Three New Bracelets

I get so wrapped up in making new jewelry and cards that I don't do a very good job of keeping up with everything else. I'm always scurrying from room to room, making new things, taking photos, updating spreadsheets (I live and die by spreadsheets!), moving files around in the computer (I have quite the folder structure). Part of the routine is supposed to be uploading the new pictures to my flickr photostream and writing a quick blurb for this blog; but those are the parts that wind up being missed. I put them off, thinking I can do them at night when there's nothing else to do. Ha. There's always something else to do.

And so I wind up doing what I'm about to do now. Posting about three new bracelets I've created and listed. They weren't all created in a day. They weren't even all listed in my Etsy shop in a day. But here they are, all being written about at the same time. Oh well. That's what happens when you're as obsessed with creating things as I am. Writing about the finished projects just isn't all that exciting.

This first bracelet was inspired by my need for spring. Seriously. It's soooooooo cold outside, and I've been shoveling way too much snow over the past couple of weeks, so I just wanted a flower.

You might find that funny if you knew me. I'm not a "flower" sort of person. No flowery wallpaper, no flower patterns on furniture or drapes, absolutely no flowery clothing. Nope. I'm much more a stripe or plaid person. Whatever that means.

When I originally designed this pattern, it was in shades of white. You know, the traditional shasta daisy. I was going to call it that, but then I did a little internet research and found that shasta daisies are white. Since I had opted to make this one in a brilliant violet and hot pink, I had to come up with another name. I just knew I'd seen purple daisies out there somewhere! It didn't take me too long to find that the purple daisies are called Tahoka Daisies, or prairie asters. Now that I've listed the Tahoka Daisies bracelet, I'm sure I'm going to have to make the white version.

The second cuff I listed this week is a new color version of a design I created a few months ago - Damask. The original version was in opaque red and white, and ever since I finished the design I knew I wanted to do some other color combinations. This one came about when I saw these silver-lined purple beads next to the crystal clear AB finish ones. They're gorgeous together!

I don't know about everyone else, but I find purple to be one of the most difficult colors to photograph accurately. I was pleasantly surprised, therefore, when I took the pictures of this cuff because they're actually pretty good!

Of course, the beads always look better in person, but that'll just be a nice surprise for the person who buys this. :-)

The third bracelet I listed this week is called Venezia.

This one began with a whole different idea. I wanted to play with this bunch of size 15 rocailles (doesn't everyone want to play with the tiniest beads around?), and I had an idea for a modified caterpillar bracelet. I'd do loops instead of fringes, and I'd have a row of larger beads going down the center.

Well, I tried the larger beads, and I just didn't like them. I actually liked it better with the space down the center where the base beads, pearly bright white size 8s, show through. When it came to naming, the thought that struck me was that I had multicolored glass and a "canal", both of which immediately reminded me of Venice.

Sometimes it's just best to leave things alone, and this bracelet is proof. The large beads down the center just aren't necessary.

So those are the three bracelets I managed to list this week. I also finished some necklaces, but I haven't gotten good photos of them yet. And as I write this post, I have a bead crochet lariat sitting on the sofa next to me, just waiting for me to pick the crochet hook up again.

Before I get back to crocheting, I have to share a couple of nice things... First, one of my Etsy customers, Lorrie Whittington (aka Illusio), wrote a very nice blog post after she received the package of ACEO blanks she purchased from my shop. I wanted to give her a link back here when she published her post, but of course I'm late. And now I'm actually glad I'm late because I've gotten to read her later entry in which she shows off some of her newest art.

I'm a HUGE fan of pointillism. In fact, it's the type of art I most often do myself, although my version of pointillism is somewhat different than the "norm." When I saw the new ACEOs Lorrie listed in her Etsy shop, I was floored at just how beautiful they are! This Valentine one is my favorite:


The other nice thing is that a fellow Etsy seller (and customer of mine), Sydnei, is now offering mini greeting cards in her Etsy shop (SimplySentimental) that feature prints of some of my ACEOs! She has a few of the mini cards listed, and they're absolutely adorable! I love the treatment she's given my little bits of art, but when you look at her shop it'll soon become obvious that she's a very talented card maker and artist in her own right.

Check these out! These aren't the only ones she has listed, but I just thought these were so cute turned into tiny greeting cards!! Click here to see the rest of them.



Okay, that's enough writing. I'm sure there was something else I wanted to post about, but I want to get back to work on that lariat.