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.

"Corn" Necklace

I bought this beautiful mix of Czech seed beads from Bogal, my bead supplier a while ago. It reminded me the colors of a multicolored flint corn, so I decided to create a more natural look pendant to go with the beadwoven rope. I used a piece of genuine leather and a beautiful, roughly faceted tourmaline nugget bead, with delicate natural cracks in it. I really like how it turned out :)

Multicolor Flint Corn - Courtesy of plantnames.edu.au


I want to thank again everyone who congratulated me for my first publication. I have to admit that your warm comments made this even more exciting for me! Thanks! :)

Asymmetrical Necklace

I had these beautiful "Hi-tech" beads and daggers for quite a while before I knew what I wanted to make with them. They are gorgeous in my eyes - I love the unusual (for me at least) stamping, and their colors change if you look at them from different angles. I decided to try to make something I haven't done before - an asymmetrical design, and combine 3-D hoops (I just love 3-D beadweaving!).

Although there was not a lot of beadweaving to do, it took me hours to arrange the hoops, embellish the focal "flower" (I didn't plan to make a flower- it just came out along the way, but I am still happy with the result), connect all the parts and make sure that all of them sits nice and well around the neckline.
I love to combine leather in my work, so using some cords for the rest of the necklace was a great solution for me, because I didn't want to overload the design but to keep it rather delicate and simple.


Photographing this necklace was a bit of a challenge - it's hard to take photos that really shows the beautiful sparkle of the crystals (opaque black AB). These photos are the best my photographer could get, using a home-made light-box that we built. It's his passion for photography that made it possible to show this necklace here. If I had to take the photos, I would have given up on the whole thing after only a few attempts! :) Thank you dear Ardjan!

New Bracelet and Necklace

It may sound crazy to you, but every night when I go to bed (it's more close to early morning actually... ;) and trying to get some sleep, my mind refuses to let go of my beading. I lay in bed, thinking of my beads and other materials I have and rolling ideas of new designs I want to try with them. It sometimes gets worse :D…. when I actually go out of bed, run to my beading table to write down a few notes and a quick sketch of a new idea that came up. I have to do this, otherwise it's usually pushed aside by new ones that keep running in my head, or it became like a dream that you won't remember in the morning… I think I'll put a little notebook beside my bed, so at least I won't have to go out of bed… I know I need more sleep, but I can't help it, I'm kind of a "night person" and I'm a true addict I guess…

Anyway, this new necklace and bracelet with button clasp are one of those "night ideas". I bought this beautiful mixture of seed beads recently, without knowing what to do with it – I just couldn't resist the wonderful colors and finishes of it.. And I had a Swarovski crystal "golden shadow" Rivoli for quite a while, so I thought it would make a nice complementary to this bracelet.

I have a new necklace in the works, made with other beautiful beads I had no idea what to do with them, but after 2-3 nights I finally had one… :D
Do you also buy a lot of beads just because they are beautiful, or you buy only what you need for a specific project? For me, buying beads is as pleasant as beading… I forget all my worries when I shop for beads!…(did I mention addiction?..) :D

First Attempt at Embroidery

Well, here is a photo of my first WIP of embroidery, or more correctly, no progress…

I started with stitching small groups of black Czech 11/0 seed beads to make the curved lines. I decided to use small s/b, because I thought it would be easier to create curved lines. It wasn't easy, but I think I have done pretty well in keeping the lines curved.

Not the case when it came to filling in the areas between the black beads - you can see that the line of red beads is "broken". Not only this, but there are too wide spaces between the lines, where you can see the backing material. I don't know what I did wrong…I just worked the same way as with the black lines…

So, it looks like… shall I say a big mistake?... I had the image of the finished piece in my head (I wanted to use it as a patch to be sewed on a jeans bag), and what I have actually made is not even getting close to it…
I think I will leave this work and start another one, but this time more simple – something like a small brooch or a pendant, and leave the curves and waves of the image in my head for a later time, when I'm more comfortable and experienced with this technique.

MOP Linkage

Dyed Mother Of Pearl flat square beads are linked together with beaded peyote links. I added some crystal bicones to lighten up the grayness of the seed beads.

I wish I could fill in the little holes that can be seen in some of the MOP squares.
Any ideas, anyone?

Black and White

One of my favorite color combinations is black and white. Here are some items from an old collection I made:

First necklace is crocheted, using DMC thread and dagger beads in two sizes, plus seed beads and Czech multi-cut beads.

The second one is a tubular peyote rope with peyote beaded beads.

Third is a simple strung long necklace with various glass beads.

Next is a Snowflake-Obsidian cabochon pendant, surrounded with Miyuki triangle beads, attached to a double-core leather collar.

And the last is a bracelet with varios Czech glass beads, strung on an elastic cord.

How I Miss Wire Working..

Recently, seed bead weaving took over my mind and muse.

Usually I don't like to start a new work unless I finish the one I'm working on. However, since last Sunday and until now, I have started five (!) different works with seed beads. Ideas keeps coming up in my head, one chasing the other, creating big urge to implement them all.

I tried to switch to wire working, which I really like and haven't been doing for quite a long time. I miss making wire-crocheted bracelets, like the one in silver and blue beads, and I also had fun just playing with wire in my hands, until an idea came up, like the one with bugles and gold coloured wire.

Silver Wire Crocheted Bracelet

Wire and Bugles Bracelet (primary design)

That last one is actually a primary design that I made for the September 2007 monthly challenge project which is carried out in my beading commune. I remember that I then promised myself to work on this bracelet and its finish more professionally, but since then I didn't even remember where I put it in my drawers.. And now, I cannot even START a new work with wire...
That is for the seed beads to blame!..(What is it with those tiny beads?!)

I cannot focus and force myself to actually finish at least one work.
Although I feel happy being creative, at the same time it's starting to be confusing and frustrating, because I don't feel REALLY satisfied unless I have a finished work in my hands, and I also feel now like I have wasted precious time for nothing...

Any advise, anyone?