Project 021: Beaded Ornaments

More Christmas goodness. Some of these are several years old, but they're still lovely.

A few years ago, we did an ornament exchange as part of my at work Christmas party. Being a crafty person, I didn't want to just buy something and hand it out. I wanted to make something. So I nosed about a bit on the internet and found instructions on how to make a beaded net for a spherical ornament.

And I was hooked. I've made a ton of these now. I did a set of 6 shatterproof ones for my mom for a Christmas gift in 2009. Jake's mom has a bright pink and silver one. Many of my friends have them as well. I even got around to making one for myself at some point.

Two of my more recent ones (from 2012)

Same as the last two, just different lighting

Same as one of the above, while waiting for the "glue" to dry over the connecting knots (it's really clear nail polish)

In progress

And finished. 

This one has a slightly different pattern, so the mesh is denser.

Maybe I'll do a tutorial for these before next Christmas.

Project 018: Ramping Up to Christmas

I like Halloween.

But I LOVE Christmas (even though I'm pagan and don't celebrate "religious Christmas", but that's a post for a different blog).

Bracelet and earring set... made from mini Christmas tree ornaments.

Headband with a bow. Because that's how I roll. I did eventually move the bow to a different headband though since this one didn't work.

A tissue paper wreath, with shiny blue poinsettias and a glittery ribbon!

Project 017: A Bunch of Random Jewelry and Such

Dump post!

I love the braided bracelets so much I made a necklace. With some fun twist dangly charms.

Rainbow mobius rings at the end of boxmail bits. So much fun to wear. People can't believe how light they are.

These beads remind me of fruity pebbles.

Of course, another braided bracelet.

The last of my elemental series. This is "Earth". The weave is called "wolf weave".

Another jangly anklet.

I found this nifty rose pendant at a street fair this spring. It just begged for this.

White suede leather bracelet with a giant glass donut? Yes please.

Not technically jewelry... watermelon buttons made into hairclips!

Neon pom-pom earrings!

Project 016: St. Patrick's Day Bracelet

Jake and I had the opportunity to see our favorite Celtic punk rock band on St. Patrick's Day this year. So I totally needed some bling for the show.

I new I wanted to do something with chainmail. I tried several different weaves, but nothing was working.

Then I decided to stop and re-think it and went back to something I had done way back when I first learned to mail and hadn't done since then.

Euro 6-in-1. It makes a lovely bracelet. Nice and flexible, but not so flexible that it falls out of shape. I did it in orange, dark green, and plain aluminum (as close as I have to white). It also mimics the Irish flag.

And check out that super cute shamrock charm I found in my collection.

Just wonderful.

Project 012: Steampunk

Have I ever told you how much I like Halloween? I have some friends that stay decorated for Halloween all year long; I'm  not quite that in love with Halloween, but any excuse to make lovely things is good to me.

I bought a tiny hat, removed the terrible flower that was on it and replaced it with clock hands, gears, and a peacock feather.

Some medals. I made more, but these are the only ones I photographed.

I knew those extra cameos I bought ages ago would come in handy!

The full costume, the first time I wore it

And the 2nd time (at work this year). I also made some sweet earrings.

I love making things with a theme!

Project 011: Fairy Party Garb

So, since I suck at posting, some backlogged items.

Back in the spring, Jake and I were invited to a fairy themed party. Since I had a done a fairy costume for a Mardi Gras party only a couple months prior, I decided to do more of a generic nymph/tree spirit type costume for myself. I made myself some jewelry.

Leafy earrings! I've gotten a lot of use out of these other than just wearing them with the costume. There's a "matching" necklace that I don't have a picture of. The necklace also has wooden beads and bronze bells.

Leafy, flowery ear cuffs. I didn't wear wings with this costume, so I included a wing shape on my ear cuffs instead.

A jingly, jangly anklet. It fit wonderfully without my shoes. With the shoes I wore, I had to add a chainmail ring to make it just a tad longer.

 I also made a shredded bottom shirt decorated with wooden beads. But it needed just something a little more. Since Jake's been puttering with leather working, I asked him if he'd make me a leather bodice. He agreed, if I'd make him a mask.

Challenge accepted.

I started by making a paper mache cast of Jake's face. Then I built the horns with paper cups, wire, newspaper, tape, and more paper mache. Here we're trying to decide which way the horns should face. Up and back... 

  ...or down and forward?

We decided on up and back. I did some more touch up painting and glued everything together.

And then I glued on some leaves, attached several ribbons to hold it on someone's head (the horns are heavy and it wants to fall back), and then took a terrible selfie to send to Jake for his thoughts.

He put it on when he got home that evening. And wanted more leaves.

Here's his finished costume. See more leaves on the mask. Also, I made that leafy tunic/tabbard.

All in all, it was a pretty fun project and I learned a lot about making paper mache masks. I haven't used any of it since then though.

2011 Projects 001: Bracelets

Since everybody knows I love bracelets, I figured I'd show off some that I made last year, without going into detail (because I really don't remember for a lot of them).

Stripes and Stretch.

Green anodized aluminum with white EPDM rubber and bright aluminum in Euro 4-in-1

Spiraled Mess -  I was trying to make Half Persian 3-in-1, but I screwed up and this happened.  

Magenta anodozied aluminum with black and white EPDM rubber in Spiral 4-in-1. 

Future that Never Was

Typewriter key pendants with green acrylic cubes on a black and sliver chain.

Earth in Cages - lovely earth toned beads in silver bead cages

Spirals in Spirals

Spiral links in hammered gold, silver, and copper plated wire.

Original Helm

Untreated copper and silver plate wire in Helm Chain.

Project 007: As American as Apple Pie

More jewelry!

When I ordered the supplies to make the Blue Sparkle bracelet, I received a free gift of acrylic baseball beads. How they knew I loved baseball, I'll never know. With this awesome free gift in hand, I decided to make myself something to wear during baseball games. At first, I planned to make hair bobbles.

Then I made this instead:

Chainmaille and baseballs!

And it's stretchy!

I combined some simple European 4-in-1 in 16 gauge anodized red aluminum and white EPDM rubber with the acrylic beads for this one. 

New Techniques Learned:

• None. Euro 4-in-1 was the first weave I learned, which really spawned my love of jewelry making and over all renewed interest in crafting.

Project 006: Blue Sparkle

Finally, some jewelry!

I've made jewelry for my sister for all of her formal dances since 8th grade, so when she asked if I would make her a bracelet to go with her prom dress, how could I say no?

Inspirations:
Cats Eye and Celestial Crystal Bracelet

The dress. Sorry it's blurry; this was taken with a cell phone.

New Techniques Learned:

• Stringing pattern (Not sure if it has a name)

The Results:

Sparkly!

Matches the dress pretty well, I think.

Lin liked it, so I suppose that's all that matters!