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: Rose bracelet
I'm still working on knotting, and getting MUCH better if I say so myself! This is a straight-up braclet knotted with gray waxed Irish Linen Thread. The pinks just jumped out at my from my bead boxes. I gave this to coworker J because she's such a fan of everything I make. Happy Monday! It's going to be a great week! ...
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 ...
Stupid beading tricks: Seahorse set
Happy Presidents Day! Mom's birthday was on Thursday, and unfortunately, our get-together was snowed out. (Surprise, surprise.) Instead we went out last night to Iron Hill Brewery. As part of her gift, I made her this bracelet/earrings set: The cream beads came from Michaels, the small round ceramic washers from createyourbliss on Etsy, and the seahorses from Artbeads.com. I strung them with waxed linen cording. I usually use flexible beading wire, so working with the linen was new to me. ...
Making a statement … necklace
While at BeadFest Philadelphia last month I picked up a small mix of beads called the "Euro Fashion Mix." I've been dorking around with them for a bit and I think this is the layout I'll go with for a fall necklace. This'll go great with a crisp white blouse and a slick brown pencil skirt - two pieces I don't even own. The next step (I guess) will be to run the beading wire through and start crimping the beads in place. How many times do you think I'll flip the bead board over and lose my ...
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: The Only Child bracelet
After I gave my coworkers the New Orleans Bracelets, I had a humorous encounter with a member f the business department, who was impressed with the bracelets and wanted one too. "I'm an only child!" she said. "So you have to know I'm not used to seeing anyone else get something I don't have!" Well all of my New Orleans fluorite was spoken for, so I said I'd make her a different bracelet. The next day she wore an orange sweater. I think I'm moving away from working strictly in silvertones, ...
The lovely Design Seeds
I love doing things that include color, but I'm not always great at choosing color palettes. Via Pinterest, I found a site called Design Seeds that is going to be a very close friend of mine from here on out. Not only does it have palettes based on yummy photos... But it will also let you search for a specific color -- I use the sliders to match up with beads: And it'll offer up a palette that matches your chosen color! Your palette also has a Pin It button that'll let you pin some ...
Stupid Beading tricks – waiting for a yes
While I was waiting for TNP to give me the big "YES!" answer, I kept busy by making jewelry. For these, I felt like experimenting with hoops and drops instead of the usual "tight" earrings I come up with. And then I realized that all of the super-cool jewelry designers on Etsy slap their pieces on an old book for photos. Luckily I live with a guy who has filled up our shelves with old books. Unfortunately, these pages feature an apparent peasant riot in France. MOVING ON... These earrings ...
Stupid Beading Tricks: Organization
I have a lot of beading supplies these days. Enough to fill a plastic four drawer unit that sits next to my desk. But that's not always practical when I'm working on one or two projects. I'm too lazy to put everything away and pull it all back out. So what I've been doing is saving Tazo tea tins and using them to hold all of the beads, wire, and findings I need for each project. The tins are even big enough to hold my wire cutters and pliers if I decide to take my projects with me. To keep ...
Stupid jewelry tricks: Chainmaille bracelet & wire wring
aka "Stupid beading tricks with no beads." I've been in a long dry streak, creativity-wise. I have drawers full of jewelry making components and no idea what to do with them. I get caught up looking at other jewelry for hours, then completely choke and not make any of my own. I don't know if I think I can't create anything stylish or attractive or what, but it was really getting me down. I'd put beads and findings together and hate what I came up with So I decided to put the beads away and ...
