Late Summer....

Where has the summer gone? In between projects and travel I'm afraid I've been negligent at making new posts.  So here are some pieces I've made up for the August show in Westerly.  You will no doubt recognize the forms such as the ruffled lei and the lariat.  Here they are in some new color-ways.











In addition, for something simple and light, I made a couple of hollow domed circles embellished with inked designs.


I've also put together some light and simple earrings to add to the end-of-summer fun.

 

Light and Swingy Lariats

I've recently started exploring lariats.  They can come in a variety of styles, sizes, weights, designs - imagination is the limit.  In my post on April 18th, I showed a lariat with multiple neck strands and a large central piece for the ends of the strands. Since then, with summer coming, I've been experimenting with lighter and more easy stylings.


This gold and black lariat uses ultra microfiber suede strips. The strips are strong yet supple, very lightweight, and are soft against the neck and skin.  The adjustment loop has a sliding goldtone metal bead.  The same bead is also used at the end of the strips to hide the joining work where the polymer bell flowers are attached to the suede strips.  I plan to make more using the microfiber strips.

 The coral lariat is a different design.  I used 2 strands of the suede strips side-by-side.  They lie flat behind the centerpiece with the flowers.  This section lies right against the neck in front.  Then the strips go around the neck, cross in back, and come to the front again. At this point, the dangling sections can be left straight or flipped loosely over each other.  Styling options!
I think that both of these styles would look great with summer T's or tops. Of course, when it's colder, they would also work with a turtleneck.
Versatility is a real plus with jewelry!

A New Lariat Necklace for Spring

I should really make more lariats.  They are such statement pieces and really stand out.  Though they take longer than some other pieces, I do enjoy making them. Besides, they are fun to wear!

This particular lariat has 3-D petal designs on the focal piece and smooth, rounded pods at the ends of the strands.  I used ultra-suede strips for the necklace straps. They are strong, yet feel good on the neck. One of the beauties of this necklace form is that it is very adjustable, and one size really does fit most.

Adjustable Tube-bead Lariats

I really like the concept of lariats, though I haven't made that many.  A few weeks ago, I taught a workshop on making hollow tube beads.  Of course, making beads often involves deciding how to showcase them.  Usually, you have to plan on how the bead will be used and displayed. Sometimes, I have a plan all set out before I begin, while other times I have not thought about it as much as I might have.  At the end of my demo on hollow tubes, I had a couple of sweet tubes without ends. Then came Clay Connection 2016, the every-other-year polymer conference, hosted by the Southern Connecticut Polymer Clay Guild (SCPCG).  I always look forward to this conference, and this year was no exception.  I had the tube beads with me, made a couple more, then decided how I was going to use them.  Adjustable lariats!





Here are samples of 2 adjustable lariats.  I have a few more tube beads made up, but they're not in lariat form yet.  This particular design leaves the cording just loose enough so the length and the size for around the head and neck can be adjusted. I like making little pod beads at the ends, too.  They provide a form to hold while adjusting the cord length, and they're just plain fun.

A Lariat ~ My First!

I have always liked lariats.  I like the way they look.  I like the concept of something that just slips around the neck without having to fiddle with clasps.  I like how adjustable they are.  And I love the dangles that hang below the "slip through" portion. You have to have dangles.

With all this positive feeling about lariats, why have I never made a polymer lariat?  Answer:  I don't know.

Well, I've remedied that situation, and present here my very first polymer lariat.  The modified triangular "slip through" piece has a mica shift surface that I decorated with flowers, leaves and vines.  It is Spring, after all.  I used three colors of soutache trim for the cording that wraps around the slip through triangle. Each cord ends in a leaf pod or petal pod, echoing the colors from the triangle and in the cording.  As I mentioned, I love the dangling part of a lariat, and these little pods have a nice shape and feel.

This lariat was in the center of my display for my show at the Westerly Arts gallery. It sold during the opening night reception - guess I should make some more lariats!