Pick Up Sticks Earrings

Yet another project I finished a long time ago and didn’t post!  Shame on me :(  Anyways, these were tricky but very fun to make when I got used to the design.   It’s actually just a very simple cubic right angle weave but the small beads (size 11/0 seed beads) made it a bit tricky to see where the thread needed to go next. 
The design is a variation of Jill Wiseman’s “Pick Up Sticks Bracelet” featured in this years Beadwork June/July issue.  Seeing the cute and sparkly beaded “sticks”stacked together looked so cute I immediately thought of slender earrings with Swarovski bicones (of course lol). I followed the pattern closely but I added size 15/0 beads between each right angle unit to cover the exposed threads.  I honestly don’t like the look of exposed threads in any piece I make.
Here’s the materials I used:
Size 11/0 rounds seed beads – Nickel Plated
Size 15/0 round seed beads – Nickel Plated
3mm Swarovski Bicones – Indicolite AB2x
1 pair sterling silver ear wires

When I tried them on, I fell in love with how delicately they shook and they didn’t have that “bulky” look that I was afraid of.  I imagined wearing these out with my hair up in a curly messy bun but before I could, my aunt bought them from me lol!  It’s all good, they look better on her XD
I’ll definitely be making more of these but I’m short on color ideas :(
Until next time :)
Tootles!

Bright Native Loom Bracelets

I made these bracelets almost a year ago and I have no idea why I’ve never posted them!   My first attempt at loom work was a disaster and it was almost an entire year before I attempted it again.  I had purchased a simple bead loom at my local craft store and followed some simple instructions from the manual but I quickly gave up and let it collect dust.  Until one day I came upon a photo of Anabel Campbell’s Navajo Loom bracelets.  They were so gorgeous with their metallic pastel colors that I couldn’t resist trying one more time.  Of course, I needed a refresher course on loom weaving and after a while a discovered the best looming tutorial: How to Work with a Bead Loom.  This video tutorial covers everything from how to get the freakin’ string on the darn loom and how to finish the bracelet!  Before finding this video, I only found tutorials on how to string on the beads but never anything too detailed that a beginner like me was looking for.
If your looking to start looming always remember to not pull the thread tight at any time, even when finishing the threads off.  In the vid tutorial, she specified not to pull tight since the piece would tighten up over time.  Of course, I didn’t listen and next thing I knew I had a crooked warped bracelet :( So I tried again, without tightening the threads and I was happy to see the piece lay flat and flexible.
For the beads used, I always recommend size 11/0 delica seed beads.  Rounds are great but they aren’t always consistent in size and shape so your piece could look a little uneven.  The exact types of delicas I used are all Galvanized delicas from Fusionbeads.com.  They have a gorgeous metallic finish and the color lasts for a long time, unlike other simple non-galvanized delicas.
I hope to make another loom piece soon but I really want to attach it to a leather backing.  If anyone knows a great tutorial for this, please let me know!
Here's the charts for both bracelets :)

“Masca” Earrings - Design by Alondra

It’s been so long since I’ve posted anything new! Work has been crazy and has taken so much of my energy :(  All I’ve wanted to do the last few months is sleep!  But then I kept on running into awesome and gorgeous tutorials and jewelry designs on Pinterest and I realized I needed to dust off my beading desk and do something…..anything!

I decided to make these pretty little earrings from a design on called “Masca” from Alondra’s blog.  It’s in Spanish but the graphics were really easy to read :)

If anyone needs any help reading the pattern, just let me know and I’ll be more than happy to help you out XD

P.S – If anyone knows where I can find 39ss (8mm) crystal chaton montees please pleeeease let me know :)  They were really hard to find! I managed to get them off Etsy but I’m hoping to find a site with more colors :)