CATCH UP PART 3 +

I'm getting closer and closer to the current season of my creations, I promise!  Crazy part is I shouldn't feel that far behind as it was actually snowing here yesterday morning and evening in Boise!  What?  Another wintry creation and then I'll move right on into a few of my most recent.

This ensemble is one of my new winter favs!  It's gorgeful in person.  It was a step out of my creative box as I don't usually gravitate towards cooler colors, silver beads or hematite wire and findings.  But this beautiful tree house bead by Heather at Humblebeads started me down that path, and I am absolutely in love with the result.  The finish on these etched/frosted daggers are unique, and the crystal beads I used have the AP sheen.  I had the milky white rounds in my stash and then used other clear Czech flower beads to finish the necklace.  And, I actually did use copper wire on the earrings (which is my go to wire and preference on most things I make). I like to mix metals when it works for the overall piece. I embellished with small Czech flower bead caps.  I love those!

Next one started with another of my favorite artists, Gaea, who makes these wonderful, beautifully formed clay hearts - which if you know me, you know I love hearts on everything!  I wanted to showcase these without anything distracting, so I looped them with brass jump rings onto some filigree antique brass chain by Vintaj, and let the hearts speak for themselves.  Yummy. 

And, last one for this posting, a new 2021 piece that started with a pewter Inviciti pendant.  I used 1.0 green leather to tie the pendant to an agate round, wired on a beautiful AB Swarovski crystal star, used leather to string a mix of Czech glass beads for the necklace, knotting after every, or after three, beads.  It was a very fun project.  I don't work with leather all that much, and every time I do, I wonder why I don't.  It's a wonderful look, with the hematite chain added for interest.  The earrings also started with Inviciti charms and I added jasper rounds and bead caps to finish the look.   

  

CATCHING UP FROM 2020!

New Year 2021... Here it is March (WHAT?) and I haven't posted in soooo long.  Time to get back to it.  I have made some shareworthy pieces since my last post, but the year of covid-19 -- to the present -- has been such a struggle for a lot of us.  It's been hard to get my creative cap on, but when I have, it has provided me absolute joy!  I thank all these magical beads for so much happiness... plus the thoughts of all the people I love drive me onward to provide special gifts and creations.  Here we go... back to the fall of 2020 and then forward to March 2021...

The pendant below started with a metal connector of 16 copper gauge wire, hammered and colored a bit with some Vintaj paints.  I have made several different types of connectors, but Heather @ Humblebeads  inspired me on this one.  The beautiful leaf pendant is made by Ashley at Summerwind Art.

My JDreams design of some fun fall leaves and dragonflies for the ears.  The lucite leaves added to the czech glass help to keep these remarkably light.

This next set started with the Grubbi Ceramics pendant.  I found Grubbi on etsy and fell in love with this mountain flower scene.  Perfect for my MT  daughter in law!  I stitched a herringbone connector for the necklace, added in some peanut beads for added sparkle, a small czech flower and some bell flower beads for movement.  

Beautiful earrings to match in multiple blue tones - the czech glass flowers have been in my stash forever.  I only had two, so they were perfect for this project. Lucite beads above the czech flowers and sparkly glass prisms on the bottom.

Last for this post, a winter set using a Heather (Humblebeads) snowflake bead and a pre-cut wood piece, painted and grooved for some design.  These are so great, Heather!  I also wire wrapped some rounds and added Heather's metal dangle gloves.  So adorbs together!  Love the cool colors of this set.  Not my normal, as I tend more to the warm, but absolutely love this ensemble.  Something about the snow and winter made these beads pop out of my stash and come together.

SUMMER PROJECTS

Yes. . . ongoing note to self... this is a totally off-the-charts year!  SO MUCH STRESS, some days it's just difficult to be "normal", whatever that means anymore.  My projects take longer and definitely longer to post on the blog (sorry!).  This post has been in the works for several weeks!! It's been hard concentrating on detailed patterns, so I've been doing more free-hand earrings.  With lots of shared inspiration available from so many artists right now, and then, just the beautiful last bit of summer color to help guide the flow. Here are a few of my latest.

Some form of wire and wire wrapping seems to be my "go to" right now as it lets my mind wander as I wrap.  Starting with anything Gaea-created inspires me to create up to her standards!  These earrings began with her copper etched metal.  I added some beautiful Czech sea foam green glass with small czech dome teacup beads and turquoise 11.0 seed beads for a nice contrast.  I used engraved jump rings as the connector and finished with Czech glass flowers (Ravens Journey) added to the ear wires. 

Some cuties below in blues/turquoise with Czech glass flowers and leaves.  The lower leaves are lucite, which add some add'l color, but no additional weight.  The metal is hematite, which I think really makes the bead colors pop.  Hematite is new for me, but I'm really trying to create outside my normal box...

Next, some random fun wire wrapping with a mixed tube of 11.0 sb.  I wasn't really sure any of this was going to work until the end!!! I had saved these Czech glass faces for the right project, and they were staring at me as I began this one, so I added them in, then added some more Czech glass flowers and drops for a pop of color.  

Some pre-made, stamped metal rounds with a bit of  turquoise Vintaj paint added to tone down the metal before I started the lower wire wrapping of Czech glass leaves, flowers and flower bead caps.  Bright bits of color to jazz up the metal.  :)

More flowers and wire wrapping on a pre-made brass round.  Czech glass flowers in a few sizes with leaves, fire polish, some of those cute teacups and seed beads.  I'm really loving flower combinations wrapped on a wire round base.  The balancing act is trying not to make them too heavy.  The weight of all of these are about my limit.

Next pair I used Vintaj connectors in brass to encase a 12mm swarovski ravoli and then I added some really gorgeous Czech glass table beads in lime green.  Finished off with brass flower bead caps and rondelles on either end.  These turned out pretty rich and gorgeous. 

Finishing this post with a bang of color!  Czech glass flowers and caps with 4mm and 6mm glass and pearl rounds attached to chain for a cascade of color.  I used these gorgeous milky opal glass triangles on top to finish the ear wires.  I really love the turquoise shades with the varying orange shades, with a bit of yellow to pop.  Fun.

INSPIRATION FROM THE HOLLY DAZE!

Happy New Year 2020 everyone!!!  I am working hard at not writing 2019 on everything... updating my blog has steadily been moving up my catch-up list. I haven't posted any of my projects from about Halloween through Christmas because it always feels like such a whirlwind.  Today, those few months all seem like a blur of magic dust!  But, onward I march into 2020 with a smile on my face and peace in my heart... most days!  Here are some of my wonderful projects that kept my mind and soul busy during the Holly-Daze.

I'm starting with beautiful original art metal by Gaea - the colors are so "me".  A perfect piece for fall, or anytime really.  The branch is from another wonderful artist, Dana George, New Moon Design (that was also in my stash), and it fit perfectly with this piece.  I wire wrapped farfalle beads as the connector to the branch and embellished the piece overall until I was happy with the look.  More farfalle beads, fire polish, czech glass leaves and coins, flower caps and pips.  It's just a happy piece.  My elderly mother looked at it around my neck and said "is that a picture of you"?  Why yes... yes it is!  Ha.  A likeness in coloring for sure.  Thank you Gaea. 

An adorable pendant from my stash... not sure where I purchased it, maybe Artbeads a very long time ago.  My 5 year old granddaughter Lily loves unicorns and sparkles, so this was a special piece for her December birthday!! 

Two original artist pieces were integral to this next project.   I feel so very fortunate to have several wonderful artists to follow and learn from.  They all take turns in my creations, and my own creations are so much better because of them.  I am grateful to have their inspiration!  Tracee Dock Classic Bead created the ceramic donut, which was in my stash and was just what I needed to work as a connection between the Eagle Zuni Bear pendant by Nicole St. Laurent (Ravens Meadow) and the necklace.  I wire wrapped each piece together and then added some of LaShell's (Design Talented One) beautiful fibers to soften the connection.  I love that look!  The necklace has many different beads -- some wood, some czech rondelles, czech leaves and metal spacers.  So fun!  The earrings are 11.0 delicas in brick stitch - my own design coordinating the many colors in the necklace. 

The next piece includes a Heather (Humblebeads) polymer clay bird.  Her birds are always beautiful and unique and just plain fun.  I have to reteach myself on the wire nest wrapping each time, and sometimes that's more of a challenge than I expect... but always fun!  The polymer square in the earrings are Heather's as well, which match so nicely with the necklace.  I added some czech glass and farfalle bead dangles, plus some painted little bird egg charms.  All very light and chirpy!!! :)  

more projects yet to be posted.  Stay tuned... 

FUN SUMMER COLOR COMBOS!

Following the theme of an earlier post in June, here are some additional earrings in brick stitch.  I'm trying all different colors together now to see what unusual combos I can come up with.  This stitch lends itself to this style so beautifully, and it's not a long-term project that takes me days.  I need a few of those right now as I really just want to spend time outside sitting in our garden, smelling all the wonderful aromas of flowers and veggies, and watching the butterflies and bees.  Here are a few additional colors/lengths/designs -- all fun and catchy in their own way.  

  

COLORS ADORN!

A smaller sized earring of less weight for our earlobes.  Instead of longer, free-flowing fringe off the bottom of brickstitch, I wrapped these around for loops.  I've seen different versions of this idea out there... not really sure who came up with it, but I loved the idea when I saw it.  I used 11.0 sb with 6mm fire polish on the earring wire.  These are puuuurrrfffeeect for summer and the colors -- mamma mia!  :)  Darlin' little stars add a bit of pop.  Adorbs.

Similar colors as above, but the longer dangle look.  Again, on FB and on Pinterest, so many different versions of these brickstitch with dangle designs out there.  The sky's the limit on how long or what you add to them - I added some tiny myuki drop beads to both the earring wires and the bottom of the dangles for my own JDreams flair, and I'm lovin me some blue right now!!  Some people like shorter, and some people like longer.  Always good to have a choice, depending on your hair length too, or if you are wearing your hair up or down.  No reason to wear darlin' earrings if no one can see them, right?

A flash idea, as I played with some different beads on my mat, grew into these darlin loose flower earrings.  Rizzo's, 8.0 sb and some fire polish wrapped around a pounded brass round link.  I've kind of been in a wire wrapping state of mind and there's that blue again.  These are more delicate than what they show here, and there is movement with the rizzos, which adds a bit of life to the design.

An idea I saw on Instagram at #seedbeadjewelry. CindyKinersonjewelry posted a pair she had created using brickstitch attached to some engraved or stamped natural leather, as the lower portion of the earring - they were really fantastic!  I loved the idea and my head started spinning about what I could come up with that followed the basic idea but was different.  So, I went through my own leather stash and came up with this combo.  Cutting very small pieces of leather in a shape is not as easy as it looks, so don't look too close!  Best part is how light they are.   Even with the 11.0 seed beads, the czech glass and 8mm round, these are light as a feather.  FUN!

BIRDS OF A FEATHER . . .

Projects that began with a beautiful bird by Heather at Humblebeads.  Add a tiny perch, some dangles, some ribbon and badda bing, badda bang!!  :)  These birds are so much fun -- I confess I have several I've been hoarding.  But, alas, these two flew the coup.  Hope they are happy in their new homes!!!

I didn't get a great picture of this next set, so I feel bad about that.  Sometimes there isn't enough time, or the light will not cooperate in the time I do have.  But, this was also a wonderful combination.  Pattern credits for the earrings were in my "Remembering Christmas" post.

PIGGY BEAD VERSION #2

These newly discovered piggy beads are so much fun.  I couldn't wait to make another color combo.  Gold/brown/green toned version was from my last post - Scroll down for more of version #2.  Spring versus Fall so to speak -- I've put them side by side in this first shot so you can see the difference color makes!

Plus, earrings to match of course...beaded puff beads using 2-hole super duos.  These were from my March, 2014 posts.  Love this pattern from SashaSi.  It uses many beads, but the earrings are still light enough not to weight down your ear.  Splash of color!  They look beautiful on you Krissy!!!

 

HALLOWEEEEN/FALL FUN!

A little SPOOKiness for Halloween.  


Some darlin darlin fire polish pumpkins.  I started with a Fusion Beads beaded bead pattern from their inspiration page, did some extra embellishing with the leaves and the top stems, and voila!  These are very fun to make! 

Spider anyone???

Some earrings to go with that spider?

A wonderful tile pendant by J-Lynn Jewels.  I added a 4mm FP beaded beads in purple with orange 4mm FP added to  the outside to give a little depth, plus some old brass Ethiopian beads, some wood beads, and some charms to top it off.  Isn't it cute? 

And, last, but certainly not least, some awesomely fall inspired, fun earrings!  Czech glass leaves, Czech glass pumpkin beads, semi precious stones, and some Lucite leaves.  A great combo!