Hematoxylin & Eosin Necklace

This necklace uses the colors that are demonstrated in the Hematoxylin & Eosin stain. The H&E is a routine stain used daily in the histology lab. It is used to stain the nucleus and cytoplasm of cells, and is the first stain done on any tissue removed from the body. As the starting point for all diagnosis it gives the pathologist a tremendous amount of information and helps to determine if further studies are needed. The 8mm round purple center bead depicts the nucleus and the three different shades of pink 4mm bicone crystals depict the various cellular components scattered throughout the cytoplasm.

It is a stunning necklace.

Close up view.

  My first sample was purchased my Rita Lovshe of Lab Storage Systems, Inc. to give away at her booth this year at the 2012 NSH in Vancouver, BC

Dec. 18, 2011

Here is my photostream of the Special Stain Collection. http://www.flickr.com/photos/63727748@N06/sets/72157627025296258/

It's not too late for Christmas shopping.

Luxol Fast Blue Bracelet

Luxol Fast Blue is used in the demonstration of pathologic processes in the nervous system. In particular myelin, the white fatty nonliving material, which insulates and protects the nerve fibers are demonstrated. 

This bracelet is a tennis bracelet made Swarovski 4mm crystals  and pladium delica's for the setting with a small Sterling Silver toggle.

Sudan Black B

This necklace depicts the Sudan Black B stain, a stain to demonstrate fat. Fat found in an abnormal place such as the kidneys or brain affect treatment and prognosis. Injuries causing fractures or crushing of tissues may cause fat to be released in the blood stream and cause a fat embolism. The Sudan Black B stain would verify a fat embolism as being the cause of loss of function. Fat Stains are also helpful in determining if a tumor is arising from fat cells or other types of cells. 

This necklace is a spiral made with size 8 iris beads as the core and size11 iris seed beads beside the accent of Iris 4 x 4 cube beads. It has a self made peyote toggle with 3 loop closure which enables it to be extended. This spiral necklace is so much fun to make.

This is a very happy customer displaying her Verhoeff's Elastic Necklace. Jan puchased this right after the House Of Delegates at the NSH Symposium/Convention.

I really enjoyed making this spiral. It is made with dark metallic iris 4 x 4 cubes and dark black iris metallic Seed beads. It has a self made toggle closure with three loops at the end for extending the length.

The Verhoeff's Elastic tissue stain is done to demonstrate atrophy of elastic tissue ( for example emphysema). It can also demonstrate thinning and loss due to arteriosclerosis. Also, of value is the ability to show if cancer has invaded blood vessels, which may change treatment plans.

T'was the night before NSH S/C 2011

Well, I am off to the convention tomorrow. I have just about made myself crazy trying to get lots of new pieces of jewelry made to add to my Special Stain Collection. So, it is time to stop the craziness and finish packing. I will add all of the pictures and discriptions of the new pieces when I get home after next Thursday. I did however want to give you a sneak preview. This is one of my new pieces.

I hope to generate a lot of buzz about my jewelry. I am donating a piece for the Public Relations Committee to give away. So, they are letting me put a small sign and and album of pictures on display at their table. Wish me luck. I will post again as soon as I can. That might be after I get home as I will be extremely busy the whole week.

Vacation time

Hi All, I am on vacation with my husband's family at Pawley's Island, SC. We have been coming here for 25 years. It is a wonderful time of fellowship. I have managed to do some beading. I made two PAS bracelets on the way up here. It sure did make the time in the car pass very quickly. I was surprised I could bead and not get car sick. I had the project all planned and in a flat closed box which was easy to carry. It kept my beads contained very well. I purchased the project box at Office Depot. Yesterday, I started a Gram Stain bracelet and almost finished it. I will complete it today. I also, made a necklace for a child using the Bile Stain colors which are primarily green, pink and light brown. I made a spiral center and am finishing it off with just a seed bead chain. I am going to make several loop on the end so it can be extended as the child grows. I'll post a picture later. Stay well and chill out like me your on vacation, too.

Mucicarmine Stain bracelet

Epithelial and connective tissue produce the secretion "mucin". Increased amounts of mucin indicate certain inflammations or certain carcinoma. Finding the primary tumor site helps in the treatment of cancer. Mucicarmine stain aids in this investigation by demonstrating the presence of mucin-positive tumor cells in an area that normally lacks them. Their presence in would then indicate the tumor did not arise from that area. In a  Mucicarmine Stain, mucin is fuchsia, nuclei is black, capsule of crypotococus is stained deep rose and the cytoplasic stain is yellow.

This bracelet design came together for me by studying the combination of these colors. They are amazing together and the cuff design makes it so special.

Weekend Fun

Over the years, it has been my pleasure to share my crafts with others and none more than this past weekend. My sister, Linda also has a passion for beading and making jewelry. We spent almost the entire weekend together beading. This time she was the "master" sharing patterns she had learned with me the "grasshopper". We tend to trade those rolls often. Sunday was spent with Linda, and her friends Mega and Terri in Terri's lovely home. Terri was the "master" Sunday helping all of us to wire crochet a necklace. You would think with all the sewing I have done through the years, crochet would be easy for me. However, that is so far from the truth. I felt like a real clutz. What a blast we had sharing and laughing all day.

Linda, Mega and Terri just returned from a beading cruise to the Bahamas. I am so proud of them. They are now award winning designers. Their group won third place in the Swarovski crystal challenge. Their necklace will be  pictured on the Swarovski website and in BeadStyle magazine. Doggone it, I had to stay home and work! Work just really gets in the way of my beading.

I am hard at work on adding to my Special Stain Collection. I have put together beads of different colors and shapes ready to depict quite a few new stains. I hope to work on the actual designs this weekend. I want to continue trying to make the designs reflect the tissue structures as well as the colors. The one I am mulling over is the Trichrome Stain. I think to use red bugle beads to depict muscle will be cool.