Flashback Friday - Strung designs

For many stringing is the first form of beading they do. Now I likely strung my share of pasta and Cheerios as a child, but as an adult my first beadwork was beadweaving, netting to be more specific.

My first attempt at stringing involved some beautiful red and white lampwork beads, fire-polished crystals and beading thread. It ended with the thread breaking as I stood waiting in the rain for a bus. I was able to rescue the lampwork beads. I then learned about beading wire and crimps. I was not able to find that first piece, but here are some early strung pieces.

 

Although the technique of bead stringing is easy, the design process for some projects is not. Here is one that proved a challenge. The heart shaped stone beads are an unusual shade of green. I tried many different green beads but was not happy with any of the combinations. I then remember some basic colour theory and choose a purple swarovski crystal. As a complementary colour to the green, the crystals worked wonderfully!

The completed set looked great and is perfect to show to fellow beads when talking about colour and beads!

Box 3

I have not been making as many beaded boxes lately. But during recently attempt to tidy up my beading area I came across the started third box in my series inspired by the lampwork beads of Amy Waldman Smith. I figured that it would be a good idea to try and finish the series before the end of the year.

So here is box 3. It is the flipped version of box 2. I flipped my charted pattern and the lampwork bead for the finial.

I also decided to take the two matching pairs of lampwork beads and make earrings to go in these two coordinating boxes.

I now only have 4 striped beads left from the original set. I am thinking about making either a striped hexagon box with four feet or a triangle box with three feet and a finial.

Flashback Friday - Beaded Bead

This beaded bead on a spiral rope bracelet was at the bottom of one of my jewellry drawers. It was made a number of years ago.

The beaded bead is from one of the great beadwork resource books, The art and elegance of beadweaving by Carol Wilcox Wells.  It is a dimensional right angle weave bead embellished with drop beads.

The addition of the sprial rope using the same colour beads made this a fun and funky bracelet.

More One of a Kind Buys

Yesterday was the last day of the One of a Kind Christmas Show and Sale here in Toronto. I was back down for my third visit this year. We went to a few vendors we missed last time, checked out the new vendors and revisited some of our favourites.

One that I missed on earlier visits was J.D. Leather Co. I have one of their bags already. They had some beautiful large letter bags, including one in a dark blue. It has now found a place in my growing collection of leather bags.

I also returned to Light House Photo Gallery. Carol Ann Norris' photos are a favourite of mine. I have three of her floral photos in my bedroom. I decided to get a new beautiful blue poppy photo to change up the selection on my wall.

We also returned to Worn Beadies. Amber had a selection of orphan beads. Here are the ones that came home with me.

I also stopped by Tascidesigns to show Nadia the rest of the creations I had made with her beads.

This year's One of a Kind Christmas Show and Sale was great. I am looking forward to the spring show.

Dotted Bead Collection

Here are my last two projects using the dotted beads that I purchased at the One of a Kind Show from Tascidesigns.

For the necklace I added some beautiful paper beads and Swarovski crystals. As with many simply strung necklaces it took longer to decide on the sequencing of the beads. I changed this necklace half a dozen times before deciding on the final pattern.

I then took the last two beads with a few Swarovski crystals and made a set of earrings.

The complete Dotted Bead Collection

Pacific Opal Crystals and Dots

Last Sunday I went back to the One of a Kind Show and stopped by Tascidesigns booth to show her what I had created with her beads. I decided to buy up the rest of the turquoise and cream dotted beads that she had there.

I have spent the week playing with eight beads and have a few designs in progress. Friday night I finished the first design. It uses three of the dotted beads, Swarovski crystals and some simple chain. The simply strung centre segment has lengths of chain linked together with Pacific Opal crystals on eyepins. I am getting better at making loops.

 

Flashback Friday - Netted Crystal Ornament

At only 2cm this week's ornament is much smaller that last week's ornament. From December 2003's Bead and Button magazine this ornament is encased in a netted cover and then embellished with coral fringe. 

Delicas were the beads listed in the materials list, so that is what I used for my first version of the ornament.

All though it looks great I was not happy with the way the netting looked. I have always found that netting looks better if done with seed beads. Here is my second ornament done with size 10 seed beads.