New Beading Kit - Gazing Stars Bracelet

Created in the end of 2015, after 18 months of delay I finally managed to create my first beading kit. This is Gazing Stars bracelet, made with Japanese seed beads and Swarovski crystal stones and beads. 

The beautiful name of the bracelet was suggested over Facebook by my friend Renne Drake, who is lucky to get a kit from me as a thank you gift. Thanks again, Renne!  

At the moment there's only a limited number of kits in each color pallette. The kit includes all Japanese seed beads, Swarovski crystal beads and components that are needed, a clasp and a printed tutorial. Other things needed and aren't included are: 6lb fireline beading thread, beading needles and scisosrs.

Make purchase through my Etsy shop.

As I said, this is the first kit I offer, so if you have any questions or remarks, please leave your comment or contact me directly.

Happy Beading!

Filigree Beaded Star Pendant with Crystal Drop Leather Necklace

Reason for Celebration

Today I reached 2000 sales milestone in my Etsy shop, thanks to all my wonderful customers!!! This is a reason for a celebration, of course, so from today January 30 and until tomorrow (Jan. 31) I am offering all of my items at a 20% discount (*NOT including package deal tutorials & jewelries on sale).
Please use coupon code: 2000CELEBRATION when you check out. 

Beaded, Big and Black

I created these three black necklaces upon a request for "beaded, big and black" necklaces. Notice the increase in the size of the pendants -- the first image shows my idea of 'big' (approx. 60x40mm center part and the fringe adds about 100mm of length), but that was not large enough, and so the last one I created was in size (approx. 130x150mm center part) that is more likely to meet the customer's idea of "the bigger - the better".
I hope my customer likes the larger pendant...It's huge in my eyes, and I had to challenge and stretch my designing abilities beyond my personal taste, which is a good thing...I think...I'm not sure... Maybe the need to "listen to my own voice" while designing is the reason I don't usually do commissioned work. Need to think about it more.

After working continuously on these three black necklaces, I needed a break from black, so I played with wire for a while and created this wire wrapped pendant. I had a few tough, discouraging moments while I constructed the part that holds the large carnelian bead, but the rest was very pleasing to do. I like how the design came out (although I still need more practice!). What do you think?...

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!

New Beaded Beads Necklace

I decided to design something new with sharp triangle beads. At first, I was trying to make a flat design (without much success), but somehow it evolved into these textured, self-supporting beaded beads...

I made one version of the beads with Swarovski crystals and combined them in this bold plum necklace. The other version, is a longer bead embellished with smaller triangles and used as a focal in the blue/pink necklace.

Summer 2011 - Heat, Health and Hope...

My Muse is gone.... It's probably the combination of July/August heat, my eyes getting tired too quickly and the excitement I feel about people's protest over the huge social-economic gaps that is taking place here in Israel in the last couple of weeks. Daily life worries and health problems can be a real turn off to any creativity sparkle... 

Last Saturday night, I joined the largest ever protest parade in Israel that took place in Tel Aviv, as well as in many cities throughout the country and in my town. I came back home all sweaty and tired, but my spirit was filled with fresh energy and hope. It was amazing to see (and be part of) a large group of good people making an effort in trying to make our life and our children's future better... It was a great reminder of how beautiful, united, supportive and strong Israeli people still are, even though this time the issue was not our complicated security situation, but about fighting social injustice and corruption - the main reasons for our domestic social problems ... I am looking forward to a real change, even if I know it would take more time and effort before we can feel it!... 

Okay, back to beady subjects... This necklace is the ONLY thing I created since my last post (I still haven't finished the bracelet I wanted to make to complete the set of necklace & earrings I created...). My inspiration for this necklace was one of Lisa Peter's Art beads, used for a wire wrapped pendant. The colorful beads in the necklace are Indonesian "trade" glass beads - beautiful, irregular shaped handcrafted & hand-painted striped large "seed beads", strung on orange cotton cord. 

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...