It's been another crazy week of rushing around like a mad dog! A's taking her ISTD Grade 6 Tap and Grade 6 Modern exams today so we had to pick her up from school and send her to dance coaching every day. Most days we barely had 15 minutes to make it! She's becoming really good at eating and changing in the car, at the same time!

Last night I attended her dance open house and am so proud of the way she has matured and grown in her dancing. This morning I've got to braid her hair and reach the examination centre by 8.45am. Her Tap exam is at 9.30am and her Modern at 11.45am.

This past week I spent time working on an order of five necklaces. I've completed three so next week I hope to complete the whole order and work on another one! I'm planning to have a gallery sale sometime in October/November. If you have any orders please get them in as soon as possible. After the sale I will be taking a break.

I do make more jewelry than I post on the blog. I only post the more exiting, interesting or complicated ones or my favourites! In the next few weeks I'll try to take photos and make an album for those who want to see everything! It may take a while because I've quite a few pieces!

Until next week, have a great weekend!
Reb

New Design and Collection

Last week I managed to design and make a few pieces for my new collection. Here's a preview!

One of my favourites (which took forever to make!) is a 16-inch choker necklace. I used purple, pink and green to create this floral garden effect. For the centre I used 8mm Swarovski pearls in powder rose. Surrounding the pearls are size 11 and 15 Japanese glass seed beads and Czech 3mm fire polished beads. The clasp is "hidden" in that you can't tell it from the rest of the pearls!

Here's the same necklace using 10mm Swarovski pearls, which makes it a little more chunky.

I can make these necklaces longer and using larger pearls for those who love bigger necklaces. However, from my experimentation, 8mm are the smallest I can go without compromising the floral design. This style will also work well as a collar necklace (which is shorter than the choker and hugs the neck like a Victorian style necklace).

Using the same pearl flowers, I have made ear-rings in any colour imaginable and will work on bracelets this week.

For those who love Y necklaces, here's one for you! About 17-inches and a spiral rope of 4mm Czech fire polished beads pulled together by a pearl flower clasp.

Finally, last one for today is this lovely 16-inch necklace which hugs the base of the neck comfortably and has an attention seeking drop! Will look really nice for day or evening wear.

This must be my ultimate favourite!

Until my next post, have a great week ahead!

Reb

I'm Back!

After five weeks of hiatus, I'm finally back posting! It's not that I've been slacking. I've been working really hard at designing new pieces and fulfilling orders. It's just that the children's schedules have been different and it's hard to have extended time working or blogging.

How did the STILL dance go? Very well, thank you! We had good reviews and lots of encouraging words. The gals were absolutely professional even though they were wincing inside from bruises while executing the kneeling and rolling on the floor movements. We're very excited about participating at the Christian Counselling Conference on July 23rd. Our very first "outside" appearance!




A couple of weeks ago, I was cutting some paper with a blade and sliced off the tip of my finger together with some nail bits so was helpless for a couple of days! Yes, ouch it was!! It's all healed now, no worries. Lesson learned is to let my son help me in all future cutting! Here are a few new pieces.


This is a 16-inch collar style necklace with tons of freshwater pearls! I must have used at least 4 strands of the lovely green pearls and about 200 Czech fire polished beads! Also incorporated tiger eye beads and Swarovski bicones with the usual Japanese seed beads in sizes 11 and 15. The base of the necklace was made using the netting technique and the luscious bottom was made using the coralling technique. Very comfortable to wear and very distinctive but certainly not for the fainthearted.



Don't you simply love this delicate flower necklace using a large freshwater pearl for the centre and graduated sizes for the necklace itself? A 16-inch necklace, the peachy pink is so light and fluffy in feeling. Goes with almost any outfit, casual or formal. I made another necklace in bronze and almond colours but slightly longer, 18 inches. Looks wonderful too.



That's all for today. Hope to show you my collection of ear-rings at the weekend but no promises. Have a great week!

Another Week of Opportunities!

This weekend has been quite fruitful in terms of beading. I managed to complete quite a few pieces and am pleased with them. Right now I'm working on a series of necklaces, bracelets and watch bands for Christmas. I'll probably have them all ready by late October for a gallery showing. If there's anything special you want me to make for you, do let me know. Remember, I don't post all my designs on the blog, just the ones that are different and a bit more special. I do make lots of other jewelry as well.

This is a lovely lime green 37-inch lariat and 5-inch drop which took 3 days to make! For the main lariat I used size 8, 11 and 15 Japanese glass seed beads, Swarovski crystals and Czech fire polished beads. For the drop, in addition to the glass seed beads I also used lots of freshwater pearls, amethyst gemstone beads and Czech fire polished beads.

The colours are youthful and simply gorgeous.

Here's a lovely bling-bling 17-inch necklace made from Swarovski rivolis. I used 16 and 18 mm rivolis. The main necklace is made from Swarovski bicone crystals. Really nice for evening wear.

And the last necklace for today is an 18-inch spiral rope necklace with a pyrite centrepiece. Pyrite is also called "fool's gold" because there are lovely shiny gold coloured speckles which catch the light nicely.

For the spiral rope I used size 8 and 11 Japanese glass seed beads together with Swarovski bicone crystals and Czech fire polished beads.

Now off I go to get more inspiration and work done for this week. Have a wonderful week everyone!

Another photo

This is a substantial 16-inch necklace which took a long time to complete. I do love how it turned out. Unable to find a bead cap to fit the end of the necklace, I made my own! I think I'll keep this one!

I made a purple one too. Will show it to you another day. I'm in the process of completing another lariat with lovely leaves and "fruits."

Meanwhile, I'm beading more today so who knows what nect week will bring.

Here are the Photos!

I managed to take some photos this morning. Here they are:

I experimented with three 14mm Swarovski rivoli and came up with three ear-rings. I haven't made the other sides yet!

I've got a few other colours like red and blue. I'm hoping to get a few white ones too. These are really nice for evening wear especially with a simple dress or blouse. When the rivolis catch the light they are really pretty!

This is a 17-inch necklace I made for a customer. I did a 5-inch Dutch spiral rope with Swarovski 3mm and 4mm bicone crystals, size 8, 11 and 15 glass seed beads. For the rest of the necklace I used Swarovski pearls and 4mm bicone crystals held together by a gold coloured magnetic clasp.

This is a 17-inch necklace done completely in Dutch spiral rope with a silver coloured

magnetic clasp. I think this necklace will look lovely for a bride on her wedding day or for anyone who wants to look extra special!

Life on the fast lane

My dear friends,
I've been working really hard. Really I have! I made a few samples of Swarovski rivoli ear-rings, experimented with beading pearls, designed andmade about 6 new necklaces and filled three new orders. It's just that I've not had time to take photos of my work yet and when I have time (like now) the lighting is just not right! I promise I will try to put up photos by the weekend.

The children have been having exams the past two weeks and I've been really anxious for them. This week we've had two specialists' appointments which were quite satisfactory in their outcome. At least we feel we're moving along in one direction now.

I was very proud of my daughter last week when she went to my husband's Counseling Adolescents class and gave a presentation on Self Injurious Behavior in Teens. My husband's teaching this college level class. The counselors asked questions and she was able to answer clearly. Not bad for a twelve-year-old! She ended the presentation by reading a poem she wrote about her own journey. She was asked to publish her works! Maybe one day I'll post a few of them for you to enjoy.

See you next week!