A Cuff Reminiscent of the 19th Century

Bead Embroidery as an art form can tell the story of a Greek Goddess or a contemporary diva... by starting with a blank slate and allowing your soul the space to create, each piece is unique and something truly special.

Lady Lilith Beaded Art Cuff

This cuff speaks to an elegant woman, someone who loves fine pieces and wears them well.  The filigree band just speaks to me, with is delicate cut outs and flower designs, it's almost like wearing lace on your wrist! 

The focal is loaded with sparkle!  Using Swarovski Crystal as the centerpiece and surrounding it with even more Swarovski crystals, this OOAK piece of wearable art brings out rich tones of eggplant, peridot, turquoise and topaz in a myriad of iridescent rainbow finishes.

Available for Purchase - Email Dawn@DesignsbyDawnMarie.com

When invited to a ball, dress like royalty!  This piece is the perfect marriage of the romantic, Victorian style with modern bead artistry!

Sequins are a Girl's OTHER Best Friend

I'm not going to diss diamonds in any way, shape or form because let's face it... they sparkle and they rock!  BUT sequins, they too sparkle and what I've found out is that they really can bring a pop of wow into a design instantly!

Welcome to the reveal for the Sequintastic September blog hop.  Our challenge as set forth by Sarah Sequin herself was to use sequins in a design.  For those of us that have never used sequins before this was a great adventure in exploration!

I created a bead embroidered cuff bracelet featuring a vintage glass button as a focal.  I loved the silver metallic and it played so well with my silver sequins!  The sequins I chose to use as accents in an asymmetrical yet balanced design.  The cuff is beaded starting with a black color palette in the center, then variegating out to greys using marble (the rectangle beads) and finally the very ends are white.  I actually used a clear AB sequin and cut it to line up perfectly with the beading for the final finishing touch!

I've used a fun button as a clasp with a sparkly crystal in the center!  I've had a blast wearing the cuff as it just keeps catching the light and turning heads every time I wear it!  If you'd like a cuff bracelet made just for you, contact me and let's have a discussion about what you're looking for! Each piece I make is one of a kind and made true to the personality of the person that will be wearing it!

So let's keep the party rolling!  Today is National Coffee Day - which is so fitting as I'm celebrating the anniversary of my entrance onto this planet!  How appropriate is that?  Here's to festive parties, cake and lots of sequins!



Please take a moment to stop by and visit Sarah Sequin and these other great sequin artists to see where the inspiration took them!  Sarah, your organization of this event was exceptional.  I had a blast and I'm sure lots of other designers did as well! Thank YOU for putting it together! Have a fantastic day!
{Hugs!}
Dawn

Participants!!!!

Host: Sarah... http://saturdaysequins.com

Dita... http://alankarshilpa.blogspot.com
Ambra... http://chicandfrog.wordpress.com
Audrey... http://hotpinkquilts.blogspot.com
Stacy... http://iridalsattic.blogspot.co.uk
Karen W...  http://baublicious.blogspot.com
Lori...  http://www.prettythingsblog.com
Lisa... http://lisabinkley.typepad.com
Carmi... http://resincrafts.blogspot.com

Dawn Marie...  http://designsbydawnmarie.blogspot.com <-- YOU ARE HERE

Jeannie... http://site.jkdjewelry.com/blog
Shirlee... http://www.shirleestuff.blogspot.com
Linda... http://www.lilysofthevalleyjewerly.blogspot.com
Corrine... http://www.sparkledaysstudio.com
Gutukas... http://atradimutakeliais.blogspot.com
Shannon... http://uptwnsh-fallingintothesky.blogspot.com
Mallory... http://rosebud101-fortheloveofbeads.blogspot.com
Cyndi... http://www.beading-arts.com
Maneki... http://wildrosesandblackberries.blogspot.com
Maryanne... http://zingalasworkshop.blogspot.com
Ine... http://jewelsbyine.blogspot.com
Karen... http://www.overthemoon-design.com
Kepi... http://kepirasmussen.blogspot.com
Jennifer... http://jenniferstumpf.blogspot.com
Misty...  http://thejollyfatelf.blogspot.com
Dot... http://speediebeadie.blogspot.com
Hope... http://craftyhope.blogspot.com
Cynthia... http://antiquitytravelers.blogspot.com
Micheladas... http://www.micheladasmusings.blogspot.com
Shirley...  http://www.beadsandbread.blogspot.com
Karla... http://texaspepperjams.blogspot.com
Eleanor... http://eleanorpigman.blogspot.com
Therese... http://theresestreasures59.blogspot.com
Rita... http://www.toltecjewels.blogspot.com
Robyn... http://rcponders.wordpress.com
Stepha... http://skwds.blogspot.com
Sue... http://suebeads.blogspot.com
Cate... http://fulgorine.wordpress.com
Amy... http://Loraamyjames.com

For Sapphire Lovers - Sparkly Dangle Earrings

Are you a September Baby - or are you just classy enough to love sapphires?

As I'm walking through stores this summer, I've been looking at color trends.  Two distinct trends keep popping up... there's a shade of mango that seems to be everywhere from throw pillows, to patio place settings to clothing and accessories!

The other color that is all over the places is that rich shade of cobalt or sapphire blue!  I know we've seen red, white & blue color palettes in place every summer as people love the marine theme.  But this year cobalt blue has taken center stage all on it's own.

When my sister picked cobalt blue and silver as her wedding colors for a June wedding I thought "What??? A jewel tone in the summer???"  Then as the wedding got closer, I started seeing cobalt blue everywhere.  It's a bright pop of bold among the tradition summery orange, turquoise and lime shades.

To bring in that touch of sapphire as an accessory I created these artisan beaded earrings, Don't Cry for September.  Each earring features a genuine paua shell in the center surrounded by sparkly crystals and tiny seed beads. There's something so magical about looking at the iridescent lining of a shell.  These Paua shells are no different.  They display vivid shades of blue transitioning to green and grey even.  Depending on the lighting you'll see that magical rainbow dancing in the middle of these earrings. Dangling off the bottom of the earring is a beautiful glass teardrop in a sapphire shade. 

These earrings aren't just for September babies (like myself) but for anybody that loves that elegant shade of cobalt blue.  The earwires are an antique silver creating a vintage inspired, chic design.

One-of-a-Kind Artisan Earrings Created by Lake Geneva, WI Jewelry Artisan

Don't Cry for September

These are truly one-of-a-kind for the woman that likes to be fashionable and still have flexibility in her accessories!  If you are interested, use the Buy it Now button above or e-mail me dawn@designsbydawnmarie.com and I would be happy to arrange delivery of these beautiful earrings to your home.

Each piece of custom jewelry I create is special and comes from my heart.  If you would like to have a piece of custom artisan jewelry designed just for you, contact me.  I'd be happy to collaborate on your vision and turn it into a piece of artisan jewelry you can pass down to your future heirs.

Have a fabulous day!
{Hugs!}
Dawn

Hot Sets - yes, with a T

I love a good hot set... of jewelry.  Holy cow, slow down your reading, I know what you were thinking. :o)  Because I have a gremlin in my brain.  There, I admitted it. 

My gremlin tells me when I finish a necklace, "Don't you want earrings to go with that."  And of course my inner soul is all "matchy, matchy Dawn."  So really, there was no choice left but to make earring to go with the Eternal Growth bead embroidered necklace I showcased last week. 

Earrings Designed with 15/0 Miyuki and Delica Seed Beads

I wanted the earrings to be more simplified, allowing the necklace to be the star of the show.  Since the necklace has such a beautiful focal and all that wild and crazy fringe, I made the earrings less of a show stopper and more of a supporting actress style.

I used the Tropical Berry Nicole's Bead Backing again, and this time, I created a tear drop shape allowing the bead backing to show through.  It's the perfect compliment to the beadwork, so it was a great opportunity to let my colors show - literally! 

Originally, I was going to hang them the other way from the ear wires, so the larger part was on top and it tapered down.  But to me, it just didn't look right... so upside down they went and I think they have a much better flow.  No fringe... although I did fight with my inner goddess urge to make them dance with a wild and crazy fringe.  I had to tame her down reminding her these are supporting actresses for the main show... the necklace.

Turquoise colored focal bead is 8mm

Hope you like!  Hope you check out Nicole's Bead Backing too because it's really just the best!  No dye, no mess and LOTS of colors!  When in doubt, I love her Dove Grey which really lets the beadwork pop, but it doesn't contrast like stark white LSS does when it peeks through!  If you've never done bead embroidery before, Nicole also has authored a book called "Flatwork Beading Techniques from old to new Elegance in Tradition."  You can scoop that up in her store too!

Have a fantastic day! 
{Hugs!}
Dawn

The First Snow - Entry for Etsy Bead Embroidy Guild December Challenge

Winter Wonderland Etsy Bead Embroidery Guild Challenge

My oh my what a busy month December is!  As part of the Esty Bead Embroidery Guild, we were posted with the challenge to create a piece inspired by the theme, Winter Wonderland.  

To me, winter speaks of simplicity, elegance and a monotone color palette.  There are shades of silver and white dancing in snowflakes and sticking to tree branches.  But when you look at a landscape as a whole, it's blends together in a monochromatic picture.

I created a necklace that offers the same simple elegance!  I call this bead embroidered necklace "The First Snow."  The pendant features a sparkly Swarovski flat-back crystal.  It's sparkle is completely reminscent of the "diamonds" that sparkle on the first snow of the season.  You know when you first look out the window before the dogs go out or the kids tromp through the beautiful, fluffy white snowy carpet.  Those little snowflakes that capture the light and sparkle like diamonds.

The First Snow - Click to enlarge photos

I kept the necklace simple to really allow the pendant to be the star of the show.  Classic pearls and fire-polished crystals bring in the hues of white and silver with that touch of sparkle.  I hope you can see my interpretation of a Winter Wonderland.  This piece was custom designed for a Christmas gift and the recipient was delighted to have such a special creation.

To check out the rest of my fellow artisans on the Bead Embroidery Guild, visit their website or check out the fan page on Facebook!
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Dawn Doucette is a jewelry artisan that creates one-of-a-kind beaded jewelry out of her studio in Southeastern Wisconsin.  Dawn really loves bringing personality into each of her designs.  To see other work created by Designs by Dawn Marie, check out her website:  http://www.DesignsbyDawnMarie.com or visit her Etsy Store:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/DesignsByDawnMD. 

Taking YOU on a Vacation with this Beaded Brooch

Yes, as Matt Lauer is taking us all around the world on the Today Show, playing Where in the World is Matt Lauer, I created a piece that is definitely inspired by somewhere other than the land of brats and cheese.  LOL

I created this beaded brooch at the beginning of last week.  I have no idea where the inspiration came from, but I love the tropical yet native feel.  I purchased a set of 4 of these clay "bricks" because they were pretty.  I had no idea what I would make, but they just looked like little treasures. 

So after making the Hope beaded brooch as a custom order, I had brooches on the brain.  I saw these beads again and thought "Ah ha!" Because of all the colors in one bead, creating a brooch would be perfect!

I'll be putting this brooch in my online store tomorrow.  If you would like it for yourself or to give as a gift for X-mas to someone special, I'll give you first dibs.  For my blog followers, the beaded brooch is $40.  E-mail me at dawn {AT} designsbydawnmarie {DOT} com and we can chat! 

Hope you feel the inspiration I felt creating this piece.  It's a real color play for the eyes!  As it's raining hammer, nails & pitchforks here for the second day in a row, I'll just look at all the pretty colors in this beaded brooch and pretend I'm on a beach in the Carribbean!  Bring on the umbrella drinks!

{Hugs!}
~Dawn

Starry, Starry Night

Starry, Starry Night

I'm so excited to share the photos of this special necklace with you.  I made it as a gift for my sister Amy for her birthday.  Even though her birthday isn't for another week, we celebrated her birthday and my Dad's birthday yesterday at a wonderful family BBQ.  We missed my baby sister and her family as she was working. :( 

For Amy's birthday I wanted to give her something really special.  Something she couldn't just go to the store and buy.... or she would consider frivolous and not spend the money on for herself.  She's so generous with others and when it comes to spending money on things for herself, she's very economical.

When I set out to make Amy's birthday present, I knew I wanted it to be in the blue family.  Amy just loves that deep, rich blue.  And I might add, with her fair skin, red hair and the only blue eyes of my siblings, it's a great color on her!  So I brought her personality along with her personal tastes into this bead embroidered necklace.

I'm calling this piece Starry, Starry Night because once it was finished that's exactly what it reminded me of.  The deep blue glass center surrounded by vitrail FP Czech Glass rounds looked like stars in the sky.  In the chain I used some gunmetal and frosted sapphire Toho seed beads, Black diamond & sapphire swarovski crystals and a gunmetal chain to tie it all together.  The bead embroidered pendant was again stitched on Nicole's BeadBacking in grey... which was perfect with the vitrail beads.

I matching pair of earrings using sapphire & crystal rondelles & bicones.  For a fun factor, I used my jig and created at little twisty turvy curly loopy headpin, which made Amy (another curly girl) smile.

Amy loved it.  I cried tears of happiness (I know, I'm such a sap) and it was a great day for everybody.  Hope your birthday is absolutely wonderful next week Amers!  Love you lots!

xoxo,
Your Big Sis

Wait Monday Don't Lose me...

I can't believe we're headed into the evening already.  My Monday has been NUTS... wait, back up... the last 3 days have been nuts.  But heck, I should be used to nuts and since I have a hankerin' for caramel cashew ice cream... I'll roll with the nuts.

Suffice it to say, Open House transition to going for coffee, coming home with a puppy and today has been adjustment day... wait, did I just say went for coffee came home with puppy?

No wonder I'm nuts!  Yes... and I'll tell you how serendipical that story is another day, but first, I have to share a piece I made that I myself am still drooling over.

Curly Girl by Designs by Dawn Marie

I call her Curly Girl.  I love purple... like almost as much as ice cream... somedays maybe more, just depends on if the bathroom scale is broken or not.  Broken = ICE CREAM bliss.  But purple speaks to me and has my entire life.  Pair it with a rich, coppery bronze... mmmmmm, now that leads to drool.

The idea for this necklace came from a set of beads I got from my favorite lampwork artist - JulsBeads.  I saw them the day she posted and said GIMMEEEEEEE, I couldn't log into paypal fast enough.  They were just shouting my name.  So they alone are each incredible works of art.  They are cylindrical in shape and surrounded with a coil of raised glass creating to me what looks like a curl... like my curls.

So once I had them in my hands, all the rest of the beads had a big 'ole party and made one heck of a piece.  I have to say, it turned out just how I hoped it would.  It will be in my Etsy store tomorrow (or later) it just depends when the puppy is napping.

I hope you enjoy Curly Girl as much as I do.  She's a looker that girl. :)  Thanks Juls for always making really, really special glass beads.  Honestly, your pieces make me smile just looking at them!

FYI, I'm also working on another Facebook Friday post for this week.  It's really, really an important tip that you will definitely want to read if you are on facebook at all (not just for your business, but personal too).  So stay tuned... okay, I must dash!

Thanks for checking in and hope your week is wonderful!
{Hugs!}

What do you think of when I say Soft and Wispy?

If you said Ferns, then ding.ding.ding you win! I found a great pendant on Artbeads.com a while back. It's a beautiful hand-painted pendant that features soft, wispy ferns in blues, greens and a touch of black for contrast! I saw it and immediately my mind started working on how I could use it in one of my designs.

Because the pendant is in itself so beautiful, I didn't want to make the necklace over powering. So I opted to string it on two strands of ribbon that pull out the green naturally of ferns and the black, to make this piece match any outfit.

I added a few silver beads to the ribbon to give it a bit of shimmer and really make the piece have a voice of it's own! I'll be taking this piece to an Open House tomorrow which will be the first time it is available to the public! Fern just might find a new home then! If not, I'll put her up in my Etsy Store early next week.

Hope your weekend is wonderful!

Yuppers, this made me cry!

Over the last several weeks, I embarked on a bead embroidery piece for a very dear friend.  Kathy has had me custom design several sets for her in the past, but this set of jewelry was to be over the top - supremely special - the belle of the ball... get my drift! 

Kathy is attending a very special charity dinner where the attendees are all very well known people.  I had blogged about it here if you're new to "Dawn's World."  No worries I'll give you a moment to learn about what the charity is.

Having so many ideas racing through my mind, and wanting to deliver on Kathy's desire to have an awesome necklace that features that "IT pink" that has been named most popular for this spring, I played with a few different color pallets. 

After much deliberation (you should have heard the voices in my head.) and on more than one occasion at 3:15 a.m.,  brilliant ideas shot me straight out of bed.  Finally, I opted to go with a WOW pink and multiple shades of pewter!  In my opinion black was going to be too big of a contrast, and would try to over power the pink.  So I chose different colors, finishes and textures of pewter & grey and prepared the piece of Kathy's dreams.

What struck me as I was working on this necklace was my inner peace.  I started with a blank slate (I drew nothing out on paper) and just beaded as my heart desired.  The colors just flowed into each other like the blending of frosting and food coloring.  When it was finished, I stepped back and looked at the piece through new eyes.  This was the most striking necklace I have ever made.  I love big bling, so designing with Swarovski montees and crystals were something out of a dream.  Kathy had given me instructions to do whatever my heart and the beads want to do... so I did.

For me, this necklace symbolized a milestone.  It was a much bigger stretch than I've ever allowed myself to reach for.  But the reward in seeing my very own heart & soul laid out in beads for Kathy to wear was amazing.  I feel like this was my caterpillar moment!  I've come out of my little chrysalis and become a bright, colorful, graceful butterfly! 

I'm working on a few more pieces as we speak, and have a great open house planned for this Sunday with another very dear friend, Elaine.  Also, I've had an offer to debut my bead embroidery jewelry at an evening gala at a local boutique.  So that's in the works for the end of April.  In the meantime, I will continue to learn, grow and discover a creative ME that I never knew was in there just 10 years ago!  Seriously, I thought I'd major in accounting... what was I thinking?

Let your dreams take flight... the scenery will be beautiful and you just don't know where you'll land! 
{Hugs!}
Dawn

I'd like to buy a photo for this post.

Sorry, I don't have one... YET!  I'm working on a custom order this weekend and over the next several days.  I'm combining Swarovski Crystals with bead embroidery!  Let me tell you, this is going to be the knockout piece of the year!  I just hope when I'm done with it, I can get the sunlight to play well with my camera so I can get a good photo. 

This piece is being custom designed for a friend going to a grand gala!  It's a VIP Red Carpet charity dinner to celebrate a birthday!  The charity is the UnStoppable Foundation!  The woman hosting the event has such a HUGE heart, so it's an honor to be creating a one of a kind design just for this event!

Stay tuned for pictures & progress!
Have a FANTASTIC weekend!

Cotton Candy and Circus Peanuts

Muse: \ˈmyüz\ 1.  the source of an artist's inspiration.  2.  A state of deep thought or dreamy abstraction.

What's your Muse?

For the most part, my muse in my designs is happy things.  Things that make me feel like a kid or things that make me giggle.  My muse often stems from love and the feeling of abundance.  As of late, I've really been addicted to enjoying creating special pieces of jewelry with seed beads.  Bead Embroidery has been an artform I've oogled at online for a long time.  LONG time (like before I even dreamed of designing my own jewelry.)  So now that I'm learning and creating my own pieces I'm constantly feeling bubbly at what my two hands create.  It's almost like having an out of body experience when I see the finished product.

Recently I was inspired by the sound of a calliope that was on a commerical in the background.  That sound made me think of a wonderful experience as a child going to the circus with my family.  I instantly started seeing pink & orange... which also left me feeling very happy.  So I sorted through my stash and just started "playing" with colors & textures.  I created a necklace called "Cotton Candy & Circus Peanuts."  Take a peek this fun piece and a few more in the new youtube video I just uploaded! 

I've been having so much fun!

If you're looking for inspiration or to learn more about bead embroidery jewelry - this is the book that was my "Ah Ha" moment!