Ribbon Candy

Since our usual July vacation was cancelled I have had some time to dig through my stash of old basket supplies.  Look what I found! I purchased this Fluorite stone in Hot Springs, Arkansas when we were there fly fishing.  This was very early in my basket making years. We spent some time fishing in The Little Red River then went on to Hot Springs to sight see.  This specimen has both the green and lemon yellow Fluorite. like ribbon candy or jello!  Now it's been joined with some gorgeous Prehnite pendants and coiled Muhly Grass to create a nice small basket. 

Approximate size:  8.75 x 6.5 x 3 inches

Last Phase

Several years ago I purchased some nice small pieces of petrified wood with unusual shapes.  It can be difficult "setting" then in thread to hold a basket, but I like a challenge. This stone is also accented with some knotless netting and Picture Jasper beads.  The coiled Florida Long Leaf pine needles and Muhly Grass that I grow are shaped with stunning pendants of Chrysophase.

Approximate size:  10 x 8 x 3.75 inches

Iron Pet

This is one of my new direction:  using 3 D stones.  This was an uneven several in thick Petoskey Stone from Lake Superior.  Petoskey stones are created from coral, then calcified.  This polished surface has wonderful depth of color.  The pendants are faceted Tiger Iron with accents of Tiger Iron beads.  The Florida Long Leaf pine needles and Muhly Grass that I grow and harvest make a symphony of muted color.  Prize: Third Place, Work of He(art), Art Center Sarasota , February, 2019.

Approximate size:  8.5 x 7 x 3.5 inches 

Hidden in the Forest

If you look carefully and add some imagination you will see a raccoon in the left corner of the base stone, a Parrot Wing Chrysocola.  This stone has so many blending of colors it was hard to decide what colors to use, but I settled on two shades of green along with the natural waxed linen thread.  The Muhly Grass that I grow and harvest has pendants of Dragon Tongue Jasper which are a deep shade of green with a slash of red.  Very unusual.  I also added some green Jade beads to help fill the spaces.   The checkered wrapping helps tie everything together.

Approximate size:  9 x 8 x 3.5 inches 

Chocolate Strata

I've had this interesting stone for several years and just decided to make it up.  It's called Moroccan Uralite.  It's wonderful colors of shades of browns reminds me of layers of frosting!  The pendants are Green Magic Agates and the beads are Chocolate Jade.  A perfect match!

Approximate size: 8 x 7 x 3.5 inches

Captured in Time

The piece in the bottom is a fossil of Orthoceras, a creature from the Devonian Period.  I purchase the epoxy covered fossils from another artist who sets it and drills holes in the epoxy so needles can be attached.  I started with Florida Long Leaf pine needles and then switched to Muhly Grass, added some Green magic Agate pendants, then finished it off with a few more rows.  One of my galleries likes this piece so I try to make sure they have at least one in the inventory.

Approximate size: 8 x 6 x 2 inches