Artbeads Valentines Day Creation

A few weeks ago, I gave a little preview of my Artbeads Blogging Partner creation which was supposed to be in honor of Valentines Day.  I had ordered these beautiful ceramic hearts as well as several types of beads that I thought would look good with the ceramic hearts - some cute mother of pearl hearts,  sterling silver roundels, 1.8mm square cut beads, and 4mm Druk cherry red beads.  Artbeads has a great selection  of Valentine's Day components which you can find HERE.  (Good to know for next year!!)

 

I had originally intended to make a bead embroidered cuff but when I started beading around the large heart I discovered some problems.  The larger ceramic heart bead is about 5mm thick and I was having a hard time figuring out what size beads looked good next to it.  I was also perplexed about what to do with the inner cutout part.  After several attempts I decided my idea wasn't going to work and I had to come up with plan B which came together much easier.

First I created two different pendants with the ceramic hearts.

Both pendants can be hung from the same beaded necklace "chain."

I plan on listing this necklace in my Etsy shop and will donate all proceeds to the relief efforts in Haiti.

I am delighted to be a part of Artbeads blogging group and I receive no compensation from them for blogging about their products.

Did I Miss Valentine's Day?

I don't know how it happened, but I'm pretty sure February 14th passed me by and I didn't finish my Valentine piece or blog about it yet.  And yes, I'm feeling guilty!  So just to show I have good intentions and really am working on it, here's a little preview.

 
This will be part of the pendant for a beaded necklace which I hope to have finished soon and I will post pictured of the completed piece - hopefully before next Valentine's Day.

I am privileged to be a member of the Artbeads blogging team and for January we were given the theme of Valentine's Day.  "No problem," I said to myself and I ordered these beautiful ceramic hearts to use in a bead embroidered cuff.

 

I also ordered several types of beads that I thought would look good with the ceramic hearts - some cute mother of pearl hearts,  sterling silver roundels, 1.8mm square cut beads, and 4mm Druk cherry red beads. 

 

Artbeads has a great selection  of Valentine's Day components which you can find HERE.

I have no pictures to prove I actually started on the cuff, but I did.  I even made a special trip into San Diego to find some other beady goodness to go on the cuff.  I cut out the Lacy's stiff stuff and glued the components onto it with E6000 glue.  Then I started beading around the large heart and found it harder than I expected.  The heart bead is about 5mm thick and I was having a hard time getting the inner "cut out" part of the heart to look good.   After several attempts I decided my idea wasn't going to work and I had to come up with plan B which is working out much better.

I receive no compensation from Artbeads for blogging about their products.  I am delighted to be a part of their blogging group and hope they will forgive me for this late posting.

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.