Bangle Bling

I made this on elastic with silver seed beads between in Montees. The thin bracelet look likes a tennis bracelet but without the cost. I had a chance to wear it to a dance formal a few weeks ago and it was lightweight and didn't catch on anything :)

Latin Bangle Bling

I've been experimenting with making various bracelets and bangles for dancesport competitions (Latin) and following advice from the wonderful interwebs and Pinterest, I have finally got a set of 4 bangles.

The set of 4 bangles are made from (plastic) boning and crystals. The plastic makes the bangles lightweight and the thinness of the boning means it is not ungainly to dance with. Boning is also hard enough not to break, but not stiff enough that you cannot bend it into a shape (secured obviously).

I vaguely followed this tutorial. I didn't wrap my fabric around the boning and glue it, but made lycra tubes and threaded the boning into it. Seems to have worked out, especially since the threads can't rub against my skin.

Each bangle took about 130 SS20 Swarovski Crystal AB Hotfix crystals. I prefer the Hotfix, as the glue takes ages to dry and the crystals can fall off. I've never lost a Hotfix crystal yet (I've probably jinxed myself).

I tend to use a cork board (or anything heat resistant and not fabric) to layout all the crystals to make it easier to pick them up with the applicator wand.

The first 3 that I finished

Hair Pins

Beautiful hair accessories are hard to find in pearls and crystals. The hair pin featured is centred around a clay flower and wire is twisted to create fronds.

This particular pin is made with Czech crystals and glass pearls but can be made with freshwater pearls and Swarovski crystals.

These flowers can also be made into brooches to wear on a blazer lapel.

Earring Commission

The other day I was asked to do a pair of earrings to match a necklace the person had been given and had been unable to find anything suitable.

The result was two pairs of earrings, one medallions and the other rhombics?

As I side note, I love photographing jewellery on Hessian (burlap), it provides an interesting background.

Eyepin Necklaces

Be the envy of your friends with this long necklace. Wear it as a complement to a monochrome outfit or to add a bit of casual fun. And if you need a piece of arm candy, just wrap around your wrist for some instant glam.

Fashioned from a collection of glass accent beads and brass spacers linked together with brass loops.

Length: 60cm

Evening Bling

Bracelets provide a fabulous addition to an evening outfit. This bit of sparkle is a comfortable bangle style.

The bracelet is threaded on thick elastic. Crystals are evenly spaced with silver spacers. The crystals can come in a variety of colours ranging on elegant black to fun red to sparkling blue or for a bit of fun the colours can be alternated.

St Petersburg Options

A St Petersburg necklace can be done in a variety of colours and sizes and types of beads. My first attempt at one used glass pearls. 

Attempt 2 was a lot more adventurous, a double-sided St Petersburg lariat in seed beads with fringe ending

The most classical version I have completed included tiny pearls (left) and the most delicate of size 11 seed beads and a Swarovski drop (right) made for a group of bridesmaids to match their watermelon colour dresses.

Bead Drying Stand

Ever need to hang your beads up while they dry? I was making a 6 strand necklace the other day and needed to hang each strand so they did not stick to any surface.

Enter the wooden dowel rods positioned over two speakers from the hi-fi. Works brilliantly!

If you ever need to photograph jewellery, this is an easy way to do so too. I normally use the disposable chopsticks that come with takeaways.

Hair froth

Flower with fronds

This gold flower is the perfect addition to an off centre updo. The flower is made from lightweight wire threaded with seed beads on a base. The black fronds are dotted with gold beads and stem from underneath the flower. The flower is attached is placed on a hair comb, either in plastic or wire.



Flower with leaves

The second is a flower design is created from gut threaded with seed beads. The leaves are fashioned from wire and attached together with the flower to the hairclip. This flower is much heavier than the gold clip, but is smaller and easier to wear with any evening hair design.

An example of how the flower looks in the hair

Twin Bracelet

I've been busy this weekend making a Twin Bracelet with Super Duo beads. Not quite finished yet but they are certainly interesting to work with.

Slinky Bracelets

These fun, quirky bracelets provide hours of entertainment while looking good. Made from memory wire that remembers its springlike shape, these lightweight bracelets provide an alternative to numerous bangles on a wrist.

Like a spring, Memory Wire 'remembers' its shape and retains its coil form. Made from thin tempered stainless steel, which is tarnish and corrosion resistant, it is rigid and snaps back to its original form when expanded and released.

Memory wire bracelets will fit almost any wrist size. It does not require clasps or ends, so is extremely easy to put on; you just expand the coil and wrap it around your wrist. It is strong so, unlike thread bracelets, it will never break (only chip the beads if some creative child or adult tries to use it as an actual slinky)

Multi-way Knot

This necklace can be worn many ways. Created from six seed bead strands in a randomised collection of colours along a theme.

The necklace can be worn in the following way:

• Six loose strands as a long necklace
• Strands twisted to form a princess length necklace (with oval clasp to hold it together)
• Worn as loose strand knotted in front mimicking the 1920s knotted pearl strings.
• Twisted and then knotted in the front as shown in the featured picture (with oval clasp)

Wrapped Loops

Delicately wrapped wire is shaped into loops and individually linked together to create an elegant crystal and pearl necklace. Consider purchasing a matching set with the wrapped loop crystal and pearl earrings

This technique makes the necklace incredibly light and is not suited to long strands that could potentially catch on buttons or for people who fiddle with their jewellery all day (I am just as guilty of this!)

Houndstooth Designs

With all the Houndstooth material being used for fashion item this season, I'm feeling rather inspired to duplicate the pattern in a bracelet (and maybe a pair of earrings)!

Now if only I can could get the pattern right! Seems attempt number 4 might finally be correct

For those wondering about the graph paper, Fire Mountain Gems and Beads have a wonderful set of FREE printable graph paper for brick stitch, peyote and square stitch.

Earrings everywhere

Earrings were the items in production this afternoon, all now waiting to be photographed. All earrings are wrapped at the top to provide an elegant finish.

The flat discs are coin pearls, quite unusual in comparison to nuggets or round pearls. The crystals have a metallic iris shimmer and match the wrapped loop necklace made last year.

Each pair will be put up separately soon.

Bullseye

Bullseye!

The red and black beads make this pair of medallion earrings look remarkably like a dartboard. Ready to play?

Shell Flowers

Shell Flowers with shell disc centres make for fun additions to an outfit. A matching bracelet can be made on elastic, a hit with children and adults alike.

Knotted Shell

Knotted pearls may not be your cup of tea, but what about knotted shell discs? This long strand on brown shell discs creates a great beachy piece to wear with a maxi dress.

Beading: Completed Projects

With my thesis done and handed in for examination, it is time to return to the real world and with it the hobbies one can do when one has spare time. As many know, I do a lot of crafty stuff for fun and the occasional special commission for special events. As a result of my sudden spare time, I have finally managed to upload my completed beading projects onto a Pinterest board.

Cubed Cuff

This bracelet is a mixture of regular and two-drop peyote that creates a beautiful flat cuff to go with an evening gown. This particular piece is fashioned from Opaque Turquoise Cubes and Silver Grey seed beads.

Since these photos I have redone the silver section where I seem to have skipped a bead and added a button closure instead of a bead toggle.