Beads in a Gilded Cage Earrings

I've finished a new earring pattern "Beads in a Gilded Cage" and have uploaded it to BeadPatternsBoutique.com.
The Pendant isn't really twice as big as the earrings, It's just a close-up picture. In the pattern I've included instructions for all three cages plus instructions for attaching to ear wires and making a simple bail for a pendant. The cage is worked in a simple right angle weave technique and instructions are detailed.


On another note, I told you about the beads I'd gotten free from ArtBeads.com and had said I had plans for the rose quartz toggle. Well my plan didn't work. The ring is too small to accomodate the beads I needed to use to attach the toggle, so it's back to the drawing board. The toggle in the picture on the Artbeads site is clearly attached with just a stringing material. Since I'm not a stringer I don't have any such material on hand, but a toggle doesn't necessarily have to be a toggle that actually opens. You know what they say about more than one way to . . . Well I won't say any more just yet, but I do have another plan in mind.

Elementry School will be out for Christmas break on the 18th of this month. Depending on when my Daughter in law gets out of her classes I will either be having more time or less time to bead and blog over the break. If DIL doesn't start break as soon as grand daughter does, I'll have grand daughter all day instead of just an hour after school, so if my blog posts get even fewer and further between you'll know what happened to me.

New Earring Pattern

It's been a busy week getting ready for Black Friday sales and uploading patterns to both BeadPatternsBoutique.com and TheBeadCoop.com. This one is called Elegance Squared. It's a quick and easy pattern to work up and so versatile using a variety of beads it will perfectly accessorize evening wear as well as casual wear depending on how glitzy your bead choice is.

I'm working on another pattern "Beads in a Gilded Cage". It's almost finished and I'll post it here when I get it finished and uploaded.

I have beads from ArtBeads.com to work up, as I posted earlier. I have a couple of bracelets in mind, but am drawing a blank when I try to translate the ideas into beads. I think I'm just plain tired. Maybe a day or two cleaning house will scare my bead muse out into the open.

November ArtBeads

I received beads from ArtBeads.com this week. I'm just now getting around to showing them off.
Starting up in the right hand corner and going clockwise, Swarovski bicones, crystal ab, briolettes in two sizes, gemstone toggles in rose quartz and scenic jasper, peacock rice pearls and unikite cubes.

You just can't beat the sparkle of Swarovski bicones. They light up just about any design. Take a look at my latest design "Elegance Squared" at BeadPatternsBoutique.

These beautiful flat briolettes from Swarovski's "Crystalized" line will become a necklace and earrings when I come up with an unusual way to display them. They absolutely blew me away! I don't have the luxury of a bead store that I can walk into and examine everything, so I'd only seen pictures of these beauties. Look at this picture! These are the same briolettes on different backgrounds. I knew they were designed to pick up light and color from the surroundings, but this is just unbelievable. (Yeah, I'm showin' my "country bumpkin" :))

When I saw the picture of the gemstone toggles I couldn't quite figure them out but they were so unique I just had to have some. I hope you can see the picture clearly. They have holes in the side of the ring so you can fasten your necklace or bracelet without making a bead loop through the center of the ring. It will give a much more "integrated" look. I've already got plans for the rose quartz, but I'm not sure what I'll do with the scenic jasper.
Quite frankly I was disappointed in the peacock rice pearls when I opened them. They looked blue/green iridescent in the picture and they appear almost black to charcoal gray in most light. If the light is strong and shines on them just right they do have a very definite rainbow quality to them, but I couldn't capture it with my camera. Not quite what I expected, but they are pretty. I haven't got any plans for them just yet.

Last but by no means anything to scoff at are the unikite cubes. They are surprisingly uniform for gemstones. I had a cube design in mind when I ordered them, but it has drifted away into the far reaches of my mind so I'll have to try to entice it out (maybe with chocolate?). Whatever I decide to do with them it will be beautiful because the stones are beautifully polished and relatively uniform.

Have you been to ArtBeads.com yet? If you haven't, get on over there. they're having a 10% off sale until the end of the year. All you have to do is use this coupon code when you order. SCF10P-ARTBEADS-0424

I have received the beads shown above from ArtBeads.com free of charge for evaluation. This is my true opinion on these products and I am not paid by ArtBeads to blog about them, I just like to share.

On to the next holiday

I've finished all the family Christmas ornaments, so now I can get started on other things. I've got ideas for hearts whirling around in my brain. I'm just waiting for them to slow down long enough for me to catch one.

I've been so busy finishing up the family ornaments I haven't done much of anything the past couple of weeks. I did get all the ornament patterns up for sale at BeadPatternsBoutique.com, so if you're in the market for patterns, stop by and check out all the goodies we have over there. There's so much more than Christmas ornaments.

Have you been to ArtBeads.com yet? They're having their 10% off sale until the end of the year. All you have to do is use this cupon code to get your discount. SCF10P-ARTBEADS-0424

Beaded Tapestry Competition

Read any good mystry novels lately? Did they conjure up images in your mind? Silly questions for beaders? Not really. Land of Odds, the creative folks who bring us the Ugly Necklace contest has announced a new competition.

THE ILLUSTRATIVE BEADER:
BEADED TAPESTRY COMPETITION The theme for this years beaded tapestry contest will be Mystery Book Covers. Deadline for entries is August 31, 2011 so you have plenty of time to get that tapestry made! There will be two prizes, One $1,000 and one $400 shopping spree, both at Land of Odds.

Check out Beaded Tapestry Competition web site for all the details and get started beading!

There's still time to enter the Ugly Necklace competition too! Deadline is March 15, 2010.

Art Beads Discount

Hey all you beaders, Artbeads.com is giving a 10% discount with this exclusive discount code. Discount is good until the end of the year. Just place this code in the appropriate space in your order form to get your discount.

Artbead's friends discount code
SCF10P-ARTBEADS-O424

Go take a look at all the goodies they have to offer and get a discount on your holiday beading supplies now!

Happy Beading

Treasure Hunt

BeadPatternsBoutique.com is having another hunt! This time, you are looking for 3 leaves. They are full images and not hidden in another photo. The leaves will be placed on the site early tomorrow morning (Oct. 5, 2009). You have only 5 days to find all three leaves. Each of the leaves are marked with a number. You must send an email to marie@beadpatternsboutique.com with the location of each of the 3 leaves by 11:59 pm Central Time on Tuesday night. Place "Treasure Hunt" in the subject line. By finding all 3 leaves, you will have earned the right to be entered into the drawing for the beads pictured in the Treasure Hunt album in the group & in this email. Many will hunt, but only 1 will walk away with the beads!

Here is what you are looking for:







Image by: marie_starrdesignstudio

Here is what you could win:





Image by: marie_starrdesignstudio
Good Luck to all!
Hugs from:
Marie Starr & the Entire http://www.BeadPatternsBoutique.com Design Team

If you're not already a member of the BeadPatternsBoutique forum be sure to go to BeadPatternsBoutique.com and sign up. It's free and there are a lot of great beaders in the group.

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