I'm a new Grandma!

Of all the most pleasant reasons to take a break from blogging, this has to be the best! Three years ago, we had no grand children...now, we are blessed with four wonderful babies! My daughter has two beautiful children, Melia 3.5 years old and Ty who is 16 months old. My son has two gorgeous girls, Pyper at 3.4 years old and Scout who is 9 months old.
And now...back to beading!

Diamonds in a Row loomwork

 

I'm newly fascinated with Loomwork again, after a break of a few years. I remember creating pieces on the loom, then being intimidated by all the loose threads to sew in to place. Now I know a few different methods in finishing the work but the most fun is using one of the newer looms that are warp-less. The most recent work was completed on a Rick's Loom...now at Monica's Quilt and Bead Creations...The only concern was what type of closure to make and how to attach the clasp.

The toggle was a simple peyote beaded bead and strap in the similar weave as center of bracelet. The  middle of the toggle is filled with smaller size 8 beads on a 18 gauge wire and 6mm crystals.

The clasp is a shaped peyote piece rendered with a little help from the Diane Fitzgerald book that is a great study of the same. I filled the shape with tiny rolls of foil so it would keep it's firmness through the wearings.

It was fun creating the pattern on my BeadTool4.5...or what ever update it's up to now...I just know I like the program and it makes it easy to switch out colors and move patterns around.

Tutti Fruitti

Anothe in my series of Odd Count Peyote bracelets. this simliar pattern was reworked in the neon brights. All Delica beads with 4mm fire polish Czech glass topped with a size15 seed bead to hide the slider clasp with five loops. This item beaded by Wendy Hathaway who did a gorgeous job!

Sweet Valentine

Here is one of the sweetest cuffs I've seen in a while! Pattern was created by another beader and I just thought her use of color space and shadow was great. Will post her name and the magazine as soon as I locate both...Of course, I changed the colors because I wanted to wear it right away! Looks like a bunch of valentine heart candies ready to eat! It was a real treat to wear on Valentine's Day.
Made entirely of delica beads with a five loop slider.

Mulit Five Wrap macrame bracelet

 

Really, truly, I have been working on lots and lots of new items! We have been so busy with our two new grand babies in the family, that all things social media have been on the back burner.

So to start again, I'm sharing a few items of the wildly popular macrame technique! 

The latest of my newest items is this lovely multi wrap bracelet...I think we'll keep seeing the stacked bracelet look carry on well into the summer and fall of this year. And all things organic will play a huge role in the accessories market.

This piece is full of interesting beads; shell cut as sequins,which are added with a cross weave technique, matte copper beads, rhodium plated hex glass beads and a few pearls thrown in for good measure. Also, a few fire polish glass beads. The button is one from my own vintage collection, a high domed pressed glass shape with a touches of gold. I made this wrap with several added cords, so it's a bit fuller than the ones my students are making in class...

Speaking of which, this has become the most popular class...who knew we'd still be so involved with macrame, a throwback to the 70's! Ahhh, but so much more chic!

Come join us in all the fun at Monica's Quilt and Bead Creations.

Quilted Crystal Cuff

  I couldn't resist making this beautiful cuff, pattern by Kassie Inman. It was featured on the cover of this month's Beadwork magazine. Of course, I used what i had handy and these brown marroon tone tila beads just happened to be on my bench. The 4mm Bicone Crystals are a mix of color; Amethyst Satin, Black Diamond, GriegeAB, BurgundyAB and Volcano. These bugle beads used might be 1mm longer than the pattern called for, however as a trial I used them anyway. It still worked out fine. The pattern calls for three rows across, I wanted a little more bling, of course, so added one more row...I think the next might be five rows across. It was a great pattern and I'm thrilled for Kassie, it's her second published pattern, look for more of her work on the Beaded Butterfly. What a fine accomplishment.

Shoulder Dusters

These were fun to make and a great way to use up my stash of bugle beads. A simple ladder stitch in the center and then brick stitch upwards to the top is all it takes. Be careful about the row you use to begin the long fringe, I highly recommend making a row below the ladder stitched one, as that first row fills up with thread and it becomes difficult to retrace your thread path. Just add an extra row below the first ladder stitched row with brick stitch, then continue on with the fringing.

I did create a fabulous pattern for these which was my coupe de grace` of the day, it was a stroke of luck figuring out how to 'export' the pattern from Bead Tool, click the 'aspect ratio' button and resize the pattern so it looks like actual Bugle Beads. Opening up a whole new world in the pattern design department!

Everyone I have shown them to just ohhs and ahhs...but then the comical look happens; who is going to wear these? Well, most Rock Stars I would like to think and a couple of models...Heidi, want a cute pair of earrings to wear on Project Runway???

Soon a smaller pair for the Real Women amounst us!!!