July's Pretty Palette

Hi Everyone,

I splurged on some beads in July from the Pretty Palettes selection from Halcraft.  I just needed some new beads... right!

And, a month before I bought some copper sheets that I have been cutting up and hammering.  It's a good way to get out your frustrations!

Here's the copper piece before polishing and darkening:

I have a long way to go on my metalwork, but I was happy to get a hole in the center of the heart.  This was all with shears.  One of these days I'll get a saw.  I'm sure that would be much easier.  But, I did learn how to use my Dremel that I got last Christmas!  The radial polishers were very good at polishing up the scratches.

Here's the necklace I created with the heart and the beautiful beads from Halcraft.

Now for a bracelet and earrings!

Update:

Love these aqua hematite beads!  I made a tree of life pendant.

And, a pair of earrings:

Can't beat that color combo!

Over-the-top Sparkle

Hi everyone!

Beadwork showcases some Fast and Fabulous necklaces in their December 2019/January 2020 edition that are just the thing to add some glitter and glam to your outfit for a party or night out on the town.  Whether you want understated elegance or a full on statement necklace, there is something for everyone!

Here's my contribution to the glitter - my Silver Sparkle Necklace.  It's got a lot of swing to it, making it perfect for dancing.  These silvery glass beads have a unique cut called step faceting, so they really catch the light.  They are like mini disco balls!

Silver Sparkle Necklace

I decided this necklace wasn't complete without a pair of earrings, and I had some extra beads, so - voila!

Silver Sparkle Earrings

Now, I'm ready for some dancing!  No, wait, maybe a bracelet...


I got my copy a little early, so the issue isn't available generally yet.  But, in a few days, you should be able to find it on the website here.  As usual, it is filled with fabulous designs in bead weaving along with the Fast and Fabulous sparkle.  I love the ornaments on the front cover.  One of these days, I'll try one of those!

 If you like the beads I used, you can find the Silver Iris faceted 4mm beads here and for the 8mm beads, go here.  Or, search halcraftcollection.com

Time to get your sparkle on!

Happy beading,

Terry

In the Designer Spotlight

Hi everyone!

I hope you are enjoying the holidays with family and friends.

December has been even more full than usual this year so my posts have been sparse.  But, the end of the year has brought some great news I'm excited to share.

I am in the Designer Spotlight for one of my favorite bead manufacturers - Halcraft Collection.  You may have seen Halcraft beads at Michaels with their Bead Gallery line.  Or, at Joann's in their Bliss Beads line.  Now, you can find them on their own website.  Their selection of beads continues to expand and get better and better.

Here's the start of the article:

Welcome to December's Designer Spotlight!

I've followed and admired Terry Ricioli's work for years! Not only does Terry create beautiful jewelry, but she also teaches others how to do the same thing by submitting her pieces to magazines for publishing and teaching at her local craft store.

You might have seen her work in "Beadwork" as well as "Stringing" magazines. I'm so pleased to introduce her as December's Spotlight Designer!

Terry started creating craft designs when her daughters were small. She was a stay-at-home mom and needed a creative outlet. She tried creative writing and found the craft magazine niche. Over the years, she's had many designs published in craft magazines and books. She's been on a variety of design teams and has had a love making things since she was little. She likes to try a little of everything! 

And, here's the link for the rest of the spotlight.

A big thank you to Molly Schaller and Denise Yezbak Moore and to everyone at Halcraft!

Happy New Year!

Pretty Palettes Reveal for November

Hi everyone!

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  We celebrated with part of the family out at the old ranch house.

This month the Pretty Palettes from Halcraft and Molly Schaller is full of beautiful fall color and pumpkin spice.


I chose a few of these yummy beads for my own.  Ok, almost all of them!

Here is one of the necklaces that I created from zebra jade nuggets, some rosewood tubes and the stag pendant.  I added a hammered antique copper ring and spacers from TierraCast and a leather tassel and tied it together with brown waxed cord.

Stag Talisman Necklace

I imagine some ancient hunter wearing this necklace in hope of a successful hunt.  I love the primitive look of this combination of beads and fibers.

Here it is showing the way I made the clasp:

I drilled through the bead crosswise so that I could secure it as a toggle.  Then, I tied a loop in the waxed cord for the other side of the clasp.  I also wrapped the loop on the pendant with cord before tying the tassel.

Then, with the beautiful seed beads, ceramic squares, fire agate and imperial jasper rounds, I created another necklace.  This one reminds me of colorful Indian corn and pumpkins.

Corn Tassel Necklace

I love the seed bead mix and wish I'd bought some more of them!  Such a fun combination of colors and shapes!  This photo doesn't do them justice, but it was too rainy outside for an outdoor photo.

Here's another photo that's a little brighter:

Be sure to check out the Reveal for this inspiration and see what Molly Schaller and all the other members have created on the Halcraft facebook group page. And, go here for Halcraft's great selection of beads.

Ocean Moods Necklace

Hi Everyone!

I'm so excited to finally be able to share the publication of one of my designs in Beadwork magazine!
I created this back in June, so it's a while between creation and publication!

I love the ocean and I always love to create in ocean colors.  Here I used blues and greens with bits of purple and brown.  All the beads were from Halcraft, which you can find online or at Michaels.  I chose some of their beautiful agate and amazonite slices, cut points and rounds in fire crackle agate for the main beads and accented them with smaller rounds and rondelles.  It's very easy to put together also with easy knotting on waxed linen.

Ocean Moods Necklace

Look for Beadwork magazine online or in your favorite craft store.  It's chock full of great designs in stitched beading as well as a section on stringing (there are nine strung necklaces in this issue!).

Here it is in Beadwork in the "fast and fabulous" section:

Ocean Moods Necklace

Thanks for stopping by!

Spa Day - April Pretty Palettes

Hello!

The inspiration for this month is a cool, calm palette to go with the Spa Day theme.  The colors are muted and soft.



Molly Schaller picked some lovely beads from these colors.


I love natural beads whether gemstones like the amazonite here or wood or shell.  And, those painted agate pendants are calling loudly to me!  Halcraft's new diffuser pendants will add a soothing aroma to any creation.

Unfortunately, I waited too long to order some of these beads, and they were sold out.  So, I used some of the stash that I already had.

Here's what I created:

Spa Day Necklace

I used faceted, round and stick amazonite beads, aqua agate rounds, some white star-shaped lava beads, pale pink shell rounds and some howlite in different sizes.  To make the pendant, I drilled a piece of driftwood and hung a shell from it.  The beads are strung on white waxed linen with brushed silver chain and clasp.  It's a very relaxing color palette - perfect for a day at the the spa or the beach!

Check out the other designs inspired by this palette on the Halcraft Collection facebook page.