This week.

I have spent the past week working on my design for The Battle of The Beadsmith Tournament.
The start date was May 15th and I managed to find the time and clear my workspace, ready to go, on Sunday 20th.

I spent three mornings working on a centrepiece which was proving problematic. I had the feeling all along that it didn't want to be made. I find it funny that a piece "speaks to me" sometimes. Eventually, I cut it up and cleared the workspace to start another idea taking place in my head.

Inspiration comes to me in different ways. Sometimes I see an image in my mind's eye, rarely do I draw that image but, this time, that's how it happened. I started the centrepiece on Wednesday and am very happy with how it looks. Pretty classy. I then began to change away from the drawing. I spent one morning making another component only to decide I don't like the colours I chose. So a colour way problem took place until I finally settled on a limited palette.

This morning I went back to the original drawing, slight modification, and spent about four hours making another section, coming away thrilled with where it is now going.

I can happily say I know my direction, I am very excited with how it looks, keen to get it finished, really finding it difficult to not show anyone. I usually share my work with two good friends but they are in the Tournament also and I cannot let them know what I am doing.

So stay tuned for the next exciting update. In the meantime this is my main squeeze..... My girl Missy.

Large Earring

Here is my attempt at making an earring that would be noticed - a real statement piece. 

I have never made a "Red Carpet" kind of earring before.

 I imagine this being worn, without any other jewellery, on a woman with a long neck and a simple dress probably in black or navy. 

But then that is my aesthetics isn't it ?

Another Fun Pendant - "Carnivale"

And here is today's play.


I am getting faster at making these and know more about numbers of beads in the bezel and what is needed for beading into the centre.


I really love the colours in this one. The image to the right has more colour than can be seen in the picture.
Like a Carnivale of colour - thus the name I chose.


This finishes my Fun Pendant decorating as I have done the four colours I purchased. I still have lots more ideas for decoration.


I now have to get serious, sit and design my Battle of The Beadsmith Tournament piece.


So my Blog Posts will be a bit slow for awhile. Hopefully it will be worth waiting for.

Fun Pendant No 3 - "Sunray"

Here is this morning's play - a bezelled coin bead number 3 - which I have called 

"Sunray" for obvious reasons.

You may note I have done the bezel in orange and green stripes. I have wanted to do that for quite awhile and now it is done. I like it here as it adds to the name Sunray.

I have one more bead I wish to do in the morning and this one is a Cerise Pink bead. 

I wonder how that is going to turn out !!

Fun Pendant No.2

Here is Monday's playtime.

I was really keen to try another design on the coin beads (see yesterday's post).

This time I did peyote around the edges first and took the design into the centre. A bit tricky working it out, but easy when you get it right.

I have always liked creating patterns so making these satisfies that part of me.

I have another design in my mind for tomorrow morning's play and it will be quite different to these.

They are great fun to make.

Fun Pendants

Here is Sunday morning's play time. 

A large rubberised coin shape bead with different designs beaded on each side.

I got this idea from Mikki Ferrugiaro's Gothic Medallians. Mikki created some really lovely bezelled patterns and as soon as I saw them I wanted to have a go with creating my own patterns.

So here is one pendant with two designs.  Certainly value for money having a pendant with different sides.

I really like both patterns and now want to create another with the same design but a different colour each side.

I think these are really fun to make and all I need to do now is some wirework, maybe add some dangles, and put it on a chain.  

Voila..... finito!

The Maquette Earrings.

After all the work designing The Maquette necklace, I went to play with another idea yesterday and a little vice in my head said "you have to make the earrings". 

So, before putting all the beads away, I made an earring and was pretty happy with it. 

I just finished the second one and here it is for all to see.

Hope you like this as much as The Maquette has been liked.

I also take this opportunity to say to my followers, thank you for visiting and leaving your comments, it is very much appreciated. Also to all those who recently joined my blog welcome and thank you, nice to meet you.

The Maquette - Finished

Two images of the completed necklace.

I mentioned earlier I wanted to show the design process I go through when experimenting and now I have done so.

This has been a great journey to share .

I hope you have enjoyed watching the evolvement of the necklace as much as I have enjoyed sharing it with you. 

I certainly have learnt a lot designing this piece. I know how to better manipulate herringbone to achieve what I want. I am able to do peaks and curves and change directions, add extra parts for the overall flow of design, incorporate beads etc.

From this piece the ideas I have happening for the next piece are running wild. Too many ideas, not enough hands/time.

Finished Clasp for The Maquette

Final image for the Maquette clasp. 

On the right notice how the end of the rope holds the toggle out further and is joined by size 15 seed beads. One the left notice how the clasp looks when closed. The end of the rope appears to be part of the clasp design (and could be embellished further) and holds the toggle in place better and reduces the bulkiness of the whole design. The only part that is raised is the toggle, as normally happens. 

Next image for "The Maquette" clasp. 

I spent this morning completing this, then abandoned it, Made another only to come back to this one. Not too sure I will use it but wanted to show the next stage. 

The extra width on the right hand side is the end of the rope, making it look like part of the clasp. The side of the clasp sits between the rope and the toggle.

I haven't done that before and it could be developed further.

Getting close to finishing.

Yesterday I had a comment left thanking me for showing the evolvement of my design and another said they were very glad to watch the different stages.

For sometime now I have wanted to show others how I design an item and I am now pleased I have been able to share this with you. 

Some of you will already know what the design process is all about and some of you really enjoy watching how another person designs.  

This morning, whilst working on a clasp for The Maquette necklace (see posts below), I thought to share the clasp evolvement as well.

Here is the very early stages of the clasp for the necklace "The Maquette"

 Tomorrow I shall add the next image to this post until it is finished. 

Thanks for visiting and I hope you enjoy witnessing my journey as much as I enjoy sharing it.

The Maquette

ma·quette  (m-kt) n. A usually small model of an intended work, such as a sculpture or piece of architecture.

Here is the final design - The Maquette

 I have truly enjoyed making this as I have had an image of something similar in my mind's eye for quite awhile and it has been wanting to come out. 

From this "maquette" I can see how I could achieve a similar design much, much easier. I can see where the lines could flow better and achieve a better result. I also see how the open "negative" spaces create
a pleasing design as well.

I feel as though I went "around the world" to get some parts of the design to happen but then that is the creative process.

I have to say all of it has been a very valuable journey as I know more of where I want to go and more of how to achieve a look I have been wanting to create.

This is my prototype or Maquette for future creations

Still No Name - evolving

Well here is the results of further playing with this No Name experiment.

The design is evolving, I am learning a lot, the work is somewhat thread heavy 

with many changes happening as I work it out. I am not quite there yet and hopefully 

will know when enough is enough.

I think it has a Moroccan or Arabesque look about it, or art/architecture shapes from that region.

I am enjoying sharing the journey of this design evolving, many thanks for your comments
both here and on Facebook.

No Name yet

Another experiment taking place, not too sure where it is going yet. 

I am liking the results so far, especially how I set the Swarovski drop, it really frames the drop well.

This design reminds me of my clasp I made awhile back and I think I may be 

developing a "style" to my work.

I don't mind as it is good to have something no one else is doing.

I now have the necklace portion to make but not today as I need a bit of a break from beading. 

I have been feeling a bit overwhelmed with commitments in the beading area.

I have two magazine publications about to happen, a submission for a book gallery, a design for the 

Battle of the Beadsmith Tournament and I soon start teaching jewellery at a new college.

OMG......this passion of mine is turning into a job.....not too sure how I feel about that !!