As a child, and later as a young adult, I was never fond of antiques. They often held a musty smell and were not of pristine condition (a requirement, I guess, for a young, uncultured mind)!

We had a marvelous antique establishment in my home town prior to college (I didn't think so at the time). And anytime I would tour the store with visiting relatives, I literally couldn't wait to get back outdoors to breathe fresh air.

In middle age, however, I have come to appreciate the artistic value of historic collectibles.

I recently acquired two Vintage Beaded Purses from the estate of my husband's family. The age of these reticule's (as they were once called) is at least turn of the century.

Despite the understated appearance of the vintage purses, there is something in viewing that stirs my heart. Perhaps it is the experience of satisfaction the creators might have enjoyed with the fulfillment of ambition. My sentiments, no doubt, are comparable in achievement.

In my visual pursuit of online classic memorabilia, I developed a healthy enthusiasm for vintage chain maille purses. So much so, in fact, I decided to create two impressions of my own:  the Victorian Gate Mesh Chatelaine Purse and the Silver Mesh Chain Maille Coin Purse.

Victorian Gate Mesh Chatelaine Purse

Silver Mesh Chain Maille Coin Purse

The stainless steel jump rings used in the purses were tumbled and polished prior to assembly. Stainless steel is strong, dependable and satiny smooth to the touch. It is a great medium for vintage-inspired purses.

I hope to add future chain maille purse styles to my repertoire in the near future.

Here's to dreamy dreams and beaded/chain maille visions!

Color is integral to the human experience. It informs many of the choices we make daily, both directly and indirectly. So much of what is important in our lives involves the expression of color. But our experiences are highly personal because each of us interprets color a bit differently. The colorblind among us, for instance, have difficulty differentiating between reds and greens.

How do we perceive color?  An abbreviated answer is this:  objects absorb and reflect light. Special receptors in our eyes transmit those various lightwaves to our brains where they are interpreted as color sensations.

Because of social conditioning, we humans have developed our own internalized criteria for determining what the appropriate use for given colors are in every facet of our lives (i.e. girls wear pink, boys wear blue). We do this, it is thought, to satisfy our psyches emotionally. Color, therefore, affects our minds and it affects our behavior.

Our ability to perceive color puts the world of fashion at our fingertips. Our clothes and the jewelry we wear to embellish them make our bodies appear interesting and sexually attractive. Thus, color considerations require immense respect during the design phase because without proper color combining, jewelry especially would lack in vitality and be tremendously uninspiring.

If color associations matter then, how are protocols established for color use in the world of fashion? Most industry professionals are informed by the color wheel; it's a circular tool that shows the colors of the rainbow in relationship to each other (our eyes are tuned in to the rainbow spectrum of light). The color wheel allows artists the freedom to make neutral and mutually beneficial selections to enhance their designs.

For example, let's say the main color in a particular sketch is determined to be red. Subsequent corresponding colors might need to be appointed to either complement and/or contrast the dominant red color.

Using the wheel below, find the color red. To it's right, you will notice shades of orange; to its left, shades of purple. Opposite red on the wheel are various hues of aqua. A couturier might settle for both orange and purple (among other colors) to complement the red in her design. She might also choose aqua (among other colors) for contrast.

So, each of the selections from the color wheel will necessarily have close physical associations to the salient color in the design.

Many of us admittedly feign ignorance to the science of color and its effects on life (myself included), unless by necessity, we are obliged to partake in its interest and wealth of intrigue. Color is fun. The depth and breath of its scope is limitless which makes it a fascinating topic on many levels.

So, what is the color of life? Well... life is whatever color we want to consign to it. Our expressions of color are nuanced by how we live our lives. And conversely, our lives are nuanced by expressions of color. How we interpret and experience those colors is what helps to give our lives and our world increased meaning!

Here's wishing you dreamy dreams and colorful visions!

Yesterday, I received a message saying I wasn't giving credit where credit is due -- this, in regard to the design sources for the beaded jewelry photos I've been posting on Facebook. In point of fact, I have tried to give design credit for all of my beaded jewelry items on both Etsy and on my personal webpages. Perhaps the commenter overlooked this. But the post left me thinking about a particular quote: "Good art is like music. It should be enjoyed and not dissected."

At some point in their lives, artists receive inspiration for their craft from the experts that came before them. Experts who unwittingly paved the way for starstruck wannabe's like myself who aspire to achieve a high caliber of artistic expression.

Here's a bit of history:  Three years ago, I was enrolled at Companion Animal Sciences Institute in Canada. My course of study:  Canine Behavior Science and Technology. The program was all consuming - enjoyable, but leaving me wanting for a creative outlet as a much needed diversion. I began schooling myself in the art of chain mail and worked diligently at creating jewelry I could enjoy forever. When the piles of bracelets and necklaces became more than I could possibly wear in a lifetime, I decided to sell them on Etsy.

Then the unimaginable happened on November 17, 2012. My 26 year old son, Bobby, was tragically killed in a car accident near my home in Round Rock, Texas. Needless to say, my life as I knew it changed forever. Creating jewelry evolved from an enjoyable past-time to a necessary obsession. Making things with my hands helped ease the sorrow of my loss. Bobby became the source of inspiration for my need to create.

With the help of Round Rock Honda and Penske Automotive Group, the Bobby Bove Memorial Scholarship Fund was established. My subsequent desire to honor Bobby's memory and help endow his annual scholarship began to drive my motivation for creating jewelry. It was that or quit Etsy -- a thought I entertained momentarily.

In 2013 I discovered Jill Wiseman online. Her unique variations on traditional bead-weaving themes and her flair for color combining were awe-inspiring. I knew then it was time to add a new technique to my repertoire.

My office is my studio. I have a 4 x 6 photo of Bobby in front of my workspace. His beautiful smile brings love and warmth to my heart as I work. It also helps stem my pathological mania for creating jewelry just to ease a tormented mind.

I truly love making jewelry. But I take very little credit for any of it. I've learned that the gift to create does not define a person and, more importantly, the gift of success can be lost as quickly as it was received (just as people in our lives can inexplicably be taken from us). I'm thankful, though, for the outlet to create - most especially when the agony of losing Bobby was greatest. For that, I can't thank the bead-weaving and chain mail communities enough!

The Wild Sparkleberry Necklace and matching bracelet seen here in the photo is from Jill Wiseman's fabulous book, Beautiful Beaded Ropes. It's been a favorite on Facebook. I created the set in sapphire blue because it was Bobby's favorite color. I thought of him as I worked. I like to think he would love it!

Dear Readers:  It's never been about me or the jewelry. It's about the art. It's about Bobby.

Cellini Spiral Bracelet

Are you familiar with Cellini Spiral Bracelets? They're created with a tubular peyote stitch (bead-weaving vernacular) using a variety of bead shapes, sizes and colors the outcomes of which are absolutely fascinating.
Why is the jewelry called Cellini? Well, that's still a mystery to be realized but the weave is widely popular in the beading industry by both artists and consumers alike. I, for one, love, love, LOVE the Cellini spiral, thus, my efforts here at promoting this well sought-after fashion trend.

Most of the Cellini's I've seen on the internet have large, round seed beads as the leading spiral -- the focus of which inspires the remaining color palette. I wanted to try my hand at something different so I used freshwater pearls as the dominant beads to make a more impactful statement. I'm happy to say they worked! And, to date, I've not seen another virtual bracelet in its likeness. The lovely peacock blue/gray colors remind me of the sea and the spiral motif is reminiscent of sea creatures!

For application, the Cellini Spiral simply rolls over the hand. It's really that simple! The smooth beads and the bracelet design allow for the flexibility required to wheel the piece over protruding knuckles and onto the wrist where it can be adorned with other bangle bracelets if so desired.

The Cellini Spiral shown below measures approximately 0.71-inches wide (18 mm). It can be made thinner with the use of smaller beads. I hope to have samples showcasing the different sizes and color palettes in the very near future.

Whether you're running out to a dorm party clad in stringy blue jeans, or attending a formal retirement dinner for a co-worker, don't feel restrained by age or attire. It's all about the wrist! But don't take my word for it. Try a bracelet for yourself and fall in love! Then go tell the world about Cellini Spiral's!

Here's wishing you dreamy dreams and vivid visions!

My new obsession this year is Barefoot Sandals! Yes! Those dainty and floppy beaded things otherwise known as foot thongs! With each new dawn, I wait (or worry?) for inspiration on how to create an ornamental ribbon resembling a string of beads or a cross section of a bracelet or necklace. Do I have the right stones?  Do the colors coordinate? Will anybody like it? I have to say, there has been a meteoric rise in popularity and positive feedback from fans most of which come from women who love foot jewelry as much, if not more than I do (if that's possible)!

Here in Texas we grow fine green grass... as fine a grass as you will find anywhere in the world. And like all good green grass, it's wanting for the prettiest of bare feet. But... we also grow FIRE ANTS! Yes, Solenopsis! For those readers who are unfamiliar with these formidable critters, they're red, they bite, they STING and then they itch! FOREVER! So, wearing barefoot sandals outdoors in Texas (and in other parts of the Southern United States) is probably not something I would recommend unless you're at the shore.
I remember the passed-over beach parties my employers set up over the years to help improve interpersonal relationships between co-workers; the Friday night pool parties ignored for feeling shy, and a tad inadequate. And the long weekend boat excursions where beer was as plentiful as the worms used to bait the fishing hooks.
With age comes maturity (at least for most of us) and a softening of fears. We have a greater appreciation for all things beautiful, including jewelry.  I can slip on a pair of attractive foot thongs, for instance, and feel like I'm walking in paradise! I experience increased adrenaline, increased self-worth and confidence. Increased everything! It's quite remarkable really that beads strung together with an otherwise understated elegance can have suchst reached paradise. I experience increased adrenaline, increased self-confidence and self-worth. Increased everything! It's quite remarkable really that beads strung together with an otherwise understated elegance can have such a powerful effect on the psyche.

For me, wearing barefoot sandals is kind of like donning new underwear in the morning knowing I will be the only one that sees them. Does it make me feel fabulous? Of course it does! Brand new underwear always boosts morale.  And so do foot thongs when worn for our own enjoyment! They not only boost morale but they can foster team spirit as well. The new shapes and styles offer wild glam-rock vibes that can work an entire crowd.

Whether in the comfort and privacy of my own home or at an outdoor rock concert, it's all about the feet! But don't take my word for it. Try a pair for yourself and fall in love! Then go tell the world about Barefoot Sandals!
Here's wishing you dreamy dreams and vivid visions!

The most common misperception regarding chain maille weaves is that they originated in the ancient cultures of their namesakes but the reality is, most weave designations are indicative of style and not origin.

Chain maille begins (and ends) with linked rings. Families of weaves such as Byzantine, Persian and European are defined by the particular motif or dominant patterns they express. Because their origins have not been determined, the Byzantine and Persian weaves cannot be attributed to Byzantium nor Persian cultures, as much as we would love to romanticize they were.

The classic Byzantine weave is rooted in jewelry antiquity. It is a 4-in-1 weave meaning each ring in the pattern has four other rings passing through it.

The Persian weaves (Full and Half Persian) are variations of complex linkages that produce patterns with both depth and weight. Most are contemporary designs.

The European 1 in 4 weave is thought to have been in use for greater than 3,000 years and was likely introduced by the Celts. The Romans subsequently adopted the designs for Centurion armor.

Today, the art of chain maille continues to flourish not only as a means for protection (industrial settings) but also for purposes of adornment, where the possibilities are limitless.

It's my great pleasure to know about this remarkable and ancient art form. The learning process never ends and each new project never fails to astonish.