Monday 4 May 2015

bits 'n' pieces

My sister prodded me recently (it's OK, I don't bruise too easily) to add some more items I have made to my blog.  She wants to show them to her friends, so here I am.

These are in no particular order.  Some are made as a result of attending classes, and some from kits.  I've given what details I can, but the patterns aren't mine, so I can't share those.

SHINEY ROCKS (My local shop in Bristol.  I do lots of classes here, and they do kits.)


This first one is Swarovski pearls, in a netted overlay.

















I call this one my Cleopatra bracelet, because the first time I did it, it was antique gold and blue colourway!  I have since done it in lots of colours.  It always looks great.  This one in purple and black went to a school chum.

















 This was a kit, but I embellished it differently to the instructions.... Not that unexpected, I am told...

This one was made in a class.  A brooch, with two elements, Swarovski rivolis at the centre, with bezels built up in seed beads, and bicones.













This is a fantastic art deco style bracelet, and I have done it in a couple of colours.  The blue and green version is being worn around Scotland...







A class - wire wrapping beads, with a wire clasp (made, not bought!)

Gunmetal wire looks great against the green beads.





 
 
 
 
Another kit, a bit tricky this one!  Swarovski pearls, with seed beads, and a little extra embellishment to highlight the décolletage!
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
This one started as a class. However, with apologies to Amanda, I went a bit off piste.  the central motifs were as instructed, but I didn't want to join them up in the same way, so I went 'free form' - basically, mad netting!
 
 
 

This was another class.  Using O beads, and what has become my favourite colour seed beads - Matte black AB - oh dear, I need more!!
 
I have made earrings to match this.



 
 
 

And finally, the Popcorn bracelet.  A class at Shiney, originally.  I have now done this in so many colours, with so many different types of drops.
 
Here are two I did recently for some chums at work.  You can't quite see, but the top one has some lovely green magatama drops.  It is much more pronounced in real life!!

  
 
Fire and Ice (online shop)
 
 
This pattern is called the trellis bracelet.  I loved the blue one (below) - and lost it!  So I made this crystal AB and haematite version to replace it.  I'll need to make the earrings too, I think!
 


 
















This pattern is called Caterpillar.  The original colourway in the kit was in really amazing petrol colours.  I have redone it in blue/silver 2-hole lentils, with a variety of blue (ish) super duos, and sapphire/emerald seed beads.  It sparkles sooooo nicely.










From Magazines





Same pattern, using pyramid beads, Swarovski pearls. One monochrome, one iridescent greens and purples.





All my own work!

My sister (she features a lot!) wanted a slave bracelet.  It took a while to get my head around where to start. 

Plenty of silver chain, with tiny pearls as charms, with a single topaz in the central position.







A wire bangle, with matching earrings, and black findings.  The bangle needed to be a slightly heavier gauge I think, but I wear it a lot.




















Semi precious rondelles - amethyst, iolite, tanzanite and ...and... the other one!

Aquamarine! That's it!

A set of earrings, bracelet, and two necklaces.


















So...if you have made it to here, well done!  I will try and keep to shorter posts, but doing the beading is so much more fun than writing about doing the beading.  But, to keep my sister happy...

Tuesday 24 February 2015

The return of the scarlet pimpernel...

Well, hello...

Yes, I have been away, but now I am back.  And I have a new passion, which means that I'll be giving the blog a bit of a face lift, as all that paint and stuff... well it has to go... in favour of...beads, and crystals and gemstones, and metal... Bright Shiny Sparkly in fact!

Here are some of the things I have been making recently...





St Petersburg stitch bracelet and earrings, with Swarovski crystals, antique gold seed beads




I call this a Cleopatra bracelet, because the first time I made it, it looks like antique bronze and lapis.  Here (left) it's made with antique gold seed beads, crystal briolettes, and sapphire blue seed beads. On the right, it's pale petrol/amethyst seed beads, black briolettes, and crystal seed beads




A special commission for a special lady...  the tiniest wrist ever!!  Matt black, with Swarovski crystals, in an art deco style.

The pendant is Swarovski pearls and crystals, in shades of green, purple and teal.  And it is now on a necklet of leather and ribbon, in shades of purple and green.
Netting - I just love netting!  Antique bronze, with Astral pink Swarovski crystals, earrings and brooch.
 I made these from a bead soup I received.  Carnelian, agate wood and antique brass beads, and antique brass charms and findings, with waxed cotton and ribbons for threading.  As soon as I saw the colours, I had a model in mind.  And yes, she's wearing them!!



A special request from my sister, for a slave bracelet!
This takes me back to the old days of being a punk.  Not that I ever wore a studded dog collar, but... and certainly never pearl encrusted!
More netting, more Swarovski crystals and pearls embellishments.  (you can never have too many embellishments....)
Possibly the piece de resistance... Peyote, around Swarovski rivolis... delish! Good enough to eat... 

 So from here on in, I'll add a bit more detail about how I make them.  But this just catches you up!

Hope you like!