A Few Things That I Have Managed To Squeeze In!

This is a bracelet that I made for my Mum for Christmas. I was making it right up to Christmas Eve! I think that she liked it. It was a very simple pattern, taken from 'Bead and Button' magazine, but it was quite time-consuming. I enjoyed making it though and the need for it to be finished meant that it didn't become a UFO!






I have actually been making a few things in the last week. I wanted to give some friends a bracelet for their help with various things, so I made these...

They are just simple strung bracelets, but I included Swarovski 4mm bicones in them, to give a little bit of sparkle.

Pearl's A Singer

I made this bracelet in about two hours and I think it is really pretty. I used freshwater pearls with gold lined 11° beads.

Cross-Stitcher Project

I bought the latest issue of Cross Stitcher today and in it was a project on ribbon roses. I didn't have any ribbon 4mm or less in width and I noticed that they also suggested using cross-stitch floss. So, I gave it a go, which made me then think of ways to expand on it and make a picture. I am so pleased with the end result that it is going to be a picture for the TA in Max's class who has spent a huge amount of time with him this year.

The embroidery was so quick to do and would look as beautiful with just the roses, put onto a card. I am definitely going to investigate this avenue more...

Labradorite Bracelet and Earrings

This set has been made for someone in particular, but I won't say who as she reads this blog.

This one is going to Max's teacher at the end of the year. She is a lovely teacher and I have had a fair amount to do with her as I help out one morning a week. I was making her a beaded bookmark, but I know she loves jewellery, so have decided on this. Now I am doing the whole, 'Is it too much' thing that I did with her present at Christmas! It cost £12 to make, which is more than I would normally spend, but then, what else can you get for that? A bunch of flowers and box of chocolates?

The labradorite coins look lovely with the silver findings and it is a really weighty piece.

Framed Picture

Here is the multi-media picture that I blogged about a few weeks ago. I have mounted it on some thick watercolour card and put it in a lovely frame that I bought in The Range. I think it looks lovely now it is all finished and really hope that my friend likes it as much as I do when I give it to her.

Tea-Light Holder

I saw a tea-light holder in The Beader's Bible, by Dorothy Wood. I liked the look of it, but the instructions seemed a little difficult at first glance (mainly because of the way they were set out). I thought that it wouldn't be too difficult to try one for myself, and that at least it would be my own design that way. I got started, initially with a herringbone stitch pattern, but then discovered that I couldn't work out a way to make a flat bottom in it.

Next, I came up with this design (above), using tubular peyote which transforms into herringbone to form the ruffle on the top. I was fairly pleased with it, but realised that I had a split where I had started a new thread. I wasn't as happy with the colour mix as I could have been, so I cut it up to re-use the beads for something else.

I decided that peyote was the way to go for the body of the piece as it was easier to work a bottom from that stitch. I thought that a softer ruffle might be nicer, so I incorporated ogalala lace stitch into the top. I haven't worked the bottom in yet but you can see the general idea from this picture.

This is the patchwork bracelet I was commissioned to make for a friend's daughter. I ordered Gill's buttons for it but they were slightly too big. However, I couldn't NOT use one in it, so I used it for the clasp, which I think looks really sweet. Hopefully she will like it - she is nearly 7.

Bracelet For Teacher

This is the bracelet I made for Max's Teacher for Christmas. I have wrapped it in the box it is resting on (also hand-made). It is made using tubular peyote stitch in size 9 beads. I absolutely love the colour scheme and hope she does too. I have been looking at her jewellery for weeks now and she does seem to like beaded things. I am just doing that 'what if she hates it' thing at the moment!

Nicknots

I found this lovely crafter on Folksy, when I was looking for a Christmas present for my mum. I ended up buying a bag similar to this one, for a little girl who was having her 8th birthday party last weekend.

The bag was beautifully made and came within two days, in very professional wrapping. The mum told me today that her daughter LOVED it! I would really recommend using this seller.

A Christmas Present for the Friend With the Green Bracelet

I made this jewellery roll this morning, to go with my friend's bracelet and decorated notebook. So, one present down and lots more to go...

Can You Tell What It Is Yet?

No? Phew! It is a Christmas present and I'm not getting as much of it done as I would like. Beads keep getting in the way!

It is my birthday and I got...

... THIS!!! So many yummy patterns to try out - I can't wait!

Chain Rolls

I had a request to make a jewellery roll purely for chains to be stored in, so I changed the pattern of the previous one and used velcro to make it a little more secure when closed. I then made another as I was on a (jewellery) roll!

I am rather pleased with them on the whole - especially as I didn't have any instructions, just the basic pattern.

Jewellery Roll

My friend phoned me last week and asked if I would be able to make a jewellery roll for her, as a present for someone for Christmas. I had never made anything like that before, but thought there would probably be something on line. There wasn't a huge amount in the free pattern line, but I did manage to find one to give me the basic shape. I then made two prototypes before I came up with a third, and successful, design. Don't mention the phrase 'bias binding' to me as it now sets off my nervous tic!

I have made the roll in two complementary fabrics and am really pleased with how it turned out. I will not bother with the beads in future though, as they double the production time.

I hope you like it...

New Items in Folksy Shop...

Please do pop along and look at the three bracelets I have just added to my Folksy shop. There is a link you can use to get there, at the side of this blog. I hope you like them and, remember, Christmas is coming...

Pocket-money Bracelets

My friend handed me an envelope the other day and asked if I could fix the bracelet inside for her niece. It later transpired that her daughter had accidentally broken her cousin's bracelet and my friend had said, 'I know someone who could fix that for you!' So...when I got it home, I had a look and realised that I didn't have any matching beads to make the repairs with, so would have to start from the beginning and make a new one.

I had a go at making something similar, but couldn't get the thing to go exactly right. I didn't want to let my friend's niece down, so made something else completely, which I hope she will like equally if not more than the original. Then it struck me that my friend's daughter might feel a little sad, so I made a copy for her!

These bracelets took half an hour to make and could be sold for about £4, so would be perfect for fairs and school bazaars - so littlies could buy themselves something sparkley!

The TA's present

These were not so time consuming as the Teacher's present! I made the main TA a pair of dyed red jade ear-rings, with each piece of jade on a head-pin, hanging from a chain link (similar to the faux turquoise ear-rings earlier on this blog). However, I forgot to photograph them...doh!



So, all I have to show you is the moonstone ear-rings that I made for the second TA. They are very simple but I think they look quite cute.

This is Max's teacher's end of year present...

...but it looks a bit mean. It has already taken about 4 hours and I am not even one third of the way through yet! For information, it is going to be a book-mark!



EDIT - 21st July

And here is the finished article! I spent most of today making the rest of it and it took HOURS! I love the final look of it but will be taking a break before making another as it is a bit repetitive!



This is the box I made, using a tutorial from KWerner's blog (see the link on my favourites). It was really easy, but looks so effective. If she doesn't like the present, she can use the box for ear-rings!!!

Birthday present for friend

I wasn't entirely happy with the green bracelet because the clasp is hard to do up. So, I made an additional bracelet that I really like and decided to give her both of them!