Gold Plated Tube

Hi everyone! I hope you don't mind taking a look at another gold toned bead that I found recently. This was also in the closeout bin at a local bead shop. I have always loved the industrial vibe in fashion and jewelry. This is exactly why I am constantly reminding myself and others that you "can't judge a book by its cover". Just because a person appears to be sort of "buttoned down", doesn't by any means indicate that person doesn't have a little bit of rebel on the inside just waiting for the right moment to get out and express themselves!!

Over the years I have met quite a few others just like me. We have a tendency to gravitate to the conservative on the outside, while maintaining our "hippie" vibe on the inside. The cool thing is, we seem to find each other!

I've been watching the Bob Dylan DVD from his tour of England in 1965. Talk about an ultra cool portrayal of a philosopher rebel!! I've been trying to perfect my Bob Dylan imitation as a result. Here's what I have so far..."Hey man, I can't tell you what to think, I can't tell you what I was thinking when I wrote that. It's just words...big letter, little letter... People don't come see me to figure out what I meant when I wrote or sang something, they come to be entertained."

Okay, I'm still working on it, but I think I'm getting closer. In the mean time, I have to allow my inner self to pick things out occasionally, considering this is where inspiration comes from, it's the least I can do!

I'm still working on design ideas with this bead, but I know that one day, the perfect situation will arise to use this shiny little rebellious tube.

What do you think?

Gold Tone Spacer

I recently came across this 3-hole gold tone spacer at a local bead shop in the closeout bin and thought it had the potential to turn a boring piece of jewelry into something unique. The package just read, "3 Strand Greek Spacer Bar".

There were ten in the package and I would like to use them in a bracelet. I've seen some bracelet designs with spacers that are strung so they sit diagonally throughout the piece. How fun!

Maybe I ought to save one of them to use as a dangle from a gold neck chain. That sounds fun too!! String the chain through the top hole and use the 2nd and 3rd holes to dangle more stuff from!! Crystals!!

Okay, I gotta go so I can try to figure that one out!! Have a good one!!

Wire, Glass & Pearl Bracelet

In this week's bracelet, 22 gauge coated copper wire in the color "brown" was used to connect the beads. It has been quite a while since I used wire in a design and I happened to have one of those "accidental" design moments.

I reached into a container holding all my various types of wire to find a cut piece that I could use to temporarily arrange these beads. It just so happened I pulled out a brown piece of wire. Originally I wasn't sure these colors related well to each other, but there was something about the wire that seemed to pull them all together. I continued to doubt this arrangement until I was about half way through and began to feel the love.

I don't know if there are any real mistakes in jewelry making. There are as many different tastes and styles out there as there are beads!! Everyone has a unique style all their own. It happens to come out much easier when you allow yourself to step into unfamiliar territory and create things you don't normally see in the mainstream.

I hope you are all having a great weekend!!

Swarovski Frame Ring

It's Friday!! This week's featured design is from the creative team of ChezChani. I came across their peyote ring with the swarovski frame while looking through their Etsy shop. The swarovski frame and combination of colors gives this ring an art deco feel. I really couldn't pass up the chance to share it with you!!

They also have a peyote stitch ring with a swarovski cube as the focal bead...I love it!! Any time I see things like this that give me a few goose bumps, I always wonder, "why didn't I think of that"!? These are gorgeous pieces and clever ideas!!

Thanks to ChezChani for allowing me to share their work with you!!

So, let's get ready to bead, the weekend has officially arrived!!

Red Domino Dangle

Today's bead is a very cute little dangle bead in the shape of a domino! It would be adorable if you had a hundred of these dangling from a jump ring bracelet. I don't know if I have ever played dominoes before so I'm not sure if there is any significance to them being red. Maybe it's just for fun.

I have, however, lined up a bunch of dominoes just to knock them down. There is something intriguing about that process. I wonder how many people are setting up dominoes right now for the sole purpose of knocking them down? Interesting concept when you really think about it! I can understand how you could get hooked on it though. It involves a bit of strategizing and a bit of rebellion! The more I think about it, the more I wish I had a set of dominoes to play with!

Have a good one!

Blingety, Bling, Bling

You know, I must admit I get a kick out of making up words and using them as if they are real words. Most people are polite and don't mention it, but usually, I crack under the pressure of trying to keep a straight face. So, "blingety" might not be a real word, but the sparkle made me do it!

Today's bead is quite blingety! It's a 6mm light aqua 4-hole swarovski component. I thought it would make a cute beaded ring or a tiny choker pendant for the conservative jewelry wearer. I believe I paid 50 cents for each of them at a bead shop, but I would bet you could find them online for quite a bit less if you are using them in larger quantities than 1 or 2 at a time.

Let me know if you have an example using these components that you would like to share. Have a blingety evening!

Colorful Crackle Hearts

I love crackle beads for some reason. It seems to be for the same reason I like faceted and cut crystal beads...the glassy sparkle! Just in case you aren't familiar with crackled glass beads, they are made by immersing the glass into cold water while still in its molten form. Once cooled, it is reheated and covered with another layer of glass before being formed into a variety of shapes.

I posted the red version last year and had made it into a simple pendant with a silver bail and ball chain. It was predictable, but still kind of sweet!

I liked the interesting color mix today's beads provide as a group and was thinking they seem sort of beachy. The green and blues are reminiscent of water and the brown-ish heart could be the sand! Are you with me?

Okay, that might be stretching it just a bit, but I would like to do something unique with these. Since they are sort of heavy, I'm not sure using them as dangles in a bracelet would be practical. I'm thinking of a necklace on a small open-link silver chain. Using each of these as dangles very close to each other, almost as a focal piece, seems like it would be festive! I was thinking of making dangles out of an abundance of swarovski rounds and bicones in the same colors.

As always, I would love to hear some creative ideas!!