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.

Sneak Peek Photos of New Bracelets

These are both flat spiral weave bracelets. The blue and white one has Swarovski air blue opal crystals and is similar to a necklace I made last year which has white vintage seed beads which I ran out of so the bracelet has a modern square white bead.

The one I finished today has bronze Swarovski pearls and bronze keishi pearls--really interesting colors because they are pearls not glass--and ceylon topaz Swarovski crystal bicones. There are also 3 seed beads, size 11 cream, size 13 vanilla, and size 14 gold inside clear ab. The black background is black leatherette--no more magnified lint. I took the photo so it should be in focus magnified as much as you can, so click away on that skinny bracelet!

June

I created a Treasury west on etsy tonight which means it will be gone on Thursday. It is called Peacefulness and is beadweaving in shades of blue.

I'm working on a flat spiral air blue opal bracelet to coordinate with a necklace I made last year and ran out of the vintage white beads I used. The substitute bead has similar finish and color.

Please visit the treasury at www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=100125

Earrings and Art Fairs

These are my latest earrings in my special promotion. They have Swarovski hematite crystal bicones and black pearls, sterling silver 8 mm round beads and Bali silver roundel beads. Great for a grey suit or dress--business, too. Maybe even a teacher gift.

This morning I learned that I have been invited to participate in the inaugural spring art and crafte fair at an upscale shopping center in Burr Ridge, Illinois on May 15 and 16. There will be approximately 75 artists, a nice number for variety but not so many that visitors are tempted to walk by because the show has 175 tents and is four blocks long.

The mail this afternoon informed me that another show a friend had suggested I apply for, despite cashing my separate check for the booth fee, decided not to invite me. It's unusual for a venue to cash a booth fee check and not invite the artist--more work for them to write a check back to the artist. I have been to this show a number of years ago and did not think my customer would shop there, but it's always fun to do a show with a friend.

I'm back to beading choosing one of my favorite Swarovski colors (oh, all right, they are all my favorite colors!) pacific blue opal. I tried to design with some amazonite but the style bracelet had too many times through the stone bead to work, so it is two sizes of crystal bicones. I've made this style before, but with smaller beads. I have some lovely mixed greens and turquoise charlottes and a green turquoise seed bead to connect the bicones. Proofreading this I realized I could make dangles from a choker with the amazonite.

The stitch I am using is a flat spiral where there is a core bead and many smaller beads loop around to connect the beads with a loop on each side of the core bead. I enjoy creating different combinations in this stitch. A spiralling version is the first stitch I learned. There is a Swarovski lavender pearl bracelet in my shop in flat spiral stitch. http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=43270725