Author: denise

I have done beadwork for over 25 years and got so interested in jewelry design that I took two metalwork classes at Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts in Gatlinburg, Tennessee from wonderful teachers Deborah Lynn Gold and Marjorie Simon. I can't choose a favorite medium. I love sculptural work and adore forming and fabricating metals, but three-dimensional beadwork is more colorful. I sew a lot! Lately I've been making lots of purses and wallets as well as upcycling used clothing into new items. Lately I've gone back to sewing and refashioning cast-off clothing–mostly men's shirts, into girls' clothing. I also enjoy making handbags and wallets. They are really fun to put together–like a puzzle.

Sewist Stuff

I’ve diverted my attention to sewing fabric lately instead of beads. Here are the latest purses and wallets I’ve made and some refashioned thrift store items I made for my beautiful granddaughter. The first jumper is a refashioned sweater with a cotton belt used for straps.

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The second jumper and dress are refashioned from two men’s shirts. The red jumper is the softest corduroy I’ve ever worked with before. I think it works well with the plaid peasant-style dress made from a cotton blend shirt.

Men's shirts into dresses on Dani

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These are some of the latest wallets and purses I’ve been making.

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New Flock

I used to have chickens.  Real hens.  I loved my hens.  I had to sell them when we moved or I would still have hens.  I miss chickens.  I also miss the fresh eggs we had every day.  I miss the way the hens sounded when they were happy–sort of a cross between purring and  a song.  So yesterday, while I was snowed in, I decided I needed to make chicken earrings.  Here I offer you my new flock.

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The girls will be finished soon and will bob and peck from earwires.  I still need to find a better color for the red hens, but I’m okay with how they came out, which is a little better than the pics show.  I’m also working on the pattern for these.  I used 15º beads.  I’m happy with my little flock.  Now, if only I could teach them to lay.

Stackers

Stacker bracelets with 8mm studs.  The 12mm studs won’t work for this.  I’m working on patterns and will have them soon.

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