Posts Tagged ‘Seed Beads’
Christmas Earrings, Coraling Stitch
Seed Bead Jewelry Earrings, Coraling Stitch
I just got in a findings order, and I decided to play around with what I got. One of the items I received was an accident; the bag was labeled correctly, but the wrong findings were included! Fortunately, when I called Customer Service, they sent me out the right item and said to go ahead and keep what I have (whoopee!).
So, after getting together my seed beads, some Fireline and the earring findings, I set to work making some green, gold and red earrings, using the coraling stitch.
Now I've mentioned the coraling before, and it's basically a type of kinked fringe. I thought it would work beautifully with the domed earring findings that I got by accident.
So here are the tools I used:
- Domed earring findings, with perforations
- Fireline, 6 lb, smoke color
- Seed beads, size 11, in green, gold and red
Domed Earring Findings
From that point, I just stitched up through the perforations on the earring findings. I put 2 strands of the coraling through each perforation. I started out with mostlu green on the top, then added more gold as I worked downward, added red to the gold and then mostly red.
Each earring took me about an hour to accomplish. It was a fun way to spend a couple of hours to make some holiday earrings that are definitely different from what you normally see.
So, what else will I make? I have some ideas as to what else I can do with these findings (I got 10 pair), although I don't know for sure that I will include seed beads, mainly because the perforations are farther apart than I'd like for using the seed beads.
I got something else that I normally would not order, for an experiment -- memory wire toe rings. Now I don't wear toe rings, nor do I wear rings in general (aside from my wedding ring). But I had an idea that I just had to try.
Here is a hint; it uses vintage beads, but in a way that's definitely not vintage!
So while I go and experiement with my memory wire, I'll let you check out . Who knows where your next jewelry inspiration will come from!
 | US $19.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday Sep-06-2010 14:11:52 PDT Bid now | Add to watch list |
Vintage jewelry lot,925,14k,20 lbs,Weiss,Coro,+ no junk
 | US $67.66 (8 Bids) End Date: Saturday Sep-04-2010 4:09:31 PDT Bid now | Add to watch list |
VINTAGE JEWELRY LOT PINS RHINESTONE CAMEO BALLOON WHALE
 | US $49.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Sunday Sep-05-2010 23:05:19 PDT Bid now | Add to watch list |
ANTIQUE AND VINTAGE JEWELRY LOT, 10K, 18K, 9.4grams
 | US $150.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Friday Sep-03-2010 21:18:29 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $165.00 Bid now | Buy it now | Add to watch list |
SUPREME 14K Selro Weiss Victorian Vintage Jewelry Lot
 | US $995.00 End Date: Sunday Sep-05-2010 19:43:53 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $995.00 Buy it now | Add to watch list |
VINTAGE JEWELRY LOT HONG KONG; CORO; JAPAN & MORE 2E
 | US $19.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Sunday Sep-05-2010 17:01:21 PDT Bid now | Add to watch list |
HUGE Silver tone Vintage JEWELRY LOT. Glass beads NICE
 | US $20.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Sunday Sep-05-2010 13:27:49 PDT Bid now | Add to watch list |
Peyote Tube Bracelets
Here are the bracelets that I mentioned in my previous post. I don't know what I did to deserve two of them, but they are gorgeous! And much prettier in person; I couldn't get a photo good enough to show them in their true splendor.
Peyote Tube Bracelets, Made by Jennie
Jennie says that she got the idea and instructions from an issue of Bead&Button magazine. Each one of the vertical bars are actually peyote tubes, each made individually. Then, once enough tubes were made, they were joined together.
The toggle clasp was also a narrow peyote tube, and I am surprised at how firm it is (every time I've tried a toggle clasp like this, I've been less than successful).
I'd call this eye candy for the day! So once again Jennie, thanks so much for the lovely bracelets.
…And a Partridge in a Pear Tree
Did you go out shopping on "Black Friday"? The roads and stores around here are so jam-packed that I just order most of my gifts online. And fortunately, my family as a whole likes gift cards and certificates, so most "shopping" is fairly easy.
Christmas Tree Pins by Eisenberg, JJ and Art (Click to Enlarge)
However, David and I ventured out yesterday (Saturday) in search of more flea markets. We've been traveling around South Florida, and have even ventured up into Central Florida searching for treasures. And aside from some things that show up in virtually every flea market we've been to (Avon, lucky bamboo and parakeets), you never know what you'll find.
But you know what I am having a tough time locating? Christmas tree pins. For that matter, Christmas jewelry as a whole. I see a ton of jewelry sellers, but they are mainly the gold-plated chains and sterling silver jewelry. Oh, and the stretch bracelets. But no one has Christmas pins!
(Of course they could always be like me and be hoarding them.)
Well, I have managed to snag a few from ebay, but in some cases, they were a hard-won battle. At any rate, let me leave you with a photo of the pins I have won from ebay.
Then later on today or perhaps tomorrow, I will share with you pictures of a gorgeous Christmas gift I got from Jennie, involving lots and lots of seed beads in bracelet form. I don't even want to think of the time it took her to make them!
Today's eye candy consists of , which even though I don't work it anymore, I still love the look.
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 Lori Robbins sra Handmade Lampwork Boro Glass Beads H27  US $24.99
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 Adam G handmade lampwork boro glass beads 35 SRA US $25.00
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 Spectacular Lampworked Boro Glass Donut Beads 25 D US $17.99
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 SB lampwork Tree Sprite 9 boro beads US $34.99
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 TWO SISTERS DESIGNS Boro Lampwork Beads AMETHYST MIST US $22.00
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Beaded Jewelry: Something Old, Something New
One thing about beaded jewelry fascinates me, and that is what's new is also what's old. I guess it's the same for fashion in general, but beaded work certainly.
I've mentioned that I've been haunting the vintage costume jewelry auctions on ebay, looking for both vintage jewelry and for inspiration. I'm amazed at home some seed bead jewelry from the 40's and 50's looks like some of the lovely work I see today.
Seed bead jewelry often gets a bad rap; somehow it's seen as inferior. Maybe because the beads are so tiny? Let me tell you, it certainly hasn't been that way in the past! I've seen loads of gorgeous vintage jewelry that have seed beads are a good portion of their make up.
I also have gotten a chuckle out of larger beads in general. There are oceans of pretty beaded "strung" jewelry from the 50s, 60s and 70s. Nothing fancy, just pretty beads, albeit usually in double or triple strand necklaces.
And I somehow got the impression that memory wire bracelets were a recent invention. Nope, I've seen flocks of wrap bracelets go by in the auctions. Not to mention some of the costume jewelry books.
Beaded Necklace With Pendant (Click to Enlarge)
Yep, what goes around, comes around. Any way you look at it, beaded jewelry in one form or another is here to stay!
Something New, Inspired By Something Old
I finally finished the pendant/necklace that I started during the previous post. The project took on a life of its own, and grew from a pin to a pendant to a full triple-strand necklace with pendant. It was at one point (if you can believe it) even more elaborate, but then I decided to back off on some of the extras.
I'm wearing it now, to check the comfort level, which I find useful before trying to make other similar projects.
Because it's a test piece, I didn't go all out with supplies. While the turquoise and Swarovski are real, a lot of the rest are "fakes". I do have some sterling silver beads in this piece, but some of the silver is suspect (might be sterling or it might not -- hadn't labeled them well enough).
But I did find this project to be fun. I find that I enjoy a more vintage look, and it's fun to try and re-create it using beads.
Speaking of beads, here are some lampwork offerings now showing on ebay (no, none are mine...these are just pretties). (You can also see a .
