April EBW Challenge piece and a new pattern

This post is also for the EtsyBloggers blog carnival about spring.  One of the first signs of spring for me is always when little plants just start poking out of the ground.  That was the look that I wanted to capture with this piece for the April EBW Challenge Spring Around the corner.  It's available on Etsy here.

There were two "challenges" for me.  This is a design that I've been using for over two years now so I needed something to make this a true challenge piece.  The first challenge is that I used a metal clasp instead of a button or bead closure.

This looks very easy, and in theory, it is.  There is nothing complicated about the beadwork for this clasp.  However, it's tricky to leave enough slack so that the toggle can move freely into the loop without adding a lot of extra length to the bracelet.

The second challenge was that I finally wrote the pattern for this design.  As I've said before, I've been making this design for over two years and had attempted but failed to write the pattern once before.  I was determined to get it this time, and I did.  It's available here.

The pattern includes directions for a button clasp as well.  This pattern is amazingly versatile.  Changing the color palette and fringe bead size/amount can completely change the look.  Using lots of chunky colorful beads can create a fun, casual look while using a smaller, simpler selection of neutral or more coordinated colors can create a more sophisticated look.

on a whim, a new pattern in the works

I am in the middle of finally creating a pattern for my skinny fringed peyote cuffs (I need to come up with a more consistent name for this little design, but this is it), as part of my personal challenge for the April EBW challenge.  I took all of the pictures over the weekend and am finishing the writing.  I'm hoping to roll it out by the 25th or so with the challenge piece.  Working on another pattern got me inspired to make a pattern for my rock garden bracelet design as well.  I made a new green one this past week, which I'll unroll soon because it's perfect for spring.  I'm going to write the pattern with a new blue/purple one.

Obviously, the challenge pattern will be up first, but this one should follow shortly after.

Also, Andrea (StorybookArtifact) included my Beaded Cuff Bracelet - Chocolate Temptation in her Spring Forward! treasury.  Thanks Andrea!

new line (with the pattern) is up and running

My new dagger fringed line is officially up and running!  You got a sneak peak of it during my Art Beads winter piece post, but now they're up for sale.  I actually listed (and sold) the first one at the end of 2010.  I'd had those blue daggers sitting around FOREVER because they were awesome, but I had no idea exactly how I wanted to create a full fringed cuff.  When I finally did put it together, I completely fell in love with it.  This may be like another version of my leaf obsession.

So I got a bunch of new daggers and have been creating new dagger pieces since Christmas.  I decided to list the one that I made for the pattern since I listed the pattern at the same time I listed this first piece.  Here it is: Beaded Cuff Bracelet - Fringed - Fall.  (Wrong time of year I know, but these colors are so gorgeous that they'll carry you through any season.)

The majority of the Czech dagger beads in this bracelet are from Etsy's own TheDespinaCollection.  She does not have a huge selection of dagger beads, but the ones that she does have are amazing.  There are a couple sets I haven't ordered yet, but I most likely will at some point in the future.

I have blue (similar to the original), a couple garden that are garden themed, and neutrals ready to go that'll be up throughout February.  That's all I have planned at this point, but as always, I'm open to other suggestions.  And for now, here is the pattern. :)

voting for the August EBW Challenge and my newest red piece

Before I get to red, I want to mention that voting started for the August EBW Challenge Gold and Silver today!  Voting is August 9th-15th on the Etsy Beadweavers blog: http://etsy-beadweavers.blogspot.com.  Voting is on the right side of the page.  You can view all of the entries in the most recent blog post.  My entry is number 5: Gold and Silver Wrapped Skinny Peyote Cuff Bracelet.  Thank you so much to everyone who has already voted for it!

For those who are bead weavers, you can purchase the pattern for this cuff here.

And now the other topic for this post: red. :) I know that I've written this before here, but I still believe that red is one of the most underrated colors.  I remade my Red Striped Beadwoven Peyote Triangle Pendant design this week.  Because it took me so long to finish the coordinating cuff after the pendant, I never did photograph both pieces together.  I figured that now would be a good a time as any to do that.  I shot some new pictures of the cuff as well.  The originals weren't bad, but these are better.

Because the ribbons were such a big hit at the Arts Festival, I'm photographing all of my pendants with ribbons now.

Here's one of my shots of the two pieces together.  You can see the other shot in the triangle listing.

In an effort to show more modeling poses, I took a few pictures of myself wearing the pendant.  This was the best one.  I don't know if I'm going to use something like this for all of my listings now, but I think that's worth continuing to experiment with the idea.

Also, at everyone's urging, I experimented with some different arm/hand model poses for the cuff.  Let me know what you think.

I still love how the coordinating cuff turned out.  It was a lot of work coming up with this design, but it was well worth it!

redo, back in stock, treasury feature

I had to redo the clasp on one of the bracelets that my grandma purchased from me earlier this summer.  I used cube beads for the clasp originally, and it didn't hold very well.  So I took it out and put in a button and seed bead loop instead.

I played around with the white balance in the light box today.  The tripod photos have considerably less blue tint than the ones that I've shot thus far.  I'm still struggling to get close up shots on custom settings that don't blur.  It's a work in progress.  My shots are still improving.  Hopefully this button clasp will work better for her.  Trial and error!  My other cube cuffs with cube clasps are wider so I think they'll hold better, but I'm not planning to use that design again.  If anyone is interested in the above design, you can purchase it as made to order in my Etsy shop here (or click on the photo of it).

I made a new version of my Two-Hole Button Explosion Earrings and updated the listing today.

I have one more multicolored explosion version planned as well as an all blue version.  After that, I'm not sure yet, but as always, I'm open to suggestions.

Patch (patchfirstshop) included my Beadwoven Bracelet - The Leafy Series - Winter in her EtsyBloggers weekly treasury: Favorite BLUE!!  Patch is the one who came up with the weekly treasury idea for the team.  It's been a big hit so far.

You can view this treasury by CLICKING HERE.

I finished the first draft of my next beading PDF pattern tonight.  Having completed one pattern already, I feel much more confident about this second one.  I think that my photos are better for it, too.  I used all white backgrounds (except for a couple of the completed bracelet shots) and black thread so the clarity is good.  I'll proofread it and make the final edits in Word tomorrow.  I should have it for sale within the next week.

Thank you to everyone who promoted my Christmas Button Charm Bracelet during the Christmas in July sale, especially through the Christmas treasuries, because it sold today!

I'm participating in my first SNS tonight.  My sale will hold through 6AM EST Sunday so there's still plenty of time to check it out if you haven't already.

first PDF pattern for sale, treasury features

As promised, I listed my first PDF beading pattern tonight.  You can purchase the Skinny Wrapped Peyote Cuff pattern by clicking on the name or on the picture below.

I had fun at the Flame II class at Beadology this afternoon.  I did a lot better than I thought I would, considering that I haven't practiced at all since the first class nearly a month ago.  We'll see if I still think that tomorrow when I pick up my finished beads haha, but it was a good time.  I will post pictures of my finished beads like I did last time.

The Christmas in July treasury craziness continued today.  I found my Christmas in July items in two more treasuries.  amybunz16 included my Christmas button charm bracelet in her Christmas in July treasury.

You can view this treasury by CLICKING HERE.

LovelyTiffy included my skinny raspberry square stitch bracelet in her Christmas in July treasury.

You can view this treasury live by CLICKING HERE.

Both of these treasuries were curated by Etsy buyers.  It's neat to see people who support the site through their sales are also promoting it through their treasuries!

more progress with my first pattern and new pictures

Thank you so much to Tara (ScarboroughSeashells) and Sharla (BeadedTail) for being the first two people to read my Skinny Wrapped Peyote Cuff pattern!  Their input was a huge help with my first set of revisions.  I'm still looking for a few more people to proofread it before I list it on Etsy.  I will put the word out to the EBW message boards tonight as well.  If you're interested, just leave me a comment or send me a convo on Etsy with your e-mail address.  Thanks again ladies!

Among other picture editing tonight, I uploaded new pictures for my embellished champagne peyote cuff and renewed the listing so it would be available again.  This is one of a handful of listings that I let go after the Arts Festival when I decided to update all of the listings that needed updated information and/or new pictures.  But it's back!  I created this design for my cousin's wedding last spring and would love to create another piece like it for someone else.

I still need to take pictures of the coordinating pendant and renew that listing as well.  It should be up and running in the near future.

I finished another pair of earrings and a new Christmas button charm bracelet today.  As soon as I'm able to take pictures of the button bracelet, I'll have that listing up so it will be available for the Christmas in July sale.

Skinny Wrapped Peyote Cuff pattern

I have the first draft of my first beading pattern finished.  Needless to say, it feels pretty awesome.  I took almost 60 pictures of the bracelet that I used for the pattern while I was making it and then just over 20 of the finished product.  The finished product will be my August EBW Challenge piece so I will post more details about that sometime in the next couple weeks.  For now, here are some older skinny wrapped cuffs that I created.

I sold the second piece right after I finished it last summer, but you can click on the first and third pictures to view their listings.

Before I publish the pattern, I would really like to have at least a few people proofread it for me.  You do NOT have to be able to bead weave to proof read for me.  It would actually be preferable if I had a couple people proofread who don't bead weave or are beginning bead weavers.  I think a lot of the terms and explanations will be more self explanatory if you've made peyote pieces before.  I'd like to know how they read for someone with little or no experience bead weaving.

I have the PDF ready so if you'd be interested in proofreading, please leave me a comment here or send me a convo on Etsy with your e-mail address.  Please note that the pattern does NOT and will not ever contain instructions for the peyote stitch.  Peyote stitch instructions are readily available online, in books, and in beading magazines.  Also, please note that although the PDF you will receive will not be the final version, you will be allowed to keep it and use it for personal use as it is intended if you so choose.  Thank you in advance!