My Own Design

Here is a new design that I came up with this week.

So, true to my word, I have been crafting! My craft room is nearly sorted - just waiting on some shelves - and then I will be making a few cards too. I have been cross-stitching even while I wasn't able to access my boxes, but I have really missed beading and card-making. I am looking forward to being able to post even more makes very soon.

Christmas Cards For 2011

This is the card I produced this year. There were others, but this one was my favourite! I used ProMarkers for a professional look, but made sure that the label on the back told people that they were 'hand drawn, coloured, stamped and finished'. The design of the pudding was my own but it was very simple. Despite being simple, imagine how long it took to make 80 cards...

It was so nice to get my mojo back for a while. I have also started beading some bracelet kits - and I will post pics when they are finished. Despite my mojo raising its head above the parapet, I am not ready for designing again, so I ordered someone else's designs in kit form.

These beads were made by a Gold member of mine at WW. We discovered a shared interest in jewellery making, although with different media. Last week, I went to her house, along with several other like-minded people, and we had a 'show and tell' session. She wanted to buy a bracelet of mine and I wanted some of her beads...so we did a swap - like the days before money! She calls herself 'Purple Duck'. As yet, she doesn't have a web-site, but I hope that she will set one up soon.


This piece is from Bead and Button magazine. I fell in love with the pattern when I saw it and HAD to make it. Once I got my head around the instructions, it was easy to make, although it looks much harder. I love peacock colours and I think that they suit the paisley pattern beautifully. I do intend to turn it into a bracelet but am a bit stuck as to which finding would be the best.



This bracelet is from the current issue of Bead magazine. It is really pretty and an easy pattern to follow. I am making another one in pinks and black.



This bracelet is a 'flat cellini' stitch. I am not 100% happy with it and cocked up the clasp somewhat. I think that the wave in the pattern is not obvious enough and I will be sticking to tubular cellini stitch in future - the results are more interesting.



And finally, this bracelet is also from Bead and Button. Again, I am not 100% happy with it, but not through anything I did wrong. I just don't think it looks as good as the ones in the magazine picture. Maybe my colours needed to be more diverse - contrasting instead of toning. What do you think? Comments very much appreciated.

Bracelets Galore

I have been a little busy. My beading mojo is back!

Three Bracelets and a Cat!

Three bracelets that I am considering putting in my Folksy shop - I am not sure yet. The first photo is the most beautiful cat in the world - perhaps the post should have been called 'A Cat and Three Bracelets'...) I just can't seem to get a photo that is in focus though!

A Few Things That I Have Managed To Squeeze In!

This is a bracelet that I made for my Mum for Christmas. I was making it right up to Christmas Eve! I think that she liked it. It was a very simple pattern, taken from 'Bead and Button' magazine, but it was quite time-consuming. I enjoyed making it though and the need for it to be finished meant that it didn't become a UFO!






I have actually been making a few things in the last week. I wanted to give some friends a bracelet for their help with various things, so I made these...

They are just simple strung bracelets, but I included Swarovski 4mm bicones in them, to give a little bit of sparkle.

Final Picture for Teaching Staff

Max has had a great year this year. This picture is the last of three that I made and I think it came out really well. I am toying with making more of these - I just want to get the borders a bit more professional before I start selling them.

Been Away For A While - Back Now!

Just some items that are going on Folksy. Most of them are ones that I made for my C&G course. I love them but have SO many things to wear myself that I really do need to sell some!

Pearl's A Singer

I made this bracelet in about two hours and I think it is really pretty. I used freshwater pearls with gold lined 11° beads.

Twisted Bracelet

A twisted bracelet in gorgeous peacock colours.

Groovy Earrings!

I saw these in Bead and Button and have been intending to make them for ages. I finally got around to it yesterday and finished them this morning. They were really easy to get to grips with, but they look complicated - I think that they are an amazing design. They are going in my Folksy shop (see link on right).

I lost another half a pound this week - which is REALLY strange. The only thing I can attribute it to is being unwell, because I did NOT deserve it.

Bracelet - New In My Shop

This is one of the bracelets that I made for 'Bead Soup' in Bead magazine. Unfortunately, my work got missed when the pieces went to be photographed, so they weren't in the magazine - although more on that at a later date...

The bracelet is going in my shop - see link on the right.