Summer Fun Mermaid Necklace by Michelle McCarthy

This was my 5th year exhibiting at the Bead and Button Show in Milwaukee, WI.  Since I man my booth on my own, I don't get a lot of shopping time.  So that means I usually pick up artist goodies that are my booth neighbors and that's a great thing!  I love all things nautical and sea life, so I had to have this cute little mermaid made by fellow ceramic bead artist, Diane Hawkey.  I paired up the green in her tail to a green scallop shell and 10mm bead that I made.  This necklace combines many of my favorite techniques: wire wrapping, knotting with waxed linen and a sea theme.  Here are my supplies gathered up:

I assembled the pendant first.  I like 20g wire the best.  It doesn't hurt my fingers when working with it and it holds it shape pretty well.  Leave the tails long after wrapping your loops.  To cover the wire loop in the scallop shell, I curved the wire into a spiral and pressed it over the wire loop to hide it.  To get the look of the wire wrap around the spacer and gemstone bead, just loosely wrap the wire around them in a downward motion and secure the wire wrap around the bottom wrap.  I think this adds a bit of pizzazz.

Next I cut a 24" piece of beige waxed linen.  At the middle point, I over hand knotted it to the mermaids top loop.  Then lay out your gemstone beads in a pattern you like.  Now you simply string and overhand knot between each bead.  I did 2 knots between each bead because the bead holes were a bit larger.  I finished off the design with a piece of chain.  I think it is comfortable to have chain around the neck area and it is a good "fill in" when you only have a partial bead strand to work with like I did here.  I decided to put the toggle on the side for fun and added a pop of the green there with a ceramic spacer bead.

Instead of cutting the wax linen close to the knot, I left the tails long and tied a feminine little bow there.  Since waxed linen is lightly coated with wax, you don't need to glue the knots.  The wax seals the knot securely.  I love that!  Here's a close up of the toggle area:

Anne will be highlighting some wonderful artists and other recap news from this year's Bead and Button Show in the next few days, so be sure to watch for that!

Easy Heart Charm Bracelet by Michelle McCarthy

Here's a new twist on a bracelet clasp....a heart charm!  I have made this fun and easy waxed linen bracelet with buttons, 12mm round beads and toggles, but never a charm.  I think it's a cute option from the others.  I love the way it dangles down instead of lining up with the gemstone beads.  Here's what you need to make your own version:

You need 30" of 3 ply waxed linen, 8" of 1mm leather, a closed metal ring, gemstone strand and a heart charm.  I handmade my heart charm out of ceramic clay, but choose colors and shapes that you love!

Here's the finished design:

Start your overhand knotting at the closed metal ring by folding the waxed linen in half and pushing the knot tight up to the ring.  You can put both strands through the gemstone bead or 1 strand and leave 1 strand behind the bead.  Make another overhand knot and push it tight up to the bead.  Continue this pattern for 6 1/2" and then attach the charm by making another knot through the wire loop.  I made 4 extra knots before I attached the charm so the charm would not be too tight up against the last gemstone.  Fold the leather piece in half and attach it to the closed metal ring with another overhand knot.  Measure how big you need the leather loop to be so the charm freely can pass through it.  Close the leather loop with another overhand knot.  I used GS Hypo Cement glue to secure the leather knots.

Have fun making a charm clasp bracelet of your own!

Color Cord Mixes and a Free Bracelet Project

Color Cord Mixes from the Jewelry Accord Shop 

Need a jumping off point for your next jewelry design? Try a color cord mix from the Jewelry Accord Shop on Etsy. Lori Eurto does a fantastic job of creating pretty bundles of inspiration with her colorful Irish waxed linen cord palettes. I love the alluring combinations she puts together and I enjoy the fun names she dons them, too!

"Vase with Flowers in Window" Color Cord Mix

Are you looking for a place to start on a jewelry design to enter into our Art Bead Scene Monthly Challenges? Lori has been creating color cord combinations inspired by the art piece chosen by the Art Bead Scene team. Look to the Jewelry Accord shop each month to be inspired and pick up a few cord bundles to get creating. You can also request a custom color cord mix to be made in any palette you choose. She may even name a new color mix in her shop after you!

"Fortuneteller's" Color Cord Mix

My friend Lori and I share a passion for Irish waxed linen cord. It's one of our favorite materials to work with. She invited me to design a special jewelry project and tutorial to post on her blog highlighting our beloved waxed linen cording. I'm thrilled to share the project here. I created a simple bracelet. The materials may be humble, but the design is one I would wear on a daily basis. Those are the kind of pieces I love to make the most. The everyday jewelry. I love the texture and look of the knotted multiple gemstone strands, the joyful colors of the waxed linen cord and the gorgeous, hand-crafted copper button by Barbara Bechtel of Second Surf Studio on Etsy. The techniques are easy. These simple, tried and true knotting techniques I use over and over in my jewelry. This basic bracelet project is a great example of how easy it is to incorporate Lori's color cord mixes featured in her Jewelry Accord Shop in a jewelry design!
 
Fortuneteller’s Bracelet

Erin Siegel

Sodalite is said to be the stone of “insight”. The bright, colorful threads of waxed linen cord remind me of a long, flowing gypsy skirt that a fortuneteller might wear.

Materials

72 Sodalite 6mm rounds

1 copper 20mm artisan button by Second Surf Studio

4’feet EACH of 4ply Irish waxed linen cord in the following colors: Plum, Fuchsia, Red and Sage

Tools

Scissors

Ruler

Finished size: 7 ½”

 

1: Hold the four pieces of linen cord together at their centers. Tightly twist the centers of the 4 cords together for 2”. Fold the cords in half and form an overhand knot, leaving a ¾” loop of twisted cord.

2: Separate 2 cords. Use 1 cord to string 1 Sodalite round. Use both cords to form an overhand knot after the bead. Repeat 17 times. Repeat entire step for remaining cords.

3: Use all 8 cords to form an overhand knot. Separate cords in half and form 3 square knots.

4: Use 4 cords to string one buttonhole. Repeat for the other buttonhole. Form a square knot on top of the button. Trim cords to ¼”.

Resources:

Sodalite rounds: FireMountain Gems. Waxed linen cord: Jewelry Accord on Etsy. Copper button: Second SurfStudio on Etsy.

Erin Siegel is a jewelry designer, beading instructor and co-author of the jewelry book, Bohemian-Inspired Jewelry: 50 Designs Using Leather, Ribbon and Cords. To find out more, visit her blog: Erin Siegel Jewelry. 

Bohemian-Inspired Jewelry Mash-Up

Today we are celebrating the release of Bohemian-Inspired Jewelry co-written by Art Bead Scene contributor Erin Siegel.  Erin paired up with Lorelei Eurto to bring a book that focuses on adding fibers to jewelry designs in a fashion-forward boho style.   

If you haven't had a chance to check out the book you need to add this one to your shelf.  It's packed with 50 inspiring designs, many featuring art beads - which is always a plus around here!

The book definitely has me pulling out different fibers to add to my jewelry designs.  There are plenty of new techniques in the book that I know I will use again and again.  I have a collection of waxed linen, silk and leather piled up on my bead table with my copy of Bohemian-Inspired Jewelry nearby for inspiration.  

I've particularly enjoyed working with the waxed linen and decided to do a mash-up of projects featured in the book.  I love the look of Erin's "In the Garden" necklace combining great focal with knotted beads and complimented with a silk ribbon.  But I wanted to use a focal with two holes and combined the use of linen in Erin's "Indigo Forest" project. I love how Erin used the linen in a contrasting color as a design element and pulled out a lovely sage green to use in my necklace.

 

So I combined the two techniques with a mix of stones, glass and resin beads with one of my new pendants.  I finished off my design with large brass rings and hand-dyed sari silk ribbon.  I love that with just a few changes you can create a completely new necklace.  The book offers so many jumping off points - interesting combinations of materials, new techniques and great color combinations.  You could spend all summer with this book as your inspiration and never run out of ideas to mash-up into your own creations!

You can find the Blue Bloom pendant at Humblebeads and a great source for waxed linen is White Clover Kiln.

 

Congratulations to Erin and Lorelei for creating a book that will have the bead world buzzing this summer!

You need to run over to Beading Daily today to check out the rest of the party that's happening this weekend, there are blogs to hop, inspiration to soak in and a contest too!