My New Color Schemes AND........

I found something new which really surprised me: DEMI Toho Beads! Half size seed beads! Wow oh wow!

They are a little sliver of bead that is a PERFECT spacer for your strands! They come in metallics, colors, shiney and matte!  Whoo!!!!!!!!!!

For when you just need a little something in your design and can't figure out what it is.....sizes, 6/0, 8/0 and 11/0...perfection!

Do an online search and find the best prices!

This is what I used them for in this bracelet that will be 3 strands when finished. This color demi bead in size 8/0 is called galvanized rose gold. 

I Love It!

Hand Held Prayer/Meditation/Mindfullness Beads

I have discovered a small movement started by two women from across the United States: Sister Gail Worcelo co-founder of the Green Mtn. Monastery near Weston VT. and more than halfway across the United States, the parallel evolution started in Seattle via Paula Hendrick. I am very inspired and heartened by their ideas and determination to do good in the world around them.

They each had created prayer strands of beads (rosaries) to meditate on and pray for the earth.
Earth bead creators pray and fast as they make the rosaries, "with the intention that Earth may know healing and that human consciousness may shift into the Ecozoic mind."
https://ecozoictimes.com/

A group of volunteers from Weston make the beads to help support Sister Gail’s ecozoic monastery. The crafters use hemp for their handmade bead bags, and the set sells for $15. "Our intention is to bring the power of prayer to bear upon the needs of our planet. The journey around the beads is a way to awaken to the presence of the divine within the total sacred community of life," she said.
https://earthlight.org/2002/essay46_abercrombie.html

http://www.thegreatstory.org/BeadsNCR.pdf

Rosaries focus on sacred creation. Prayer beads, an ancient method for keeping track of one’s religious recitations and meditations, are evolving to keep pace with the expanding of spiritual consciousness about our planet. They can help us be mindful in our busy lives just by keeping them in a pocket or on our wrist.

I want to help the cause as I, too, feel a great responsibility about the plundering and polluting  of our home (Earth). I love nature of course: forests, flowers, birds, butterflies but the whole ecosystem is dependent on each part working together to make the whole function properly. We are one huge terrarium!
So, here is my first:

Turquoise Butterfly with broken wing:
 the healing powers of Turquoise also improve the mental state overall by increasing all of the following positive mental characteristics: serenity, creativity, empathy, positive thinking, sensitivity, intuition, happiness wisdom all of which result in a calmer state that leads to greater self-realization.

Antique Red Coral:
represents diplomacy and is said to quiet the emotions and brings peace within. Coral helps to both understand and use the qualities of the mystic, as it facilitates intuition, imagination and visualization.
Color healing:

Red Coral: Root chakra: Red Coral stimulates the energetic pursuit of pre-determined goals.  It protects from depression and despondency.  

Amazonite:  
has healing powers to help with physical ailments, emotional issues, and in Energy Healing and chakra balancing. Amazonite crystal therapies are primarily associated with filtering out stresses, healing traumas, and soothing energies in the home and workplace.

Blue-green Chalcedony:
Chakras - Sacral Chakra, Solar Plexus Chakra
Zodiac - Cancer, Virgo, Sagittarius, Aquarius
Chalcedony is a nurturing stone that promotes brotherhood and good will. It absorbs negative energy. It brings the mind, body, emotions and spirit into harmony. Chalcedony instills feelings of benevolence and generosity. It alleviates hostility and transforms melancholy into joy.

Carnelian: 
represents the hot cauldron of the lower three chakras. It's associated with taking bold action with its hot and fiery spirit that stimulates the root chakra, helping circulate vital energy to your center, which contains your powerful creative instincts. Carnelian, the fiery companion guiding you in facing your fears. Keep Carnelian by your side either as jewelry or as a stone in your purse or pocket to promote confidence.

Howlite: 
is a lovely stone to use when needing to reduce anxiety, tensions and stress. Howlite can be used to facilitate awareness, encourage emotional expression and assist in the elimination of pain, stress and/or rage.

Brown Jasper:
A quintessential Earth Stone, Brown Jasper is deeply connected to the planet as “home,” and engenders security and protection, nurturing and healing. Today Brown Jasper promotes ecological awareness and is highly effective in alleviating geopathic and environmental stress.

Labyrinth Pewter Charm: Labyrinths have long been used as meditation and prayer tools. A labyrinth is an archetype with which we can have a direct experience. We can walk it. It is a metaphor for life's journey. It is a symbol that creates a sacred space and place and takes us out of our ego to "That Which Is Within."

And one  African sand cast glass Ghana bead.

Golden Sunshine Spirit Beads Lariat

I am still loving designing jewelry again! It was my first love. And of course, it branched off into learning SO many things: lampworking, metal etching, wire working, precious metal clay, ceramic components, poly clay, and everything that goes with them!

But now I am going back to basics: gemstones with their wonderful benefits, color energies, talismans.... my newest - Spirit Beads

:: Golden Sunshine :: in my Etsy store

The Beads : Brazilian Citrine, Ancient Baltic Amber rounds and nuggets, Golden Green Freshwater Pearls, Copper Ethiopian Prayer Bead, Crystal Clear Green Garnet, Peridot ovals and disks, Copper PMC Disk, Hessonite Carnelian rondelles and rectangles, Mexican Yellow Crazy Lace Agate tubes, Ethiopian Brass Wollo Ring, Gobi Chalcedony crystal from the Chinese Desert, Vintage Bronze Glass Seed Beads, More.

Dimensions

Necklace length: 48 Inches; Pendant height: 2.5 Inches

::: Joy ::: Wonder ::: Confidence ::: Spirit Beads :::

Here is a Spirit Bead necklace that is made from soft colored golds, greens, browns, copper and cinnamon gemstones and seed beads. This piece absolutely glows!
The colors in this set are rich golds, yellows, ambers and greens are healing in themselves, but I have also begun infusing my pieces with energy as I work. I infuse each piece I make with spiritual light and blessings with my focus, intent and affirmations as I work. It will make a beautiful gift for yourself or a loved one!

Spirit Beads:
I began making Spirit Beads as I am seeking more spirituality in my life as well as seeing the need in the world around me, and they have become my favorite thing to do as I am rejuvenated as I meditate on the creation of each piece.
These long hand-held strands are created for prayer, meditation, ceremony, and present-moment mindfulness.
As you wear and handle them you will feel the energy from your beads gently surrounding your body, spirit and home.
They will give you something physical to touch and hold as a reminder of the presence of Spirit in daily life...everywhere, and in everything.
And this strand of beautiful gemstone beads will look lovely any place where you will view them as a reminder of Spirit. They invite you to pick them up, wear them and when not using them, they help bless and energize your work-space and home.
This open-ended "shawl" style necklace is comfortable and easy to wear.

The Amulets :

1 inch citrine pendant: It cleanses the chakras and opens the intuition. Citrine attracts wealth, prosperity and success. It imparts joy, wonder, delight and enthusiasm. Raises self-esteem and self-confidence.

3/4 inch baltic amber pendant: Healing with Amber It absorbs pain and negative energy, helping to alleviate stress. Amber clears depression, stimulates the intellect and promotes self-confidence and creative self-expression.
Amber will warm against your body and the succinic acid will be absorbed through your skin helping with pain relief. Used for centuries, Baltic Amber has been used for a variety of ailments from teething pain to arthritis.

5/8 inch freshwater coin pearl: Pearl signifies faith, charity and innocence. It enhances personal integrity and helps to provide a focus to ones attention.

The Beads : Brazilian Citrine, Ancient Baltic Amber rounds and nuggets, Golden Green Freshwater Pearls, Copper Ethiopian Prayer Bead, Crystal Clear Green Garnet, Peridot ovals and disks, Copper PMC Disk, Hessonite Carnelian rondelles and rectangles, Mexican Yellow Crazy Lace Agate tubes, Ethiopian Brass Wollo Ring, Gobi Chalcedony crystal from the Chinese Desert, Vintage Bronze Glass Seed Beads, More.

To all of these fabulous gemstones I added tiny pale green seed beads with gold and bronze size 8 and 6 seed beads joining them together with gold wire in a beautiful golden strand of bright healing energy.

THE COLOR:
Colors are literally made up of different vibrations and wavelengths, and we are drawn to them based upon those frequencies. We can use these color energies to our benefit in lots of ways.

The Color Gold: The color gold is cousin to the color yellow and the color brown, and is also associated with illumination, love, compassion, courage, passion, magic, and wisdom.

The Color Green: Green is the color of balance, ... From a meaning of colors perspective, green is also the color of growth, the color of spring, of renewal and rebirth. It renews and restores depleted energy. It is the sanctuary away from the stresses of modern living, restoring us back to a sense of well being.

108 Bead Rose Quartz and Pearl Japa Mala Necklace

I have been enjoying my first love - jewelry design - again. I have a new creation in glowing pink  and rosy mauve pearls with rose quartz rounds and gorgeous rose quartz nuggets.

I used a solid sterling silver cone to top the recycled sari silk tassel. This is a heavenly and soothing toned necklace that is very boho and also can be used for meditation as it is 108 beads. I also added 8 rosewood beads between sections for your favorite essential oil or scent. Find more photos and info here:
108 Bead Japa Mala Necklace+Meditation+Spirit Beads+Tranquility + Love + Prayer Beads

Opulent Seed Bead Creations

I love seed bead work. In seed bead work you work with tiny 2mm glass beads which you stitch together in various techniques with durable nylon thread to form a finished work. My favorite technique is Free Form Peyote stitch as it lends itself to  rolling, flowing designs that mimic nature. It will take you wherever you want to go with it. My second favorite is Cellini Spiral Peyote stitch. It has a lovely cylindrical form that is repeated in nature over and over.

Your piece will be molded by your creative energies that you impart into it. My love of nature colors and nature itself was my inspiration for this piece.  Muted greens, browns, burnt orange, soft purples, rich blue.....