In reference to an older post...

Once I think I saw a book? in one of my beady magazines or maybe a a class? that was called something like: You Don't Have To Be Afraid of Right Angle Weave. Huh! Or maybe I had a bad dream about it.  I was perusing some of my older posts and I realized I never posted a picture of a necklace I had referenced. This necklace is one I made back a couple of years ago at one of the annual CCBS Bead Retreat which Marcia DeCoster taught. It's called Descending Nights and I actually finished it right after the Retreat! The original pattern had two more "flowers" on the straps but we were given the option to shorten it.  I apologize, it's not the clearest picture, so do look it up on her site for a better view - very elegant. The straps are made of Czech fire polished beads in a simple RAW pattern. Why didn't I think of that?!  And I got to use one of those pretty brass filigree pendants I always wanted to play with.
I had so much fun learning a lot about RAW, although I just couldn't get a grasp on Cubic Right Angle Weave for the other project that weekend. Not that Marcia didn't try her best to teach it to me! So it's one to keep working on.
I see she has a few really good books out right now on the subject. One is :Beads In Motion,  and the other one I need to study. Alot.: Beadwork's Designer of the Year Series Right Angle Weave Fundamentals with Marcia DeCoster.  Check out her website and blog if you haven't yet.  They're a visual candy store and interesting.  There's a new kit with RAW leaves, a lariat type, I believe, where one end goes through two of the leaves on the other end.  Just gorgeous.  I aspire to make that "turn" in CRAW.   Speaking of CRAW....try her "free" Easy Elegant Earring pattern on her website.  Directions are in the sidebar.  Pretty cool!  And that's that.

Aren't wrap bracelets fun? They seem to be all the rage these days.  I see a lot of leather strap bracelets embellished with semi-precious gemstones or rhinestones. They are great projects for those craving a little instant gratification.  There's a little of the 70's look going on.  For similar looks check out an artist named Ali on Lima Beads. You'll see what I mean. She's beading/stringing a blue-streak and I love her work.  It's so relaxed and earthy. And she utilizes simple, relatively inexpensive components to make really cool jewelry for every occasion. Enough of tooting Ali's horn...I made my own wrap bracelet and it was fun as promised.  I used 4 mm round jasper gemstones which I had purchased at BellaBead in Fresno some time ago as well as S-Lon Beading Cord. It's durable and comes in lots of pretty colors. I picked up a few spools at the 41 Trading Post in Oakhurst.  You can do a lot with it...like Kumihimo, stringing larger hole beads, knotting, etc. The base strands are 2mm leather cord and the clasp is a button out of my stash. So here it sits atop my praying hands incense burner which I got at Artifacts also in Oakhurst some time ago.
Wrap bracelets are quick and easy to make. Try one! Fusion Beads is where I learned how to make it.  Just click on "Techniques" and search for wrap bracelet.  The diagrams are very clear. Have Fun!