Badges Galore

Since making the Iris necklace for the Beaders Online challenge I've become hooked on making pendants from those little badges.  This one is for another challenge, this time on Bead Buddies, to use Beetroot Red, Beige and Bronze colours.

I've also made these, just for fun:

I still need to find some ribbons for these ones though.

This one I turned into a birthday card for a friend:

I've left it so that the pendant is removable because I hope she'll like to wear it. 

And there are still more to do...

February Moodboard Necklace

After finding inspiration in the pics on the OTTBS Blog, I used one of the studs that I bought from Spellbound a couple of weeks ago, and came up with this for the February Moodboard and I'm really pleased with it.  It's a bead embroidered pendant using the stud as a starting point and is finished with a lovely spiral chain.  I absolutely loved working in these colours and have done some more pieces using the same colour scheme too but I don't have pics of those yet.

I never did find any drops in the right colour and decided that maybe it didn't need them anyway.

Now all I need to do is get on and finish the rest of the half-done pieces. :0)

Have you ever...

... ordered something that, when it arrived, wasn't quite what you thought?  I bought some 'picture cabochons' from a seller on Etsy last year and when they arrived, discovered that they were actually little metal badges without the pin backs.  So what do you do with pinless badges?  Nothing - until recently when I had an idea for a challenge over on Beaders Online.  The challenge theme was flowers/birthstones for January/February and February's flower is the iris.  The colours were just my sort of thing so I got out all my beads, only to find that none of them were at all inspiring.  Then I remembered the badges and discovered one that was just perfect.  So, here is my Iris Necklace:

The badge has a bead embroidered bezel with an ultrasuede backing and is hung on a simple satin ribbon.  I've also done a couple more but have yet to find ribbons for those so you'll have to wait to see them.

Oh, and I just had to order some more badges yesterday.  Well, I know what to do with them now, don't I? ;0)

When Inspiration Strikes...

... it's best to go along with it!  I went to Hobbycraft on Sunday afternoon for some purple ribbon and had a look round while I was there, as you do, and found myself in the bead aisle.  They've got some new stuff in and I fell in love with a gunmetal oval set with black stones and with a keyhole cut-out in the middle.  I found a set of key charms in the same gunmetal colour and bought the lot (along with some other stuff :0/).  When I got home I got out my beading foundation (curtain blackout lining) and all my red and black beads, drew a heart shape on the foundation material and sat down to bead.  Two days later and here is the finished result:

I think I'm gonna be really corny and call it 'The Key to My Heart'.  I did have a mad idea to actually have the keyhole as a keyhole but chickened out when it got to the ultrasuede backing so that is what you can see through the hole.  I kinda like it like that. :0)

I'm hoping that inspiration will strike again soon but, in the meantime, I'll go back to finishing off some of the other half-done projects that are awaiting me - including the one that I needed the purple ribbon for! :0D

Only Half-done

After my trip to Spellbound Beads last week I decided to use one of the Swarovski-set round studs to make this brooch.

Only trouble is, I can't seem to figure out where to go from here.  As I was stitching it I kinda thought that it reminded me of the Summer sun and I feel like it should have some sort of 'rays' coming off it but Ijust don't know what or how!  I've tried picots of beads but they just look spiky, and I thought about a fringe but I want it all the way around, not just at the bottom.  Any suggestions will be most welcome. :0)

I also made this bracelet.

It's made in the same way as the one I did for the demo but with an extra row.  I think I like this one more than the original.  It has a nicer weight to it.

Still haven't finished the OTTBS piece yet........

I've been a cleaning demon today.  Done all the bottom kitchen cupboards and the fridge/freezer as well as the floor.  Tomorrow I'm hoping to get the rest done.  :0)

Hmmmmmmm....

I was hoping to be able to show you pics of my latest piece for the Operation Tackle That Bead Stash blog but I've not got around to finishing it yet. :0(  It's been half done since Tuesday and almost finished since Wednesday night when I sat doing the edging in the back of the car on the way to Liverpool to watch the football.  I really need some turquoise drops to complete it but it would seem that Swarovski don't make them. :0(  Not sure how to finish it off without them though.

It was demonstration day at work yesterday and I taught them how to do this simple netted bracelet using seed beads and fp crystals.  It's really simple to do and works up sooooo quickly and they all went away happy and with plenty of beads to have a go themselves. :0)  I love doing the demos and can't wait to be able to so similar here. 

It's been a quiet day here as far as beading goes.  I was much too busy tidying up this morning, then this afternoon was spent watching the football.  And I'm pleased to report that Liverpool won! :0)  Especially pleased about the result given the last week's happenings.  I still can't believe that Torres is playing in a blue shirt now but we've played two, won two without him (and even played against him today) so maybe it wasn't the disaster I thought it would be.  Time will tell, I guess.