Rosette Embroidered Cuff

I had been working on a new necklace project last week, but it didn't go as good as I thought. So after the 10th time I had to unpick the beadwork and try different "engineering", I thought it would be better to take a break, relax and work on something else for a while. Nervousness doesn't go well with a needle and thread... ;)
I bead embroidered this cuff, using one of Lisa Peters Art beautiful cabochons as a focal and used the cabochon itself as my source of inspiration for colors and shape. I especially like the the gentle sparkle Lisa added to the center of the cabochon - a beautiful white opal Swarovski stone.

It was a good decision to take a break, and by now I have managed to finish the beadweaving project I was working on... :) Photos coming soon, and maybe even a tutorial.

S for Small Serpents

"S for Small Serpents" Bracelet

Things don't always come easy... The initial idea for this design had popped in my mind a while ago, and I was sure I could easily stitch the bracelet as envisioned.

Well, as simple as it may have looked at first, it wasn't so. It took me quite a few trials before I have found the way to maintain the repetitive curving pattern the way I wanted it, and more time and trials to find the shortest thread path for stitching it.
Who said that designer's work is always fun?...I had the initial image of the bracelet stuck in mind all the time, and the more I tried and it didn't work, the more annoying the whole process became... It eventually came out a little different from how I envisioned it, but I had to either compromise on a few minor details, or give up on it all together.

But when the designing process was over and everything worked smoothly, I had much fun working on the bracelet. I was also pleased to realize that a few other possibilities for playing with the basic design were born thanks to the compromises I had to make. So I guess that sometimes being stubborn pays off... :)

"S for Small Serpents" Bracelet - Version 2

A tutorial is available (for the two versions shown)

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Inspiring Beads

A new necklace with a bead embroidered pendant. My inspiration for this necklace came from the focal beautiful donut ceramic bead by a fellow Bead Art Originals team member, Lisa of Lisa Peters Art.

I liked how the pendant in the first necklace came out, and since I already had the right beads on my table, I created another necklace in similar colors, with a leather embroidered pendant.

And then I beaded a matching embroidered leather cuff... I love it when my inspiration comes from the beads themselves... It all started with the beautiful ceramic bead by Lisa Peters... Thank you, Lisa! :)

Crystal Flower Cuff

Gold and Pink, Bollywood Style

New embroidered pink and gold cuff with Swarovski crystals. Inspired by beautiful embroidered dress image I came across on the internet while browsing, once again, gorgeous India designs in fashion and jewelry.

Click on the image to go to this designers' Flickr page

Twisting and Bending Wire

OK, so this is harder than I thought. While working on this cuff, I realized that wire working requires a lot of thinking about structure and construction beforehand.
I tried to work in the same way as I, in many cases, work in beadweaving - creating a base and then add more materials as I go along and build the design. Implementing the same process with wire could have worked (I think) if it was a free form wire cuff, but in this case, it didn't work well.

I built a frame around the focal bead and then connected more pieces, one at a time. I should have measure and cut all the pieces first and then connect them with another piece of wire in order to have a symmetrical body. Another thing I learned is that I should have used thicker, harder wire for the foundation (the wire here is dead-soft 20 gauge). I also had problems with creating the closure after the whole body was finished - another thing that I should have thought of beforehand and resulted in an awkward finish.
Although I spent more than 5 hours working on it, struggling with the wire and pliers, and it didn't came out as I envisioned it, I learned a lot of things through the process, which is most important.

I have so much more to learn and practicing to do and I'm excited about it! The only bad thing I can tell about this new work is that my fingers are aching from all the twisting and bending...

New Bracelet in Soft Spring Colors

I usually like to work with Fireline thread for most beadworks, but when a softer result or matching color is needed, like in this bracelet, I choose K.O. thread .
I like K.O. because it's already waxed and it's thinner than Nymo or C-lon. But, as I realized yesterday, it's not as strong enough as Fireline or Nymo.
I've put about 5 hours of work in this bracelet, but just when I finished hiding all the threads and thought to myself 'Done!' (at 4 AM in the morning), the thread broke in the middle and a few seed beads fell out. Probably one of the fire polished beads cut it.
I was mad! I wanted to take the scissors and cut the bracelet into pieces. I cried instead, like a baby... I then had to thread the needle with a new K.O. to stitch together the broken parts. Just to be on the safe side, I passed through all the beads again. So, it actually turned out like beading the bracelet again, and of course, like using doubled thread... Lesson learned.
I like the textured result, though.

Heavy Metal Cuff

This is a new cuff bracelet, woven with textured, shiny corner-less brass beads I bought a while ago from TheJadeDog Beads (thanks Darcy, they're gorgeous!) and using another one of Claspgarten beautiful clasps (check Claspgarten main page and see an absolutely gorgeous bracelet, created by Diane Fitzgerald, using on of their clasps).

If I were to wear any jewelry, this cuff bracelet would probably have been my favorite. I love the simplicity of it!

Gem Stones Free Form Bracelet

I bought these gold Toho 3-cut 8/0 seed beads from The Bead Parlor (yes, they do ship outside the US, thanks again, Shelly!) and I was very pleased to discover that they sparkle even more than in the photos. They are gorgeous! The 3-cut shape gives them extra shine and a very nice texture, too.
The first idea I came up with of what to use them for was an oriental design. I though that August's birthstone Peridot, Carnelian, Garnet and Amethyst gem stone beads would make a nice combination with the bright gold.

August in Israel...

I wish the summer was over, I can't stand the heat and humidity anymore! I miss the fall, or better the spring...(I don't like the winter. I feel like a bear with all the cloths on). The weather makes me nervous-- I hate sweating, but I hate the sound of the air condition even more.. I can't sleep well.. I'm always tiered... very hard to concentrate on the work, even in the late night hours. I'm going crazy.

The only good thing I can think of August right now is that it's the weddings season, and weddings are always so exciting!..
Today I finished working on this cuff, made especially upon the request of a cute bride-to-be. Her wedding is going to take place on the beach, so she asked for a simple design, in clear, silver and just a bit of silver colors, that reminds the soft sand and the waves on the beach. This is the design I came up with for her bracelet (I'm happy, she was very pleased :).


This is the first time I've created something by following a graph of the pattern, and I have to admit that it was hard for me to do (it's the ^&*%$%# heat! ;), and maybe it was even harder because I had to use three kinds of clear seed beads with slight differences in the color. I now admire artists like SandFibers even more than before. She creates her lovely intricate designs using tiny Delica beads. Amazing!. It is really a hard, challenging work and very time consuming! I am not sure I'll do this kind of work again. OK, maybe I'll do it again, but only in the fall or winter...or if a cute bride asks me.. :)

This is another necklace I recently finished working on-- a simple design in bright colors. Great for summer, isn't it?.. ;)

"Sunrise" - My First Embroidered Cuff

I finally finished my first embroidered cuff. I planned to make a rather geometric pattern, but when I started working I was drawn to a freer pattern. I worked on one section at a time, without much planning. (Some photos of the work in progress are here and here).
To be honest, I am not sure how I feel about the result. It didn't come out the way I saw it in my mind.
BUT, I got a lot of satisfactory by the fact that I managed to finish it, and more important – I have learned a few important things about bead embroidery and gained some experience. I've learned a few things about myself, too; One is that I need to be more patient and stay positive when dealing with unexpected major problems in my work (and stop to scare my family with my frustration screams..) Another one is to really accept a compromise when I decide to make one, and not think about it over and over again after it has already been done; To practice a lot more, just as I did when I taught myself beadweaving- to start with small projects and progress gradually (did I mention patience?...;) So, all in all, it's an accomplishment for me, regardless the imaginative cuff I had in my mind… :)

I finished the body a while ago, but then faced the challenge of sewing it to a genuine leather backing - it was so hard to pass the needle through the leather - my size 10 beading needle was not good for this (I actually broke two of them by trying).
I had to use a special thick needle for leather works. The thick needle did pass trough the leather (though not easily), but it was too thick to pass even trough 6/0 seed beads holes. So I had to take separate steps: first connect the two materials and then stitch rows of beads to cover the connecting points. Step 1 caused my fingers to feel numb for a few days. I didn't succeed in using a thimble to help me push the needle through the leather, so I used my bare fingers. I still have this ugly distortion on my thumb – it is now acts as a reminder for me, to find and buy Ultrasuede in a few colors for my next embroidery works… Step 2, the diagonal rows on the edges, actually added about 15 mm to the final width of the cuff. I didn't plan to make a 2.4 inch (6 cm) wide cuff, but I couldn't think of another way to finish it. And I just had to finish it! ;)

Yin & Yang - Complementary Contradictions

The theme for this month – Complementary Contradictions, was picked by me, after winning the July challenge with my Roses in the Night Sky bracelet (Thanks again to everyone who voted for me!).

Yin and Yang are the Chinese symbols of harmony, as they are opposites that complement each other. If you would like to read more about this symbol and the Chinese theory, please visit this page of Wikipedia.

At first I wanted to create a pendant of the traditional, rounded symbol, using rocailles. But later I decided to use the black and silver Aiko's that a very dear friend from the U.S. has sent me. They are very uniformed and perfect for peyote work, so I then decided to design the symbol in straight lines and create a bracelet instead of a pendant. I also used 24k gold-plated Delica beads. The closing is also representing Yin & Yang - two straps in opposite directions and colors.
I have spent about 3 hours working on the 'body' of cuff and additional 2 hours of work on the closure... ;) I really like how it came out.

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I now realize that it has been more than a month since my last post.
I have been so busy and troubled lately. Unfortunately, I have some family 'issues' and health problems. I hardly find time to bead (I still haven't finished the embroidered cuff), but when I do find some free time to do my beadwork, I really enjoy it! It allows me to take a break from life, so to speak... I hope this period of time will pass quickly, as well as the health problems, so I can get back to my beading routine... I really miss the days (and nights) when I was able to finish a work almost every other day!... :)

Almost Finished

I am almost done working on this embroidered cuff. Of course I have to attach it to a backing material – Ultrasuede or genuine leather – I haven't decided yet. I am also not sure yet what kind of closure to use. But those are the easy part, arn't they? :)
I will post the finished cuff when it's ready, and after my photographer is back from his vacation (this not-so-good photo was taken by me with my son's camera ;).



Right after I will finish this embroidered piece, I am going to start working on embroidered squares for Jeanette Shanigan's beaded quilts project “Bead-It-Forward” Breast Cancer Donation Project. The theme this year is "Heart". Check out Jeanette's site and see the finished quilts she makes using beaded squares. You might want to take part in this project.
I am happy to participate in this project for this important, good cause and I already have an idea of what I want to make. I just hope that this embroidered work will be finished before the dead-line…

Sweets For My Sweet

Candies colors in a cuff bracelet I made for my beloved sweet daughter :)

Herringbone Cuff with Triangle Beads

Netted Cuff

My first freeform beaded bracelet

My First Freeform Beaded Bracelet

I had so much fun making it! I first discovered the joy of beading this way, without almost no limitations - my own free design.
So, this is my first freeform work.

Few weeks later, I made the bracelet i first intended to make.
It was quite boring to make. The main work included nothing but counting and threading the specific number of beads and switching colors of every loop, as they crossed from side to side of the bracelet.., but I still like it.

The "flames" Bracelet