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

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

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

New Camera!

I don't have any new jewellery to show you at the moment as I've been getting used to my new camera and playing with all the settings.  It's my first DSLR - a Nikon D3200.  My Grandfather loved photography and I think it's been passed on down to me.  He died before I was born, so I never got to meet him, but I hope he would have been proud of our shared interest in photography and gadgetry.
As I'm getting the hang of the new way I have to take photos - including a new setup that allows me to use more natural light - I'll slowly be updating my previous photos.  I might not bother with the photos of my personal jewellery right now, as I want to focus on the Spring/Summer stuff I've been creating and the I Heart...Collection.  As a test, I've updated the photos for the Starfish Earrings, and I think you'll agree how much improved they are.  The colours are much more true-to-life and I don't have to edit so much post photo.  All future photos will hopefully look like this, as I get ready to add them to my Etsy shop - as promised after Easter.  It will be slow going as I'm retaking photos as well now.

=:x

I Heart...Water Necklace

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