Pearls Need Knots Not Speed

I'm trying my hand at knotting pearls, and at this rate by the time this piece is finished it will be worth its weight in gold for the education it's giving me.

Taking more time, not that I was rushing, might have saved me a couple of problems, like knots getting in the thread. I was letting the needle end drop and dangle between beads/knots and at some point it wrapped itself into an overhand knot which, fortunately, was reversible. The next knot wasn't. A knot, on the nearly-completed second strand, that I was trying to snug up next to a pearl slipped off the pin as I tightened it and was too tight at that point to untie. So, I snipped the threads to free the pearls for round two, which will also require new thread. (Good thing there's a bead store within a mile of my house!)

Hopefully, things will go better here on out.

At least the pearls are pretty. =)

Creative Drive

A college friend shared an interesting link on creativity. It reminded me that much "creativity" is simply plain, old-fashioned work. You get up in the morning and DO your thing. Like a 9-5 job, you put in the time. I also like, although the article didn't say so in so many words, that it is in the doing that "new" things are discovered, through the "keeping on, keeping on" something clicks, "light bulb" moments happen.

Following the let down of the last craft fair I attended in December, I've been avoiding sitting down at my "studio" - a roll top desk, for lack of "inspiration." So, I started with just clearing up, getting materials put away, deciding to part with some beads that others may find more to their liking than I have. Having freed up work space, I emptied some blue beads out and started mixing them with others, picked up some waxed linen thread that I had had out for some other purpose, and ran it through one of the beads. It seemed to be suitable - plain glass bead, earthy linen cord, blue and brown. Knotting seemed the thing to do, and good to practice with inexpensive beads. And I noticed, as I worked, a sense of contentment I had not felt for some time.

There is a homeliness about the finished product that may not appeal to all. But it worked for me, and has received various compliments.

What do you think?

It is listed on Etsy.

Jewelry and Miniature Artists

Here are a couple of online "friends" whose work is fun and creative:

JJ Bugs Beads

(polymer miniatures, dangerously CUTE!!!)

Watters Side Crafts
(tree pendants, birthstones, cherry blossom, nice variety!)

Look over their creations and see if you don't agree.   :)

Today's Tip: Try Asymmetrical

I was playing around with earring ideas today and thought I had one I liked, except that I was not happy with the way the beads met up when I drew the ends together to secure them. The pattern was symmetrical and no matter how I tried to vary the ends, they just didn't look right where they came together below the bead tip. Then it dawned on me, make the pattern asymmetrical! Problem solved!

Jewelry Design 101

(Or, "What I Learned Today")

Nothing like putting something together then going, "Oh, now I know how I should have done it."

Been there, done that, do it over and over.

That was this today.

Mother of pearl, gold plated chain and clasp.

Would love to try this with opals instead of m.o.p! Or amethyst.

How it should go together:

String the middle beads rather than using groupings on headpins....

Position pairs of jump rings between beads, catch a link in the chain on the left and the string between beads with one jump ring, then catch a link in the chain on the right and the string between the beads with the second jump ring. (Got that?)

Now to disassemble, string, reassemble.....

Okay....so I didn't exactly "reassemble"... It went more like this:

7 1/2"

Finally,...how it "should have" been done in the first place:

Jewel Tones Design

What I've been working on today.

Just a photo, for now.

SOLD (w/earrings, blue)

Sweet Celebration (Charitable Contributions)

It's nice to be asked for donations to charities. Here are three where my items went.

Again this year, one of my creations will be among a number of donated items up for silent auction, for the benefit of Care Net Pregnancy Center in Shelton, WA.

SOLD. $30

I like knowing that the combination of my artistry and another's generosity allows Care Net to continue providing services for mothers and their unborn babies who are in need of care.

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Each year our church holds a Christmas Bazaar fundraiser. The first day will be open to the public. Here are some of the pieces that will be available to choose from.

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I went to a new-to-me craft fair last year and met a local Poulsbo artist. She is helping organize a "Puttin' on the Ritz" fundraiser for a neighborhood high school music program, needed auction items, and chose the bracelet below (okay, not this exact one but one nearly identical to it). Apparently, it's gained a number of fans already.

SOLD. $40 paired with another item.

Craft Fair Jewelry Displays

Just as in many of my jewelry design processes, coming up with displays for craft fairs is also being an evolutionary process.

I'm currently using tri-fold, cardboard, "science" displays. The height is good and literally stops traffic at my table. I've seen people walk past displays where everything was just laying on the table, get to mine, stop, and look over my display.

Not a permanent solution by any means, but fits where I am for now.

What the photo doesn't show is the "history" behind the boards. The one on the right had been spray painted black last year. But the paint ran and looked unattractive, so it wasn't used. I went with the one on the left, which at that time was unpainted.

Since then I've heard and seen how neutral colors make better back drops for jewelry. So this year I found a putty/taupe/beige-ish colored spray paint, gently sanded the "drips" on the black board, then painted over both boards (using a circular motion to nix the drips).

And I love how once "loaded" this board just folds and carries away.

Oh, and two more things. There is bracing on the back, a small tri-fold display board centered and glued on (aligning the bottom edges of both boards). It's incredibly stable. And fabric has been attached to the back to make it more attractive.

Braids-n-Tassels w/Beads from Amsterdam

Before:

A rough "draft" of an idea. I had played with the tassel arrangement a while back but it wasn't working out.

The wooden cylinders, wooden triangles, metal discs, and brown ovals were part of an assortment of beads brought back from my sister-in-law's trip to an Amsterdam farmer's market. (Very sweet of her to think of me.) 

The mixture of seed beads was just what was missing to pull it together. And the India (sea green beads) I'd received a couple Christmases ago fit right in. (More of those "what-am-I-going-to-do-with-these?!" kind of beads....) Threw in some slightly larger sea green and brown seed beads for interest. The result is below:

SOLD (to "Santa")

As always, it was an educational experience. Having sorted out kind of the direction I wanted to go (top photo), it still remained to figure out how to get there. Did I have enough beads for multiple strands? If so, how many strands? How long does it need to be for the tassels to hang at the right level? Etc., etc.

Well, now that it's done, it is not without its flaws. It was my first attempt at braided strands, and tassels! But there is the consolation is knowing the next one (if/when...) will be better.

Outdoor School Fun(d)raiser

My seventh grade daughter's class will be heading to Outdoor School in a couple of weeks. The cost is not included in tuition. So all items sold in September will go toward her excursion to study marine life.


First order was just finished yesterday, this necklace for my niece. 27" fresh water pearls, Czech glass pearl beads, silver plated clasp.

She had seen the pink quartz previously posted and asked for purple or dark gray, and had to chose between these:

The larger purple beads are A grade amethyst. Ready and waiting.