Vitamin C... A Daily Dose of Creativity: jewelry design

Showing posts with label jewelry design. Show all posts

Pink and Black Necklace Re-Do

by Kim

I made this necklace many years ago. The construction is embarrassingly simple. The base is some twisted black cords held together by endcaps. The beads and charms are attached by tieing them on with black embroidery floss. Simple. No tools required (well, scissors), and it has held up for years.

But when I wear it, it bugs me. It never looks right to me on any neckline. The beads don't flow up the necklace far enough to suite me.

So, I made some more beads and tied them on. I like it so much better looking fuller!

This is a good technique to spruce up an old necklace or one you purchased that you are tired of. Just add a few more beads.

Use your Vitamin C!

Some Color for a White World

by Kim

I love winter, but it is so white. Working on this colorful project this week was fun, love the colors!

The Amazing Helen at Blumenthal Lansing sent me some new embellishment packs. I made this fabric cuff bracelet for Jo-Ann fabrics. The package had buttons in three sizes and four colors, beads, and embroidery floss. All I needed to make this bracelet was a yard of grosgrain ribbon and a needle.

Stay tuned for more info on product and package when they hit the store.

Use your Vitamin C!

Wire and Button Bangle

by Kim

New color pack of buttons from Blumenthal Lansing. Sort of Southwest colors. I combined them with three colors of wire: gold, copper, brown. And added some brass heart charms. Fun to make. Lots of movement.

A little Vitamin C…..

Pink Necklace Re-Design

by Kim

This necklace was destined to be re-made. It is something I do. I highly recommend it. Sometimes I don't like what I did. Sometimes I get tired of a piece. Sometimes I don't really like some of the beads in the piece as much as I thought I would. This necklace won the trifecta. All of the above.

I remember making it, it has been quite a few years. I was sitting in my friend Joann's kitchen. The necklace got worn once and it has been hanging on a hook since then. Look how tarnished the silver is.

So, it got a re-do today. I cut it all apart and put away the beads I didn't like anymore.

The bali silver needed a clean up, and I could not find s sunshine cloth. So, I took them to the bathroom sink and rubbed them down with toothpaste. There is just enough abrasive in toothpaste to remove the tarnish. Just put some in your hand and rub. And they smell minty fresh!

Here is the re-design. It is a little longer, a length that I wear better than a choker length. I kept the asymmetry without the busyness.

All of the discs give it a slight Jetson-ish feel. I think I will wear the re-designed version. And if not, I will take it apart and try it again.

Just takes a little Vitamin C.

Heavens to Betsey

by Kim

I had to be at the mall today. It's no secret that I would rather be most anyplace than the mall. Especially on a Saturday. So, to improve my attitude, I stopped to see what Betsey is up to. I have followed Betsey's design career since high school. She started as a clothing designer, and now designs accessories too.

Maybe I am drawn to Betsey's work because she and I have something in common. We both performed in many dance recitals while growing up. We both have a soft spot for costume. In fact, I have always wondered if I should have been a costume designer for Country Western singers.

So, while I am not going to wear a googly eyed pink lobster, I do like keeping up with Betsey now and then.

Her stuff is definitely not for everyone. But it's fun to check it out.

One more thing about Betsey...she does a cartwheel on the runway at the end of every one of her fashion shows. She is 71 years old!

Tap into some Betsey kind of creativity this week!

Layering Glass on Beads

by Kim

New beads for my next column...

Made a bracelet using them. You can see them in the December issue of Bead Design Studio. With instructions!

Had to brush off my Vitamin C a little....

I Love My Magical Crimp Tool!

by Kim

I don't usually do subtle in jewelry, and this necklace is no exception. Click on the pic to see the variety of beads in this necklace.

No sure how I got on this, but I have been thinking how many partial tubes of seed beads I have. Probably most beaders do. They are useful, but apparently only until they get right down to the bottom. And, so, I made A LOT of seed bead rings. There are rings of all size seed beads, triangle beads, hex beads, and some small crystal beads. The rings range from 1/2" to 1 1/2" in size.

I went through the drawer and took out all of the green beads I had. Then I added a couple turquoise beads to add a touch of brightness.

My Magical Crimping tool got a good workout. I love that thing. Do you have one? I lost count of the rings around 120. Probably there are close to 200 rings on the necklace. The process took me a couple movies.

When all the rings were completed, and there were some empty seed bead tubes, I used embroidery floss to knot groupings of the rings to the links of a chain necklace. That part of the process was pretty fast. I even added a couple of small charms. You could add as many as you want.

I saved a couple smaller rings to go on the ends, so it is a bit tapered and looks better around the neck.

It is definitely a 3D necklace! Made of leftovers!
Use your Vitamin C....

Button Swap

by Kim

I am participating in a Button Swap today, hosted and organized by Cindy Wimmer of Sweet Bead Studio. My partner, Laurel Steven, sent me these buttons. She made the carded buttons. They are polymer clay and fabulous. Yippee, I had enough excellent buttons from Laurel to make two projects.

First, I turned Laurel's polymer buttons into earrings. I added a sparkly bit and a crystal dangle. Of course, I immediately put them on and wore them!

The rest of the beads are acrylic or resin or bakelite, I am not sure. Laurel, what are they? Besides very cool. This is a color palette not normally on my worktable, but I love it. I will be working with it again. Stay tuned.

The center strand is macrame with the buttons and some faceted crystal beads added in. I have had this strand of beads (from the HumanPinBall) that I have not used for anything. The blush color is perfect and they add a little sparkle. Strand two is seed beads and bi-cone beads, both brown.

Strand three is a chain with the same pink faceted beads, dangling. I finished it off with a button closure. I have been wearing it for days.

A lot of great button lovers/button artists are participating in the swap and blog hop. Grab a cup of tea and peruse some of these blogs.

Happy Mother's Day!

Use your Vitamin B(utton)

Alice Peterson and Kim Bender

Angie Blasingame and Billi R.S. Rothove

Billi R.S. Rothove and Angie Blasingame

Birgitta Lejonklou and Pam Farren

Bonnie Coursolle and Tania Hagen

Brenda Salzano and Hope Smitherman

Cat Kerr and Heather Powers

Cece Cornier and Jeannie Dukic

Celeste Thurston and Christine Damm

Christine Damm and Celeste Thurston

Christine Stonefield and Dana James

Cilla Watkins and Lori Bowring Michaud