Busy with Bracelets!

Happy Spring, everyone!

Are you enjoying the weather lately? We have had unseasonably warm temperatures here in southeast Michigan with a couple of gorgeous weeks in the 70s and 80s. It's back to closer-to-normal today with some rain and temps in the 60s. Very pleasant, actually, especially now that it is officially SPRING!

I absolutely love spring. It is my favorite season. All of the new growth of plants and the world waking up after winter (what there was of it this year, anyway!) Obviously, with an interest in botanical art and illustration, I love seeing the trees bud and flowers bloom. So much material and inspiration!

I am working on the second trillium drawing - the one with the open bud - but just barely started, so no photos yet. 

However, I have been working on more bracelets for my Etsy shop and have completed quite a few. I am also excited to report that I have had 3 more sales! Thanks to all of my customers who have purchased so far. I hope that some of my new items will catch some attention now that we are heading into the short-sleeve time of year!

Some of my most recent creations are listed below. If you want to see more photos, click on the item to get to my Etsy shop and further details!

Dumortierite Single Wrap

 
With a gorgeous silver-colored leaf motif 
button closure.

Dumortierite Macrame

 

Simple and elegant in dark navy s-lon thread. 

Safari Jasper Double Wrap

More great earth tones in this beautifully patterned jasper.

Red Flake Jasper Single Wrap

 

This deep, fiery stone paired wonderfully with dark red leather and an antiqued gold button.

 Rhodonite Triple Wrap

This one was just posted today and uses one of the new buttons I just acquired in my stash. I have many more interesting buttons, so stay tuned for new bracelets!

A little bit of spring

Happy almost-spring! I bought some beautiful tulips at the store and had to draw one. The bright red and yellow colors are just so cheerful. This is pen and ink and colored pencil. I'd like to do a more careful study sometime, but for now, this quick rendering will do just fine.
 
UPDATE (Dec. 2010): I have added this illustration to my Zazzle shop. Take a look at the beautiful sterling silver necklace, card, coaster, magnet, or tote bag featuring this illustration. Come by the shop to see more!

Hoping for spring! Daffodils

In the spirit of anticipating spring, I wanted to post this sketch I did last April. I can't wait for my tulips and daffodils out front to start blooming this year. I hope to do a lot more sketches like this to capture the variety of shapes and colors that we have in our little flower bed.

For this drawing, I especially like trying to render the papery, brownish-gray membrane that covers the bud. The colored pencil on the stem seems a bit dull to me, but I think it was a combination of the paper I used and layering it on top of graphite. I think I'd like to play around with pen and ink and colored pencil like I did with the seed pods I posted a few months ago.