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!

Still Guessing??

Can you figure out what the focal is, yet?? Boy, fringe takes

a LONG time!

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!

Winters Queen

It is a wonderfully rainy day- great for the plants and us, but lousy for taking photos. Still, I wanted to share Winter Queen, as she is finished. Each of her snowflakes has a Sterling Silver spacer bead, inside which nestles a 2.5 or 3mm Swarovski bicone, held in place with a 13o charlotte, supposed to be silver plated, but the plating comes off with wear. Each snowflake is different, and is done with circular peyote stitch. Her bodice reflects the different colors of the dark we know in the Northern Hemisphere's Winter, as well as the phases of the moon, which stands out so clearly without leaves to obscure its faces.Dark blue swirls for the winds of Winter, swirling the snowflakes.

As always, click on any image to enlarge.

I hope you enjoy her.

What is it?

Just playing around with some bits from the last wholesale gem show, and one from the NC Children's Museum in Durham, NC...can you tell what that is?

Fun Trades and Gifties from the Retreat

1940s double-swirl center-hole button

Austrian Crystal Triangle pendant

1940s Heliotrope 18mm X 13mm Swarovski

early 1900s red glass hearts, transparent 13mm X 15mm

All the above were from a trade with Sherry Grove, for

a pair of crocheted wristers (fingerless gloves), plus she

gave me more yarn to make something pretty for her

and me!

Czech glass 2-sided hands (way cool!)

Harry Solly polyclay faces

And these were waiting for me when I got home;

18mm X 13mm Swarovski ovals, Tabac Golden.

From Ebay seller rystonesamanda- great price

and fast service!
Now, what to play with first??!!