BSBP second reveal is this Saturday!

Be sure to visit all my fellow BSBP participants and see what they reveal this Saturday

What's on the beading table today?

Today I am rotating between three projects:

I am still working on the tubular netting project that I started a few days ago

I am mostly working on a commissioned double wrap bracelet for a customer of mine, but I can only work on it in short sessions as these seem to be difficult for me to do for long periods, I tend to get my shoulders to hurting after a while with these since I like to use longer lengths of thread to avoid lots of knots in the bracelet. When I finish with adding all the crystals I will be searching for the perfect silver button to use as a clasp.

The third project on my table is a necklace that I am working on based on my "fruit loop" bracelet pattern. I am graduating the loops so that they will be fuller and longer as you get to the front of the necklace, since this one is for me, I only work on it when not much else is in the works.

Happy Beading! Annita

Win a torch on a blog, count me in!

Saw a link for this blog with a chance to win a torch...hope I am lucky

http://katerichbourg.blogspot.com/2012/08/win-my-favorite-torch.html

Learning a new pattern : Tubular netting

Saw a link for this pattern and had to give it a go: Here is the link:

http://www.knottyknits.com/blog/index.php/2010/09/tubular-netting-tutorial/

It was slow to start, but getting faster as I go along, think I will make a necklace, add cones to the ends. Will post pics of completed project soon! Annita

Finished the barefoot sandals

Here are the completed barefoot sandals. I hope that Hannah likes them! Annita

Barefoot sandals - Part 2

One done, one more to go. You will have to excuse my ugly foot, I had to pull it up higher on my ankle than it would normally be since I am a size 7 shoe.


Now back to the worktable to make the other one and to get mailed off to Hannah!

Annita

Now on to another project

My niece is getting married on the beach in the Bahamas at the end of August, so I offered to make her some barefoot sandals to wear. I finally started on them and this is what I have so far:

I am making then to the measurements of her foot ( she wears a size 8 shoe ) so I tried them on my sister's foot (her step mom) since she is also a size 8. Yea! they fit perfect.

Now all I need to do is finish the ends and add the lobster claw clasp, will probably add a short length of chain with a crystal dangle to make somewhat adjustable around the ankle.

Will post pics when finished. Bye for now, Annita

Bead Soup Blog Party First Reveal !!!

Finally finished all my makes from the Bead Soup that I received from my partner Alice
here is what I started with:

I used the ceramic focal bead along with some wire and a mix of seed beads to create this necklace and earring set and used some of the red and brown beads to make a coordinating bracelet:

I then used the fab artisan made button by Collins with some "wonky" pearls that I had to make a necklace and earrings:

Alice had included a piece of silk ribbon and I had never used fibers in my work so I struggled to come up with a design idea. I added some copper washers and came up with this necklace and earring set:

I also made something with the blue beads that were in the mix. I had a glass tube bead that was the same color so I used it as a focal and added some silver disc beads to create another necklace and earring set:

All in all I found my first experience at a Bead Soup Blog Party to be an interesting and challenging endeavour!

Can't wait to see what everyone else comes up with, especially my partner Alice. This is what I sent to her:

How to wire wrap a marble

Finished wrapped marble

cut two lengths of wire (I used 20 gauge) approx 10 inches long, then bind them together in the center with a smaller gauge wire (mine was 24 gauge)

wrap the wires around your marble bringing to a point at the top directly above your binding wire

with your marble in the loop of wire pull the pair of wires apart from each other so that you have wires in the north, south, east and west directions

create your bale loop at the top with two of the wires and wrap them with the other two wires

at this point you can either trim all 4 wires or use one or more of them to create spirals for accents

these are the tools that are used

I had a little trouble getting the remarks lined up to the photos, but I think you should be able to follow.

Happy Marble Wrapping!

Bead Soup update

Well I now have 3 necklaces made from my soup ingredients. Still want to make earrings to go with all of them...

Best get back to the bead table! TTFN Annita

A little something I made today

This is what I made today. I had this fab focal for a while and it just hit me that it would look great with some labradorite beads that I picked up at the last bead show.

Bead Soup Pregress

Well I finally finished the first piece from the Bead Soup that Alice sent me, about time since my reveal in the end of this month.

Made a necklace with the focal and some seedies (with a few other things mixed in)


Now I need to come up with an idea for the fab button that she sent as a clasp, I am leaning towards using it as a focal also, it is so neat on it's own.


Best get to work!

Think I will just "wing it!"

I can't really decide what to do with my bead soup so I think I will just sit down and wing it. Started beading without a plan will see what happens.

Want free beads? Who doesn't

Great opportunity from Fusion Muse


http://fusionmusebangkok.blogspot.com/2012/06/after-sitting-and-playing-with-my.html



visit their blog for details



Annita

some of the ideas that I am bouncing around

this is what I picked out that I love with the button

Ideas for the focal...

more ideas for the focal...

Sometimes I wonder....

Sometimes I wonder about myself. I have been looking at the lovely selection of beads and things that Alice sent me for Bead Soup and I am just stumped. I have moved them around and around and added and taken away and still no inspiration.

Does this happen to others? Any ideas? I think I will just gather up a stack of beading mags and hope that something clicks!

I love the look of the ceramic button with some labradorite beads and large round that I have. The cylinder focal looks great with some of the more natural looking gemstone beads that I have and a great seed bead mix that I found in my stash. I have not really worked any textiles into my beadwork before so the beige silk has me intrigues also.... decisions, decisions, decisions.....


Don't give up on me, I only have until the end of this month to come up with something. Surely I can make a decision and make it work!

just entered to win fab prizes from Lori the leader of the Bead Soup Blog Party!

here is a link to her blog : http://www.prettythingsblog.com/2012/07/finally-five-bead-and-button-bead.html

Bead Soup has arrived Yea!!

Yea!! My Bead Soup arrived today from Alice, I couldn't even wait to get home to open it! Here I was sitting in the parking in front of the Post Office ripping open the package and oohing and aahing over it all!


The Raku button is made by Duane Collins and the Ceramic tube is from Lima Beads!

Now I need to put my designer hat on and make something!!

Here is the Soup that I sent to Alice

Now that I know that Alice has received it, here is a pic of the Bead Soup that I sent to her.

My package from Alice is scheduled to arrive on Friday! Can't hardly wait!!

Happy Independence Day!



Hope everyone has a fun and safe Holiday and remembers the reason we celebrate!


America, Land of the Free, Because of the Brave!

Some of my Patriotic Jewelry