Swarovski Heart Earrings

Last week I posted about the beautiful Swarovski Patina Hearts I won from JillyBeads and promised to show off what I had made with them so here is my first little piece.

I made a pair of earrings (which will be going into someone's Christmas present) using the hearts and a lovely deep blue pearl. I wanted to add some colour but not have the colour overwhelm the heart. I think they actually look quite festive so they will be a great addition to a gift. 

I still have eight of the Swarovski hearts left so its time to plan a few more pieces now (probably more presents). 

A Lovely Bead Haul From Beads Unlimited

I submitted a picture of a necklace I made a while ago having seen the Sarahan Sands piece by Dawn Fuge from the June issue of Beads and Beyond magazine. I used Gemstones in my piece that were odd pieces left over from other projects so it was a perfect way to use up some of my stash. 

After the issue came out I received a voucher for Beads Unlimited and last week I finally picked out some lovely things I wanted. I taught it was a great time to stock up on what I refer to as essentials. So I picked out glass beads and pearls, chain and cord and a couple of toggle clasps. 

I love using a magazine to help me get some inspiration when I've had a bad run with a bit of blank mind and that is what I did with this piece. It really helped me get some inspiration and practice working with wire which is something I'm not an expert in. So I decided to try a second one using a pearl mix I had in my stash. I think I prefer the pearl mix piece because of the combination of all the colours. 

So thanks again to Beads and Beyond magazine for printing my piece and of course Beads Unlimited. The staff are always so helpful and nice when you give them a call to place an order or check something out. And now I have to decide what I'm going to make with all my lovely new beads. (Hopefully you can see soon). 

Designer Challenge in Beads And Beyond Magazine

I took part in the bead soup challenge for Beads and Beyond Magazine again (October 2014 issue). I love doing these challenges. I always get new things I have never worked with before and it is a great personal challenge to try and use these pieces. It also offers me a look into the items carried in shops I may never have known about or had the chance to shop in yet. 

This months challenge pack was put together by Beadsisters. Beadsisters have a huge range of rings for making chainmaille so I was really happy to find out the pack was coming from them. The pack had some great jump rings and pearls in it in beautiful colours. I made some pieces that are quite different for my style but I love how they turned out. I made three in total. 

I think my favourite piece is the necklace. Its simple and stunning at the same time. The colours of the beads that Beadsisters picked out work so well together with the colours of all the findings. Don't forget to pick up the October issue of Beads and Beyond Magazine (click here to buy online) and see what the other designers made using the same pack. 

I Made Another One

.... I just couldn't help myself. I have a bit of a wire wrapping bug after finally getting out of my making slump yesterday. This time I really wanted to make a fuller piece using a selection of Czech glass pearls and crystals I received as part of a challenge pack a while back. The colours worked so well together I knew they would suit a piece like this. This one is also slightly bigger. I think I much prefer this one although the gemstones in the other piece are beautiful too (who says I have to choose between them anyway, I plan on keeping both). 

So all in all I have had two very productive days in comparison to the last few weeks. Click here to read the blog post on the piece I made yesterday and find out the inspiration behind it. You can see it in the picture below. Which do you prefer? Let me know in the comment section below.

This Week In The Workshop

I've spent more time designing pieces this week than actually making anything so I don't have a lot to show. I do have a new pendant and bracelet that I worked on this week though so it wasn't a wasted week.



The bracelet I made using a mixed packet of pastel coloured glass pearls I got last year from Beads Unlimited. I loved all the colours in the mixed pack and wanted to use them together. I used a four strand slide clasp to finish it off. Its a very summery bracelet I think.






I also made a pendant using aluminium and copper (again) and yet again a hammered finish. I'm not finished using a hammered finish just yet but I'm sure I will get sick of it at some point soon. I like the option of this piece of being able to wear it with both pieces or each on their own.

A Little Bit Black And White

I decided it was time to go through some boxes of beads and organise everything and see exactly what I have. About 10 minutes in I had come across black and white glass pearls and some wire and a new toggle clasp I had bought a while ago but hadnt used yet so I gave up on organising the boxes and started to make this bracelet. Im blaming the lack of colour on the horrible windy wet weather when I was making it. Had I had some grey beads Im sure they would have gone in too.

I used my wire coiler to make the black wire coils and silver plated wire to attach all the beads. I love the black toggle clasp. I ordered a few of these in all available colours from Beads Direct a while ago but havent tried using any until now. Im going to have to get more. I love the chunky-ness of them.

Busy Friday

I had a busy day again today working on some more pieces. I managed to get a few necklaces, rosary beads and a bracelet done. I think I have just about enough to fill up my table this weekend at the craft fair. And if Im really lucky I have too much.

Rosary Bead Tutorial

I make a lot of Rosary Beads and I have been asked to make a tutorial a few times (and I'm long over due a new tutorial) so here it is.

What You Need:
6x    6mm White Glass Pearls
53x  4mm White Glass Pearls
0.8mm Silver Plated Wire
4x 4mm Silver Plated Jump Rings
Fine Silver Plated Chain
Rosary Connector
Cross
Charm

Step 1:

Make a simple loop of either side of all 59 beads. (Click Here to see how to make a simple loop)

Step 2:

Working with the 4mm pearls, open the loop and join to another pearl and close the loop until you have 5 strands of 10 beads and 1 strand of 3 beads.

Step 3:

You need 14 short lengths of chain. I usually count out a certain number of links (5 in this case depending on the size of the beads Im working with).









Step 4:

Using 12 of the pieces of chain, attach a piece to each side of a 6mm pearl by opening the loop and securing it closed again. You have now 2 pieces of chain left.

Step 5:

Attach the final 2 pieces of chain to the rosary connector using jump rings.

Step 6:

Using a jump ring attach the chain connected to one of the 6mm pearls to the bottom of the connector. Attach the strand of 3 4mm pearls to the end of the chain and again another 6mm pearl.

Step 7:

Next join a strand of 10 4mm pearls to the chain of the 6mm pearl and continue around until all of the beads are connected together. Attach this to either side of the connector.

Step 8:

Using a jump ring attach the cross and charm to he chain.














Rosary Beads can make a great gift and can be made using any beads in any colour. I have made them using Swarovski Crystals in birthstone colours and changed the charm around to something suitable. Let me know how you have made yours.

Jewellery Design Star

I've entered this necklace into the Art Beads Jewellery Design Star competition and the result depends on public votes. Please click the link below to vote for me, it takes just 10 seconds.

VOTE NOW

Rosary Bookmarks

I made a few Rosary bookmarks last year around Communion time as gifts. Sometimes its nice to give something else to kids making their Communion other than Rosary Beads or money.

I made these in a few different colours using glass pearls, shell cross's and Silver plated bookmarks. Thy went down very well and it gives a child something to use after the Communion Day but is a reminder of the day.

Beaded Hearts

I spent a long time last might trying to get the white pearl heart done and it took about 4 hours. The pink one took only about 1 and a half hours. Its the first time I've done bead weaving or the right angle weave but once you have the stitch in your head its quick to get going on the next one.

I made the heart trying to make something for a Valentines Themed contest run by a few beading magazines i read. I found a free tutorial online by Off The Beaded Path for the heart which was done in crystals but I decided to try it in pearls first.

Best of 2012

This is what I expect to be part one of my Best of 2012 videos. I have already posted this onto my YouTube  channel and its been viewed quite a few times already. Ive tried to put at least one of each style of jewellery I have done from rosary beads to earrings and bookmarks. Hopefully you will like the pieces in the video.

Gossip Girl Inspired Necklace

So my sister loves the show Gossip Girl and the jewellery in the show is always amazing so she came to me with a picture one day of a necklace worn in an episode by one of the characters and said I want that please.  

This started 2 months of finding the right pearls, in the right sizes, the clasp she wanted, the bead caps she wanted. Eventually we got the pearls from China they are Akoya Shell pearls in a lovely gold colour, the clasp is 24kt gold plated from America, The bead caps and crimps I ordered from England and the spacer bars for the bracelet came from Asia through eBay. 

By the time it all arrived she had been talking about it for months. Eventually this is what I handed over and she loves it. 

She wore it recently to a family Christening and eveyone thought it was beautiful. To me its quite a simple 3 strand slightly embelleshed necklace but it is quite stunning when the light catches it. So here are the pictures:

 This is the detail at the back of the necklace.

This is the bracelet I made to match which was made out of the left over beads from the necklace.

Vintage Pearl Necklace

This is a necklace I made a while ago inspired by vintage pearl style wedding jewellery. I used white pearls and clear crystals. It looks simple and elegant and not over powering on the neck.