Friday, January 30, 2009

Wooden Beads


I love wooden beads. I love the smooth finish, the colors of the stains, the variations of the grain that show through and the weight of them. On this particular one I loved that the stain was almost a steel gray color. I sincerely considered keeping this one for myself but when your friend falls in love with it, how do you say no? You will just have to lend it to me sometimes Fidget.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Stars, earrings and revisiting things...

I love these earrings. they turned out so delicate and feminine. I made a pair for myself and it hardly feels like you have anything in your ears at all.
I had made a necklace very like this not to long ago. It went over well and sold quickly so I thought that I would try another version, what do you all think? :-)

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Just a sweet little something....

Just a little glass beaded bracelet. Purchased by my friend for her son's Valentine. Young 'love' is so sweet.

Monday, January 26, 2009

Geen....

Some green to start off your week. I made this one a week or so ago. I decided to do it a little differently and then prompltly forgot all about it. It ended up floating around here waiting to be photographed. I finally took it to work last week. Good thing I did as Angie feel in love with it and just had to have it, along with a few other things.

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Earrings for Becca

Rebecca and I often talk about all things fashionable. Not because I know, not so much, but because she does.
She had commented here and there about how she liked the trend of chandelier earrings.
She seemed to like these as she couldn't pick one over the other. That just means I will have to get busy and make some more. :-)

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Love is in the air...

Valentines day will be here before I know it. It got me thinking about the usual symbols for love. I found this heart charm and couldn't resist.
I didn't go for classic Valentine colors...no red on this one. (I am still stuck in my blue phase!). But I think it works regardless. I love the patina on the silver components..gives it some charm from days gone by.

Friday, January 23, 2009

Ah, the memories...

This is my first foray into memory/remembrance wire. I think I like it. There is a bit of learning curve, or there was for me. Figuring out sizing and what beads will fit...little things like that. But once I thought it over I was able to get it going. I wasn't sure if I should keep this one as my first hidden experiment or not. I ended up deciding to take it to work for an some constructive criticism. The consensus was to make more...this one sold with in a half hour of me being there. :-)

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Lovely Pink

I don't wear much pink these days. Probably a hold over from when I was young and my mom put me in it at every opportunity. She wasn't being cruel, she just thinks that pink brings out the blue in my eyes. I love these pink beads. They look like candy. They are the palest pink and almost have a milky quality to them. I might have to break my own standing rule and wear them...maybe with black. :-)

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Eight Legged Freaks

Sometimes I just can't resist...not even when things creep me out. Spiders creep me out, but these earrings are just to much fun to be scary.

Monday, January 19, 2009

Not much beading going on....

We got our newest addition this weekend. Obviously the boys are crazy for her.
Patrick has a quiet way about him that animals like to cozy up to.
We have to be careful to make sure that James doesn't accidentally love her to death. He did a good job keeping her company the first night so she wouldn't miss home.
The only irritant this weekend was the fighting about whose turn it was with the puppy. So while not much beading was going on, I will get back to it. This weekend was all about Mimzy.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

A Little Bit of Amber

Just a little bit of amber and silver. I love the color in these simulated beads. I paired them again with silver and made this one longer than usually do. I like it so much I might have to keep this one for myself. :-)

Saturday, January 17, 2009

A Change of Pace



Just needed a change of pace. I can't remember where I found these simulated pearls in the coppery color but I finally got the findings I wanted to be able to finish them. They are both choker size with a bracelet and a pair of earrings.

Friday, January 16, 2009

A First Attempt

I had not previously tried to make a multi-strand necklace. I did it as I do most things...flying by the seat of my pants! I ended up with a suitable clasp in some jewelry kit that I'd bought and started from there. I alternated all different colored glass chips, rounds and other beads. While my technique still needs work I don't think this turned out to bad for my first try. :-)

Thursday, January 15, 2009

I just never know....


Most of the time buying beads I don't have a set plan. I see a strand, love it for whatever reason and buy them. With this one I loved the smoked glass frames. I got them home with no idea of what I was planning to do. I ended up making this and wasn't even sure that I liked it or that there wasn't a better way to show them off. Shows you what I know..it sold the first day I had it out. I hope you enjoy it Miss.B...it's going to look great on you.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

It's Hip to be Square

I think, by now, it is obvious that I love to work with glass beads. I found these and just couldn't resist. All the perfect little squares with the different colors and shapes in each just appealed to me. I thought they would be easy to string up given that they are pretty much every color in the rainbow...the opposite proved to be true. So while it took me a bit to figure out how to make it work I think I succeeded in the end. I didn't get to keep them very long. Charlotte saw them and they were gone in a heartbeat. I hope she likes this one as well as the other glass tile necklace she bought from me. She makes the best model for my work! Thanks baby girl.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Red Flowered Glass Beads


These beads had been in my bead box for a long time now. I kept looking at them and thinking I need bead caps to finish those off. The thought would promptly leave my head as soon as I was done looking at them so they stayed in my box for months. I finally remembered to get the caps when I saw them at the store this weekend...pure luck. I alternated them with some glittered, glass round and red glass bicones. I'm sorry that the photos are so dark. I didn't get a chance to take pictures till the natural light outside was already gone. The time just gets away from me these days.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Purple Possibilities

Some purple, just for fun. I used all shapes and sizes of plastic beads strung on jewelry wire. I mixed in some clear crystals and antiqued silver plated spacers. It is not the Mona Lisa by any means but still so cute.

Friday, January 9, 2009

Think Pink......

I've had this pendant for some time now. I just tucked it away and never decided what to do with it. I came across it the other day and decided to finally use it. I beaded the strand with bicones and rounds in pinks and crystals finishing it off with an antiqued heart shaped toggle clasp. This one is made to approximately Princess length (17-19 inches) and falls below the collar bone. I still love blue but was thinking pink.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Mom....

My Mom doesn't wear very much jewelry. Usually just her wedding ring. She has never even pierced her ears and has no intention to do so. But not long ago in the midst of a phone call she asked if in all my jewelry making I would make her a bracelet..something light blue. I did make her one and sent it on it's way to her. I didn't take into consideration where my teeny tiny wrists came from and it turned out to be to large. I hope this time I did better as I followed her instructions. She told me "Just size it to your wrist and it should be just fine". Well Mom, I hope you like this one too. I love you!

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

LIttle Girl's

Sometimes when I am looking over my beads my thoughts can't help but wander back to when my niece's were little girls. How they loved to go through my things. They would sit on my lap and look at what jewelry I might be wearing. Or watch me while I was getting ready. On the weekends when we would go and visit my parents I would dress them up like dolls and do their hair. I had the best time and hope that they did too. I wish I had been beading then because they would have loved it. When my thoughts wandered this path the other night I decided to make a necklace just the right size for a little girl. I chose these beads with the little mermaid in mind. I used simulated pearls in all shapes and sizes and found a charm fit for any little princess. I alternated this with some simple silver plated spacers. I hummed the songs from the movie the entire time I worked on it. Lola and Dreamboat this one was all about you guys. I miss you both.

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Pam's Deer

While prowling the craft stores I came across these charms. I instantly thought of my sister-in-law Pam. She loves the outdoors. From working in their beautiful yard, to camping, to four-wheeling and yes, even hunting...Pam's your girl. I made this Sunday and finally had a chance to take it to show her today. It appears I thought right about her liking it as she just smiled at me and said "Well, you can just leave this here with me....".

Monday, January 5, 2009

More Frosted Glass

Another frosted glass pendant. It is hard to find unique pieces locally sometimes so when I found this bar pendant I snatched it up. I alternated it with simulated crystals and black twisted spacers. The earrings are simple dangles using the same pieces.
Happy Monday everyone!

Sunday, January 4, 2009

Just Think Pink


Don't worry, I still love blue. But sometimes the beads just call to you and you don't have a choice. I saw the chunky, simulated stone and had to make something with them. I love the milky quality of them, changes the tone of the colors as you move it. I'm going to call this one Cotton Candy, as that is what it reminds me of.

Saturday, January 3, 2009

More Blue.....

Still feeling the blues :-). This time it is a pale, pale blue. Clear glass rectangles with pale blue flowers all through them. I paired these with simulated crystal rounds and silver findings. It's simple, but those end up being my favorite pieces.

Friday, January 2, 2009

Feeling Blue?

I have been feeling blue, but not sad. Just falling in love with every shade of blue that I see. I am helpless to resist it.
I did restrain myself enough to alternate the lovely glass bicones with crystal rounds and some larger simulated crystal bicones. But it was a close thing. :-)

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Busy Beading, not blogging....

It has been a few days since my last post. Busy with Christmas and the need to rest after. But I have been beading...just not blogging about it. I tend to lean toward silver. It isn't fair as it is purely a personal prefernce. I told myself this year that I would try to do more, not just in technique, but also in findings and colors.
I made this one as a collar, which will sit just slightly shorter than a choker. This means it will ride a bit above your collar bone.
I loved the hearts with the gold sheen to them. I paired them with crystals that had almost the same color tone and simulated brass rounds to finish it up.
I have more that I will be posting but you will just have to be patient. Need to keep some in the box so to speak for the days when I am once again busy beading but still would like to blog. I hope that everyone had a safe and happy New Year's eve and that this will be the happiest of new years for all of you.