Bead&Button News and Make Something Beautiful - Day 43

Best news last week: I found out that my chainmaille jacket was juried into the 2010 Bead Dreams Competition in the new Wirework category. I'll be shipping them the 30,000 jump ring, 8-pound piece of clothing some time this week. Considering that the rest of my armor pieces are going to Bead + Fiber for their wearable art show, I'll be chainmaille-deprived for the next couple months. At least my scalemaille piece is almost done.

Anyway, here's the piece I made today. I usually make things out of aluminum, but I wanted to try a golden design today. I quite like it.

Facere pulchrum!

Vanessa

Unique chainmaille jewelry
Handmade jewelry

Make Something Beautiful - Day 36

I am busy making more jewelry for the Spring Show at Architectural Artifacts in Chicago, and I just came up with something that put a smile on my face. What good is a monkey bracelet without a matching pendant?

Facere pulchrum. And come to my show!

Vanessa Walilko

Make Something Beautiful - Day 33

I'm really into long necklaces lately. Here's a red one I put together.

Facere pulchrum,

Vanessa Walilko
Chainmaille jewelry, beaded jewelry, chainmaille armor, beaded armor, beaded sculpture, and art

Make Something Beautiful - Day 32

This is the consummation of an idea that I've had for quite a while. I initially made a bracelet with a bunch of beaded claws and when I hung it up, I had visions of a y-necklace. Here is the realization of that vision:

Hopefully between pricing and making inventory for the show tomorrow, I can squeeze in some experiments with gold leaf.

Facere pulchrum,

Vanessa Walilko

Make Something Beautiful - Day 29

It was a freakishly warm day today. I love the weather, but I really miss Spring and Fall as seasons. One week of 60-degree weather does not a season make.

In any case, since I'm gearing up for a show on Sunday, I thought I make some more Dragon Tail Earrings.

Also, I added a couple hundred stars to the Tiamat dress, truly my most epic project.

I may also be working on a new project. Maybe the eye will tell you something.

Facere pulchrum!

Vanessa Walilko
Chainmaille jewelry, chainmaille clothing, bead embroidery, and beaded art

Make Something Beautiful - Day 26

After making a pink and black chainmaille scales bracelet, the idea for a necklace kept buzzing around my head until I finally made it today.

Vanessa Walilko
Chainmaille scales jewelry, custom chainmaille jewelry, chainmaille fashion, beaded armor and beaded dragon sculptures

Make Something Beautiful - Day 25

I've taken a small break from the Tiamat dress in order to finish up my first scale mail armor piece... which I've been obsessively working on when I wasn't teaching today (even on the train, where a woman named Miriam struck up a conversation with me about it).

In any case, I took a quick break to make some earrings. But I really must get back to work. Obsession calls.

Vanessa Walilko
Chainmaille jewelry, chainmaille scales jewelry, chainmaille fashion, beaded armor, and art

Make Something Beautiful - Day 23

Some pearl earrings... trying to make use of all the supplies I bought years ago. Of course, the project I've been spending time on when I'm not working on the Tiamat dress is a piece of clothing made from black scales. Oh yes, it is epic.

Vanessa Walilko
Eclectic chainmaille jewelry, chainmaille clothing, bead embroidery

Make Something Beautiful - Day 20

Okay, before it's a new day and before I pass out with exhaustion, here's a new bracelet: half-persian 5-in-1.

Vanessa Walilko
Chainmaille clothing, chainmaille scales jewelry, custom chainmaille jewelry, bead embroidery, beaded armor, fashion armor

Make Something Beautiful - Day 19

Aside from working on the Tiamat dress (photo below) and a dragon headpiece (still a ninja-secret project), I also managed to squeeze in work on another piece in the bubble series: a longer version of the necklace. I'm tired from thinking of all these ideas. I think it's time to veg out and watch Highlander (the show is now streaming on Netflix... hooray!).

Facere pulchrum, dear readers!

Vanessa Walilko
Custom chainmaille jewelry, chainmaille scales jewelry, chainmaille fashion, beaded armor, and art

Make Something Beautiful - Day 16

A ring made with anodized aluminum F20s. I love the combination of violet and black.



Vanessa Walilko
Chainmaille jewelry, chainmaille scales, chainmaille fashion

Make Something Beautiful - Day 15

I made another found object necklace. I really like playing with the materials for these, even though I create a huge mess when I make them.



Facere pulchrum.

Vanessa Walilko

Make Something Beautiful - Day 14

Today I wanted to do something a little different. I wanted to make a piece a little outside of my usual aesthetic, and use some materials that have been sitting around (I have a lot of beads and rings sitting around). The result is this necklace, which strikes me as some sort of talisman for a dark goddess. I'll use any excuse to use skull beads.

Many of the components of this piece are used in the Tiamat dress: the onyx talon, the star bead, the seed beads. They are also reminiscent of my skulls and scales chainmaille earrlngs.

Scales come up a lot in my chainmaille jewelry. I love the texture of the scales aside from the noise they make. Now, if only I could sit down and finish the scale body piece I'm working on... That's the goal after the Tiamat dress. Oh, an obsessive's work is never done.

Facere pulchrum.

Vanessa Walilko
Kali Butterfly - Eclectic chainmaille jewelry, unique handmade gifts, chainmaille fashion and art.

Make Something Beautiful - Day 12

I'm an Aquarius. We aren't fans of discipline, unless we're this guy. We're generally the outlaw type.

But I'm trying to keep up with this Make Something Beautiful project. Almost two weeks in! Today's offering is a pink and black scale bracelet. After posting this, I'll get back to work on the Tiamat dress. I also wanted to retake some shots and upload them to Flickr. Of course, I sold some of the pieces, so I might just have to use the old photos. Oh, well!



Vanessa Walilko
Eclectic chainmaille jewelry, chainmaille fashion, and art.

Make Something Beautiful - Day 9

I made a two-strand necklace with lots of scales. For someone who wears black all the time, I really like making colorful jewelry.



Facere pulchrum.

Vanessa Walilko
Eclectic chainmaille jewelry gifts, chainmaille jewelry and art

Make Something Beautiful - Day 8

Today I realized that the most important thing that any artist/bohemian/iconoclast can have is someone who understands why you do what you do. I have that, and I am thankful.

Oh yes, another pair of earrings... although I did work on the Tiamat dress some too. I'll take a photo of that when I'm not busy yawning and typing.



Facere pulchrum, lovelies!

Vanessa

Make Something Beautiful - Day 7

This will have to be quick, as I'll be out all day. Jens Pind 5 Bracelet in red. Oh, how I love red...



Facere pulchrum! The sun is out today! I feel excited!

Vanessa

Edgy, eclectic chainmaille jewelry, unique jewelry gifts, fashion armor, and art.

Make Something Beautiful, Day 5

Is it bad that I have to check my blog to remember what day I'm on? This is supposed to be my special project, shouldn't I remember? Oh well.

While I can't show all the neat things I've been making for Rebeca Mojica's book, I can show this: a custom ring I made with little 4mm cabochons. I really love it.





Okay, now I'm really going to design business cards before going to bed...

Facere pulchrum!
Vanessa Walilko
Edgy, eclectic chainmaille jewelry, chainmaille clothing and custom jewelry

Make Something Beautiful - Day 4

I'll post the story behind this piece tomorrow, once everything has been sorted out, but in the mean time, here's the ring I made today--fine silver wire holding a 4mm carnelian cabochon in place. I really love the warmth of this stone.



Facere pulchrum.

Vanessa Walilko
Edgy chainmaille jewelry, custom jewelry, fashion and art

Make Something Beautiful - Day 3

I taught a really wonderful class at Briolette Beads in Forest Park. And I taught my favorite weave: European 4-in-1. (After weaving together over 45,000 jump rings to make a chainmaille shrug and chainmaille jacket the weave becomes your favorite by default, really.)

Of course, I'm still thinking about the Make Something Beautiful pledge I've made to myself, which is now also a daily blogging pledge, so I made a pair of earrings. Can you tell from the bright colors that I really want winter to be over? The colors remind me of an Arizona sunset.



In the spirit of Facere Pulchrum, I think I'm going to put some of my craft stuff away. I will have a house guest in a few days--she doesn't need to be stepping on open jump rings and pins.

Vanessa Walilko
Eclectic Chainmaille Jewelry Designs, Chainmaille Fashion and Art