A Decorating Idea for Winter Holidays and beyond

Table cloths are key decorating items for holiday celebrations. My Grandmother Nettie made a cloth that helped me know her even though I only spent a limited number of days with her.

My family has picked-up Nettie's artistic way of documenting and remembering the people we share moments of pleasure with. We use Nettie's cloth for Kwanzaa--a time of remembering. Nettie's Memory Cloth is a way to celebrate Kwanzaa all year around and for years to come.

	Ring Price List
	Sold                                      45.00
	Sold                                      45.00
	Sold                                      30.00
	Sold                                     35.00
	45.00
	35.00
	Sold                                      60.00
	Sold                                      60.00
	50.00
	40.00 (each)
	65.00 (each)
	Solid                                     50.00
	70.00
	70.00
	30.00
	Sold                                      45.00

Simply Greta fashions and designs...

Simply Greta fashions and designs...: "- Sent using Google Toolbar" Original--for those who know they are original.  Also great with Spirit Dance Adornments. 

May Creations: Copper, Turquoise and silk

May Creations: Pearls, Moonstone, Opal, Crystal

May Creations: London Blue, Black Diamond and Copper

FAQS

To wear with Spirit Dance Adornments...Beautiful, sustainable pesticide free cotton.

FAQS

Aché: Dancing with Afro-Cuban Folklore Master Juan Carlos Blanco a Docum...

Jewelry design and construction makes my spirit dance, but this documentary clip of Master drummer and Afro-Cuban Folklorico dancer Juan Carlos Blanco by filmmaker Lili Bernard bring a whole 'nother meaning to spirit dance.

Rings

A few one-of-a-kind original rings. The music is "Breath" from The Chronicles Project," by BZo Cavanass, my sister Sharon Terry's life partner. See and listen to more "Chronicles Project" at http://www.facebook.com/THE-CHRONICLES-PROJECT.

The Magical Muse of Eni Oken - Featured Artist of The Jewelry Connection

Jewelry Displays

I've been surfing for ideas for making a necklace bust to photograph my adornments on. I ran across Rena Klingenberg Squidoo lens Jewelry Displays.
I've followed her since I began this round of jewelery making. Rena Klingenberg, Eni Oken ( her jewelerylessons.com) and Szarka of Turquoise Magpie, Magpie Gemstones and on www.facebook.com/Magpie Gemstones. These are my virtual mentors and muse. Thank you ladies.

BeadCatz: What About Advertising?

Nancy's blog entry has some great ideas about advertising. I'm trying some of them right now.
BeadCatz: What About Advertising?

Angela Dean's designs have something for everyone and they look great with Spirit Dance Adornments

No these are not the color of spring--they are the color of heat and spice. It was 87 degrees here today and it's still March. The weather and these earrings are calling out what is to come.

The Dual

This ring is a reminder of the circularity of life even as it can pull us in totally different directions there is a connectedness. The multiple loops of copper wire wrap around the back of the finger and flow to the sides and over the top of the gray slab of agate that creates the focus of this ring. The copper wire is where the ring is adjusted. The jasper slab has veins of red and dark gray that give detail to the stone.

Facebook | Kell's Creations - Art and Jewelry by Kelley Pounds's Photos - New Pieces Spring 2010

The following is not my creation but I do find it inspiring. Each element is lovely and combined to create a gorgeously unified adornment.

Facebook | Kell's Creations - Art and Jewelry by Kelley Pounds's Photos - New Pieces Spring 2010

Memory Wire -- Yes ! NO!

Okay I started with memory wire early on in this last venture of mine into jewelry making. I started jewelery making in high school in the '60's so when the --reject all things manufactured--unless you recycled it or bought in a thrift store
evolved in the late '60's
early '70's, I was right there.

Back to my point--memory wire. When I started this latest venture into jewelery making I embraced wire wrapping and tried to make myself into an Eni Oken plebe. No stringing, molds or touches for me. . . also at that moment my job, commute and family life didn't leave me the time or access to learn these techniques. Then. . . there it was in my local craft store, a little plastic bag next to the beads--memory wire! And it came in 2 size--choker and bracelet and silver or gold tone or base metal. How could I not be attracted? And while it wasn't wrapping with wire, my first project-a delicious cuff of gorgeous gems on memory wire brought a lot of positive attention and a good price. I had it on display at an event to promote a class I was teaching. A future client followed me around until I (gladly) sold it to her. In fact I hated to let it go and she was willing to pay a proper price for it. I was very complimented and felt she understood and appreciated my efforts. By the way, I never took a photo of that cuff but I tried to recreate it with smaller stones and it sold for a smaller price.

It seems the main thing with memory wire is strategy,

• organizing the order of the beads,
• balancing the weight the components.

But here's the thing, there is something very easy and yet irritating about memory wire. Wire wrapped beads and beads that are strung (on fiber of any nature) flow around the neck or wrist. Memory wire is "there!" It stays where you put it. It does not caress the body it doesn't quite resist the body. The body and the adornment exist in the same space. I guess they compete and the job of the designer is to find a way to bridge the two, body and adornment, into one.

Wearing and making jewelery are visual and tactile acts, so let me move past words and to the visual but before I do here are my questions to you. Do you use memory wire? What are your feelings about it? Can it be tamed? Memory wire. . .Yes? No?