Do you have a favourite animal?

The only reason I ask is because these amazing hearts reminded me of a zebra as soon as I saw them. They were the final 3 in the shop and I was going to leave them as I did wonder what I would do with three. However I couldn't resist and bought them anyway. I added some metal effect hearts and attached them all to a toggle clasp bracelet. Nice and simple but sometimes simple is what people want. I try to make charm bracelets to suit all people and while some like really chunky and busy bracelets, others prefer just a few charms or beads on them. Do you have a preference, if so let me know. So for Monday 12 April my make is Zebra Hearts bracelet.

Dainty offerings

Well on the previous post I spoke about some disk beads that I bought from my local store. I told you to look out for the blue bead and here it is. This is a really dainty necklace and just goes to show that if you think laterely enough anything can be used to make jewellery. These filigree rounds are actually from a card shop but when I saw them I knew that they would have a brilliant effect. I paired them with some milky blue and white beads, some clear crystals and finally added the blue focal bead and two pale blue seashell shapes. Then just finished it off with some silver plated chain to make it the desired length. So my make for Sunday 11 April is called Filigree necklace.

I also made some earrings to match.

Apples anyone?

I had been on one of my many visits to the local bead store and found these gorgeous large disc beads which I thought would make an excellent focal point. I bought a green one and a blue one. (Watch out for the blue one being used later). As usual when I got them home I couldn't wait to rummage through my stash and find matching or complimentary beads. I found the lighter green small disks first and then the larger round beads that matched colourwise. The ridged metal effect beads came next and then in that box that I know you all have, you know the one I mean all the spare beads left over from previous projects, I found the two amonite shell shapes and also some clear and some green crystals. I decided to join the beads in patterns and feed them onto large eye pins. Add some silver plated chain to join the beaded sections together and you have the finished article. So I give you my make for Saturday 10 April and I have called it Golden Delicious (hence the apple theme).

Sparkle

The make for Tuesday 6th April is almost a carry on from the day before's make. Once again I started out with a silver plated chain. In my stash I have had for absolutely ages 2 round beads with these amazing crystals all over them - serious bling. The problem was only having two beads, they cost too much to justify turning into a pair of earrings and whenever I tried to incorporate them into a design they just never seemed to look right. After making yesterdays make and realising that sometimes less is more I decided to bite the bullet and make a necklace with just these two beads. I threaded them onto an eye pin, attached these to the chain and then for a final flourish added two chunky chain dangles from the bottom of the beads, hiding the join by using bead caps. I am really happy with the final result and I personally think this would look good on a little black dress or even jazzing up a plain jumper. I hope you like it as much as I do. I have called it Sparkle.

Teardrops

The make for Monday 5th April  won't make you cry but it might make you smile. I took some silver plated chain and just made the pendant the focal point. I started off with some acrylic teardrop shaped beads in lovely shades of pink and purple in various sizes. Each one of these was joined by a jump ring to a length of chain. Each chain was then attached by a larger jump ring to a silver plated large ring. I think that as the better weather comes along we need to try and make ourselves look summery (if there is such a word) and I believe that this particular necklace would look amazing with a lovely white dress on. Just imagine yourself on a summer holiday, skin a lovely shade of brown, nails painted and best of all you are feeling nice and relaxed. Have I painted a nice picture, I hope so now just imagine yourself with this necklace on.

Ok, now that I have painted this wonderful picture in your head, unfortunately I am going to bring you back to earth with a bump and say welcome back to Britain in April. However you could always purchase the necklace and still have the dream. The necklace is called Teardrops.

Petal Power

The make for Thursday 1st April definately lives up to the Glitz in Glitz and Glamour. The pendants were originally bought to go onto 5 seperate necklaces but sometimes you need to fulfill the dramatic side of your nature. Throw caution to the wind and just go for it. Well that is what I did when I decided to use all five flowers in the necklace. The flowers are covered in black enamel with a cluster of diamante in the middle to look like the stamen. I joined all the pendants together with jump rings and then put a simple silver plated chain on the final pendants on either side. I think it is definitely dramatic but also quite elegant. I have called it Jet Flowers.

Spinning Around

Today's make (Monday) is going to be one of those items that takes a while to make all of the componant parts, but when it is finally all finished it is very satisfying. The pendant was the starting point, depending on which way the light is shining on it you can see all sorts of colours in it. However the predominent colour I saw was green. I had recently bought a selection of various shades of green manmade pearls, in various sizes. All I needed was another item to bring it all together. The large rings were the finishing touch. I have spent a good couple of hours putting all the parts together and finally finished the necklace. Check back tomorrow for the bracelet. I have called it Cosmic Rings necklace.

Spring has sprung

If you had asked me within the last couple of weeks where is spring?  I would have told you I don't think it is happening this year. However today I had to deliver some mail and it was a beautiful day here in sunny Devon. So I think that spring has finally sprung and here is the picture to prove it.

Couldn't resist this one, it has the "aah" factor. However I do have some crocus in the back garden. Now I know the picture is not my flowers but those crocus means that spring is definitely here.

Obviously my inner physic was working on Sunday when I made this make. It is a silver plated stretchy charm bracelet with silver plated flowers and Lucite flowers in shades of pink and purple. I have called it Posy Bracelet.

Teardrops

Saturday's make has been running around in my head for a while, I just couldn't get the required components right, everthing that I tried just didn't seem to go. However the other day I came across a women selling off disks of ribbon at knock down prices, I bought one or two and this was all that was needed to finish off the necklace. The large teardrop pendant is a bright blue acrylic. The dangles that I made were just using up spare beads left over from previous makes. I hung these from silver plated figaro chain at different levels to create some length and movement around the pendant. Finally I threaded blue velvet ribbon and silver plated figaro chain through the attaching ring and fixed on a clasp. I really like this necklace, it is actually just the type of necklace I would wear myself to brighten up a plain jumper. I have called it Bluebird.

More Bookmarks

Made a couple more bookmarks today, just to make sure I had enough stock for Saturday. Slight variation this time, the pink one is made out of wooden beads and the green one I added a chain to the bookmark and then wire looped each bead to each individual link of the chain.

Anyway just a quick post tonight, life is taking over. Homework to help with, baths to run and all the other things that a Mum has to do.  

Och aye the noo

Yes, I m allowed to say that. I am a born and bred Scot and I am very proud of my heritage. I love to see a man in a kilt and the sound of bagpipes also bring a lump to my throat. In fact on my wedding day, everyone knew how much I loved kilts, so much so that about 90% of the men wore one. I have a lovely picture of me surrounded by all those men. Don't have that one to show you but thought you may appreciate this one anyway.

Anyway enough waffelling from me, all this is leading up to my make for today (Tuesday) and I made some kilt pins. One in red and one in blue. Which one do you prefer?

 

 

Through the Looking Glass (Part 2)

Carrying on from yesterday's make I decided to make a bracelet to match the necklace. Following on with the same prinicipal, the only element not included was the heart shaped pendant. The fastener is magnetic, which I find makes it easier to get on. To be honest I m finding that Sunday's make has to be simple and not too time consumming. Sunday is catch up day, housework, shopping and trying to spend time with the kids. Then in the evening, updating the blog, website and trying to have a catch up session with my Mum and Sister in Aberdeen. Before I know it it is bedtime again. So the fact that I have already made up the design and all I am doing is the actual making is good for me. Here is Through the Looking Glass bracelet.

    

Through the Looking Glass

Last Saturday, while running the stall one lady explained that she was looking for a simple necklace with pendant to wear with an outfit for a night out. This has been playing on my mind all week and although I had no way of knowing for certain if she would turn up I decided to have a go at trying to produce something she might like. All the clues that she gave me were, not too big a pendant, not too bright colours and classy but simple. So on Friday night I sat down and came up with this. Very pale pink beads, almost see through combined with silver effect ribbed beads and then finished off with a diamante heart pendant. Unfortunately the lady did not return to the stall this Saturday, so I have no idea if it hits the mark but I like it. I have called it Through the Looking Glass necklace.

Fishy Fishy

On Saturday while trying to sell all my items at the Market I had a young lady come along and start looking at all the jewellery. Eventually she asks me where is the man who is normally here. I reply I don't know, maybe he is on another stall. She explains that she likes to buy and that he often keeps back items for her, or hides them for her to find (alarms bells start ringing here). Anyway after lots of conversation along this vein she finally picks up a bracelet I have with lots of fish on it. What kind of fish are these she asks. I don't know, just general says I. Where are their teeth, if I can see their teeth then I will now what type of fish they are, dolphins, whales etc. I know these are not fish they are mammals. Anyway to cut a long story short after much debate it turns out that she really likes fish. I can see this is a conversation that will run and run over the next few weeks. If anyone knows where I can buy any authentic looking fish for me to make into an item of jewellery please let me know and you will make her day. This is the bracelet she was looking at.

 

Cat's Eye

Thursday's make was one that was always going to take more time than yesterday's earrings. The main beads are miracle beads and they are coated with a special substance that gives them a 3D effect in artificial light. They are also 1/2 yellow and 1/2 green, so depending on which way you are looking at them will help you decide what you think is the predominent colour of the bracelet. At either side of each miracle bead is a pale green cat's eye bead. These are so called because one part of the bead is milky and is reminiscent of a cat's eye. Each set of 3 beads have been strung onto a head pin and a loop turned at the end. Each loop is then added onto each link of the chain. The chain is silver plated. Although I know that a make like this may take a bit longer I do enjoy doing these as the repition is quite calming and thereputic. I have called it Green Dream.

Have to brighten up the day

Well, it's been a bit grey and dreary for what seems forever now and I needed to brighten up my life somehow. I can't afford a holiday to some sunshine state with a beautiful white beach and blue sky - okay slap me around the face I'm dreaming now - so for Sunday's make I decided to have a look through my beads and see if there was something suitable there. Well the upshot is that this is the brightest necklace I think I have ever made, and when you try it on your face really does light up. I have called it Over the Rainbow.

Something Simple

Just simple stringing for Friday this week as I had to get myself ready for a sale on Saturday morning. The pendant was already set, it's a lovely light blue colour with some white stripes through it. So I got some oil slick effect seed beads, used the last of the fire polished beads left over from the Cha Cha Cha bracelet (see earlier post) and some irridescent flower beads that I had. After much playing with the beads I had them set out as I wanted and strung them onto the wire. Then it was a case of take a quick photo before tagging so that I could take to the fair with me on Saturday. I have called this necklace Blue Haze.

Cha Cha Cha

This is my first attempt at a cha cha cha bracelet. Believe me if you want to loose yourself for a couple of hours then this is the project to complete. You have to put all the beads onto head pins, cut them all to size then turn the ends into curved loops and all this before you actually fit them onto the bracelet. Having said that when there is nothing on the TV and the kids are upstairs in their rooms fighting the latest aliens or whatever there is nothing better than having that 2 hours peace to yourself. It almost becomes theraputic, it definately lulls you into another place, your own version of meditation. I am really happy with the finished result, hope that you like it too. I have called it (surprisingly) Cha Cha Cha. I used faceted fire polished glass beads and a silver plated bracelet.

Daisy Daisy, give me your answer do

Final make for this week. Once again I found some plastic flower shapes in my stash which I had forgotten about. I teamed these with some different styles of metal beads, amber coloured crystals and finally some white beads to tie in with the flower shapes. Once again I joined it all together with sections of chain. I have called it Metal Daisy Chain.

Thursdays make - chains and things

Tonight I found a Snowflake Obsidian cabochon that I had already set into a silver plated mount. Told you I would find lost beads etc when I started to tidy my craft area. I decided when I looked at the pendant that this was going to be a high metal content and less beads. I looked out a heavy chunky chain and tied the black of the cabochon with head pins strung with black goldstone chips. I have called it Winter Wonderland