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! :)

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!

FREE Twisted Herringbone Bangle Tutorial

Finally finished! The FREE tutorial for a seamless twisted herringbone bangle is finally posted on my website here. As a thank you to me, please post a link to my website on your blog, Facebook page, Twitter account, etc.

Happy beading!

Sedona Necklace

This necklace is the 3rd in my current necklace series.

The rope is spiral herringbone, one of my absolute favorite stitches. The bail is my own triangle netting technique.

The pendant is a freeform oval donut.

One more, I think, and I can start writing the pattern for this project. :)

Sedona Color Palette

I just finished picking out the colors for my next necklace set, Sedona. Here's a teaser:

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.

Blue Lagoon Teaser

I am working on another necklace similar to Tropical Sunset. Here's a sneak peek at some of what I have done so far.

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.

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. :)

Netted Rope Revamp

This necklace originally had a beaded circle for a pendant, but it was way too light. I replaced it with the glass square.

Netted Rope - more pics

I got some better photos of my netted rope today. :)

Retreat... and some UFO's finally finished!

I just got back from a 4 day bead retreat in the mountains. A friend hosted it at her home and there were 13 of us there (packed like sardines... but happy ones). I got these earrings from a friend, who made them by hand using poly clay. She has an etsy site and more pictures on flickr.

This bracelet was originally designed by June Huber and I finished it this weekend. I am making our hostess another one with a volcano Swarovski rivoli button and blue pearls.
This bracelet is from the latest Beadwork Magazine, called Forever in Blue Jeans. I couldn't find the buckle finding used in the magazine, so I used a charm I found.
This herringbone spiral rope is woven in white-gold plated Delicas I got from ArtBeads. The clasp is platinum plated. I hope to sell it to a customer soon... and then make another one for me!
I have a couple of other things started... a bracelet in bright orange, lime, and blue as well as a RAW covered o-ring that needs more embellishing. I hope to finish more things soon!

Royal Spiral Necklace

Even More Bangles

This bracelet is the third in a set made for a customer. She requested matte beads in a herringbone twist. I made two, not knowing which she would like better, and she requested a third to go along with them. The first was brown and green, the second was brown and blue, so this one I made in green and blue.Triangle beads in straight tubular herringbone look very slinky! I love these Toho triangle hybrids I got from Artbeads: I also got some jewelry cleaner for some tarnished silver components I have sitting around. I also have white-gold delicas that I am going to (surprise, surprise) use in a spiral herringbone necklace. It will be the backdrop to some embroidered pendants I plan on making soon.

More Bangles

I had a request for a herringbone bangle made with matte beads instead of the metallics I have been using, so I made this one from matte brown beads with green accent spirals:

I wasn't sure it was exactly what she was looking for, so I also made this one out of matte bronze and blue iris delicas:

I'm sure she'll like one or both of them... in the meantime, I made two of these (one for me and one for a friend's birthday present):

I am having so much fun with these bracelets! Now I am starting work on a neck piece that is a combination bead embroidery and herringbone rope (for the strap). It's called "Northern Lights" and will use colors similar to the blue bracelet above.

Snake Bracelet in Purple & Pink

Here's another herringbone bangle. Twisted this time, which is easier to do because it is mindless... just keep going and no worries about stepping up at the end of each round! As a matter of fact, it's so mindless that I had to remove about an inch worth of rounds because I made it too long. :D

I am working on another one in dark blue metallic and silver lined teal. I like these, so I might make several more.

I'm a Bead Thief

This necklace belongs to my friend Mary Jo and I've stolen it from her. Well, not really. She let me borrow it. But I've only had it 2 days and I'm already emotionally attached. In my defense, she used some of my beads, so we really should have to share custody.  ;)

Herringbone Snake Necklace,

I made this a while ago. The cover is removable, as is the pendant, which is not finished yet... that'll have to wait until my Elemental embroidery project is finished. The different bead sizes make the twist.