Wednesday 29 December 2010

Wednesday's Wear It or Frog It.

I just made this necklace a few weeks ago, but it's just not my style so rather than leaving it to languish further in a box, I decided to bite the bullet and frogged it last week. I have wanted a ribbon necklace for quite a while, so I searched for a tutorial and found this one http://abeautifulmess.typepad.com/my_weblog/2010/04/diy-spring-statement-necklace.html from A Beautiful Mess. It was really quick and easy to make and I love it! It will go perfectly with a new tunic that I bought just before Christmas, so I am very happy!


Wednesday 22 December 2010

Wednesday's Wear It Or Frog It

This is just a part of a very long necklace! I had the pack of different size grey pearls sitting there for some time before I got the idea to link them all together to make a necklace that I could wear double - one strand high around the neck with the second one long. I was really miffed to find that after all my hard work, the necklace just didn't sit right, the large pearls stand out from the smaller ones too much. I'm afraid it's off to the frog pond with this piece. At least I've got all the pearls to use in other projects and thankfully I used plated wire...

Wednesday 15 December 2010

Wednesday's Wear It Or Frog It.

I made this necklace for my craft stalls back in the summer but sadly it never sold. I like it but got a bit fed up of looking at it! I love making tassel necklaces, so I broke up the original and used some of the beads in a little tassel pendant. Best of all I've still got lots to use up!

Have you rediscovered any old pieces lately, or have you remade a piece? If so we would love to see it and share it with our readers! You can add photo's to our Flickr group here http://www.flickr.com/groups/1455268@N20/

Tuesday 14 December 2010

Monday Moodboard Update

Here's my entry for the current Monday Moodboard. I'm in 'beaded bead' mode at the moment so I decided to make a set using this challenge's green, brown and cream colour scheme...


Don't forget you can send in your photos for this challenge up until the last day of December. We're looking forward to seeing your creations!

Wednesday 8 December 2010

Wednesday's Wear It Or Frog It

I've made some dodgy pieces in my time but this ring I found really is the pits! I fancied having a go at making a ring but I didn't have a proper mandrel, only an aluminium ring sizer with flat sides. I was so chuffed with it - mainly because it actually fitted - that I wore it quite a bit after I made it. But I can see now that it's a right old mess and I think that lovely big bead deserves much better, don't you?! Off to the frog pond with you!





Feel free to giggle now girls...

Monday 6 December 2010

Monday Moodboard Reveal (ish) - Green, Brown & Cream

As everyone is going to be really busy in the run up to Christmas, we've decided to extend the current Monday Moodboard challenge until the end of the year. So if any of our lovely readers were thinking of joining in with this one you now have a lot more time to create your piece! Please send me your photos or add them to our Flickr pool and I'll post them on the blog as I receive them.

Maria is first up with these gorgeous teardrop shaped earrings!

Wednesday 1 December 2010

Wednesdays Wear It or Frog it.


Earlier this year I went through a phase of beading big floral rings, I wore them for a few weeks, put them in a box and forgot about them! This week I wanted to wear some jewellery with a black and white outfit but didn't think a bracelet or necklace would work. I suddenly remembered my box of rings and found this one, so it's back on my finger and definitely a keeper!

Monday 29 November 2010

Monday Moodboard - Green, Brown & Cream

This week's Monday Moodboard is a yummy combination of Green, brown and cream. Don't forget that you can use the images themselves, taking inspiration from the shapes and textures...


Clockwise from top-left: Girl, Kerzers2 101, Happy Birthday! Love, Mom, Saturation Telephone

We love to see your creations so either email them to me at liz@thecrimsonmoon.co.uk or add them to our Flickr group pool.

Thursday 25 November 2010

Jennifer's Necklace

Hi, just a quick update on this week's Monday Moodboard. Jennifer Airs made this wonderful necklace with our yellow and grey theme. It's a fossil coral cab, encased in herringbone with two differently worked straps and a toning button. Jennifer, it's gorgeous! Thank you so much joining in with us this week :)

Wednesday 24 November 2010

Wednesday's Wear It Or Frog It

Delving into my jewellery box this morning I found this necklace I made some time ago. It hasn't had much of an outing since I made it, I have no idea why! I don't really do much with netting stitches but I remember that I enjoyed making this and it's much simpler to do than it looks. It's a Sandra Halpenny design which you can find for free here.


Definitely not one to frog, I'm wearing this when I go shopping this afternoon :)

Monday 22 November 2010

Monday Moodboard Reveal - Yellow & Grey

Welcome to the Monday Moodboard reveal! Here's a reminder of the yellow and grey mosaic I posted last week...

Clockwise from top-left: Fashion shoot, Yellow on Grey, Intimidation, Embrace The World.


I made this bead embroidered ring using a button and seed beads...



And Sarah made these gorgeous sparkly earrings using seed beads and crystals...



And Liri, one of our readers, has made this wonderful pendant!



Thank you so much for joining in with us this week Liri :)

If you've made something inspired by this week's Monday Moodboard why not show us! Email your photos to me at liz@thecrimsonmoon.co.uk or add them to our Flickr group pool.

Friday 19 November 2010

Clair's Colours of the Rainbow

Another piece of jewellery inspired by our recent rainbow themed Monday Moodboard, Clair made this fab choker from safety pins, seed beads and a length of ribbon.

Monday 15 November 2010

Monday Moodboard - Yellow and Grey

Welcome to the Monday Moodboard challenge! This week we have a slightly more unusual colour scheme for you to try, yellow and grey. Personally I love using grey beads but I've never tried combining them with yellow, so it'll be interesting to see what everyone comes up with for this challenge. There are many shades of yellow from zesty lemon to muted mustard and don't forget to use the textures, shapes and images from the mosaic for your inspiration.

Clockwise from top-left: Fashion shoot, Yellow on Grey, Intimidation, Embrace The World.

We would love to see what you create using this moodboard and you can send your photos to me at liz@thecrimsonmoon.co.uk or add them to our Flickr group pool. Happy beading!

Saturday 13 November 2010

Maria's Rainbow Earrings

It's never too late to send in a photo for one of our challenges. A few weeks ago we had a rainbow theme and Maria has made these wonderful daisy chain earrings using seed beads. I love how they meander gently, as Maria says, just as life does.

Wednesday 10 November 2010

Wednesday's Wear It Or Frog It

I made this necklace for a challenge in Bead magazine and was really pleased with it at the time! I made the pendant using black polymer clay, stamping into it using a Tutankhamun rubber stamp before rubbing some gold acrylic onto the surface and rubbing off the excess.

The reason it's disappeared into the depths of my jewellery box is that it's a bit uncomfortable to wear due the strung matt beads which seem to pinch my neck. Also the pendant is very lightweight and would often disappear towards my shoulder - don't you just hate that?! So off to the frog pond it goes. I'll re-pot the beads and maybe use the pendant on a bookmark or something as I still love it :)

Monday 8 November 2010

Monday Moodboard Reveal - Purple, Blue & Green

We've had four wonderful entries for our Monday Moodboard and all use different techniques. Before I reveal them, here's a recap of the mosaic from last week...


Clockwise from top-left: Octopus Babies, New Nice Threads, Le purple-keh, Garter.

Sarah made these wonderful peacock-like circular peyote earrings, using three sizes of seed beads...



For my necklace I made some felt beads from merino wool, dotted them with seed beads and combined them with sparkly Czech crystals and chain...



Maria created this sweet charm by combining amethyst, emerald and lapis chips, a lime green and purple pearl-coated bead and bugle beads...



And this week we have a beautiful entry from one of our readers, the very lovely Carol, who made this elegant bead embroidered heart...



Thanks for joining in with us Carol!

If you'd like to join in with this or any other Monday Moodboard challenge, it's very simple. Just add your photos to our Flickr group pool (you'll need to have a Flickr account and join our group before you can add to it) or alternatively send them to me at liz@thecrimsonmoon.co.uk

Wednesday 3 November 2010

Wednesdays Wear It or Frog It

I bought the kit for this bracelet from Spellbound Beads at the 2009 Welsh Bead Fair. The instructions were easy to follow, plenty of beads and it was fun to make. It came out beautifully too (it's much nicer in real life, but as the clocks have changed and we have had no sunlight to speak of here in Wales, I had to use the flash). So how come I haven't ever worn this beauty, I here you ask? Because, despite the care I took in following the pattern, I didn't check the size and it is 1/4 inch too small! I could frog it and make it again, but I would really prefer to make myself a new one from some stash beads and give this to somebody else to wear. I have a few younger teenagers in the family so I think this will find it's way into the Christmas Bran Tub!


Monday 1 November 2010

Monday Moodboard - Purple, Blue & Green

Welcome to another Monday Moodboard! I hope you can find inspiration in this week's mosaic. Quite by accident I seem to have chosen images which have a craft theme! Don't forget that you can use the images themselves as inspiration for your project, maybe you have some crochet beads tucked away, like knitting with wire, or perhaps bead embroidery is your thing. Either way I can't wait to see what everyone makes with this combination of purple, blue and green...


Clockwise from top-left: Octopus Babies, New Nice Threads, Le purple-keh, Garter.

As always we'd love to see what you create so please do send your photos to us! Either add them to our Flickr group pool or email them to me at liz@thecrimsonmoon.co.uk and I'll show them on the blog.

Wednesday 27 October 2010

Wednesday's Wear It Or Frog It

A little different from the usual WWIOFI post as I found this choker in my 'for sale' box rather than in my personal jewellery stash. I made it quite a while ago with the intention of selling it, but as the flower was made from a pattern in The Beader's Floral book I wasn't comfortable doing this without the designer's permission. Sadly I never received a reply to my email so it's been sat in the box ever since.

Well as black and red is my favourite colour combination, I've decided that rather than taking it apart, I'm going keep it all for me and will wear it when I go out shopping tomorrow :)

Monday 25 October 2010

Monday Moodboard Reveal - Rainbow

Welcome to our Monday Moodboard Reveal! Before I show you what the team made, here's a recap of the mosaic I posted last week.

Clockwise from top-left: Taste The Rainbow, Urban Rainbow, Rainbow, Rainbow eyeshadow ben nye and m.a.c.

Two offerings from the team this time and both of them rings! Sarah made this beautiful Fiesta ring in circular peyote...


Strangely enough, I used circular peyote for my ring too! I made lots of tiny beaded beads and attached them to a looped ring with headpins...


If you've been inspired to create something, either by this or previous moodboards, why not send us a photo of your creation? It's easy, either add them to our Flickr group pool or email them to me at liz@thecrimsonmoon.co.uk and I'll show them on the blog :)

Sunday 24 October 2010

Stocking Fillers from Stash, Pearl Dangle Earrings Tutorial

I think we have probably established the fact that I love long earrings and this week's Stocking Filler from Stash tutorial is no exception. I am also continuing my new obsession with using chain.


You will need:
1 pair of earwires
1 pair of headpins
2 length's of chain (mine are each 2.5 inches long)
2 10mm pearls

Tools: wire snips to cut the chain, flat nosed & round nosed Pliers.

1. using your flat nosed pliers, open the loop one an earwire.

2. Thread through the end of a piece of chain.

3. Close the loop.

4. Thread 1 pearl on a headpin and use your round nose pliers to create the 1st part of a wire wrapped loop.


5. Thread the bottom end of the chain through the loop and finish of your wire wrapped loop and trim the end with your wire snips.

6. Repeat for a second earring.
I have assumed a knowledge of basic jewellery making skills, if you are new to jewellery making you can find instructions here http://www.beadstylemag.com/How%20To/Basics.aspx
Happy Christmas Beading!
Sarahx

Wednesday 20 October 2010

Wednesday's Wear It or Frog It.

I had originally planned to feature another piece for this weeks WWIOFI but this morning I was looking for something to wear with a grey/black outfit and came across this necklace that I had not worn for at least a year. This necklace is made using 2 netted tubes at the side with 3 strands of pearls at the front, I added some short fringes at the connection points. This necklace was perfect for my outfit today and I think I will probably wear it a lot from now on.

Monday 18 October 2010

Monday Moodboard - Rainbow

Welcome to this week's Monday Moodboard! I hope you're all enjoying the moodboards that we've had so far. Summer is definitely over in the UK but that doesn't mean we can't have a splash of fun colour here on Operation Tackle That Bead Stash. I've chosen Rainbow as our colour scheme this week, which can be as vibrant or as subtle as you like. Go for bold bright primary colours or delicate pastels, the choice is yours! Don't forget that you can also take inspiration from the shapes and textures in the photos, although I wouldn't advice beading with cake ;)

Clockwise from top-left: Taste The Rainbow, Urban Rainbow, Rainbow, Rainbow eyeshadow ben nye and m.a.c.

As always, we love to see your work. If you make anything in rainbow colours this week please send your photos to me a liz@thecrimsonmoon.co.uk, or you can add them to our Flickr group pool and I'll post them in next week's reveal. Happy beading!

Saturday 16 October 2010

Stocking Fillers from Stash. Chain Swing Earrings Tutorial.

This weeks Stocking Fillers from Stash Tutorial is for these incredibly simple but fun to wear chain swing earrings. I first made this design after I bought some lovely donut shaped ceramic flowers at the Chepstow Bead & Gem Fair last January, I got them home & realised that I had no idea how to use them! After trying all sorts of ridiculously complicated techniques I finally decided that simple is best, threaded them on some chain and added an earwire. Since then these quick and simple earrings have become a great emergency gift standby, so I thought I would share them as I think they will make great little stocking fillers for Christmas.
You will need,
2 x equal lengths of small linked chain (I used a length of 3 inches)
Note: Trace chain is probably too small, check that your earwire will go through the links before cutting.
2 x 15mm donut shaped beads (I used MOP shell's which I got from the lovely Nicole from Beadwright)
1 pair of earwires

Tools: Wire snips to cut the chain and flat nosed pliers.

First decide how long you want the chain to dangle, double that measurement and cut 2 equal length pieces.

Using your flat nosed pliers, open the earwire loop by twisting sideways.

Thread one end of the chain through the earwire loop.

Thread the chain through your donut bead, taking care not to pull the chain off the earwire.


Thread the other end up over the outside of the donut and onto the earwire loop (try not to twist the chain).
Using your flat nosed pliers, twist the loop back sideways to close.

Repeat for 2nd earring.
I have assumed a knowledge of basic jewellery making techniques, if you are new to jewellery making you can find instructions here http://www.beadstylemag.com/How%20To/Basics.aspx

Happy Christmas Beading!
Sarahx


Wednesday 13 October 2010

Wednesday's Wear It Or Frog It

Today I found this pretty peacock feather bracelet that I made several years ago. The design was in an early issue of Beads & Beyond magazine, I fell in love with it straight away and just had to make it!

The pattern used cylinder beads and tiny size 15 seeds and although I'd already started my obsession with beadweaving by then, I only had size 11 beads in my stash. So that was the one and only time that I bought all the beads in the exact colours needed.

The cost of the beads plus the fact that I'd used a sterling silver clasp for the first time meant that I never wore it because I was afraid I'd lose it!! Of course I'll happily spend all my money on beads now, how times change! Definitely not one to frog, I'm going to be wearing this piece from now on ;)

Monday 11 October 2010

Monday Moodboard Reveal - Pink & Black

I think the whole team has been excited this week, waiting to see what everyone else has made for the sassy pink & black Monday Moodboard. Well I know I have! Just before I reveal the beady gorgeousness, here's a recap of the mosaic I posted last week...

Clockwise from top-left: Pink gerbera with a heart of chocolate!, Dark, Antithesis, Cute in pink and black.

And here's what the team made. Sarah created this stunning spikey flower, inspired by the gerbera and the punky girl...


Maria made this wonderfully playful bracelet and earrings set, incorporating spikey beads and silver crosses into her design...


I chose to make a chunky cuff, turning a polymer clay face cab into a pretty flower attached to a herringbone base...


And this week we have something from one of our lovely readers, Jacky, who made a pair of beautiful bracelets using semi-precious gemstones...




Thank you so much for joining in with us this week Jacky!

If you've been inspired by this or previous Monday Moodboards then please drop me a line with your photos to liz@thecrimsonmoon.co.uk or alternatively add them to our Flickr group pool - we'd love to see your work!