Crystal Mixes, variation on RAW

May is not only the month with Mother's Day but it is also has my mother-in-law's birthday. So I wanted to make something special and unique just for her.  I've been contemplating the Swarovski mixes that I carry.  There are the same great colors as the Bead Soups by BeadSmith.  But when I've worked with crystals before, I usually stick to one color crystal per piece.  There are at least five colors in these mixes - and some that I would never think to use together.  So I decided to pick the mix that suited my mother-in-law best and go from there.  She really likes purples, lilacs, periwinkle and similar colors, so I went with the Lilacs mix.   Here are the colors in this mix.....

I decided to pick just two of the colors in the mix - otherwise I felt the piece would be too busy.  So I picked these colors....

I knew that I wanted to play around with RAW and these crystals, but I wanted to spice the design up a bit with other beads.  So I picked complimentary Rocailles.

I chose inside color lined 8/0 Rocailles to match each color of crystal and I also chose a 15/0 transparent silver lined Rocaille that I felt would work well to pull all the colors together.

I chose to soften the angles of the crystals a bit by using the 8/0 and 15/0 Rocailles as spacer beads.  I alternated the colors based on the colors of the crystals in the pattern.

I did not like silver or regular gold for the clasp - so I went on a hunt and found this rose gold toggle clasp.  The color works nicely with the scheme.  After I had the clasp and jump rings in the rose gold color, I realized that I did not have an rose gold 'French' Wire!!  That is my preferred method to attach the clasp.  So after sleeping on it, I realized I could use the 15/0 Rocaille beads, just like the 'French' Wire to coat the beading thread and protect it, while nicely highlighting the clasp.

I also had a slight set back when I realized that the jump rings were closed and I needed open ones to attach the clasp.  

But never fear - I used my side cutter pliers to make "open" jump rings and they worked great!

Here is the finished bracelet.  

My mother-in-law loves it!  :)

On a side note, if you are planning on trying to sell your work online, a photo is worth a thousand words - literally!  When I started the photo session for this blog, I really liked the way the bracelet popped when it was shown against a black velvet back drop - but the camera did not!  So it is really important to not only have the correct lighting (full spectrum) but you really need to experiment with the back drops and back grounds too.  The only difference in the photo below and the others in this blog is the color of the back ground.  Same lighting, same camera, and same settings on the camera.  Who'd think the color of the back drop would make such a difference?

Happy Beading!

Betsy

Gifts from the heart

Hand made gifts are unique and often more meaningful than  any gift card or other more expensive gifts.

My grandmother's (my mother's mother) birthday is next week and I always try to make her something, that is special and unique.  More often than not, it includes beads!  Of course, that is a given.

She collects angels, so one year I did this picture for her.  I did this on my loom using 11/0 Delica Beads.  The gold beads in the ribbon and candle around the angel are real gold plated beads.  I mixed opaque, matte and transparent silver lined beads to create texture in the angel's dress.  The background was done in matte beads, so the angel would stand out even more.

This year, I decided to use some of the Preciosa 4mm Bicone Crystals I've recently added to my store.  I'm making her a bracelet and earring set.

Since her birthday is in April, I am using Crystal AB crystals. I like the sparkle that the AB finish adds. They are on the right in the photo below.  I wanted to make the set more interesting than just plain Crystal crystals - give it some color.

My mother died when she was 45.  Even though my mother was already an adult with her own children and grandchildren, she was still my grandmother's oldest girl.  A parent should never have to bury a child.  So, in honor of my mother's memory, I am using Alexandrite AB crystals in the bracelet as well.  My mother's birthday was in June, so these represent her birthstone.  Pearl is also recognized as the June birthstone, but I like the Alexandrite better.  Alexandrite is a unique color that changes color in various light sources.  Under the light bulbs, it appears light blue, but in the sun light, it turns a very pretty pale violet.

I've chosen the simple RAW pattern for the bracelet.

Only this time, each connecting crystal will be Alexandrite.

I chose a simple hook and eye clasp, so my grandmother will not have to struggle to put it on.

I used 'French' Wire again to attach the clasp, but I did not cut a piece long enough.  The end of the clasp rubs the ending crystal on the bracelet.  

So I took it apart, and used the shorter piece as a guide to cut longer pieces.

Now the clasp has plenty of room to move around.

I used the same length of 'French' Wire for the eye end.

I repeated the process to make these earrings to match the bracelet.

And here is the finished set.  It is even prettier than I imagined it would be and I know my grandmother will cherish it not only for it's beauty, but for the meaning behind the crystals.  She will have a beautiful reminder of her daughter, made by her daughter's daughter.  I could never "buy" anything this perfect for her.

Happy Beading!

Betsy

Matte Crystals???

When I started selecting the first colors to be added to the new Preciosa Crystals section of my website, I noticed they had crystals with a Matte finish.  Isn't the whole ideal of crystals to have them sparkle?  Needless to say I was intrigued - enough to order some of the matte ones and see just for myself.

So I chose the matte aquamarine crystals and thought to make a bracelet using both the matte and regular crystals.  I wanted to do the RAW crystal bracelet again and use the matte crystals to frame the regular ones.  I really liked the Spiderwire and used it again in this project. 

To finish the bracelet and add the clasp, I chose sterling silver French Wire

I cut two lengths for each end of the bracelet.

I chose a small toggle clasp for this bracelet.

Then I began to attach it....

I began by placing the length on one of my needles....

and added the clasp...

Then I ran the 2nd needle through the length of French Wire..

Next I began to weave both ends back through the RAW stitches...

Then I tied a surgeon's knot to secure the clasp.  After cutting the threads away from the knot, I used my Thread Zap to melt the end of the Spidewire.

I repeated the process for the toggle end of the clasp and here you can see the clasp closed.

Here is the finished bracelet.

I must say I rather like the effect of mixing the matte crystals with the regular ones.

Next I decided to do earrings to match.  This time I wanted the earrings to be in the same RAW stitch....

I used the same technique to attach the ear wires with the Spiderwire and French Wire.

Here is the complete set.   So my skepticism has been replaced with appreciation for these matte crystals!  :)

Happy Beading!

Betsy

Preciosa Crystals

Nancy is one of the newest Red Panda customers.  She was having computer issues and was not able to get on my site, so she called me and placed her first order over the phone.  

We had a nice conversation and talked about our bead projects and preferences.  She asked if I could carry Preciosa 4mm Bicone Crystals.  She was having a hard time finding them.  I did some research and found a source for 135 colors.  Preciosa Crystals are from the Czech Republic and are considerably cheaper than Swarovski Crystals.  So far I've only added the four colors that Nancy wanted.  One of these colors is Aquamarine.  Since that is also my birthstone, and I wanted to work with the crystals to see how I liked them in comparison to Swarovski, I decided to make a bracelet using the Aquamarine crystals. 

I wanted to make the bracelet using crystals only, so I searched online and found instructions to do a Right-Angle Weave Crystal Bracelet by Katherine Kelly, an eHow Contributor.

This was my first attempt at RAW - I'm pleased with the way it turned out.

I chose to use a new product in the Red Panda store to string the bracelet.  Spiderwire has patented translucency technology that makes this line the nearest thing to clear and is invisible.  Since the crystals are so light, I did not want any thread to show through.  Also, Spiderwire is stronger, smoother and much more durable than other braided line, while still amazingly thin!  It is excellent for use with sharp edged beads which would normally damage other types of stringing material.  The bracelet is incredibly fluid having used the Spiderwire.  

I chose one of the newer Anti-Tarnish Clasps in the Red Panda store too.  I love the simple elegance to this hook and eye clasp.

I modified the clasp attachment a little, by choosing to use "french wire" to cover the Spiderwire when I attached the clasp.

French Wire protects the line as it wraps around the end of the clasp.  It also gives a much nicer finish to the clasp.

I also used my Thread Zap to do away with the extra ends after tying the knots - and since it melted the excess line, it helps to seal the knots.

Here is the finished bracelet.

Since I started out with a gross (144) of these crystals, I had plenty left over to make some earrings to match.

I used these 18mm Gold Filled Ear Wires to make the earrings.

I also took head pins and trimmed them to various lengths to get the desired effect.

Here you can see the earrings next to the hook end of the clasp of the bracelet.

The whole project took less than two hours and I'm very pleased with my new bracelet and earrings!  I am also very satisfied with the Preciosa Crystals and plan to start adding them to the Red Panda Beads inventory.

Happy Beading!

Betsy

RIP Chewie

It never occurred to me that Chewie would die when I first posted his pictures on my facebook page and this blog.  I know  none of us live forever and dogs have shorter lifespans than humans.  But the average toy poodle life expectancy is 12 years.  And if a dog is healthy and well cared for, they can live 14 or more years.  Somehow, I always expected Chewie to outlive the normal expectancy.  But that was when he was 9+ years old and before Thyroid cancer.  

We first noticed Chewie's bark starting to turn hoarse.  Then during his annual vet visit, the Dr noticed a slight thickening  in his throat.  Turns out that Thyroid cancer in dogs is very rare and most often strikes Beagles.  How my precious Chewie got it is a mystery.

He loved to play with everyday items as much or more than toys.  His favorites were empty water bottles and balloons. He would play "vollyball" with a balloon until it popped.  He was so obsessed with balloons that we reserved them for special occasions, like his birthday or Christmas.

When I made my office he was sure my chair was reserved just for  him!

Thyroid cancer is not only rare, but it is an aggressive and ugly cancer in dogs.  There is no cure.  The only treatment is to surgically remove as much of the tumor as possible, but know that they will not get it all.  Then chemo treatment to try to slow the metastases, but eventually it will metastasize and the dog will die.  Because this cancer is so rare, there are no qualified surgeons in our area - the closest one is hours away in another state.  Some dogs don't even survive the surgery.  If I had an aggressive cancer that I knew would kill me regardless of treatment, I would opt to forgo treatment to allow as much quality of life as possible in my last days.  I could do no less for Chewie.  So instead of invasive surgery and chemo, we opted to make his last days as comfortable and pleasant as possible.

He loved to spend time outside in the afternoon sun.  So we tried to spend a little time each day out there with him.

We took lots and lots of photos of him, while he still felt good.  

This is my favorite picture of him.  The dappled sun highlights his coat as he looks up to my husband.  Don't you just love the cute bushy tail in the foreground? 

Chewie was a lap dog, but he was always in control.  He chose the lap and he would always have just a tad of resistance as you held him.  He would put his paws on you with a gentle pressure to let you know he was holding you too.  

I knew the end was near, one day last week when Chewie wanted me to hold him.  This time he provided no resistance and only wanted to be cuddled and comforted.  

As Chewie's days came to an end, he struggled to eat and breathing became the final struggle.  I am very grateful that the Dr at the emergency vet hospital was kind enough to let me hold and comfort Chewie in my arms as he administered the lethal dose.  This cancer has been so uncontrollable it was comforting to at least be able to make his death as intimate and loving as possible.  I will never forget how finally peaceful his limp body was as I handled it over to the  doctor.  Thank goodness he is no longer suffering.

Rest in Peace, Chewie.  

9/11/00 - 2/13/11