Very Cherie-Beaded Jewels

'I've got the world on a string...'



Beads, beads and more beads... brilliant, bold, bright, beautiful beads! They glisten, they sparkle, they shimmer and shine. they come in all sorts of shapes, sizes and textures; round, square, hexagon, bicone, oval, paddle and dagger shaped. They also come in flower and leaf shapes and so many others. The patterns on them are bold, flowery and pretty, geometric, abstract or psychedelic or exotic and in all the colors of the rainbow. They are translucent, opaque, matte, textured, shimmery, irridiscent, bumpy. Beads can be made of clay, metal, blown glass, lampworked; handmade or machine made locally or in far away places like Europe, Asia and Africa. They can be strung on wire, silk, cord, leather, ribbon or embroidery floss or woven into beautiful, stunning jewelry. Beaded jewelry can be worn everyday to work or a fun day at the beach; an evening out or a gala event.



I am fascinated with beading. I find it so relaxing. Just stringing them or weaving, picking up a bead, another and then another - the action is so repetitive... it's almost meditative. As you add the beads and watch your design grow, the joy and satisfaction of seeing the end result - a beautiful piece of jewelry; that is so fulfilling!



Friday, August 27, 2010

This was tricky!

My friend had this necklace and earring set. She lost a earring and asked me if I could make something to match. It was really hard finding something exactly that color. The stones in the set were foil lined and the chain was made so you cannot really repair or replace anything. I found these crystals that gave it shimmer and were nearest in color to the necklace and I cut a bit of chain from the necklace and used it on the earrings.

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Cellini Spiral

I finally learned this stitch!  I've tried it and opened it up so many times.... it's a bit tricky because of the different sizes of beads. It was really difficult with the tiny seed beads and then upto a much bigger bead.  There seemed like gaps all over.  I haven't quite finished this; I have to decrease and finish it off.  It's going to be a bracelet and I'm going to do a polymer clay focal bead with it.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

On the beach

This is the very first necklace I ever made. I had just taken a class on how to string a bracelet and I read about this competition 'On the beach' in the 'Canadian Beading magazine' I found at the store. My husband used to work as an Electronic communications officer on ships so I travelled sometimes with him. I was fascinated with the colors of the Pacifice ocean specially in bright sunshine. I used to sit on the deck for hours enjoying the air and the ocean while he was working. The beautiful blue of the ocean on a sunny day with its little foamy white peaks and as the ship moved  the spray of droplets sparkling like diamonds;  it was so breathtakingly beautiful. So, I decided to try and capture those bright blue colors with the foamy white peaks and put it in the necklace. I've used different blues, whites and browns for the rocks. The triple strands weaving in and out are the undulating waves. I used a sea-shell for the pendant.  It's from my collection of shells I have from Mumbai, India.  We have some beautiful beaches there.  Imagine my joy and surprise when I placed third in the competition and had a little write up in the magazine. I also had a certificate and a bagful of shells, coral and other beads.

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Razzle Dazzle Crystals

This bracelet was the very first piece of jewelry I made two years ago.  I loved beaded jewelry and I happened to see a bracelet on one of my piano students.  I asked her about it and she said she went to a beading class.  I wanted to take a class too and I ended up going with my daughter and my student and her mother.  We went to a beading store 'Beady I' in a quaint village in Bronte owned by Allie Savage.  I was enthralled by the beads, crystals, pearls and semi-precious stones that filled the walls and shelves.  they were so irrisistable. I could spend the whole day there... Michelle Matthews, one of the assistants there taught the class and I was hooked. They are so knowledgeable and warm and friendly and ever willing to help with my  never-ending questions.  Came home with enough to do more earrings for my daughters and myself.  I also picked up one of their magazines 'Canadian Beading Magazine';  Allie is the editor; and decided to participate in the competition featured in the magazine. I went back for a couple more classes on wire wrapping loops and making a wire wrapped ring and a couple more on christmas decoration and weaving a crystal ball.  I made earrings to match my bracelet and later on a  ring. These are my favorite colors.  Some may think the color combination is strange but I love the way the blues, greens and browns go together and the sparkle when the light hits the crystal is just awesome and I added a little butterfly dangle that just seems to go with those colors.