Freeform Peace Jasper Woven Bracelet

This is two posts in a row of new fall items, neither are listed in my etsy shop yet. This one features Endive, Rose Dust and Purple Orchid with peace jasper. The green in the stone is more green than endive so I added a small amount of green opaque size 14 seed beads in the mix. I have more peace jasper to create a necklace with a teardrop stone; so far the "chain" is spiral weave in delica beads. The other beads I have will be more of a strung bracelet and necklace with bead weaving. Earrings with beaded beads and crystals are planned also. Don't forget to click and click to get the photos magnified to see the details. When I take the photos, I make sure the largest magnification is still clear and true to color. Enjoy!

Chocolate Covered Cherries

I feel like a new font tonight. The photos are my most recent in the Margie Deeb Fall Winter Color Report series. It utilizes Lipstick Red, Chocolate Truffle and Rose Dust. The delica beads are ab (aurora borealis) finished and reflect a rainbow of colors. This had an unexpected effect. It reminds me of Brach's Chocolate Covered Cherries which I ate in my childhood. I did crave chocolate when I worked with the beads. These items are not yet listed in my Etsy shop, so if you are interested, please contact me...a comment would work. Don't forget to click and click to enlarge the photos.

Peaches and Cream

I put aside my project that I photographed last time. Today's mail brought 3 colors of 8 mm Swarovski bicone beads and a few tubes of size 15 seed beads in fall colors. I now have a transparent rosaline to embellish that project with. But instead of working to complete that bracelet, I started a new one with lipstick red, chocolate truffle, and rose dust in a 50-40-10 ratio. It is a two strand flat spiral weave similar to two of the bracelets photographed here. Yes, it reminded me of chocolate covered cherries and it was the color combination that called to me most from Margie Deeb's 2010 Fall Color Report. As I worked on it, I knew I had to order more beads; the big question is just how many. The color combination will be wonderful for Valentine's Day, too. I will share photos here because I can't decide which consignment shop I will place it in.

This week I completed two of the pictured bracelets and made beaded bead earrings for the three flat spiral bracelets. The embellished ladder stitch bracelet is made from the size 11 seed beads used to connect the flat spiral bracelets plus size 8 delica beads in cream. All will soon be listed in my shop (more pictures are also on flickr) displayed together. I want to see which one is more popular. When I started my shop, I had a lot of ladder bracelets which no one seemed to be interested in except the ruby red two which are renewed in my shop. I'm also experimenting with pricing as a set with earrings. I'd like to make a series of bracelets in a color palate in a couple of styles for my lower and mid price points. Any feedback on your preferences would be appreciated.

If you haven't been on etsy recently, the listing item pictures are larger and four across and 6 rows on a page.

EBW Challenge Voting, Latest Project

The voting on the Etsy Beadweaver's blog is in process with a record turnout for the vote with almost 700 votes so far. It continues until Sunday midnight. The leading entry is by bead4me; this entry not only uses a lot of Swarovski crystals but is woven in 24k gold beads which are expensive to use. There are about 50 entries with the votes distributed among the entries instead of a couple of run away winners. I even have a record high of 7 votes for 1%; my personal best in ebw challenges. The link to vote is to the right; remember to click on the names below the mosaic to get the details of the entries. The mosaic is just to entice you to look further. Enjoy!

The photos are in process of my current project. I purchased some Peace Jasper, wrapped thread around and through the round coin bead that is the focal point and have worked out in brick stitch in a free form pattern of a variety of beads. The colors are from another of Margie Deeb's Fall Winter Color Report palates using Endive, Rose dust and Purple Orchid. The bracelet needs the second strap lengthened, a clasp created and the picot fringe added. I'm thinking I'll order size 15 seed beads in a color other than the green I started to use for the picots, so it may be a week or more before the bracelet is completed.

New Purple Orchid Jewelry

I'm rewarding my blog followers with my first photos of my latest creations. The camera battery needed to be recharged before I could finish.

The detail photo is of the necklace beadwork. I combined right angle weave and peyote plus my lacy edging. The bracelet detail is similar, but not the same.

The color combination is from Margie Deeb's Fall Color Report. They are Purple Orchid, Rose Dust and Oyster Gray in approximately a 50-30-20 ratio.

New Listings

The photos are of recent listings in my etsy shop. If you want to see more pictures, you can also go to my flickr site which is listed under my favorite sites on the right side of my blog.

It is time for the August Etsy Beadweaver's Challenge entries to be listed; the voting starts on the 9th. I'll remind you to vote when it's time. The team has had lots of new members and there are more entries this month. Harder to choose your favorite. My entry is simple this month; it's the cream pearl, crystal ab with gold charlottes bracelet shown here. The theme is Silver and Gold. Next month, it's Bollywood. Help! I have no idea what the person who selected that topic was thinking of, so I'll probably create something I want to make and say it's for that theme. Everyone knows I won't win and I've not known anyone to be disqualified for not creating on topic. I need to google Bollywood.

I'm still working on the necklace/bracelet set in Margie Deeb's purple shade fall colors (one of too many palates to try them all). The bracelet was pronounced finished this afternoon, but the necklace needs some work yet. I will include it in my next batch of pictures. I know why I don't normally make sets--it seems to take forever doing the same/similar thing.

August

I listed this bracelet and pair of earrings today as a set. I cut the price of the combined two items by $10 and eliminated a shipping fee on the earrings. This is a Swarovski Night Blue Pearl bracelet that is connected with tiny hematite charlotte beads. The earrings have a Swarovski hematite crystal bicone, a sterling silver round bead, and a night blue pearl. This bracelet is a little larger than average, fitting an 8 inch wrist. There is another night blue pearl bracelet with faceted crystal rounds that's a 7 in my shop. I like to make similar items in different sizes; kind of how a painter does a series on a theme.

I started on the bracelet in the new fall colors since my rosaline pearls are in the mail. I picked up some tiny beads for embellishment at my local bead shop that are close in color and match in finish in case the Muse tells me to add more embellishment. I need to photograph them in process for you.

I loaded more photos on flickr. http://www.flickr.com/KRDesigns11 including the Night Blue Pearl items and Platinum Pearl ones. They are in a set called Right Angle Weave.

I had the most views in my shop in the month of July since I started in February. The end of the month was slow or I would have had a phenomenal month, view wise. Is that a word? Spell check wanted it as two words. What would I do without spell check?

Look for the EBW challenge entries soon.