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! :)

Concave Pyramids

I finished the first pair of earrings. They turned out really cute. I wish I could get a good photo of them, but being pyramidal (yes, that really is a word!) makes it difficult. I'm working on a second pair with a slightly different color pattern.

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!

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!

All Mine!

I just realized that I neglected to post a thank you to Jennifer VanBenschoten of VanBeads for the bracelet and earrings I won in her blog drawing a little while back. I got them in the mail and they are gorgeous! Thank you very much!

I don't know how to turn the pictures into links to her site, so go here to show her some love. :)

The Apples and the Tree

I am so proud of my kids! They have been beading recently and doing a wonderful job. They spent most of this past Saturday beading and Johnathan told me "I understand now why you sometimes just want to sit and bead all day."

Faith started a spiral rope necklace a long time ago... last Christmas, I think. Recently, I did some redecorating and got a big table in the living room that I use almost exclusively for beading. So, she dug her beads out, too, and finished the necklace. I think her favorite part is that the angel glows in the dark LOL.

This bracelet was also started a long time ago. Johnathan lost interest after doing some of the base and just a few of the top rows, so he asked me to finish it for him. Well, I never did. It sat in my UFO box for a long time. So, when Faith got her beads out, he asked me to get this project out for him as well. This time, he was able to focus and get it finished lickety-split!

After he finished the ladder stitch bracelet, he wanted to try herringbone. I personally think that twisted tubular herringbone is the easiest variation, since there is no step up, but he didn't want to start with that. So, I taught him straight tubular herringbone and he designed this bracelet for his Mimi all by himself. He even put the clasp on. He wouldn't let me do it, just explain how.

I've been working on a new piece that I am calling Infusion. It is mostly gold, with some deep turquoise added. I made these beaded beads first and then set to making the necklace.

The large bead was intended to be the pendant with fringe on the bottom. Well, I got the whole piece done except for the fringe and just lost inspiration. It wasn't coming together. Part of the reason is that the beaded beads are made with 15/o gold seed beads while I used 11/o gold beads for the rope. The 11/o beads are permanent finish, though, while the 15/o are not... so their colors are not the same. The fringe just did not look right. So, frustrated and tired, I gave up and the next day, I just put a rivoli pendant I had made a while back on the necklace. It's still not exactly right as far as colors go, but it works, so I will probably make another rivoli pendant in better colors and then take pictures. The fringe on the beaded bead will still happen, I hope, just on another piece with less gold so that the color difference won't be a problem.

In the meantime, I made some cute earrings to match the clasp on Principessa:

I was in a beading frenzy lately, making 4 new necklaces and finishing a 5th, several bracelets, earrings, etc. I think that my Muse has gone on a mini-vacation, though, so I feel less like beading right now. This is a good thing, because I have several patterns to write and get ready for sale. Most involve the triangle netting technique I have been obsessed with lately and I even have a couple more ideas. So, off to the writing desk with me!

Treasury

Trinitydj included my Coronet Earrings (made-to-order) in this treasury today. Everything listed is currently on sale!

Blue Lagoon

This piece is the second in my new necklace series. The first was Tropical Sunset, and the pieces are both spiral herringbone necklaces with a custom donut bail, using my triangle netting technique:

The matching bracelet is a spiral herringbone:

The matching earrings are Coronet style:

The pendant is a gorgeous two-tone dichroic donut:

I plan to make one or two more variations on this style and then write up the pattern.

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!

Tropical Sunset

I was asked a few months ago by the terrific marketing department at Beads Direct if I would be interested in testing out some of their products. Of course, I jumped at the chance! When I got the beads I had selected, they were absolutely beautiful. I had chosen several different Toho matte galvanized beads, including light dusty rose, pewter, and nickle plated denim blue. I paired them with some gorgeous copper satin matte Delicas (#340) in a set that reminds me of the beach and the ocean during sunset.

Click on any of the photos to enlarge.

Please note: I have received the above seed beads free of charge from Beads Direct. This is my honest review of the product and I have not been paid for my endorsement as it pertains to the products received.

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.

Tropical Sunset Teaser 2

Here's another teaser of my new Tropical Sunset set. My Internet is not working properly this morning, so I'll have to upload the rest of the photos later today or this evening. Oh, and Gypsy, no drops... they are 8/o seed beads. They are matte black AB, though. :)

Tropical Sunset Teaser

This is the clasp to the necklace I just finished last night. I'll post pictures of the rest of it (and the matching earrings - gasp!) later today. :)

Coronet Redux

I can't seem to stop making these earrings. My latest favorite pair are these Turquoise Flowers:

These are called Fire Storm:

These match the Coronet Fall Bracelet:

I keep looking for the perfect crystal to pair with these matte khaki drops:

Another Blue Jean Queen with twisted crystals:

Where will it end?!?!!? :)

Want to buy your own custom pair? Check out my ArtFire shop: http://www.artfire.com/users/BeadingButterfly

Coronet Earrings - New Color Combinations

I made a bunch of Coronet Earrings last week and neglected to post them here. They are for sale in my ArtFire shop or on my website. Plus, I had a special order for a pendant to match the purple earrings somebody bought. I can make these in any color combo: