Jun 29, 2018

Free Tip Friday: Family Memories Bracelet

Thanks so much for joining me today on FTF. I simply adored working with Janice's July Monthly Mix called "Family Reunion." Janice says " I named it Family Reunion because all the beads are related and it's summer!" We all just loved it and I couldn't wait to get the party started using this mix... and the Family Memories Bracelet was born!

Memory Wire seemed just the thing to use. I wanted to make a quick, yet eye-cathcing piece. One that you could take on the road and make with family and friends at your own family reunion.


Here is what I used:
1 pkg Bracelet Memory Wire, Copper or color of your choice... the wire doesn't show at all!


The finished sample uses the entire tube of beads and the whole length of leather. It makes a 7-coil bracelet.

Check out the video for all of my tips and tricks to make this fun, summer-inspired bracelet. A couple of additional learning links: Memory Wire Basics and How to Macramé. Enjoy!

Jun 22, 2018

Free Tip Friday: The Summer Necklace... chain, clasps and wire!

Thanks for joining me on Free Tip Friday today! It was fun sharing some tips and tricks with chain and clasps with you... and I LOVE the project that evolved. I call it "The Summer Necklace"


Super simple and so wearable! Here is what I used:


Mixing the Bitty and Baby Dots chain and the Organic Flat Circle Bead and Rectangle Pendant make great layering necklaces. This set mixes antique silver and copper.

The broadcast goes over so many tips for clasping chain:






Check out the entire broadcast below and enjoy!

Jun 17, 2018

Drea's Bracelet Trio

Happy weekend, everyone! As promised, here are the ingredients used in my trio of bracelets I started working on and had asked for design input on last week...thanks for the suggestions, one and all! These bracelets were made for my sister, myself, and one of our cousins as part of a little family inside joke...I wanted them to be similar but also different, and I think I succeeded!



Each three-wrap bracelet has almost exactly the same patterning, beads, and design. The major change between all three is that I changed the leather and thread colors for each. In the grey version--since this one is for me, personally-- I shortened the patterns in a couple spots and shortened the second wrap of 6/0s considerably because my wrist is much smaller than an average wrist. I also used Little Shadows in Antique Silver instead of Silver Plate, and I switched the 6/0s in the middle wrap.
Another change,  I had to change up my leather tails on the white version, I inadvertently used 1.5mm leather instead of the 1.0 I intended to use, so 6/0s didn't fit on to decorate the tails. I used White C-Lon to make a couple silk wraps around the button hole instead of knots and long tails.  The ingredients list below links to all 1mm leathers despite that I used 1.5 on that one, since it was not intentional!

Click open the photos below to enlarge and see the patterns.




Please note, the ingredients below are enough to net you all three bracelets.

3 Swirl Buttons- Antique Silver
1 Spool 1mm Metallic Pearl Leather with White KO Thread
1 Spool 1mm Metallic Gray Leather with Dark Gray KO Thread
1 Spool 1mm Distressed Violet Leather with Dark Purple KO Thread
1 Tube 8-4247 Duracoat Silver-Lined Dark Lilac
1 Tube 6-576 Dyed Smoky Opal Silver-Lined Alabaster
1 Tube 6-3642 Pearlized Crystal AB PL Mint
1 Tube 6-264 Raspberry Lined Crystal AB
1 Strand Little Shadows- Silver Plate
1 Strand Little Shadows- Antique Silver
1 Strand 4mm Glittery Matte Silver
1 Strand 4mm Aqua Graphite Rainbow
1 Strand 6mm Milky Alexandrite Moon Dust
1 Strand 5mm Czech Rondelles- Lavender Mercury
3 Charms (and Jump Rings if needed)*
1 Tube GS Hypo Cement
1 Pkg Size 10 Beading Needles

*I had these charms custom-made for this gift, but any of our charms that speak to you would be beautiful!
Happy beading!

Jun 1, 2018

Free Tip Friday: Sea Treasures Wrap Bracelet

Hey Everybody!
June Mix + Summer Feelings = The NEW Sea Treasures Wrap Bracelet.

What a fun Free Tip Friday today... as you will hear in the video, I was just in the mood to make a fun and quick summertime accessory. I hope you like making it, and please share your design take on it!

Ingredients I used:
1 Monthly Mix June, Sea Treasures
1 Half Circle Magnetic Clasp Antique Brass
1 pr Looped Leather End Antique Copper
1 pkg Home Run Antique Copper
5 Mini Hoop Antique Gold
Oasis Charm Antique Gold
1 meter Natural Stitched 5mm Leather
1 pkg .5mm Natural Leather 
1 pkg 7mm Antique Copper Jump Rings
Zap Glue

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 with...