Working on improving my skills

As you know two of my weakest siklls on my jewelry making quest are wire work and resin (to date)..both of which I would love to improve upon.  So tonight I set out to work on them. 

 

I worked on both of them so tell me what you think.  I used 21g copper square and 1/2 round wire for the pendant piece.   I took a class last month and couldn't find the tutorial so pretty much did it from memory. I must say,I was pretty happy with it. There are some "mistakes" but for the most part I'm really excited about it.  I think the wire work complimented the stone and accentuated the "Wisdom".

 

 

 

As for the resin work, I'll elaborate a little more in my Resination post.  But, I'm trying to get ready for the +AustinBeadSociety's President's Challenge for the April meeting which was to design our own name tag.  I of course had this brilliant idea to incorporate several mediums...one of which was using resin.  So I did a first pour before leaving for work and this is what I came home to at the end of the day.  So far so good...saying a prayer.

 

Follow my progress in my resination post to see the finished product.

 

 

Happy Beading!

What's on my mat?

Because I work a day job and have to get up very early in the morning, I tend to try to avoid beadwork during the week.  This of couse leads to major bead withdrawal...(Yes, my name is Caron and I'm an addict!) Last night, I just couldn't fight it any longer and had to pull out something to work on...something quick and fairly "mindless" that should I happen to doze off, it would not result in endless ripping out the next day.

I have an unfinished Cellini Spiral on one of my other project boards, plus some other things but as you know, a Cellini Spiral requires some concentration and thought.  Instead, I settled for a simple Ndebele (Herringbone stitch) bracelet.  Pardon the bad picture!  I should be able to finish this piece tonight!

Happy Beading!

Getting my bead on

What a day!  Main objective today was to get my taxes done...well, it's almost 9pm and haven't even started...but let me show you what I did accomplish today.  I'm gearing up for a craft show on April 19th so I'm making some quick pick things...earrings and pendants and quick necklaces to add to the more detailed pieces.  I've also been making earring cards that can also serve as packaging. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But the most awesome thing that I finished today was a cubic Right Angle Weave...aka CRAW...pendant.

 

 

So now that I've written this quick blog,  it's really time to get my taxes done

 

 

Happy Beading!

Snow day activities

Here in Austin, we had bad weather resulting in snow and black ice so just about everything shut down...(check out Maxie exploring the snow)...of course it was my day off, so I didn't really gain anything...anyway, even though I didn't get to meet up with my beady friends I had a productive day.

First thing I did was to finish a project I started during the Jems meeting...an Ndebele stitch bracelet sun Rullas beads...of course I like sets so I had to make some earrings to match...

Next I finished  a 3 in 1 piece...the focal being a 7 1/4" Russian Spiral piece.  This piece is connected with magnetic clasps so you can wear it as 1 long necklace, a shorter necklace,  bracelet or a double wrapped bracelet (just thought of that one)...what do you think? 

Then I got a little creative and made these cute little drop earrings...

After these I felt like working with Tila beads...grabbing my book "Great Designs for Shaped Beads" and came up with this piece...love the color and feel of the piece...and of course, I have to have matching earrings...

Thus ended my beading day!  Can't wait to see what y'all think...

 

Happy Beading!

OMG!!! No size 15's?

Picture this...You are surfing through the library of beading tutorials and come across the one that you are going to devote the next couple of hours to.  You've cleaned off your beading space (Mise en place); you read the tutorial and know you can do it and now you check the materials list against your inventory and wait...OMG...you have no 4mm crystal bicones in the color scheme...you've expended your bead budget, plus the Local Bead Shops (LBSs) are closed...Holy Cow!  Now what do I do?

Well you know I just have to finish that project, so pull out my trusty Google and I searched bead substitutions and this is what I came up with...(thanks to the folks from Beading Daily)...While using the materials specified in the tutorial is ideal, there are substitutions that can enhance the original design and even make it look like a totally new piece.  Trick is to stay in the same "general" shape and size required in the original pattern and there sky's the limit...

Have Fun and Happy Beading!

New Partnership with EtsyATX

I'm so focused on marketing my business and finding other local artists that have travelled this path that I'm on has been instrumental in my growth.

I was referred to this group on etsy (www.etsy.com) which consisted of other local Artisans who shared tips and tricks...not just about Etsy, but also about handmade Austin. With this group, I found a community willing to share knowledge, experiences and darned near everything else if they had the answer.  Through them, I learned about building treasuries on etsy, about how to advertise events that your shop will be participating in plus other things.

Most recently, less than two months ago, an idea was thrown out...interested in doing a craft show?...and from the kernel of an idea sprouts Etsy ATX Holiday Market.  Come join a group of Austin artists on December 15, 2013 from 10:00am-5:00pm at the Holiday Inn Midtown.

 

Bezel vs Embroidery

How I love my beadalicious friends on Facebook in my many various groups!  I'm not an expert by any means in this craft that I have chosen and I turn to them for lots of guidance and advice...so thanks up front to the Beadiful one of my Auntie's Bead Chat group.

In another group that I'm in on Facebook, "Seed Beads and More", the monthly challenge project is to create a bead embroidered piece.  For those that know me, know that although I admire all the wonderfully creative embroidered pieces, this form of beadwork is generally not for me.  Why?  It's free form and my brain just doesn't work that way (I'm working on that though). 

What caused my confusion you may ask?  Well, in a tutorial and a book I have about bezeling cabachons, they both recommend (not in all cases) adhereing the cabochon to a product called "Lacy Stiff Stuff" and the encircling the cab with beads using a 2-bead backstitch.  Well now, this is the same stitch used in bead embroidery so I didn't understand what made one thing bezeling and the other bead embroidery.

I couldn't tell the difference between bead embroidery and bezeling as in my humble opinion seemed to be the same so I start doing a little research.
 

Bead embroidery courtesy of Google Images

 Per Wikipedia, Bead embroidery is a type of beadwork that uses a needle and thread to stitch beads to a surface of fabric, suede, or leather.

Bead embroidery is an embellishment that does not form an essential part of a textile's structure.





Beaded Cabochon Bezel courtesy of Google Images

No such luck with a definition of beaded bezeling on Wikipedia, the closest I come is.."a general term for a setting holding the stone in place using a raised surrounding for the stone with a lip encircling and overlapping the edges of the stone, thus holding it in place"


After posing the question to my Chat friends, +Katarina Walker Ray, said it best..."Embroidery is decorative stitching, usually done on on fabric or leather. Bezeling is creating a setting that cradles a stone or other focal component. Bead embroidery can be used to create a bezel. Bead stitching, without an underlying fabric, can also be used to create a bezel."


Thanks guys!  Now I have a better understanding...

Happy Beading!