That Purple Patch

Well, I had a week of finishing things off finally, and it feels so good to have 

1. New work in the cabinets, and

2. A clean(er) and tidy(er) workbench

3. A flash of purple around - I'm not sure why, but it was missing.

So...TaDa! Here are the Purple Tiger Beads in a necklace

and a bead... Large Purple Violet Tiger Heart Pendant

The Amethyst Purple Chakra Lotus Flowers necklace turned out like this

the bracelet and earrings like this...

Purple is one of those colours that is different in everyone's opinion - and it's really hard to achieve a real royal purple in glass. In the Tiger Beads I've achieved it by layering glass, finishing off with a gorgeous thick transparent layer. They're really quite vibrant.

The Amethyst colour is one that the makers of glass call purple, but to me it is much more pink that that. This is the colour of amethyst gemstones with lots of shades which give texture to the pieces.

In the Chakra System purple and violet represent the higher, lighter, faster Sixth and Seventh Chakras of the third eye (intuition) and the crown (connection to the Universe).

Perhaps this is why I have been connected to a website which delivers daily inspiration?

www.tut.com/theclub/

I've just begun to receive a morning message...something positive and encouraging to ponder within for a day.

This was my thought for today...

"An end result, imagined clearly and acted upon with expectation, Lesley, will always force the circumstances necessary to bring about its own manifestation, no matter how unpredictable, unlikely, or even impossible those circumstances may have previously seemed.

Like clockwork,
    The Universe"

Tiger Bead Earrings and New Walking Feet

I've been busily uploading lots of new earrings - mostly Tiger Beads - I have been taking the time off between shows to spend quietly on the torch playing with overlaying transparent colour over an opaque "twisted" core.  I find it amazing hos soothing it is to just potter away on the flame and lose myself in the flow of the glass.

I like the way that the opaque blended core accentuates the intensity of the outer glass.  Each colour behaves differently - purple is really great!

I like the way that the opaque blended core accentuates the intensity of the outer glass.  Each colour behaves differently - purple is really great but hard to photograph!

And now from the strange but true files comes the story of my new walking shoes...

I bought some new Vibram Fivefingers from Soul Shoes here in Takaka and they are the most amazing "shoe experience" ever!

The shoes are great - my feet feel so much more alive and active! I can feel  my toes moving as they are meant to, rather than just moving as a "block" inside a hard soled shoe.  They also support my feet and help with my posture and all those attendant aches and pains.

At the end of the week I just throw them in the washing machine with some quality laundry soap on a cold delicate wash then dry them in the sun - they're almost like a thick pair of socks.

I have a rude friend who who said that I looked like a hobbit!

I don't care - I'm comfortable and I don't care how daggy I look on the beach at dawn - I have only a trusted group of women friends who see me!

Something New

Taupe and Grape Tiger Beads

I told you recently that I was working on some beads that were driving me crazy.  I was trying to get a subtle colour effect using a gorgeous very pale handmade brown glass - it's really almost not brown, more of a soft taupe.

I made it into Tiger Beads - it's actually very dark purple and white twisted stringer (for those who might be interested ;)) heavily encased in this lovely brown glass.  I've spaced the feature beads with etched beads made from the same brown glass.  I think you get a better idea of a "colour" from the etched beads.  The insides of the beads are softly taupe-y, cream-y purple-y.  The little crystal beads in between are Swarovski crystals in Light Topaz - slightly larger (round faceted) beads than I normally use.  It may be one of those designs that's better seen in real time.

And here is the first of the Raindrops Series that I'm fiddling with. I'm really loving making these, but because we're in the middle of preparing for the Great NZ Craft Show South Island Tour, I've been rather distracted from them. I will make the other pieces up when we get back in mid September, I think.

They're based on very very soft transparent colours with etched beads and crystals. There's a little twist with some of the newer pieces, so I'll leave that as a surprise for later.

Don't forget to make sure that you have registered as a member of my blog so you go into the draw for a free pair of my "Roses" earrings!  I will do the draw on Monday.