Monday, January 31, 2011

Bead Soup and Necklaces

I received my bead soup in the mail from my partner, Sandi this past weekend.  I got lots green wooden ovals, two mint green enamel beads, a handmade polymer clay focal, off white shell beads and a toggle clasp.


Close up of the focal:



I already know what I am going to make with them.  I already completed a bracelet with the two enamel beads.  I am planning on making a necklace and a pair of earrings.  This is a great challenge, I love the color green but never use this particular shade in jewelry.  I also got a chance to make a couple of necklaces this weekend using some of my new vintage lucite. 


I used one of the large bird beads from capturedmoments.etsy.com as the focal with some dangly chain hanging down.


I also made this necklace.  When I was stringing it, I had originally planned to have the clasp go on the side.


But, I think it could work in the back too.


Last necklace is with some more Gaea beads and a Green Girl Studios clasp that was too pretty to hide in the back.


That's all.  Hope everyone got a chance to play with some beads last weekend!

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Mail Loot

Everything I ordered last week decided to come in the mail yesterday.  Love opening my mailbox to tiny packages of beady goodness. 


All vintage lucite from blacksheepbeads.etsy.com and some ceramic components from capturedmoments.etsy.com.


I even got a chance to play with some of them yesterday in the afternoon.  Two bracelets and some more earrings.  I don't know what it is with me and earrings lately, I never make them, but seem to be on a roll. 



I have been trying to find a craft show that I can apply to for this year.  I have never done one with a booth at a craft show, only home shows and work parties, so I thought I would give it a go.  The only frustrating thing is that all of them request a picture of your display, but since I have never been to a show I don't have a picture of a display.  Maybe I will just set it up in my garage.  I don't know, anyone have suggestions?

Friday, January 28, 2011

My Bead Table Wednesday

There is this great Flickr group that Heather Powers started called BTW, Bead Table Wednesday.  I was finally able to figure out how to upload a picture into the program.  This is the result of my work-in-progress.



 My Valentine's Day necklace.  With a heart pendant by Gaea.  Super cute on.  My bead table was actually my bead laptray.  Can you imagine how messy my actual room is that houses the bead collection?  Maybe I will take a picture to share.  I don't know - it is pretty scary.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

So...

I was looking in this box yesterday, putting stuff away and I noticed that those wooden pendants all the way to the left of the picture would match to a lot of my vintage lucite that I have had for awhile.


These pendants:


So after my boy went down for his nap and during my quiet time I made this -


And this -


And this -


And just to use up the last of the beads, this -


Nothing too amazing, but I was able to relax for a couple of hours.  My son is going through a stubborn phase that is trying on both my nerves and my disposition.  Hopefully he outgrows it.  Hopefully.  Finally these last pieces were made with those scrapbooking flowers I posted last week.  Very sweet spring designs.


I think I am going to just add some thin chain to the brass envelopes for a lightweight charm necklace.  In other news - my bead soup partner Sandi has sent out my stash.  I will post pictures once I receive it.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Craft Store Goodies

With my leftover Christmas gift cards in hand I stopped by Joann's the other day to get some new earwires because I used all of mine up.  Unfortunately for me, they were having a sale.  40% off all beads and findings.  So, I got more than earwires.


I bought these huge lobster claws in antique copper, brass, silver and gunmetal.  I don't know what I will use them for, but I am always looking for large clasps.  I also got some chain in an antique silver color.  I like this particular brand, all of their findings are lead/nickel free.


Only four strands of beads - how strong am I?  Three resin strands and one Czech glass.


Just because I didn't have this particular set and felt like I needed to complete the collection.

 These are stickers I found in the scrapbook section, I think I will add them to some unfinished wood circles after I paint them.


One more Vintage Groove pendant, I think I will use the acrylic beads with this pendant.

That is all for now - I finally used all of my gift cards.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Lima Beads Stuff

I got a great mix of artisan pendants and beads in the mail yesterday from Lima Beads.  It was my first time ordering from that company, but I have to say I was pretty impressed.  They shipped it out super quick and I received my order in two days.  They also have a great selection of artist beads and I splurged on some new pendants.

First I made this necklace with an adorable Green Girl Studios pendant, ceramic beads, wood beads, Czech glass flowers and a flower clasp.


I seem to be on a Gaea beads buying kick which continues with this awesome heart pendant.  I strung it with Czech glass, ceramic beads and seed beads.


Close up of the pendant - it is really beautiful in person.


The last piece is an asymmetrical one, which I do not attempt too often because I can never pull it off and they look funny to me.  But this one turned out alright.  I used some dyed jade rounds, some teal gemstone beads and wooden circles.  The pendant is a picture of Medusa from Green Girl Studios (I just finished watching Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief).

I am glad I was able to make some necklaces after last weeks earring bonanza.  And to think I have more Gaea beads coming in the mail - I may have a problem.

Friday, January 21, 2011

I made some earrings

And here they are:



All of the heart earrings were for a custom Valentine's Day order.  The other ones were inspired by a fantastic bag of buttons that I purchased at Hobby Lobby the other day.  They are labeled "Grandma's button collection" and they have a vintage style to them.  I got a huge bag for $5.99.  I might be making lots of stuff with buttons for awhile.  The only things a made this week were earrings, I made so many I ran out of earring wires - you can see one of the pairs in the montage does not have any earwires on them. 

In other news, I decided to make a different bead soup for my blog party partner, Sandi Lee James from http://www.dobedobeaddo.blogspot.com/.  I like this one much better.  I hope she likes it, it is going out in the mail tomorrow!  

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

I was naughty today

I ordered a lot of beads online.  I just received some money for some sales I made over the holidays and since extra bead money has a tendency to burn a hole in my pocket, I had to spend it.  I discovered a new vintage lucite vendor on etsy, blacksheepbeads.etsy.com, and I am in love.  They have some great items and the prices are very reasonable.  You get more beads for your money and they have different bulk listings.  I cannot wait until they land in my mailbox.

I also received my Bead Soup Party partner and we exchanged information about our beady packages.  I am so excited!!  I picked out the beads and pendant that I think I am going to send, along with two clasps for her to pick which one she likes better.  I will post some pictures after she has received the package!

Friday, January 14, 2011

New Stuff

I had an opportunity to pay with some of the lucite beads that I received the other day from Reduction Nation.  I thought I was going to make earrings but these wanted to be a necklace:

I added some silver colored wood beads and silver plated spacer beads.  It is actually really cute on.


And some of these wanted to be a bracelet to go with the matching earrings.



I made this one with a Gaea Beads pendant, wood slices, a mix of large czech glass seed beads and more Gaea ceramic beads.


I am slowly getting back into the swing of making things.  I didn't make anything over the holidays, but seem to be catching up now. 

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Scrapbooking Supplies?

Maybe it is just me, but I look at these and I think jewelry:




I see ring blanks with the larger plastic flowers and tiny earring studs with the smaller ones.  I think I may take the fabric flowers and glue a backing to them so that I can use them as a pendant.  These both came from Michaels.  I was in there the other day and they have really been updating the scrapbooking section.  I always check the scrapbooking section when I go in, I never know when I will find something unique to add to my designs.  I found a set of 5 pendants once, for $2.99.  They were actual metal pendants with loops at the top and jumprings.   They had lots more of these flower packages, and different colors too.  Also tons of bright fabric flowers, which will be great for spring designs.  I am a huge fan of flowers in my jewelry, they last a lot longer then the real ones. 

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Look what was in my mailbox

I received these in the mail yesterday:


All vintage lucite from Reductionnation.etsy.com


I had ordered it right before New Year's and completely forgot about it.  I needed a creative jump start after the holidays when our schedule was all out of whack because my husband was home on vacation.  I am thinking I will make some earrings, it has been a long time since I made earrings.   

Monday, January 10, 2011

You learn something new everyday

Or night as the case may be.  I had no idea that when people left a comment on your blog, it sent you an email.  Thanks so much to everyone who visited and left a nice comment yesterday.  I am super excited about this bead soup challenge.  I have never participated in a challenge before, so I can't wait.

I also learned that a Nook, my beloved Christmas present, will sometimes not download a book for no specific reason and that the customer service representative that you speak with at 11 o'clock at night can have no idea either.  They suck you in with a sample of the book, leaving you hanging mid-sentence, and then the rest of the book will not download.  You know what would have worked - a book with a cover and pages.  I will try it again today, customer service might be receiving another call.

I wanted to share some of the necklaces that I made yesterday while my son was taking a nap.  I posted a picture of these beads:


Which became this necklace:


This is a close-up of the focal, it is super light and actually stays on the side.  I didn't add a clasp because it just slips over my head.  The pendant is from the Vintage Groove line, which is really adorable if you haven't seen it yet.  I bought mine at Joann's, but I think they sell them online at Fusion Beads too.




And these beads became this:


The pendant is another Vintage Groove piece and is super lightweight.

That is all for today, I am off to battle with my Nook.

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Confession Time

I debated the idea of starting a blog for over a year.  While I wanted to, and thought that I could make it interesting for other beaders to read, the insecurities arose.  What if no one reads it?  Then, strangely enough, what if people do read it?  What if they don't like it?  What if they think that it is silly?  What if they wonder why I am blogging at all? 

I had to stop thinking about the reasons why not to, and just do it.  So I said to myself, Self (because that is what I call myself) if people don't like it, they won't read it.  You can't please everyone.  I am only going to try and please myself.  Write about stringing beads to make jewelry, because that is what I love to do.  And if that is interesting to people, great and if not, oh well.  I will probably still make the stuff anyway.

I just signed up for a bead soup party.  Hopefully that will send people to my blog, and maybe they read something that interests them.  You never know, we'll see.

Saturday, January 8, 2011

What I have been working on


Playing with the picture apps that I can download on my Iphone now that the software is updated.  Took me about 4 tries and my husband stepping in, but we figured it out.  (It was my old laptop giving us the trouble, not my lack of technological skills.)  The one in the middle with the heart pendant is the purchase I made from Gaea beads, now do you see why it had to come home to me? (And when I say you, I guess I mean me, because I am the only person who visits this blog, but still).  I made about 8 of the rhinestone wrap bracelets and  I am still working on more.  They are crazy comfortable and have just the right amount of sparkle.  I got the idea for them from the Ornamentea website and will be keeping the majority for myself for everyday wear and passing out the rest to friends. 

Friday, January 7, 2011

Resolutions?

I never make New Year's resolutions.   I don't keep them.  This year I thought I would try.  I was going to try to use up the beads I have and not buy new ones.  And floss more.  And start a blog.  I know it's random, but I don't really have any other vicey/bad behavior.  I already blew the first one.  I got all gift cards to Joann's & Michaels for Christmas, and then they put their beads on sale.  What's a girl to do?  And then I bought some beads on-line; I saw this adorable heart pendant from Gaea beads and I needed it.  I really did.  I am already envisioning the necklace it will become.  So it had to come home to me.  And then Ornamentea was having a free shipping event, so I decided I needed beads from there too (but truth be told, I bought those before the first of the year, so that counts).  I guess I am not meant to stop buying beads, at least not yet.  I did take some picture of some of my stash as I was going through it to see what combinations I was going to put together.  I will post pictures when they are completed.

Vintage Groove pendant, acrylic oval beads, off white shell rounds - (Joanns) purple/pinkish iridescent czech glass beads, pink and brown faceted glass roundels - (Michaels). 

Vintage Groove Pendant, gray round shell beads - (Joanns), gray round shell beads, large clear czech glass, black glass rounds - (Michaels)


Vintage Groove Pendant, Off white shell beads - (Joanns), brown shell ovals, amber colored coral stick beads, brown czech glass - (Michaels)


Polymer Clay pendant from Menagerie Studio, copper connectors, teal and copper glass beads (Michaels)

I know the pictures aren't the greatest, but I took them on my phone while my boy was sleeping.  I will take better pictures when the pieces are finished.  And I still have about $75 in gift cards to spend - they will be saved for another day.  I seem to be collecting many colors of shell round beads, completely unintentionally.  I guess 2 out of 3 resolutions isn't that bad.




Monday, January 3, 2011

New year, New blog - No idea what I am doing

I don't twitter.  I have a facebook, but I rarely check it.  I also have a flickr account that I am not sure how to access.  I am so technologically unsavvy, I don't even know the word for it.  This is my attempt to figure about how to blog.  So far, so good.  I do feel slightly ridiculous writing to no one, but this will be my online journal about my beading hobby (habit, addiction, etc). 

I started beading about 5 years ago.  It was right after I got married and a girlfriend had given me a wedding scrapbook.  I had never scrapbooked, but I thought why not?  I hopped in my Neon and drove to the craft store to buy supplies to make my scrapbook.  Passing the scrapbooking aisle, I saw beads and was intrigued.  But I bought my supplies and went home.  Fast forward 4-10 trips to the craft store, and I was still stopping in the bead aisle.  One day I went in and just decided to buy.  I remember my purchases - a bag of mixed wood beads, a bag of mixed blue plastic beads, a beading board, and some beading elastic.  The cashier said to me as I checked out, "someone looks like they are going to have fun."  She had no idea.

I went home and searched online, I found out how to make an earring with a headpin, string a crimp bead on beading wire, and made about 15 bracelets.  I was hooked.  I kept going back to the craft store and bought more and more beads.  Soon I had a plastic shoebox container purchased at the dollar store that was filled with little containers of beads.  I sat on my couch and made bracelets with my little container.

Five years later, I am still beading.  I love making jewelry, I love buying beads.  I would rather buy beads than shoes.  I would rather buy beads then clothes.  I have a whole room that is filled with boxes of beads and books (but that is another obsession for another time).  I sit in bed at night and read beading magazines.  There is a moment of excitement that I get after I make something really great that I have never felt anywhere else.  If you get that feeling you know what I mean.  I have never been an artist, my drawing abilities stopped somewhere around the age of six.  I never thought I would do something creative, but this gives me a huge sense of fulfillment. 

This blog will document my trial and error of jewelry design, I hope you like it and you will stay awhile.