A Little Night Music

As some of you are aware I am a member of the Macarthur Bead Society. Once a month we meet and each month the facilitator sets a challenge to be done by the next meeting.

The October challenge was to be "Kinetic" - which I interpret to mean some part of the design needs to have a moving part or parts. You can make the challenge in whatever medium you wish and however you want it to be. There is no pressure and you do not have to participate if you don't wish.

I have been really enjoying the challenges lately and couldn't wait to do the next.

Here is my design for the month and I call this
"A Little Night Music" - all is explained in the video.

Venetian Mirrors tutorial now released

I have always loved looking at "Venetian Mirrors". Whenever I pass a store that has one of these mirrors I stop and admire the sparkle, the catching of light, the etching and various layers of the mirror. I have promised myself to one day buy one for my home.


In 2012 I sat down with some Swarovski crystal rivolis, bicones, some Fancy Stones in settings with nickel seed beads and attempted to design something along the lines of a Venetian Mirror.



Above and to the left is my first attempt. This certainly captured that level of sparkle and when I showed it on media I received heaps of interest, with many ladies wanting the pattern.
Unfortunately I wasn't writing tutorials then and it was way beyond my capabilities to do so.

In 2016 I was asked to teach the bracelet, but I knew it needed to be streamlined and made easier for teaching and easier for me to write the tutorial.


So below you have the revised version. Less work in the centrepiece but the rest of the components remained the same.
I added some CRAW for attaching the clasp which also allowed for varying the measurement for the fuller figured woman.

So five years from conception to final release of my "Venetian Mirrors" tutorial.

Just click on the link below if you are wanting to make one of these eye-catching bracelets. You will need your sunglasses when you show this around.

https://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/product_view/patrickduggandesigns/13881174/