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.

My creative space

I have noticed that a few of my beading friends have been posting picture every Thursday of there "creative space" on an awesome blog Kootoyoo . Its so exciting seening what people are up too and really motivates me.

I have been watching for weeks and decided its finally time for me to participate. So here is my first creative space. I have decided to work on another wire woven pendant. So far I have picked out my colours/stones. Now just to start.



So watch this space and see it evolve :)

I did it, I make a tutorial well two actually

I have been a busy girl lately making jewellery for my sister, a few bits and pieces that will be at the end of the post. But the most exciting is my tutorials one paid and one free.

The free one is Helm weave and you can get the tutorial here

Now for the tada

These are my Helm rose earrings and if your interested in the tutorial you can purchase it here. You need to have a knowledge of Helm weave first.



I am now considering creating a piece for the EKKA so I will keep you posted.

Something new what do you think?

Well we are well into the new year now do you believe its halfway through february. How slack of me for this to be my first post for the year. I have been still making Jewellery and selling it (which is the most exciting part :)

Also this year I wrote my first tutorial and taught my first class, it was chainmaille, byzantine to be exact. Looking forward to this being an continuing trend for the year as I really enjoyed it.

So what have I been making I hear you ask well firstly there is a wonderful artist, maxine I have found on the beading forum that makes really quirky beads, you can find them here. I got her to make me one in pink, I just love it and so does my daughter.

Here is a beautiful beaded bead. Its is part of a necklace design in the lastest bead and button. I decided just to make only the one bead and turn it into a pendant and I am really happy with it.



Lastly is a pendant I have recently made its fine and sterling silver with swarovski's. I am not sure it if I really like it and its not the best photo. Let me know what you think about it

Visit back soon....

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.

First wire sculptured pendant

Update: Well I was so happy when the theme on the beading forums year of jewellery was focal point. I thought my piece definately fit. So I entered it and yep I WON. Wooooohooo my first Year of Jewellery win.


Well I have finally given it a go and I have to say I am pretty happy about the outcome. My very first wire sculptured pendant. Thanks to a wonderful tutorial by Remy at Studio Health , I was able to create it. It is made from sterling silver and fine silver, blue lace agate, moonstone and some swarovski's.

The front

The back

So what do you think??????

Another month gone

And what a month it has been. I had every intension of posting many times this month but it just didnt happen. With flat batterys in the camera, a week in melbourne and my daughters 3rd birthday I had no chance. Well here I am now.

Firstly a short time ago I brought a wonderful tutorial, Viking bezel pendant by AnneMade Jewelry . I was very happy to finally give it a go. I have just used a stone sitting around the house and some silver artist wire.

Our lastest brisbane bead meet challenge was beaded cabs. We were luck enough to have karyn (her blog) . This was my first creation using a beautiful rhodonite cabochons.

Whilst at the meet I was lucky enough to by one of debs lampwork cab/bead and this is my creation.

I am very happy with how they both turned out, actually lovin them.

Finally I have been getting some more chainmaille done, been missing it lately. This is a child's bracelet made from aluminum. Byzantine and mobius flowers. I think it looks really sweet.

Lastly and on a non jewellery note I mentioned at the beginning of the post my daugther turned three. Below is the cake/cupcakes I made for her party. They were the yummiest cakes ever and it was a really hit.

Its a wrap

For those of you that dont already know in my last post I talked of a workshop I had done. Well I finally gave it a go on my own and I am very happy with the results. Although it is a little skewif, I am sure that will get better in time with practise. It is dyed howlite and sterling silver.














And so the journey continues. Stay tuned for the next installment.

Do I have the skills?

Over the year I have been lucky enough to find out about some very wonderful jewellery artist, I have mentioned earlier Iza and Eni but there are a few more I would like to mention. Slowly but surely I am hoping to try all there wonderful tutorials to help increase my skills and techniques.

So the most recent tutorial I have tried is Celtic Coiled Bezel Pendant by Perri Jackson. A wonderful tutorial although I think I still need alot more practise on my wire work skills. This is my creation on the left. There are a few things different then they should be but all in all I am very happy with my creation. I have another of hers to try, beaded caps and will post when done. Be sure to check out her tutorials at ShaktipajDesigns .

The other people I will talk about in the near future is Corra and her wonderful designs and tutorials and lastly is Bobbi some more gorgeous designs and tutorials. I am sure there is more artist's to discover but for now I hope to learn and grow from them.

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.

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.