Flash Sale Friday...get creative!

Last week Kate went shopping for some special strands at a local gem show, and she brought back six stone strands she couldn't live without...and we get to share them with you.

Kate's going to show them off on FTF today, and you won't want to miss an up-close and personal look at these beauties. Get ready to shop after the show! We have three selections for 3mm micro-faceted rounds: Peach Moonstone, Pink Tourmaline, and Labradorite. Plus, check out another three choices: 10mm Chrysoprase Rounds, 10mm Natural Jade Rounds, and Natural Turquoise Rice.

These strands are limited, and once they are gone--that is it! They're gone! Here today and gone tomorrow, so don't delay!

Tune in today, 7.16.21, at 10:30am PT, and shop after the show at 11:30am PT!

You can find the live broadcast in several places:

Facebook Page

Facebook Group

YouTube Channel

The show will live in each spot after the live broadcast ends, too...as well as on our Archive Page.

Here are a few color palette ideas Kate has come up with:

Faceted Rounds, Labradorite

1mm Leather, Distressed Gray

Micro C-Lon, Cocoa

Courtesan Button, Brass

Faceted Rounds, Peach Moonstone

1mm Leather, Metallic Gold

Micro C-Lon, Copper Rose

Jardin Button, Antique Brass

Faceted Rounds, Pink Tourmaline

1mm Leather, Distressed Violet

Micro C-Lon, Wine

Small Lotus Button, Antique Silver

Birthday Bracelet

When your Wonder Woman mega fan friend turns 30, there's only one thing you can do: make her an epic wrap bracelet fit for an Amazon Warrior Princess! This 5-wrap bracelet was made for Drea's friend Jordan, and it all started with Wonder Woman. 

Thinking of how to create a themed bracelet without it looking super-themed (overly themed) is not as hard as it sounds: pick an aspect and keep it subtle. Maybe make it a bit abstract, and go from there! In this case, Drea considered what she knew about Wonder Woman...a strong female character, bold, powerful, beautiful...and an Amazon. Thus, the bracelet took shape, starting with Amazonite beads, and the color story grew from there! Drea added a couple charms and skull beads from her stash, but you can easily add charms of your own and use some Shadows or 6/0s on the ends. You do you!

Ingredients:

This ingredient list links to both the broad general category and the specific item Drea used. For example, clicking on "Regular C-Lon" shows you all the flavors, clicking on "Marina" brings you directly to that color. Easy-Peasy!

1 Button, Making Waves- Antique Silver

1 Spool KO Thread, Dark Gray

1 Spool Regular C-Lon, Marina

1 Pkg 1.5mm Leather or 2mm Leather, Metallic Cement*

6 Tubes 8/0 Seed Beads, 8-1425, 8-4213F, 8-4276, 8-21F, 8-4702, 8-242

1 Strand 4mm Gemstone Rounds, Matte Black Gold Amazonite

1 Strand CzechMates Tiles, Matte Navy

1 Tube SuperDuos, Halo Celestial Blue

1 Strand Shadows, Silver Plate

Optional: Charms and 6mm Oval Jump Rings, decorative beads for leather ends.

*Note on leather: Drea used 2mm Metallic Cement, which we no longer carry. If you want to go for color, use 1.5mm Metallic Cement. If you want the thickness, try a 2mm in a different color.

Wrap techniques are:

1: Button, macramé in place with KO, Infinity Stitch a repeating pattern of five 8/0 colors in rows of 3 (taper from one bead, to two, to three at start!)

2: Infinity Stitch with KO, 4mm Gemstone Rounds

3: Infinity Stitch with KO, a repeating pattern of Tiles and 8/0s (used only three 8/0 colors here)

4: Infinity Stitch with KO, in Seashore style (note: original Seashore Projects use Traditional Laddering, Drea uses Infinity!), 8/0s and SuperDuos. Taper down.

5: Macramé with Regular C-Lon, with a repeating pattern of 8/0-Shadow-8/0, two full square knots, single 8/0, two full square knots. End with a knotted button loop and decorated leather tails. Add a charm between wraps 4 and 5.

One in a Million: Gitte and her Samson

 

               

This is a story about one special cat and one very special human and how they found each other. Most of our readers know Gitte from our Facebook Live shows. Gitte lives in Denmark and moderates the comment section on Wednesdays and Fridays. Like clockwork, Gitte is saying hello to everyone and linking products and projects while Kate is live. She is amazing!  Janice, Kate, and Gitte became fast friends through the screen. Gitte volunteered to moderate chat on beadshop's FB page long ago...Kate and Janice thought it was so generous of Gitte, but never imagined it would go on for so long and develop into lifelong friendships. The entire BSDC team feels such gratitude to Gitte. We are always looking for ways to thank her. Asking her to create a Monthly Mix was important to us...we just didn't know it would open the door to such a worthy cause: World Animal Protection and a special fund for Samson.

In the summer of 2020, Gitte was approached by Janice and asked to create a bead mix. Gitte knew right away she wanted to honor her beloved cat, Samson. Unfortunately, Samson is no longer waiting for Gitte to cuddle or feed him; Samson passed on in 2015 from illness at the age of eight.           

But, let Gitte tell you Samson's story in her own words:

Samson was the first kitten born to my parents' British Shorthair, Svea. My parents quickly decided I should have him. I already had his name picked out, Samson.

He was a happy cat and very social. He was also BIG!  He grew to 16 lbs! He loved to eat and my other cats knew to be quick or there wouldn't be any food left with Samson around.

Everyday he would sit on the windowsill and wait for me to come home from work. Everything about Samson was special. We had an unbreakable bond. 

When he developed health issues, it was unbearably hard to watch. It was his love of food and his final inability to digest what he ate that made him so sick. I was forced to make the impossible decision to end his suffering. I had to put him to sleep. To this day I know it was the right decision, but it still breaks my heart. We all love our pets, but Samson was truly someone special to me. My best ever furry friend - I say that he was my king.

Big hugs to you all

Gitte xoxoxo

Samson died shortly after his 8th birthday in 2015. And when Gitte sees orange poppies, she is reminded of Samson and knows that he is never really gone. To honor Samson, the mix has the green of Samson's eyes and the grays of his lovely fur. It also has the oranges of poppies and Gitte's own red hair!

When asked how we can help honor Samson, Gitte asked if we would donate to World Animal Protection, an organization helping to bring awareness worldwide to the suffering of animals. BSDC is donating $1 from the sale of every Samson Monthly Mix to World Animal Protection. 

Samson, the monthly mix for October 2020

If you would also like to help, you may donate here. Gitte has earmarked the donations from beadshop to help the abandoned kittens left behind in Denmark after the summer residents leave and go home for the year.  Samson still has lots of brothers and sisters across Denmark. One of his sisters is pictured here with Samson. Her name is Venus. And, although Samson will always be missed, Venus is now the Queen of the Castle.

Venus and Samson

 

While supplies last, you can purchase Samson,  

 

the October 2020 Monthly Mix at beadshop.com.

                            

Thank you!

Working with California Poppies: Kate's latest limited edition mix

 Kate's done it again! This California Poppies mix is a breath of fresh air, and it's super special...and limited. If you missed out, don't fret! More special mixes are coming down the road. 

Take a peek at the beads Kate decided to use to supplement her mix, or that you could use in place of it...here's what she showed on air:

Seed Beads:

8-2031Matte Metallic Sage Green Luster

8-4204F Duracoat Galvanized Matte Champagne

8/0 Metal Seed Bead Antique Copper

8-4515 Chartreuse Matte Picasso

8-4273 Duracoat SL Dyed Willow

8/0 Metal Seed Bead Gilding Matte

8-641 Dyed Rose Bronze SL Alabaster

8-4270 Duracoat SL Dyed Magenta

8-4243 Duracoat SL Dye Topaz Gold

4mm Czech Glass Fire Polish:

Crystal Orange Rainbow

Sueded Gold Jonquil

Aquamarine Celsian

6mm Czech Glass Fire Polish:

Sueded Gold Peridot

Matte Persian Turquoise Copper Picasso

Turquoise

8mm Czech Glass Rondelles:

Light Colorado

Sky Bue Picasso

Gemstones:

Matte Green Aventurine (8mm)

Matte Light Aventurine (8mm)

Olive Jade (10mm)

Red Aventurine (10mm)

Green Aventurine (10mm)

Vintage Finds Pendants:

Red Aventurine Pi

Green Aventurine Pi

Puzzling- Serpentine

Seeking in Serpentine

Free Tip Friday 7.17.20

Wire Wrapping Found Objects

We recently had a very special request in our Facebook Group, The Bead Table. What can you do with a special object that's not a bead, but you want it protected and memorialized in some way? Perhaps even made into a piece of jewelry? A precious rose quartz stone was the item in question, and many of our Bead Table members suggested wire wrapping. We agreed!

Today, Kate explores what to do with a "found object," using wire wrapping techniques to capture the piece and enable a work of art to be created around it.

Ingredients were simple today...just wire! Kate used 20, 22, and 24 gauge wires. Specifically, the stone on the left uses 20G in Titanium, and the sea glass on the right uses 22G in Bare Copper.

You'll also want to have Nylon Jaw Pliers, Chain Nose and Bent Nose Pliers, Round Nose Pliers, and Flush Wire Cutters.

Free Tip Friday 6.26.20

This mix is Bliss! Inspired by a colorful photo Faye posted to our Facebook Group, Kate concocted this stunning and vibrant mix. She also had a great way to use it in mind...check out her ingredients, bracelet, and FTF episode below!

Want to make your own colorway? This ingredient list links to both the broad general category and the specific item Kate used. For example, clicking on "Regular C-Lon" shows you all the flavors, clicking on "Teal" brings you directly to that color. Easy-Peasy!

Ingredients
1 Button and Mini Mix or Monthly Mix- Summer Bliss Mini Mix
1 Spool Regular C-Lon- Teal
1 Spool 0.5mm Chinese Knotting Cord-  Golden Toffee or Violet
1 Czech Roller Bead- Pomegranate

Additional Learning
How to Macramé
Bollywood Bracelets

Free Tip Friday 6.19.20

Wanna Getaway? Us, too! Kate makes some perfect Summer Getaway earrings today with our June 2020 Monthly Mix. This beachy mix is a bit of summer in a tube! Sun, sand, sea...it's all here. Get your sunglasses and SPF...it's time to hit the beach!

Kate's earrings are a take on Alley Mori's Looped Tassel. Find her ingredients below. Want to make your own colorway? This ingredient list links to both the broad general category and the specific item Kate used. For example, clicking on "Fine C-Lon" shows you all the flavors, clicking on "Turquoise" brings you directly to that color. Easy-Peasy!

Ingredients
1 Pair Earwires- Folio
1 Spool Fine C-Lon- Turquoise
1 Tube Monthly Mix- Getaway
1 Pkg Currents Beads- Mist
1 Pkg Jump Rings: 2 types!
 -8mm Soldered - Bright Silver and
 -4mm Oval- Bright Silver