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.

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

Butterfly Catcher Bracelet

I seem to be making a lot of bracelets lately.  In fact every post this week (bar yesterday) is a bracelet, so let's call it Bracelet Week!  I really enjoyed doing the Ogalala Netting for the Passion Necklace.  So it manifested itself into this:

I've been buying a lot of pastel and candy colours recently.  I hardly ever purposely buy a particular shade - unless I'm in the middle of a project and I've run out of beads - but it's like my mind unconsciously knows exactly what colours I'm going to need for each season.  I don't know if I've mentioned, but I'm not exactly fashion-conscious and many of the ideas recycle themselves anyway.  On one of my trips to Beading Amazing, I found these ceylon yellow and green seed beads and thought they'd be perfect for a Spring/Summer project.

I just kept adding more layers, alternating colours, building it up - however I could sense there was something missing.  Then I got the idea of adding these 4mm pink/clear crackle glass beads.  It added another dimension and the finished article kind of reminds me of the Rosy Apples sweets!  Why does nearly all my jewellery seem to be influenced by sweets in some way?

I knew I wanted to make a beaded clasp and have it metal free, but for some reason a toggle clasp didn't look right in my mind and I hate making beaded ball clasps.  So I decided to use something else I got on my trip to Beading Amazing...

Not original (what is?), but it makes it look so cute!

=:x

I Heart...Prosperity Necklace

Next up in the I Heart...Collection is the ...Prosperity Necklace.

I Heart...Passion Necklace

Here is the second piece in the I Heart...Collection - The ...Passion Necklace.