Wirework ring...

One of the workshops I did at Birmingham with Beadalon was on creating wirework rings. I kept my design quite simple and had a fantastic Swarovski crystal to use to create in our piece. The concept was quite simple - but I think it's an art that would just get better and better with practice. There's a few knacks to learning about the sizing - it's a learning aspect to understand how much the wire loosens from the sizing you start with. I might go back to this piece to have a play with some finer wire in a complementing colour to experiment with some more techniques. If I do I'll post another picture up for you! So needless to say a ring mandrel and more wire is now on my shopping list!!

happy crafting

Jane

Charms Necklace and dragonflies

I spent ages at the trade fair at the learning table with Beadtime who supplies many of the beads and findings I sell. Their fantastic tutor took us through lots of hints, tips and techniques to create gorgeous jewellery. This particular example we made using the Indian Glass Beads we stock on our website. This is a fab way of using these more luxurious beads to really show them off. A cost effective piece of jewellery as you only need half a dozen beads, accented with a focal bead (I used a heart) and a few charms. The lovely dragonfly is made using seed beads, a few small spacer beads and the dragonfly wings. The beads are fixed onto headpins and then onto a small piece of chain using split rings. The piece is then hung on a length of faux suede finished with a box closer and toggle clasp. I haven't got the dragonfly wings in stock yet.... but as you can imagine, the class has left me brimming with new ideas which requires new beads and findings... so I'm in the midst of putting together an order for all sorts of goodies! If you have any particular requests to add to the order - email me in the next couple of days!

More inspiration to follow over the next few days... I won't fill up your heads with all the samples I made all at once!!

happy crafting

Jane

Tim Holtz Demos & exciting products!

Just back from the trade show at Birmingham. As you can see - I got to meet Tim Holtz and watched his fabulous new distress stains being demonstrated!... watch the website for stock to appear!... I think they are fab - no more worrying that you are running out your inkpad to cover a card project with your favourite inks tones. Lots of new stuff to excite at the show... and I am still placing orders this week so still lining up the new goodies for you all! Particular highlights are new cosmic shimmer mister colours - plus the new chalk spray range! I've also found fab templates from BCE. As for jewellery, I've learned lots of wiring techniques - creating wire rings and creating wired jewellery too.. so I'm hoping to get some samples rustled up this week once I've finished all the ordering!

Too many things to list in one post... so more to come!

happy crafting

Jane