Calavera skull fun - Rings & Things blogger challenge

I have been knocking around an idea for a couple of days and finally sat down this morning to make it.

I wanted something fun and flirty to make with the dancing senor and senorita charms. Girly but with an edge. I used three sections of gold tone chain and made a length of wrapped beads with gold tone wire. Added the Calavera skulls as charms and there she is. Quick.

Now that I have it made, I am going to change out the toggle for a lobster clasp. The toggle is a bit difficult to work with.

44-940-56-AG Viva Mexicana charm, dancing senor (antiqued-gold plate)*
44-940-57-AG Viva Mexicana charm, dancing senorita (antiqued-gold plate)*
28-335-18 Lampwork 'calavera' flower skull bead (black,white)*
28-335-15 Lampwork 'calavera' skull bead (black, white)*
Random black beads





The bobby pin has been worrying me. I have no 'glue' skills. I don't think it is in my genes. I try and fail repeatedly to get something to stick to a glueable blank. I have tried many types of glue but still no luck. I wanted to do something funny and cute and creepy all at the same time. That is when I thought about adding the skull to the flower bead.

So funny.

I used floral wire and ran it thru the bead. Then added seed beads to the wire. Ran the ends of the wire back thru the bead to make the 'frame' around the bead. Then I bent the wire to the back of the bead and twisted it twice to keep it tight. Then I brought the ends of the wire together and strung the vintage lucite flower bead onto the wire. I folded the wires apart at the base of the flower bead and I put a dot of glue on the bottom of the flower bead and on the glueable platform of the bobby pin. It set up but not well. I enforced the glue by wrapping the tail of the wire around the top of the bobby pin.

floral wire
seed beads
30-822-1 Bobby pin (white metal)*
LUC3900RD German Lucite Matte Deep Red 3-Petal Flowers 39mm*
28-335-15 Lampwork 'calavera' skull bead (black, white)*





I need to re do it, make it more stable, appealing and functionable -but for now, it makes me smile :)

*FTC compliance disclosure: the '*' items mentioned in this post credited to Rings & Things were provided as a promotional gift as part of the Blog Partner Program. These items are for review or design purposes. Find out more about the Rings & Things Blog Partner Program


*FTC compliance disclosure: the '*' items mentioned in this post credited to Beadin Path were provided as a promotional gift as part of the Beadin Path Design Partners. These items are for review or design purposes.

Fun time - Anytime Autumn dangle bracelet

Keeping with the theme of the dangle bracelets for the Bead Trend category, here is my autumn bracelet.

Packed with jasper, agate, seed beads and quartz. It is a heavy one.







It is fun to wear, it is almost musical!

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!

Rings & Things shell pearl fun!!

About a month ago I got a great blogger packet from Rings & Things. I love them all, but I will say, this one was the most generous and most fun I have had in a long time. I have made so many things from these two huge handfuls of beads; a brown mix and a blue mix.

This is a fun dangle bracelet. It is a stretch from what I normally do, but there is a reason for this.
1. These style bracelets seem to be all the rage right now.
2. Bead Trends is taking submissions for their Sept issue two of the categories are dangles and bracelets. (this combines them both!)
3. There is an upscale resale shop that has opened and I want to approach them. This is an item that is more their style. (from peeking in their window) I want to show them some diversity from my normal hippy chunky stuff.

With all of that in mind I made this -



29-555-16-905 Bead, Shell Pearl, Round, 16mm (Blue Mix)*
28-000-007-443 Bead, Glass, Faceted Round, 10mm (Electric Blue)*
40-099-24-7 - Chain, Footage, Oval Curb, 10.5mm (Antiqued Copper Plated) *
Copper toggle
Purple turquoise faceted roundells
Copper spiral bead

I STILL have shell pearls left over!! Stop by tomorrow and see what I made with those!

*FTC compliance disclosure: the '*' items mentioned in this post credited to Rings & Things were provided as a promotional gift as part of the Blog Partner Program. These items are for review or design purposes. Find out more about the Rings & Things Blog Partner Program

I am the coolest kid on the block!

I am stoopid with excitement! I got my package from Dawno last nite.

I ordered the greatest bracelet EVER from her.

I read about it and the new teck-neek she found on her blog.

Her work is fantasic, and I am a huge fan.

She has her pieces up on ArtFire and Etsy. Stop by and see them. You know you want to be as cool as me!