Free Tip Friday! Meet Creamsicle... A Perfect Summer Project!

Hey Gang!
Free Tip Friday was a blast today. Thanks to all who joined in and created such a fun community spirit by posting so many fun comments and sharing the video.

This broadcast featured our NEW monthly Seed Bead Mix, Strawberry Lemonade. As some of you may know, I don't prepare too far in advance for these #FTFs for a couple of reasons... one is TIME (never enough hours in the day, right?) But another is spontaneity... I love the rush of creativity that happens when working on a quick deadline. That's really when my designer brain kicks into gear and the ideas start to flow.

This project really was a group effort. Each member of the beadshop.com staff had some input on this one as I sat at the bead table and began the project. Even the name, Creamsicle, was suggested by viewer Kimberly C during the broadcast.  I love the process of collaboration, and this project is definitely the better for it.

Here are the ingredients:

1 Tube Strawberry Lemonade Seed Bead Mix

1 Strand Little Shadows Bright Brass

1 Package Tierra Heishi Bright Gold

1 Spool Popsicle Orange Regular C-Lon 

1 Spool Coral .4mm Chinese Knotting Cord

1 10 Yd Spool Natural Irish Wax Linen

1 Spool Natural 1.0mm Indian Leather

1 Button Dragonfly Pale Pink

For more learning on this project, check out the project handouts for the Odyssey project.

Here are some highlights from the broadcast...

I used almost all the beads in the tube for this 6-strand project.

I added a few silk wrapped accents on the leather strand.

We discussed the possibility of adding Soft Flex to the mix.

And, of course I added a strand of my favorite Little Shadows beads to the design!

Watch the entire broadcast here:

As discussed in the broadcast, I silk-wrapped the button on one side:

And made a macrame loop for the opposite side:

Let me know if you make one of your own... I'd love to see what you make! -Kate