Christmas Jewelry

Even though Christmas is a short period of time, we all seem to like wearing holiday sweaters , red and green outfits and of course, jewelry that reflects the season. So, here are just a few bracelets that would look great for any holiday party or to simply brighten up the day!

Find these and more on my etsy web site: http://GingerBeadDesigns.etsy.com

Color Combinations - the sky's the limit!

One of the best part of teaching a beadweaving class is seeing the color combinations that each person puts together. There are usually a lot of ooh's and aah's before we get started with the new stitch. Some people bring an outfit that they want to match, some want to be creative and try a new combination of colors and some simply have to copy something that they have seen that they like. It's fun, no matter what technique you use.

My most recent color combination is orange and cobalt blue. It's dramatic, spectacular and invigorating. Of course, I may have to get an outfit to match!

Wedding Jewelry

I seem to have weddings on the mind since finishing jewelry for a bridal party and now getting ready to make jewelry for my daughter's wedding. The pieces that the bride and her maid or matron of honor and bridesmaids wear are as important as the color scheme, centerpieces, invitations, etc. I never realized how much thought goes into all the details of a wedding until recently. I got married 31 years ago and things were a little different!

I love this piece that I made for the bride. Her gown is white with silver accents. So, using white Swarovski pearls and sterling silver seed beads seemed the perfect combination. The necklace is made with a tubular netting stitch. I put about 20 hours into this, but the result is well worth it. And....I had a happy bride!

Etsy Update

Etsy.com members are very supportive of each other. I am just finding that out and it is refreshing. As a result, I am happy to share a new piece of jewelry that I have made with a fun scrabble tile pendant from the shop: http://jessejanes.etsy.com/. I encourage you to visit the shop and if you find a tile that you love and want a matching necklace.....well, contact me and we'll make something fun together.

To see my latest jewelry pieces, go to http://gingerbeaddesigns.etsy.com/.

Happy shopping!

Etsty shop

I have finally gotten my act together and opened a jewelry shop at etsy.com. This is a wonderful web site that allows creative and crafty people to sell their designs without the expense of setting up an individual web site. For people, like myself, who are still a little technologically challenged, the web site makes it easy to do what you love and let someone else handle the pixels, pay pal accounts and whatever goes on behind the scenes.

To see my shop, go to http://www.gingerbeaddesigns.etsy.com/. I will continue to update with pictures of new creations. If you see something that you like, but would love it in another color, contact me and I'll see what I can do. Many of the pieces, though, are one of a kind. Some I couldn't duplicate if I tried, simply because of the design or materials used. Others, can be made to order, especially if you would like matching jewelry for a wedding party.

I'll sign off for now with my favorite bracelet. I love the 3 blue crystals that were used and most of all, I love the bling!

It's a wonder I'm not spinning out of control with all of the spiral bracelets and necklaces that I've been making. I love beadweaving with the single spiral, tubular peyote, russian spiral, cellini spiral stitch, just to name a few. The ones that take the longest are often the most fun because it allows for more hours of beading. It is really my evening meditation. I can't wait to sit down at my table and decide what to work on each night. Of course, I have several pieces going at once. Sometimes just changing to a different piece with different colors can keep the excitement going. Here are a few pictures of some of the recent designs: