COLORFUL SWEETNESS!

Making earrings using a component of any kind, whether I make it with wire, or it comes pre-made... I just love the process and the concept.   It's kind of freeing for me as I just start adding beads and where it goes nobody knows... especially me.  Here's (truly) one of my most adorbs creations in earrings.  The color combinations were fun and ultimately worked PERFECTLY together.  I do have to say that I thought of cutting the first earring apart, as it didn't seem like it was working, but again, I just kept on stringing...  Don't you love these?  I know someone who does!  ME and one other!  xo

Next, a fun and easy project with an incredible African Chevron Trade Bead from Tracee Dock at Classic Bead/Classic Elements.  I loosely braided some ribbon for the necklace and I'm off to the races... need to make some earrings now to go with.  But, this was a fun, easy way for me to dangle a gorgeous bead, and because the bead is already heavy, adding more just didn't seem like the thing to do for this project. 

CORAL IN SPRING!

The color coral is G L O R I O U S!  And this shade is truly amazing in person -- at least in this red head's opinion!  Another of my square stitch bracelets learned from my beading sistah Judy, this time using non-precious coral gemstone chips for the top layer, plus 11.0 in bright copper.   Necklace and earrings to make a set below.

The long coral pendant piece I've had for many years, but never had just the right piece to incorporate it, but this double necklace was calling for something, and this pendant worked!  Just needed a little copper wire wrapping to include a heart and a little messy wrapping (the messy part I really have to work at because it doesn't come naturally to me).   :)

And some adorable JDreams earrings, with coral heart charms in silver as the dangle.  Another of my beading sistahs, Sharon (thank you!), gifted me this wonderful heart set and I knew exactly what I wanted to do with them.  The round beads are a paper mache and ever so light, so they work well with the heavier silver weight -- less drag on the earlobes!  And I mixed copper wire with the silver for contrast, of course!

TURQUOISE AND BUTTERFLIES

A darlin' BUTTERFLY bracelet pattern by Vezsuzsi.  I had to remake this twice as the first time it was way too tight and wouldn't bend to go around my wrist.  I wasn't the only one in my beading group... several of us had the same difficulty.  I must say though, that the original pattern is for a bangle, and we were making ours for a clasp, which does change the bend requirements.  So after slightly altering the pattern and adding an extra 15/0 or an extra 11/0 here and there, it softened up and had more flex to go around my wrist.  I love the colors I used... bright and cheery for sure!  It's dainty, so caution will need to be taken when worn.

 

And, next this wonderful turquoise wrist eye catcher.  My beading sistah Judy had made one and I LOVED it, so I asked if I could copy her idea using the turquoise and make my own version.  I used a base of ladder stitch with 4mm cubes.  You could use any kind of chips ... or truly... anything else.  You are limited only by your own imagination.  I'm going to give it another whirl with something less expensive than turquoise.  But, isn't this fun?  I love my owl button too.  Kind of finished it off for me.

THE PARTY OF SPRING

The start of spring, the Easter holiday and the awakening of all beautiful flowering trees and flowers really get my color juices flowing.  So, a couple of my new earring designs to get this party of spring started...

WRESTLING AN ARMADILLA!

Man oh man!  To say this was a time consuming piece is an understatement!!  But, in the end, I must say, worth all the effort!  It's a bracelet design by Carole Ohl named Armadilla.  Since this is my blog, I can whine about the time I allotted to the individual pieces of this Armadilla... which I think look totally like "rolly pollies".  Unfortunately, for a few of the rollies... I wasn't paying close enough attention, and had to dismantle them since they weren't right.  And, as I neared my last rolly pollie, one of the bars broke as I threaded my needle back through it, which caused me to place all the pieces into a sack for a few days.  But, alas, I finished it, and it does feel oh so heavenly on my wrist.  It's a fun pattern - which I can say now that I've completed it.  But, to make more?  Probably not in my near future!  The pattern calls for 2-hole crescents, 2-hole bars, 2-hole tiles and 3mm fire polish.

NEW EARRING INSPIRATION!

Not colors I would have necessarily chosen, but I received a special order request for bright primary colors, so I gave it an honest try and ... judge for yourself below, but I can honestly say I think these turned out beautifully.  I'm going to make myself a pair too - I think the colors combine incredibly.  The first pic below is indoor light, and the last few are outdoor natural.  It truly makes a difference in how the colors come through.

SPRINGIN' EARRINGS

New beads and new patterns keep it all fresh!  In that vein... using the new 2-hole CzechMates crescents, on a loverly afternoon with my beading sistahs, a pattern by TrendSetter Nichole Starman called "Chrysanthemum".  Try to say that quickly three times... and then, try to spell it without looking!  Nichole's pattern was for a bracelet, but the components make darling earrings, so that's where I got off the train.  Love these springs colors...and the blue on blue tones at the bottom. An issue for me again was working the pattern tightly so my thread didn't show (and I'm a tight beader!).  I struggled with that until on the final set, the blues at the bottom, I went around each section twice, and inserted 15.0 on either side of the 6mm.

DESERT DIAMONDS!

A FUN design by Shae Wilhite, which she appropriately named Desert Diamonds.  In a group with my beading sistahs, as I like to call our close beading ensemble - we tackled this lovely pattern, which was published in Beadwork back in October/November 2014.  I do not remember seeing this wonderful pattern.  Sharon used some beautiful colors in her version of the design, which we all fell in love with.  I used very similar shades, but changed it up just ever so slightly.  The colors are hard to describe, but probably more to the pinky/peachy side of coral with a darker shade of rose/coral, and some turquoise.  The 11s that attach the triangles around the outer edge truly make this pattern flow wonderfully.  The only thing I didn't love is that the thread shows around the diamonds and the superduos, and there doesn't seem to be any way around that.  But, I'll be making more of this design.  I did also love that my Indian chief button fit the design perfectly, as it's one of my favorites...

HEARTS PAST...

I do love hearts, have I mentioned that??? and while I didn't get my Valentine's Day post done in time, I'm going to post anyway, even though late.  Better late than never - and, hearts are wonderful all year round.  I'm especially proud of these because I taught my very first earring wrapped wire beaded heart component, after I made the first pair, which was a hit.  Wrapping the wire and making two "close" to the same size/shape components is always the challenge, but also the fun part of this creation.  I lived through the class - and, so did they, but because they are my very special beading sistahs, they are SO forgiving -- I thank them for that experience!  Here are the results... my latest heart creations.

This pair is different than the top pics, which you may note already because the heart shape is a little wider - but the colors are more peachy/pink, and if you look close you can see the translucence of the 11.0 sbs on the first brick stitch go-around the hearts.  Love these!  I started this pair during the class I taught.

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.

SUNFLOWER ENSEMBLE!

The color palette of sunflowers, SO BEAUTIFUL, and even though it's still winter, this combination just seemed to be calling to me - it was my fall-back if you will.  I started this lovely piece with the pendant, a Leela Beads design, in a class taught by Sandy Taylor.  My first attempt was in purple/pink hues, but alas, I just wasn't feeling the "love" of the piece as I finished it, and that's pretty much my gauge.  And, even though my husband gave me his usual oohs and aahs, I see scissors in that pendant's very near future!  It just didn't come together, plus I missed a couple of steps in the pattern (which did make a difference!) because I was enjoying my beading sistahs and not paying close enough attention...I may even have been talking!  Ha!  So, here' the final... ta da... This pattern uses the new Chilli beads, mini superduos, a 14mm rivoli, 11.0 and 15.0 seed beads and I went with the larger drops - 3 or 4 mm work.

Plus, these adorable earrings of my JDreams design, using polka dot orange heart ceramic buttons as my centerpiece.  Bo Hulley's artistry -- these hearts were shouting out "come get me" from my stash and I heard them!!  I added some table cut czech glass and some wood!  Really am excited about this combo.