Last updated on 13 May 2010
This is my main gallery page which has links to my other specialised galleries (eg. pearls, art clay silver and polymer clay at the moment) and also features some of my new work.
See also my new website under construction, http://www.chantelmccabe.com.
See my "Ask Ruby" blog to see my daily new creations for 2010! I've taken up a 365 Creation Challenge in terms of which I must make something every day (terms and conditions apply! :-) ).
Links to my other galleries ...
Click on the South Sea pearls on the right to enter my pearl gallery You will eventually find genuine Australian South Sea pearls from Cygnet Bay, freshwater pearls, Akoya saltwater pearls, shell pearls and maybe even some glass pearls in my gallery. So far, you will only find the first two type of pearls on this list in this gallery. | 
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| Click on the earrings on the left to enter my Art Clay Silver clay gallery Art Clay Silver makes 99.9% pure silver jewellery. These earrings are made of fine silver petals, freshwater pearls and sterling silver beads and earhooks. |
Click on the Totem Charms image on the right to enter my polymer clay gallery
Totem poles were decorated with carved symbols that meant something in the lives of those artists. I created my own totem charms by carving symbols of relevance in my life into Fimo polymer clay. Cross - represents religion and all related concepts; Sun - the order of nature and the seasons; Smiley Face - the people in my life and the social circle that radiates outwards; Heart - love in all its forms; Flower - nature's bounty which sustains and holds us all in awe. The charms have been encircled crudely in half-round copper wire. Note the matching Fimo beads.
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Featured Recent Work
See below my winning Bohemian "Year of Jewellery" theme winner ... a wild, spontaneous, colourful and carefree necklace made in a real bohemian flash of inspiration ... loads of handpainted cloissonné beads (to represent the arts), Czech beads (handmade, cottage industry Czech beads just seem appropriate) and tiny coin charms (to represent belly dancers, gypsies and other colourful characters) on a double-stranded brass chain necklace with a romantic double heart clasp.
If this necklace was a fragrance, it would be a strong, heady, indulgent one that you could blame for getting up to some bohemian mischief. Note all the hearts to signify more than one passion.
Wear it to work and secretly dream of another life ...
A bead embroidery necklace representing my bead artist dreams. For more details about Dreamscape above, see my Ask Ruby blog.
This quadruple double St Petersburg stitch bracelet, made out of Miyuki seed beads, Swarovsk crystal beads and Swarovski crystal pearls, won the beadingforum dot com dot au Year of Jewellery Excalibur theme challenge in October 2009. It has a Swarovski crystal rivoli button clasp.
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Beadingforum dot com dot au
Jewel of the Nile Entry
Lapis Lazuli & Freshwater Pearl Necklace
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The necklace displayed below won a September 2009 beadingforum dot com dot au Year of Jewellery Theme challenge called "Hello Kitty". It is made out of gorgeous A+ grade mauve freshwater pearls, hematite and brass findings, kitty charm and chain. Note the Vintaj "bead pod" clasp ... you put beads of your choice in the bead pod toggle bar and close it up. I used 3mm Swarovski crystal pearls. I had a "hello kitty" moment when I found this cat charm in my beading stash!
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A&E Metals Explorations 2009 Entry
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Reversible Copper Egyptian Spiral Necklace
Materials: copper wire, copper clasp, Titan Swarovski crystal rivolis, Tierracast copper-plated lead-free pewter rivoli settings.
Introducing my Spring 2009 Collection:
This opal was mined in the Winton/Longreach area of Queensland and custom-cut for me by gem cutter, Mick Fitch, in Queensland.
Study this gem under 10x illuminated magnification and you will get lost in a beautiful, miniature, fantasy landscape!
This is undeniably a large rock weighing a substantial 112 carats (22.4g) and measuring about 5.5cm high and 2.75cm wide at the widest point. I have deliberately beaded in earthy tones to kind of match the opal's host ironstone so as not to detract from the natural beauty of the gem. Miyuki Delicas and seedbeads have been used to create this necklace plus some Czech Charlottes. The pendant has an Ultrasuede backing.
It is a short necklace and can be worn comfortably and to full effect with a modest neckline. The length of the necklace is not adjustable.
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The Accidental and Reluctant Snake Cuff
on sale at http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=27082010
Concepts of art theory sprang to mind when I first saw the new challenge: lines.
Lines are a basic element of art used to create images of all kinds. They can be short, long, curved, straight, broken, dotted, etc. For the purposes of this challenge, I decided to use a curved, broken line (broken out of necessity as the line is constructed of beads) surrounded by other lines that closely follow the contours of the first line. I then added a colour theory concept to the line concept: colour gradation, and what better beads to achieve a subtle gradation of colour is there than Miyuki Delicas?!
My original intention was to create an simple rectangular cuff bracelet decorated with squiggly, contoured lines in graded colours allowing lines to become broken or discontinued once I ran out of beading space. However, as the work progressed, the lines looked more and more like a snake. Hence my snake is accidental. I initially resisted the snake image but eventually capitulated as the line began to seem more and more undeniably like a snake. My snake is therefore reluctant. I figured I may as well add an eye (4mm Emerald Abx2 Swarovski bicone) and a tongue (Czech 15/0 Charlottes) instead of having people say, “Hey! That looks like a snake.” Now it is a snake slithering in sand.
I guess the snake story illustrates the function of lines in art well. Lines create images and look like things so why fight it?! The beads had spoken.
I soon realised while creating this item that I didn’t have to limit myself to a rectangular shaped cuff. With bead embroidery, you can do anything you like so I opted for a slinky snake shape cuff instead.
Incidentally, my snake is just a snake. It is just one of God’s creatures and does not represent anything, particularly nothing evil.
If you carefully remove the toggle clasp, you could use the snake decoratively on a pillow or a bag or something.
Techniques and materials used
I made the Delica lines using basic beaded backstitch (6 beads forward and 3 beads back) directly onto Ultrasuede. I used seven different colours of Delicas starting with a dark metallic copper and ending in a pale creamy pink. The edging was made using a luxurious beaded whip stitch with between 4 and 5 beads per stitch. I used Japanese 15/0s and Delicas here. I used Laura McCabe’s instructions to make the toggle clasp but did my own variation when it came to the loop.
Size: medium to large. I had hoped it would end up suitable for my skinny wrist but that toggle adds a lot of length to the cuff.
Coming soon ...
Enchanted!
Beaded Swarovski Crystal Jewellery
by Chantel McCabe
Made in Newman, Western Australia using imported materials
Slideshow updated on 26 May 2009
