January Bead Stash Favorites

Looking ahead to a new year of beading ideas, I can’t help but get excited about all of the designs and techniques I want to try. Of course, there’s always a fresh crop of interesting beads on the horizon, too! I’m compiling a new year’s resolution list of beads to try in 2014, but in the meantime, I’m also eager to try out some of last year’s acquisitions.

I had so much fun getting back into bead embroidery in 2013, and I hope to experiment with it even more. I’ve been slowly cultivating a new collection of coin beads to help with inspiration, particularly for medallions. These tiny 6.5 mm Czech glass flat rounds from Fire Mountain Gems are perfect embroidery accents, and the gorgeous opaque blue color will make for some beautiful designs.

Several weeks ago I needed to stock up on pinch bicones for a custom project, and I couldn’t resist grabbing a few for myself from The Dutch Tulip. It’s been ages since I’ve had any in my stash, and most of them ended up featured in my destash challenge, so this time around I went with a color that I’d be sure to use often. The opaque lime green is just calling out to be paired with some delicious aqua!

Finally, I’ve got my eye on a few lovely tagua pendants from Lima Beads. I had many plans for simple jewelry designs last year that didn’t really get off the ground, but I’m still thrilled to have the supplies. I can’t wait to find new ways to use these pieces, if only because they are so touchable.

Do you have a favorite bead type for the new year?

Copyright 2014 Inspirational Beading
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Spring Jewelry Colors: Part One

One of the best things about changing seasons is the abundance of inspiration that comes along with it. With spring just around the corner, now is a great time to start planning fun summer jewelry designs and color palettes. Before too long, butterflies and flowers will be our muses again!

This year I want to try something a little different with jewelry and fashion collages inspired by the spring color picks from Pantone. I’m always really intrigued by the designers’ sketches using the signature colors for women’s fashion, and this time around I’ll be using them as a springboard for jewelry ensembles, rather than dividing the season’s palette into separate trios.

To start things off right, this week I’m working with a palette including the Color of the Year, Radiant Orchid. This trio and sketch was created by Jackie Fraser-Swan, and also includes 2014 colors Hemlock and Violet Tulip. I was instantly drawn to the print dress with hints of lime green, not to mention the challenge of blending these three colors together for two different outfits with the same jewels.

A gorgeous multistrand necklace is perfect for just about any outfit, and I couldn’t resist going with the Hemlock hues of green opal. I didn’t find a dress that was quite as stunning as Jackie’s, but the purple print crepe dress I came across was a great substitute. On the other side of the scale I chose jeans and a simple top with a really fun orchid jacket. It was difficult to locate pieces with the same dusty blue as Violet Tulip, and I found the palette was really calling out for more blues. A few splashes here and there really helped to ground the very airy greens and purples.

Spring Radiant by mortira featuring a chain necklace

Here are some fun jewelry tutorials to try for a similar look:

Pastel Braid Bracelet Tutorial by Into Mind

Tahitian Blue Café Romance Necklace Project by FusionBeads.com

Three Strand Stone Necklace by Crafts Unleashed

DIY Pastel Neon Crystal Bib Necklace by A Girl, A Style

Multilayer Spring Necklace Project by Runway Hippie

Timeless Turquoise Bracelet Tutorial by Artbeads.com

Swarovski Elements Butterfly Earrings by Fire Mountain Gems

And my favorite Polyvore collages featuring this week’s picks:

Demeter by taylorlovesmaggie featuring a nail polish

Untitled #7 by lfp97 featuring a crochet necklace

Something Quick For a Breezy Tuesday by arjanadesign featuring shirts & blouses

Are you getting ready for spring designs? Which colors do you turn to for pretty pastel jewelry?

Copyright 2014 Inspirational Beading
Pantone and Jackie Fraser-Swan
Collages Hosted by Polyvore.com
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Work in Progress: Moon Cobra Necklace

Things are finally staring to move along in my studio this week. I took a short break from the Egyptian gods to get started on my Ugly Necklace design, then packed it all away to start on a necklace for Tefnut. The goddess of moisture and wife of Shu proved to be a very easy inspiration. She is associated with the moon and cobras, so what better way to represent her than with a blue and white beaded rope?

I haven’t decided on any accents yet. I wanted to jump right in with this piece and just see where it lead me. Rather than work out a snake pattern like for Apep’s necklace, I went with a simple Egyptian stripe design. Once the herringbone rope is complete, I’ll have to comb through my stash to find just the right accents for some fringe.

Shu’s lariat turned out really great. I couldn’t decide which colors to use in the fringe, so I went with a combination of al the neutrals in turn. Although the color block effect isn’t as obvious here, I still love the way things turned out, especially with all that lovely Java glass. Hopefully there will be some good light for photography this week so that I can get caught up on finished designs.

What are you working on this week?

Copyright 2014 Inspirational Beading
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Book Spotlight: Creative Native American Beading

Most beaders know about the historical origins of their favorite stitches, but it’s not often that we really consider how much of our craft comes from the innovation of generations past. In her beautiful book, Theresa Flores Geary brings traditional techniques and motifs together with modern design styles in a way that will appeal to any beadweaver.

Creative Native American Beadingisn’t just a collection of traditional projects, but an excellent guide to the basics of beadwork, with a focus on the origins of stitches and materials. Although the projects featured use modern beads like Delicas, the heirloom quality of the designs is unmistakable. Bead lovers will recognize familiar patterns such as the Kokopelli, and designs like the beaded hatband or amulet bag.

The book begins with an brief guide to traditional beadwork and getting started with the craft, including details on choosing the right beads and materials for your projects. Next, readers can dive right into the 19 gorgeous projects, ranging from very simple jewelry to elaborate décor items. The techniques explored include Apache weave (brick stitch), appliqué bead embroidery, tubular netting, Huichol-lace netting, and ladder stitch, plus odd-count, sculptural, tubular, and freeform peyote stitch.

Creative Native American Beading is an ideal guide for new beaders looking to start with an historical approach to beadwork. Experienced beadweavers will love the back-to-basics themes that are anything but ordinary.

Copyright 2014 Inspirational Beading
Theresa Flores Geary and Lark Crafts
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Work in Progress: Belated Lariat

Although I was prepared for having very little time to bead this past December, I had no idea just how long I would end up going without picking up a needle and Fireline. Way back in the very first week of December, I shared a quick look at one of the final pieces in the Egyptian Gods series. The lariat that I had started for Shu is still not complete, although now that I’ve got my groove back, it should finished by tomorrow.

Knowing that I’d be way behind in finishing this year’s challenge doesn’t make it any easier to accept that I’ve missed a deadline. I was already a little sad that I would have to break with tradition by not making the final design in a rainbow palette (unless I have time for one more Isis necklace). If I work really hard, and it doesn’t take long to complete my entry into this year’s Ugly Necklace Contest, I should be able to start my 2014 challenge by the end of January. Wish me luck!

What projects are you planning for this year?

Copyright 2014 Inspirational Beading
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