by Barbara | Jan 30, 2014 | Art to Wear, Beading, Beads and Materials, Components, Delica beads, Designer Patterns, Handmade, Inspiration, Jewelry kits, Materials and Supplies, One-of-a-Kind, Polymer Clay, Tutorials
I’ve just received a glorious selection of 3mm x 10mm Spine beads. I will be using these in several of my designs. I can’t wait to play with them! Assembling kits in different colourways is presently my task at hand. Below is a “Spine and Shells”...
by Barbara | Jan 27, 2014 | Art to Wear, Beaded Beads, Beads and Materials, Delica beads, Designer Patterns, Materials and Supplies, One-of-a-Kind, Techniques
I’d made these earrings a while ago. I was pleased with the design, but every time I put them on they just didn’t feel right. The long stem was too flexible and there wasn’t enough weight to make them swing and sway. They clearly needed more substance! My solution was...
by Barbara | Jan 24, 2014 | Art to Wear, Beading, Components, Delica beads, Designer Patterns, Handmade, Inspiration, Jewelry kits, Materials and Supplies, One-of-a-Kind, Tutorials
It’s a matter of personal preference, I think. Because I dislike fiddling with buttons, snaps, and clasps, I tend to create cuffs that slip over my hand. Granted, a slip-on cuff must be somewhat snug going over the hand in order for it to sit properly on the wrist...
by Barbara | Jan 21, 2014 | Art to Wear, Beading, Beads and Materials, Delica beads, Designer Patterns, Handmade, Inspiration, Jewelry kits, Materials and Supplies, One-of-a-Kind
Of all the geometric beaded bracelets I’ve made, they are the most comfortable. The slip-on design is snug when being inched over my hand, but once it reaches the wrist, it stays put, roomy enough to be worn on bare skin or over a long-sleeved thinly knit...
by Barbara | Jan 18, 2014 | Art to Wear, Beading, Beads and Materials, Delica beads, Designer Patterns, Embellishments, Handmade, Inspiration, Jewelry kits, Materials and Supplies, One-of-a-Kind, Techniques, Tutorials
My most ambitious project to date! Tiny metallic bronze horns accented with Charlottes, drop, and seed beads dance around the circumference, accenting the lime and lavender fish scale pattern that comprises this aquatic themed cuff. Inspired by Contemporary Geometric...
by Barbara | Jan 15, 2014 | An Aside, Art to Wear, Beading, Beads and Materials, Delica beads, Designer Patterns, Handmade, Inspiration, Jewelry kits, Materials and Supplies, One-of-a-Kind, Seed Beads, Techniques, Tutorials
Delica beads by nature are somewhat fragile. Their thin walls allow for more passes of thread, but the trade-off is that they can break more easily than seed beads. Some colors break readily as I have found with the several matte ivory beads that I used in my...
by Barbara | Jan 12, 2014 | An Aside, Bead Embroidery, Beading, Beads and Materials, Handmade, Inspiration, Materials and Supplies, Metal Clay, One-of-a-Kind, Seed Beads
I’ve just received a shipment of itsy-bitsy Czech glass Baby Spike beads in a beautiful array of Aurora Borealis colors and neutrals. I can’t wait to play with these! I’m itching to do another bead embroidered cuff and these will be perfect...
by Barbara | Jan 9, 2014 | Art to Wear, Classes, Components, Found Objects, Handmade, Inspiration, Mixed Media, One-of-a-Kind, Techniques
Fortunately, the classes I chose hadn’t filled and they fit into my time frame! I’ve signed up for a glass fusing class in which I’ll learn to create cabochons for use in bead embroidery and other related jewelry projects. Since I already have a...
by Barbara | Jan 7, 2014 | An Aside, Beading, Beads and Materials, Classes, Delica beads, Designer Patterns, One-of-a-Kind, Techniques, Tutorials
I’ve been perusing the Bead&Button Show catalog since it arrived in early December and I still haven’t decided which classes to take! It becomes more of a dilemma every year. As much as I would love to learn to make glass beads, I don’t have...
by Barbara | Jan 4, 2014 | An Aside, Art to Wear, Handmade, Inspiration, Mixed Media, One-of-a-Kind, Resin
“Behind the Brooch” by Lorena Angulo. It is a compilation of works featuring unique brooches created by 128 artists. What makes this collection of pieces so interesting is the treatment executed on the back of each brooch. The backside of a brooch is...
