DonnaBarnako.com

New design: Copper Maze

Hot off my design board is my newest freeform bracelet...a gorgeous piece if I do say so. 

I'm calling it COPPER MAZE, for it is filled with twists and turns, bridges, tunnels and flying buttresses. 

It all began with a new square-shaped flame-worked focal bead from Grace Beads of San Francisco and two matching smaller round ones.  The bead shades of copper, caramel, taupe, saffron on a cream background led me along a meandering path of four sizes of seed beads, bugles, hex, daggers and some glimmering topaz Swarovski crystals. 

I am leaving the snap closure off until a buyer comes along so that I can make a custom fit.  This will enable me to size it for both smaller and larger wrists.  The bracelet took me three weeks to make and is $300. (Click on the photo to see a bigger image.)

Home again

After three and a half glorious months in Maine this summer, we are now back home in Virginia and in the full swing of the season. 

Our Great Falls Studios Artists Tour will be the weekend of October 19, 20, 21 (10-5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday). 

And this weekend 10 of our group will be demonstrating on the Village Green at The Taste of Great Falls (noon-4). 

This past Friday and Monday, October 5 and 8, I had two great classes at Star's Beads in Vienna, Virginia.  The first, my Froth and Glitz Necklace and the second was Wireworked Bangle. 

Here is a pictorial (mostly of the fiber necklace class) with the last two showing the students wearing their Bangles (was too busy demonstrating to take pics in that class!).

Everyone finished their projects and were extremely happy. One person made me so happy when she said it was the best class she had ever had and the first piece of jewelry she made in a class that she would wear!

Happy Sox

With our idyllic summer of 2007 in Maine winding down to a precious few days, I visited my knitting buddy Joy in Freeport and gave her a pair of what I call "Happy Sox" (www.mollyhutchins.com of Boothbay Harbor, Maine).  They're made in Vermont of cotton and nylon and always bring lots of comments.  Joy immediately put her new pair on and here we are modeling them.

Here, too, are my latest creations, my Sea Urchin Bracelets.  They're actually macrame (remember that from the 70's?  with scores of vintage beads (lots of leaves and flowers) and each has some very special handmade lampworked (torch fired) beads, too.  The closure on one is a large ceramic bead and the other is a button I purchased last year in Galway, Ireland. They look like you're wearing this multi-faceted ruffle on your wrist.  Lots of fun. (Click on the photos to see larger versions.)

Just added ... Collections

Frank's been working on the site and has just posted a group of my Collections.  Enjoy!

• Fiberworx
• Earthworx
• Beadworx
• Wireworx
• Raku
• St. John

I call her Twinkletoes

My latest concoction features unusual long, twisted Czech bugle beads. 

I've threaded brass wire thru them and looped each end.  The bottom curl has been pounded so that it's a little flat.  Each is hung and separated by freshwater cultured pearls in the most beautiful luminescent khakis and teal, irregularly shaped and quite kinky!  It's adorable on a real body.

The matching earrings are hung from bronze dangles made by hand by my friend Renee Chock of Albuquerque, NM.  (Click on the photo for a larger picture.)

Belted Cows

On the way to lunch with  my friend Joy/Maine, (as opposed to Joy/Tucson) in Freeport, Maine last Friday, we passed by a field of the most amazing cattle.  She told me they were "belted cows" which I had never heard of.  They are all black with an all-white belt of color around their waists. 

Since I was driving, I couldn't snap a photo, but found this one on the Web (Click it.) They're called Belted Galloways and I think they're pretty neat.

Since Joy's birthday is this coming week, I wanted to do something special for her and so I made some Belted Cow Earrings!  (Click the photo for a larger picture.) Aren't they cool?  I know she'll get a lot of conversation out of them!

My Cache-Pots

I have been having the most fun making these little earrings that I am calling CACHE POTS (pronounced 'cash-po'). Translated from French, it means ornamental pots for flowers.

I begin with two wonderful focal beads (one for each earring) which may be pieces of Murano glass I bought when we were in Venice, or some great handmade torch-fired beads which I have collected in every color of the rainbow.

These are then put on a silver, gold or copper headpin and I carefully sew a tiny bit of fiber above and around the headpin.  I embroider easily 100 or so smaller beads:  flowers, leaves, seed beads, charms, on this tiny bit of fiber and then may add other fringing or embellishing to top it off.

The result is a terrific bit of whimsy that is sure to bring  smiles.

Prices are generally $70-$85.  (Click on each photograph to see a larger version.)