Trend Alert: Chan Luu Style Wraparound Bracelets

I'm seeing these double-wrap bracelets everywhere and decided to make some up and see how they look on the wrist.

Well, I LOVE them!  Of course I've now purchased 15 different colours of cording to coordinate with the beads I'm using, and I'm making lampwork bead toggle closures for them.  So much fun to make!  The beads need to have large enough holes to accommodate at least two passes of the C-Lon cord, plus the needle eye...so gemstones don't work as the drilled holes are too small.

Here are some that I've done recently...

 Natural Wood & Leather Chan Luu Inspired Wrap Bracelet with Lampwork Bead Closure

Caramel & Copper Chan Luu Inspired Wrap Bracelet with Floral Lampwork Bead Closure

The added bonus is that they work out to be about 15 1/2" in length for two wraps of the wrist...so they can be worn as a choker-style necklace too!!  I love this look.

Kumihimo...The Japanese Art of Braiding

I've always been fascinated by braiding and plaiting.  Recently I discovered kumihimo...the Japanese art of braiding.  Long ago, samurai warriors would use this technique with silk cord to braid armour to protect themselves in battle.

The addition of beads to the braid is challenging but the end result is lovely.  I've been using up my seedbead stash with some kumihimo bracelets and coordinating them with some of my handmade lampwork beads.

Here are a couple of examples:

 Amber Lampwork Kumihimo Bracelet

Turquoise & Orange Kumihimo Bracelet

 

I'm looking forward to making more of these...the braiding is quite a meditative activity and nice to do after a long day at work.  I have a Celadon Green and black double-wrap bracelet I'm working on right now...it's coming along nicely.

 

If you have any questions about kumihimo or have a request for a custom order, please contact me.

Trip to the Galapagos Islands

What an amazing trip we just returned from...Peru, Ecuador, and the Galapagos Islands (they're part of Ecuador).  It's hard to imagine that such a pristine place still exists on the face of our planet Earth, but it does.

Here are some of the 2500 pictures we took on our trip...