Work samples
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Crescent Bead Element Necklace and Earrings Set
Found the crescent shaped beads in a subscription box from one of the online bead supply stores and searched for a pattern that utilized them. Found one by Nichole Starman for the element as a bracelet. And adapted it to create a necklace and earrings. Colorway was my choice.
About Vanessa
Member of the Baltimore Bead Society (BBS) where I have been immersed in the world of jewelry-making using different mediums: seed beads, crystals, polymer clay, etc. Started beading with a friend in 2012 and attending bead shows. Joined BBS in 2014 (I think!) Right now, having fun exploring all the different ways to make artful pieces.
Filagree Metal Work Earrings
With this project, I explored creating something out of various metal items and adding a bead dangle. Techniques included working a flat metal disc to form a dome shape and attaching the filagree using wire jump rings through holes punched in the metal after shaping.
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Art Deco Style Earrings Using Filagree
This was an entry into what BBS (Baltimore Bead Society) calls a "challenge". The challenge was to find an example of art deco design and recreate it as jewelry. I used a filagree shape which I cut into quarters, added a fringe made of chain at the bottom and seed beads at the top. (This could have gone into the Filagree Dreams project as well.)
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Filagree Metal Dangle Earrings
Crazy Bracelet in Black, Red and White
This was an adaption of a pattern/video called Monet's Garden in Black, Red & White (BRW) - perhaps my favorite colorway! Started with a base of larger seed beads (6 or 8-0) and then embellished with pearls, crystals and daggers.
Crescent Bead Element Necklace and Earrings Set
Crescent Bead Element Necklace and Earrings Set
Found the crescent shaped beads in a subscription box from one of the online bead supply stores and searched for a pattern that utilized them. Found one by Nichole Starman for the element as a bracelet. And adapted it to create a necklace and earrings. Colorway was my choice.
Filagree Dreams
In this project, I explored various filagree pieces and shapes to create what I thought would be necklace. Added large and small crystals - riviolis. It is a UFO - unfinished object!
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Filagree Pieces/Components 2
Examples of filagree components that can be combined, shaped, or cut to create jewelry.
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Filagree Pieces/Components
Examples of filagree components that can be combined, shaped, or cut to create jewelry.
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Filagree Necklace Layout 3
Another attempt to layout the necklace...
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Filagree Necklace Layout 2
Second attempt to layout the necklace...
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Filagree Necklace Layout
Laying out the design to get a sense of how it would look...
MD State Fair Entry
This was an original design incorporating the colors of the International Bead Guild's logo. They sponsor a week in July (or August) to encourage beaders to gather, exchange ideas, and collaborate virtually. One of the things they do is encourage beading all year by sponsoring a "Color Project" - basically beading done in the colors of the logo. I decided to enter it in the MD State Fair competition at the encouragement of the BBS (Baltimore Bead Society) Study Group. I won Best in Show and First Place in my category!
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State Fair Entry - On Display with the Blue and Yellow Ribbons
On display at the 2023 MD State Fair! Blue ribbon First Place and Yellow Ribbon Best in Show for that category.
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State Fair Entry - The Set
Here is the entire set: necklace, earrings and bracelet - the bracelet was a different technique involving carrier beads similar to the New Orleans Necklace. Here you see the earrings and the necklace are made from the triangles. The necklace focal point was just a slightly larger variation on the earrings. Notice that the black crystal drop is attached at a different point on the earrings versus the necklace. The black seed beads and crystals act to tie all the pieces together!
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State Fair Entry - Earrings
I personally love to wear sets: earrings and necklaces that match, or bracelets and earrings that match, or all three that match! The idea for the earrings was to use each of the logo colors in a single triangle. The necklace focal point was just a slightly larger variation on the earrings.
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State Fair Entry in Progress 2
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State Fair Entry in Progress
I chose to create a triangles for each of the logo colors, using black as the uniting color. Each triangle was made before being joined into a necklace.
Wire Wrapping
This was the result of a class taken at BBS (Baltimore Bead Society). The class taught techniques for wrapping wire to create components which were later joined together to form a bracelet.
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Wire Wrapped Components Joined Together
This is partial image of the bracelet made of components created by shaping and wrapping wire. Notice the common component that helps create the shape of the bracelet and serves a base for the dangling components.
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Wire Wrapped Components 2
These are a few of the shapes and components made from shaping and wrapping wire.
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Wire Wrapped Components
These are a few of the shapes and components made from shaping and wrapping wire.
Polymer Clay
Polymer clay is easy to work with and comes in amazing colors making it an ideal medium for creating!
Bead Embroidery Pendant
This technique involves gluing and beading an object to create a pendant (or a pin or a focal point for a bracelet). In this case, I used a coin as my object.
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Bead Embroidery Pin
Just another example of bead embroidery. This is a pin. Notice that the bead colors of the embroidery around the stone center matches the stripes in the stone.
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Almost Done
Bead Embroidery Piece in final stages - most of the embroidery has been completed. Next comes the final additions and trimming.
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Mid-Point
Here several rounds have been added to each a little different and using a different type and color of bead.
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Beginning Steps
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Beginning Steps
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Beginning Steps
Black "stiffy" material served as the base - horizontal, vertical and diagonal lines help to center the design. Coin is glued to the base material and the first few rounds of embroidery have been added.
Hodge Podge
Just more examples of my work in different mediums!
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Study in Orange & Blue
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Study in Orange & Blue 4
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Study in Orange & Blue 2
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Study in Orange & Blue
Needed to experiment with a different colorway...these colors grabbed me.
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Ruffled Links Necklace and Earrings
Again, using my favorite colorway to create ruffled loops that joined together form a necklace. A single ruffled loop is used to create the earring.
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Set - Bracelet and Earrings
This set uses beads known as daggers and crystals.
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Hoop Earrings
Created using tila beads wrapped around the hoop earrings. In my favorite colorway...
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Set - Bracelet, Necklace and Earrings
Seed beads, crystals, and pearls...buttons are used to form the closures.
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Bracelets and Earrings Made of Seed Beads and Crystals
More items made in my favorite colorway...bangle bracelets and earrings.
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Netted Scarf of Beads
Black, Red and White is probably my favorite colorway...this is a scar made of seed beads and duo beads using a netting technique.