Bead Trends Designer Highlight April 2013

Bead Trends Designer Highlight April 2013

Marie - Noel Voyer - Cramp - On Cover Early Night Sky

It has been a whirlwind of a year.  Those that know me and have followed my blogs know that 2012 was a bitter & sweet year.  I am still grieving the loss of my mother and miss her dearly.  One of the reasons this has taken me so long to give this honor its proper attention. 

Last year was my first publication and 6 months later Tatia from Bead Trends asked me if I would be willing to hold the honor of being featured for their designer highlight for April 2013.  The answer to that one was pretty easy. 

YES

I sent her pictures and she nicely responded and said to me “Kristin you don’t need to send us pictures we like your work”  I love creative freedom in all things so I ran with that.

The first piece I made was called Beach Urchin, I love to comb beaches.  I could dig for hours on the beach.  This necklace was made with a pendant shell, Kyanite Sticks, Natural Bamboo, Fossil Shell, Swarovski and Howlite.  I thought the spikey Kyanite sticks looked like a Sea Urchin and the little Howlite beads looked like fish eggs.  This is one of my favorite of the necklaces that I made.  I buy many of my stone beads at Dakota Stones, love their high quality and interesting cuts.

I also made these earrings to match Beach Urchin.

The second necklace I made I called Oceans Oracle.  I like to play with weights in necklaces, unexpected.  I did question this one as the weightiness of one side is a little stronger than the other.  This was made with a Madagascar Ammonite.  It is lovely with it’s pinks and mossy greens.  I paired it with some chunky Czech Glass, Rhodochrosonite,  Canadian Jade, Rose Quartz, Lampwork and Seed Beads.  This one was all tied with waxed linen.  Stones were once again from Dakota Stones.  I also made earrings to match.  I am a bit simplistic in my earring designs and that is mostly because I love - love  - love to make necklaces.

The third necklace I made I called Beatnik Baby.  I like to think of these necklaces as my Earthy Urban Chic line.  I love assymetry and again playing with the chunky weightiness of the beads.  I love the Faux Beach Glass from my friend Jeff Plath from TF Bead Store.  I am in love with Greek Mykonos, everything.  I use these donuts in many of my designs.  Also paired with some Fire Agate and wood beads.

Dream Weaver was really fun to make.  I bought the patina’d link from Stacy Klinginger Smith.  I really just started to play with it and started to randomly wrap the Waxed linen and went from their.  This bracelet is reminiscent of a dream catcher.  It is double strand with 2 lobster claws to attach to the ring on either side.  I paired this with ceramic, Chrysoprase, Yellow Jasper, Swarovski, Fossil Shell, Lampwork and Honey Flourite.

Loves Entwine was born out of frustration really.  I wanted to do this prong challenge that the Artisan Whimsey Group was having and I didn’t have the supplies.  The question in my mind was how could I cage a bead with out knowing how to solder etc.  I just happened to grab this mesh and a Basalt heart and started to play.  When I realized this would work I ripped it apart and started with a plan.  The tying and macrame is what is holding the heart to the mesh.  I have since used this technique to do this with other beads.

The last necklace called Mindspring was made with a lovely pendant from Angel Whisperer on Etsy.  I bought this long skeleton key at the Junk Bonanza, I randomly wrapped it with Swarovski crystals to attatch it to the pendant.  Tied it with some of my favorite beads and colors.  I think you are beginning to see a theme in my color choices.  I do love watery colors.  
The patina’d clasp was made by Melinda Orr.

Some of my other favorite designs were from - See Below

Cherrie Fick -  Rushing Spring River

Jean Wells -  Little Bird In A Big Pond

Suzette Bentley - Chocolate

I have a ton of personal friends in this issue that I met on Facebook and to many to credit here.  

I feel privilege to be amongst such talent!

Thank you Bead Trends!