Larger Beadwork Pieces
Every creation you see here took weeks of planning, months of beading and finishing. All of these pieces utilize a technique called bead embroidery, which Melanie describes to her beading students as "sculpting and painting with beads." Many also incorporate bead weaving stitches and techniques that are simply nothing more than building structure, pattern and form with beads, a tiny hair-like needle and some fine thread.
Empress of the Fog Dragons
BriarSea Mantle: elven-inspired 'armor' incorporating thousands of glass seed beads and 10 labradorite stones
Cora's Garden: An 8 month project inspired by reading "The Soul of an Octopus" by Sy Montgomery, this stunning, large necklace features a bead embroidery octopus, bead netting and coraling, sea urchins, starfish and more!
Corvid Necklace: A dazzling array of black, oil slick, matte and shining iris beads make this bead embroidered corvid (think raven and crow family) necklace dazzle all who behold it. Laced with purple goldstone.
Queen of the Monarchs: Melanie avidly raises native moths and butterflies for release into the wild - these are real monarch wings from old, naturally deceased butterflies found out in her milkweed field over a period of 2 years. Set in shining alamandine garnets, Swarovski crystals and glass seed beads, this necklace is truly for the queen of monarchs alone. (We get a lot of emails for this necklace - I'm sorry but it has sold to another butterfly lover)
Mistral Flight: Startling blue clay wings shiny from this steampunk inspired necklace of bronze, brass and crystal. 'Her heart may be tethered, but she can still fly.'
All designs and images above are property of The Silver Branch. All Rights Reserved