Like to make your own jewelry? Want something different, fun and light-weight? Here are some great new beads I am featuring on my etsy site. Have a look!

I’m listing this cool cuff on etsy with a special price FOR TODAY ONLY!  The regular price is $35.00 but today only-until midnight-the price will be $4.20 (plus postage). So if you get it, you’ll get it!

This knock-out cuff is made from polymer clay on an aluminum base for stability. Each one is unique, definitely OOAK. I have tried to capture the ‘peeling paint’ look of urban grunge. Each cuff is formed, baked, painted and distressed with many layers of color to give it that worn look. I finish it with a sealing spray to keep the color true.
If you like the BOHO, funky look this is absolutely for you.

The width of this cuff is just over 2 1/2″, since it is a cuff style it will fit nearly every size.
This listing is for the red cuff shown in the main photo; last photo shows different color combinations. If you have questions or a special request please email me.

”The night was growing colder, it had started to rain and the wind whipped Filippa and her tiny mare, chilling them to the bone.  As much as she wanted to press on she knew that to do so would only weaken her and cause her to falter.  As she cleared a thick stand of birch trees she spied a faint light in the distance. Her mare must have understood and headed straight toward it; Filippa’s energy flagging, she allowed the horse free rein.

She was exhausted and near to falling off her mare when she saw a sign announcing the ”Cavallo Bianco” Inn. Several coarse men were milling about the door, shouting and cursing.  Filippa nearly passed by but she was so drained that she took her chances; tying her horse to a post she stumbled inside. “Ho! What have we here? Come girl, give us a kiss!”, shouted one of the men as she passed by.  That started a great uproar and shouting from all the men, causing quite a din to arise.  Poor Filippa was at her wit’s end and near to fainting when a short, fierce whirlwind blew through the men, boxing their ears and banging random heads with a pot.  Surprised and startled into silence by the innkeeper’s wife the men settled back to the benches and resumed drinking.

“Come child, what is it you need?” Near tears Filippa poured out her sorrow as she sank to a table. Bustling about the stout little woman brought the young girl food and drink, all the while keeping a stern eye on the rougher patrons. After she had supped Filippa was led to a small bed in the room where the innkeepers children slept, there the kindly wife tucked her in for the night.

In the morning after a healthy breakfast Filippa was ready to resume her journey once again. After profusely thanking the innkeeper and his wife she pressed one of her treasures into their hands.  The tiny wife of the innkeeper had never seen such a lovely thing and was at first reluctant to take it, saying it was far too much. “I pray you accept this, and if you feel it is too much then perhaps when I return you would be good enough to take me in again”, replied Filippa.

“The moon was full and bright, but a swirling mist slowed Filippa’s progress.  As she let her mare pick its way through the thick forest thoughts of her family filled her head.  She knew her brothers would be worried at her absence, but she also knew they would stop her from going if she had consulted them.  Her oldest brother, Pietro, was the most protective of her. He had fashioned a special necklace for her with an amulet in which he had placed a special prayer for her.   The chain he fashioned link by link interrupted only by glass beads her father, Ulisse, had brought home evening. When Pietro found it gone as well as his sister,  Fillipa knew he would panic…”


Weave your own fantasies while wearing this OOAK hand-crafted necklace.  Length of chain is 25″, length of pendant-drop is 4 1/2 “. Chain is completely hand made with spacer beads of rose colored lamp work beads.  Pendant is made of a hollow polymer bead, a rose lamp worked bead and copper spacers.  It goes up for sale on my etsy site tomorrow.

As she drew it gently from its velvet-lined casket Filippa noticed the gleaming links; knowing that Lorenzo had made this especially for her caused a pang in her heart. Lorenzo Sforza was a poet, an artist with a soaring soul that only Fillipa could possess. Sadly she had just learned that he had been captured by agents of the Borgia's and was fearful of his safety. As she slipped it around her neck and fastened her cloak tightly there was a determined set to her chin. she would sell all the jewelry her family had given her to ransom her lover but she would not sell the necklace that he fashioned for her slender throat. In the dark of night she slipped away, mounted her bay mare and rode quickly through the mist; she would reach Milan in time if it took her last breath.

This delicate necklace is 23 inches long (can be adjusted) with filligree connector and hand crafted glass bead. Entire necklace has been distressed and patinaed, then sealed. It will be in my etsy store tomorrow.

I have been lax posting lately, partly due to family obligations and partly that I have been having fun experimenting with new stuff. Thanks to Kathi at Dragonsglass I obtained some dissolvable beads to use as a form for larger beads. I like the idea of hollow beads cutting the weight significantly, on large beaded necklaces it can be quite heavy. At the same time I purchased some Swellegant from B'Sue's and was eager to try that out. The first couple beads were a disaster and I threw them out - so bad I didn't even want a pic! Then it seemed like everything clicked, and as Hannibal Smith (A-Team) says "I love it when a plan comes together!".
The first picture was taken indoors and really looks more bronze than copper. The base I use is the copper Swellegant. The next day I had good weather and more beads finished and I took the pictures outside. The color is a more accurate representation than the first picture. The two larger sizes are hollow beads but then I went crazy and started coppering everything. The two small beads with squares are mosaic beads that i really didn't love, but now they have a whole different look. Then I coppered a couple birds from my TAD challenge, along with clay acorns and  small heart that had been hiding in the mess on my worktable. I have always wanted to work with copper clay but PMC is just too expensive for me. I think this gives a very close facsimile of that metal clay without the cost. Ah, I have found a new obsession...