Rosemary's Granddaughters

My cousin Paula has been making jewelry with some of my pottery pieces and I wanted to share what she has done with my pottery.  We live more than a 100 miles away and we both got our creative gift from our dear grandmother Rosemary.  She was an avid crafter, seamstress, florist, and fixer of things.  She was also one of the best cooks I have ever know, lucky for me she taught my mom who how to cook who then taught me. 

Sweet Rosemary

 
Paula makes beautiful earring with leather (she has a face book page, leather to leather) she has wonderful colors and textures, and she has recently made some leather cuffs with my large focal beads.  I know that Paula stays really busy with her job and family but finds that creating is in our DNA and is a great way to express yourself and make beautiful objects to enjoy.  Paula and I don't get to see each other often but it has been fun partnering with her on these projects from a distance.   

One of my favorite quote beads I make

This is one of my essential oil beads she made into a pendant

No shoes for the shoe makers children, no jewerly for the bead making potter

Have you ever heard the old proverb about the shoemaker who was so busy making shoes for his customer that his children went without shoes. Well that applies to me, except my children have shoes I just don't often have time to make myself jewelry.  Which is silly considering I have 100's of beads and supplies.  

So here goes a crazy story....

I went last week with a pottery cuff bead to the local craft store to buy a few beads to coordinate with one of my sea green beads, which are actually more brown than green but that's the glaze color so to keep me from being confused I use the glaze name.

ramble --- ramble  

While I am holding my bead up to the round beads on display trying to find a match while frustrated with the terrible fluorescent lighting blaring down from over head.  A nice lady shopping at the same time commented on how much she liked the bead and she proceeds to tell me that she donates 100's of bracelets to benefit cancer patients.  Knowing I had more of this bead I offered her the bead as a gift, which she declined but instead wanted me to make her a bracelet with the beads I had just chosen and the cuff bead tin hand.  

So I made this for the nice lady and I will get it to her later this week.  

LOL  I am glad she is getting a treat for herself since she gives so much to others.

Now on to the shoe proverb...

I made her a bracelet, I made one for a friend and I made a handful for a donation to a scholarship fund raiser.

Wait, I didn't make one for me yet.

But I will...

I did not take photos of the process but wanted to explain the details.

Open up a jump ring for each side of the bead, then I knot the elastic thread onto the jump ring and I hide the knot in the cone shaped bead next to the jump ring.  I then thread on how many beads you need for your wrist side and end with another cone.  I then stretch the elastic and tie a knot which I loop on to the other jump ring and that knot is hid under the cone.  I close up the jump rings, and apply a dot of glue to the elastic knots, let the glue dry overnight and then cut the end of the elastic that is left from tying the knot.  I can make one in about 15 minutes.

Where have I been?

Hello, It has been way too long since I have posted.  We started the process of moving late last year and we have successfully done so now, if you don't count the boxes I need to unpack or the art that needs to be hung....OR you get the idea.

I have bowls full of beads that I finally photographed yesterday and I will be posting them as soon as I can. 

Also I have had some lovely designs sent to me by customers, and if you sent me some photos and I have not posted them then please re-send and I will post soon.

Here are some great bracelets made by Susan Dorado with Blue Licorice using some of my cuff pottery beads.  Her shop on Etsy has lots of cute designs.  I appreciate her sharing these photos with me.

Aromatherapy bead used on this design

This image shows the back of the bead where you can add essential oils

I really like the double strand that she has used in this design

This is the Elli bead in copper brown with the whimsy design

Add caption

This one has such an earthy feel to it and it is accented with a cut Karma bead

This design was made by Anna Brasher, it is a unique mix of leather and peals and one of my pendant cross beads.

A sneak peek of some beads I will list soon.  These have a nature theme to them.

Dandelion pendant bead

Great earthy feel of land and water

This one reminds me of the Japanese wave paintings

Spring is in the air

It has been in the 80's here in Texas, and the flowers are blooming everywhere.  We had a great show of Bluebonnets and Indian Paint Brushes, they are always the first to welcome Spring in Texas.  

I have a farmers tan already (tan from mid arm down) from working outside.  I have been busy making beads and I just finished a field of flower cuff beads with pendant beads to match.  I hope to have these listed in a few days but if you see something you like just message me and I will list your choice first.  These should be fun to wear with all your Spring and Summer outfits.  They would also make a great gift for mothers day.  The birds are singing outside my window now and I am enjoying the quite of the morning.  I hope you enjoy this new batch of beads.

The kids are going on a cruise

Many of you know I lovingly call my beads the kids.  They are headed on a Bead Cruise on March 21st with Heather Power's yearly bead cruise.  I am sending her my add today.  Cruise on over to my Etsy shop between now and March 21st and mentioned the word Cruise when you check out for a free 10 pack of micro screws and nuts for cold connection included with all orders.  Have a great day.  Cindy

Show and Tell

What fun to be a kid and have show and tell day at school.  I just want to share some designs using my pottery beads.  It is always fantastic to see what my beads have become once they go to their new homes. Check my shop for all these pottery beads, and I am constantly adding new colors and designs.

These were made by Lori, Lori has been making western cuffs using my beads and leather, super cute.

Galen has made these lovely pendants using some of my pottery beads.  

 

Nicki Lynn has made a cross cuff bracelet and a bird pendant that are really nice.

 

Stephanie has a talent for combining colors to make exciting western cuff bracelets.  Please note that the Y'all beads are a design she had me custom make for her so you will not find them in my shop.  Have a great idea for a personal design? Just contact me for the details on how you can have your own personalized beads.

 

Thanks for looking and have a Healthy, Happy New Year.  Until next time...Cindy

Edgy bracelet tutorial using a pottery cuff focal bead and a bicycle tire

If you have been following my blog you know I like to recycle or up cycle items.   This hole project began when I spotted a old bike I had as a child up against the barn of my childhood home.  My daddy helped me take the chain off the old bike and I used it to press into the wet clay to make this super cool edgy pattern.  Then another crazy idea was to use a recycled bicycle inter-tube as the cuff of the bracelet.  The inter-tube was rescued from a bike my kids have recently out grown. I took the old bike inter-tube and fashioned this cool, edgy bracelet.  It was super quick to make and a fun accessory especially for bike lovers. 

I started by cutting off approx. 9 inches of the inter-tube, I then folded about a half inch of the tube inside itself to form a more finished edge.  I punched a hole with my leather punch and attached a metal button like one finds on their bluejeans. See post for details.
 

 

 

I then cut a button hole on the opposite side and curved the ends of the inter-tube using household scissors.  I glued the ends shut with household white glue.  To hold in place while drying I put clothes pins on the end.  Sorry I forgot to photograph that step. After it had dried overnight, I removed the clothes pins.

 

I held a 30x60 mm pottery cuff bead up to the center of my bracelet and punched holes to match the hole placement in the bead.  I then attached the bead to the inter-tube using micro screws.

 

This is the finished bracelet, ready to wear.  It should be a fun piece to wear with jeans and perfect for a bike or motorcycle enthusiast.  This piece was made with a stormy blue pottery bead but I have it in rusty truck also which is a brown with red rust spots.  Enjoy! Cindy

Note: that bike tubes have a natural curved shape so if you use a focal bead that has a top and bottom design you may consider adjusting that with the curve of the tube.

New Bead Designs

I just received my April issue of Bead Trends (I know you love the magazine as much as I do...but don't worry if your is not in the mail box yet, mine came early!!! WHY YOU ASK?).  I have two designs featured in the April 2013 issue.  The first design is a necklace with matching earrings in my new half circle sweet daisy beads.  It was made with copper chain and Swarovski crystal bicone beads in topaz.

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Supplies:
Beads: 5 half circle golden brown pottery beads with daisy’s www.CapturedMoments.ETSY.com
qty 4 8mm Swarovski crystal bicone beads in topaz artbeads.com
Chain: 22 inches of copper chain www.CapturedMoments.ETSY.com
Jump rings: qty. 14 9mm copper jump rings www.CapturedMoments.ETSY.com
Lobster claw clasp: one 15mm www.CapturedMoments.ETSY.com
Head pins: qty. 4 2 inch copper head pins artbeads.com
Copper daisy beads: qty. 4 5mm copper daisy spacer beads. Artbeads.com
Ear wires: qty. 2 copper ear wires www.artbeads.com
 
Step by step instructions:
 

Earrings

1. Take one head pin and place one copper daisy spacer bead, then one topaz bicone bead; make a simple loop.  To make a simple loop use your chain nose pliers and bend the head pin to make a 90 degree angle above your bicone bead.  Then with the wire end facing towards you grip the end with the your round nose pliers and wrap the wire away from you by turning the round nose pliers to make a nice loop. Then wrap the wire around the bottom of the loop to secure.  Cut off any excess wire.  Repeat to make a total of 4 simple loops.  2 will be used with the earring and 2 with the necklace.

2. Cut 2 pieces of 3 inch copper chain.

3. Attach one piece of the 3 inch copper chain to one of the pottery beads with a jump ring, attach the other end of the chain to the other side of the bead.

4. Carefully open the bottom loop of the ear wire and attach the copper chain that is now attached to the pottery bead into the center point of the chain.  Add the topaz bead loop to the opening also.  Close the bottom loop of the ear wire and repeat to finish 2^nd earring.

Necklace:

1. Cut two pieces of 7 ½ inches of copper chain.  Take 4 jump rings and attach a jump ring to each end of each piece of chain.

2. Attach one of the pottery daisy beads to one of the jump rings on the copper chain. 

3.  Attach the 2^nd pottery daisy bead to the first with a jump ring, add another jump ring and then attach the last pottery daisy bead to the other beads.  You will have a total of 3 pottery beads and each will be spaced with 3 jump rings. I used a oval jump ring in the middle of the three jump rings for interest.

4.  Attach the remaining chain to the pottery daisy bead with a jump ring. 

5.  Add a topaz bicone bead to the center jump ring to the right and left of the center pottery bead.  See finished piece.

6. Add a lobster claw to one of the chain ends.

7. Enjoy!

I also have a bangle in the April 2013 Bead Trends Magazine (see page 46-47) it is made using one of my pottery heart beads.A simple design using copper wire from the electrical supply store.

Supplies:

Wire: 16 inches of 8 gauge copper wire, from the hardware store, electrical dept.

And 16 inches of 12 gauge wire

Bead: Pottery heart bead in Malachite Green from CapturedMoments.etsy.com

Step by Step Instructions:

1. Cut a 16 inch piece of 8 gauge copper wire and make a larger loop at one end this will be part of the clasp.

2. Thread pottery bead unto the 8 gauge wire.

3. Bend the wire around a bracelet mandrel, or an oval shaped object. I use the handle of an axe from the garage.  You want to then check the sizing and see if it would fit your wrist comfortably.  Cut off any excess wire leaving ¾ inch extra to make a simple hook for your bangle.  Carefully flatten the wire on the bangle using a bench block and hammer, make sure your bead is in place where you want it and flatten the wire around the bead being careful not to hit the bead.  It is helpful if the bead hole is large enough to slide the bead out of the way while shaping the copper wire.  Flatten the copper wire of the bangle to add detail. 

4. Shape a simple hook to the remaining end.

5. Take a 2 inch piece of 8 gauge wire and fashion an “S” curve or other shape to accent your bangle. Or any design that you like.

6. Flatten the copper “S” shape using a hammer and a metal bench block.

7. Attach the “S” shape to the bangle near the bead with the thinner wire.  Wrap with wire to secure and wrap on each side of the heart bead to secure the pottery bead from sliding on your bangle.

8. Wrap the loop closure with wire to secure.

9. If you have a torch or a gas oven you can carefully hold your finished piece to the heat for a few seconds to torch fire the copper, changing its colors.  If you see colors you like on the copper, stop the torch firing as you cannot bring your piece back to those colors.  The pottery bead will not be affected by a quick flicker of heat. 

I hope you enjoy the tutorials.