WIMSICAL CREATIONS FOR EASTER

I've been having some downright fun!  Spring brings forth lots of awesome color and playful art ideas roam around in my head . . . from decorating my house, to making little art pieces and projects, to my favorite thing, creating new jewelry.  This post includes nothing too serious or beautifully woven . . . just some bright colors and some fun, using whatever I found or have -- plastic buttons from the craft store (I love these, they are so cheery!) to metal charms, some kinda heavy, but adorable nonetheless, and some miscellaneous beads, with wire, lots of wire in 18, 20, 22 and 24 gauges.  You'll see in some of the earrings, I wire wrapped using 24 gauge, onto a more sturdy base of 18 gauge.  I smiled with each completed piece!

 

The pic above is just a fun throw-in!  It's the finished product of an Easter basket my grandson and I attempted using colored shredded paper.  It was so fun... but kind of tough for a little guy with all the glue and all. Heck, it was a challenge for me!!!  Here's the basic overview:  Saran wrap on the inside of a Tupperware round, square or just a plastic cup; cover the saran wrap with a mixture of half glue/half water; start layering shredded paper cross-wise, until you get it where you want it; add more glue mixture with each layer of paper so it sticks together; and then, wait for it to dry - about 24 hours - before you attempt to pull off the saran wrap.  It's pretty fun to see it completed.

A set -- these earrings just completed to go with the necklace below!

A funky little necklace.  I started with a large wood round, and started adding buttons (with 24 gauge) and I do love hearts, so that's where I started, adding a carrot and little polka dot buttons too.  I finished it off with two antique brass hearts and a rabbit head.  The rabbit is kind of heavy - too heavy for earrings, but I thought he added just the right touch to this piece.

PIECES COMBINE TO MAKE A WHOLE!

I love having a "project" on my beading table, so when I get a few minutes I can just start where I left off and not have to think about what beads or colors I want to combine for a project.  That early process takes me a bit of time... determining color, size, shape, 1-hole, 2-hole, now 4-hole.  So many options and where to begin?  So back to this project, which is already determined, I just need more time.  I'm still working on the individual X-spokes (using the new 4-hole quadratiles), and then combining each X-spoke, either with 2-hole tiles or just another X-spoke.  It's a 2-sided design by Kelly Wiese named X-Factor, taught by Sandy Taylor @ Bead Street.  In a couple of the pics below you can see the start of another X-spoke, which will give you a better idea of how small each one is by itself.  It's gonna be pretty! Stay tuned for the finished product. 

FIRE LINE CAN MAKE -- OR -- BREAK -- A PROJECT!

Oh, fireline... how I hate thee sometimes!  I made this beautiful new pendant,  designed by Vezsuzsi, and as I got ready to put on the last few 15/0 sb, I started to bend it oh so gradually, to look at those little 3 mm fp which kind of get hidden in the pattern, and it paid me back for that bend, by gradually disintegrating before my tearful eyes!  You can see at the top of this blue beauty that the layer is coming away from the center.  So, basically, fireline is perfect, until it's not.  I think those cute little fp I used may have been sharp at the drilled opening, but I can't be sure.  There are several other beads in this piece that could have assisted with the disintegration, but if fireline can catch a fish without breaking, why oh why can't it string a dang pendant?  It can, right? Catch a fish that is?  But, alas, since I will not allow myself to be discouraged for long, I started once again, using a different color palette, and I was cautious and conscientious about my tension on every round!  Tension, tension, tension, and sharp beads, make the diff I guess.  Thank you, Sandy, for letting me quietly sob.... kidding...  Thanks for a great class!  No matter what happens in my learning cycle, I always enjoy that creating time with my beading sistahs at Bead Street.

TWO SIDED BEADED BEAD STATEMENT PIECE!

I love the versatility of this double-sided beaded bead from my last post (Vezsuzsi).  In this project I made it bigger than the original pattern, using 11/0 and 8/0 sb, along with 6 mm fp, and made it my focal, along with this wonderful pendant, from one of my favorite clay artists, Tracee Dock @ The Classic Bead.  It is a wonderful spring/summer piece.  And, I made darlin' bird earrings to match using the smaller beaded version from the original post.  L O V E!  (THIS DARLIN SET HAS SOLD!)