Seductive

© Sybille Sterk
Do not copy or publish this in any way, shape or form without my written permission.

Another image in my Seduction series. This time I went for an elegant pinup look.

All images/textures/brushes my own or bought. Edited with Photoshop.

All my images are available on Redbubble, Artflakes, Society6 and Bluecanvas as prints, cards, posters, skins for laptops, Blackberry, iPhones and other phones (for the skins go to Bluecanvas). You can now also get most of my images on cushion covers (go to Society6 for these).

 

Sweetheart Necklace

For a while now I had this idea going round in my head of a long necklace in greens and blues, but when the green/blue yarn arrived for the Where the Land Meets the Sea shawl, it suddenly all became clear:

The necklace isn't quite as long as it looks on this bust (the bust is only about 3/4 of a REAL person). However, it is quite long and can be wrapped around twice.

I raided my drawers for all sorts of beads, chains and charms that I thought would work well together and there are:

• vintage beads and beadcaps,: lucite, glass, enamelled, copper, brass and gunmetal
  
• new beads (glass, resin and fabric)
• recycled glass beads from Ghana and new glass pearls and hollow glass beads
• vintage and new chain in black, enamelled blue, copper and brass
• vintage and new charms in brass, copper and pewter.

I love the colours and I like the fact that I've combined various metals so I can wear bracelets in the various metals with it rather than having to stick to one metal. The recycled glass has wonderful bumps and inclusions, the vintage has a lovely patina and all in all the necklace celebrates variety.

... and this one's all mine. LOL

However, if you'd like a similar sweetheart necklace with the sweetheart charm and different colours, let me know. I am happy to make another. Indeed, I might make another one anyway. LOL

Sneak Preview - Mermaid Shawl

I've been labouring on the patio in the shade on my mermaid shawl. Here's a quick preview of what I've done so far.


There are still loads of unfinished threads and many more rows of knitting, crochet, many more stitches to embroider, a lot more assembling, and general agonising over what to do next....

However, here are some of the details:

Seaweed fringe at the bottom

Webbing


Little Shell


Spiral Disk Sequins

Shell Sequins


Snail


Anemone


I've used a whole range of yarns in a myriad of shades- from a silvery white to dark blue to every shade of turquoise and teal. The textures range from fluffy kid silk mohair to feathery to silky to glittery to sparkly. Some of the shapes are done separately and then attached to the shawl, others are knitted or crocheted onto the main body of the shawl. Some parts have been embroidered, to others I have added sequins. There are pearls and beads yet to come.

At the moment the shawl is only about a fifth of it's final length... so a lot more to go.

Spring is in the Air - More Flowers

Over the weekend I spent some time preparing more flower petals with a new template. The new template adds more detail -and makes the finished flowers look even more like rose or even a peony.


In addition to that I've started to add different materials to the original 'pure organza' designs: taffeta (red, brown and dark teal) and lurex tulle, vintage and new ribbons, marabou and guinea fowl feathers. The guinea fowl feathers come all the way from France where they're collected from a neighbour. Check out the little beadhive on Etsy. My feathers arrived within 4 days and they're the prettiest I could find, especially as these feathers have different spot patterns, some are small, some are larger, some almost look like polka dots.


I made 3 hair barrettes and one brooch (the red/pink flower - 2nd from the top). Details for each flower are below.



Cherries and Chocolate Fascinator

Almost a Black Forest gateau! :-)

This is more of a fascinator than a simple hair clip. Perfect for a night out or even instead of a hat at a wedding. The barrette the flower sits on is quite small (6cm) so the fascinator will work even in fairly short hair.

I've used organza in a soft dark chocolate brown and a cherry/burgundy red. The tulle is black and I've also used gorgeous dark brown taffeta that has a silky sheen.


The feathers are the lovely, gorgeous, fluffy and soft guinea fowl feathers from the little beadhive and a burgundy red marabou feather.


I've used some teeny guinea fowl feathers in the centre of the flower together with a shiny black button and black/bronze Miyuki beads.


Dragonfly Blues Hair Barrette

This is so pretty and lovely - the picture doesn't do it justice. The colours are vibrant and shimmery and really look like a dragonfly's wings.

I've used organza in turquoise, taffeta in a gorgeous shimmery teal, tulle in pale mint, mid blue and lurex blue.

In the centre of the flowe is a shiny square mirror button with Miyuki beads in watery green and teal blue.



Lemon Sorbet Ribbon Hair Barrette

This would make the perfect accessory for a bride or a bridesmaid. The colours are light and reminiscent of Spring with their pale yellows, creams and green.


This flower has been made with organza in antique gold, and pale cream. The tulle is cream and a pale mint green.


There's a shimmery flower button in the centre adorned with some creamy pearlescent and watery green Miyuki drop beads.


The ribbons cover the hair barrette underneath the flower. I've used a vintage lace ribbon that I've 'aged' even more with some coffee and a pale green organza ribbon. The ends of the ribbons are weighted down with freshwater pearls and more of the Miyuki beads I've used in the centre.



Raspberry Peony Brooch

I've always had a thing about the combination of red and pink. If mixed right the two work really well together, but the shades have to be exactly right or the whole thing looks garish. It's perpetually difficult to take pictures of anything that's bright red. It seems to reflect light very differently from other colours... My best efforts are below.



I've used red taffeta, organza in wine and pink, tulle in pink, red, and burgundy red. In the centre of the flower is a bright red button embellished with red Magatama beads.


The flower brooch is to go with my new Pseuda Shibori shawl from Laura Irwin's book 'Boutique Knits'. I'd highly recommend it for lovely and interesting patterns.

The hair barrettes/fascinator will all be available from my Etsy shop.

The last of 2007

Here's some jewellery I prepared earlier. ;-)

Blackberry Heaven

The first creation is a bracelet made of memory wire, silver plated curved beads, little round spacer beads and vintage blackberry AB beads. These are absolutely wonderful. They are black with a gorgeous AB coating. The bracelet is very light and there's nothing like this out there.



Circles within Circles

This is one of mine. :-) I love circles and used all the rings I had in my secret stash to make this. There are vintage flat rings, round rings that are either plain, hammered or patterned of different sizes, and a single oval ring, but all are connected with oval jump rings that have been soldered by a little pixie I know. To finish it off I've used my favourite 'Chanel' toggle clasp and I added a little tail to the back of the necklace with another set of rings attached.


Bracelets

Oyster Cult

I got myself some gorgeous pearls and had to make something with them. The colouring of the large pearls used in the bracelet below reminded me of oysters. I have teemed them up with smaller copper coloured pearls, old rose gold and green Givre daggers and beads, little faceted pale green round beads and Magatama drops. The bracelet has a lovely fluid feel and look to it that is organic and sparkly at the same time.

Early Autumn

This bracelet combines all the colours of early Autumn - from pale golds to greens to ambers and reds. I have used small green and chocolate brown freshwater pearls, deep red carnelian drops, golden shimmery amber, and Magatama drops in pale frosted amber and translucent gold.



Roses are Red (or sometimes white)

The following bracelet reminds me of a brother Grimm story called 'Snow-White and Rose-Red', which I read as a child. I've used a vintage chain with modern findings, pearlescent Magatama drops interspersed with ruby red Swarovski bicones. I love the slightly spiky look the bracelet has, although, trust me it doesn't feel like it. :-)


Honey Dew

The colours of the next bracelet are very soft and it looks almost edible. I've used Citrine, mother of pearl (round beads and chips), white jade (round beads and chips), honey coloured jade and topaz chips with glass pearls and deep chocolate brown Magatama drops.



Red Clusters

The next bracelet is a very different design from the others. I've used connectors made with deep ruby red Swarovski beads and copper bead caps to link clusters of beads (Magatama drops, tear drop beads, frosted and crackled round beads in shades of red that have been strung on bits of copper chain). A lovely coppery flower charm finishes off the design.



Starshine

This bracelet is mine. I made it for selling but found when I got ready for a Christmas party that I needed something to go with my gorgeous vintage butterfly necklace. This was the perfect match. I have used icy heart and star charms on bronze chain with pearlescent Magatama drops in creamy and stark white and very, very pale green.




Snow and Ice

Here's another white creation. I have used a mix of silver grey Keishi and small nugget freshwater pearls in grey and larger ones in white, white carved bone beads, and Matagama drops in pearlescent white and very, very pale green. I love the icy look and shimmer of the bracelet on the silver plated chain which is finished with a little snowflake charm.




Chocolate and Blueberries

Another 'yummy' creation. I've used shell beads in blue and dark chocolate brown, mixed them with dark amber and blue crackle beads and chocolate brown freshwater pearls and daggers in metallic brown and peacock blue. Frosted intense blue Magatama drops finish it off and give it an organic feel.

Wire (Crochet) and Sea Glass
And finally, here are some more of my sea glass creations. There are more to come. I've made some more this year which will be in a new blog entry.

By the Sea
I love this necklace, it's so special. Very heavy, too. I've used an oval frosted stone found by the seaside (see the upcoming 'Trips in 2007' blog entry) in Southwold, a piece of sea glass (probably found by Alison somewhere on the beach in Nice, and a gorgeous rock quartz nugget (very large) all encased in antique gold wire crochet. The chain is vintage brass and the 'pendant' was finished off with Magatama drops in cream and white, white jade and carved bone beads, and glass pearls. The clasp is particularly pretty with lovely little swirls.


Sea Bed
Another sea glass creation, this time with a large piece in pale green, wire encased and embellished with (real) amber, chalcedony and sapphire nuggets, with a pale blue glass pearl, Miyuki delicas, and an Art glass bead thrown in for good measure.