I won I finally won......

Why previously I have talked about being a member of the beading forum. Well every so often they run a designer quest. This is where a supplier, Cranberry, offers two packets, this time they were
The idea is to pick a pack, I picked the purple. Then used as much of the pack, the more the better, and make up to three pieces. Here is mine, a choker oh and I won the quest :)

Next is a bead meet challenge, made from size 15 seed beads, smokey quartz and a couple of deb's lampwork beads.


Next is my first attempt of huan's wire wrapped rivoli. Its a violet 14mm rivoli, crystal AB round and 3mm violet 2AB swarovski's. Sterling silver beads and wire.


Lastly our bead group decided to do a charm swap, colours to be used was purple, green, gold, bronze and silver. They are all very different charms in there own right but I love them. I made a double vision bracelet made from purple anodized aluminium to put the charms on. I just love it.


Thanks for looking.

More of what I have been up too

I have been keeping myself busy trialing things, learning new techniques and planning for a jewellery party before christmas.

I wanted to make some beaded rings and I found these two patterns on the web. The black and red one is RAW (right angle weave) using size 11 beads and swarovski's. Not sure what you call the beading around the pearls but the rest of the ring is brick stitch. Size 11 beads with a large swarovski pearl 6mm and two 4mm glass pearls I think they were. I have since made a few more with different colours and have now changed the band on the RAW ring to brick stick, it feels more solid.

After finally getting a grasp of beaded crochet rope I decided to make a necklace, pretty happy with how it turned out.

Our August bead meet challenge. It is called "weave a bezel" ( page 55 - step by step wire jewelry vol 3 no 2 summer preview 2007). Its copper wire with a sesame jasper cab.


Just a few earrings I have been making.

In August I was lucky enough to do a wire workshop run by Sir Paul Howard, Principal of the Gold Coast School of Wirecraft, in Queensland, Australia, & Lady Marie. Here are the beautiful things I made.

Sterling silver and the cab is mookorite jasper.
A gorgeous ring and bracelet, I just loved the ring and will be making many more.

Lastly was these gorgeous earrings.

I brought some 6mm natural fossil beads and have struggled to find anything to go with them so with little modification I used a free tutorial from bead infinitum I created the following beaded beads. Now what to do with them.

Octobers Challenge was make a tiara, This is my work in progress, have to glue and cover up the terrible wire wrapping. Sterling silver wire base with swarovski's and czech beads. It is going to be my daughters.

What I have been up too

A short time ago my friend cas taught us how to make this dreamcatcher pendant (her design) I finally found a use for it. Its silver plated with solidite and crystal.
This is just a spiral bracelet with 2.5mm swarovski's
I put this together using some beautiful dani polymer clay beads, not to sure if I am sold on the necklace yet but we shall see. If you like her beads you can purchase them here
Here is a simple blue charm bracelet.
Lastly Sterling silver bracelet with freshwater pearls.
I have previously made this design but decided on a black and white version. I think it turned out beautiful.
I will post more later. Thanks for looking

For Sale

Ok well the time has come and I am wanting to start selling my jewellery. Only problem is are people interested, do I sell at markets or take to shops, use etsy, ebay. So many questions maybe I will just put it out there and see what comes my way.

If you see anything here you like or are interested in you can email me at shonadalrymple@hotmail.com.

Now back to the stuff that matters. This bracelet below is made from debs lampwork beads, crystal and sterling silver. I love the beads but just tossing up at the moment if I am going to add more dangles to it. Will post a new picture if I decide to change it.

Well this would have to be one of the best challenges yet, with bending and hammering wire I really lovvvvvvvved this one. Its made up of Sterling silver, freshwater pearls, czech beads, swarovski pearls, sliver charms and solitite.

This beautiful bangle is our last challenge crochet beaded rope. It was a struggle for me to learn but in the end I got it. I was happy I stuck with it as I love the outcome.

Finally!!!!

After what seemed like forever I finished it. The tutorial is from the june issue of Bead & Button magazine called Whirling peyote designed by Kathryn Bowman.
I decided to give the swarovski competition a go which is running through www.crystalpark.com.au. If you like it please vote for me here

Its called "Love and Kisses"

Lastly I finally took a picture of the first challenge that we did, I loved this on.

Its been a while

Well it has been a little while since I last posted so this post is going to have alot of pictures. I have been busy playing with beads (just cheapies laying around, with some good ones in the mix), making presents and doing challenges for my bead meets. Oh and a little wire work as well.

My mother asked me to make a necklace for her boss, she loves red so this is what I came up with. Using a tutorial I got from the bead infintium I started with that and then went from there and got this. I was pretty happy with how it turned out. For the necklace I just strung beads as it was the only thing that really seemed to match.

Close up

The back

I made these indian feathers using Iza's tutorial. She does just gorgeous wire work you can find her etsy store on the right.

Close up

This is my first attempt of african helix. I wasnt sure how it would turn out with the colours I picked but I just love it.
I was so glad for this one to be finished it just seemed to go on for ever. The stitch is celini. I think it looks lovely but I think this will be my only one.
Lastly I have spoken in previous posts in relation to our brisbane bead meet challenges. This is number 3 chosen by lavinia, from BEADWORK magazine August/September 2007 called Twilight Entanglement. This is my version.

Close up

I dont think I ever posted the first one. I will add it to my next post.

Thanks for reading.

What I have been doing lately

Whilst at the last bead meeting I started talking to Cas about making a chain maille bracelet for my mother in law for mothers day. As it turned out she had a heap of kits with her and this is the one I found and loved, ROOSA weave and to make things better I had enough rings left to make on for myself.



I started working on this when I got the bead & button bracelet magazine. Its called sparkling wave. When I first started I did the size15 in the colour black, not a good idea it looked like mouse poo. So with new seedies brought here it is. Looks lovely on too.


Last but not least.

A few posts ago I showed you a pendant I had made and that I was going to make a double viking knit. Well here it is, I am very happy with the results. It was made with 28 gauge non-tarnish artistic silver wire.

Close up
Full necklace

The Clasp

Love the Helm

I made this bracelet for my cousin's birthday. As I wasn't sure if she preferred silver or gold I decided to go with this combo. It is helm/parallel weave and they are plated rings from cas.

Very happy with how it turned out.

Ok well I finally got all my supplies and here it is my Eni Oken heart pendant. Made with sterling silver and the stone is mookite

Full view

Close up front

Close up back

Oh and this is a spiral bracelet I have been working on (my first one) and finished yesterday. Our beading group currently gives jewellery to different charities and this will be one of mine to give.


I am loving working with all these different mediums its just so much fun. I got some new cutting blades the other day so hopefully I will have some more chain maille soon.

Eni Oken woven bail

I was introduced to a wonderful artist Eni Oken and her wonderful wirework by some people from the beading forum. She recently released a new tutorial -heart pendant and I was convinced that although I had not done wire wrapping. It would not be to hard to do. I am currently working on it but I am waiting on a few supplies to finish it. So I will post a pic when I have finished.

Whilst looking at her site though I came across another tutorial -woven bail and decided that since I still had some beautiful beads of debs that I would give it a go. It is not as neat as I think it should be but I am pretty have with the results.

The front

The back

Thanks Eni and Deb and thanks for looking.