Taming wild cords - part 2

Okay, after making the first soutache piece, I coudn't really stop too soon.That resulted in another pendant made with this technique. This time it took only something like 8 hours... and I didn't get enough sleep again last night. Looks like it's not really a technique for me. It is just too time-consuming, and my impatience simply doesn't allow me to stop in the middle of work and return to it the next day. So, either I will give up sewing, or I won't be sleeping at nights. Ah, sleep is a waste of time anyway. ;)

As it is only the second attempt at soutache, I didn't expect it to be perfect - and it certainly isn't  - still it looks a bit better for real than in the pictures. It is truly eye-catching though - and it will remain my new favourite pendant, at least until I make a new one. So, that means a couple of more days, I think. ;)

The pendant measures 6,5 x 5,5 cm (2,55 x 2,16") without the bail. Somehow it turned out to be the same size as the first one. That's the only thing they have in common though, as you can see from the pictures below. ;)

 

 

Also, it's nice to see new followers! I hope you are enjoying your time here. ;)

 

I'll see you again soon. :)

 

 

 



The beaded bead in a beading magazine!

I am proud to announce that my tutorial for a beaded bead has been published in a digital DIY Beading Magazine Issue 6, distributed via iPad Newsstand. Considering that Eridhan Creations will celebrate its 1st birthday later this month, I must say that it is the best present I could get. :)
I just feel honoured that it has been noticed by the editors and featured in their magazine. :)

You can read more about DIY Beading Magazine here.

Thank you, Jane and Isabel! :)

Soutache? Actually, why not? ;)

Well, looks like I'm back. After a couple of wasted weeks it was about time to stop wallowing in self-pity. If I am to die, heck, I will, but since it's not happening right now, there are other, better things to do. Almost too many things though, considering this little time I have left. And as if I haven't had enough ideas for bead weaving, I just had to try one more thing. Again, never say never... instead, from now on, I will keep saying: "later". ;)

Last time you could see my first attempt at bead embroidery, now it's time to see the result of the first ever battle with soutache cords. Oh well, after five long hours (the first 30 minutes was more like "hmm... now what should I do with these sneaky cords trying to escape from my fingers?") I think the beasts have been eventually tamed, as they happened to turn into a pendant. Good tiny cords, they should have been given a reward for that. ;) No reward though for keeping me up until 2 a.m. when I was supposed to go to work five hours later. ;P

Anyway, here's the pendant. I was stupid enough to choose the most contrasting colours that ever existed, so it's almost too easy to spot all the flaws in the finished piece. But as for the first one, it could have been worse. ;)

The pendant measures 6,5 x 5,5 cm (2,55 x 2,16") without the bail.

And one more thing before I say good bye for today. I just want to say thanks. Thank you for being with me when I needed you. Thank you for everything you have said to cheer me up. Thank you for the e-mails you have written and spending your time on talking to me. Thank you for still visiting the blog, even if it was dead for a moment.
I won't say your name here though - you should know that it is *you* I'm thanking right now. :)

A short update

Some of you have probably noticed that I'm not updating this blog as often as I used to. Don't know if it's a temporary break or not. To be honest I wonder if the blog still should exist... but I won't delete it just yet. Could be though that I won't post any new jewelry ever again. Or could be that I will change my mind and return some day, sooner or later in the future. It all depends on how much time I have left. We'll see.

 

Thank you all for being here with me. I wish you lots of luck.

 

Justyna

 

 

 

The first attempt at bead embroidery

Don't make promises you know you cannot keep... yes yes, I should have known that it is always a bad idea to say that I wouldn't try a certain technique if in that certain technique beads are involved...

I have been admiring bead embroidery for a long time. You all make wonderful jewelry with this technique and so far I have been just saying that it's something I would never ever try. Never say never, that is more than true in my case, it looks like.

So, let me show you the first ever attempt at bead embroidery. A pendant made with a beautiful magenta cabochon that I have got from Julia, surrounded by Toho seed beads sizes 8, 11, 15 and Preciosa seed beads size 15. It isn't a small piece though. It measures 7,5 x 4,5 cm (3 x 1,77"). And it still needs a proper cord, I know. Only I haven't decided yet if it's going to be a crochet rope or a leather cord.

All I can say though is that I am quite proud of it. ;) Sure, it could have been looking better, but as for the first trial it's not that bad, I hope. I'm even more proud of myself, as I haven't checked any tutorial... just made it as I thought it should have been made, so all of you who have tried this technique already can tell me now what I did wrong. ;)

And now it's time for me to go, so see you next time. :)

And one more beaded bracelet...

...but it's the last one. No more bracelets waiting to be shown to the world. There are only a few pendants left. ;) So soon the blog will be flooded with pendants again - hopefully you can survive it. ;)

This bracelet however is a simple one, but still quite eye-catching, considering that a few people have commented on it when I was wearing it. It is made with tile beads, SuperDuos and Toho rounds size 11 and 8. Easy and fast to make really, something that even a beginner can handle. ;)

The pattern is available on Etsy.

 

 

 

 

Gothic Crosses. Two beaded bracelets

To be honest these two bracelets were made back in April, so it's quite some time already. For some reason they haven't been published here so far, it's about time to fix it! They are made with almost the same pattern, they only differ a bit with the final embellishment. Both are made with 6mm glass pearls, SuperDuo beads and Toho seed beads in three sizes. They are 2,5 cm (1") wide.

The pattern for the bracelet is available in my Etsy store.