Just foolin' around with RAW

I like RAW crystal bracelets, but are too hard on them to

have the crystals at the corners, so this one is made with

the size 11 seed beads at the 'corners', to give the thread

a fighting chance!

Happy Beading!

Tutorial-RAW and netted bracelet

A friend sent me this pic of a bracelet bit, and asked if I could help
her figure out how to do it...mine is done in all one color- a RAW chart
can help her, and you, figure out how to do the color changes.
Enjoy- just follow the steps below, and feel free to share. If you click on the
photos and save them to your computer, you can use the free pdf creator
cutepdf to make them into a pdf to save for future use, offline. Of course,
you can use whatever program you wish for this.

If you follow the steps top to bottom, making the bracelet as long

as you want with the first RAW steps, remembering that adding

the netting will 'shrink' it about 1/2" (and remembering to figure

in whatever clasp length you are using!), you should be able to

create a beautiful bracelet for yourself!

Happy Beading!

Still more

Gotta love the metal beads, even though the plating sucks. If your project won't be in contact with the skin that much, they are perfect with RAW!

I actually used mononfilament fishing line with these. I know, I know, but it tolerated the pulling tight with the sharp edges of the metal beads and the 2.5mm bicones.

More of this and that

This is what happens when you get beads that just scream to be used in herringbone, but you want to embellish afterward! Swar 4mm gold glass pearls, purple velvet Swar bicones, Czech reproduction button. Gifted to Bebee G of NC/FL!

Playing around with teaching myself RAW 3D, using el cheapo Chinese bicones, came up with this lovely cross, which will be part of a Christmas gift to a close friend. See, you CAN make something nice with those bicones- $1 for a 16 inch strand!

Riza C, a fairly new beader (since April 2010!!!) did the top two using the Alhambra pattern by Sabine Lippert. I like how she used the semi-precious Chinese Turquoise, Turquoise R/S, Indian Jasper and Autumn Jasper in hers.

The top of the three is Jan Wasser's Diamondback pattern, done with Indian Red and Indian Pink Swar bicones, the other two are Alhambra variations, original pattern by Sabine Lippert. I wish the 3.4mm fringe drops on the black and silver (Miyuki) didn't lose their silver coating, or that I had used the FP version, but I still like it. The charlottes are Tierra Cast, and they are holding up beautifully, though now that we are using our gas logs for heat, have to keep all the silver that I cannot put into the tumbler to clean in ziploc bags, because they tarnish from the sulphur in the propane. The stones in the black and silver are black tourmaline (the 8mm), smoky quartz R (6mm faceted) and black agate D (4mm). The lighter bracelet uses the glass pearls from FMG- not Swars, but they are holding up nicely. Both of these use the C clasps from Claspgarten, and I highly recommend them as easy to put on, yet do not come apart during wear.

Happy Moon, indeed! Face by Solly Creations, Kato clay with alcohol ink, embellished herringbone base. Gifted to Riza C of Bryson City!

What have YOU been up to?

Pearly Heart Double-Sided Bliss

Bead and Button offered an online pattern by Susan Eisemann, called Two Hearts Forever. It is fast enough to work up, if you have the materials ( calls for 4mm glass pearls, 4mm bicones- but you can do it in two colors of pearls, 11o seed beads) and if you are fairly proficient in RAW, that you can make it up for Mother's Day!

I absolutely did not want to make two RAW bases, as the pattern called for, because the one a friend made, that I was able to fondle, felt bulky and sort of pooched out in the middle. So, I wanted to see if I could make one base, then embellish both sides.

YES! It can be done. I used Miyuki 11o beads, and culled as I went, to be sure that the holes were not small, as they were going to have to take multiple thread passes. I should have used 4# Fireline, but only had the 6# with me. It worked out fine, doncha think?
Instead of the beaded bail, I am going to attach sterling jumprings or the like to the top, so that a sterling chain can go through it.

Happy Beading! And Happy Mother's Day!

See, that wasn't so hard!

Take this

And turn it into THIS!

Take one pattern that looks fun (and turns out to be easy as well! ), add colors you love, then keep on embellishing til it looks and feels right. Ingrid Regan showed us her version on Beaddreamz yahoogroup, and I loved how it looked. I am not a fan of loose strands of beads draping across my beadwork, however, as I am one of those that will hook them on something, then wheeeee, all the beads go flying! I did love how she kept embellishing the original Wiggle Room pattern by Julie Glasser, featured in the Special RAW edition by Bead & Button Magazine, so let my beads tell me what to do when I got to that point. I wanted bling, as I am wearing this to jury duty call tomorrow, but not 'in your face' bling. I also wanted it to feel smooth, but look textured. I think the final product was exactly what I wanted, and worked up in just a few hours!

Take that, you silly Ruffle Cuff ( where these beads were originally to go)!! My Muse and I will go and enjoy a cuppa Constant Comment, a bit of Dog Whisperer on Hulu, and plan our next project together!!

Click on any pic to make it full size.

Chocolate Cookoff Coming!

And I enjoyed making this set of a puffy heart, using

Swarovski 4mm bicones and 11o seed beads, with

Hani-Ami technique Earrings that used 3mm Swar

bicones and 14o charlottes. Both are on Sterling Silver.

They are to be the People's Choice Award at the cook-off,

which is this 20th of February in Bryson City, and

benefits the Marianna Black Friends of the Library.

The MBFOL is moving into a real store, and is excited

about being able to truly support the library for a change!

They have been in a 8 X 10 storage unit for the past few

years, not conducive to shopping for used books.

I am most happy to be able to contribute to this worthy cause!

Click on any pic to make it full size.

stuff done since march 09

just so you know I wasn't sitting around doing nothing LOL!

Spring Waves Necklace

From the Ocean Waves pattern, which is a RAW modified with an extra bead.

Cannot remember for the life of me who created this originally, but thanks to her

I have this lovely necklace, which drapes nicely. I added a self-toggle clasp,

because I don't like metal clasps on seed bead pieces. It was created for the

March Challenge at Beaddreamz yahoogroup.