Walking in the Woods Treasury

My boulder opal bracelet was included in this lovely treasury created by Smadar's Treasure on Etsy.


If you feel like shopping for some beautiful beadwoven items, check out her shop. Here's one of my favorites (it was truly hard to pick just one!).


I met Smadar through the Etsy Beadweaving (EBW) Team Group on Etsy and she has truly been an inspiration to me.

Thanks For Your Votes!

Oodles and oodles of thanks to everyone who voted for my necklace in the Abeadstore.com Beaded Impressions contest. My entry came in 2nd place and I won a $50 gift certificate! Here's my necklace but you can view all the winners here.

I'm sure you won't be able to figure out what I'm going to buy with my $50 gift certificate! Happy shopping tomorrow!

Need a Good Laugh?

If you need a good laugh, check out the Etsy Beadweavers (EBW) blog to view the 21 entries into the June beadweaving challenge entitled "Humor."

If you click on the item in the list below the mosaic you will be taken to the Etsy Shop listing of each entrant where you can read about how each artist came to create these fun pieces of jewelry. Please visit the Etsy Beadweavers Blog and VOTE for your favorite June 9th through the 15th!

1. Adios Pollo - BeadazzledofOregon

2. HOUSE for RENT with Garden View - enchantedbeads

3. Jolly Jester - ArtfulAr

4. WEED Necklace - HauteIceBeadwork

5. Riot of Color Sparkly Rope Necklace - roseworksjewelry

6. Curly Black Rock Bacelet - SpringColors

7. inside jokes - thebeadedlily

8. Clown Fish Join the Carnival - beadsandblooms

9. Where's Waldo - Oops... I Mean Where's Lizard - fashionsfrome

10. Tartan Scottie Dog beaded cuff - Crownrosegems

11. Gone Fishing---Cat and fish bracelet - vanishingpearl

12. HERE'S LOOKIN' AT YOU Blown Glass Eye Pendant Set - caraway

13. Curiosity killed the Toilet Paper - LiciaBeads

14. Where Is My UFO - binkaminka

15. NOT My Mother - PfordCustomJewelry

16. Money doesn't grow on trees Necklace - CieloDesign

17. Harlequin - Free Form Beaded Cuff - ThreeFatesDesign

18. Punch-Line Bracelet - FrancescasFancy

19. Pond Frog Bracelet - savoystudio

20. Harlequin - jmackgems

I've already voted. Please join me in selecting your favorite humorous creation.

Etsy Beadweavers "Time Machine" Challenge

I just finished my entry into the Etsy Beadweavers Team Challenge called "Time Machine." I've been wanting to make one of these cuffs for a long, long time. This is only the 2nd bead embroidered piece I've made and my very first cuff.




















First, I had to cut a piece of Lacey's Stiff Stuff to fit a 1 1/2" wide brass cuff. I had a set of three dichroic glass cabochons in colors that I love and glued them to the stiff stuff. Then I began sewing the beads around the cabs and filling in all the empty spaces. I glued black Ultrasuede to the back of the brass cuff and after the beadwork was finished, I glued it to the top. Then I connected the two together with more beads. It took several weeks to complete.

I had a lot of fun making it - sort of a "design as you go" experience. I'm always amazed how much joy beadweaving brings to my life. If you are not a beadweaver, I seriously suggest you give it a try. Happy beading to all!

Fantastic! Treasury

Enchanted Beads featured my latest bracelet in her Fantastic! treasury on Etsy.

My "Red Maze Cuff" (3rd row, middle) was included in this treasury. You can see it in my Etsy shop here.

Enchanted Beads is a member of the Etsy Beadweavers Team and she has some amazing beadwork in her shop. Here's one of my favorites:

Please be sure to visit her shop on Etsy.

One of My Favorites

I just finished one of my favorite necklaces. Mind you, that is saying a lot because while I may like the necklaces I make, I usually do not think anything I make looks good on my neck so I never wear them. But this one does and I'm tempted to keep it for myself.

I've had this abalone shell in my stash for a long long time and kept pulling it out to ponder its significance. My original plan was to put it on a bracelet/cuff which I actually made. Of course when I was 90% done with it, I ran out of one color of seed beads and had to put it aside until I could order more. Several months later....



I finally got around to finishing the cuff and had completed the beaded bezel around the shell. But when I went to attach the shell to the bracelet, it just didn't look like I wanted, so off it came and I pondered some more. There was a hole in the top of the shell and I thought about what to do with that - cover it up or use it as part of the pendant? I opted for the pendant and created some fringe to fill the hole and hang down the front.



Having decided on a necklace, I made some beaded beads in matching colors but ended up setting those aside. Then I tried several different spiral stitches and ended up using one of my favorites. I used 3 black seed beads (to start the center of the spiral) to a spiral grouping of 2 rocailles, 1 silver delica, and 2 more rocaille seed beads. After finishing the length of the spiral I wanted, I wove the thread back through all the silver beads drawing them into a tighter spiral and it was just the look I wanted.



I did list the necklace on Etsy here, but in a way I'm almost hoping it doesn't sell. lol