Inspiration from bead designers (pic heavy)

brightcircle wrote

on Jun 27, 2012 9:42 PM

Lately I've been trying out new techniques and doing projects from magazines. Here's a sampling of my latest work.

A rainbow chevron band designed by Julz.

Gwen of Bead Infinitum's beaded bead design in Beadwork.

The beaded bead design by JewelryTales from the latest Beadwork magazine.A variation on a design by Anna Elizabeth Draeger.

Very loosely based on Julia Gerlach's netted beads; I added more embellishment and used the new Duo beads around the outside.

And these earrings are a riff on a design by Stephanie Wells.

Thank you to all you designers for your beautiful designs!

Calico3 wrote

on Jun 28, 2012 1:36 AM

I love the rainbow bracelet.

christina66 wrote

on Jun 28, 2012 2:47 AM

What gorgeous things- love all the vibrant colours - you've made me want to make some beaded beads - now!

debbiela wrote

on Jun 28, 2012 4:32 AM

Gorgeous one and all but the rainbow bracelet is my favorite. 

Ricki Ayer wrote

on Jun 28, 2012 7:23 AM

Wow - you have been very busy.  These are all great, but I think my favorites are the earrings - love those - and the rainbow bracelet.  Thanks for sharing all of your beautiful work.

Ricki

Teresa Webster wrote

on Jun 28, 2012 1:36 PM

Very nice!   I love the colors.

Valbeads wrote

on Jun 28, 2012 1:50 PM

Holy cats!  That's totally amazing!  I use my bead magazines for inspiration, too, but like you, I like to put my own twist on stuff, to make it more...mine.

I gotta ask- with all that stitching, do you ever feel like your eyes are going to come out of your head?  I used to feel that way sometimes when I could still do bead stitching.

And another thing- we always say, "holy cats."  How come we never say,"holy dogs?"  Guess it just doesn't have the same ring to it, does it?(g)

Val

brightcircle wrote

on Jun 28, 2012 7:03 PM

Thanks!

Val, usually I never get around to doing magazine projects but I've been going through a stage these past few months. But yeah, I can never do exactly what's in the magazine--I always do it in my own colors at the very least.

Nope, my eyes always feel firmly anchored into their sockets, thankfully..

Valbeads wrote

on Jun 28, 2012 10:46 PM

Sometimes I have these mega-dry patches and flipping through my magazines will give me a good jumpstart.  Sometimes, all I have to do is look out the window, and away I go!

Lucky you!  Sometimes, even when stringing, my eyes can get kinda tired, especially if I'm using really small beads.  I've got a lit magnifying visor, but when I've been at it for awhile, to suddenly go back to regular vision can be very disorienting!

Val

Emma.J wrote

on Jun 29, 2012 4:38 AM

They all look great! That rainbow one would be good to sell to the boys and girls at mardi gras lol!

Val - Over here, we say 'holy cow'. I must say that I have never heard anyone say 'holy cats' before! haha!

Emma
xXx

Valbeads wrote

on Jun 29, 2012 5:31 AM

Oh, I use that one, too!(lol)  I've got a plethora of expressions I use.  Because of course, I'm a lady and we ladies don't curse!(g)  If I've ever cursed, it's because of all the stupid meds I have to take.  They tend to take the muffler off my mouth and I can say stuff I wouldn't, so if any of you ladies ever spot a post that's really out of the ordinary for me, would you ask me about it? It may be I'm feeling particularly ill. 

I think "Holy Cats" must be a Southern-ism.  My best friend is from LA(no, not the city!) and she says it, too!  You think that's funny?  We also say, "Holy Socks!"  I can hear y'all laughing now!

Val

carolee1945 wrote

on Jun 29, 2012 8:40 AM

I have the Stephanie Wells book, too, and I really wanted to make those earrings!!! You have realized my dream!! Were they very hard?  I seem to just look at my bead books, but never seem to get in there and actually make something!!! Kudos to you.

brightcircle wrote

on Jun 29, 2012 10:38 PM

Oh carolee, you just described me to a tee too about the design books. :)

No, it wasn't hard. The wire shapes don't require a terrible lot of precision.

KristieJ3 wrote

on Jul 1, 2012 12:33 AM

I love it all, but those earrings are amazing, now I'm going to have to go to Amazon and order the Stephanie Wells book! What gage of wire did you use?

A fun thing I love to do is go through Glamour or People Style magazines and create my own versions of what I see there - I even have a 'design scrapbook' that I use for future ideas, lol.

Valbeads wrote

on Jul 1, 2012 2:40 PM

I do that, too!  I've also copied some earrings that Emily Deschanel has worn on the tv show "Bones."  I dig a lot of the jewelry she and Mikaela Conlin(Angela) wear, so I like to make a close replica.

Val