Bead Color Ideas: Autumn Pearls

Pearls are one of the world’s first beads, and it’s no wonder that they’re still among our favorite things to include in jewelry. Nothing quite beats the shine and shimmer of pearls, and the gorgeous array of shapes and colors available in the freshwater variety is an instant recipe for inspiration.

With all of the fall foliage brightening up my days, I thought it would be fun to explore the possibilities for color combinations including a gorgeous strand of fiery brown semi-round pearls. These ones are a delicate 3-4 mm, which is perfect for beadweaving. They’re just the right size for embellishing all kinds of stitches and projects, from rings to ropes to cuffs.

I started with an easy contrast of blues. When in doubt, brown and blue always make a pleasing combination, especially when the blues are amazing. My first pick was a gorgeous black-lined blue which has a great glow. To keep things cool and match the finish of the pearls, I finished the trio with some AB dragonfly seed beads. I think this palette would work really well with a woodland fantasy theme.

Next I went in a totally different direction and chose pinks and reds to highlight the warmth of the pearls. The intensity of the transparent ruby seed beads really plays well with the brown pearls, making it look more burgundy, while the pink adds a touch of shimmer and sweetness. This palette almost looks like the ingredients for a drunken dessert – very yummy.

Last but not least, I chose two contrasting seed beads that are both autumn inspired and refreshing. Together the Autumn Tucson gold and minty blue are a great pair. With the addition of the pearls, they’re ready to make an eye-catching bracelet, or perhaps some earrings. This one brings to mind a cool breeze on a bright day – the kind that swirls the leaves around and reminds you why fall is so fantastic.

Do you have a favorite shade of freshwater pearls? How do you like to use them?

Copyright 2015 Inspirational Beading
Subscribe to Inspirational Beading
Get inspired on Facebook and Google+

Work in Progress: Medallion and Collar

My plan to simultaneously clean up my workspace and search for new inspirations in my bead stash worked splendidly – almost too well, in fact. I still have to finish tying off the threads from the new chevron collar, and then I’m going to do a quick medallion pendant with some baroque pearls and a fish leather backing. It took some time to come up with a palette that I liked and that worked well with the burgundy color. Part of me really wanted to go with black and white stripes, but I’ve done it that way once before, and I’m looking to try something a little different this time.

As soon as that’s complete, I have plans for a somewhat elaborate collar featuring some hammer shell heishi that I’ve been sitting on for ages. I couldn’t resist getting the palette ready, so my bead tray is a little crowded right now.

What are you working on this week?

Copyright 2015 Inspirational Beading
Subscribe to Inspirational Beading
Get inspired on Facebook and Google+

August Bead Stash Favorites

I haven’t yet had a chance to really comb through my stash and see what inspirations await, but I do have a few new materials waiting in the wings that I’m looking forward to trying out. Once I find the right combinations for these, there’s a chance I won’t have time for all of the ideas they bring out.

A few weeks ago I snagged this lovely strand of millefiori beads while thrifting for summer clothes, and I couldn’t be more in love. There’s just something gorgeous about the combination of white and yellow with a black backdrop. The translucent core makes these beads different from any of my other druks and rounds. I like these ones almost too much to use!

During a recent thread stock-up, I couldn’t resist trying out some Czech glass triangle beads. These are a single-hole variety, and although the shape is clearly a triangle from the top down, the sides of these beads look very curvy and organic. I’ve already tested them out in yellow, but this red is really calling out. It sounds like “pair me with turquoise”!

It might be a coincidence that all of my current favorites are on strands, just waiting to be cut. Either way, I’m really looking forward to seeing what these freshwater pearls can do. I’ve been a fan of the coppery finish for years, but I haven’t used pearls these small for ages. At about 5mm, they’re certainly small enough to go with just about any stitch, and I love the semi-round shape.

What are your favorite beads of the moment?

Copyright 2015 Inspirational Beading
Subscribe to Inspirational Beading
Get inspired on Facebook and Google+

Bead Giveaway: Summer Pearls

Summer is just around the corner, bringing with it some of nature’s most fabulous inspirations, like butterflies and trips to the beach. To celebrate, this month’s bead giveaway features two sets of vintage acrylic beads that are perfect for summer designs.

The first batch includes an assortment of faux pearls and mother of pearl discs in shades of lustrous white and creamy pale orange. There are also a handful of Lucite pieces in creams and grays. This mix would be fabulous for mermaid inspired pieces!

To complement the pretty pearls I’ve put together a collection of faceted button drops in aquamarine and pale aqua. The curvy shapes and transparent sparkle of these beads is so pretty – like tropical waters.

How to Enter:

For a chance to win all of the beads shown, leave a comment on this post letting us know what your favorite summer inspirations are for jewelry design. One lucky winner will be drawn on Friday, April 17th.

No log-in is required to enter, but all comments must be made directly on InspirationalBeading.blogspot.com to qualify. Please be sure to leave a contact method in your comment if you do not have a profile with email contact enabled. Incomplete or duplicate entries will not be entered into the draw.

Good luck and happy beading!

Update: This draw has closed.

Copyright 2015 Inspirational Beading
Subscribe to Inspirational Beading
Get inspired on Facebook and Google+

Pearl Knotting Techniques and Projects

This year’s first bead giveaway has come to close. Congratulations to our winner, and thank you to everyone who entered! We had some pretty semi-precious rounds up for grabs this month, and I asked about your favorite techniques for using round beads. Our winner, Leanne, chose pearl knotting - a great way to showcase any round bead.

The basic technique for stringing pearls and rounds between tightly cinched knots hasn’t changed much over the years. Chances are your favorite beading site has a basic tutorial - the FusionBeads.com learning center offers a great step-by-step on how to do basic pearl knotting.

Of course you can mix and match different bead sizes and colors for a unique look,
like in Katie’s Continuous Style Necklace project from Artbeads.com





The natural elegance of freshwater pearls really stands out when they are spaced just-so,
like in the Lady Emma's Pearls necklace project from Beadholique.





Changing up the stringing material can create a whole new look,
like in the Knot Your Mother’s Pearls Lariat project from Auntie’s Beads.

Have you used the pearl knotting technique in your designs? What kinds of beads do you like to use it with?

Copyright 2015 Inspirational Beading and Friends
Subscribe to Inspirational Beading
Get inspired on Facebook and Google+

Work in Progress: Plentiful Pearls

I have just a quick snapshot of my workspace this week as I scramble to finish up the last of my top secret projects in time to start on this year’s handmade Christmas presents. Stormy gray weather is not helping with what little photography time I have either. I’m going to remember this the next time I bring up how wonderful winter is!

Right now I’m working with a lot of freshwater pearls, including a few new colors that I added to my stash recently. I’m loving the olivine in particular, which goes really well with a lot of different palettes. It took me several attempts to get just the right balance of beads in the piece that I’m working on, and no matter what I added, the colors looked great. I had hoped to go with teal Picasso for the main accent at first, but I’m going with the gray instead. I think it’s going to turn out great when all the stitching is done.

What are you working on this week?


Copyright 2014 Inspirational Beading
Subscribe to Inspirational Beading
Get inspired on Facebook and Google+

Bead Giveaway: Perfectly Pink

The only thing better than getting a new package of beads in the mail, is getting a surprise package of beads. There’s something so exciting about the mystery of a blind bag, the discovery of something new, and the chance to try a different material without having to choose it yourself. I love it when indie bead shops include a few samples in an order, and I’m a huge fan of bead grab bags from Auntie’s Beads. They always have a varied selection of goodies at a great price, so when there’s a sale, I try my best to get my hands on one. There’s always a chance that there will be beads or components that I can’t use, which means I get to pass on the goodness to my fantastic readers.

I recently stocked up on some shaped seed beads and a few favorite 11/o colors, and got a new grab bag with my order. There were a lot of lovely goodies in the bag, and I’m giving them all away! This month I’ve got two strands of 4 and 6mm magenta glass pearls, and a strand of (I think) pink matrix jasper rounds. They look good enough to eat!

How to Enter: For a chance to win all of the beads shown, leave a comment on this post telling us your favorite colors to pair with pink. One lucky winner will be drawn on Wednesday, November 12th.

Rules: Comments must be posted directly at InspirationalBeading.Blogspot.com to qualify, but no log-in is required. Please make sure to leave a contact method in your comment if you do not have a profile with a public email address. For security, you can type your email like so: username AT yourmail DOT com. Incomplete or duplicate entries will not be included in the draw.

Good luck, and happy beading!

Update: This drawing has closed.

Copyright 2014 Inspirational Beading
Subscribe to Inspirational Beading
Get inspired on Facebook and Google+

Throwback Thursday: Lucy’s Pearls

Last week we took a look at fashionable pearls in the time of Elizabeth I. Fast forward 400 years, and we have another surge of pearls, as seen on stars such as Lucille Ball.

The actress wore her share of costume jewelry, and was a big fan of designs from the Miriam Haskell collection, which helped popularize the faux pearl and crystal rhinestone. Though there is some speculation about the amount of designing done by Haskell herself, it’s certain that she did seek out and promote many skilled artists from the 1920’s to the 1960’s, leaving behind an amazing legacy of jewelry.

When you go for faux pearls, do you prefer glass or shell?

Copyright 2014 Inspirational Beading
Subscribe to Inspirational Beading
Get inspired on Facebook and Google+

Throwback Thursday: Elizabeth’s Pearls

Nobody does lavish jewelry quite like royalty, and Queen Elizabeth in particular took personal adornment and fashion to a whole new level. Her many portraits provide an amazing look at jewelry trends of the time, which included an awful lot of pearls.

The love of pearls likely comes from the recently thriving freshwater pearl industry of the area. Scottish pearls were abundant and a valuable commodity at the time. Even in her youth, Princess Elizabeth is seen in portraits wearing her mother’s pearls – Anne Boleyn’s famous initial pendants.

What’s your favorite type of pearl bead?


Copyright 2014 Inspirational Beading
Subscribe to Inspirational Beading
Get inspired on Facebook and Google+

Work in Progress: Aquatic Embroidery

I am very happy to report that my fish leather experiments are moving along nicely. This week I’m combining my curiosity for this new embroidery medium with my baroque pearls. The new blue strand that I picked up recently only has a handful of wonky beads. Most of them are drilled quite smoothly, but I did find a few that had exposed holes that make them unsuitable for stringing. I was hoping that they’d make good accents for embroidery, so I’m testing out two nice looking pearls in the same piece.

We finally completed our latest medallion pendant. A new color was finally added at the very end, and the dark topaz trim goes perfectly with the golden patina of the scarab.

What are you working on this week?

Copyright 2014 Inspirational Beading
Subscribe to Inspirational Beading
Get inspired on Facebook and Google+

April Bead Stash Favorites

Although there’s really no such thing as too many beads, it can be a bit tricky finding inspiration when there are so many wonderful baubles waiting to be stitched. I’ve really beefed up my bead stash recently, and now I just don’t know where to begin! Spring and summer inspirations are definitely having some influence, which is why these three bead picks are at the top of my list right now.

I’ve been keeping my eyes peeled lately for great buttons, particularly those that are metal free. This usually leaves rather expensive crystal, glass, and ceramic buttons, so when I saw these totally affordable beauties at Artbeads.com, I couldn’t resist. These hand painted flower buttons are made from coconut, so they’re really lightweight despite their size - 35 mm of flowery goodness.

The only thing better than a lovely, organic baroque pearl is a blue one! Although these beads aren’t always drilled ideally for bead weaving, I can’t get enough of the fun shapes. I'm planning to experiment a bit with any culled pieces and see if I can work them into bead embroidery in a satisfactory way. It's not good to waste such gorgeous beads, even if the holes are a mess. The dark blue color of these pearls from Fire Mountain Gems is definitely beach worthy, but I can see them just as easily in some Egyptian inspired pieces.

And finally, in my quest to find great seed bead colors to substitute for gold, I recently fell in love with matte mustard yellow from FusionBeads.com. They’re a little bit yellow and a little bit brown, and the matte finish gives them a wonderful earthy look. Although I usually stay away from matte finish seed beads - I find them far too crunchy for beadwork - I can't pass up a good shade of non-metal gold. I can’t wait to try them out with cobalt and jet black!

What beads are inspiring you right now?

Copyright 2014 Inspirational Beading
Subscribe to Inspirational Beading
Get inspired on Facebook and Google+

Beading Tutorial: Tubular Pearl Netting

If you love to incorporate shaped seed beads and other small accent beads into your work, nothing beats pearl netting for satisfying a craving for rounds. This variation of tubular netting - which is really a spin-off of tubular peyote - works with just about any round bead you can think of, so long as it has holes suitable for the weave. Druks, firepolish, gemstone rounds, and pearls are all gorgeous when netted.

In this tutorial, we’ll be working with 4mm druks and 15/o seed beads - with 11/o anchors. If you want to use larger beads, you can adjust both the seed bead sizes and quantities used until you get a net that fits your accents. Try experimenting with different combinations, but remember that if your nets are too small, the accent beads will get lost inside the beadwork. Less is not more when it comes to this stitch. When in doubt, add more beads to your nets and test the fit with one or two rounds.

To Weave a Simple Pearl Netting Rope:

Start with a comfortable length of beading thread. Pick up one 11/o seed bead and one 4mm druk four times. Slide them down to the end of the thread, leaving about a 6 inch tail.

Pass through all 8 of the beads again, and pull snug to begin forming a small ring. Stitch through the first 3 beads again so that your thread is exiting from an 11/o seed bead. Pull the thread snug.

Pick up three 15/o seed beads, one 11/o, and three more 15/o seed beads. Stitch through the following 11/o seed bead in the ring, and pull the thread snug. Repeat for each of the remaining 11/o’s, until you have a flower-shape. Step up by stitching through the first 4 beads added in this round, so that your thread is exiting from an 11/o bead on the edge.

Pick up one 4mm druk, and stitch through the following 11/o seed bead in the previous round. Repeat 3 times - don’t worry about pulling the thread tight until you’ve added the final druk. Gently push the beadwork into a tube shape and pull the thread snug, then stitch through the first druk added in this round, and the following 11/o seed bead to step up.

Pick up three 15/o, one 11/o, and three 15/o. Stitch through the next 11/o seed bead in the base. Repeat three times and step up, then add the next round of druks.

Continue weaving the pattern until your netting reaches the desired length. Finish with a round of druks, then stitch through all of the beads in the final round a second time to secure them.

A short length of pearl netting is great for earrings or a pendant. Longer pieces can be strung with other beads for bracelets and necklaces, or stitched together for a very dramatic focal piece. By increasing or decreasing the size of your round beads and the quantity of net beads, you can create unique shapes such as spheres and donuts or - my favorite - strawberries!

Copyright 2014 Inspirational Beading
Subscribe to Inspirational Beading
Get inspired on Facebook and Google+

March Bead Stash Favorites

I had nearly run out of exciting, inspiring bead faves when the time came to stock up again. I’ve been slowly cultivating the supplies I need for my top secret project, and they are all totally gorgeous. This month I’m really excited about blues, and a few fun shapes.

Now that I’ve been back to using Czech seed beads for awhile, I’m rediscovering some old favorites. There are several different shades of AB hanks ready and waiting, and these dark blue ones are a favorite. What I love about this finish is that the beads look like one color and a mix all at the same time, and they’re fun to pair with opaque contrasts.

I also treated myself to a new strand of freshwater pearls, and there’s no beating the amazing shade of blue in these ones. I love the shine and the shape, but mostly the solid weight of a great round pearl. It's almost a shame to take them off the strand - they look so gorgeous all in a row. These turquoise pearls are going to be perfect in some ocean themed designs.

Finally, I’ve stocked up on Rizo seed beads in a few new colors, including black and white. I’ve played a little bit with this shape in the past few weeks and I love how they work as drops, not just in fringe but incorporated into beadwork as well. They've got the same appeal as daggers, but the delicate feel of seed beads. I'm really excited about using the white ones, which have just a tiny bit of translucence to them.

What kinds of beads are you into right now?

Copyright 2014 Inspirational Beading
Subscribe to Inspirational Beading
Get inspired on Facebook and Google+

Mood Board: Pink Lime

Nothing fuels inspiration quite like a collage, whether it’s clipped and glued or a digital mood board. With so many different and varied things happening in my workspace right now, I’ve been craving some creative time that’s totally freeform and experimental. To shake things up a bit, I wanted to try a new approach to jewelry collage from the usual Wear It Twice segment. Rather than focus entirely on fashion, I wanted to gather ideas and designs in one place along with gorgeous beads.

Fruit Punch by mortira featuring glass vase fillers

To start this new experiment, I went in search of a great statement necklace. The one I found features a wonderful collection of pearls and charms, with a summery mix of flowers and tropical colors on a black backdrop. This piece has plenty of personality to go around.

Featured beads and components include:

Lucite flowers from Artbeads.com and LimaBeads.com
Black Java glass from HappyMangoBeads.com
Chinese knotting cord from Lytha Studios on Etsy
Magnesite flowers from AuntiesBeads.com
And Freshwater pearls from Beadaholique.com

This collage turned out pretty well for a first try, and I’m looking forward to seeing how the idea evolves! To top off the inspiration, I found some really fantastic jewelry tutorials featuring similar styles and beads.

Collect a gorgeous bunch of touchable pearls in your favorite colors with the Clustered Pearl Necklace tutorial from Dismount Creative.

Create some unique flower components with polymer clay using the Six Petal Flower Cane Tutorial from tooaquarius.

Mix fibers and beads in a cute Flower Ribbon Necklace Project from Panda Hall.

The Montery Pop bracelet tutorial from Artbeads.com combines kumihimo with long magatamas for tons of texture.

And for good measure, one more lovely Flower Cane Tutorial for polymer clay from Georgia P. Designs.

Where are you finding inspiration right now?

Copyright 2014 Inspirational Beading
Subscribe to Inspirational Beading
Get inspired on Facebook and Google+

November Bead Stash Favorites

Yesterday morning all of the puddles in the neighborhood were frozen solid - winter has arrived. I suppose that means it’s time to start thinking about festive bead colors and holiday jewelry designs. Although I love a good red and green combination as much as anyone, I often find myself drawn to the more elegant and fancy holiday palettes, like burgundy and frost, gold and emerald, or plum and cobalt.

This month’s bead picks include two new favorites, and some beads that I’ve been neglecting lately due to so many other ideas and designs vying for my attention.

First we have a lovely bunch of shiny, gold dyed freshwater pearls. I love the organic shapes - not only are these slightly imperfect pearls very affordable, but they have a primitive quality that I adore for ancient inspired designs. Although I’ve added a lot more pearl and shell to my stash this year than I usually do, I couldn’t resist snapping these ones up.

I’ve been so busy with Egyptian Gods and craft fair goodies these past few months, I keep forgetting that I’ve been eager to make ladder cuffs using my new selections of Czech bugles from Shipwreck Beads. These opaque white bugles are perfect for Egyptian and tribal pieces, but would make for lovely frost and ice designs in winter as well. I’m looking forward to seeing what they can do.

Finally, I have some transparent cobalt 8/o seed beads that I can hear calling to me daily. I recently started keeping a list of bead styles and colors that I wish for when designing pieces, so that I can remember to add them to my purchases and bead shopping time. I don’t know how I ever got by without one of my favorite colors in this size, but it’s been remedied thanks to these beauties from Fire Mountain Gems. The large boxes that Dyna-Mites come in are a little too big to fit in my usual storage bins, so they’ll soon be heading for some baggies.

Do you have a new favorite bead to work with this winter?

Copyright 2013 Inspirational Beading
Subscribe to Inspirational Beading
Get inspired on Facebook and Google+

June Bead Stash Favorites

There are so many different ways that a bead style can become an instant favorite. Perhaps it’s the color or shape, ease of use, or the way it fits perfectly into our favorite designs. Whatever the reason, some beads just inspire love at first sight. Right now I have my heart set on a few different accents in my stash, all of them ready and waiting for the perfect project.

Whenever I need a spool of Fireline, I set a little budget and go on the hunt for new bead treats to include in my order. I usually stock up on some favorite seed bead colors, and then keep my eyes open for some interesting accents to try. During my last shopping session, I decided it was time to finally give the Swarovski Elements gemstone pearl colors a shot. Luckily, Fusion Beads has their own custom mixes, and this one called Siren caught my eye. It includes dark lapis, ivory, jade, turquoise, and red coral, but I see lapis, alabaster, turquoise, blue faience, and carnelian! These should come in handy in some upcoming Egyptian designs.

Awhile back I purchased some teal coconut rondelles on a whim, and ended up devouring them rather quickly. Every project I added them to seemed to turn out perfectly. Since then, I’ve had my eyes open for other lightweight heishi and rondelles, which make great accents for collars. These bone spacers from Happy Mango Beads definitely fit the bill. They’re a little larger than what I’m used to using, so I’ll have to make sure that whatever project they end up in has room for bold fringe. I’m very eager to cut the string and see what they can do.

Finally, I have some neglected beads. Several months ago I purchased these three strands of gorgeous blue Czech teardrops from Shipwreck Beads to use in collars and was very excited to work with them - especially the transparent cobalt. I placed each one in the tray that I use for shaped seed beads like Tilas, peanuts, and magatams. And because I hardly ever use these types of beads, I quickly forgot all about these lovely strands. I rediscovered them recently while looking for spiral rope accents, and I’ve bumped them back up to must-use status.

Do you have any new-found bead loves right now?

Copyright 2013 Inspirational Beading
Subscribe to Inspirational Beading
Get inspired on Facebook and Google+

How to Make Bird’s Nest Jewelry Tutorials

Perfect for spring, and ideal for Mother’s Day, there’s nothing quite like a beaded bird’s nest pendant. They are quite possibly the cutest things you can make with wire, and offer so many fun possibilities for personalizing jewelry. You can make them sentimental with Swarovski birthstones, pretty with pearls, and make realistic looking eggs with turquoise or Picasso finish glass.

Although a pendant is the most obvious place to put a little nest of bead eggs, they’re also great for earrings or bracelet charms. Larger versions of the wire wrapped bird’s nest can be made into brooches, and tiny nests make for sweet rings. Here are some fantastic tutorials for making your own bird’s nest jewelry.

A classic three-egg nest with a neat wrap,
by Sarah Ortega.





A more organic look with wire twists,
by Cathe Holden at Just Something I Made.





Even more fun, add a leaf for cute earrings in this tutorial from Artbeads.com.





If you prefer hooks to pliers, these bird's nest earrings
by Mrs. Micawber are made with crochet.






This neat and tidy bird's nest project from
This Lil Piglet lets the beads shine.





A perfect imitation of robin's eggs,
by Beadaholique.





The shape of the beads and number of wraps create a very realistic nest
in this tutorial from A Single Sunbeam.





Wider wraps and loose tension provide a more airy nest
in this pendant project from The Wired Tree.





This tutorial on Lisa's Craft Blog includes tips
for embellishing a pendant with charms, chain, or ribbon.

If you’re not into the simple pendant-and-chain look, or you want a little more challenge, these jewelry projects would make the perfect backdrop for a beaded bird’s nest or two.

Precious Petals Vintaj Earrings by FusionBeads.com.





Decoupage Bird Bracelet Tutorial by Retro Cafe Art Gallery.





Birds Fly Necklace Project
by AuntiesBeads.com.





Birds Nest Bracelet Tutorial
by HandmadeFashionJewellery.com.





And I couldn't resist including this adorable
upcycled bird's nest ring tutorial by SaltTree.

Have you tried the wire-wrapped bird's nest technique before? What’s your favorite type of bead to use in your nests?

Copyright 2013 Inspirational Beading and Friends
Images Hosted by Pinterest
Subscribe to Inspirational Beading
Get inspired on Facebook and Google+