New Pendants

Some big pendant pieces I am trying out for my prehistoric series. They are etched and big, so we will have to see if people like them. Wish I had more time I would make a new necklace with one.

Trunk Show and some classes.

I have started to do a little teaching this year and have lined up three classes and a trunk show at the Smiling Turtle Art Spot on Omaha, NE next month.  I will be doing a two day trunk show from the 13th - 14th of June and will be teaching both Friday and Saturday. 

If you want to know more about the dates and times of these classes or see more about the Smiling Turtle Art Spot be sure to check out be sure to check out their June newsletter, and do make sure to come to the opening reception on the 13th.

Free Tutorial on using a disc or flower bead.

So often, when we have a disc or flower lampwork bead we want them to hang where they face the front.  This tutorial is just a little trick to make them hang better and stay facing front and not flipping.

 You will need a lampwork disc bead, a headpin, 2 daisy spacers, wire cutters, and round nose pliers.  I also use a little dot of E6000 glue and a couple of size 11 seed beads.  These two things are not necessary but to me it makes a nicer finished product.

Take the head pin and put on one daisy spacer, (about 2 size 11 seed beads), the lampwork disc bead, and the second daisy spacer.  The seed beads just help to stabilize the head pin inside of the hole of the lampwork bead so you do not want any more than just fill that space.

 If you wish to use the dab of glue (E6000) that I like to use, it is placed just behind the back daisy spacer.  You want to use just a tiny amount and let it dry before going on.

 Once the glue has set, you take your round nose pliers and grip the headpin about 3/8 of and inch above the back of the daisy spacer.  I don't really measure this any more because I use the width of my fingernail.  You will want to make sure that the measurement is very close to the same if you are making earrings.

 You want to bend the head pin at a right angle.

 You are then going to make a loop.

 And wrap that loop.

 What you now have is a wrapped loop that is about 3/8 of an inch above the back of your bead.  I know this sounds like a simple thing but it is important that your loop is made and the excess wire has been clipped before going on.

 The next step is to bend the wire right at the daisy spacer making a right angle.  Or making the wire now parallel to the disc bead.  *** The biggest tip about this whole process is to make the loop and then bend the wire.  If you try to bend the wire first you can not get the wire wrapped around itself because you run into the bead. ***

 You are now ready to add ear wires if you are making earrings.

 If you want to make a pendant you will want to add a large ring into the the loop before you finish wrapping it.

 There you have it disc or flower beads used for earrings and pendants.

Joan's Necklace

One of my customers from Stitches Midwest, Joan Berenbaum, got the pendent in this picture from me a year ago.  She made this fantastic beaded kumihimo necklace to use as a chain for the pendant.  I love how the little white beads in the kumihimo piece make the white in the pendant pop out.  A very talented lady don't you think?

New Necklace

 Another fun necklace using some of my Alice's Garden beads.  The beads in this piece hang like a pendant from a chain. 

 It sits at the base of the neck and make a real statement.

And I love the little fringe pieces that look like the flower stamens.

New Pendant

I just wanted to show you a pendant made from one of my new Modern Art face beads.