Pokeweed Lariat

I go to the High Sierras every year for a week vacation. It’s nice fishing and making something that I don’t get a chance to at home. Working with seed beads takes a lot of concentration for me and this is a time that I can spend long periods concentrating.  This is one of Laura McCabe’s kits. I always buy seed beads kits. It’s easier than designing something myself which would take me longer to make a piece. With a kit, I get the instructions along with all the beads. I don’t have to shop to find all the needed supplies. Laura’s kits are awesome!! She doesn’t fudge on details in her pieces and her instructions and well written and understandable.

Sorry about the bad picture. I took it with my cell phone camera which always gives me blurry pictures. It’s hard to see all the little size 15 seed beads in the piece. It took me three days to make the spiral lariat part and after I finished, I wish I made it about 2 inches longer so I could double wrap it around my neck if I wanted to wear it shorter but I didn’t realize the embellishments on the ends would go up the lariat so far. It’s impossible to add more length without making a HUGE mess. This piece took me 6 days to make, working on it about 6 – 8 hours a day. I did spend some time trout fishing in my spare time. Freshly caught and cooked fish is just the best!!

Published in: on June 10, 2012 at 11:13 am  Comments Off on Pokeweed Lariat  
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Bracelets And Key Chains

I’m now stuck on leather. I’m really liking working with it. Especially the distressed leather.

This one is similar to the other two I made previously. Just used different beads. I made the glass ones in this bracelet.

This is a multi-strand bracelet with big holed pearls and sterling silver. It has a magnetic clasp.

Some key chains that I just finished up making.

Published in: on May 25, 2012 at 12:02 pm  Comments Off on Bracelets And Key Chains  
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More Beads

Still trying to put in some practice on the disc beads which I’m still not able to make a symmetrical disc. Here are my last attempts:

I’m getting a little discouraged as these take so much time to make and my results aren’t what I want. The only way I’m going to get better is to practice but do I have time to practice right now? Or should I be in production mode trying to get things done for the next craft show?

These are made out of borosilicate glass. It’s the same glass as Pyrex except colored. It is totally different than the glass I usually work with. It’s takes more heat to melt and it’s really stiff. I probably won’t be using this glass on a regular basis. Not unless I get a more powerful torch.

In my attempt to get something accomplished that I could use, I made these for a key chain. I’ll be making more of these.

Published in: on May 20, 2012 at 9:18 am  Comments Off on More Beads  
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Just Beads

I badge holder keeps breaking and the big bead I had on it got fractured in a few places when it fell on the concrete. I thought it was time to replace it. I made some BIG beads, none I really like but I don’t want to spend any more time making a big bead. So these are the ones I got done last night.

How did that small bead get in to the picture? I didn’t like these at all. I was a bit tired and shouldn’t have tried the top bead. It takes forever to make them. The bottom bead is silver glass. I made a mistake on how the glass was supposed to be layered so I got some weird reaction that isn’t pleasing.

This is the bead I used for the badge holder. I just strung it on some leather cord. Kind of cracks me up. I make all kinds of jewelry and this is the best I can do for my badge holder.

Published in: on May 19, 2012 at 12:54 pm  Comments Off on Just Beads  
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Beads, Buttons and Plant Stakes

I’m still making beads for bracelets and using my all my short rod ends at the same time.

I know, not very exciting. But I need some plain beads to use in the bracelets.

I’m still trying to get these to be symmetrical which is tough for me. This time I purposely used contrasting colors so I can see how I’m progressing. Still need practice. The one on the top left it was looking pretty good until I accidentally hit it on the top of my torch.

I just did the two frogs on the left and the calla lily, I just happened to leave them with the other plant stakes I made previously.

More swirl buttons. I’m trying different colors on a black base. The green bled a little but it’s not that noticeable. I didn’t notice it until I took this picture.

That’s it for this week!!

Published in: on May 15, 2012 at 8:45 pm  Comments Off on Beads, Buttons and Plant Stakes  
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Another Leather Bracelet

I’m still experimenting with how to assemble these bracelets. I made this one a bit different than the first one.

The blue beads I didn’t make. I found those in my stash.

I’m making beads to use for more bracelets. Here’s what I got done this weekend.

I tried using silver glass in some of these. Still need practice in learning the glasses and how to work them in the flame.

I also wanted to do these swirl buttons but couldn’t figure out how to make them. Or I didn’t try. Last night I tried. I just used a thick stringer and made a swirl, then melted it in. Didn’t realize it was so easy. I thought there was some magical thing to get the swirl.

Okay, there are those two right ones that aren’t swirls but they needed their picture taken too.

Published in: on May 13, 2012 at 11:25 am  Comments Off on Another Leather Bracelet  
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Finishing Up A Few Things…

When my sister was down for the holidays last year she made a bunch of porthole pendants. They have been sitting around so I finally finished them up. Gluing a image to the glass domes and putting them into the porthole pendants. That’s the easy part.

I put this one on a leather necklace because the bail just happened to fit. I have to figure out what size tubing my sister used for this as it works perfectly with this size leather.

I used silk ribbons for the necklaces on the next three pendants. I finish them with a two hole glass button and glass end caps. The two hole button acts like a slider type clasp.

The reason the end caps and button isn’t showing in this picture is because I “lost” one of the end caps before I had a chance to glue it on. I now have to remake it tonight.

Close up of the pendants.

Published in: on May 13, 2012 at 11:20 am  Comments Off on Finishing Up A Few Things…  
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Two Bracelets and One Necklace

I made these ladder bracelet for myself:

Not sure if I like the black leather with the amethyst stones but I didn’t like it with brown or natural leather either. That’s all the choices I had. I’ll wear it and if I don’t like it I’ll remake it with another color leather.

Then, a new type bracelet:

It’s a double wrap leather bracelet with drill rocks and other beads. I made it to fit my wrist and I so far, it’s pretty comfortable. I’m going to change how I do the connections from the rock piece to the leather on my next one. You didn’t think this would be the only one, did you?

I made the copper bail and riveted it to a glass bead. It’s strung on the same leather as the bracelet. The little stone is pyrite.

Published in: on May 11, 2012 at 1:01 pm  Comments Off on Two Bracelets and One Necklace  
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Copper Bail Pendants and Other Things

I started a ladder bracelet this week and never finished it. I’m finally getting tired of making them. Not that I won’t go back and revisit them later. I’m still making buttons for them and should have a good stock of them when I do get back to making them.

First up is a couple of glass pendants that I made a copper bail to hang them from.

I wish I could find bezel cups with higher sides. Just a tad bit higher would be a big help since I’m trying to hide a rivet inside the bezel cup.

I made some new beads to use for these copper bails last night.

The first one has frit and silver foil and silver glass in it. The other two are all transparent glass with a little heart.

More buttons that I made this weekend. I like making buttons….

My mom made these fabric origami boxes. Of course it wouldn’t be right not to embellish them with a glass bead or button.

Aren’t they cute?

Published in: on May 6, 2012 at 11:29 am  Comments Off on Copper Bail Pendants and Other Things  
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Lots Of Different Things

I’m still all over the place as far as getting anything made or done. So here’s what I’ve been working on this past week.

Two more badge holders. I plan to make more but I ran out of beads. Well, not really, but beads for these badge holders. I guess that means I need to spend more time at the torch.

A couple more plant stakes. I really like the chicken. Might make more of them.

Just some miscellaneous beads. I think I’m going to use three for a key chain and the rest, I don’t know.

These are going to be pendants with a copper bail if I ever get around to fabricate one. I’m working on my first one and haven’t figured out all the steps yet. I’m hoping I’ll have time soon to work on it more.

Two more ladder double wrap bracelets. Well, that’s it for this week’s show.

Published in: on April 29, 2012 at 11:50 am  Comments Off on Lots Of Different Things  
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