Last week I shared a couple of
Valentine's Rings I made in preparation for my weekend workshop on the topic at Fusion Beads. This week, I thought I'd share the two rings I started in class.
Going into the class, here's the one I'd originally planned:
![Robin's Nest ring with three crystal 'eggs' Robin's Nest ring with three crystal 'eggs' by artist Karen Williams](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW4PNbPYK12JMKF342Ski1-MIPK3JxR-ZSQQwTZFinHh5pBlvYXc2lRlxQEEIx8QS_BWJ4oLZtGifqrFb5KZw8EKs_rrLi2CEuBV-Z4VcBKU3abqDsFtJL1bLePgPZHlDzFae-TrVefqYo/s400/RobinsNestRing.jpg) |
Robin's Nest ring with three crystal 'eggs' |
I wanted my own "
Robin's Nest" ring, complete with crystal 'eggs'. One of my students asked about incorporating bugles into a freeform peyote ring. This was the perfect chance to use some 6mm bugles both in the base and while building the nest.
![Robin's Nest freeform peyote ring, alternate view an alternate view of the Robin's Nest ring by Karen Williams](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ4KWZUe3XBpptWCIi4qeQMOXrhuTo04W3myJ3tSsxYZnUpd6nYURw2OSYH26s2UHFuPVq4PTmNUqOJ3Vu42K7ulxKsSrWwlXrrk5Qoh_HBvTFsX810v3qXDlvzWcBEhblvMn2eQQ7DPAb/s400/RobinsNest-v2.jpg) |
you can almost see the bugles I used in the band from this view |
The
Robin's Nest was a great example of adding embellishments after building the bulk of the ring. After I finished the base ring, I positioned the three eggs, then began building the nest around them. (Not quite how mama Robin would have done things, but it worked for me).
![Just starting to work on the 'nest' Just starting to work on the 'nest'. Freeform peyote ring by Karen Williams](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdbIgsbt1NRzgix-KgzIHsilAELg2pHhCjXt-mURSWAiJbyDlUVKqETs8gZlXrgAIftZ1iWeh1TheWk0v44tfU899rJTidhxpMqxcCIK0kOhNjldIbo_xUIXsPJuK9qjbGVJ7HjS-Ion58/s400/Robins-Nest-process.jpg) |
Just starting to work on the 'nest' |
Helping my students in class, I decided I also needed a sample where I added my focal bead in the first row/ring. So I ran out into the store and purchased a 10mm round druzy that worked with the bead colors I had with me. I'm really, really bad about taking process photos while I'm teaching, since my focus is on my students, not my work. So I don't have a
single process photo for this ring.
![Dogwood Blossom freeform peyote ring Dogwood Blossom freeform peyote ring by Karen Williams](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4liVZj8SBpLxC4WBI_Ud0IMblnSjpVsoIgI2OSfKYBDGPLQjtwMgR_bhMH57A24itJTExc0Mmx7E591lYMpG-FGfdOdZUQTwdRQfh2sNtri39ADSOJuuL4Hux-TI100A8T9flaMJgtZk1/s400/DogwoodBlossomRing.jpg) |
Dogwood Blossom pinky ring |
You can't really tell that the focal beads is a druzy in the ring's final incarnation. It's entire look changed when I decided at the last minute to try adding some pressed glass leaves as flower petals around the core. The 'petals' reminded me of a dogwood blossom, so I decided to run with it. But they wanted to flop closed, so I added some beading inside the and between the ring of petals to hold them open.
The funny thing is this ring's band is one of my smallest - sized to fit my pinky - while the dogwood blossom makes it one of my largest rings.
![Spring Woods freeform peyote rings Spring Woods freeform peyote rings by Karen Williams](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGkh79pAS8GiBAwJO25yS6AEYmxEE5wJRu-MUaF3GnvV-6c0l2QMv9m2gwu_yKHQko6s3Og9j9nRr6ygTrHezY2xPU2_VPy_PkhpjAmF9-xKV6HHNof3-KsZp_OH_E_htaGNS7Ss0RaxfL/s400/SpringWoodsRings.jpg) |
Both rings side-by-side for comparison |
Here you can see both rings together for comparison. I've decided they are my new Spring Woods collection, created using a soft, muted palette of warm browns, antique coppers and lilac, with splashes of sky blue and olive green that reminds me of the earliest days of spring.
I also found myself thinking that both rings would be right at home in the Hundred Acre Wood.
these are so much fun Karen! I love how you've crafted the nest with those bugles! I so wish that I lived closer to you so I could sit and bead with you :)
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