Printer Tray Tuesday: Wood and Glass Pearls

I have a printer's tray at home full of beads from my stash waiting to be turned into wonderful pieces. And thus, I have dubbed Tuesday to be "Printer Tray Tuesday."

Compartment number 3!
-wooden barrel beads
-glass pearls
-brass focal and beads
-brass leaf
-gold tone flower
-2 Czech glass flowers
-seed beads

I worked on this compartment last week on a rainy Wednesday. I've had those glass pearls and wooden beads forever. I made up a sketch a necklace design similar to this one last year using the barrel beads and GREEN glass pearls. So that explains why I have the wooden beads but not why I have the mocha beads instead of green.

I added some wood rounds from my bead box of wood beads. I knew I wanted to do a little layering with the focal (see the gold flower?). And I knew I wanted the necklace to be long and claspless... but I'm not sure how the balance of shapes works. Sometimes, I feel like the beads are too big for the focal I've chosen. Sometimes, I'm perfectly fine with how it looks and think it's just adorable.

I do love the colors though and want to work more with this pallet.

So. It's 10:55pm on my end here. Just barely made it in time to post this. Lol. Hope everyone is having a fantastic week!

<3

Its a Keeper

It's been a while since I made jewelry specifically for me. I noticed that I don't wear a lot of what I've made because I want to try and sell those pieces (and someone told me that worn jewelry is harder to sell... plus I don't want anything to happen to the piece while I'm wearing it). But, for people to see what kind of stuff I make or to be able to say "Oh thanks! I made it, here's a business card," I have to actually be wearing something I made (and also have business cards, but hey, one problem at a time, ok?).

The earrings are made of copper wire, dark copper chain, Cryztazzi crystals, fire polished glass beads, and glass pearls. The bracelet has seed beads, Czech flower and fire polished beads, purple glass beads, and glass pearls. The copper toggle is a gift from my wonderful friend, Liz. Thanks, Liz! I looooove it! :D

Detail of the bracelet!

Budget Bride- Earrings

I was looking at wedding magazines (shh! Don't tell my boyfriend) when I saw a pair of earrings that I just adored! But I know I wouldn't be able to afford them if I were getting married. I don't even know if I'd want to spend that kind of money on earrings I might only wear once! I wonder if I'm the only girl who thinks that.

ANYHOO. I made these. These are for the girl who wants the look but can't (and just refuses) to pay the price of the real thing. Glass pearls, fire polished glass, filigree beads, sterling silver hooks... just as pretty as the ones in the magazine and affordable!

Will post on Etsy soon. Alternate views! I love alternate views :D

No Two Pair Are Alike...

On Sunday, I made these two pairs of earrings. The first is a bit more "classic" with the big white porcelain bead and dark glass pearls. The other is a bit more "fun" with the seed bead hoops and copper flowers. One feels a bit cold and the other warm... colorwise anyway.

I'm not sure if I'm developing a "style" like a painter develops their style... but I feel more confident when I'm going into a piece. Perhaps that's what its about... confidence.

Because Every Girl Should Have A Set...

... of pearls...

I found these fantastic 10mm glass pearls at Michaels. They're described as being black but they're really a midnight blue (the picture doesn't do it justice). Pairing it with Crystazzi crystals (in violet... AND on sale, thank you very much) and these butterfly clasps (which is what I used my 40% off coupon on) makes it dressy and fun. There were enough pearls and crystals to make a princess-length necklace, a bracelet, and a cute pair of earrings (they're dangling on the flower in the background).

Its pretty simple, but I've always wanted a simple pearl necklace. Thanks to glass pearls, I have one now, plus a matching bracelet and earrings!

Yay! I know what I'm wearing to Valentine's Day dinner.

Not-So-Traditional Pearls

Browsing the sale rack at Michaels, I came across these HUGE glass pearls and instantly remembered Lisa Crone's post over on her A Bead A Day blog about her find of huge glass pearls at JoAnns. I've never done anything with a bead this big at all before, and thought I should be daring and try something out! Afterall, how can we create something new and exciting without pushing ourselves into the uncomfortable?

Driving over to my bead store as soon as I made this purchase, I found big silver hammered rings and I could clearly see the design in my head.

I think I would wear these with my hair up, just to make sure everyone could see them. I love the delicate filigree beads against the boldness of the pearls. And the colors just make me giggle.

Maybe I should have tried another design with the other pair of earrings... oh well. I still have four pearls left to play with! Yay!!!

Caged Cage Earrings

The February issue of Bead and Button was there in the magazine section at work yesterday and I bought it! Inside was a beautiful necklace designed by Nealay Patel and there was one part of the necklace that I thought would make pretty earrings. He uses seed and filigree beads to create a cage.

I tweaked the design a little and added metal cages inside the seed bead cage. The little cage dangles instead of being attached to the bottom filigree bead. My "cage" is less cage-like than Nealay's because I was having trouble getting the wire through the holes in the filigree bead, but I still like how it came out. There is a dark blue glass pearl for some contrast in color. The cage is made of 11º seed beads in silver lined lavender.

These earrings might go to work with me today... I wonder if the top I have that matches is clean or in the laundry bag... hmm. Does anyone else do that, sometimes? Choose to wear an outfit because it matches this piece of jewelry you want to wear? Instead of vice versa? I find myself doing that a lot these days :)