Moving to http://cassandraelizabethbeads.wordpress.com/!

Hi Everyone,

I've recently decided I wanted to change up my blog to more closely match my Etsy Shop. Existing posts will stay up here, for now at least, but new posts can now be found at http://cassandraelizabethbeads.wordpress.com/

I plan to update more frequently and offer some more how-to's, tips and research on jewelry.

Thanks to all my followers, I hope you'll continue reading my blog at WordPress!

Casey

Wisteria Whirls Right Angle Weave Necklace

I made this necklace a couple weeks ago, but I've been busy at work making a tutorial I hope to get listed on Etsy by the end of the day. So far using Etsy has been a good experience and I'm excited that my fellow bloggers/bead weavers, family, friends and Etsy users are so supportive. That's not to say writing the tutorials is easy work, but it helps.

I have a lot of fun naming my work, this one's name was inspired by the purple colour and swirling motion of the pearls that go in two different directions, as well as the plastic cab I found at a local fabric store. Wisteria is known for growing in spiraling tendrils, so I thought that described things well. I love finding out the symbolism of flowers, colours and stones. This site has an interesting run down of wisteria's meanings in different cultures and eras.

Ruffled Honeysuckle Brooch

I've been focusing more on doing more original pieces than working on designs from magazines. This is another set of instructions I'm selling in my Etsy shop.

One thing I've never made before is a pin. I didn't actually start this design thinking it would be a brooch, I actually wanted a pendant. It still needed something though, so I added some branch fringe, which I think adds movement and interest to the piece.

I made the cabochon by pressing stamps into polymer clay. I'm getting to be a big fan of using stamps and molds with polymer clay. It's a good way to make an elaborate looking piece without doing that much work.

Prickly Pear Herringbone Stitch Cuff

I recently finished my certificate in technical communication. I decided to study technical writing when I finished my bachelor's degree for a few reasons, some of them very practical, like wanting to improve my writing, editing and computer skills. The real inspiration though came from reading step-by-step instructions in how-to books and craft magazines.

If I could have any job in the world it would be working for a craft magazine. I love learning how to do new things, writing, illustrating, seeing other people's beautiful work, and -- of course -- doing crafts all day!

That's pretty much why I decided to start my own Etsy shop selling beadweaving tutorials. My major goal is to have fun, improve my technical writing and illustrating skills, and add to my portfolio.

I will be adding more tutorials as I come up with designs. My first design in the design above, which I made with cube beads and a cabochon I made out of polymer clay. The design is pretty versatile, I also made one with a blue tiger eye cabochon.

Rio Ruffles Memory Wire Bangle

This is another piece inspired by the April/May 2009 issue of Beadwork. I loved the idea of mixing cute peyote ruffles with funky lampwork beads, as featured the preview from Create Jewelry: Glass.

I actually went out and bought 2 grab bags of cool lampwork beads from my local bead shop. I like these beads because I remember buying very similar ones as a kid in the 1990s when my grandma would take us to Washington State.

To get a bit more bang out of my work, I strung the beads, ruffles and spacer sections on memory wire. I was inspired by the Carmen Miranda photo shoot they did on America's Next Top Model, especially Allison's photo, as shown below. It's probably a bit easier to wear a bangle than it is to wear fruit on your head.

Pink Ice Cubes Right Angle Weave Bracelet

When I picked up the April/May 2009 issue of Beadwork, I leaped right into making these funky right angle weave squares by Marcia DeCoster. This is the first time I've tried three-dimensional right angle weave. I can see a lot of potential for embellishing work with extra colour and texture. Right angle weave is becoming a new favorite for me.

As usual, I changed the design a bit. Instead of six squares strung on elastic (which I find tends to stretch and grow!), I made three squares and brick stitch terminals to accommodate the multiple strands . Best of all, I found a use for some glass cube beads I bought a year ago!

Wheels of Fate Aventurine Pendant

Well, this little pendant took a lot more time and work than it would appear. Originally, it was attached to a long peyote stitch chain like my On the Moors Victorian Pendant, but it ended up twisting and kinking if I wore it for more than an hour. Funny, because the other necklace drapes nicely.

Thinking I would fix things quickly, I made bail and tried to attach it to the pendant...but it took forever to figure out how to attach the peyote stitch bail to the right angle weave bezel. After pulling it out 40 million times, it's finally done! I slipped it on a cord from another necklace I already owned and now it's ready to go.

The two different sized cabochons I used are aventurine from South East Asia. As is the case with most stones, I love them! They're a very subtle green, very much like jade. Since aventureine is meant to be lucky, and the two pendants are look liked cogged wheels, I named this piece Wheels of Fate.