TQB Designs Fashion Show - Part I - 2008.04.18

I promised you images of my work being worn and I have finally posted them or you here (with much tension due to the fact that Blogger went down an hour before the 5pm reveal)! I have also included some images of the squares (officially on sale April 23rd in my Etsy Store). I hope you enjoy the show. There will be another in a couple of months with more of my work. (*And, be sure to click on each image to make them bigger - you can see more details on each piece.) You can also view these images as a slide show by clicking HERE takes you to my Flickr! account. I think it's a much more fun way to see everything:) Carry on...

This first item is showcasing one of the beaded square beads. I actually began beading squares long before I started beading rounds. Funny, I know, but I just thought that rounds were so conventional and I wanted my work to stand out. Well, realizing how wrong I was, I dived into the round world and left behind the cubical delight. Having not made squares for many years I decided to bring them back in a limited quantity. They definitely take longer to make and I have a stock of square cores that won't last forever. So I decided to feature new work with squares through the month of May. I would like to do this annually. Think of it as a Mother's Day treat!

I have featured here the "Slide Bracelet" priced at $62.00 in beautiful Summer colors of Crimson, Strawberry & Bubbles. My favorite way to wear this piece is with one of my "Knotted Dots Bracelets" priced at $148.00. I have it paired with one in the same color story of "Strawberry Fields".

Next I wanted to feature a series of earrings in my most popular designs and range of sized as well as prices. The first pair of earrings are in one of my new colors for Spring & Summer (and will be featured in the April Friday Color Block, along with a new color combination).

Earrings:

Lucky Shoes Earring - Watermelon $38.00. This earring is made up of my handmade & hammered tiny horseshoe and ear wires. The beaded round measures 8mm (.25"). Made up of all oxidized sterling silver parts with a finished length of 1.5".

Bead Dot Coil Earring - Mulberry $38.00. This earring is made up of my hand-coiled stem and finished with my handmade ear wires. The beaded round measures 11mm (7/16" or just shy of .50"). Made up of all oxidized sterling silver parts with a finished length of 2.5"




Pin Dot Earring - Faded Denim $44.00. This earring design was an inspiration. I love the sculptural effect while wearing them! They are all totally hand fabricated and I even named the ear wire "hair pin curl". The beaded round measures 9mm (3/8"). Made from all sterling silver, the finished length on these beauties is 2.75".

Feather Earrings - Chartreuse, Cilantro $74.00. I'm not really good at picking favorites with my designs but, I have to say these are at the top of my list. They are funky, different and definitely make a statement! Fashioned with my handmade ear wires and hammered "feather", two large links suspend dual color beaded rounds, each at 11mm (7/16" or just shy of .50"). I love paring these greens together! Made from all oxidized sterling silver parts, the finished length on these 3".

So, I of course, wanted to also show you a few of my more popular necklaces and in a range of sized and prices. I hope that it gives you the perspective you need on the size of each bead I use with an image close in and one with a little more distance - enjoy!

Necklaces:

Darling Shoe Necklace - Faded Denim $38.00. Similar to the lucky shoes earrings, my handmade & hammered little horseshoe frames a small beaded round. This necklace is actually one step larger than the earrings with the bead measuring 9mm (3/8") and the pendant length of 1" & width of 5/8" (just over .50"). It is made up of all sterling silver parts with the clasp accented with real freshwater pearls. This necklace comes in your choice of length up to 18" at this price.

Sphere Necklace - Ocean $46.00. This design was inspired by the world globes that used to be in every classroom. They rotate on a base and I was alway fascinated by other places and the colors that made up the globe. I know that these are fast becoming obsolete but, I love mine and love to daydream about where I want to go. This delicate wishbone encapsulates one of my beaded rounds of 13mm (.50"). This gives a pendant length of 1.25" and width of 5/8". It is made up of all sterling silver parts with real freshwater pearls accenting the claps. This comes in your choice of length up to 18" at this price.

Beaded Round on Chain 16mm - Sweet Pea $38.00. This is a statement necklace for sure. Beautiful and simple is comes floating on a bead chain. This bead measures 16mm (5/8") across and takes me about 1 hour to weave. Since I do use commercial chain on this that isn't adjustable I only offer it in length so of 16" or 18" for this price. I do have available 20" and 24" at an additional cost, if interested. You can also get this sterling silver chain either bright brush finished or oxidized.

Feather Necklace - City Centre $78.00. Again, it is hard to pick favorites but, much like the earrings of the same name, I LOVE this necklace.. I think it's the gypsy in me. With beautiful beaded round charms in 5 shades, as well as two large links and my handmade "feather" this pendant hangs from dual-textured chain. Made up of all sterling silver parts and the clasp accented with gorgeous freshwater pearls, each beaded round measures 8mm (.25"). I like to wear this necklace long at 18" but, you can get in in any length up to 18" at this price. Of course additional lengths are available for an added cost.

More Squares sneak peek:

I have to say I really do love rounds - but, every now and then I do get a hankerin' for a cube. The squares I make are 11mm (7/16") in size (the same size as the beads on my feather earrings). I love to pair them with the round beads to give a piece interest and non-conformity. These are some of the new designs I have created just for the square shape - and of course, I will make a few with some of my existing desings - but, I do think that these lend more to the cube rather than the sphere - Enjoy!

Square Stem Necklace - Crimson $42.00. A square is slipped onto this hammered bar to give a balance of strength with the delicate nature of the beaded cube. I love to convey a sense of deliberate substance with the chunky silver running through the middle of the woven bead. Then finished with the reflective, delicate beaded chain. All parts are oxidized sterling silver and the chain lengths available at this price are 16" & 18".

Square Drops Earrings - Crimson $45.00. This is a little different than the pendant - instead of the bar running through the bead I have it gently suspended from the end. I wanted the square bead to have a bit of round added to it - so I have the large round headpin at the bottom to attach it to the oxidized silver bar above. These earrings, with my handmade ear wires, measure 2.5" in length - very dramatic in the crimson red.

I will have the Square Stem Necklace available in many of my colors in either a bright brushed finish or in the darkened brushed oxidized. I have a collection of them shown here in the blue shades of: Faded Denim, Ocean, and Peacock.