Snippets from a bead artist.

7.20.2013

Bead Hoarder's Blog Hop and a New Tutorial


Goooooood morning!!  I am taking part in Lori Anderson's Bead Hoarders Blog Hop today, and I also have a brandy new tutorial out in my shop, so I thought I would combine the posts.  :)  Thank you so much, Lori, for hostessing this hop.  For those of you who don't know Lori (where have you been??), she has been ill this year, and it amazes me that she still does the things she does.  It takes a lot of effort and energy to put together hops and to organize all of the blogs, and I know that these mean a great deal to the participants.  You rock, Lori - and I hope today is a good day for you.

Do I have beads I hoard??  Oh my goodness yes!!  I can't get out of Etsy window shopping without grabbing up amazing goodies, even if I'm just pricing things out.  Something ALWAYS falls into my cart that I just can't live without...  and lots of them stay with me for years, as I never had a plan in mind for them, I just couldn't pass them by.  Of course, they aren't ALL art beads, some of them are just incredible Thai silver, or findings that I must have that have a special bead or design inlaid on them.

In doing some playing around lately to come up with a design I had in mind, I made myself a wrap bracelet in sterling silver.  I wasn't sure if it would be a bracelet, or a necklace... it could have turned into anything; at one point I thought it was an anklet, lol.  It does look nice as an asymmetric necklace, but for me, it would have to be longer to make me really happy.  It fits perfectly wound around my wrist three times. The two major beads I had hoarded in this were the gorgeous (heavy!) Thai silver round, and one beautiful blue lamp work bead by Clare Scott, and one silver glass spacer bead by Judith Billing.  I have a LOT of Clare's beads, and have been working on get more and more of Judith's work as well.  They seem to have little galaxies in them, and I find them mesmerizing.  I also had the cute little butterfly charm for years now, but since I wasn't sure if it was base metal, I hadn't used it in any jewelry for sale.  Since this one is for me, it didn't matter and I threw it on as a last minute touch.




I can't wait to hop around and see what everyone else made with their hoarded beads, but it will have to wait until tonight because I have a visit to my Dad to see about today, first.  Please visit Lori's blog to see the complete list of participants and hop the hop!  :)

The new tutorial is for a necklace I named In Bloom, which features delicate little flowers made from a 8mm chaton base with layers of petals surrounding.  I love how my St Petersburg variation looks like feathery greenery as a background!  I had a hard time deciding how to finish the piece off, and a few friends of mine suggested this chain as a solution - huge thanks to those friends, as I had a complete blank out until they kick started my brain.   I have had a difficult time with my tension on the second half of a double St Pete's chain, and so I came up with this modified version which lays nice and neat and doesn't have the "thread-showing" issue I had with the traditional stitch.



The clasp on my peaches and cream version is one of my favorite Elegant Elements clasps, thank you to Beadsmith!! 


The tutorial is up for sale in my Etsy shop if you'd like to make your own! :)


73 comments:

  1. Love the wrap bracelet. The beads are beautiful.

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  2. I just love the wrap bracelet, what a beautiful way to use those beads. And your new necklace is stunning! I always love your tutorials.

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  3. Love the idea of the wrap bracelet! Great colors and of course the necklaces are amazing!

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  4. Wow what a talented artist you are. I love the idea of the wrap bracelet which is fun and interesting. GREAT tutorial!

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    1. Thank you!!! What a lovely thing to say. I appreciate it a great deal. :) :)

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  5. your wrap bracelet is fabulous! such beautiful beads

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  6. Your wrap bracelet is just fantastic! Well done!

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  7. I love reading your blogs Nancy, and that bracelet is really pretty, well done on using those hoarded lovelies!

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    1. Thank you, Gail!! It means a lot that you took the time to comment, too. :)

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    1. Thank you very much! I adore your micro macrame necklaces - they made me swoon!!!!!

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  9. Love your bracelet, so dainty! The necklace is fabulous! Some of us can bead, and some are better off using other techniques. Otherwise I'd be going for that tutorial!

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    1. Thank you so much, Beti! Your work is fabulous, and I'm very glad you're using your own techniques - no doubt you'd blow me out of the water if you picked up the seeds!! ;)

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  10. What a gorgeous bracelet! This post makes me wish I could bead weave, but when I've tried it seems my brain just doesn't work that way. So it is fun for me to see the beautiful work of those who can. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Thank you very much, Ann! Me, I am terrible with wire, so I love to see things made with that skill as well, and only get a tiny bit jealous, lol... ;)

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  11. Your bracelet is beautiful Nancy. I like soft blue with silver.

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  12. Really like blue with silver myself :) and the butterfly charm is perfect!

    The flowers are super cute!

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  13. Wow, Nancy - you are one talented woman! Your bracelet is amazing, and you have inspired me to break my seed beads back out & get to work on a new design! Gorgeous! :)

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    1. Thank you so much - what a wonderful compliment!! I am thrilled that you want to get your beads out!!! :D

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  14. I love the way you designed this bracelet, the combination♥ of colours, the balance and the beautiful beadwork! The story behind it,is very nice to read!

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  15. Your seed beading is so beautiful! I am always in awe of that!

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  16. What a delicate and feminine design, Nancy... would be at home dressed up for the evening or more casual for daytime (though sure to attract attention either way!)

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  17. What a lovely design. And I can imagine why you hoard those lampies...they are gorgeous. Love the tutorial!

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  18. Great designs, and the bloom necklaces are just gorgeous!

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  19. Nancy, the bracelet is adorable, and I'm really excited about the tutorial! I'm going to bookmark it for the next Indie Book Fair I'm putting on later this summer. :)

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  20. Your pieces are all beautiful. Nice job!!

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  21. Lovely as always.

    The bracelet is wonderful. I really like the different patterns. Plus, I like the look of stacked bracelets and this makes it easy.

    The necklace is lovely. I just did a St. Petersburg strap and now I am curious about your variation.

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  22. i love your bracelet. the colors are gorgeous

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  23. Very nice use of bead hoardage Nancy! Lovely bracelet...keep on hoarding ;)

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  24. What beautiful pieces, all! I love the bracelet you made, those beads, especially that large silver one, but each angle of the bracelet shows something new and interesting. Hours of entertainment just looking at that! :-)

    And the necklaces in your tutorial are gorgeous! I admire your talent!

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  25. Just one word ~ Stupendous!!!!

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  26. I think I already told you on FB that I love the flowers because they look like one of my favorites - Love in a Mist. So lifelike - it was as if I was staring at a bouquet! So it bears repeating. :-) Absolutely gorgeous work!

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  27. I absolutely love your bracelet. The colors are soo stunning. One day I hope to be able to make something like your new tut.

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  28. Oh what a beautiful bracelet, the colors are stunning, beautiful!

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  29. Gorgeous bracelets. You did your stash proud.
    I wish I had the patience to do seed beading, as your tut looks very intriguing.

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  30. How loveley, the bracelet is wonderful, the necklaces are fantastic.

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  31. Wow, that bracelet is INCREDIBLE.

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  32. Oh my gosh you make such Beautiful Masterpieces!!
    You have the patience of a Saint as well! Love your work soooo wonderful!!

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  33. Your wrap bracelet is gorgeous! Love the colors in the lampwork bead.

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  34. The butterfly looks like Tierracast pewter or base metal made from their design (I'd know in an instant if I had it in my hand). I mix pewter and sterling all the time.

    HOLY cow but those tutorials, too -- you have some awesome talent!!!!!

    Thank you so much for participating!

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  35. Lovely bracelets! I'll have to check out the tutorials.

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  36. Everything is so lovely! That bracelet is just decadent... You did a wonderful job!

    And I love, love, love your In Bloom necklaces! If I had any talent with seed beads, I would give it a try! (Heh, I might still try... they're just so beautiful!)

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  37. Love the necklaces! Those flowers are beautiful!

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  38. I love your bracelet, what a beautiful mix of components. Like a little treasure chest for your wrist!

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  39. What a gorgeous bracelet you have made for yourself! Love it!

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  40. Love the wrap, Nancy! And the necklaces are absolutely amazing - I don't know where you find the time and patience to make them!

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  41. Lovely bracelet -- it's a beautiful home for some special beads!

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  42. Love the wrap colors, very pretty! The flower necklaces are gorgeous!

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  43. Love, Luv peaches and cream. Envious of you artist who have the beadwork talent. Gorgeous pieces all.

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  44. So beautiful and so much work involved. I'm afraid I don't don't have enough patience to work with seed beads.
    Linda

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  45. Love the combination of periwinkle and silver - what an elegant, airy take on the wrap bracelet. If this were mine, I might never take it off!! And speaking of elegant, I love the sparkle you've woven into your strap on that necklace and I MUST check out your modified St. Pete!

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  46. I absolutely adore the new tutorial, and you have assembled it in beautiful color ways! It has great shapes, lovely texture, and superb wearability. LOVE!

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  47. I'm like you -- I'll hoard a gorgeous big Bali bead until forever! The bracelet is, of course, fabulous!

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  48. Beautiful designs! I am always in awe of bead stitching...I cannot do it to save my soul...lol! Also, love your post...it's like you came to visit my bead hoard and I can so relate to etsy window shopping...can't live without that goodies!

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  49. Love the bracelet! Really pretty beads and design! Love the look of the necklace! Really beautiful!!!

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  50. I love your bracelet - it has such an organic growth in it :)
    The 2 necklaces are simply perfect! The double St. Pete is gorgeous as backdrop for the flowers... just lovely.

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  51. Not sure if my previous comment went through or not :) But sure wanted to let you know how beautiful your work is! Love the bracelet and am crazy about your gorgeous St. Pete's variation!! It's stunning, simply stunning work!

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  52. Those St. Pete's pieces are gorgeous! I've never tried that stitch, even though I have a tutorial stashed away for a future project.

    Wasn't this Blog Hop fun? I need a few more of these, just to use up more of my stash!
    :-)

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  53. Wow, such gorgeous designs. Fit for a queen, I'd say.

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  54. Is there a tutorial available for your silver and blue wrap bracelet? I would love to make one! It's the most beautiful and interesting wrap I've seen! What talent !!!

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    1. Yes there is, it's in my shop now!! :)
      https://www.etsy.com/listing/167109124/summertime-wrap-bracelet-tutorial?ref=shop_home_active_4

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