Easter Necklace

I had the bunny necklace pattern for many years, but was too nervous about making the bunny.  The pattern stayed in the many stacks of binders and boxes.  This year, I felt brave.  I could kick myself for waiting so long in making this!  It wasn't difficult, well, let me correct that... if you do this pattern by Sandra Halpenny, when you start the bunny, do NOT stop.  Working with white thread and white beads, if you stop, you are guaranteed to forget where you stopped!  You're going round and round, so it's easy to miss a step.  Not difficult to do, just easy to mess up.

Work in Progress

Technically, I started this project almost 2 years ago, when I first made the fish and mermaid.  But then my son was born and beading time collected dust bunnies.  I don't like unfinished projects and it's been weighing on my mind, so I dusted off the forgotten pieces and started back to work.  I wanted a scene of the ocean, with shells, blues, coral and corralling technique at the bottom fringe.  I have a little more corralling to do and then I need to work on the chain, but so far, here's the process.

Beaded Cork

I don't drink.  I just don't like the taste of alcohol.  That said, I think certain bottles are cool looking and now, I think some wine corks are pretty!  My cousin, Deanna and her fiancé, Burkley, visited with us and suggested a bottle of wine to go with supper one night.  Greg said the wine was good, but I couldn't see why people drink the stuff.  But the cork is pretty!

I was going to throw the cork away, but decided on a whim, to bead the sides.  I also put a few rhinestones on the middle.  Sorry, the glue is still drying.  Yuck.  But you get the idea.  If I were to do this again, I'd start with an embroidery piece at the ends and work up the sides.

Making Crosses

Around January, I started beading crosses.  At first I planned on only making a few and giving them as gifts for my mom and my mother-in-law.  Then I started making more, in all sorts of colors.  I thought about giving them to extended relatives, but realized some people might not want them.

Instead, I donated 21 crosses to the church where we attend service.  Below are some of the crosses.

I made this one for Holly's youngest daughter.  It was fun to work in the bright colors.

This one I made for my sister-in-law, Madelyn.  She requested the black and gold.

Shhhh Surprise for my Mom

My Mom's birthday is in September, but I started her birthday gift very early, because I knew this one would take a long time and with having a baby... time is a gift.

My parents will be going to China in the next year.  The necklace below is Cubic Right Angle Weave (CRAW) - both the necklace and pendant.

The pendant is the Chinese symbol for Longevity.  In China, the butterfly is the symbol of Love.  The "caged" beads on the necklace represent the Chinese lanterns.

Usually when I make a necklace that is this difficult of a pattern, I only attempt it once.  But I like it so much, I might make one for me as well :)

Cannot do simple

After our baby was born, my husband wanted me to make jewelry.  But I couldn't seem to find the time.   Everything revolved around the baby being fed and taken care of.  When a new little human being needs your attention every 2 hours, finding time to make jewelry just isn't in the cards.

But eventually, there's a semi-routine.  Or at least small snaps of time where I can do something other than cleaning the house and laundry :)  My husband suggested that I do a simple beading design.

I thought about it, but I can't do simple.  That's boring.  I started making jewelry 13 years ago.  Every blue moon I do a simple necklace just for the heck of it, but that's rare.

That said... I found the time to do some new projects using spike beads - FUN!  Complicated but it made me happy to do :)

Valentine Day Mardi Gras and Something White

I enjoyed working with the super duo beads on this design.  It's simple, but sometimes that just works :)

This next design was the first time doing Soutache, using ribbon with bead embroidery.  It's not as easy as it looks, but I like adding the extra texture.  Then again, I started off with this design and should have picked something a little easier.  I call this one my Mardi Gras necklace, because of the colors:

Now, this next Soutache I did after the above one.  Much easier and definitely more for the beginners.  Finished the below necklace just in time for Valentine's Day.  I call this one - Queen of Hearts

Princess Necklace

My husband calls this a princess necklace.  I love the crystal drops.  This is the first design that I've done using the super duo beads.  It was interesting...

Vertical Weave

This is the necklace that I had on for our 4  year anniversary.  It's a weave done in vertical fashion.  Though it doesn't look like it, there are 5 different types/sizes crystals.

Gold and Silver Lace

I made this necklace in time for Thanksgiving and received a lot of compliments. It took a lot of time and plenty of crystals.  The second picture below is a closer picture to show the three rows of crystals - all of which are Jet.  Top row is regular Jet.  Second row is Jet 2AB.  Third is Jet AB.

My Mom liked the necklace and so I worked long hours to get silver necklace ready in time for Christmas.  I need a close up of the necklace to show the purple and blue crystals used.

Christmas Chains

I'm not that familiar with chain links, but I figured making a Christmas wreath would be a fun first try.

Two More Necklaces

It seems that I am beading a lot more these days.... I think it's because I know I won't have much time to do any beading after the baby is born (due March 7, 2013).

Pearl Elegance

I love working with the combination of pearls and crystals.  Unfortunately, when I find a design I like, it means that it will deplete me of my pearl supply as this is something I don't have many of.  Here are my most recent two beading projects:

Happy Halloween

I've had this cameo cab for at least 3 years and it's taken me this long to make it, but I'm thrilled, because it's just in time for tonight - Halloween!  It's a very simple embroidery piece.

Garnet Glamour

The garnet color is so dark that it appears to be black at first glance.  I needed an easy break for beading.  Being pregnant seems to have drained my ability to concentrate, so I was happy to complete this project!

Gift Necklace

When my sister-in-law first came to the States, I bought an "RN pendant.  I had faith that she would pass the arduous test and held on to the pendant for the time when she shared the good news.  

The time has come and we're very proud of her!  I made this necklace for her and hope she likes it.  I wanted it to be in neutral colors so it could go with any of her work clothes, while also having some sparkle (crystals).

New Project is going to be a while

I've been quiet on this blog, but believe me, my little fingers are just a beadin' away.

I also think I'm slowly losing my mind. I have this "plan" for something and I keep adding to it, but I've yet to actually.. do it. I'm making bits and pieces here and there.

Most likely I'm going to turn to my group of confidants who can bead me under a table and ask their thoughts. I can picture it in my mind but I'm terrified. It looks good in my head. It's getting it into real life that scares me Lol I keep telling myself, "If it doesn't work out like how I want it to, I can create a bunch of smaller necklaces." That's my escape.

Hint to the project: Ocean

RAW CUBE VIDEO

So, I guess I'm a Vlogger now. This is my first attempt at a video via blogging. The sound gets louder when the actual instruction part comes on. As I state in the intro, this is not a beginner instruction video.... and as I recently read... Raw Cub/Spiral is not for the weak at heart :)

Beading Videos

I'm considering making some beading videos.

The main reason is because I don't do some techniques repeatedly. This means that it takes me a little while to "get it" again.

Sometimes the "get it" again time is frustrating. Especially when doing a 3 dimensional activity based on instructions on paper, with the beads... well, flat. The beading videos would be more of a refresher for me, rather than a true instruction. I don't plan on creating videos for beginners. Though, who knows, maybe in the future.

I blogged about how I wanted it set up.. to see that blog, visit my home blog - click here.

Moon and Stars

The face makes me think of the moon and I added small crystals going around it with the bead embroidery to represent stars :)