Inspired by traditional Japanese paintings of waves, and the ocean itself, this bracelet project uses specific bead embroidery techniques to create a rich tapestry of beads rendering an image of a wave crashing on a sandy beach. The focal is a custom coated matte German glass cabochon and is coordinated with Swarovski pearls, rounds, and pave cabochons. There will be three colorways to choose from, this one, a sunset-colored one with purples, pinks, and oranges, and a moonlight-inspired one with cool gray and silver tones. A coordinated magnetic clasp makes attaching and removal from the wrist easy and quick.
Melissa Grakowsky Shippee
Melissa G. Shippee is a published beadwork designer who teaches workshops internationally, contributes regularly to books and magazines, and illustrates diagrams for other instructors. She studied physics and art in college but turned her attention to beads when motherhood changed the direction of her life. She is inspired by nature and patterns found in nature, especially plant life.
Her publications and contributions include two full-length instructional beading books called Beautiful Beadwork from Nature and I Can Herringbone, as well as projects in Beadwork Magazine, Bead & Button Magazine, Bead Star Magazine, Perlen Poesie, and Beading All-Stars.
Melissa has been a Beadwork Magazine Designer of the Year and a Starman Trendsetter, and also won awards for her bead artistry. To view more of Melissa’s designs, visit www.mgsdesigns.net.