Bracelet: Tri-po

Finished another bracelet that I've been wanting to do for some time.
I've been wanting to use cube beads and use brick stitch, since I think those two are a great combination together.
So last week when my order of 20g of 4mm black opaque and 20g of 4mm red opaque AB cube beads arrived I decided on making this one.

Now, I were wondering a bit over the design on how to make it a bit more special, and then it hit me to make a set of different pyramid units and then stitch 'em together overlapping the space, so the bracelet still would follow a straight line.
I do remember that I've seen this particular design a bit here and there on the web, so, no it's not my original idea :)

For the clasp I decided on just adding a pair of 8mm black glass pearls on the top and the bottom of one side, and then on the opposite side a pair of loops where the glass pearls would fit into.

I must say that I like the retro sort of style this bracelet brings. And compared to using seed beads the cube beads really makes the bracelet stiff and also thick and also reminds of a cuff when wearing it.

Bookmark Finding

Yeh, I just couldn't resist to buy one of these cute bookmarks where you attach a bead or whatever to it. The price for the finding is really great and it also look pretty :)

I worked on these cute little shellfishes this weekend just cause of boredom :o
I really liked how this dark blue one turned out so when my bookmark finding arrived this morning I decided on attaching it together with a little heart bead that I randomly had received in a bead mix some time ago.

Isn't it just adorable? :)

Bracelet: Venus

Last night I managed to figure out what I wanted to do with some 12mm twisted bugle bead in amber with a frosted AB finish.
I managed to figure it out by playing around with some other beads, and some two toned 4mm czech glass beads that I ordered last week.
I thought the combination of amber looked so nice together with the two toned beads I wanted to make something with them.

I ended up making a bracelet using both right angle weave and ladder stitch and some fringing.
I know, it can look like the center parts of the bracelet is made separately but it's made with one single thread.
First I simply started out by picking up two 11/0, one bugle, two 11/0, one 4mm, two 11/0, one bugle, two 11/0 and one 4mm. Then I went back through the beads again until I ended my thread from the second bugle bead on the opposite side of where I first started. Here I picked up three 11/0's and began working my ladder stitch; I went back through the 11/0 I ended my thread from + one of the three 11/0's I just added. And so it progressed until I had a full stripe of two 11/0's, one bugle and two 11/0's. In total I worked my units so that I had 6 rows. Then I began fringing the unit and when that was done I began all over again so that I could make another unit :)

When I had the desired length of my bracelet I added a gold plated toggle clasp ^^;

Necklace: Amphitrite

I manage to complete the project I've been working with this week on Friday. I know, I know, I'm a bit slow at posting once in a while.

When I were browsing through Marcia DeCoster's book, "Beaded Opulence", I came across a project named "Etruscan Treasure" on page 61 that gave me the idea for this necklace. At least for the pendant itself.

I'm lacking in a lot of things when it comes to this book (the projects in the book calls for a lot of crystals etc.).

And as you can see I attached a paper bead in the chain, where I ended up writing my initials :)

I decided to use the idea of shaping metal wire into a shape that I would bead around later. The instructions in the book called for metal wire in 14gauge? which I don't have, so I decided on using the 20 gauge wire I have and make two identical shapes, and then wire them together with a 24gauge wire so the wire would keep its shape.

I used 11/0 seed beads to the entire piece in navy blue opaque and in bronze.
I also used a 14mm swarovski rivoli in saphire that I've been having laying around for some time. To attach the rivoli in the center I first made some peyote straps on the left and right side, which I embellished with some moonstone chips together with 15/0 bronze seed beads. To make the rivoli sit even sturdier I sew through the top and the bottom of the pendant with some seed beads to the rivoli.
I also embellished the center just above the bail with some seed beads and dagger and drop beads n bronze to personalize it more.

The chain I made with circular herringbone stitch.

This was a christmas present for my mother in law as well :)

Paper Beads!

I finally received my Diamond Glaze in the mailbox yesterday (actually I had to go to the post office to get the package, but wha-evah :P). I have been planning on making some paper beads since I saw some tutorials on YouTube and that's why I bought some Diamond Glaze :).
To those that doesn't know what Diamond Glaze is, it's a sort of glue that crystallizes the surface they are applied to. It can also be used for some book scrapping or whatever that includes paper. It can be replaced as resin if you want to cover up some pictures or photos in a jewelry setting, since when it's dry it also creates a dome effect.

The tutorials I first saw only showed how to make the beads, and not the strips so I were slightly confused and my brain doesn't really work at the moment with measuring and figuring out stuff where I have to calculate a bunch of shite, lol.
So later I came across this awesome tutorial that showed the whole process from a blank paper to the finish product.
The tutorial is made by "Beyond Bracelet" and can be accessed by clicking here.
She also show how to color the beads yourself if you want any specific color scheme for the paper beads.

For my very first paper beads I decided on recycling. Instead of using fresh white paper I snatched a commercial magazine we've received in the mail some time ago. Then I picked out a page where I liked the colors. My first paper beads ended up being about 2.5cm (1 inch).
After that I wanted to make some that would be smaller. Again I chose to work with the same magazine, I just chose a different page with a different color setting. These ended up being 1.5cm (15mm).

After those, I decided on experimenting a little. I took another commercial magazine, one that was thinner and measured out the size I wanted on the front cover. Then I cut straight through the whole thing. I let each stripe of this magazine still stick together since I wanted to try making some really thick paper beads from them.
The result ended up exactly as I wanted it, and I actually ended up making two of the same.


So what to make with paper beads?

I guess you can do some stringing necklaces or bracelet with 'em. I suppose that you'll also feel a bit awesome, specially if you're using old magazines or whatever that would normally go to the trash, since making paper beads is kinda recycling, lawl.
I decided on using the first beads for a simple RAW bracelet with a toggle clasp, crimps, 2 4mm bicones and some 9/0 seed beads. I tried using 11/0 seed beads at first, but the holes in the paper beads were too big and the beads would just end up inside of 'em.

With the two thick paper beads I made, I made a pair of earrings using some 4mm fire polished glass beads in Capri Blue above and below the paper bead since the head of the head-pin was too small.

Next thing I want to try is coloring my own beads from scratch, but I'll post that as soon as they are done, and when I have some more pretty daylight to work with for photos :)

Bracelet: Indigo

I decided to take a little break from my main project that I'm currently working on and make a little simple bracelet that takes about 1-1.5hour to make.

I got my hands on some new 4mm cube beads that I wanted to do something with. I noticed then that I bought a blue fuchsia lined 1.5mm cube beads as well some time ago. So I had 4mm and 1.5mm cubes of the same color type that I could work with.
I decided on making a cuff like bracelet with elastic in it, so I wouldn't have to bother about ruining the design of what I had in mind by adding some finding to the piece.

I ladder stitched the 4mm cubes on each other until I had seven resting on each other. Then I made five more of these. I had a pattern in mind on how I wanted to string the beads which I wanted in-between the 4mm cube ladders. I used 4mm glass pearls in dark purple,gold lined silver 11/0's, 10mm bugles in gold and at last in the center a 1.5mm cube bead and then repeat the first part again.


I used a big eye needle to get my elastic thread through the 4mm cubes. It makes the stringing a lot easier then if I would just have used the elastic thread on its own (I tried). Alas  I had some problems with the big eye needle and the elastic thread; the big eye needle turned out to be rather sharp on the inside where the thread goes, and as I threaded on bead after bead, after a while the elastic was cut off. I had to move around the elastic in the opening of the big eye needle once in a while to make sure it didn't break that quickly again.

I'm definitely make more of these in the future, since they go fast and ends up looking so cute and shiny depending on what beads you chose :)

Pendant: RAW heart

I did this piece some time ago, and decided on finish it up yesterday since I finally manage to make up my mind on what I wanted to do with it.
In the end it ended up as a pendant with a chain attached to it, and is now underway to Sweden as a x-mas present for "someone".

The pendant is made with right angle weave. Each side; the front and the back is made separately and then joined together.
I can't quite remember where I found this pattern, cause it's a pattern I used. But if I manage to find it out I'll post it :)

The beads I used were 11/0 seed beads, 4mm violet lustre firepolished beads.

Afterwards I stuffed a handmade head-pin together with some crafting glue inside of the heart, and then I added a jump-ring and attached the piece to a silver-plated copper chain along with a lobster clasp.

Pendant: Tree of Life

So yeh. I've been in love with these wire wrapped Tree of Life images that is going on around the web - specially in DeviantArt. I've done a really small piece like this before, but I've been feeling that I've wanted to try it again.
This time I went WAY bigger than my first attempt. I haven't really measured the piece, but it's about the size of a palm ( a woman palm, lol).

Last week I ordered some pretty rose quartz chips, which I used together with some white moonstone chips that have been laying around, that I've been using now and then in different projects.

I took some length from a 20 gauge silver-plated copper wire and used a solid round form that I like as a mandrel. Then I used some 24 gauge silver-plated copper wire to make sure the circle would fit. I also used the same 24 gauge wire to make my branches, and I strung the  chips at the top of each branch. When I were happy with how long I wanted each branch I twisted the wires together until they reached the center or base of what would be the tree. When I were satisfied with how I wanted the center, I again separated each of the twisted wires again, and began working them in a way so it would look like tree roots were attached to the bottom of the circle itself.

The second process was slightly painful and annoying, cause the wire would twist pretty much into every direction and sting me, lol. I understand why people work with protective glasses when they work with wire - I wear glasses, but I think those protective glasses would most like have been better, but I can't see a shit without my glasses and I'm not having any lenses at the moment, heh.

After that second precess, I began using some parts of the 24 gauge wire and wrap it around the circle itself, and secure each of the wire at the top and the bottom to make sure they would stay in place.
I added a cute little silver-plated copper chain together with a lobster clasp to make the finished touch.

I would probably work a lot more with wire then what I do at the moment, since I really love working and having contact with metals (besides nickel, cause I'm very allergic to it like a lot of people).
I were browsing the net a couple of nights ago, and metal, specially sterling silver really is way too expensive now days. At the moment I have some copper and aluminum wires hanging around since about a year ago. Al tho copper  is also really expensive at this moment - hopefully the prices will drop one day, heh :P

Wish List: December

Some lovely orange frosted tila beads from GJBeads.

A gorgeous Golem Studio Ceramic disc pendant from Beadaholique.

This lovely shell carved leaf pendant from E-BEADS.

These gorgeous 5mm purple jade cube beads from Artbeads.com .

These stunning lampwork leaves made by Silvia ArtGLass.

Necklace: WYB

Yeh, I know... The name I gave this piece is odd, but I couldn't think of anything then white, yellow and black, hence the odd name which is short for the colors, lol.

So the thing with this piece is that I had this palette in mind for some time. The colors hanging loosely but in the same sequence in different strands. That's why I ended up a multi-strand necklace. It's the very first time I make one of these babies, and while I were designing the idea, I were also pondering how I were going to join the strands together smoothly. At first I had an idea of making some bigger pyramids using ladder and brick stitch, where I would attach the strands.

However, the idea quickly turned, and I wanted to try to make a beaded cone, so I did. I made it using herringbone stitch, after looking at some tutorials on how to make those cute flowers using kinda the same technique.

When I completed the cones I picked up some gold-plated head-pins and attached the strands one by one in the eye of the eye-pin. When I had the amount of strands I wanted, and had them attached to two eye-pins, I used some crafting glue and put it around the threads and the eye of the eye-pin so it would be extra secure.
Then I added each strand into the beaded cones I made earlier, and finished each one of them off with a 4mm glass bead and made a wire wrapped loop and attached some gold-plated jump-rings and a gold plated magnetic clasp.

To be honest, this isn't really anything I think I'm gonna be wearing myself. But since the idea and the mental image that I had about this piece kinda haunted me, I knew I just had to go through with it. I picked up some new experiences while making this necklace so I enjoyed it at the same time :)

Bracelet: Frost Flower

Finally managed to get my fingers out of my ass and tidy up my room, and make it look like a working studio where I can make and design my jewelries.
It's still not 100% completed cause I still need some more furniture to get it as I've imagined :)

At the moment it's 100% possible to work there tho. I got this awesome tool case (or mini tool shelf) from my father-in-law just for the reason so I could store findings, tools, beads etc.

I also received my beads which I got as a present from my lovely bf. I had been longing for this since a while, since I've been having in mind what designs I want to fulfill using the beads I've ordered and now with the awesome work space it's like a dreamland! :D (need to get my hands on a radio tho, it's dead silence like on a graveyard lol).

So, the very first thing I made this Saturday was a little bracelet which kinda speaks "snow" or "winter" about it. It was the idea kinda. The moment I saw the silver lined crystal seed beads I ordered I thought they reminded me of ice. Pure ice.
I also intended on adding simple little leaves in, like fringe, which you can see on the photos. I used double spiral rope stitch to make the base itself of the bracelet, and embellished it with leaf fringes, frosted cube beads with an AB finish, and some 6/0 crystal beads also with an AB finish.
The clasp is only made out of beads. And I made the button using an 8mm glass bead, and then I used circular brick stitch. Instead of making the button only white, I had this image in my head; when it get really cold in northern Sweden you can see this pale pink and light blue colors in the sky. That is what I kinda wanted to embed in the piece.

Item of the Month: Bead Nabber

I've decided to begin to future an item each month for up to a year. Why? Cause it could be interesting for readers to get a view over how good an item work, and what it is for. The other idea is to get myself to write a lot more then what I've been doing now.
I also have to apology for my absence last month. It's been a bit hectic around here, and I've been having some rheumatic issues in the joint of my fingers, which haven't really made the working easier. They're still coming and going once in a while... I probably have to go and see the doctor if it persists :\

Anyway!

This month's item, and the very first item in this little featuring is a bead nabber. I've been very curious and been wondering if I should get one of these. The reason is that I find it really, really annoying to pick up the beads one by one when the fall all over - I have hyperactive playful kittens in the house that sometimes can sneak onto places they are not allowed on, and make a mess on "sacred" stuff, lol.
The bead nabber is really handy, and makes the bead picking a lot easier and faster then what it normally takes (licking your finger and then pick up the beads, lol... Not the most pleasant thing to do).
This little item is in plastic, with some sticky "stuff" (no idea what it's called in English) on the tip. The idea is that you slide the bead nabber onto your finger of choice so that the sticky thing on the bead nabber kinda ends up on the pointy part of your finger.
The item isn't even that expensive, and I do find the 2€ it costs worth the price.
I bought my bead nabber from GJBeads, but from their Amazon store.

I give this handy little item 4/5 points.
The reason to why it doesn't score a five is that you sometimes have to pick off the beads you pick up with the bead nabber with your fingers since the sticky stuff can be a bit strong.