Pumpkin Mandala Necklace (Halloween)

This is the other version of the Mandala tutorial I made from i-Beads by purplefiona at FionaFiona.  This is the orange and black colourway using my free gift from i-Beads - which were the transparent orange superduos.

 I used those along with some opaque black superduos for contrast as well as the black seed beads.

Instead of using crystal bicones that decorate the outside, this time I used half black, half silver crystal rondelles, which add a little extra sparkle.  I haven't made earrings to go with these.  I may do eventually, I just haven't had time lately.  Side note: I was originally going to call this Orange is the New Black, but I didn't think I'd get away with it!

BTW - I hope you're liking the new setup.  I got my mannequin reupholstered in a lovely aubergine velvet from Corset Laced Mannequins over on Etsy.  It's so much easier to show off my necklaces and see how they hang than the display models I was using.  So if you're looking for a mannequin or you'd like to spruce up one you already have, I highly recommend you check out her shop!
For the close ups I've been using one of our granite placemats.  So if you see any weird reflections, it's just the various posters I have hanging in my room - lol!  I would use a less reflective surface, but I like the effect it gives.  I do try to minimise the reflections on the post edits.

Well, that's the end of my Halloween jewellery.  This weekend I'll be getting the shop ready by photographing, uploading and editing all the jewellery I'll be selling up to Christmas.  I hope you'll stop by, as I'm hoping to donate a portion of my profits to the mental health charity that got me started on this craze in the first place.

Here's wishing you a safe and happy Halloween!
x Kym x
=;x

Witches Brew Mandala Set (Halloween)

So I've already caught my mom trying to sneak this into her own jewellery box, even though I made it for myself from this awesome tutorial from i-Beads.

 I changed the colours to my own personal taste - pastel bordeaux and black matte superduos, mixed with purple iris seed beads and chinese crystals.

Obviously as this is someone elses design (purplefiona at FionaFiona) I can't sell it - this was made for me personally - and my mom when she decides to steal it!  I also made another one, which I'll post about shortly.  In the meantime here are some extra photos.

=:x

Pumpkin Spiked Latte Necklace

I just knocked this up quickly last night, inspired by this Jenna Marbles video:

This is the Pumkin SPIKED Latte Necklace!

It features alternating Pumpkin and Gunmetal coloured acrylic spike pendants hanging from gradually reduced lengths of gold-plated trace chain.  These hang from a chunkier gold-plated round link chain.

It's finished with a gold-plated toggle clasp.
Thanks to Jenna & MOQ (Julien) for inspiring this necklace!
=:x

Anansi Set (Halloween)

Sorry it took me longer than I intended to get these photos taken. First I'd like to share the very first idea I had for my Halloween jewellery.  Don't forget to click on the photos for a better view! ;)

 I had these triple stud bridge beads from Beads Direct which I love using.  My idea was to mix them with some Swarovski neon pearls that I'd bought on sale.  As I discovered when making the focal, I had to tinker with the sizes of the pearls on the top and bottom to get the gentle curve I wanted.  I had also failed to take into account how I was going to keep the bottom beads from falling off.  As you can see in the finished necklace below, adding a jump ring and a couple of spike pendants not only solved my problem, but also adds a little something extra to the unusual design.

I attatched a chunky silver curb chain to either side of the focal and also added these cute little spiderweb charms from Jilly Beads.  Taking a step back, the finished design kind of looks like a grinning face with fangs?
For some reason I couldn't leave it there, and quickly created these earring to go with the necklace.

I'll leave you with some closeups, but please let me know what you think - would you like them to be available to buy?

=:x

Hades Necklace

Today is a necklace that I've had pictured in mind for a while, but I wasn't sure exactly how I was going to create it.

It's a collar - almost tribal-style necklace using silver-plated connectors, 6mm & 8mm turquoise/blue glass beads and 6mm & 8mm magnetic hematite.

It's brought together with gunmetal-plated cable chain and a gunmetal-plated lobster clasp.

Looking at the finished article, I'm thinking I may have enough materials to do away with the chain and make it into a full collar, or at least make the chain shorter. It might be very heavy though.

The 8mm blue glass beads that I used were part of a mystery pack of glass bead strands that I had from the U.S.  They're absolutely beautiful up close, with a kind of texturing underlay, almost like foil.

I'll have a go at the full collar and I'll repost it if it works out.

=:x

Work In Progress - Beaded Chain Necklace

I've been making real progress in moving away from my anxiety and depression.  It still fogs up my mind, but I've been going out and I've even found a bead shop (Beading Amazing) near to where I live, which gives me an excuse to get out.  I'm using beads that I bought from there in my latest project.

I love learning new stitches, and recently I learned how to do CRAW (Cubic Right-Angle Weave) and I'm currently making this beaded chain necklace.  Once I get the length I want, I'm going to tie a ribbon to either end.  It's slow going, but here's what I have so far.

The idea is totally not my own - it came from Sage's Cupboard and her tutorial for Right-Angle Weave on Inspirational Beading - although I didn't end up using that tutorial as I actually found the CRAW easier, once I'd got the hang of it. Plus it seemed cumbersome to bead the length you needed and then zip it up, when you could just stitch the whole thing in one go!

I used Preciosa Czech seed beads in the Honey Butter colour mix as I wanted a gold chain look, with a twist.  They're size 11/0s, which I really don't recommend using if it's your first time doing CRAW.  I'm just stubborn!  I had to make a rough piece using fire-polished crystals first so I could get the hang of how the stitch worked.  I find I can do it without thinking now.  I also have the Pebblestone mix, which I think would look pretty in this stitch too.  So I might try that once I finish this one.

I highly recommend watching this YouTube video if you're interested in learning this stitch.  This was the only tutorial I came across which clearly explained what to do after you've got that little ball of beads in your fingers and you can't figure out which is the top or the bottom or where the hell you're supposed to make the next stitch:



I'll let you know when it's finished!

=:x

I Heart...Water Necklace

A new addition to the I Heart...Collection this week. The I Heart...Water Necklace.

Beaded Cross Necklace

I've spent this weekend designing and making new items for the I Heart...Collection, but I haven't had time to take any photos yet. Due to some chaotic happenings over the weekend, I'm not sure how regularly I'll be posting this week.
Today's item is a gothic necklace (my favourite theme!) based around a tutorial from Ruby's Beadwork for a beaded cross pendant.

Starfish Earrings

I don't have anything else to show from the I Heart...Collection just yet, so for today's post, I'll be sharing this pair of earrings I made recently.  One of the things I love most about ordering from Jilly Beads, is the free little packet of beads you get with your order.  With my last order, I received these cute little starfish-like beads (glass, I think) and I immediately wanted to turn them into a pair of earrings.

I Heart...Vintage Necklace

Today's item is probably not only my favourite necklace in the I Heart...Collection, but that I've ever created.  This is the ...Vintage Necklace.

Christmas Cluster Necklace

This is a necklace I designed for Christmas with a red and green glass bead mix.  I added some gold metal beads too and hung them from a gold plated cable chain.

Cu (Copper) - Metallics Collection (Part VII)

Part 7 of the Metallics Collection is Copper...

More photos on Etsy.

I've had these geometric glass coins for quite a while, unsure of what I wanted to do with them.  The silver ones I used in the Sn (Tin) Set, these ones however, mixed with acrylic copper beads and spikes, created a contemporary steampunk look that I really like.  I resisted continuing the design all the way along the necklace and bracelet, so the spikes wouldn't become uncomfortable. 
I don't have any copper coloured nickel-free earwires or clip-ons, so I'm afraid I can't offer those options on this set.

Until I can find some similar glass coins, I won't be able to sell the pieces separately.

Buy on Etsy: £70.00

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!

Mg (Magnesium) Set - The Metallics Collection (Part II)

The Second set in the Metallics Collection.
I love wire coiling, but this is only my second or third time using it in one of my pieces. I got the design from my favourite jewellery making magazine (Make Jewellery), however I tweaked it a bit more to my liking. I got the inspiration from the magnesium coils we used to burn in school chemistry lessons, where we would often add dyes to make it burn pretty colours. Also from sparklers at Halloween - remember trying to write your name in the air as fast as you could.

More photos on Etsy.

  
The set is just the necklace and the earrings, but together they make real statement. I've used "Vivid Green" and "Dark Purple" in the set pictured, but you can choose which two colours of copper wire you would like.

Colours available...

The necklace is multiple enamel coated copper wire coils (try saying that three times fast!) and faceted glass beads, which catch the light beautifully. They hang from a silver plated cable chain with a silver plated toggle clasp. It measures about 64cm/25.2in, but I can adjust it if you would like it longer or shorter - just let me know.

The earrings are wire coils spiralled around a silver wire coil, with another faceted glass bead at the bottom.
Please let me know whether you would prefer...

Low Nickel Earwires
Nickel Free Earwires
OR
Clip-on

If you are unsure whether you have a nickel allergy, I recommend choosing the Nickel Free, just to be on the safe side. 

Necklace: £70.00
Earrings: £35.00

or buy the set for £88.00!

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.

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.