Rivoli Celtic Cross

After wrestling with the tutorial for this Rivoli Celtic Cross Pendant for two weeks, it's finally finished.  I've made tutorials with rivolis before, but I always used a circle to represent the rivoli. This time I wanted to make it recognizable, so I spent several days experimenting with the illustration. When I finally got it to the point I was satisfied with it I was so excited that I must have lost my concentration. I left out one whole round on the illustration and had to take out the prototype to make sure the illustrations were correct. Then I wanted to put a hidden bale on the back and experimented with that for a couple of days, but it just wouldn't work. Yesterday I finally gave up on that idea and made my standard bale on the top.  I finally got the tutorial finished and this morning took pictures.

I made the blue pendant using super duos, size 11 czech seed beads, 3mm pearls, 4mm bicones and 6mm pearls.  The bronze one is made with twins, size 11 tohos, 3mm, 4mm and 6mm bicones so you can see that it can be made with various shapes.  

I didn't notice until I was trimming the picture that I'd left 2 beads out of the final row on the bottom cross bar on the bronze one. I just knew it didn't set straight and chalked it up to the irregularity of the twins. I guess my focus was really off. I was using a magnifying light the whole time.

I'll be uploading the patterns to all my pattern shops this afternoon and will post that information when I get it done.

I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend.  The weather's beautiful here and not too terribly hot so it's a good day for outdoors fun or playing in the dirt.

Celtic Cross Pendant Finished!

I did it!  I finished the Celtic Cross pendant.  Thanks  to the encouragement from my facebook and blogger followers.  You made me believe it could. :)  Stephanie, I modeled this one after the picture from St. Andrews Cathedral.  I know Celtic Crosses sometimes have arms of equal length, but I liked this style better. 

The pendant has been entered into the challenge and uploaded to my ArtFire Studio.

Celtic Cross Project

OK, I'm not usually a quitter but I know when I'm whupped. Here are all the components of my Celtic Cross Project laid out as they should be joined. I've worked the cross four times and each design gets worse. This is the final one and it not only is warped, it won't attach to the halo without buckling. Into the UFO or salvage bin it goes.

The ArtFire BeadWeavers Guild Challenge is Celtic Symbols. I wanted to make the Celtic Cross because it speaks to me. In the Western world the Cross is primarily thought of as a Christian symbol, but the Celtic Cross predates Christianity. The four arms of the cross represent the four directions or the four elements, and the circle or halo represents the universal energy (Chi) that connects everything. That's just a very basic explanation of the symbolism of the Celtic Cross. This view doesn't necessarily contradict or interfere with the Christian Symbol, just adds some depth of history to it.

Perhaps at a later date a more workable cross design will emerge and I will be able to finish this cross.

On another note:

There is less then one week left before Artbeads picks the winner of the Artbeads Road to Tucson Sweepstakes! This fun prize package includes round trip airfare for two to Tucson, Arizona to attend the Gem, Mineral and Fossil Showcase, 3 nights hotel accommodations and classes with renowned beading instructors. I don't want you to miss out on the chance to win this incredible beaders dream vacation so get on over there and sign up!  Entries will be accepted until March 16, 2011 at 11:59pm Pacific Time.


In other exciting news, Artbeads just launched a 20% Off Luck of the Irish Sale. As you probably can guess, these 20% off sales are super popular and people are always asking us when the next one is.  This storewide sale includes everything from gold-filled beads and sparkling Swarovski crystals to stringing materials and basic supplies. You can save 20% on your order of $60 or more. To take advantage of this sale, just enter the coupon code: ZZ-IRISH20 at checkout. But, don't delay because this sale ends on Monday, March 14, 2011.


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Sassy Sunflower Bracelet

Ideas are still pouring through my mind like a rushing river.  Unfortunately there isn't a pool to collect them in.  A few have managed to wash ashore long enough for me to capture them.  This Sassy Sunflower bracelet is one of them.

I've tried to push myself out of my comfort zone when it comes to working with colors.  Yellow is a color that I usually have a hard time combining with other colors, but I think this one turned out pretty sweet.

You can find the pattern for this bright perky bracelet at BeadPatternsBoutique and at The Bead Coop.

The bracelet is available in my ArtFire Studio.

I'm still working on my Celtic Cross pendant for the ArtFire Beadweaver's Guild Challenge.  I only have four more days to complete it.  If another idea doesn't present itself with too much force, I'll make it.

My daughter's visit from Turkey didn't help.  She brought me beads, beads, beads and more beads.  The seed beads are a little irregular but the colors are so beautiful I just have to find a way to use them.  She also brought me some more traditional Middle Eastern beads and I have some half formed plans in my mind for them.

2011 The Challenges Have Begun

It's been a while since I just talked about what I was doing. Sometimes I wonder why I seem to get so little done. Take a look at my bead mat. It's pretty clear. I started a Celtic Cross for the ArtFire Beadweaver's Guild Challenge "Celtic Symbols". On the left you'll see some of the failed ideas and bits and pieces I'll keep. I was trying to get it finished before my order for the ArtBeads Winter Enchantment theme came in. I didn't make it. I finally got a workable piece going for the cross last night. My ArtBeads order came in today. On the right of the mat you see the supplies for my Winter Enchantment project. The ArtFire Challenge isn't due until March, so It will be put aside while I work on the ArtBeads project.

Maybe I'll keep you up to date on what the Winter Enchantment project is and how it's coming along, and maybe I'll keep it all under wraps until it's finished.

Russian Lace Celtic Cross

I have finished the Celtic Cross necklace beaded in Russian lace stitch and uploaded the pattern to BeadPatternsBoutique.


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Russian lace is always a challenge for me.  I learned three drop netting using a different color for the juncture bead, or a different color for the top half of the mesh and the bottom half.  The designs in Russian lace are created by placing the colors in a pattern which may or may not conform to that formula.  I had finished the necklace, put the clasp on it and took pictures before I noticed a glaring mistake about one third of the way from the end.  And I thought I was checking each design before going on to the next one!

Well it was fun and it was challenging.  The pattern is illustrated with text instructions mesh by mesh, so if you follow the pattern exactly you will be able to complete this necklace even if you've never worked Russian lace.

Beaded Russian Lace

I’ve been looking through my UFO and salvage boxes lately looking for beads and looking at some of my earlier work.  I found some practice pieces that I’d done in Russian lace. 
Russian lace is three drop netting with “slits” for lack of a better word, in the outer edge that lets it form a natural curve for necklaces.  I found a classic Karmen necklace I’d done in purple, green and amber and an adaptation that formed a heart and had pearl and Swarovski crystal bicone drops.  I also found a doodle I’d done trying to make a Celtic cross.  I’ve spent a couple of days working and ripping out trying to make the design work.  Finally got it right and got a pattern worked up.  Now it’s smooth sailing.  There are two places that I had to take out on nearly every repeat because I’d get the bead sequence wrong.  As soon as I get the necklace finished, the pattern will be available.