More Pyramids

I have made three new color variations of my Concave Pyramid Earrings. Blue:

Purple:
and Sand:
This last variation is also the colorway I am using in a necklace called Sands of Egypt. It will feature some pyramids, of course! :)

Pyramids and Stars

I was playing around at the Bead-a-Lot yesterday and figured out how to make a pyramid shape WITHOUT having to do components and then connect them together. Yay! Those of you in the know understand how much I HATE components. ;)

These triangles are destined to be earrings, but I think I see a charm bracelet in my future... okay, so I know that means components, but it's not the same thing. :)

Also, my friend Aryd'ell brought this bracelet with her, which she made from my Shooting Stars pattern but then embellished the heck out of. I love it! I think I'm gonna have to write up a second tutorial for this one as a collaboration. :)

Happy beading!

Lunar Eclipse

I finished a new necklace this week. The main component is the gorgeous stone donut hanging from a butterfly bail.

The rope is a filled net with twisted herringbone on the ends:

The bail is removable, so I can wear the rope alone:

The round jet crystals sparkle lots more than you can see in this photo:

I hope to have the tutorial for this necklace available soon. My To-Do List keeps getting longer and longer, but the kids go back to school the day after tomorrow, so hopefully, I'll have more time to check things off! :)

New Teaching Gig

This past weekend, I went to Forest City, NC to meet Kelly, from Off The Beaded Path. She and I talked (and drooled over beads) for a couple of hours and she asked me to teach two classes at her shop over the next couple of months.

On September 25, I will be teaching Vertigo Earrings, a quick project with maximum bling!

On October 23, I will be teaching Nuthin' but Net, a netted rope bracelet, using crystals and seed beads to make an easy and beautiful bracelet. This is the class sample, called Buried Treasure:

Here is another variation, using a single color of 4mm round crystals and dark silver seed beads. The ends are finished with twisted herringbone, which is not part of this intro class, but may be included in an advanced class as an alternative way to finish a necklace.

Here are some variations, using different sizes, shapes, and materials:

This is the advanced class variation photo (the outer necklace is made with my Diamondback pattern, which will be available soon):

Happy beading!

Limeade on the Rocks with a Twist

I came home from the retreat on Sunday evening and planned on posting photos that night or yesterday, but it just didn't happen. This bracelet is from Jamie Cloud Eakin's "Bugle Bead Bonanza" and is called Limeade on the Rocks with a Twist.

Lime green bugle beads with over 100 Swarovski crystals:

A silver toggle clasp:

So much bling it practically glows in the dark!

The second one didn't want to be named. It is destined for a charity auction later this month. I asked a friend for name suggestions and Teal Me an Orange was christened:

I didn't get much else actually finished at the retreat (I had to come home a day early, boo hoo!), but I did come home with a butterfly bail almost complete for a new piece I am working on called Lunar Eclipse. I also have several other ideas that came to me when I was trying to sleep. Thank goodness for that drawing app on my phone since I was on the top bunk with nary a pen or paper in sight.

Happy beading!

Christmas in July

OK, I realize it's no longer July. But Christmas in August just didn't sound as good. ;)

I mentioned on Facebook a little while ago that I was having trouble keeping a secret. Well, this weekend, I was at a friend's house in Tennessee for a small retreat and the cat got out of the bag. So, I am announcing to the world that the December 2010/January 2011 Beadwork will feature a design by me!

Interweave's description of the December issue is "Classics Revisited. A nod to classic costume jewelry designs with a modern twist. Jewelry that would make Miriam Haskell proud." The color palettes include gold and blue, so what better piece to be featured than my Coronet Bracelet and Earrings in Blue Zircon:

The texture in these pieces is just yummy!

Variations are endless:

Since designing Coronet, I have taken the original idea and expanded on it several times, creating Shooting Stars, Teardrop Crown (a collaboration with my friend Mary Jo), Curves & Cages Necklace, Beaded Bead Caps (on Principessa as well as in Faerietale Earrings). I have other new ideas in the works as well!

Faerietale Earrings Tutorial

I finished the second colorway and the pattern for my Faerietale Earrings. Both pairs of earrings (or custom colors) are available in my ArtFire shop and the pattern is available both there and in my Etsy shop.

Faerietale Earrings (Raspberry Sorbet version)

Here is my latest project: Faerietale Earrings. This pair is called Raspberry Sorbet. I'm working on the tutorial now. It's another variation of my latest favorite technique, my triangle netting, so it shouldn't take long to write the tutorial up. :)

I actually have another pair made, in gold and purple velvet, but haven't named them or taken photos yet. I'll do that later today, when I get back from the gem show in Franklin. I'm hoping to find more of these great curved square donuts so that I can have kits available once I get the tutorial for this necklace finished:

As always, happy beading!

Principessa Necklace Finished

I finally finished this necklace tonight. It has been lacking a clasp for quite some time and I finally figured out what to do with it. The bead caps are my own triangle netting design and set off the clasp perfectly, if I do say so myself. ;)

The beaded rope is made with 4mm pearls and faceted round crystals, gold plated charlottes, gold hex beads, Delicas, and 14/o seed beads.

Crystal Flowers Set

I finally finished this necklace for Pam. I have been trying to come up with a design for her in red and silver for a couple of months now (at least) and it just wasn't happening.
I love Carole Ohl's box flower pattern, so I modified it by using peyote stitch instead of ladder and bugle beads instead of seed beads for the base.
I knew that it would not lay properly if I used the crystal flowers on the entire length, so I switched to just a strung pattern of bugle and seed beads for the back of the necklace.
I hope she loves the set!

Earrings for Pam

I made these earrings last night. My friends Pam and Mary Jo came over so that we could design something for Pam - earrings and a necklace. I love the earrings. The necklace isn't working out so well. It may be back to the drawing board... and back to the store to buy more crystals LOL.

Nuit d'été

When Artbeads asked me to make a project for their Summertime gallery, I chose nice bright summery colors... then when I started beading, it turned into a summer's night! Nuit d'été (Summer Night) is its name:

I used a Bermuda Blue Pendant and 3 Bermuda Blue Cosmic Rings

The beads are Toho 3-cut 12/o gold-lined blue - lots of sparkle!

The roundels used in the bumpy sections of the rope are Czech crystals I got in Andrews at the last bead retreat. I love the color.

Artbeads posts all of the contributor photos on their blog. Check it out here.

*Please note: I have received the above items (the Bermuda Blue crystals and the 3-cut seed beads) free of charge from Artbeads. This is my honest review of the product and I have not been paid for my endorsement as it pertains to the products received.

Work in Progress

Here's what is on my work table right now. Herringbone and Swarovski... what more could a girl want?

Picture heavy (click any pic for larger view)

I can't believe it's been so long since I have posted here! So sorry!

I went to a week long bead retreat in Robbinsville NC last month. 24 women, 6 classes, and lots of UFOs (unfinished objects). No Internet access and barely any cell service. Heaven!

I taught two classes, my Shooting Stars Bracelet and my Butterfly Bail. Aryd'ell has posted about the bails she made and here is a photo of the bail Mary Jo made:

I did lots of trading that week. Here are a pair of earrings I made for somebody as a trade for some matte khaki drop beads that I used in my Daydream Garden Bracelet (see later this post):

While we were there, we went to a bead store and saw a bracelet that was made using a Carole Ohl pattern. I didn't want to use seed beads for my base, so I modified it using bugle beads. I ended up making four bracelets, but only ended up coming home with one of them because other people at the retreat traded me for the other three:

Susan taught a tubular netting technique and Sherry made this drool-worthy bangle with red coral crystals and matte gold seed beads:

Ellen went home with these Blue Jean Queen Coronet Earrings:

The base of this bracelet is the African Circle (or Pondo) Stitch, which Carol taught us. I thought it needed embellishing, so I added the drops and the rondelles. I call it Daydream Garden:

There was a pattern in the last issue of Beadwork called Tuscan Tiles Bracelet. It's absolutely gorgeous and I would love to make one... however, it is made with 21 separate components that then all have to be stitched together and tails woven off, etc. I not only didn't have the patience to make 21 individual components, I also didn't have enough materials. So, my earring version came to be:

I love how dimensional these earrings are:

I had used Hana Ami weave before (triangle flowers, I think is the translation) to make a heart. This is the flat version that Carol taught (although hers was straight on the sides, not like mine is):

I realize now that I should have sewn through all of the inner copper Delica circles to close them up. I might go back and do that, which will reinforce the kind of floppy sides. Then again, I might also just tear it apart for the crystals. I mean, where am I gonna wear such a thing??

Detail:

I had somebody ask me if Coronet could be made with ovals instead of bicone or round crystals, so I gave it a go. The answer is YES! Here is the Fall variation:

We did a secret swap. Everyone who wanted to participate made or bought something and brought it to the retreat, already wrapped. As we put our gifts in, we gave them numbers. When we all had our pieces submitted, we drew numbers. I made this netted bangle with matte khaki 8/o and drop beads along with matte green 8/o beads and bronze seeds:

It was too funny when I walked up to Sherry (who had drawn my gift) to tell her something about it and she started laughing... because I had drawn HER gift:

All in all, a wondrous time was had by all and I brought home lots and lots of goodies! Now, back to beading!!