Beaded Wooden Ornaments!

This year I realized that I had given away a number of beaded glass ornaments over the years to family and friends, but I hadn't given any ornaments to my side of the family!  Say what?!  So I set about to correct that oversight....

Handmade wooden spindles, beaded by me, and turned into ornaments!

I changed up the design, however.  My brother had turned some wooden spindles for me a couple years ago.  The original idea was to use them as pendants, but they were a little large for that plan.  So they sat around, waiting....but they are the perfect size for Christmas tree ornaments!

Beaded wooden spindles - reds.

Beaded wooden spindles - greens.

Beaded wooden spindles - blues.

So here  they are - 9 ornaments that I passed along to my family and friends this year!  Each one took a two or more hours to complete, but it was worth it.  They are lovely, if I do say so, and unique.  I think I'll need to commission some additional spindles from my brother once he gets his shop up and running again!

Happy Holidays,
SSS

Beadweaving with Twin Beads

I started seeing twin and super-duo designs sometime last year - it took me a while to realize that these new seed beads are 2-holed!  Once I realized this, I was enthralled - how could these beads NOT open up the world of beadweaving to new patterns?!  I had to get in on it....

Ordering the beads was the easy part - creating a design that works well with these beads is another matter entirely!  I used some on a strung necklace and just let the long beads dangle, using only 1 of the holes.

Siren's Call Series - Black Shell Pendant

Then I spent a week making and remaking a pair of beadwoven loops.  I thought the design was pretty good at  first, but now I think it's missing something....they look better on a table then in my ears!

Twin Bead Hoops with carnelian drops

Finally I made a pair of earrings that I really do like - these are my "Art Nouveau" pair.  I haven't picked up the duos again since making these....but I do have some ideas to try out when I get the time!

Art Nouveau Earrings with twin beads and agate teardrops

I like playing around with the new beads but sometimes it's nice to just grab some beads and make a piece without so much thinking and restringing and reweaving and redesigning, too!  If you want to grab some twin or duo beads and get into creating a beautiful piece the first time, try some of these tutorials!  Maybe I'll post one after I have more experience with the new beads....

Free Super-Duo and Twin Bead Tutorials:

Preciosa Twin Inspiration - follow the photos for tutorials (not all photos have tutorials)
Bead Magic - Twin Bead Patterns
Around the Beading Table - Free Patterns (several are with twin/superduos)

Clarissa Bracelet - connected mandalas/beaded medallions
Bucles Muchas II - earrings

Pinterest - Twin Patterns (not all patterns are free)
Pinterest - Super Duo and Superduo (not all patterns are free)
Pinterest - Twin and Super Duo (not all patterns are free)

And if you would like to mix these with other 2-hole beads, check out tilas/czech mates (2-hole square beads), 2-hole dagger beads, 2-hole coin beads, and the NEW RULLA BEADS!  I just found the rullas while writing this - they are 2-hole cylinder beads!  So many choices.....

Happy Creating,
PZ

Preview: Teaser Photo of Next Contest Piece

I've finished my next contest piece!  Here's a little teaser photo - I'll post the finished design later (I need some nice photos first!)

Black shell, beadwoven setting, rhodochrosite beads. 

Happy Creating!

PZ

P.S. - You can see the entire design here, in another post:  The Art of Mixing Jewelry Making Techniques