Beads, beads and more beads

I recently came into a whole stash of vintage beads. I haven't had a chance to work with them yet, but I already have some great design ideas. Maybe this will be the kick start I need!

I haven't posted anything to the etsy store yet, but don't let that be a deterrent. If you see something you like in my flickr photostream, feel free to drop me a message or an e-mail. I also do custom work, so if you've got an event coming up, or just want some cool jewelry, feel free to contact me!

When Inspiration Won't Strike

I had all manner of grand plans cooked up a couple of months ago, to post more frequently here and to start selling on Etsy. But you know what they say about good intentions, and summer is slipping away pretty quickly. I haven't really been in a jewelry-making mood, as any time I'm not spending at work is being spent with friends, outside, or with my nose in a book. Hopefully, inspiration will strike soon and I'll be beading up a frenzy. Until then, I think I'll enjoy the warm weather, some delicious iced beverages and a few moments to catch my breath.

Charmed, I'm Sure

My latest beading obsession is stemwear decor - wineglass charms. I think it's so cool to get to dress up your glasses, and to be able to tell whose glass is whose. I've made several sets so far, and they are pretty simple, and a good use for some of the leftover beads I've had from other projects. The best part -- they are super-quick, and I get so busy in the summer that I don't have time to sit down and do any major projects. This way, I'm at least sort of fulfilling my creative urges!

Fairs, Fests and Craft Shows

I was at a pretty popular street fair in the suburbs this weekend, and I was checking out some of the jewelry vendors who were out there. When I started doing my own jewelry, I never really thought I would want to sell it, but I think maybe next year I may want to try a table of my own. But in order to do that, I think I need to start mass purchasing some high-quality materials, and I'm not sure that I would be selling enough to justify that. So, do I start small with my etsy store, or should I start bulk-building for next year's fest?



Any thoughts?

My Favorite Things

Though I've been making a ton of pieces in preparation for my Etsy store, there are still a couple that remain my favorites.

These earrings I wear on an almost daily basis. I've gotten a lot of compliments on them, I think because they are simple and have a unique shape. I recently made similar pairs for my mother and grandmother using different center stones, and I'm working on a pair for my sister to wear to an upcoming formal event she has. I love the red, as it's sort of my signature color, and I think they just add a little glam to any outfit.

I was inspired to build this bracelet by an image on the cover of a beading book my mom bought for me a while back. I love the idea of using a hodge podge of different stones (something that I've been working to incorporate in more pieces). As the summer progresses and estate/garage sales become more frequent, I'm hoping to score some old jewelry that I can gut to do more things like this.

Wedding Glam

This past weekend, one of my best friends got married. As a gift, I did the jewelry for the bridal party. My friend liked what I did for my own bridesmaids last year, so I duplicated the design with just a couple of tweaks, and I loved the results. The blue of the crystals matched perfectly with the color of our bridesmaid dresses, and the pearl accent gave the pieces a more formal feel. My favorite part was the little filigree ball that connected the main necklace to the dangly crystal. It really complemented the neckline of our dresses!

At my own wedding last year, we had a mishap shortly before the ceremony, when an earring got lost. I packed extra pieces and tools in case of anything like that popping up this weekend, and I'm glad I did, as I had to extend one of the 'maids necklace a couple of inches:)

Perfect Mother's Day Gift

Every year I struggle with what to get my mom for Mother's Day. She hates it when my sisters and I spend money on her, and gluing macaroni to a paper plate got old several years ago.

When I started doing jewelry a while back, I found the most beautiful design for a mother's bracelet. Basically, the concept is to either include the birth stones, birth dates or names of a mom's kids all together in one piece of jewelry.

I worked really hard to come up with a pattern that I liked, and I love the way my sisters' and my birth stones look together. This is what I came up with two years ago, and I still think it's the best gift I've ever given my mom!

Giving Elastic a Chance?

When I first started making jewelry, I migrated more toward using beading wire and chain. I stayed away from elastic, because for the most part I thought it created a very young look. The other reason I overlooked elastic was because I had a problem with keeping pieces together. No matter what knotting technique I used, I still had problems getting the bracelets to stay tied.

While I avoided the material for a while, I came to have no other option when making a bracelet for my metal-sensitive mother in law to match her dress for my wedding. I opted for elastic, hoping that using some high-quality beads would make the look at least a little more formal.

When I finished the bracelet, I sealed the knot with this Krazy Glue product, and it worked great! The narrow applicator tip provides great control, and it doesn't gush out of the tube. I also like it because a lot of crafting adhesives carry serious warnings about being known carcinogens, and Krazy Glue doesn't. Not that I plan on eating any of my jewelry, but I feel safer knowing that.

I've since made a number of elastic bracelets, just casual things to throw on every day, and I've purchased a couple more bottles of the glue. It's great for other things as well, and so far I've not had anything come un-knotted.

Teach a Kid to Bead

I taught my first jewelry making class this past November at the library where I work. It was for kids, and I planned for weeks to come up with something the 7 and under set could handle. With kids, I discovered, jewelry making is basically just bead stringing, and since I had to do the program free of charge and on a light budget, the materials weren't as fancy as I would have liked.

The kids, however, thought it was a blast, and the parents were pleased as well, which got me to thinking that maybe, someday in the future, I can offer my teaching services up again. It would be fun to have a little more leeway with funds, and to work with older kids, but even helping 4-year-olds string plastic beads fosters a sense of creativity in the kids and plants a seed of appreciation for the handmade.

Welcome to My Bead-dazzling Blog!

I love pretty things - bonus points if they in any way sparkle, shimmer or shine. I'm also fairly creative and have been on the lookout for an outlet for that creativity for years. I stumbled upon jewelry making almost by accident, writing a feature piece for a newspaper about the increasing popularity of the art/craft. I took a beginner's class as part of my research and was instantly hooked. That was two years ago, and ever since, I've been churning out pieces for myself, as gifts and even a couple of commissions.



This is the first piece I ever made, from the aforementioned class. Even though I had never done anything like it before, I think it was a pretty good first attempt. The quality of the materials I used was great, since I took the class from a bead shop, and I love the way the colors look together. I don't wear it often, but this necklace will always have significance to me, for whetting my appetite for the jewelry world.