Live To Design

This bracelet was created using an Art Mechanique Bezel Bracelet and decorated with ICED Enamels®, ICE Resin®, and some of my mother’s  beads and charms.

“Rita”

My mother’s name was Rita. To many she was known as Aunt Rita. She was a  friend and confidant to me and my sisters as well as our friends.

Her favorite stone was amethyst, she loved big amethyst rings – the bigger the stone the better! She collected crosses and had one wall of her house dedicated to large ornate crosses – I gave her one every Christmas after she started the wall.

Every year my dad would give her a pair of gold heart stud earrings for Christmas. I have used two of her gold studs in this bracelet.

When I was younger, she bought me an add-a-bead gold neck chain and each year would purchase a few gold beads to go on it. Her plan was for me to eventually have a long gold bead necklace. I can’t remember when she stopped buying them or what happened to the chain but I have 40 beads, one of these is also incorporated in this bracelet.

I wish my mom was still here to see all of my jewelry creations! She would be so pleased!

Rita

Materials:

ICE RESIN®
ICED Enamels® – Ivory Relique IE-SLK1005-Ivory
ICED Enamels® Medium IE-medium
ICED Enamels® Relique Glitz Powders: Gold IE-sparklep
*Art Mechanique Bezel Bracelet
Brass headpins
Brass jumprings
2 amethyst cabochons
Gold heart earring studs
cross charm
8mm gold bead
amethyst chips
Gilders paste, gold
vintage beads and dangles

All of the beads other than the amethyst cabochons, are pieces from my mother’s old jewelry.

Technique:

My cross charm was silver so I rubbed on some gold gilders paste, let dry and buffed with a cloth. Cut posts off earring studs. Paint a thin layer of ICED Enamels® medium onto the blanks. Sprinkle with Ivory Relique powder and Gold Relique glitz powder. Heat with craft gun until bubbles. Prepare ICE Resin® and pour a thin layer of resin into each bezel. Place heart charms and amethyst cabochons into desired bezels. Set aside to dry overnight.

String desired beads onto headpins, finish with wrapped loops. Connect beaded dangles to bracelet using jumprings.

*Art Mechanique Bezel Bracelets are available for you to fill and embellish with your own creativity now at the ICE Resin booths (901 and 903) at the Bead and Button Show in Milwaukee at the Delta Center, June 6-9, 2013.

Be sure to check the Ice Queen E-Zine to see all of the Creative Team members’ designs!

I really enjoyed designing this special bracelet and plan to pass it down as a family heirloom.