RIVETING DESIGN!

Rivette Pendant, an incredible design by Patrick Duggan in the December 2015/January 2016 special issue of Beadwork's Holiday Gifts absolutely caught my eye.  It was so different than other designs and it truly is an eye catcher piece up close and personal-like!  And, bead size DOES matter in this design.  All beads need to be uniform, or the top will not lay as nicely - the fit just won't be there.  Luckily in this first version, I chose wisely.  However, on my second pendant, I didn't and it made a difference once I stitched my way to the top - the triangles did not lay as flat... it's still a great piece, don't get me wrong, but not worthy of selling or gift giving.  Darn, what a great excuse to keep for myself!  :)  Here's the first pendant, along with earrings I made to go with.  The earrings are taken from a design I saw on FusionBeads site.  I tweaked to my own liking of course.  Awesome set, if I don't say so myself!

This is the underside view of the pendant.  I think it's pretty great as well!  It gives a better picture of what the building block beads are for the structure.

THE THRILL OF WIRE!

 

I do quite a bit of wire wrapping, but there is ALWAYS so much more to learn.  New ways to do things, new tools to use, etc.  So, I had a free Saturday and Beth Routhier was teaching a dainty wire wrap "Floating Infinity" design class @ Bead Street so I joined the group!  It was definitely a learning curve for me, just holding the pliers so as not to mar the thicker wire took some time - I bead tight - but it was oh so fun and I did learn so much.  I learned about bail making pliers, and how to patina.  I've wanted to know that technique for so long, and now I know (really, enough to be dangerous!)  Love this pattern - thank you Beth!  I went home and finished the hook closure, even though I originally thought that type of closure would be too difficult for me to connect on my wrist, but it was a cinch!  I also made some darlin' butterfly earrings to match.  As time permitted over the weekend I made a second bracelet in blue hues.  I'm now hooked on using 16 and 18 gauge wire (I usually work with 20-24 gauge), and using these bail making pliers in differing sizes.  PLUS the patina process - love how it makes the copper wire look, without having to wait so long for the natural aging process.
  

NEW 4-HOLE KHEOPS TRIANGLES

There are truly so many new beads becoming available, that it makes my head spin, but mostly my hands move a little faster!  This is another design by Akke Jonkhof Akkesieraden, she named "Bracelet Kheopatra" taught by Sandy Taylor at Bead Street.  Another very interestink name for a beautiful design.  And, these new triangles - oh my.  Thicker and really fun to use.  They are 6mm and called Kheops.  They actually have 2 holes drilled parallel through the bead.  And, what I learned is that you need to pay close attention as you add them in any pattern, so you have the top of the triangle headed the right direction.  Love this turquoise/purple combo. 

LOTS OF SHIMMER AND SHEEN!

Pictures do not do these new silky beads justice... let me just start off by saying that...

"Simply Silky" design by Akke Jonkhof Akkesieraden, taught by Sandy Taylor at Bead Street.  Using the newly available Czech 2-hole silky square angled beads and Bead Street has them!  They have quite the multi-color shimmery finish--and for this bracelet, I wanted a combination that would pop, and by George... I think I've done it!  The purplish sheen, coupled with the "bright" blue super duos, and purple Czech O rings are so loverly!  Then I added copper 15/0 sb around the outside of the super duos to finish it off.  I'm quite pleased with this one... 
 

TWO-SIDED BEADED BEADS!

A fun new pattern using beaded beads!  I made the bracelet pattern into a necklace, with a couple of slight alterations, and strung a lovely heart pendant by Humblebeads.  Plus, earrings of course!  The bead pattern is a Vezsuzsi bracelet pattern she calls "Edgar", taught by Sandy Taylor at Bead Street.  I chose to use peachy/pinks/maroon shades, with copper and silver interspersed using 11/0 and 15/0 seed beads.  I also used bronze wire to wrap the pendant, so it's a mixed bag of colors for sure.  Copper colored Czech O rings are inserted on either side of the 6mm pearls to enhance the color shade change to the 6mm fp.  I'm liking this combo very well!  

PINCH BEADED BEADS in a completed set and O RINGS bracelet pattern.

Finished my necklace and earrings, from my previous post of the pinch beaded beads I learned at Bead Street week or so ago.  I added a few more beaded beads, some Czech glass pearls and some new Czech shapes, and Ohhhh My, the finish on these brand new Czech glass beads is absolutely incredible.  If I could afford all of the strings Eileen had, I would have purchased them!!!  It's fun to have a new grouping of shapes.  This necklace is really a beautiful piece, w/earrings to match.  Yummers is all I can say on the meshing of the hues in varying shades of blue/grey/green/copper/gold and bronze.



 

NOW FOR THE NEW DESIGN using the new Czech "O" Rings.  A bracelet designed by Marcia Balonis, taught at Bead Street by Sandy Taylor.  A different grouping of colors for me in that I really started out wanting to make something that would go with black.  I started with the 4mm dark grey fire polish, had additional 3mm black fp on my beading pad, but then couldn't go through with it.  I needed something to make the copper/silver/grey pop, so used more of a mustard 3mm.  This is really fun - colors in person are really more unusual and blended than it shows here.