Twin Spades Necklace and Bracelet

This is a new set of necklace and bracelet I designed with Twin beads. The pattern created by the arrangement of beads reminded me of the shape of spades, so Twin Spades is the name I gave to this project.
A tutorial for both necklace and bracelet is available in both my Etsy and Artfire shops.

I purchased some Twin beads not long ago, without knowing that actually there are two different brands of this bead with two holes - Twin beads, manufactured by Preciosa-Ornela and Superduo beads, manufactured by Jablonec (both are Czech copmanies). I haven't tried Superduo beads, but thanks to Sabine Lippert posting an image on Facebook, I learned that Twin beads are a bit non-uniformed, compared to the Superduo beads (which are much more expensive than Twins) and that there is a larger selection of colors of  Twins compared to Superduos.

I can tell from my experience working on this new necklace & bracelet project, that in a pile of 50 gr of Twin beads I found a few beads with irregular shape, but there were not too many of them - most of the beads were fine. But what really turned into a nightmare was finding out that I can't continue working and pass the needle through the free hole of one bead, simply because it was blocked! I tried to open the hole, but had not succeeded. So the only thing I could do was to break the bead using pliers and replace it with a new one. Breaking a Twin bead seemed to be a challenging task - I had to use great force and to try different angles before it finally broke. Then I had to re-fill the two spaces the removed bead created (that was the easiest part..).So I know that I will be sorting and selecting my Twin beads before I start the next project, in the hope that I will detect and take out any beads with blocked hole...

But except all of the above, Twin beads are really beautiful and fun to work with I love the texture they add to the beadwork!

It's Passover Eve today, so I wish all who celebrate it Hag Sameach! 

Passover means that spring had officially sprung!... I love the smell of spring and the warming weather is doing wonders to my energy. :) And to those who celebrate Easter - Happy Easter!

Magical Magatamas

Last month at a wedding party, I met a few people I haven't seen in a couple of years. We chatted a bit and they asked me what job do I have and I told them that I am a jewelry designer. Then they were very surprised that I don't wear any jewelry (mine or others), and they said that I am a living example of  "a shoemaker who is walking barefoot" (it's an old Hebrew say). Funny, but true!... I stopped wearing jewelry long before I had started beading due to allergy to metals I had developed, and somehow I got used to being "jewelry-naked" (except for a watch, if that counts). I promised my relatives to show them some of my work the next time we meet, which would be next week in another family relative's wedding. I decided to wear a nice jewelry set to show off at the coming wedding... After all, my jewelry is made from glass beads, so there shouldn't be any allergy excuse... ;)

Luckily, my Muse cooperated and I managed to finish this new necklace and matching bracelet on time before the wedding (a tutorial is also ready & available). They are made with seed beads, glass pearls, Swarovski crystal beads and Miyuki long Magatama beads. (I take this opportunity to thank the people of Bogal, who are always very helpful and come to my rescue whenever I run out of beads before the project is finished... Thank you, Gloria and Avishai for an excellent customer service!).

Once again I had a challenging (read: annoying) designing process with those Magatamas (mainly because of their large, diagonal holes), but I love them, and I didn't want to give up on the texture they add to the beadwork. I am very pleased with the result! The necklace is laying nicely around my neck and the bracelet is softly draping  my wrist.

Now all I have to do is to find something nice to wear that goes with this set, which is another challenge for me! I never had to match the clothes to the jewelry - it usually goes the other way around, right?... ;D

New - Antique Silver Necklace with Crystal Pendant

I haven't done much beading in the past month. All these eye tests I had to make and the fact that even with my new multi-focal glasses (I had those replaced for me twice last month, but I still don't see 100% well with them), made me feel a bit nervous & depressed and made beading being an uncomfortable task. One eye test - which I feared the most about its results - came out (relatively) good :) , and the doctor said that even though the only treatment for the problem is laser eye surgery, it is up to me if I want to have it now, or I can wait and see if there are any changes in the next scheduled tests in every six months. I want to wait and see (pun intended ;) what happens... I am now using another new eyeglasses just for computer & beading work, and it works and feels much better. I am optimistic! :)

This is my newest necklace - herringbone rope with strung beads and a bead embroidered pendant with Swarovski crystal beautiful chessboard stone, and I also beaded matching stud earrings. I like how the necklace turned out - it reminds me of the silver jewelry my grandfather used to make. It has a bit of antique feel to it thanks to the beautiful Miyuki Duracoat #4222 seed beads I used for the main color. I started working on a matching bracelet about a week ago, but I got stuck with the design and my Muse has left me again, so it is still waiting, unfinished, on my beading tray...

Spiky Branch Bracelet

This is my new bracelet named Spiky Branch. I couldn't decide if its pattern reminds me of a pineapple with its leaves or a palm tree with wide branches... Anyway, everyone in my family said it definitely reminds them of some kind of a branch...so branch it is! :) It's a relatively narrow bracelet, which is made with Miyuki long magatama beads, seeds, crystals and fire polished beads.

I love the long magatama beads, as they are offering more possibilities for a play with different textures and shapes in a piece. But their large, diagonal hole makes them quite challenging to work with. I was challenged by their unique shape in the past and have created Sparkling Wreath pendant / beaded bead, but this time I wanted to design something with a bit more of them in the piece and that's what I came up with. 
I learned a few things about this special beads while I designed this bracelet and I still have more of them in other colors and finishes, so playing with them isn't over yet... ;)

A tutorial for the bracelet is already available. I am also happy to let you know that all my tutorials are now available for both personal only and personal & commercial uses. 

Spring Around the Corner

This is "Early Spring", my entry for the April challenge of Etsy BeadWeavers - Spring Around the Corner.Check out the EBW blog to see all 49, spring inspired, beautiful entries and vote for your favorite (my necklace is #21 on the list). Voting ends on the 15th of April.

BAO Color Challenge

This geometric net bracelet was created for the new Bead Art Originals Color Challenge. We had to pick any three colors from the beautiful image below for inspiration. I picked fuchsia, violet and light blue (there is light blue in the seed beads - fuchsia lined light blue AB, although the photo doesn't show it much..). Check out the BAO blog to see what other members of the team created for this challenge.

A tutorial for this bracelet is available

Mixed Media Necklace

This simple necklace is the only work I have managed to create in the last couple of days. I have this terrible back ache again, which also badly influence my arm functioning and makes it feel numb. Despite all the pain, I enjoyed playing with the different materials and techniques, and I like the simple look of it. The beautiful large disc beads are made from nut tree nutshell. "Nuts" is pretty much how I go now...;) I have a lot of work to do, and this backache is ruining all my plans! ;(

BAO Color Inspiration

This is my "Toss the Feathers" bracelet, created especially for the Bead Art Originals Color Inspiration challenge - copper, green and black. I have to admit that at first I didn't like this color combination so much, but after I put some beads together and started to play with them, I found that it is a lovely, sophisticated combination. So thanks to Nancy of NEDbeads, I had the opportunity to work with this color combo I wouldn't have thought of myself.

You are invited to suggest your colors for the next challenge to the team by leaving your comment on this blog post. It's really fun and interesting to see how each member used the colors suggested.

These are another two bracelet of the same design I created in different colors for testing the tutorial I made for this bracelet.

Cube Delight Bracelet in Bead and Button Magazine

My cubes and little flowers bracelet (Cube Delight) project is published in the latest issue of Bead& Button magazine. Just got my contributor's copy in the mail today and I am delighted to see three of them on the cover! :)
Thanks to the B&B editors and assistants, it was a pleasure working with you again, and the editor's bracelets look great! Thank you!

Oriental Lace Bracelet

Thank you everyone who took the time to answer the poll on the right side bar here! I really appreciate it!

This is my new bracelet I named "Oriental Lace" . I was once asked how I got to think of my designs -  the idea and inspiration for this bracelet design came from a beautiful fabric pattern I saw in Interfilier article about fashion trends for Summer 2010.

Image from Interferier.com

I fell in love with the pattern and just had to create something similar in beadweaving.
It was time consuming, as always, when it comes to designing something new, but as much fun playing with different beads size in different stitches until I found the right way to stitch the desired pattern. I then spent some more time stitching a few samples in different colors, improving ans simplifying the beadwoven pattern until I found the one that worked best. I just love this process!

Treasures By the Sea

EBW challenge theme for February was Ocean/Sea Inspired. What a great source of inspiration it was! No wonder there are 46 (!) entries this month. Voting is going to be very hard, as there is an abundance of great pieces!
My entry "Treasures by the Sea" necklace is # 5 on the list.

Voting lasts until the 15th, so don't miss out your chance to check out all entries and vote for your favorite!

Vintage Style Lacy Bracelet

How I wish that the nice way new year 2010 started would continue. The past few weeks have been so stressful for me. I have some unpleasant family and financial businesses I'm dealing with for quite a long time now, among other 'real life' regular stuff (two teenagers at home, to give you an idea of "regular"...;) , and this seem to take out a lot of energy from me. I try to find my mind & soul some rest by bead weaving, but this also doesn't work for me as it usually does. This reminds me of the say "muses are silent when the cannons are roaring"... I wish this period is over soon so I will be able to get back to my routine and concentrate more in my work.

I started working on this simple bracelet 4 days ago and it took me more than 10 hours to finish, would you believe it? I couldn't concentrate, kept mistaking the order of beads and couldn't complete one single row without unpicking it several times. Really annoying. If it wasn't my love for playing with different sizes, shapes and colors of beads in order to create texture in my work, I would have given up after just a few rows... I'm now glad I didn't because I love it!




I used one of Claspgarten clasps again - a gorgeous, sparkly, multi-strand rhodium plated clasp with Swarovski crystals set in it, and it fitted the bracelet's size perfectly. That was a relief - no need to struggle.. :)

I also used the same beads for this matching small pendant.




Let's hope the weekend will be peaceful, pleasant and fruitful! :)

Peace and Winter Olympics EBW Challenge

This is my entry (#13 on the list) for the EBW December Challenge.The theme was chosen by tied first place winners of the October challenge, AngelqueCreations and yours truly (thanks again for everyone who voted for my piece!).
I chose Peace and Jacquie of AngelqueCreations chose the Winter Olympics as a theme. So the two themes were combined and the idea was to create a piece that promote peace and understanding among nations. Friendly competitions like the Olympic games is one example of how conflicts can be put aside and differences in culture or religion become irrelevant...

The inspiration for my Peace on Earth necklace came from the dove with olive branch, which is the symbol of peace in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Another source of inspiration, which represent the other part of the theme, is the Greek laurel wreath that winners of the ancient Olympic Games wore on their heads.

Please visit the EBW blog, between now and the 15th to view all 19 beautiful entries and vote for your favorite. Your comment would also be appreciated.

Warm Winter Bloom Necklace

This is my entry (#17 on the list) for the Etsy Beadweavers challenge "Beauty of the Flower". Please visit the EBW blog between the 9th and 15th, pick your favorite entry and vote for it.

New Glitzy Bracelet

A new bracelet with Claspgarten clasp - rhodium plated clasp with Swarovski crystals. I really like how this one turned out. :)

I have one last item to create with Claspgarten clasp - it is the most challenging one for me. I'll probably have to try a few possible designs, as this one has a unique shape, (relatively) large size and heavy weight...

Too many thoughts and ideas are running in my head right now, making too much "noise", like in a busy train station... One is for the current EBW challenge (which I doubt I'll be able to finish on time, but that's as per usual..:D); one is for a bride's custom necklace (luckily I have enough time for this one); another one is for a project to be published in the European magazine Perlen Poesie next year, and lots of ideas for details of my (possible) entry for the Bead&Button show 2010, which I really (really!) hope I'll be able to create and finish on time...
It seems like I'm 'beading' in my mind more than I'm actually beading.. ;)

Super Power Hero Challenge

I managed to finish this Spider Woman necklace for the current EBW challenge, Super Power Hero, in no time!..
I came up with an initial idea when it was less than two days before the deadline and I was not sure I'll be able to create, photograph and post my entry on time.

But I was lucky, because when I opened the bag of black beads I wanted to use for this necklace, I discovered that there were two woven St. Petersburg straps in it.
I came to think that these black beads must be of super power kind - they weave themselves whenever you just think of them!.. ;D I just couldn't remember when and why I put them in there and what I intended to create with them in the first place.. I always try not to keep any unfinished works and my bead boxes are always tidy... Well, not always, it seems...
So of course I decided to use the straps for this necklace. All I had to add was a pendant and a clasp, and Voila! I had my entry finished... :)
I think I have to reconsider the rule of not keeping unfinished works (I take them apart and put all the materials back in place) - it could save the precious time put in creating them if they are used as part of another new design... Now let's just see if I can break my own rule.. ;)

Please check out all 15 entries to the Super Power challenge on the EBW blog. Voting has started today and will last until the 15th, so don't miss it!

Necklace with Removeable Rings and Beadwoven Caps

I finally got my advance contributor's copy of the Oct/Nov issue of Bead & Button magazine this afternoon. I worked with editor Lesley Weiss on the project for this necklace and had much fun. Thank you, Lesley!

In this issue, there's also a beautiful bracelet project by talented bead artist Cindy Caraway, who is also the creator of the Nile Queen necklace published in the Your Work section - fabulous design in a great color combination! You should visit Cindy's site and see more of her gorgeous creations! Here's just one gorgeous example of her work "Chakra Pendant necklace":