Happy 2011

Well I have to say last year just flew and I was a little hopeless with posting last year.  I had big plans to post lots but that really didnt happen.  I have still be busy making jewellery, even had a small sale before christmas to sell off some stock.

So whats install this year??????

I have been having a bit of fun with stamping and resin, so I would like to do a little more of that.  Metalwork is where my interest is at the moment and to really get back into my chainmaille.

one of my favourate stamping/metalwork shops at the moment

Besides that I hope to promote my etsy store more, blog alot more and see if I can find myself a muse to help with my creating :)

picture courtesy of reiki fairy goddess

Other then that I have my daughter starting prep this year and I am starting a new job, so its full steam ahead in this household.

So what do you plan for the year ahead????????

I did it, I make a tutorial well two actually

I have been a busy girl lately making jewellery for my sister, a few bits and pieces that will be at the end of the post. But the most exciting is my tutorials one paid and one free.

The free one is Helm weave and you can get the tutorial here

Now for the tada

These are my Helm rose earrings and if your interested in the tutorial you can purchase it here. You need to have a knowledge of Helm weave first.



I am now considering creating a piece for the EKKA so I will keep you posted.

Another month gone

And what a month it has been. I had every intension of posting many times this month but it just didnt happen. With flat batterys in the camera, a week in melbourne and my daughters 3rd birthday I had no chance. Well here I am now.

Firstly a short time ago I brought a wonderful tutorial, Viking bezel pendant by AnneMade Jewelry . I was very happy to finally give it a go. I have just used a stone sitting around the house and some silver artist wire.

Our lastest brisbane bead meet challenge was beaded cabs. We were luck enough to have karyn (her blog) . This was my first creation using a beautiful rhodonite cabochons.

Whilst at the meet I was lucky enough to by one of debs lampwork cab/bead and this is my creation.

I am very happy with how they both turned out, actually lovin them.

Finally I have been getting some more chainmaille done, been missing it lately. This is a child's bracelet made from aluminum. Byzantine and mobius flowers. I think it looks really sweet.

Lastly and on a non jewellery note I mentioned at the beginning of the post my daugther turned three. Below is the cake/cupcakes I made for her party. They were the yummiest cakes ever and it was a really hit.

Loving the new year a time for creating!!!

I finished these beauties the other day. Another wonderful tutorial from Perri Jackson. Beaded caps, they are not as neat as perri's but I love them all the same. Now to start creating.......







A while ago I did a weekend wire workshop I finally got around to making another ring. Very happy with this one and hope to do a wrapped cab soon.


Again using deb's wonderful beads, swarovski's and sterling silver. I created this necklace. I also did my first trizantine (not sure if thats the correct spelling) to attach the pendant. Something simple but I like it.

Next is an attempt of a friends tutorial, which I love sterling silver and red tigers eye, I believe.
This is my first ever commission designed as requested, Sterling silver and sodalite.

Last but not least was my entry for the valentine challenge on a wonderful new website JewelryLessons . I was trying to do something different other then hearts but it didnt turn out as good as I had hoped and only hearts made the semi's. Mind you what made it to the semi's where of a much higher quality and skill. Better luck next time. Oh and I called it circle of love, the infinate circle.

Thanks for reading and hope you enjoy the journey as much as me.

I won I finally won......

Why previously I have talked about being a member of the beading forum. Well every so often they run a designer quest. This is where a supplier, Cranberry, offers two packets, this time they were
The idea is to pick a pack, I picked the purple. Then used as much of the pack, the more the better, and make up to three pieces. Here is mine, a choker oh and I won the quest :)

Next is a bead meet challenge, made from size 15 seed beads, smokey quartz and a couple of deb's lampwork beads.


Next is my first attempt of huan's wire wrapped rivoli. Its a violet 14mm rivoli, crystal AB round and 3mm violet 2AB swarovski's. Sterling silver beads and wire.


Lastly our bead group decided to do a charm swap, colours to be used was purple, green, gold, bronze and silver. They are all very different charms in there own right but I love them. I made a double vision bracelet made from purple anodized aluminium to put the charms on. I just love it.


Thanks for looking.

What I have been doing lately

Whilst at the last bead meeting I started talking to Cas about making a chain maille bracelet for my mother in law for mothers day. As it turned out she had a heap of kits with her and this is the one I found and loved, ROOSA weave and to make things better I had enough rings left to make on for myself.



I started working on this when I got the bead & button bracelet magazine. Its called sparkling wave. When I first started I did the size15 in the colour black, not a good idea it looked like mouse poo. So with new seedies brought here it is. Looks lovely on too.


Last but not least.

A few posts ago I showed you a pendant I had made and that I was going to make a double viking knit. Well here it is, I am very happy with the results. It was made with 28 gauge non-tarnish artistic silver wire.

Close up
Full necklace

The Clasp

Love the Helm

I made this bracelet for my cousin's birthday. As I wasn't sure if she preferred silver or gold I decided to go with this combo. It is helm/parallel weave and they are plated rings from cas.

Very happy with how it turned out.

Chain Maille

I have been a part of the beading forum for a good few months now and was introduced to the wonderful world of chain maille jewellery. Basically buy linking rings together in certains ways to get different pieces. I am sure there is a more technical way of describing it but that will do for now. This is the first piece I made called byzantine. I have only used small pics but will have a link at the end of this post if you wish to see them bigger.

After making this I was lucky enough to meet a wonderful lady named Cas. She makes her own rings and has great tutorials. After purchasing some I made the following:

Full Persian

Double Spiral

Butterfly (sorry its missing its clasp at the moment)

Then I got introduced to the wonderful world of spider. She is from the US and has wonderful DVD tutorials. I purchased DVD no. 2 and these are just a sample of some of the stuff I made. I used one of her copper kits.

The top one is dragonscale, then turkish round, snake or round maille, half persian 5 in 1 and lastly jens pind (one of my fav)

Ok well that is it for this post but I will add more of my chain maille later till then if you wish to see more go here . Also if you are interested in getting some great easy tutorials/kits visit Cas's website here

Thanks for looking.