Sparkly Space Invaders

Now that you can get the new AVA beads from The Potomac Bead Company, I decided that you need a freebie tutorial for earrings.  Here is my design called Sparkly Space Invaders...I hope you enjoy making them!!

I used a Sahara briolette, Crystal Amber Full AVAs, Toho #460K drop, and Miyuki #191 for the seed beads.  I would love to see the colors you choose!!!

Happy beading!!

Norma Jean

New AVA beads

I was one of the designers chosen to play with the new AVA beads developed by The Potomac Bead Company.  I received three colors of the beads; Crystal Labrador Full, Crystal Amber Full, and Crystal Capri Gold Full.  My friend who is a retired third grade teacher calls them Less Than and Greater Than beads, because to her that is exactly what they look like.  AVAs measure 10X4mm and have two holes.  I really like the heft of the beads.

I had a great time playing with the AVAs.  I made two bracelet designs, Holly Points and Let It Go.
Holly Points is being made into a freebie video that you can get on The Potomac Bead Company website.  I will also sell a downloadable pdf of the diagrams in my Etsy shop for those of us who like diagrams.

Let It Go will be available to purchase in my Etsy shop when the tutorial is available.

I also designed a pair of earrings called Sparkly Space Invaders.  I am hoping to get the tutorial written up and posted here as a freebie... So much work so little time!!

AVAs will be available for purchase on The Potomac Bead Company's website later this month with more colors becoming available in November.  I think you will enjoy playing with them as much as I have!  There are other new design tutorials becoming available from other designers!!

Happy beading!!

Getting Motifs to Lay Correctly

Antigonian Bracelet is my newest tutorial...so new it has not been released yet!  I made the prototype bracelet this past early summer. It is the turquoise and silver photo. While both versions look similar they are beaded totally differently.

 I loved the way the prototype looked but was not happy with the way the dome beads fit inside of the beaded bezel.  They had a tendency to slip and flip forward making the dome insecure.

I beaded three different versions of the motif that appeared the same but had different bezel designs. Below is a photo of the three versions taken from overhead.  See how similar they look.  (Please disregard the dome bead with a lot of blue, I think it got mixed up in the wrong color bin.)  The main difference is how much surface area of the dome is showing.  The third motif appears larger!

Here is a photo of the same versions taken from the back side.  You can see the different bezel backs. The third is the prototype design.  I used a wheel type bezel.  This is the one where the dome bead moved and could flip forward. The second and first motif have very similar backs but the main difference in the way they lay is shown from the side view photo.

Notice how the second motif does not lay flat against the base surface.  It sets much too high.  The first motif lays flat and will look the best when worn as a bracelet.

When designing jewelry there are many more things that have to be worked out other than the visual harmony of the design.  A designer has to be able to design something that will lay against the body and move accordingly.  The main focal (dome bead in this example) needs to be bezeled in such a way that it will not move around and flip forward or backward.  It needs to fit tightly, but lay flat and not sit up from the base surface.  

I hope this quick blog post will help others out there is cyber-land when designing their own jewelry!! Happy beading!!

Norma Jean

Stud Bracelet

I love this bracelet!  It takes around an hour to make so you can wear it the day you make it!!  Below the photos you will find jpegs that show the complete directions on how to make your own Stud Bracelet!  Please enjoy and give me the design credit when you share your own version!!!  Thank you all for supporting me!  Happy beading!!

Christmas Fever

I'm in full beading mode.....doing Christmas ornaments when I should be working on things that I have started.  They need to get finished up before....I don't know...year's end!!

 Maybe those Elves, who work hard to create toys for Santa to deliver, will show up and complete these.....

I have a bracelet and two earring designs that I need to write instructions for.  The bracelet would match my Sunrise Pagoda Necklace....

Here are one set of earring designs.  I used peanuts and seed beads for the tops!

These earrings I made for me to wear for the holidays.  The one on the left was my first try...I made the second one and decided it was a keeper. And of course I love them and must write up instructions.....

This is a bottom portion of a new pendant design.  I stopped work on it when I started the top and rope section.  I didn't like what I came up with, so now I have to redo the top section and rope...Muse, where are you???

I designed this as a bracelet!  It is gorgeous, but doesn't work as a bracelet....I have to figure out what I am going to do with it....

 I love these stars...they are so easy to make and look so sparkley!  But I don't know what to make of them...

All I want for Christmas is a visit from those work crazed elves to finish up my work for me!!!!!

Oh well, I'm off to finish up another Christmas Ornament!!!

Happy beading!!

Playing with Baubles

First I would like to say that I love the word, "baubles".  Baubles, baubles, baubles!!

I have been playing around with beads lately making these small pendant like things that I call baubles.  I am trying to figure out what to do with them.  I thought that they would make small pendants, but I'm not too keen on that idea.  Small Christmas ornaments?  Nah!  What I probably need to do is put several together to form a nice necklace or bracelet....I just can't figure out how right now!!!  Do any of you have any ideas?  Please let me know!  Also, how about tutorials for just baubles?  Would anyone be interested in those?  Again, please let me know your ideas!!

Creating a New Design

For those of you who do not know me personally, you may find it hard to believe that I have a very hard time following other designers instructions!  No, it's not because their instructions are bad (usually they are better than mine)!  It's because I can't shut off my mind.  I am always thinking...Why do it this way?... What if I did it that way?  I usually screw up the beadwork!  In doing this, new designs are developed! (One must always have a positive side to any undesirable attribute!)

I came up with this X pattern when playing around with my beads and thought, "Aah-ha, this will be great!

So I put several Xs together and there it was...a beautiful bracelet!  However, when I put this bracelet on, it collapsed in upon itself.  So I moped around for a day and dreamed about how to "fix" it.  Hey sometimes it works!  Don't laugh!  It definitely worked this time.  With the addition of several 3 bead bridges stragetically placed between the motifs, no longer did the bracelet collapse!  So now I have a new design!

Look carefully between the center motif and the end motifs.  Notice there are no connecting bridge beads.  This bracelet collasped!

Compare this photo to the one above and notice the connecting bridge beads that keep this bracelet from collapsing!

But did I stop there....NO!  I had to see what would happen if I changed the direction of the Xs, and another design was developed!

Notice that now the connecting bridge beads are in a different place.  Yes, I had to add them here to keep this bracelet's structure!

I am in the process of writing an instruction packet for this new design.  I call it Morning Dew.  There are 3 bracelet possiblities and a pair of earrings included!  

One bracelet design not pictured is just a straight line of motifs connected together for those beaders who like a simple design!  Happy beading!!!
Norma Jean