Inspired by Pinterest, I headed back to the bead table to crank out some earrings. I really like orange, turquoise and brass together. The bee earrings are adorable and even though I gifted them already, I have materials to make my own pair so I jusssssssssst might do that. The purple earrings were a *#^@!! to make. I know what I wanted them to look like, and I see earrings in just that design in every store, but actually getting the crimps in the right place was an exercise in frustration. ...
Stupid beading tricks: Sprite bracelet
A few years ago at Bead Fest Philadelphia* I bought two bottle cap beads because I thought they were the most unique and happy beads ever. And they are! But I had no idea what to use them for. I finally forced myself to use one in a bracelet. I used gray waxed Irish linen to tie two strands of green beads and one string of clear glass rounds together. I still don't know if I like it or not. *Bead Fest is amazing. Just amazing. I can't wait. I don't even take classes. I just walk up and down ...
Stupid beading tricks: Orange flower
I bought this enameled pendant from Jade Scott back in 2012, and of course all of the ideas I had for it disappeared as soon as I received it. So I saved it. And waited. And waited. One night, the little orange seed beads in one of my bead boxes grabbed my attention. I used some antique brass half-hard wire to create a chain, and then I added the pendant. But it didn't look right. I let it sit some more, and realized I had teal round beads (probably dyed glass) that matched the flower petals. ...
Stupid beading tricks: Bridal set
A month or so back, one of my coworkers asked if I could make her a bracelet and a set of earrings for her upcoming beach wedding in Mexico. I said sure, no big. Okay. I said, "OMG SERIOUSLY ARE YOU CRAZY? ME? OKAY!!??!?!" She wanted something dainty and beachy. OKAY!! I created five sample earrings and two small lengths of bracelets for her, and let her choose what she wanted. This is the finished product: The pearls are crystal pearls, because real pearls are wickedly expensive and I am ...
Stupid beading tricks: blue bracelet
Another of my dorking-at-the-bead-table creations. It's pretty, if a bit heavy. I have no plans for it at the moment. Maybe it'll go toward stock for the someday-store. ...
Stupid beading tricks: Teal Statement Necklace
No teal beads? No problem. I picked up a package of Jesse James Design Elements beads in "Mystere." For only $5.99 you get a packet of gorgeous and chunky beads all in the same color family. It's a very cost-effective way to build a nice statement necklace. I strung them on heavyweight beading wire along with pewter spacers that I've had for years and attached it to some teal sari silk. It ties closed behind the neck. Now I just need something to wear it with! ...
Stupid beading tricks: uh, another pink bracelet
Saturday night I was sipping wine and dorking around with my beads when I did a mental inventory of whom I had to "gift" with a "creation." I know that giving away these things for free will shoot me in the foot if I ever decide to open my own internet shop, but having a list of giftees helps me to sit down more and experiment. I sent a quick FB message to coworker K and asked her, "If you were to receive a totally free bracelet, what color would you want?" "Pink or teal!" she replied. I ...
Stupid Beading Tricks: More bracelets
We are off from work today to celebrate an amazing Annual Meeting. Which I didn't have to attend, but we get the day off anyway. While I was waiting for maintenance to come in this morning and fix a crack in my bathroom ceiling*, I busted out the beads. Have you heard? We have a baby shower coming up for the lovely Kristen and I decided to cheap out and make the prizes for "baby shower bingo". Keeping with the "forest" theme, I have this green beauty: And in case two people call out Bingo at ...
Stupid beading tricks: Hooty hoo
Anyone who knows anyone who has a Pinterest board knows that Radiant Orchid has been chosen as the color of 2014. This means 2 things: 1) No stores have one piece of clothing in that color, because retail buyers order their clothing 9 months to a year out. I also know this because I tried to buy Mom some radiant orchid pieces for spring and there was nothing. We're all still living in an emerald (2013 color) and tangerine (2012 color) world. 2) None of my beads are even close to radiant ...
On disorganization: my bead table
What works at my job doesn't always work at home. Here is my shameful beading table: But that sloppitude means I've actually been working on beads again. I made a bracelet for each of the ladies in my department, and I've also been working on earrings. I've been giving many of them away because I can only wear so much jewelry! ...
Links I loved: Week of June 3
Happy Saturday! I spent this morning on my balcony drinking coffee and reading my new beading book. This afternoon we are headed to a jewelry store to get a setting for WM's grandmother's diamond so I can have an engagement ring before the actual wedding. I'm going to get a a simple white gold setting - I've never been a fan of giant pieces of fine jewelry on myself. I'd rather spend our money on other things. Here are a few of the links I saw that week that really stood out: Boggle is worried ...
Stupid Beading Tricks: Adventures in Polymer Clay
Have you ever seen polymer clay beads? They're absolutely beautiful! And there is NO shortage of tutorials online that show you how EASY it is to make your OWN beads! Make my OWN beads? Okay! Which is how I found myself with three blocks of Sculpey clay and a free afternoon. I took 1/4 of each package (chocolate, turquoise, pearl) and rolled them into long rolls, called canes. Then what you're supposed to do is cut the original cane into thirds, fourths, fifths (or whatever), combine them ...
