Wine Bottle Holder in 550 Coyote Paracord

I've taken my water bottle koozie and added some more cordage and raised up the bar or height on this wine bottle holder!  I used almost 130' of a quality 550 paracord in coyote for this project.  The main part is one continuous piece of cord and there are two additional pieces that make up the drawstring and loop you can put a carabiner through.  The end of the cord is woven back from the top and this can be pulled apart very rapidly and knotted off after using the needed amount of cord.

This is shown with a 750 ml wine bottle and this koozie would also work with a Liberty or Sigg water bottle.  It would just be a bit taller and you can push the piece down to compress the weave.  It's just perfect for the camping wine enthusiast.  This is great protection for that special bottle of wine while you are out conquering the world!

I made up the pattern for this koozie just like the other ones I've made.   Thanks so much for looking!

Micro Paracord Rosary with Beads and 550 Paracord Rosaries

I make single decade rosaries out of thinner cord like this and thicker cord as well.  I usually like to tie a series of my favorite knots, but decided to use copper tone metal beads with this one.  I use 550 paracord to create these as well.  I sometimes make cross necklaces without the ten knots.  I've also made these for people to hang off rear view mirrors and I believe one is still hanging under the gas tank of a Harley in Staten Island, NY.  By the way, I'm happy to report that bike was unharmed by hurricane Sandy.  I've even made a thin blue line cross and rosary.  These are more work and lots of care goes into making those.

I only tie ten beads to represent one decade of Hail Mary prayers.  Feel free to repeat away!

I'm posting these here because they are frequently viewed items on my shop.  This is my own design and I did not use a pattern for these.  The story goes that I was driving up north through the mountains trying to figure out how I was going to make one of these.  I worked through the original design in my head and when I reached my destination, I sat down and made one.  The micro size ones came next and I had a request for the thin blue line one not too long after that.  I had to come up with an alternate design so I would be able to get the blue cord woven through and intersecting in the middle.

Thanks for looking!

Rattlesnake Skin on Sterling Silver with Black Double Cobra Paracord Bracelet

Since I live in the desert, I decided to get some rattlesnake skin onto some sterling silver and use the piece in one of my paracord bracelets.  I have a friend who makes knives and sheaths and he gives me scrap pieces of leather and sometimes snakeskin to use in my projects.  I was going to use the snakeskin with leather for a bracelet, but decided to get it on metal!

I have used a metal rolling mill to impress the snakeskin right onto the sterling silver.  I finished sawing and cutting out the holes that my cord would go through, filed and sanded the edges, then added the patina.  I sanded the surface and left more of a satin finish.  It looks more like the real thing without the high gloss polish.  Take a pass on the white diamond and leave it looking more like aluminum.

I made what is called a double cobra 550 paracord bracelet and also used three cords to anchor and weave in the silver piece.  It's different and edgy!

I made a smaller bracelet like this in copper with a copper to brown color cord and sold it right away.  I will be making some earrings and other jewelry components with the same texture.

Stone Inlay Polymer Clay Earring Pieces

I designed these pieces for long earrings.  I really think these have the look of actual stone inlay with a good variety of colors.

I mixed the ivory and coral blends to have waves of color through them.  This gives the look of real material.  You will also see the strips of turquoise and onyx as well.

I sanded these through several grits of wet/dry sandpaper and buffed these to this shine.

I want to experiment with lapis, sugilite, peach coral and some lighter greens in the future!

Polymer Clay Turquoise Ring

In this photo..., you will see the very first polymer clay ring that I've ever made.  Let me tell you it was a true learning experience.  Hmmm, how do you size and sculpt it and then get it off the mandrel without sticking?  I have some ideas for the next time I make one!  

It's so thick and chunky that it works well for a pinky ring.  I did sand the sides down as well as the shank, but it still needs to be thick enough to not flex too much or crack.  So, it is what it is and I like it!  

Copper Pieces with Fern and Grass Textures

These are a couple of sample pairs of earrings I recently made.  I wanted to use the same process of roller milling smaller pieces of fern, leaves and some thin grass on to copper.  The copper was about 20 gauge to start and I think I will try 18 gauge next time.  The tighter or closer the rollers of the mill, the more the metal will flatten out.  I could have gotten the impressions a little deeper into the metal with more pressure.  These have been sanded and there is still plenty of detail from organic material.

I also used the easy and more natural process of adding patina with a hard boiled egg.  When I work on these pieces away from the studio, that is what I use.  The accent or patina color is a darker copper to a dark brown.  It's subtle and has a nice mellow look to it.  Liver of sulfur will produce a much darker to black patina.  I have sanded off the patina and you will see some shine and some darker colored areas.

I will be making more earrings like this in sterling and would like to add some amethyst beads and maybe some labradorite.  Those seem to be my favorites at the moment.

Larger Sculpted Pieces

Well, I guess I've been busy making things the past couple of months!  It's true that you do what you love and I'm always inspired to experiment with new ideas for my beads and jewelry.

I decided that I make some average and smaller size beads, but I wanted to make some really large items.  You can see the colors look quite a bit different and I used a brown and black striped blend for accents that look like southwestern textiles.  I made a stamp with a sun sign on it and that is what is pressed into the earthy colored clay in the centers of the pieces.  The swirls also make me think of Sedona which is a beautiful town in northern Arizona.  The red rocks and scenery up there is stunning.

I used a different blend of stain on these as well and the matrix area is darker on these than the beads I posted just before this.  I wanted the matrix to look more blackish to dark brown here.

I will be making a necklace or wearable rosary with the large cross.  I made a double cobra paracord bracelet with the larger, oval bead.

Thanks for looking!