JustATish Designs: braceletes

Showing posts with label braceletes. Show all posts

Fun bracelet with spring dangles!

Remember the chain bracelets I got last week? I got to play around with them and have come up with a couple designs.

This is the Springtime Anytime bracelet

These are fun vintage pearl buttons around the bracelet and I have added Czech cubes, swarovski crystals, daisy glass beads and a fresh water pearl.

I have worked up an autumn one, and I have two more bracelets left. I think I will do one for each season!

Bead Trends deadline for submission is tomorrow, with categories of bracelets and dangles...I am gonna submit!

Stay tuned!

Fun with Cubic Zirconia beads from Art Beads

Had time to myself this morning before work and played more with the CZ crystals I got from Art Beads. I got in touch with my conservative side a bit, which I admit rarely happens. It is there for a reason. It keeps me from wearing combat boots and flame tights to weddings or a suit coat with my pajama bottoms to work.

Although I love to express myself, and know that my idea of fashion sense is really fashion nonsense, I will take a more conservative approach to some designs. That is what I did with this do-oh. These crystals are fun enough to go with any design, and they are elegant enough to be combined in a piece that is stunning in it's simplicity. I loved these little faceted beauties. The way they catch the light, and flash they are perfect for earrings. Saying that I made some earrings!!

Hand wound on silver plated wire, I used these beads for the earrings.
CZ-BOR-REC10 - 8x10mm Burnt Orange CZ Rectangle *
CZ-CRY-CN6 - 6mm Crystal CZ Coin *
You can make this set for under $7.00

Adding sterling daisy spacers and glass pearls does so much. I really feel you can let the CZ crystal do all the talking. They set off the design so well.

Graduating the sizes of the glass pearls gives a fun flow to this bracelet. Adding the daisy spacers lets you focus on each bead in the design. I used these crystals for this bracelet.

CZ-BOR-OV9 - 7x9mm Burnt Orange CZ Oval *
CZ-CRY-CN6 - 6mm Crystal CZ Coin *
CZ-BOR-REC10 - 8x10mm Burnt Orange CZ Rectangle *
You can make this bracelet for under $ 14.00

So affordable for the product you are getting. Make yourself a timeless piece, or a funky design either way, you can't go wrong with these Cubic Zirconia crystals!

*FTC compliance disclosure: the '*' items mentioned in this post credited to Art Beads were provided as a promotional gift as part of the Blogging for Beaders Program. These items are for review or design purposes.

Beadin Path Design Partner - Vintage Lucite Bracelets

I have had the best time playing with this lucite from Beadin Path! I can't get enuff of it. At first, I honestly thought I could do nothing with it. I have worked with stones for so long as the bulk of the design, I didn't know if I could incorporate the lucite. Boy was I wrong. I can't believe how inspired I am to create with these.

These side drilled little translucent orange ones are really growing on me. The way the light shines thru them and the way they 'wobble' in the design due to their drilling. Makes every piece - 'jewelry in motion'

Ok, I confess - I LOVE THEM ALL!! These 16mm jonquil beads are beautiful, bulky, bold, like an encore on your wrist, people will want to see it again and again. They go with literally anything. I love how copper brings the warmth out in them. I may be partial to them because jonquils are my favorite flowers.

I am having the best time playing with this lucite!

Rings & Things September Blogger Challenge - Faceted Fans

I wanted to make something with the package of faceted fans I had received from Rings & Things. The package was a mixed gemstone strand. Jasper, agate, aventurine, sodalite, quartz were all in that beautiful bounty on a string. This morning I set to work, and work I did!

I separated out the gemstones, one group was of blacks, whites, neturals, the other was more of a fall mixture. That is what I will show you first. I used the fans and what supplies I had on hand. I have listed similar items that can be found at Rings & Things.

Bead, Gemstone, 10x10mm Faceted Fan (Mixed Stone)

Chain, Footage, Flattened Long & Short, 3.4mm (Antiqued Copper Plated)

Clasp, Toggle, Cast, Fancy (Antiqued Bronze)

Head Pin, 2", Standard (Antiqued Brass)

Jump Ring, Round, 5mm (Antiqued Copper Plated)

I used three 7" links of chain

Played around with the layout

One way to remember where you want your beads to be, is attach a jump ring to the link of the chain as a marker.

Now that I know where my beads will go, I will put the fans on a head pin. A head pin? I hear you say, well of course. Most of the faceted fans I see are wrapped at the top, I wanted to mix it up a bit, and put the fans, sideways on a head pin. Thinking on a slant today.

Slide the bead onto a head pin. Use your chain nosed pliers and hold the head pin, keeping the pliers flush with the bead. Bend the wire to a 45 degree angle.

Bend the wire around the end of the pliers to start the loop.

There are two ways you can attach the wire wrapped fan to the chain. Thread the end of the wire thru the chain link you want to attach the fan too, and then finish the wrap

Or - make a wire wrapped looped with each of the fans, and then open the link of the chain and slide on the wire wrapped bead. This is my preference.

I love this chain just for that reason. Being able to separate the links minimizes any mistakes.

I used a jump ring to bring all the ends together and to attach it to the toggle.

As an after thought, I also added jump rings to the chain. It gives it a fun mechanical feel and adds more movement to the piece. I added them randomly, every 4 to 6 link of chain or so. With a cost of just under .02 cents each, why not play with them!

Don't condemn your findings to a utilitarian existence! Let them be part of the design as well. There are no rules to designing, only that you have fun doing it.

Speaking of findings, I put the toggle in the front of this necklace and attached the fans to it. I let the toggle be the focal and accented it with the beads.

I used eye pins for the wrap. The eye pins are a ready made loop. Attached jump rings to the toggle and the eye pin to the jump ring allowing the charms to move freely.

Then I did a more traditional style necklace using the faceted fans and triple chain.

There ya have it, a busy mornings work showcasing faceted fan gemstones from Rings & Things!

September birthstone - Sapphire and alternates.

Traditionally sapphire is the September birthstone but did you know jasper and moonstone are alternate birthstones for this month?

With this selection there is sure to be a style or design to please even the pickiest of persons. I did a wander around a few sites and found not so traditional settings for sapphire. Beautiful and unique, just like the person who deserves to wear it. Why buy a mass produced setting, that looks just like everyone else, when you can buy a hand crafted original work of art? Don't forget jasper and moonstone. They are just as beautiful and should not be discounted because the are not in precious category.

When I saw jasper was in the list I did a little squeal. I love jasper. I love the variety jasper has. This stone runs the gambit of all colors. From your classic red jasper to the beautiful warm multi-colors of mookite, and into the mottled greens and browns of ocean jasper. How you can pick one variety of jasper as a favorite, is beyond me. I love them all!

I have included a smattering of great designs, including a couple of my own, being that jasper was on the list. I hope you enjoy them, and that this is an introduction to a new artist you will decide to follow to find out what else they are doing.

Happy birthday September babies!

Sapphire ring - masaoms at etsy.com