Tribal Geometric Bib Necklace

I have finally finished the necklace I told you about in my previous post and named it Tribal Geometric Bib Necklace. I love how it eventually turned out, so the many trials and errors were worth it! ;) A tutorial for this necklace is already available.

I also made a smaller version of the beadwork and used it as a fan shaped pendant. I might make matching earrings, too, but that could happen only after I will work on somethings else - I just can't see the same beads on my working table for any longer!... ;D

Spiky Branch Bracelet

This is my new bracelet named Spiky Branch. I couldn't decide if its pattern reminds me of a pineapple with its leaves or a palm tree with wide branches... Anyway, everyone in my family said it definitely reminds them of some kind of a branch...so branch it is! :) It's a relatively narrow bracelet, which is made with Miyuki long magatama beads, seeds, crystals and fire polished beads.


I love the long magatama beads, as they are offering more possibilities for a play with different textures and shapes in a piece. But their large, diagonal hole makes them quite challenging to work with. I was challenged by their unique shape in the past and have created Sparkling Wreath pendant / beaded bead, but this time I wanted to design something with a bit more of them in the piece and that's what I came up with. 
I learned a few things about this special beads while I designed this bracelet and I still have more of them in other colors and finishes, so playing with them isn't over yet... ;)

A tutorial for this bracelet is already available. I am also happy to let you know that all my tutorials are now available for both personal only and personal & commercial uses. 

Another Publication & a New Tutorial

I have designed a new eight-pointed star pendant, using Swarovski crystal Rivoli and bicones, Miyuki Tila beads, cubes and seed beads. I like the way the pendant came out, especially the "pixelated" look of the edges. A tutorial is available.

I am also happy to tell that my Pewter Lace bracelet project is published in Interweave Publication "Best of Beadwork 12 - Right-Angle Weave Stitch" e-book.  I am honored to have my bracelet included in the great company of many of the most talented artists in the beady world, like Marcia DeCoster, Jennifer VanBenschoten, Leslee Frumin, Shelley Nybakke, Kate McKinnon and others! 

This e-book includes 12 beautiful creations, all done in RAW stitch.  It's a part of a whole series of e-books, each dedicated to a different beading stitch. I bet you want to have them all!... ;D

 

Spring Around the Corner

This is "Early Spring", my entry for the April challenge of Etsy BeadWeavers - Spring Around the Corner.Check out the EBW blog to see all 49, spring inspired, beautiful entries and vote for your favorite (my necklace is #21 on the list). Voting ends on the 15th of April.

Insiring Beads

A new necklace with a bead embroidered pendant. My inspiration for this necklace came from the focal beautiful donut ceramic bead by a fellow Bead Art Originals team member, Lisa of Lisa Peters Art.

I liked the how the pendant in the first necklace came out, and since I already had the right beads on my table, I created another necklace in similar colors, with a leather embroidered pendant.

And then I beaded a matching embroidered leather cuff... I love it when my inspiration comes from the beads themselves... It all started with the beautiful ceramic bead by Lisa Peters... Thank you, Lisa! :)

A Trip to Marrakesh

One of the places that I am dreaming of visiting to is Marrakesh, the Moroccan "Red City". I'm not seeing a trip to Morocco happening in the future (not only because of personal reasons, but also because it's difficult for Israelis to enter this country freely), so for now I have to see the views of Marrakesh on the internet. I am fascinated and excited by the abundance of details, patterns and colors that are in the traditional Moroccan architecture, art and fabrics, and even their food and spices look more tastier and richer to me... The richness of colors and details makes me dizzy just by looking at the images on the screen. I wonder how it would feel to actually be there...I think I could happily get lost in a city like Marrakesh...

"Marrakesh" bracelet was inspired by patterns that can be found in Moroccan windows and home decor. I used beads in warm colors - reddish copper, copper, padparadsha and burgundy, that I found in many of Marrakesh images.

The other Marrakesh bracelet, in grey/blue colorway was created for the next BAO Color Challenge. Also, a tutorial for this bracelet is available, in case you would want to bead your own little piece of Marrakesh... :)

Below is a mosaic of a tiny bit of the amazing, beautiful, vibrant images of Marrakesh I found on Google Images. It worth the click if you are looking for excitement and inspiration...

BAO Color Challenge

This geometric net bracelet was created for the new Bead Art Originals Color Challenge. We had to pick any three colors from the beautiful image below for inspiration. I picked fuchsia, violet and light blue (there is light blue in the seed beads - fuchsia lined light blue AB, although the photo doesn't show it much..). Check out the BAO blog to see what other members of the team created for this challenge.

A tutorial for this bracelet is available

Crystal Flower Cuff

New Tutorial - Mystic Stars Bracelet

This new bracelet is designed to be created in one continuous stitch. I love jewelry that consist of a few repetitive elements, but I don't like so much that part of work of sewing them to one piece, and hiding too many threads is always a pain... ;) A tutorial for this bracelet is available and also includes instructions for a matching clasp and a few other ideas of using the basic design for other jewelry items.

I have also created another variation of this bracelet with much more crystals in it, but I'm waiting for the sun to come out so I will be able to take photos of it. I will update this blog when I have them, hopefully soon... and 

*** HAPPY and CREATIVE 2011 to ALL! ***

Asian Geometric Bracelet

About a quarter of this bracelet was beadwoven by my son. I think he did a great job! He is younger than I, and can concentrate in following a pattern much better than I do... ;D).
I thought I'd offer my kids something else to do during their Hannukah vacation from school, instead of the TV/PC routine... My daughter still didn't finish her bracelet (a different one, which we designed together), and I hope that now that the vacation is over, she will soon find the time to finish it. I don't have high hopes, though. Both my kids love to bead and find it relaxing, but they don't commit to finish anything they start... I guess Japanese Manga and Anime are much more attractive for them than playing with Japanese seed beads... ;)

So I had to finish this bracelet myself and can mark this one done!. A tutorial for it (including a few other design ideas) is also available now. Yay for a productive weekend!

 

Holidays Treasure Challenge

Come and see all 36 entries to the EBW November challenge - Holiday Treasures.
There are some really festive pieces in this challenge. My favorite is #23 by gypsyeyesjewelry. Such a beautiful composition in this necklace!
Voting for your favorite is only until the 15th, so don't miss this out!

"Champagne Under Starry Skies" by gypsyeyesjewelry

Mixed Media Necklace

This simple necklace is the only work I have managed to create in the last couple of days. I have this terrible back ache again, which also badly influence my arm functioning and makes it feel numb. Despite all the pain, I enjoyed playing with the different materials and techniques, and I like the simple look of it. The beautiful large disc beads are made from nut tree nutshell. "Nuts" is pretty much how I go now...;) I have a lot of work to do, and this backache is ruining all my plans! ;(

A New Pendant Design and Some Good News

 

I have finished working on Sparkling Wreath tutorial - a cabochon pendant with crystals and Miyuki long Magatama beads. Playing with the design, I came up with three versions of the pendant (two of them are included in the tutorial available).

Other ideas for using these beautiful Magatama beads, with their challenging diagonal hole, came up while working, but I had no time for trying them too, so they went straight into my 'ideas' notebook. I wonder if I will ever have the chance to try any of the ideas written in that notebook. It's either that I am working very slowly, or the time flies faster than before... but ok,....I will spare you the rest of my usual rant about the lack of time... ;P


My Star Pendant is published in the latest December issue of Bead & Button magazine (top right corner on the cover; project on p.48). A video instructing this project is also available for Registered Users on the Bead & Button website. Thanks to Anna Elizabeth Draeger for editing this project. It was a pleasure working with you, Anna!

More good news about publications came in yesterday - two of my projects are going to be published in the next (Vol. 6) Kalmbach publishing Creative Beading annual book. Also a project for a medallions bracelet - stitched in a new technique, is going to be published in the June/July 2011 issue of Beadwork Magazine. Double Yay!

My friends from Bead Art Originals group also have some Extra! news to tell, so check out our blog to read all about it.

EBW October Challenge and New Design with Tila Beads

EBW October challenge theme was "Autumn Falling of Leaves". Check out the EBW blog to see all 59 entries in beautiful, warm colors. My entry is number 33 on the list.

Also, there is a new tutorial available for a pendant and earrings made with Miyuki new Tila beads.