What a fun set of earrings!

I have had my eye on these earrings and this
pattern ever since I saw it done by Kassie of
The Beading Butterfly, way back when the mag
issue first came out. I was doubly reminded of
the pattern when Genny S of A New Bel-Gen
did her own variations using Swar glass pearls.
I hope you like the ones below, and do try this
pattern for yourself! It is fast and easy, making
it a wonderful gift item for the last minute, plus
being able to use any style bead allows you to
fit it to the giftee easily....even wooden beads
would work nicely!

Probably the closest to Amy's pattern, using
6mm, 4mm and 3mm Czech faceted FP, but did
them double sided, with the FP held firmly in
place with the netting, and carrying the netting
around to the 'back'. Which side is the 'original'?
You will have to guess!! I love them both.
SS earwires.


Purple Velvet Satin and Satin AB Swar bicones
in 6mm, 4mm and 3mm, with PF gold Tohos in
11s and 8s- additional 15s on either side of the
8s used near the base of the 6mm for looks and
to prevent thread wear at these points. My
birthstone, so my fav pair!
GF earwires.


Again, Swar bicones in 6mm, 4mm and 3mm,
but with all the netting in the same blue, so
as to not distract from the crystals and be a
bit more subdued in look.


These were done using Chinese 6mm faceted
roundelles, Chinese 4mm bicones, and Czech
3mm FP, with titanium wires.

Here they are done in 6mm and 4mm Indian

agate, with 3mm garnets, plus PF Toho Rose

Gold seed beads.

Copper earwires.

Just think of what possibilities YOU can do!!

Whew!

Lots of snow, lots of great times with family, plenty of good food, and a whole sh#tload of snow! To me, that is the recipe for a perfect Winter Holiday!

But yes, I did bead- a bit.

Here is a pair of earrings I made to go with the Holiday Donut- that went to a friend who fell in love with it, and whose birthday is generally ignored by her family(Dec 28- she gets 'Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday' all in the same sentence!).

Here is a few photo of the early snowfall- we ended up with 8-12 inches, depending on which side of the house you walk.

May the Love in your Life ever grow, your thread remain free of knots,

your beads sorted, your Muse happy, and your tree always upright!

Best of the Season to you all!

Icy Blues Earrings

From Gwen Fisher's pattern, Deco Lotus, in Beadwork Magazine, November 09. Used Chinese faceted roundelles in place of the seed beads and it worked up very nicely.

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.

Soha turns into earrings-voila'!

Great pattern- you can find it here;

http://centperles.canalblog.com/archives/2010/01/27/16696458.html

You have to use Rocailles- the thinner, donut shaped

seed beads, or it will buckle like made, instead

of gently curving to meet your wrist. I cannot see

myself doing 6 or 7 of these, so did one as earring,

and like it well enough to do another.

Tip; do not try adding the rocailles on either side of

the first 4mm Czech rounds you put on the sides,

but add them in the next row. Continue around,

then add the center 4mm rounds- add another

rocaille between the two center 4mm rounds, so

that when you tack it down to one of the first rocailles

added in Row 2, it lies nicely.

Be careful going through your delicas multiple times

if you have matte finish- they are a bit delicate. Just

wiggle your needle gently to make room, then ease

it on through. If it seems hard, get a smaller needle.

I used my beloved curved #10 John James beading

needle and 6# Smoke Fireline. The rocailles came

from a hank of beads I bought in the 1980's, at a

Pow-Wow. I also used a 4mm Margarite, not a 6mm.

Happy Beading!

Ruby and Frost Earrings

These were adapted from a photo of some done by another

beader, who had used the pattern that came with the Bead

Calendar. I don't have the calendar, but it looked easy enough

to figure out!

Funny thing is, the pattern had it as a two needle piece, but

mine used a single needle, making less unwieldy to create.

I did not have enough 5mm to use on the outside, so used more

4mm.

Happy Holidays!

don't know why

the entire set wasn't shown, but here it is

The Ice Queen cometh!

18 large beads at each juncture; 9 on either side of the 8o delica juncture. 17 junctures for the bracelet, 32 for the necklace..not as heavy as it looks, either, and lots of bling! Click on any pic to make it full size.

More Holiday Cheer

We began this pattern at the November Bead Retreat, and while I had finished one leaf there for earrings, was stumped as to what to do about the necklace. The original pattern called for much more space between the leaves, and only 5-9 leaves total- not near enough bling or interest for me! AND the leaves were all one color...I wanted a holiday look that could be worn to the concerts at the new CHS Theatre and at WCU for the NC Symphony Concert December 11. I am happy with all but the clasp, and will be redoing that portion into a beaded circle and toggle, with drops of Swarovski 3 and 4mm bicones. Now to find the perfect outfit to match LOL!

Happy Retreat times

We finished a beading retreat just outside Robbinsville, NC

and for once, I have completed projects to show for it!

Now only the Russian Leaf necklace and earrings, and my

Turkish Round Chainmaille are left to do, but they might

have to wait until the week long UFO Retreat in May! LOL!