Creative Beading Book

I am so happy! Today I received a heavy small package in the mail. A nice 'Thank You' letter was attached to a copy of Creative Beading Vol. 5 book, which is published annually by Kalmbach. TWO of my designs - Diagonal View bracelet and Hojas pendant - are included in it. I'm honored and excited! It's a really nice book with a large variety of beautiful beadwork and wire work projects.

I promised myself to try creating at least one wire project from the book. I fell in love with Lilian Chen's Modest Exhibition necklace project and it looks pretty easy to create...I think... Another project is Sharilyn Miller's Rosy Posy pendant, which will give me the chance to use the round WigJig tool I bought a while ago for the first time. I have all the materials needed for these projects, so there's no excuse for me really, except for the time...

My Lacy Bracelets in Beadwork Magazine

These two bracelets are published in the latest (Oct./Nov.) issue of Beadwork Magazine.
My inspiration for this design came from one of my favorite ethnic patterns - the Saraguro Hojas, which is basically done using modified brick stitch technique.

Check out Kerrie Slade's project on p.74 in this issue - a colorful, stunning Peacock necklace. You can also see many other of Kerrie's beautiful designs on her site.

My First Publication In Print

Finally, I got my copy of Jan/Feb Bead&Button magazine this afternoon. I have my first publication in print in this issue! I am proud to have one of my designs published among all the gorgeous projects in there. :)
It was a nice and pleasant experience working with B&B editor Lynne Soto, who tested my project and created the pendants that are in the magazine.
In the next issue of Bead&Button magazine, one of my bracelets will be published, so I am excited about it, too ;)

I got "hooked" on the Saraguro Hojas pattern and have already created a few items by using it. This pendant is one of the results of "playing" with this lovely traditional pattern. If you would like to make this pendant, you'll only need an hour or so to complete one... That's why I managed to create 6 of them in one day..

My New Saraguro Bracelet

After a long time that I haven't beaded anything new, yesterday I stayed till late at night to finish my new Saraguro bracelet.

Many thanks goes to Judith27k, for introducing this lovely technique to our beading commune a few monthes ago. Judith also designed a bracelet using the traditional stitch and pattern (mine is with some modifications), which she taught and shared with other beading-commune members. This design was also featured on the artist Louise Hill's designs blog. Thank you, Judith!

I really love to make jewelry using this technique and after I have managed to figure out how it's done, I have already made a few bracelets using it, like this version or as you can see in my Carnelian beads version, that I really love, and in the Swarovski crystals version (with some stitching modifications).
I am now thinking of a way to use the Hojas pattern to make a collar that will complement a set with this bracelet. I like the original Saraguro Hojas collar, but I want to make a collar that is more casually wearable. I hope I will be able to come up with a good design…

Another Saraguro-Hojas Bracelet

This time I made it (with some modifications) with 6mm Swarovski bicones.

Saraguro Hojas Bracelet with Swarovski

My New Saraguro-Hojas Bracelet

This bracelet was done by the Saraguro Hojas technique.

I used 8 mm matte bugle beads, 11/0 seed beads and round Carnelian beads in the middle. I also used little ornamented button for the closing.
I had to use double Fireline thread for this work because the bugles, not like in most cases, cut it easily.
The bracelet is a little inflexible because of the long bugles, but that dose not make it uncomfortable to wear.

Hojas Bracelet With Carnelians

Round Lace and The Saraguro Hojas Bracelet

Few weeks ago I visited Sandra D. Hapenny's web site.
http://www.sandradhalpenny.com/FreeDownload.html
I found there a free pattern for a bracelet called "Round Lace", which I really liked. The technique was new for me.

The Round Lace Bracelet

As I was weaving the round lace, I suddenly realized that this new technique was probably the same technique used in the Saraguro Hojas bracelet – a bracelet that I really wanted to make but I didn't have any instructions or scheme for it, and didn't succeed to figure out how it was made.
I decided to give it a try and it worked!

The Saraguro Hojas Bracelet

I made the Hojas bracelet, but instead of using seed beads, I used bugle beads.