Sparkling Water Lily - New Beading Tutorial

Lately there are so many new shapes of beads coming to the market one after another, that I can hardly keep up!  I recently ordered some SuperUno beads, gum drops, two-hole lentil beads and twisted daggers, which I am yet to play with, but there are already new shaped beads that I need to get my hands on, like pellets, Bibo, Pip beads... I guess that the more there are, the merrier! I love experimenting new designs and possibilities with the new bead shapes... It gives my beading creativity a boost! 

My latest project - Sparkling Water Lily -  is made with Starman's Czechmate two-hole triangle beads, Swarovski crystal bicone beads and Japanese seed beads.  

It is a dimensional beaded component, that can be used as a pendant, as a connector beaded bead or for an elegant ring. 

Another design with these beautiful triangle beads is in the works and I hope to be able to finish it as soon as I get more of these beautiful triangles in other colors. 

The tutorial for the 3 design options of Sparkling Water Lily, is available in both my Etsy and my Artfire shops.

A Necklace Made with
Sparkling Water Lily Beaded Connector Beads

Sparkling Water Lily Pendant

Sparkling Water Lily Ring 

Fringed Rosette Earrings

I had everything but illustrations for the tutorial of these Fringes Rosette Earrings ready and waiting for over a month. Because the rosette part of the earrings has a domed profile, making the illustrations of it was a real challenge... But it's finally done and the tutorial is available! The earrings are made with glass pearls, seed beads, bugles and Swarovski crystal beads (the earrings can be made without the fringe, so without the crystal beads).

Another item I had finished in the past couple of weeks is the blue necklace below. I beaded this necklace especially because I didn't include instructions for the pendant in Dainty Filigree Rope & Bracelet tutorial, and many of you had asked for more examples of necklaces made with the same rope pattern (actually, the rope can be sewed or attached to any pendant). I managed to finish it in no time and I love how it turned out! (I didn't realize it till now, but it came out with the American flag colors.. :)

The pendant in this necklace is a flat, drop shaped blue & white gemstone, which I bought a few years ago. I liked the stone so much that I was willing to buy it without knowing what kind of a gemstone it was (the store owner didn't know, either), although I had decided long before not to buy any more unidentified gemstones..*sigh*

I think it is not lapis lasuli, because it doesn't have the typical vivid blue of lapis, but it's more of denim blue mixed with white -- could it be blue Chalcedony?, or is it blue Agate? If any of you can tell what it is, I'd appreciate your help if you comment and let me know... I so hate it when I can't tell my customers what they are buying...I promise myself not to make the same mistake again! ;D

Taking about mistakes, I already told you about the huge mess I created by deleting all the blog photo albums I had synchronized with Picasa & stored on my smartphone. But I didn't know how bigger - much bigger - problem it would be to go back to older posts and to find all the relevant images. Since I didn't always give names to the pieces I beaded (I usually feel reluctant when it comes to naming my works, but I'll leave that subject for another post), and since in my early posts I didn't write much or described the pieces ("my new bracelet" doesn't tell much, does it?), there were posts that I just had to guess which was the piece that belong to it, based on the date. In some other cases I had to leave that ugly exclamation mark that replaces the missing images, simply because I couldn't figure out what images I was looking for. I restored most of the images by now, but I wouldn't be surprised if I find two different posts from totally different dates showing the same "New Work" images. Now see the title name of this post? and how descriptive is this post? Lesson learned! :-)


And on a HAPPIER NOTE -- I have received some exciting news regarding my beading work, but I can't tell you yet about it. I have to wait until they are ready to announce...Yes, I know, I am a bad teaser... ;D And it's almost 4 in the morning. Bed time!

Another Publication & a New Tutorial

I have designed a new eight-pointed star pendant - Cubic Star-, using Swarovski crystal Rivoli and bicones, Miyuki Tila beads, cubes and seed beads. I like the way the pendant came out, especially the "pixelated" look of the edges. A tutorial is available .

I am also happy to tell that my Pewter Lace bracelet project is published in Interweave Publication "Best of Beadwork 12 - Right-Angle Weave Stitch" e-book.  I am honored to have my bracelet included in the great company of many of the most talented artists in the beady world, like Marcia DeCoster, Jennifer VanBenschoten, Leslee Frumin, Shelley Nybakke, Kate McKinnon and others! 

This e-book includes 12 beautiful creations, all done in RAW stitch.  It's a part of a whole series of e-books, each dedicated to a different beading stitch. I bet you want to have them all!... ;D

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.

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! :)

New Necklaces & EBW Challenge

The embroidered medallions in these two necklaces were made to be used as parts of a larger necklace that I intended to create for the February EBW challenge "A Touch of Royalty". Jumping from one project to another, I realized that I would not be able to make all the parts I needed for the necklace in time to submit it to the challenge, so I decided to use the ones I already made in two separate necklaces. Time is the most precious thing.... ;)

Check out the EBW blog to see all 62 (!) entries. I am sure, that like myself, you will find it hard to pick just one to vote for from all the beautiful and original works created for this challenge!

New Tutorial - Mystic Stars Bracelet

This new bracelet is designed to be created in one continuous stitch. I love jewelry that consist of a few repetitive elements, but I don't like so much that part of work of sewing them to one piece, and hiding too many threads is always a pain... ;) A tutorial for this bracelet is available and also includes instructions for a matching clasp and a few other ideas of using the basic design for other jewelry items.

I have also created another variation of this bracelet with much more crystals in it, but I'm waiting for the sun to come out so I will be able to take photos of it. I will update this blog when I have them, hopefully soon... and 

*** HAPPY and CREATIVE 2011 to ALL! ***

Colorful Club Pendant - BAO Art Inspired Challenge

This necklace was created especially for the Bead Art Original group's December challenge. We had to create a work inspired by famous works of art. I chose Teo Alfonso's Healing Heart abstract painting as my inspiration . This painting became famous and was printed on T-shirts, postcards, bags and other accessories.
I love this painting for its colorfulness and the "texture" created by the brush strokes. It is part of the artist's poker series, and it inspired me to create this colorful cabochons pendant and arrange them in another poker shape - clubs.

Check out the BAO blog and see the beautiful entries created by other members of the BAO team. To vote for your favorite, leave a comment on the blog.

New Pendant "Esmeralda"

Textured, sparkling pendant with gold pearls, drop beads and lots of Swarovski crystals.

A New Pendant Design and Some Good News

I have finished working on Sparkling Wreath tutorial - a cabochon pendant with crystals and Miyuki long Magatama beads. Playing with the design, I came up with three versions of the pendant (two of them are included in the tutorial available).

Other ideas for using these beautiful Magatama beads, with their challenging diagonal hole, came up while working, but I had no time for trying them too, so they went straight into my 'ideas' notebook. I wonder if I will ever have the chance to try any of the ideas written in that notebook. It's either that I am working very slowly, or the time flies faster than before... but ok,....I will spare you the rest of my usual rant about the lack of time... ;P


My Star Pendant is published in the latest December issue of Bead & Button magazine (top right corner on the cover; project on p.48). This project is also available for Registered Users on the Bead & Button website. Thanks to Anna Elizabeth Draeger for editing this project. It was a pleasure working with you, Anna!

More good news about publications came in yesterday - two of my projects are going to be published in the next (Vol. 6) Kalmbach publishing Creative Beading annual book. Also a project for a medallions bracelet - stitched in a new technique, is going to be published in the June/July 2011 issue of Beadwork Magazine. Double Yay!

My friends from Bead Art Originals group also have some Extra! news to tell, so check out our blog to read all about it.

EBW October Challenge and New Design with Tila Beads

EBW October challenge theme was "Autumn Falling of Leaves". Check out the EBW blog to see all 59 entries in beautiful, warm colors. My entry is number 33 on the list.

Also, there is a new tutorial available for a pendant and matching earrings made with Miyuki new Tila beads.

BAO Color Challenge

The latest Color Challenge for the Bead Art Originals team was copper, deep red and gold. Thank you, Katie of Texas U.S for your suggestion! I love this warm combination of colors! Check out the BAO blog and see what other members of the group created for this challenge.

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...

Anna Karenina Necklace - BAO Challenge

Bead Art Originals first ever Challenge was "A Novel Idea" - we had to create a work inspired by a written work or fiction. I chose Anna Karenina by Tolstoy and created this necklace for the challenge. I was inspired by a painting of Anna Karenina, wearing a heavy dress with high ruffled collar, which was very fashionable back at that time. I used plum purple beads and burgundy crystals and highlighted the necklace with gorgeous 3-cut rose gold seed beads. These 3-cut s/b really sparkle!

Please visit the BAO blog to see all other entries for our first challenge. You can leave a comment and place your vote until June 22. A random reader will be selected to win a prize.

You may also want to check out what some of BAO members created for the Color Inspiration - a color combination suggested by our blog readers - this time it was turquoise and brown.

The past week was crazy. Except these two BAO challenges, I also had to finish writing instructions for a necklace for B&B magazine, and another project for Beadwork magazine is still in the works. All these and the regular "challenges" of life, which makes me a crazy juggler... ;) The kids' vacation from school is only a few days away and I have to find a good way to keep them busy.. If they'll choose for themselves, spending long days on the computer and watching TV will be their favorite to pass the time, and I can't let it happen... Maybe we will do some beading together, or go biking again...we didn't do it for a long time. OK, now back to work!... ;)

Wire Wrapped Pendant

I am enjoying the new love affair... This is a simple pendant, created with 3 sizes of (pre-made) hammered hoops which are connected by wrapped wire with some beads embellishment.
It was a bit difficult to me to keep the wire wrapped close together on the hoops, because their width is changing. Adding the Swarovski daisies was challenge, too, because they cut the 28 gauge wire several times...

Wire working seem to be much fun, although not as much relaxing as beadweaving to me.. I am yet to get used to this technique and feel comfortable using different wire gauges and pliers. I decided to take it slowly by working on small projects each time.
My next wire project will be a bracelet with similar materials. First attempt of creating it failed (and almost a whole spool of wire was wasted..) as I didn't construct it well. I will post photos if and when it's finished.

Wire Jewelry

This purple/fuchsia pendant is my first finished wire work. I started working on it yesterday at a workshop (the first for me), instructed by Angelika Motzkin at Bogal's. I wanted to learn the basics of making wire jewelry for a long time now. I waited a long time for Angelika's workshop and it was worth it! I receive some good tips from her and enjoyed her clear instructions.

At the end of the workshop Angelika showed us some of her wire jewelry and... I am not the only one who was almost speechless... Each and everyone of her creations is a jaw-dropper! Her work of art is so intricate, abundant and inspiring...
Her beadwoven pieces are as much beautiful. It's a pity that she doesn't have a website (as for now), but you can see a bit of what I am so excited about in this bead art necklace of her, which came in as a finalist in Bead Dreams 2009 competition.

*October 2011 UPDATE: Angelica now has a web site, where you can see some of her amazing works:
http://angelikamotzkin.com/decoration.html

Angelika, if you are reading this - Thank you so much for a wonderful, inspiring workshop. I enjoyed every minute of it!
Thank you too, Gloria of Bogal, for taking care of everything and for making everyone feel comfortable.  ;)

Today, I woke up and immediately set down to complete the purple pendant. The plan was to attach it to a necklace with linked wire components (as in Angelika's sample), but my daughter fell in love with it, so I decided to give it to her, hanging from a simple sterling silver necklace (she's allergic to other metals). I turned the one single part I created for the necklace into another pendant and hung it from a simply strung necklace.

I can't wait to finish all the other works that are on my To-Do list, so I can start a whole new wire project. This is really fun!