STAR EARRINGS PHOTO TUTORIAL

STAR EARRING TUTORIAL

EQUIPMENT

• fireline (or similar thread)
• 2 6mm Swarovski crystals
• 10 4mm Swarovski crystals
• 4 2mm silver spacer beads
• 2 eyepins
• 2 earring posts
• size 12 beading needle
• Round nosed pliers
• Chain nosed pliers
• Wire cutters

STEP BY STEP

THE STAR

1. First begin by threading your needle with around 50 cm of fireline.
2. Thread on one of your size 11 seed beads as a stop bead (sew back through the bead to anchor it)
3. Thread on another 4 size 11 seed beads, sew back through the stop bead to create a star shape. (you can sew through them again if you wish to make the structure more secure.)
4. Exit your stop bead and thread on 1 size 4mm Swarovski, 1 size 11 seed bead. Sew back down through the swarovski so that the size 11 becomes a "plug to stop the Swarovski moving".
5. Sew through the next size 11 in your original star, add another 4mm crystal and size 11 seed bead continue step 5 until you have 5 points in your star.
6. Secure your thread by tying a knot (I find one is sufficient) tuck in the ends and trim.

THE DANGLE

1. Pick up one of your eyepins, thread on, 1 2mm silver spacer, 1 6mm Swarovski crystal, 1 2mm Swarovski spacer.
2. Make a simple loop (you could make a wrapped loop if you prefer)

CONNECTING

1. To connect the dangle to the star, open one end of your eyepin, thread it through the top of one of your extending points of the star.
2. Open the other end of your eyepin and connect this end to the earwire.

REPEAT THESE STEPS TO MAKE A MATCHING PAIR!

Update on the earrings I've been making

Well as promised here's those earrings I have been making recently. I found a tutorial on http://www.mydailybead.blogspot.com/ for some of the wirework ones which I adapted to suit the beads I had.

The rest are mostly my own design.

I feel that when I actually complete something I feel better about life..... so even if I only make a pair of earrings a day I should be happy!!

The Beaders Color Palette Margie Deeb

Colour..... hmmm..... I'm always a bit of a "black girl" mainly due to my figure, I tend to stick to muted colours for my own outfits... but I want to actually sell the pieces I make, so black isn't really an ideal selling colour.

A while ago I bought The Beaders Color Pallette by Margie Deeb as I felt that colour was a bit of an issue with me, I wasn't sure how to use it to the best effect....


I hadn't had time to actually look at it properly, but recently I had a bit of "me" time and decided to take a deeper look into the book. 

The book begins by explaining how to read the colour pallete, which was invaluable for me, Margie refrences the Delicia bead by number which she has chosen to correspond with the palette, whilst engaging you to choose your own accent beads in whichever material you feel fits in with the palette.

There are some fabulous projects to complete, although I still have to actually make any of them, they are inspirational in themselves as the use of colour and texture has changed my creative thinking process.  I was particularly inspired by "This Gorgeous Planet" section I love the colours in the "Celestial Combinations" section, full of beautiful pinks, purples and heather colours.

Near the end of the book there is also basic information on stitches and basic techniques.


You can see more about Margie Deeb Here

Mojo anyone???

Well I hate to admit it I have for a little bit of time lost my mojo!!

What is mojo?? To me mojo is the creative spark, the actual WANT to make something I have lost this mojo thingamigig recently! ... it's funny how life can affect this creativity.

I've been suffering from the most almighty cough and flu since January... my friend who is a nurse was visiting from Scotland. was quite concerned over this, me being me brushed it off.. but it definately made me feel uninterested in my jewellery making.... until today, I finally decided to go to the doctor.... he told me I had a problem with the medication I was taking for my blood pressure and that sometimes this can exasperate flu symptoms....... so finally I know why the hell I am coughing so much! And can actually do something about it.... he signed me off of my day job for a week so now I feel so much better that I have time to recouperate and get better.... I don't know if it's this or having looked at www.mydailybead.blogspot.com that has rejuvinated the lost mojo..... but since looking at it early this evening I have since made 6 pairs of earings 3 pendants and a necklace (photo's will follow soon!).

I hope to feel refreshed after my bit of time off!

Woo hoo, hope it's back for good!!!

Bridal Watch

Continuing on from my other bridal pieces I have started a couple of watches. When I got married I never wore a watch, so was constantly asking in a panic "what time is it now?" So I thought that making matching watches to team up with my bridal tiara's and jewellery might be something other brides might be interested in....

Bridal set

I've been working on a bit of a bridal range this year. Hope to show a couple more bits soon.

This set consist's of clear quartz, swarovski crystals and 6 & 8 mm Swarovski pearls... there's a couple of stardust beads thrown in for extra dazzle. Both are finished with a sterling silver clasp and extender chain.

Polymer clay bangle

Made this one a while ago, used a coke can for the base, this one worked out alright, although I made one other that cracked and another one the colour just wasn't right after I baked it... This was made using a bullseye cane that I made a mess of (forgot to put the darker middle bit in! But I was quite happy with the result.

Been a while!

I knew I would do it, totally forget to blog.... but I'm gonna try and make an effort to blog at least once a week...

Well here's some of my most recent "makes" the top pic is of a bridal bracelet, using 6mm Swarovski pearls and AB crystals... hope to add it to my etsy, but want a better pic.

Second one is a necklace made using my own polymer clay beads and 14mm glass pearls, I love those beads...

Third one is my play on a necklace I saw at the Big Bead Show in Sandown racecourse last year, the original design just used all 14mm pearls, but I added some glass and a little metal, I love the chunkiness of this piece....

I've been on a buying ban for a while now, so I am trying to use up what I have, so the last piece is made using another of my own polymer clay beads as a focal, a mixture of hematite and czech glass makes this asymetrical necklace..

Bridesmaid jewellery

Just a wee quick one for this evening, this late year has thrown up a few late bride's tying the knot in the later months of the year!

I have been working on a set for a bride, who has 4 bridesmaids, being a cash concious girl (which is understandable in this climate) she asked me to create a bit of bling without the heavy price tag!!

This is what I came up with for her featuring swarovski and pearl accents

Beaded Bead tutorial

I've always wanted to know how to cover wooden beads with seed's thus making the beaded bead, this is I feel a very useful skill to have when working with seed beads as they can add a lot of interest to a piece in addition you can make them however you like, meaning they can become a focal bead for your work.

Having had those wooden beads in my stash for ages I decided to scour the net for a tutorial on beaded beads, I have often admired other seed beaders work and wondered "how do they do that?" so after looking around on my favourite site for information and general chit chat about beads UK BEADERS forum and admiring work from a talented seed bead artist Liz Reed, I had a look at her website The Crimson Moon beaded jewellery. Liz has some very beautiful and interesting work along with some fab tutorials. I purchased her colossal beaded bead tutorial, this is the first tutorial I've ever actually paid for (usually I'm a skin flint, unless I buy a book I never usually pay online for the tutorials) but the beads looked so well made I just had to have a go.

After a couple of shaky starts, which mostly were due to me having no ink in my printer and having to keep getting up to look at the pc, I finally produced some pretty decent beaded beads (if I do say so myself!). The tutorial is very good, very easy to follow, the pictures are great, I'm rubbish at working out and calculating things, so even though I am pretty alright at peyote stitch I would never in a month of Sundays have been able to make these beads without this tutorial......highly recommended!

I've added a pic of my efforts.

Neighbours are feckers!!!!!!!!!!!!

Excuse the french, but I have been living in an apartment for 5 years in Ireland now!

Unlike ourselves in the Uk we have no laws or really as far as I can see guidelines governing apartments..... people in ireland are unused to apartment living. Basically it is a free for all!!! We have lunatics holding late nite parties, which could go on for days!!!!!!

anyway they seem to have quietened down for the moment so I should probably go to bed until they go mad again!!

Berny

Late night beading!!

It seems to be a bit of a that with me now, I never seem to have some early day beading.

Reading about other's beading adventures really makes me jealous when I read about them beading in the garden, or beading on holiday, or even simply taking a photo of their fabulous piece when there is daylight to be had!

The fact that beading is not my full time income means that I have to bead when I have the time, unfortunately for me that generally means late in the evening, after I have made the evening meal, sorted my daughter and my own clothes for the next day (hubby usually doesn't mind as long as the clothes are tumble dried as he works in manufacturing) sorted dinners and lunches for the following day, life is generally a bit hurried, so beading time is precious!

Recently I have been mad about the colour purple (no not the whoopi goldberg film!!) but just that fabulous lucious deep purple colour, I bought an outfit to go with some beads I had bought recently, I know it's supposed to be the other way around, but the purple was just so lush I couldn't resist clothing myself around it!!! lol!!

The first set is necklace and bracelet set, made with 10mm Swarovski bicone's, goldstone in a purple colour (or so I am led to believe) and glass in a gorgeous deep purple colour.

Second pic is of a beautiful cabochon, which I bezzeled with netting stitch. After capturing the cabochon (nope i didn't chase it down the street, it came of it's own free will) I embellished it using czech glass, 6mm amethyst rounds and lovely czech glass flowers, not to mention the mandatory ab swarovski's for effect. The bail has added crystals. To finish this piece I made a herringbone (ndbele) stitch necklace. So proud of this piece I was thinking of sending it in as a project to bead magazine. If you have any feed back I would be appreciative of it!

Happy viewing!

Maybe some pictures might jazz it up a little?

Here's some of what I have been working on recently, been making some tiara's,

these were made for a bride who will be tying the knot in October in Co Clare. The bridal tiara I have named Hilary, there are about 150 beads, swarovski crystals and freshwater pearls, it measures approx 2.5" in height, took me ages but was well worth it the effect is beautiful. The bridesmaid tiara is very simple, just swarovski's and freshwater pearls. The bride was absolutely delighted with the finished product.

Right! About time I started to take this seriously

Well, the blog has been up and running for a little while now.... not much to say, always think I have so little time, but I always seem to be on the pc...... I promise that I will update this thing a little more frequently.

Was thinking that I might start posting a few bead tutorials, basics for stitches and maybe a little of what I have learned about polymer clay. Need to sit down and think it through though.

Beading Lovely time!

Well I managed my visit to Scotland without any major mishaps!

It was a flying visit, which seemed like a good idea at the time of booking but in reality just wasn't long enough.

Had a nice day at the safari park with me and Kirsty, my mum and dad and my brother's little girl Kaitlin who's 8!!

I was dissapointed that I didn't get to see my older sister and her kids Emma and Ewan, as they were on holiday, but best laid plans and all that......

Delighted to see my wee sis and her baby Paige, Kirsty loves seeing her because she is the closest in age to her! And I also was delighted to see my wee cousin Linda and her 11 week old son Kyle! He's gorgeous, reminds me so much of Kirsty when she was a baby! It's weird that we have all changed so much over the last 5 years, life has a way of settling itself.

I miss Scotland, I miss the "friendliness" of the Scottish nation, here in Ireland people are just NOT as friendly!

Anyway, I didn't get to do as much as I had hoped when I was in Scotland, I had planned to visit the bead shops in Glasgow, but never managed it, it's just not viable when you have 3 kids in tow! But I did manage to make it to a fabulous art shop in Glasgow, Millers art, they have brilliant range of Fimo.... I was dying to get my hands on some of the tools that they had on offer there, like the needle tool and the blending tools but just didn't want to take the chance on them being taken off of me on the plane but I did spend a few quid on some lovely clay.... sometimes I wish the airports were allowed to have "common sense" surely the security should be allowed to make judgement calls?!?!?! Talking of which I had a rough idea that security would have an issue with my hand luggage when I reached Prestwick Airport, I kept hold of my reciept for my clay, to prove where I had purchased it in an art shop. To say that the security woman was clueless is an understatement...... I had to spell clay for her!

She said: What is this?

I said: It's clay

She said: What?

I said: It's clay

She said: What?

I was getting frustrated now as Kirsty was inside the security part now, looking at the telly screens asking "mummy what's this?" and rolling her folded arms along the bit where they roll the trays through the xray machine!

I said: It's C.L.A.Y (spelling it out to her)

She said: What?

I said: Ok, here's what it is, it's an art material which can be moulded into many different things, the particular use that I use it for is to make beads, here let me show you in this magazine (I had purchased a recent copy of bead magazine which happened to have a polymer clay project in it)

She said: Oh I don't think that you can travel with that in your hand luggage?!?!

I said: Why?

She said: Let me check!

She then called an equally uninformed member of staff over who agreed that I couldn't travel with Fimo in my hand luggage...... I asked for them to explain to me why I could not travel with this in my hand luggage? Pointing out the restrictions on the poster behind them I reminded them that it was not a liquid, what was I going to do knock them out with one fell swoop of my Fimo?

After inspecting the label for several minutes, thankfully a knowledgable crafter happened to be passing security (just a member of the public) and advised them that this was indeed a craft material and that the WH Smith next stall was selling another magazine with a polymer clay project in it, so therefor they finally decided that my clay wasn't dangerous and that we could fly at last!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Stupid stuff, why did they take this ladies word and not mine? Do I look like a terrorist????? Maybe so!!

A little bit of background

What is in a blog? Blah blah and more blah!!

Well since I am full of Blah I thought I would get in on the world of blogging and tell the world a little about me and my life......

This is my very first attempt at blogging so please excuse me if it's a bit boring to start off with... I hope to improve as I go along!

A bit about me... My name is Bernadette (Berny for short) I'm 30 (something!) I moved to Dublin, Ireland nearly 5 years ago, from a small town in Scotland called Johnstone, I have a lovely husband and a crazy child Kirsty she is 3 and completely mental!! I love hearing her crazy stories and sometimes absolute fabrications of the truth! She's a shining light who I hope we can nurture into a wonderful rounded young lady without too many trauma's along the way.

A bit about home..... Often I miss home, I miss my family, my sisters and nieces and nephews, my cousins who are like sisters to me, but we are never further than a phonecall away, and trust me BT Ireland LOVE ME!!!

This blog is about me, but it's also about my passion for beads and beading, I started beading just before I was married in 2007. It started with making my own jewellery and tiara's for my wedding and has grown from there. I have fallen in love with making and creating.... it will never be a full time income, but it's something I enjoy.... recently I have started to create my own polymer clay beads. I'd love to call myself a polymer clay artist one day...... maybe sometime in the future! It's strange how something so simple as creating can soothe the soul. I've always known I was artistic, but never really found an outlet for my creativity before, I used to paint, but where do you find inspiration in a city?

Over the following months (hopefully years!) I plan to update my blog with all my craft bits and maybe even a few funny stories about my life and motherhood in a foriegn land!

I hope you enjoy my blog and feel free to comment me!