What's New In Beads

Hello everyone
I took a walk along St Kilda Esplanade here in Melbourne on Sunday. Brrrr!!! It may only be autumn here in Victoria, Australia, but it felt like Winter. My ears suffered.
Anyway, there's a whole string of craft stalls along the Esplanade on Sundays, so it was interesting to see what the jewelry makers were selling.
On the whole, my impression was that jewelry was very simple, and quite chunky. Lots of chunky silver bracelets and necklaces, with only minimal beads (curses!). A very common style was to have a solid silver necklet, with one bead hanging off it.
As for the beads, resin and lampwork beads were definitely in. Very colourful, long tube shaped beads, particularly in earrings.
So I found it quite fascinating, it will be interesting to see if the trend appears in the mainstream.
Keep smiling
Felicity 8-)

Crystal Bracelet

Surprisingly Non-Flammable Crystal Bracelet: "Here's the first one of the new set. I'm getting started with a big, orange bang. Try to wear this and not get (favorably) noticed!
Fantasticly orange Swarovski crystals, sterling silver components, and the best beading wire. 7 and 3/4 inches long."


I like this bright and cheerful bracelet, great for livening up your summer gear. Orange isn't my colour, but it would look great on my sister.
Keep smiling
Felicity 8-)

Interesting Beads

My Mil Gayle gave me some beads so...: "My Mil Gayle gave me some beads so...
I did some beading!"

I particularly like this necklace, unusual beads.
Keep smiling
Felicity 8-)

Beading Loom

Beading Loom: "So here's my latest obsession:
It's a beading loom for making bracelets. My friend Linda, from work, gave it too me in exchange for me burning her a cd. Only thing is I HATE IT! God, it's infuriatingly slow work >< However, I'm determined to finish at least one bracelet."

Ahhh, it's amazing how many people end up obsessed by beads... not that I'm one of them, of course hehehee
Keep smiling
Felicity 8-)

oo_danyell_oo: necklaces

oo_danyell_oo: necklaces: "beading material:glass seed beads
measurements: normal sized beer bottlecap, necklace is approx 15 1/2'' long"

This lady makes some really interesting and different jewelry, take a look!
And naturally I picked the green one to show you a sample... hehehe
Keep smiling
Felicity 8-)

blog.myspace.com/halfbird

blog.myspace.com/halfbird: "
i got a job!
at bangles and beads in carytown. it pretty much rules. my coworkers are awesome and i get to price fine stones and beads and listen to xm all day. come buy some jewelery or beading supplies from me. or at least pretend to and just say hi!! pretty soon i'll be covered in bling. that i made myself."

Now that's a tricky one - dream job or endless temptation to drain your wallet?!?!
Keep smiling
Felicity 8-)

coppermoon_71: Just beading around...

coppermoon_71: Just beading around...: "I have the chance to attend a 'formal' school and receive a degree in jewelry design...something that I have wanted for a very long time...

I know that I want to learn metalsmithing and that the dental office is not my passion in life. However, right now, we need the money.

I think my passion is calling."

Hmm - follow your passion for beading, or work in a dental office.... tough call ;-)
Anyone have some thoughts on this to share with Liz? I love the earrings she made, by the way.
Felicity 8-)

chanrkl: May Day weekend

chanrkl: May Day weekend: "Did more beading... and have a few more additions to Little Miss Bead A-Lot. Its back to the roots feeling with this chinois range. Cloisonne beads dominate this series. But before that... there is this heart-shaped Pearlised Dreams to round up memories of last year."

I thought these were a little bit unusual, but very pretty. I could almost see them on a bride...
Keep smiling
Felicity 8-)

I Am Peaseblossom, - More beads

I Am Peaseblossom, - More beads: "I know you're all already sick of my new bead obsession, but here are the bracelets that I made for my mom, the boy, and the starchild. The boy picked out his own beads, and the starchild requested 'purple!'."

I thought these designs were very interesting, and I'm sure by now you all know I like green!
Keep smiling
Felicity 8-)

chanrkl: A Gift For A Friend

chanrkl: A Gift For A Friend: "This piece is done specially for a classmate of mine. A real girl-y girl. Loving crafts and with a great heart. She's getting married on the 13th but I will not be able to attend her wedding. She's a special friend, someone I've known since we were in Primary 1. We are not that close anymore but friendship cannot be defined by the hours you spend talking. This one is going to be a present... a bride's heart."

I thought the story behind this piece was almost as beautiful as the necklace itself.
Keep smiling
Felicity 8-)

Exeter News-Letter Currents: Get a bead on fun

Exeter News-Letter Currents: Get a bead on fun: " Beading. It's the new therapy for women.
There's a reason why the beading trend is on the rise. Not only can women go in groups or pairs and share some quality time, they can also create something of their own, something that speaks to them at that particular time in their life, whether it be earrings, a bracelet, or a necklace. "

This is a really interesting, looking at the psychological side of why women love beading so much. Click on the title and take a look!
Keep smiling
Felicity 8-)

blog.myspace.com/jcorrea

blog.myspace.com/jcorrea: "third class I'm taking at Gem Cutters Guild not so hot - Beading. I thought we'd learn something more significant... it's stuff I already know or could have figured out on my own by looking at something. I find the class expensive for what it is... but at any rate this is what I made. "

Has anyone done a beading class with Gem Cutters Guild? I can't say I've heard of them, but then again they're probably based in the US. I like the blending of colours in the necklace.
Keep smiling
Felicity 8-)

cammykitty: Busy day

cammykitty: Busy day: "Anyone who beads knows you can walk out of a bead store with $100 worth of beads tucked in a small bag in your purse, and the next morning you'll be thinking about how you need a bead just this color for this piece, and something just this shape for another, and there's something missing here... Never mind that you already have a room full of trays filled with beads. One of these days beading is going to be spoken of in the same sentence with compulsive gambling. Now, I can't afford to go buy more beads, but my old haunts are tugging at me as I drive past them. But, I've put aside the hair clips that I don't have the right color beads for. I'm not buying. No. No. Definitely not. No."

Hmmm... maybe I should look at starting a new group called "Beader's Anonymous", and think of a 12 step plan... No? Okay, I've got a mild cold and feeling a bit silly!
Still, I think we've all felt the same way when it comes to buying beads!!
Keep smiling
Felicity 8-)

Dolphinately Delightfully Designed Doodads: Wicked Red & Purple Fringe Peyote Bracelet (Unfinished)

Dolphinately Delightfully Designed Doodads: Wicked Red & Purple Fringe Peyote Bracelet (Unfinished): "Well, this SUPER-dangly bracelet is not quite finished, yet; I'll be adding a peyote loop on one side, and a button on the side near the end of the left side (it'll cover the funky peyote pattern there; I'm pretty sure I did the stitches right, at the end, but one color of bead was a bit larger than the others and it just really funked things up at the end.)"

This is really interesting bracelet, I love really chunky, dangly type designs. Thanks sarebear for mentioning this in the UFOs post!
Keep smiling
Felicity 8-)

Just Let Me Bead

Hi Everyone!
Someone sent me an email and mentioned Laura McCabe and her interesting beading designs. So I've tracked down her website and thought you might like to take a look. She certainly has some beautiful designs. Take a look at www.justletmebead.com
Apparently she also runs local workshops, so you might even be able to see her in action!
Keep smiling
Felicity 8-)

Make money with beads: What to do to Sell Your Beads

Make money with beads: What to do to Sell Your Beads: "Like most things in life that are worthwhile, selling your beads takes planning. I will be more specific about things that you need to plan in future Blogs, but you need to start lining up places to sell your beaded jewelry now."

This is an interesting blog with lots of posts about how to sell your jewelry. Worth a look if that sort of thing interests you.
Keep smiling
Felicity 8-)

.: a journey to beauty, inside and outside :. -

.: a journey to beauty, inside and outside :. -: "i don't have a lot of beading stuff. besides a A4 plastic box with compartments and a rocher box, i have 3 acrylic boxes..."

Not a lot????? hehehehe Looks like a bit to me!
Keep smiling
Felicity 8-)

Beadwork Poll - How Do You Handle your UFOs (UnFinished Objects)?

Beadwork Poll - How Do You Handle your UFOs (UnFinished Objects)?: "We all (well, most of us) have them. Beadwork projects we started back when we first saw the design or the bead pattern. We knew we had to bead them, the project was just too gorgeous/fun/challenging not to work! But then, a new beading magazine came out or we saw a new bead pattern for sale on Bead-Patterns.com and we HAD to bead that one, right now! No waiting - we had the Need To Bead and to bead that particular pattern immediately. And right then, the UFO pattern established itself.

Yes, I'll admit it. I have too many beadwork UFOs and need to take stock of them. I can answer 'yes' to almost all of the answers in the poll, which tells me I need to get a grip on my beadwork. Time to weed them out, reclaim the beads, decide which bead projects to finsih and when. It's a big job, but unless I want to be overwhelmed by UFOs, I need to do it, and soon."

I had a bit of a chuckle reading about "UFOs" - although in my house, it's more "UCPs" - unfinished cleaning projects! Post a comment with your favourite UFO story, I'd love to read them!
Keep smiling
Felicity 8-)

How to Wrap a Rock with Flat Round Peyote Stitch

How to Wrap a Rock with Flat Round Peyote Stitch: "First you need to know how to do flat round peyote. You can find very extensive, clear instructions for this stitch here. Graph paper for the stitch can be found here. Any rock can be wrapped, but for your first try you should select one that is at least semi-flat on both sides and not too thick. Also, the more circular the rock, the easier time you will have finishing it. The so-called 'river rocks' that you can find in Home & Garden shops or even in crafts stores such as Michael's work very well for this beading project."

This is an interesting way to use your beading skills! Maybe a new version of the "pet rock" craze? hehe
Keep smiling
Felicity 8-)

Pearls and Peridot Times Two

Pearls and Peridot Times Two: "Sometimes we can make the loveliest things out of materials that may not really appeal to us at first glance. The case in point, the peach colored pearls in this necklace."

This is a really interesting necklace, not a combination I'd have thought of. The article goes on to give instructions how to make it.
Keep smiling
Felicity 8-)