Pumpkin Netted Pearls Bracelet (Halloween)

My mom says this bracelet reminds her of the clementines you get at Christmas in the netted bags, and I'm inclined to agree with her.  Maybe I ought to change the holiday theme for this one?

 I used 12mm neon orange Swarovski pearls and placed them inside a length of black knitted wire.

I then twisted the knitted wire between each pearl to secure it before tying the ends to a silver toggle clasp.

=:x

Sarah Millsop's Crystal Weave Bracelets

This weekend I've been making these bracelets from Beads Direct's Take A Make Break.

 I pretty much had all the components to make the "Blueberry" version - apart from the catseye, but seeing as working with beads with chatoyance gives me a headache - it worked in my favour.  It took me a while to get the hang of it, but once I did, I kind of got excited about seeing what else I could create.  So I did a "Salsa" and a "Punk Princess" version too.

Which version do you like best?

For the Salsa, I used these multicoloured drawbench beads I bought from one of my trips to Beading Amazing.  Instead of the Chinese crystal rondelles, I used 4mm Chinese crystal bicones instead  - Amethyst with an AB coating.  For the seed bead weave, I used matte rainbow siam Tohos, to match the colours in the drawbench beads.

For the Punk Princess version, I used pink drawbench beads, silver Chinese crystal rondelles and the matte jet Tohos I used for the Blueberry bracelet.  Looking at it now, I think maybe silver would have looked better?

I'll definitely be making more of these, I think I want to make a necklace version next time using gemstones.  So look out for that maybe later in the week!

=:x

If you would like to make these yourself the video can be found here: TAMB - Crystal Weave Bracelet
And you can still get the kits from Beads Direct for £14.99 each.  Choose from the Blueberry Ripple or the Raspberry Ripple.

Camille Bracelet

I thought today I would share with you a bracelet I made for myself recently from a tutorial from Spoilt Rotten Beads.  As I said last week, I've been looking into how to use two-hole beads in my beadwork.  I came across these new beads from France called Khéops Par Puca and instantly I was filled with a desire to own as many as I could afford and find out all the many ways I could use them.  As they are triangular, I can imagine they'd lend themselves to all sorts of different patterns and shapes.  I thought I'd better get comfortable with using them before I started hashing up my own designs.

The Kheops I used for this were the California Graphite - half gold, half gunmetal.  I also used Czech fire-polished crystals in iris brown, and the Toho seed beads outlining in the same shade.

To finish off I used a gunmetal clasp.

I also made my mom one, using silver Kheops and hematite beads and coloured seed beads.

=:x

Monochrome Floral Bracelets

I seem to have developed an addiction to glass pearls and lucite flower beads lately, so I thought why not combine them?

I'm not usually a fan of polymer clay.  I mean, I appreciate the effort that must go into making things with it, but the end results never seem to go with my style of jewellery making.  That was until I saw these roses over at Jilly Beads.

Arabian Nights Bracelet

Our last bracelet of the week.  I've had these packs of really pretty beads mixes from Jilly Beads just sitting in my collection for ages.  I keep saying to myself - one of these days I'll make a quick bracelet or a pretty necklace - and nothing happened.  Well today is one of those days.

I tried picking up random beads, but the OCD part of my brain didn't like that, so it's in a repeating pattern that still manages to look random.  I hung a beaded dangle from each end to give it an extra feature.

The beads are in lovely jewel tones - Jade greens, emerald greens, ruby reds, sapphire blues and amethyst purples - with the occasional flash of copper and bronze, so I can see it being a really good look for the Autumn.

It's on memory wire, so you can just wrap it around your wrist.

=:x

Wrong Side of the Tracks Bracelets

Today I have not one, but two bracelets to share with you.  I'd never used two-hole beads before and I didn't really know what to do with them.  Then I came across this tutorial from Inspirational Beading using Chevron Chain with Tilas.

I'd bought some beautiful marbled rose tilas which I paired with Ceylon Ivory seed beads.  When I showed it to my mom, she told me it looked very bridal style.  I was actually trying to create an antique lace effect, but whatever.

I beaded the toggle clasp and loop, so it's another metal-free bracelet.

I made another, but this time I used all black beads.  Instead of using two size 6/0 beads on the edges, I used 3 size 8/0s.

I also changed from using beading thread to using elastic instead, so this one is clasp-less too.

I had fun(!) trying to figure out how to connect both ends together without leaving a seam, but I finally managed it!  I'm thinking of making another one of these and attaching it to a ring.

=:x

Candy Cubes Bracelet

Today's bracelet is one I've been meaning to post for a while, but every time I tried to take a photo the lighting was all messed up.  Anyway, I think I've finally got some that I'm actually happy with = Perfectionist.

The design is based on this tutorial from Ruby's Beadwork.  I used brightly coloured acrylic cubes with an AB coating.  They kind of remind me of the Jap sweets you get in Dolly Mixtures - in fact I think I used them in the Dolly Mixture set. I know, I know...more sweet inspired jewellery - I swear I'm not trying to recreate the Sweet Tooth Collection!

It's a basic Daisy stitch, with seed beads lining the cubes.  The ones I used are a mix I got from Jilly Beads called Sugar Sprinkles.  I didn't really like the gaps left between the cubes.  In Ruby's design, she added beaded loops, however I didn't think this would look right on a bracelet, so I added the slightly bigger version of the Sugar Sprinkles seeds, called Sugared Almonds.  I couldn't make this up if I tried - I swear I don't do it on purpose!

I made a toggle clasp from the seeds, so it's another metal-free bracelet.  However, I'm not sure if the electroplating on the seed beads counts - so it might not be completely metal-free.

=:x

My First Necklace

As I was going through the jewellery that needed to be re-photographed, I came across the first necklace I made at my therapy class.  This was got me started on this beading obsession.

 

It was just a simple beaded necklace.  I remember they didn't have anything purple in their selection so I chose these small bugle beads.

As you can see, a lot of the colour has worn off by now.  These days I rarely wear it as a necklace, instead I wrap it around several times and wear it as a bracelet.

 It's got me thinking about maybe making some more in different colours.
=:x

Neon Punk Bracelet

I've been taking on many complex projects lately, so every now and then it's nice to just create something simple.

I Heart...Dragons Bracelet

As promised, we start the week with a new addition to the I Heart...Collection.  There seem to be an abundance of necklaces in the collection at the moment and even though that's what I like to create most, I wanted to make another bracelet.  This time I've decided to go with a cuff style.
I love Dragons and I think they are my favourite mythological creature.  Also, my Chinese astrological animal is the dragon, which I share with my Mother.  So I created this bracelet, drawing on inspiration from them.

I Heart...Hearts Bracelet

Today's item is the ...Hearts Bracelet.

Swarovski Ombre Cuff Bracelet

So this is the last in the set of the Swarovski Ombre.  This was also my first attempt at a wire wrapped cuff/bracelet.  The design was inspired by a tutorial for a watch in one of my beading books.

Mn (Manganese) - The Metallics Collection (Part VI)

Part 6 of the Metallics Collection is Manganese...

More photos on Etsy.

This is the first set that I actually sketched down the design that I had in my head instead of just making it straight away. 

Manganese necklace sketch

I'm not going to win any design drawing contests, but as you can see from the photo above, it turned out almost exactly as I designed.

I knew I wanted a statement focal, similar to the stunning metal necklaces that they wear on the catwalks and red carpets.  However there were two issues to be addressed.  First of all I'm not a goldsmith or a silversmith, and I don't have access to the materials or equipment needed to make something like this, and I hardly think my little hobby Dremel would be happy to cut through huge sheets of metal!  Second, metal tends to be heavy, and I prefer to make jewellery that looks like the real thing, but is actually wearable.

I discovered these beautiful rumpled rhomboids when I was looking what to spend the £50 gift voucher I won on.  I combined them with these acrylic metal twisted squares that I had left over from another project.  The silver spacer beads that I usually use didn't have the effect that I was looking for, so after raiding my accent bead box I found some acrylic metal rondelle spacers, which looked more like the lopsided circles I'd drawn in my design.

You'll notice in my design, that I only have two silver squares, which didn't hang right, so I added another with some very frustrating wire-bending techniques.  I didn't want the chain to detract from the focal, so I found the smallest chain I could.

The earrings were another problem.  There weren't any smaller versions of the squares that I'd used in the necklace, and yet just one of either the gold or silver looked wrong.  I measured both together with the earwires, and they didn't seem as long as they looked.  Only problem was, that even my longest headpin wasn't long enough.  Luckily I had left over wire from the necklace and bracelet, which I coiled into a spiral at the bottom to hold the squares in place.

As you can see, a lot of work went into this set, and I'm really pleased with how it turned out.

Necklace: £50.00

Earrings: £32.00

Bracelet: £30.00

or buy the set: £90.00

K (Potassium) - The Metallics Collection (Part IV)

Part 4 of the Metallics Collection.
I've used Ametrine (Amethyst and Citrine) and metallised acrylic beads in this set.  Both are faceted so they catch the light and sparkle beautifully in the sunlight.  The acrylic beads are great because they have the look of metal, without being heavy.   I've been looking to use the Ametrine for a while as it's one of my favourite semi-precious stones.  I alternated the beads, graduating in size on the necklace, to give it a fan effect.  I tried adding the Ametrine to the earrings, but it made them look unnecessarily clunky and I wanted to keep them light.

More photos on Etsy.

Necklace: £40.00
Earrings: £25.00
Bracelet: £35.00

or buy the set on Etsy for £80.00!

Sherbet Set

Disclaimer:  No copyright infringement is intended.  These are my own interpretations of various sweets and candy using various beads.  Nothing in the Sweet Tooth collection is edible.  Please try to refrain from eating!

I must warn you, that my mom has already reserved one of these sets!  The necklace is actually one of my own designs and I hope you like it too.

The "sherbets" are acrylic and hanging between them are firepolished crystals.  The colour of the crystals will alternate, the sherbets won't.

Sherbet Set

 Feel free to choose which colour sherbets you would like for your earrings. :)

Earwires are nickel free.

Sherbet Earrings

 The bracelet I would like your input on...

I only had enough crystal beads to put on the necklace - they were a free gift - but it's no problem getting them.  So do you think I should add them to the bracelet in the same manner as the necklace, or leave the bracelet as it is.  It's up to you! :)

If you would be interested in this set or would like me to make you something similar, please feel free to contact me at: kymberligee@gmail.com with "Sherbet Set" in the subject line.

Rose & Violet Crème Set

Disclaimer:  No copyright infringement is intended.  These are my own interpretations of various sweets and candy using various beads.  Nothing in the Sweet Tooth collection is edible.  Please try to refrain from eating!

Rose and violet are such delicate flavours, I thought it best to keep this set simple.

Rose & Violet Crème Set

The necklace is comprised of alternating pink and parma violet coloured glass pearls.  Then there is the pink glas flower for a pendant.

Pendant

The earrings are just two of the pearls hanging from nickel fre earwires.

Rose & Violet Crème Earrings

The bracelet is on a coil of memory wire, with flower spacers.  Please note: In future versions, the "rose" pearls may differ than those shown. :)

If you would be interested in this set or would like me to make you something similar, please feel free to contact me at: kymberligee@gmail.com with "Rose & Violet Crème Set" in the subject line.

Fairy Satins Set

Disclaimer:  No copyright infringement is intended.  These are my own interpretations of various sweets and candy using various beads.  Nothing in the Sweet Tooth collection is edible.  Please try to refrain from eating!

I'm not actually a fan of Fairy Satins, to me they always looked prettier than they tasted!  So I bought some dyed shell nuggets to imitate them.  The necklace is then tied up in a pink satin ribbon.

Fairy Satins Set

 For the focal, I hung a fairy charm from a connector and then threaded AB (Aurora Borealis/Reflective) acrylic cubes with a few random shell nuggets.

Fairy charm

AB Acrylic Cubes and Shell nuggets

 The earrings are similar to the focal on the necklace, except I just hung shell nuggets from the bottom.  The earwires are nickel free.

Fairy Satins Earrings

 For the bracelet, I alternated shell nuggets and acrylic cubes, then added some chain for length.  I may need your wrist measurements to get it the right length.

If you would be interested in this set or would like me to make you something similar, please feel free to contact me at: kymberligee@gmail.com with "Fairy Satins Set" in the subject line.

Sugared Almonds Set

Disclaimer:  No copyright infringement is intended.  These are my own interpretations of various sweets and candy using various beads.  Nothing in the Sweet Tooth collection is edible.  Please try to refrain from eating!

I found these pastel colored, drop shaped glass pearls and thought they'd be perfect to represent sugared almonds:

Sugared Almonds Set

 I attached the glass pearls to four lengths of gold and silver cable chain.

Sugared Almonds Necklace

 The earrings are the glass pearls on gold chain hung from oxidized brass filigree connectors.  The earwires are gold plated so they should be suitable for those with nickel allergies. If you do find them uncomfortable, however; try coating the earwires with clear nail varnish. :)

Sugared Almonds Earrings

 The bracelet is a bit different, as the glass pearls are spaced by gold beads on silver chain.  The bracelet will require measurements. :)

If you would be interested in this set or would like me to make you something similar, please feel free to contact me at: kymberligee@gmail.com with "Sugared Almonds Set" in the subject line.