try wrapping beads around a frame of some sort, so also added that technique to this pendant.

Soooo...that was my next project. When I mentioned that I was going to try one, my sister Niecey said for me to keep her in mind. This piece is hers.

Niecey wanted more earthy, fall colors for her tree, so I chose a variety of beads that reflected fall colors. Some of them include various jaspers, carnelian (the orange leaf near the nest), dream agate, garnet, among others. I used copper wire for the frame, and for the wire wrapping, and tree.
It was tricky...particularly when I had a bit of an empty spot toward the top (used round beads instead of nuggets). So, I learned to make little beaded bird's nests so I could fill in the empty spot in Niecey's tree. The pendant measures approximately 1 5/8" from the outside beads, and about 1 1/4" not including the bead wrap on the outside of the pendant frame. Niecey wanted leather for the necklace on this pendant, too, and I made a simple hook and eye clasp.

This next piece is another Tree of Life...quite a bit larger than Niece's tree. No measurements yet, as I'm not certain what I'll do to the frame. I'm using picture jasper, and malachite nuggets for this one. As you can see by all the wires sticking out, it's still a work in progress. I'll post completed pics once it's done.

I've several more new things to post, but won't try to do that today. Watch for new stuff in the next couple of days, and also a new 'contest'. I'll do a drawing next time, so be sure to watch for it. You can subscribe to my blog (I think Tommy put a button for that in the right hand margin) so that notices will come to your email when new posts are added. Great way to keep track of the contests, as well as to see new projects I'm working on...if you're so inclined!