My Jewel Garden

This basket is sewn on a base chunk of Amethyst.  It's much more challenging attaching the grass to an uneven three dimensional base.  I've tried several now and I never know how they will turn out.  Too loose a fit and the basket does not have a secure beginning.  As I head for a rock and mineral show on a buying trip, I will not be discouraged from buying minerals that are not flat slabs.  Amethyst beads and pendants adorn the spaces.

Approximate size: 7.5 X 6.5 X 3.5 inches

The Green Wave

Serpentine Jade.  Just love this stone.  This one is particularly handsome.  This is one of those pieces that takes forever it seems because of the wrapping.  This is done with 2 ply waxed linen thread.  It might take 3 hours to sew around once.  The eight pendants are Moss Agates and match perfectly the base stone.  Smaller Jade beads accent the side.  This basket is on display at Von Liebig Art Center in Naples the month of May 2018.

Approximate size: 11 X 9 X 4 inches

Weathered

Maybe this name doesn't make sense, but there is a story behind this.  This remarkable agate slice was in the bottom of a basket that I made many years ago but through an accident, it was dropped in water The thread that I was using at the time lost its color in places, so it looked Weathered! Some times it's just better to destroy the original and remake.  So this is the remake, with faceted agate pendants.  Much prettier than the original.  I must be getting better!!

Approximate size:  8 X 8 X 3 inches

Tricorner

Small baskets are nice to make in between the larger ones.  they usually go together easily and they can be relaxing to make.  This base is called a betel nut.  It's no larger than 2 inches across and covered with epoxy that can be drilled.  The pine needles fit easily against the nut, then Muhly Grass.  The Botsana Jasper pendants are really too large for the basket but sometimes it helps to utilize the leftover beads!  Consequently the 3 corners!

Approximate size: 6 round  X 4 inches.

Sunrise

This small base stone piece is Breciated Jasper.  It's high polish and Sunstone beads attracted a buyer at a demonstration at Wild Child Gallery.  It's just perfect for display or a small catch surface for rings and jewelry.  I have two more pieces so another similar to this one will be made eventually.

Approximate size:  7 x 5 x 2 inches

See the Forest Trhough the Trees

This art piece would have a hard time being called a basket.  First it is 5lbs.  The base stone is one inch thick Madagascar Petrified wood. This innovative design is a basket inside another basket and intertwined. The inside basket denoted the heart of the tree while the outside basket of Muhly Grass that I grow and harvest is the bark.  There are beads of Mud Jasper on the inside and Carnelian beads on the outside.  This piece was chosen as best in category at a Juried exhibit in Lake Worth, Florida.  It can presently be viewed at von Liebig art Center in Naples though May, 2018.

Approximate size: 13.5 X 12 X 5 inches, 5 lbs.

Light at Last

To me this looked like a maze with a golden light in the center.  May be hard to see in the picture, but the center is yellow cast.  This stone is called a Crazy Lace Agate which I have a hard time finding.  I chose to accent the bottom of the basket with Carnelian beads.  Look at the side picture and you can see the agate pendants.  I've had a lot of comments on this piece at recent demonstrations.

Approximate Size: 10 X 9 X 4 inches

Misty Morning

This smaller sized basket is set on a natural agate slice surrounded by Florida Long Leaf pine needles in the brown shade and then coiled Muhly Grass that I grow and harvest.  Agate pendants and Jasper beads decorate the sides.


Approximate size: 7 X 7 X 3 inches

Golden Sun

This is an unusual formation in the base called a Pyrite Sun.  It's metal, fool's gold! Living in Florida, many look and see a sand dollar which it resembles. Muhly Grass which I grow and harvest lends a nice light green glow with stunning Silver Leaf Jasper beads.  This size is nice on a shelf or a small area.

Approximate size: 7 X 8 X 3.5

Mirror, Mirror

This basket was designed by two artists and I want to thank Katrina Parker for the faces.  We collaborated on this piece for an exhibit called Collaboration & Inspiration.  Second Place Winner!!
The base is  large agate slice with some agate beads.  The faces are so expressive as they look on the cracked (by nature) mirror.  Yes, the agate has a natural hole in the center!

Approximate size: 13 X 13 X 6 inches

Diamonds and Chocolate

This piece of stone was a definite challenge.  The stone is Calcite crystals in a stunning formation set in a bronze colored bedrock.  Sorry, I don't know what that rock might be.  Since it is not level like a slab, I had to design my basket at a slant, building up one side with some agate beads.  The Muhly Grass blends nicely with the stone.  This basket is on display at the von Liebig Art Center in Naples the month of May, 2018 in an exhibit called Monochromatic.

Approximate size: 9.5 X 8.5 X 3.5 inches

Druzy

This smaller sized basket is set on a natural agate slice of golds and brown. The pine needles and Muhly Grass that I grown accent the base and Feldspar pendants and beads fill the spaces. This size fits nicely on a shelf.

Approximate size: 7 X 7 X 3 inches

Canyon Spring

 This basket was sewn on a wonderful slab of Picture Jasper.  The texture of this stone is always so pleasing to the eye and it never seems that I can do anything wrong!  The pine needles around the stone just seem to cast a nice interest to the base, and Turtle Jasper pendants and beads adorn the spaces.

 Approximate size: 10.5 X 9 X 3.5 inches