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.

SNOWMEN AND DUELING BRACELETS

First, some snowmen to add some smiles to this stressful time of year.  These can't help but make you grin!  Their scarves keep them warm too, don't ya know!  :)

 

 

Next, a fab, albeit very time consuming, bracelet design by Marcia Balonis named "Whistle Stop", taught by Sandy Taylor @ Bead Street.  It's a gorgeous pattern, and well worth every moment I spent beading away...  I wanted a mixed metal look, so used matt silver lentils on top/gold sb and copper/orange/redish fire polish w/reddish/brown bricks.  I don't know the exact color names of what I used, so don't you love how precise my descriptions are? Ha. This bracelet feels really nice on the wrist too - it's one of those that feels great next to the skin and it moves with you.

 

 

This is a Vezsuzsi design named Leo Bangle, also taught by Sandy Taylor at Bead Street.  I'm having a devil of a time getting a decent pic of this bracelet.  It doesn't matter if its taken inside or outside.  It wants to show more pink tones, but it's really a true beautiful red--disappointing.  It drapes beautifully around the wrist because it is designed to be a bangle, but I made it a clasp instead.  I like to be able to size it closer to my wrist size and bangles don't work so well for that.

PINCH BEADED BEADS and NEW EARRING DESIGNS, OH YA...

A lovely afternoon of making beaded beads with pinch beads, 11.0 sb, Czechmates 2-hole lentils and Super Duos - all designed by Eileen @ Bead Street.  I love beaded beads!  They are just so versatile.  Thanks, Eileen, for sharing with us.  I had a great time!  New posts coming with projects using these beads.  A couple new earring projects below.  The first set hilights one of the new pinch beaded beads, the others use whatever was in my view... on my beading table and thereabouts! 

 



This darlin pair of earrings focuses on one of the new beaded bead patterns.  Love these multi-faceted pinch beads in orange/red/pink/yellow.  I also "just happened" to have the same multi-colored fire polish in my stash, and the darlin' copper hearts - p e r f e c t!



I needed a pair that included some turquoise to match a necklace I have, so paired chips with brass findings, instead of my usual copper.  And, because my hair is longer now, my earrings seem to be getting longer too. 

Ooooh, these are so lovely.  Brass findings again, with coral in two different tones, and the teardrops were in my stash, but I don't have a clue what stone they are.  It just all worked together.  Love this color!






2-HOLE TRIANGLE AND LENTIL BRACELETS

Here are a couple new pieces I learned at  Bead Street recently, using the two-hole triangles, which are the newest addition to my bead stash.  There are many new patterns being tested right now, and several are still in the testing phase as I mentioned in my last blog - those I won't be able to post for awhile.  But, these two patterns are out of the testing phase.  They use these awesome CzechMate beads, wich are so fun to work with!  The first design is "Cupids Crown", taught by Sue, adapted from a pattern designed by Nicole Starman and it uses 2 different colors of 2-hole  triangles, along with lentils, FP and 11.0 sb.  The class was to make a bracelet, but I thought it would be fun as a necklace... so I intermingled and reversed the colors in the crowns , using the same FP on each as the constant.  As with all these designs, the color combinations are only limited by the colors of the two-hole beads available.

Next, a design by Adele Kimpell perfectly named "Crystal Windows", taught by Sandy Taylor.  This pattern uses 11.0 seed beads, and is embellished with small crystal montees.  It's peyote stitch with RAW and picots for the centerpieces.  I'm trying the same pattern with 8.0 seed beads, and it's looking great so far.  Haven't decided what I'll put in the middle of the RAW--it'll be something other than the montees.

 

New Beaded Bracelet For Valentine's Day!



A new pattern by Starman Trendsetter Nicole Starman called "Rondell Revolution".  It's a wonderfully creative pattern, as all of Nicole's are, especially when you add all the required beads, as I did in my second version - the multi-green/cooper version below!   I made the red/silver bracelet in a test class at Bead Street, and rushed home to immediately try and make the pattern CORRECTLY.  Best part is how forgiving it is, so, like me, if you make a mistake all the way down one side, it still comes together beautifully.  Very very lucky for me!  Thanks Sandy Taylor for dealing with all of us "test beaders" during class...


This pattern uses CzechMate 2-hole lentils, 11.0 sb and CzechMate bricks, with 6mm fire polish.  I used the red/grey lentils and really love the look.  Also, Sandy made a bracelet with tiny drops in the center in lieu of an 11.0 sb and I liked the look, so have done that same thing.  Translucent red drops - which I also added to my button clasp closure to tie them in.

I love the colors in this bracelet - two different strands of green FP and copper 11.0 sbs, with two different colors of lentils and translucent green drops - it's subtle but gorgeous!

LENTILLE BRACELET, two versions of the same pattern . . .

MY FALL COLORS adorn this wonderful pattern.  A class at Bead Street taught by Sandy, using an Adele Kimpell pattern, "Lentille Bracelet".  This was my second bracelet - my first is below.  On this version I took it down a slightly different path, using both two hole Czechmate lentils in the shiny bronze, and  a variety of fall colored super duos.  It's yummy if I don't say so myself.  The herringbone tube-like pattern was very fun, and since I had struggled with this stitch on a previous project, I had it down this time!  I used a multi-mix tube of matte 11.0 seed beads in copper/yellow tones and shiny gold (permanent finish) 11.0's down the center for a little pop.

My closure is a leather button with peyote stitched loop.

Here's the FIRST bracelet I made, below.  I wanted to try something slightly different and even though I'm in a fall color mode, I chose cooler colors for this project, starting with the purple metallic (permanent) 11.0's, and the metallic purple/blue mix lentils.  The whole time I was working this bracelet I wasn't sure I liked the combo until near the end.  I wanted to try a different closure, so transitioned from the herringbone to peyote stitch, then used a button and peyote stitched loop.  I must say, I had to tear out this small section over and over and yes, over again, because it wouldn't lay right.  It was a challenge, but in the end... yes, I love this one too.  Isn't the button oh so cute?