Artisan Beaders...Orion Designs

Vicki of Orion Designs is one of those talented people that truly intrigues me. She has a sense of vintage with an edge...at least that is how it makes me feel. And isn't that how art is? Each of us can see and feel something not quite like the rest?

The name of this piece always makes me smile, but the piece is one of her mixed medias that I love. Here's the listing and Vicki's description...

Bend Over -- Way Over

Isn't this a great vintage image? Is she dancing or just showing off?

The image is preserved under an acrylic panel that is riveted to a piece of patinated copper. Hanging from the bottom is a collection of aqua and copper beads that coordinate so well with the patina and the woman's dress. There are aqua beads about 2" up along the copper chain on one side and a whimsical charm on the other. You will notice 2 different styles of copper chain, both of which have been oxidized for a vintage look. They were then hand polished. The necklace ends with a simple hook clasp that I fabricated from copper wire.

She's got a fun blog. From her beautiful artisan jewelry to her handmade cards to her peeks into her Alaskan home and her kitchen, I leave her blog or her shop with whispers that inspire me.

So check out the shop and the blog...

And if you want to some wonderful tips from Vicki, she's been adding some to the Artisan Beaders blog on Technique Tuesdays.

What I do when I'm not playing with fire

Making beads is a huge part of what I do, but I also like to play with other things that involve the beads. I don't profess to be anything more than an amateur when it comes to making jewelry, but I enjoy it and find it very relaxing.

I used one of my florals in this necklace. It's very feminine, don't you think?

This is my first try at making a seed bead cuff. My friend, Nicole, known to many as Beadwright
has always inspired and encouraged me to play with the seed beads. Then there is Vicki of Orion Designs who inspires me to mix things up. Her mixed media pieces remind me to combine things to see what happens. The cuff still needs to be finished, but I learned a lot from this one and am excited to start another one.

And something that doesn't have any of my lampwork beads

This Is So Exciting!!

I love making beads, but there is nothing quite as exciting as to see the beads become "something". Since joining etsyBead, I've "met" some wonderful jewelry designers, including Brenda who bought some beads and made THIS...

Isn't it just gorgeous? I have to admit I almost didn't recognize the beads I had made because they look different when they are dressed up. Check out her other work at :

http://brenda45.etsy.com