Saturday 22 December 2012

Merry Christmas





I'll be taking a break from blogging over the festive season
but I'll be back in the New Year. 

Merry Christmas everyone! 

Snowflake Pendant




 I wanted to bead a rivoli to make it look like a snowflake,
ready to wear on Xmas day. 

Luckily when my other half came home 
and had a look at my latest creation he remarked
' That looks just like a snowflake' 
- My work here is done! 


Necklace For A Scorpio













Perceived as dark, brooding and manipulative types 
Scorpios often get a bad reputation as the dark and dangerous 
sign of the zodiac. 

They can be intense but  also
 inquisitive, sensitive and emotional.

The Scorpio does have a good side! 

A scorpion would rather tuck itself away in its home
staying safe rather than running about 
using its poisonous sting with wild abandon.

It doesn't confront, rather it saves its sting for
 the occasion when  it is itself confronted.

For this necklace I chose dark colours of black and gunmetal 
to give a bit of a dark and brooding feel to it. 

patterned heart bead to represent passion 
as the Scorps are said to be very passionate types. 

Also rumoured to enjoy spending money, 
(especially other peoples (!), 
I thought 'black diamond' rivoli would be a good choice.


Scorpio: 
October 23  -  November 21

Famous Scorps include: 

Pablo Picasso Oct 25 
Sylvia Plath Oct 27
Bill Gates Oct 28

Marie Antoinette Nov 2
Fyodor Dostoevsky Nov 11
Demi More Nov 11

Grace Kelly Nov 12 
Whoopi Goldberg Nov 13
Prince Charles Nov 14 

Danny Devito Nov 17
Martin Scorsese Nov 17 
Goldie Hawn Nov 21 

Element: Water
Ruling planet: Pluto
Symbol: The Scorpion
Birth Stone: Topaz
Vibration: Resilient  

Life Pursuit: To survive against all opposition
(According to the Psychic Guild.com) 




Wednesday 19 December 2012

Beads Direct Discount Code Valid Until 31/05/13




Beads Direct discount code for 20% off your order. 

* Not to be used in conjunction  with any other offer. 
1 use per customer. 

Expires 31/05/13

Tuesday 27 November 2012

Yoko Ono For Swarovski



Image via pinterest



Conceptual artist and Beatles widow Yoko Ono's 
collaboration with Swarovski 
brings us these delightful crystal keys.

Both as a high end ready to wear jewellery collection 
and also as a selection of crystal key pendants 
ready for use in ones own jewellery designs. 

Ono designed the collection around the theme of
'unlocking the door to a better life'.

Shop for unsigned keys at
Or the signed variety 
 from  Beadfx (Canada)  

30mm Swarovski Key Pendant Silver Night
30mm Swarovski Key Pendant Silver Night
Images from The Bead Shop Nottingham 




Imagine a key 
that unlocks the door to the forest 
with its secrets,

to the sky 
with its peacefulness,

to the Universe 
with its infinity, 

to a future 
with a promise for a better life. ' 


Rivoli Blow Out










I'm sure I read somewhere on the internet about 
Swarovski crystals bringing out the inner  Gollum
in you.  

(You know, the  Lord Of The Rings character that
 is so entranced by the ring of power 
' My Precious....' )

There's something so entrancing about these 
little sparklers that you can't help 
coveting them, 
preciously hoarding them 
and wanting to  just 
buy more and more of them....!


Friday 9 November 2012

First Beading In A long Time














I am absolutely thrilled to have been able to do a little 
beading.  

First time in quite a long time, since the accident,
 and I have really 
missed being creative.

I owe MANY thanks 
to my wonderful fiance 
and mother 
who have helped me in so many ways 
through out this. 
Doing my typing on the blog,
helping me get dressed etc. etc. 
There is still a way to go 
but lets hope it all continues well. 

So, anyway, back to the beading! 

I thought I remembered how to bead around a Rivoli, 
but I really didn't  - it has been so long.

So as you can see the beading around the stone 
is far from perfect  (!)
but after so long of not being able to make anything 
 I was just so determined 
to finish and make something that I continued rather than 
starting over.

I'm pleased with the over all design and I think I will 
redo it at some point in the future. 

Miss Kitty was surprised to see me making something 
and decided to lend some feline 'assistance', as you can see!

I think she quite enjoyed 'incubating' the tiny seed beads. 

Awwh pets, where would we be without them ;-)  

Beading Discount Code Round Up


#


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Offer ends Nov 30th 


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at the on-line checkout. 
(No end date was specified but the code was published 
in Beads and Beyond Magazine December edition. ) 

Are offering free delivery 
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Spend over £10 at Crystals And Ice
before Midday Weds 14th Nov 2012
and enter code

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Monday 8 October 2012

Rain Forest Parade








I had almost forgotten about this necklace that I made last year.

I loved the elephant pendant from the moment that I saw it,
with all its sparkly crystal jewels  
and Eastern inspired detailing.

I could just imagine him roaming through the 
rain forest so I decided to use a luscious 
green colour scheme. 
 I wanted to make it quite a jangly necklace with lots 
of detail and interest so I wire wrapped on lots of 
faceted glass beads in various sizes and shades of green 
with a sprinkling of Swarovski crystals in a sparkly deep blue 
to offset the look. 

It's so nice to rediscover something that I made such a long 
time ago :-)

 

Thursday 4 October 2012

Spoilt Rotten Beads Discount Code



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or 15% off everything when you visit the shop

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Friday 21 September 2012

Soaking Up The Last Of The Sun



Soaking up the last of the sunshine.
Miss Kitty is a creature after my own heart.
You would never guess it was September already!


Sunday 16 September 2012

Bead Radar - Gorgeous Earring Kits From The Bead Shop Manchester


Just look at these gorgeous  Fimo flower 
and Swarovski crystal earring kits.

At £4.50 each from
they would make an adorably affordable 
prezzie for a friend
... or even for yourself ;-) 

Tuesday 11 September 2012

Inspire Me - London







With all the cause for celebration Great Britain has had recently, 
 with the Royal Wedding last year, 
the Queens Diamond Jubilee 
and now the Olympics and Paralympics, 
I thought it would be nice to do a bead selection based on London 
our capital city and epicentre!

The strange looking fellow in the picture above is 'Wenlock' one of 
the official Olympic mascots. 
They are dotted about all over the city for you to find in various 
guises. 

So roll up and enjoy the sights of London as brought to you 
by this super selection of sterling silver charms.

All available from Jewellery Enchantments.




London Bridge Sterling Silver Charm 


London Tower Bridge Small 3D Sterling Silver Charm

 
  



 Bus Routemaster 3D Sterling Silver Charm



Diamond Jubilee Buckingham Palace Sterling Silver Charm



Queens Sentry Guard Enamel 3D Sterling Silver Charm




 Capital / Capitol Building 3D Sterling Silver Charm








Spoilt Rotten Beads Discount Code




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Only valid until Midnight tonight!
(As written 11th Sept 2012) 

Friday 31 August 2012

A Little Dior In Your Day




It was Christian Dior himself who collaborated with Swarovski 
to inspire this gorgeous AB crystal coating. 

Dior wanted the crystal 
to reflect the 'Northern Lights'
 and Swarovski certainly delivered 
with this gorgeous Aurora Borealis finish.

I am currently reading Jean Campbells' book 

'Creating Glamorous Jewelry 
With Swarovski Elements. 

Classic Hollywood Designs 
With Crystal Beads And Stones'   

Which has a great introduction about the history of Swarovski
and it's links with the glitterati of Hollywood and the fashion world.

I like the idea that my favourite crystal finish 
was inspired by Christian Dior!




Beads Direct Discount Code




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Friday 24 August 2012

Le Chat Noir Necklace





   






I don't always make things from my 'Inspire me' posts 
but this postcard really made me want to create something.  

I love cats and I was desperately looking for a black cat clasp to finish this piece
but I couldn't find exactly what I was looking for. 

Then I found I had run out of jump rings, so being too impatient to order 
any new supplies I made possibly the laziest clasp ending to 
a necklace ever - looping over the actual beading wire 
at the end to serve as a loop for the clasp!

I wasn't really expecting to wear it much 
but actually I have worn this necklace many, many, times now.

It's become one of my favourites and 
I just hope the lazy 'clasp' holds out for a while! 




Inspire Me - Le Chat Noir







Le Chat Noir was a 19th-century cabaret entertainment house 
in the bohemian Montmartre district of  Paris. 

Although the club may be a thing of the districts bohemian past this art work has remained as a popular image of that time. 


Great artwork to conjure up a little inspiration. 

I think the colours and style of the postcard itself are beautiful 
and the bohemian history of the Montmartre itself offers 
quite a colourful story , I'm sure! 

Thursday 23 August 2012

Stormy Skies






Made pre accident, this was my second project  beading around a rivoli.

 This ones Heliotrope and isn't it just a gorgeous Swarovski lovely wiith all that deep moody blue and the violet sparkling out of the centre.  

 I decided to use gunmetal seed beads because black might look too harsh
and I'm glad I made that decision.  

 Somehow the second design didn't go quite as well as 
I just kept going despite the flaws and she doesn't look too bad for her sins.  

(Don't you find that some of the jewellery you make just has to be a 'she' rather than an 'it'!) 

The gunmetal colour reminded me of stormy weather so I added some bicones dangling  underneath to represent some 'rain drops'! 


So here 'she' is, please give a warm welcome to 'Stormy Skies'... ! 

Tuesday 21 August 2012

Tea And Sympathy





Hi Everyone! 

I realise it's been an absolute age since I last blogged. 
Life has been hard since my accident. 
I am healing slowly but there will not be so many regular posts for a while. 
- It hurts to type!!  

I spy some new followers - A very warm welcome to you! 
I look forward to coming over to your blogs for a visit soon. 

Luckily I have some pics of things I made (before the accident) 
to share, so I hope you'll enjoy those for now 
and hopefully beading and blogging can resume 
as usual in the future.


Take care lovelies x