Flashback Friday - Lariat

This week's flashback is the vesatile Retro Lariat from Rypan Designs. With no closure the lariat is a long band of beadweaving. You can make it as long as you want. It can be worn is so many different ways, including as belt (if long enough).

Retro Lariat

This is a simple netted design, colour placement creates the zippered look. The lampwork beads add interesting breaks in the basic beadweaving.

Fringe Detail

 Here is the coordinating bracelet and earrings.

Indo bracelet and earrings

Have a great weekend.

Briolette Earrings

On Saturday January 22 I was helping Maria with her classes at Bead Rock, a bead store in Ajax. Of course I could not resist looking about and I found these great blue goldstone briolettes. I also got two stands of fire polished rondelles.

I played around with a few ideas, but was inspired by instructions I saw on how to wire wrap a briolette. I decided to try a few with the plan to use them in a necklace. The necklace design is still a work in process. I decided to make a few sets of earrings.

With just briolettes

With Swarovski crystals accents

The success of these earrings had me digging in my gem and mineral drawer to see what other briolettes I had. I found a strand of moss agate briolettes. There was a mix of colours from a moss green to a pale gray.

Moss green stones with Swarovski crystal accents

Pale gray stones with purple Swarovski crystal accents

I am getting better at wire wrapping. I hope to find just the right chain style to make my original necklace idea work soon.

Flashback Friday - Gothic drapes

This is a variation of Rypan Designs  single drape Gothic necklace. My friend Anna came up with the idea to use Swarovski pearls instead of the original fire polished beads. I made up the necklace as I can almost make any of the gothic drapes in an evening.

I was reminded of this project as I was making up a new sample of a three drape gothic for Maria to use in her booth at upcoming shows. The new sample used Swarovski cubes and rounds. Here it is on the kit cover.

 

Here is an older display board with the various gothic necklaces.

I like the versatility of the gothic design. You can use larger crystals, different shapes and of course make it the perfect length.

Here is the Crystal Rhapsody that I did back at the fall 2008 Creativ Festival. It is made with all Swarovski crystals. It sparkles like crazy and is fun to wear.

Flashback Friday - Bugles and Drops bracelet

I am not even sure how long ago I made this. When I look at it now I can see many things that I would not do now.

First I used black thread that is very visible.

The different shades of blue don't quite work.

The box clasp is good design-wise but not great for functionality. I use toggles for bracelets now.

Maybe I need to do a revist to this design and see what I would do now.

Happy Beading & have a great weekend!

Keyring Heart

I recently ordered some lampwork beads from Caroline Cash, who is in the process of no longer making lampwork beads. They just arrived in the mail from across the pond! There are a number of different sets of beads that I will work with soon but there was also a beautiful little red heart with a large center hole.

I decided to make it into another charm for my keyring. So I used two large jump rings and a lobster claw. It joins the lamb from Lunacy Glass, my ghost and critter from Kirsty Naray and a scarab.

Spring tease

A spring teaser arrived for me at work last week. My sister sent this amazing basket of mini daffodils from her flower shop, Astra Florists. The snow and the cold seem to disappear when you have these funky little flowers on your desk.

They are being enjoyed by the staff and public at the library. I really love the sparkly ladybugs that guard them.

Thanks Sandra, Les, Mackenzie and Elizabeth!!

Flashback Friday - Beaded Vase

The picture of the beaded vase has been on my blog from the beginning as my avatar, but I have never blogged about it.

In 2005 Bead Junction had international bead artist River Rose in Toronto to teach some of her designs. I took the vase class because I was wanting to start beading things other than just jewellry. It uses one of my favourite stitches, ndebele (herringbone). The increases and decreases create the shape of the vase and are highlighted with the silver drop beads.

This is also my first project that used Fireline. The strength of Fireline is needed to allow for the tight tension required for the vase. I now use Fireline for all of my beaded boxes.

Unlike my beaded boxes, I have only made one vase. It might be interesting to make another. Just need to find the instructions in my beading area.

Heading off today to see the Maharaja exhibit at the AGO. Hope to be inspired by the splendour of India's Royal Court.