in the works lately

Just a few things that I've been working on lately...

Remember how last month I mentioned that I was finally finishing this piece that I started months and months ago? It's done! I need to take more photos and get it listed, but I'm making progress. It also feels good to finally use some of my ceramic buttons.

I don't use a lot of beading patterns, but I bought Carol Dean Sharpe's bargello ribbon pattern years ago. I've never gotten sick of it. I pulled these colors out months ago without any specific plan for them and this pattern just seemed to be calling them. It has so much color that I decided to pair it with a neutral button. (Edi has these custom buttons in her shop now. Go check them out.)

I finished a red and white striped version recently, too. You can also see it over here. I'll have more pictures of it soon. The green one is a personal piece that I pulled out again to use as a reference for the pattern. I have a 2" version of the pattern that Carol Dean very kindly sent me for free for a custom order a couple years ago. Working on bargello lately is making me itch to try it again.

I've been playing around with some possible color combinations for said 2" cuff, one of which was an all purple cuff. I simply don't have anything in my current stash that works. After multiple false starts with varying colors, I finally settled on this color combination and then decided that it would work better for a skinny herringbone wrap piece.

Originally I was thinking about purple so that I could use another one of my ceramic buttons. I don't think that either of these buttons really works with this piece, though. We'll see if anything else in particular speaks to me as I keep working on it.

I've had an idea for a yellow cuff for several years now. I've picked out beads, not liked what I picked, used them for other projects, and forgotten about it. A couple times. It's way past time to make this happen. Also, this time of year makes me want to work with all of the green beads in my stash. I have beads pulled for a floral / leafy green piece. Getting all of these greens pulled makes me want to create something with yellow and lime, too.

 Finally, whenever Oriental Trading has a free shipping on any order coupon, I check out their current bulk button offerings. This month they had a brand new black and white button stash. Aren't they amazing? This set here is just a small sampling. I also picked up some more wooden buttons.

What have you been creating this month?

at long last, a third bargello ribbon cuff

I honestly don't even remember when I finished this.  It was at least a couple months ago.  But now it's available on Etsy right here!

I didn't include this last picture in the listing, but I thought that it would be fun to post it here.

When I first made these earrings, I knew that I had to make something else with this color combination.  It took me more than a year of starring at those beads on my "to do" beading tray to finally do it, but I'm so glad that I did.  I still love this color combination.  I think that it works perfectly with Carol's bargello ribbon pattern.  If you'd like this pattern for yourself, it's available here.  There's a commercial pattern as well if you're interested in selling your ribbon cuffs.

I've slowed down on delica peyote cuffs lately.  I don't have any specific plans for more bargello ribbon cuffs at this point.  This pattern is so much fun, though.  This is the third ribbon cuff I've made, and I'm in no way tired of it yet.  I'm sure that I will revisit it again sometime in the future.  For now, if there are any other bargello color combinations that you'd like to see, let me know.

bargello rainbow

Does anyone remember this sneak peak?  Probably not haha.  I upgraded my Bargello Ribbon pattern from Carol Dean (SandFibers) a few weeks ago and finally listed one of my bargello pieces on Etsy, which you saw the sneak peak of way back in the summer.

It's available here.  As you know, I really enjoy embellishing cuffs.  This is one of those ideas that I had in the back of my head for a ridiculous long amount of time before I actually put it together.  I got the inspiration for the colors from this set of bowls.  It's great how inspiration can come from different mediums like that.  The delicas were pretty easy to find, but it took me a long time to get all of the cubes in coordinating colors and figure out exactly how I wanted to work the embellishment.  And then of course, I actually had to bead it.  I'm so happy with the result, though.  Carol's pattern is amazing.  I still love this color combination, and I'm very satisfied with the embellishment.

The next bargello cuff that I list won't be embellished, but if you like this look and/or have ideas for other color combinations, let me know.  I may make more in the future.

new work in progress and other recent happenings

I have a decent amount of inventory built up so I'm working on a few more time consuming cuffs, which are ideas that I've been sitting on for quite a while.  Here's a picture of one of them in progress.

Some of you may recognize this as one of Carol's patterns (SandFibers).  A project like this is exactly why I designed this beading board.  It's wonderful to keep all of these delicas separated!  On a side note, this cuff will coordinate with these earrings.  I still haven't figured out what sort of clasp I want to make for the cuff and am open to suggestions.

And because I haven't posted any pictures of Angel here in a while, here are a couple of new ones.

Jake and I are still laughing about this first one.  I took the bedding out of her bed this week because it needed to be cleaned very badly.  She climbed in anyway while it was still in the wash.

I took this one yesterday after I shot my in progress shot from above.

And the treasuries keep rolling in!  I've been very fortunate to be included in three more treasuries in the last couple days.  Olga (thebeadloomgallery) included my PDF Beading Pattern - Skinny Wrapped Peyote Cuff Bracelet  - For Personal Use in her Be Creative with adorable Etsy Beadweavers tutorials! treasury.

Rita (RitasCreationsOnEtsy) included my Beaded Bracelet - Purple Rock Garden in her Plum Pickins treasury.

Jen (Walrustusk) included my Beaded Cuff Bracelet - Fringed - Champagne Party in her I Would Love to Meet You...Comment treasury.

new business cards, finished bargello cuff

I got my business cards from Vicki's giveaway early this week, but I didn't get around to taking a picture of them until this weekend. I'm very pleased with the way that they turned out, though. Again, these are from OvernightPrints if anyone is interested in getting any for themselves.


I finished my first bargello cuff yesterday and photographed it today. This pattern was so much fun! I highly recommend that any fellow bead weavers who are reading this considering purchasing it. You can get it from Carol's (SandFibers) shop here. I'm debating whether or not I'd like to upgrade to a commercial edition of the pattern. I already have several more ideas for color combinations with it, and there are only so many versions of it that I need for myself. Any thoughts? While you're considering that, check out my cuff.




Yes, this bracelet is very short. I have small wrists. And yes, the button is another one of Lisa Peters's creations. I decided that I didn't want to part with this one. :)

I also made my first pair of earrings this weekend in the same greens that I used in my bargello cuff. Pictures coming soon!