We have reached our "summer camp" in Maine, unpacked and are getting ready for the arrival of our first guests next week.
In the meantime I have placed a number of my pieces at the new Heritage Village in Wiscasset; a new undertaking of local artisans ... furniture maker, alpaca breeders, Maine wine makers and brewers and my friend Betsy Pare' who makes wonderful lampshades and painted furniture.
Betsy invited me and several others to share some of her retail space at Heritage Village. It is located on the left side of Route #1 as you come into Wiscasset from Portland.. Look for the lighthouse which is home to a new lobster restaurant. There's also a resident artist painter in a little "schoolhouse" and fresh blueberry pies and jam in another building.
As always, I have set aside time to do my favorite thing: make jewelry. In fact, three necklaces and two bracelets, and here are two of them.
The bracelet is (pictured above) one I am very proud of as it incorporates many pieces of Raku pottery beads, several of which I've made myself. As well, there are numerous vintage beads and some hand-made glass ones and even an agate bear fetish that I've had for some years waiting for the perfect piece. To top it off, I've made the toggle clasp myself and embellished it with tiny beads and wirework. Oh yes, in the middle of the bracelet is a beaded bead that kind of looks like a sea urchin...this one bead has over 50 smaller beads in it. I call this piece MOOD INDIGO.
The second piece is just a really nice necklace that I started before we left Virginia. The center piece is a stitched section of Russian Spiral beading and finished with two really nice Thai Sterling silver bead caps, four good turquoise stones, separated by large Raku discs and more Sterling. A chain and clasp finish off this handsome necklace made to be worn as a loose choker. I'm calling it ... RUSSIAN SPIRAL!
Click on each of the pictures to see them in a larger version.