Another awesome giveaway

To celebrate the opening of her new etsy store Belinda Saville - Handcrafted Artisan Jewellery is having an awesome giveaway.

Such a gorgeous necklace definately worth entering.  Visit her blog, the link is above to have your chance to enter.


Also be sure to check out her etsy shop there are definately some gorgeous pieces available.

Kumihimo and Stamping

Well just when I think I am on top of things I look at my blog at low and behold its nearly two months since my last blog. I havent really been doing alot of beading/jewellery making since the last post as I have been doing a little bit of reading (well its been a little more of an obsession, lol). At my last bead me though I got a chance to give kumihimo a go and loved it. Here is my first bracelet made.

Now for the next adventure, I finally brought some stamping supplies as I have always wanted to give it a go. Thanks to beaducation and there wonderful service I am now on my way. So I had a little practise and then decided to give a blank a go. My spacing and design stamp need a bit of work but I think it turned out quite good for a first go. Oh and the daugther loves it.

Sorry about the dodgy pic's but due to the shine its a little difficult photograph.

Creative Space update and more

In my last post 'My creative space' I posted a picture of my next adventure into the world of wire. Well I have finished and I am really happy with how it turned out. The first two pics are the process.

Now for the finished product

Up close

The next are a few pictures from my lastest challenges. Firstly was a wire monthly challenge with my qld beading friends. Secondly was my entry for Australian Beaders group on facebook. I loved what I created but sadly I didnt place.

So now onto my next challenge :)

So very long

I am sorry it has been so long since my last post. I have been doing alot though and having a great time doing it. Firstly I want to tell you about this very talented friend of mine - Sandee of SanDeeLee Designs. I was lucky enough to get one of her tutorials, which you can get them here. She lots of different tutorials that are beautifully written and easy to follow. The one that I tried was the puffy love pendant, I just love it. I call this my ''healing heart" as it is filled with clear quartz, rose quartz and moonstone. Check out her site you will not be disappointed.

At the last Bead meet our monthly challenge was to make a polymer clay chameleon steampunk by Christi Friesen. I have never done any polymer clay before but it was a fantastic time and I am very happy with the outcome. I think he's kinda cute, I haven't baked him yet.

Lastly my sister asked me if I would have a table with here at her son's schools ladies night. There was about 8 others tables there of various things. It wasnt a huge turn up but I did manage to sell some pieces. I wasnt one hundred percent happy with my set up but I was a great learning experience and it got my stuff out there. It was a good night.

Oh and I have finally started setting up an online shop. After setting up a website to have it shut down I decided this was a good option. Will update when I have finished the set up.

I fused, finally

Well I had the chance to do a silver fusing workshop and it was very exciting. Firstly we made headpins, next we got to make a ring. Firstly was creating the ball, my oh my that took forever and then after all the time I ended up flattening it, lol. Next step was stamping, this too was my first time so there was a couple of double stamps. Its not exactly round but I really like it and will definately be giving another go.

The last piece we made was the bracelet below just loved this one, fusing rings, then hammered. Sorry for the unpolished piece but it requires another link then I will tumble.
I have been also trying to create some new wire pieces building on what I have been learning lately. On the beading forum I am a part of they currently have a challenge which is TRON, based on the movie TRON if you are unaware of it, it was and 80's sci-fi style movie. This is my entry, it hasnt been judged yet so we shall see.

Lastly are two bracelets I have been working on for a friends children. The first an egyptian spiral and the last is macrame, its my first bracelet for a boy so hopefully he likes it.

Thanks for looking and any comments welcome.

Loving the new year a time for creating!!!

I finished these beauties the other day. Another wonderful tutorial from Perri Jackson. Beaded caps, they are not as neat as perri's but I love them all the same. Now to start creating.......







A while ago I did a weekend wire workshop I finally got around to making another ring. Very happy with this one and hope to do a wrapped cab soon.


Again using deb's wonderful beads, swarovski's and sterling silver. I created this necklace. I also did my first trizantine (not sure if thats the correct spelling) to attach the pendant. Something simple but I like it.

Next is an attempt of a friends tutorial, which I love sterling silver and red tigers eye, I believe.
This is my first ever commission designed as requested, Sterling silver and sodalite.

Last but not least was my entry for the valentine challenge on a wonderful new website JewelryLessons . I was trying to do something different other then hearts but it didnt turn out as good as I had hoped and only hearts made the semi's. Mind you what made it to the semi's where of a much higher quality and skill. Better luck next time. Oh and I called it circle of love, the infinate circle.

Thanks for reading and hope you enjoy the journey as much as me.

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

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.