Busy as a bee...

I've been busy as a bee, well not really, but I've made a couple of bracelets, earrings, and re-strung a bracelet and necklace. Thank you to all who have left a comment on the bracelets (or anything else), and to those who e-mailed their comments, I really appreciate your kind words! It has been very encouraging for me.

"Blueberry" asked if beading is hard, no - if I can do it, anyone can. Trust me on this one! My journey with beading started when the kids and I took a beading class to make bracelets for the Grandma's, I was hooked from that day. I'm an information junkie so I checked out a few books from the public library, went to every bead store in town to see completed work and look at all the beautiful beads. The beading books with pictures will help you learn the different types of beads. I went to one bead store and the lady was showing me some lampwork beads, I thought they were the beads used as fringe on a lamp! Knowledge is a great thing. I do enjoy going to the bead store, the ladies are always so helpful and you learn so much!

If you are the slightest bit interested in making your own jewelry, I suggest you take a beginning class, both the bead stores and craft stores offer classes. Most are free and you don't need any tools to create your piece. Then if you want to join in on the beading fun they will be able to help you get your basic tool and beads needed to make your own jewelry.

For me trial and error has been a great teacher! You learn quickly what you like and dislike. Crimping has been my thorn, I bought a different crimping tool and the problem is solved. Here is a picture of my original crimping tool, Bead Smith Magical Crimp Forming Tool, I just never got the hand of this one.



Here is a picture of my new crimp tool, Beadalon Designer Bead Crimper which works fabulously!



Here is a pink bracelet that I made Saturday night, and wore it to church Sunday. The large beads are lampwork beads and the smaller ones are Czech glass beads. The Czech glass beads reminded me of the kids pulled tooth, brought back memories.



Ta Da! Here are the earrings to match Carla's purple bracelet. I don't have the earwire on hand, I use the interchangeable earwire so all I need are the dangles, clever huh!



Earrings for Trish - I ran out of the pink crystals I used in her bracelet, so I changed the pearl as well. Here is a pink crystal with a large freshwater pearl. I hope she will like them.



This is a strand of pearls my mother had in her jewelry box, the clasp broke years ago. I had the honor of restringing them for her and adding a new sterling silver clasp. Very pretty necklace. I also restrung a bracelet for a co-worker of Eric.



This was another make on Saturday and wear on Sunday bracelet.



This was my first memory wire bracelet, I made two but I'm thinking I will redo them and have just one and add the bead tips at the end for a more finished look. I do enjoy hearing the clicking of the beads.



Here is my next step in beading. You add a bead or beads to a head pin, make a loop and attach the bead unit to a link bracelet. The pictures below is from the current Bead Style Under $25 magazine. You can buy a ready made link bracelet or they sell the chain by the foot and you can add a clasp of your choice. For now I will get a ready made link bracelet, but the possibilities are endless, you can add just a single charm or many, a single bead unit/dangle or several. What do you think of this? Pretty huh!



Today's Project will be make something beautiful with these beads. I picked up these Swarovski sliders, Jonquil Swarovski crystals, and yellow cat's eye beads. I have an idea of what I want to do, hopefully I will be able to pull if off. Check back to see how it turns out.