Maker Monday: My Evolve Collection

I had the fortune of having my husband take the kids out of town for the weekend so that I could work. I'm gearing up for my November 16, Holiday Open House. I've been working daily making pieces to be ready. I've gotten better at working with interruption. I can sit next to Leo on the floor and make hoops or ear wires, but I've found that I can't get into my creative idea generating space with constant interruption. So this weekend I had the pleasure of working hours on end and really playing with color, texture, inspiration... It was great! This weekend I worked on statement bracelets for my Evolve Collection. 

This is Amazonite. My Evolve collection will hinge on this stone. I LOVE this stone. It's earthy. It's got so much variation. Each bead is different. There are so many things I can do with this stone. 

Every year I go to the Chicago gem show. There I see what strikes me, what makes my heart beat a little faster, what I find beautiful. It's with those beads that I create my Evolve collection. It will never be the same year to year, because the beads that inspire me year to year & are different each year.  It's always evolving :). I'm getting more predictable. If it's turquoise, amazonite, or labradorite... It's usually going to be a part of my collection, but year to year I don't often come home with the same things. 

The grey & iridescent beads above are Labradorite. I love Labradorite because it's a picky or selective stone. Most of the time it appears gray. But when you pair it with the right beads it shines. You get beautiful flashes of blue & green. It's so much fun figuring this stone out and what makes it come alive. 

Here's the bracelet that I created where I feel each bead belongs and complements another. So far it's my favorite piece from my collection. 

Thank you for reading! I hope you have a wonderful week!

Mandy