Part Two Variation of Simple Earring and Lorelei Earring

I'm going to just pick up where I left off on the simple earring design last week. Here is a simple variation that can be customized so many ways. You could also make either design into a pendant by adding a jumpring or pendant connector like this one, http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=Shop&op=listing&product_id=1211030 in place of the earwire.

First I did a quick wire wrap on six 6mm crystals. You could use pearls or crystals or any beads you like. Once the crystals were wrapped, I cut about a 2" piece of wire. I made an open loop at the bottom, slipped in three crystals, then completed the wrap, closing the loop. The numer of beads you dangle is completely up to you. Sometimes I keep it simple and only add one dangle to each earring and sometime I add lots, just depends on my mood. You could use a eye pin in place of the wire. I tend to use wire because I have a big spool of it so it is easier to find than going through my bead totes looking for the eye pins.


Once the bottom part is all together you slide on you lampwork bead, a bead cap and a crystal. In this example I used a pair of 15mm lentils. Normally I would use my smaller lentils or rounds but I was still using up components of the necklace I took apart. http://www.blissfulgardenbeads.com/2010/03/destruction-of-necklace.html At this point I would normally make a wrapped loop at the top to be attatched to the earring hook but since I was using the same beads in the next design I took them apart.


In this pair of earrings I started out by wire wrapping a cluster of beads onto a wire like I did in the Lorelei bracelet. http://www.blissfulgardenbeads.com/2010/03/lorelei-bracelet-part-two.html Once I had my cluster of beads, I made an open loop like in the earring above and hung the cluster on the loop, the wrapped the loop close. Then I added the lampork bead, bead cap, and crystal. Next I wrapped a loop at the top.

Then it was simply a matter of opening the loop on the earwire and slipping the pieces together. I hope these directions inspire you and would love to see what you make.

And here are todays beads, just listed on ArtFire. http://www.artfire.com/users/blissfulgardenbeads

Simple Earrings

Here is a super easy earring design. With a little bit of wire wrapping practice, these can be made in a matter of minutes.




First gather your supplies. You will need two headpins, two fish hook earwires, four crystals (I used 6mm), four beadcaps and two lampwork beads. The lampwork beads I used in this pair or earrings are my 11mm round lilac spring garland beads.

Normally I probably would have used pink crystals but I had the olive ones out already from when I took the necklace apart last week and my stomache is still hurting so I didn't feel like digging for pink crystals. The bead caps also came from the necklace.




Stack a crystal, bead cap, lampwork bead, bead cap and another crystal on a head pin. Make a simple wire wrapped loop and then trim the end. Repeat.



To finish your earrings, gently open the loop on the ear wire and slip on the dangle you just created and then gently push it closed. That is all there is to it.

Tomorrow I will show a variation to this design.

Today's beads that I will be posting to ArtFire are a variety of bead pairs. They should be posted in the next hour, editing pictures now. I hope you enjoy them.

Have a great day!
Heather

Lorelei Bracelet Part Three Putting it all Together

This is my favorite part of the bracelet, putting it all together. I start with a piece of Soft Flex wire an inch or two longer than I plan to make by bracelet. I generally start in the middle so I can add to both sides and see my bracelet come together.

I start with a 15mm lentil and add a 4mm crystal to each side.



Next I added my fisrt 5-piece cluster, a 6mm pearl, bead cap and a piece of furnace glass. This is the first time I've made this design with furnace glass instead to the cosmic crystals. I was using what I had on hand.


Then I added to the other side, a 6mm pearl, bead cap, 3-piece cluster and a furnace glass.



Then I added the opposite elements in revers order.

To the first side I added a 3-piece cluster, bead cap, pearl, 4mm crystal and another lentil bead.

To the second side I added a bead cap, pearl, 5-piece cluster, 4mm crystal and another lentil bead.




The final additions.

On the first side one 4mm crystal, 5-piece cluster, pearl, bead cap, furnace glass and 4mm crystal.

On the second side 4mm crystal, 6mm pearl, bead cap, 3-piece cluster, furnace glass and 4mm crystal.

Now you are ready to finish your bracelet.

First I crimp one end onto a lobster claw clasp. Then I crimp the other end to a 1" to 1 1/2" length of chain.

The final finishing touch is to add a dangle to the last link of the chain. On this one my dangle is a little lucite flower. Generally I use a crystal or lampwork bead for the dangle.

And here is the finished design. One of the things I like most about it is that the length of chain makes the size adustable which is handy both for selling and gift giving. I also like that by just changing a couple element in the design, you can have a whole new look.

Next week I will be making earrings.

And here are today's beads available on ArtFire. Pairs are also available.

Lorelei Bracelet Part Two

Many of you know I am not really a jewelry designer, I am a bead maker. I have fun playing with the techniques I ave learned but don't feel qualified to actually teach the techniques, especially since there are so many great sources showing how to do the techniques right so I will provide links for you. If you have any questions be sure to email and I will help or refer you to someone who can help.

Today I made the dangles for the bracelet. I learned this technique from my friend ShaLayne, http://etsy.com/shop/shalayneoriginals . Basically I wire wrapped one charm onto each link of the chain. I made three clusters of charms with five beads each and three clusters with three beads.

The clusters of five beads included: one peice of chain with five links, one briolette 6x9mm, two 6mm glass pearls, one 6mm round crystal and one lucite flower with a crystal and silverspacer in the center.

The three piece clusters each include: one piece of chain with three links, one 6mm pear, one 6mm bicone crystal and one 8mm crystal.

If you need a tutorial on wire wrapping see www.beadwork.about.com/cs/beadshowtos/ht/wrappedloop.htm

A great supplier of lucite flowers is www.beadinpath.com

Tomorrow I will show how the bracelet actually all goes together and Thursday a simple pendant to go with it.



And here are today's new bead posted on ArtFire. I also posted three new pairs of beads.

Lorelei Bracelet Part One

Let me start with a little bit of background on this bracelet design. When I was doing shows this was probably the design I sold most often. I also had people buy a few beads sets and ask if they could take a picture of my finished bracelet so they could dulplicate the design with their new beads. I always so felt so complimented when they would ask.

I never had a name for the design but decided I needed one. This weekend I was reading some blogs and came across http://lorelei1141.blogspot.com/ and the name Lorelei has been stuck in my head since so I decided this would be the Lorelei bracelet. I hope she doesn't mind me borrrowing her name.



Part of the reason I decided to show this bracelet design this week is that I have been in a lentil making mood so I thought I would show a sample of a bracelet made with my medium lentil trios.

Today I sorted out the beads I planned to use in the design. I had to work at my other job so I didn't have a lot of time to play with beads. More coming tomorrow.



And here are today's new bead just lised on ArtFire.

The Destruction of a Necklace

This is a necklace I made two or three years ago. I have made three necklaces in this style. One was published in "Bead Unique" magazine and sold at the first show I took it too. The other was pink and lime green and sold fairly quickly also. Since I love black and white and pink I had to make one those colors and this was the result. I bever really loved it, somethng jut wasn't quite right. I put it on to wear a few times but t just didn't work for me.



When I was doing shows on a regular basis it was great for my table. It drew people in and got lots of oohs and ahhs. I tried it at a variety of prices but it always just sat there. it has now been over a year since I've done a show and I don't have any shows planned for this year so I decided it was time to disassemble this necklace to make something else. It was actually quite satisfying to snip all thos pieces apart. Tomorrow I will start revamping it into a simpler bracelet.



Chris was realy excited when I pulled these beads out of the kiln this morning. I haven't made birdhouse in a while and he always likes them. Will be posting them on ArtFire soon, have to go pick up the kids first.