A Purplish Day

  I have spent this week replenishing some of the kits that have sold out in my Etsy shop.  First, there is the popular Fuchsia kit for Pineapple Blossom necklace.  It really is elegant.  I've worn it twice this week and it's only Thursday.  

I also finally got the focal jewels for the Orchid Mist kits and got them listed too.

What a different feel the two necklaces have!

Since I was in Purple land, I also finished up a few more Grape kits for Caramel's Claws, using a new acorn bead.  The silver one is just no longer available, so I have found a pretty good substitute and am happy with the result.  

I think the lavender references the strung purple beads in the yoke nicely.

I am putting the focal bead images from that listing here, so you can have a closeup look.

A is evenly mottled with light and dark purples, only very minor pitting.

B has lots of lighter color, with minor pitting near the edges.  I like the concentric lines.

C has especially nicely arranged color, lighter at the center, and darker at the edges.  Quite smooth.

D has really interesting markings and the two sides are quite different, giving you a nice option.  One small nick on a long edge will be covered by the bezel.

I don't know what happened to the other image of E!  It has deep rich color with flashes of light.

I have to paint the dragons for Paradise Dragon Necklace tomorrow, and should get them listed sometime tomorrow, with a little luck and stamina!  Still in the Purple theme!

Thank you so much for keeping my busy during these crazy times.  

Stay SAFE, and GO AND VOTE!!!

That Sweater Needed a Necklace

 It came from Target.  It's a color that is in the Pantone array for Fall and Winter this year. I had the Orchid Mist Pineapple Blossom necklace that worked with it.  But I had made that necklace shorter to wear on my skin with an orchid summer top, and it felt not long enough.  

Here's the original (but short) Orchid Mist.

So I made a new, longer one, with a silver demi bead.

I really like the result.  It has a dressier look than my original, because of the silver framing and the richer finish (Pink Metallic Suede) of the Czech round accent beads.  I designed the original colorway to work with a range from Orchid through Purple, but somehow, this lively Magenta wanted a different feel.  I'll show you the two together so you can compare and contrast.

This necklace sold out in all of its colorways last month after a kind gentleman posted his finished work in Seed Beads and More on Facebook.  Then another client posted her beautifully finished work and I have been scrambling to get some kits in stock! 

I now have all the colors available except Orchid Mist, and I am just waiting on the focal jewels to assemble those kits.  

Please visit my Etsy shop for the Pineapple Blossom Tutorial and the many kits available. 

Fuchsia

Blue Hawaii

Stormy Seas

Green Frond

Aqua Surf 

Stay safe in this crazy weird year of chaos and surprises!  

Leaf Adaptations from Joni

Joni, a buyer of my Fall Flame Leaf tutorial, contacted me a couple weeks ago and told me she wanted to work out her own colorway for the leaf.  She asked very kindly if I could possibly create a blank chart for her to make that possible. I did so with reasonable ease, and sent her a .png file.  Above is her first result, and I really like it!  My buyers often show me things that stretch my own imagination, and Joni surely did.

I pick up leaves as I walk each day, and this pile was from last week.  I think Joni has worked in a more realistic way than I have in any of my own stylized colorways.  Although those of you who own the pattern know I encourage the occasional moving of colors in each row (especially on the second side) to tend gently more toward Mother Nature's results, Joni is full on Au Naturel!  The two sides of Joni's leaf are totally different, as often is the case in nature.  She has even gone to the point of creating a bug or hail hole on one side, the whimsy of which I find delightful. She has also used a different vein color from the edge color, a further step into realism.  

Then yesterday, she sent my photos of the complete necklace.  It's so similar to the lower right leaf in my pile!

She has also substituted my rope base with a piece of 3mm tubing and found the PERFECT button to use as a clasp.

Here's how it looks in use.  I love it when people use my designs so innovatively!

Pretty cool, huh? Joni has also messed with the gradation a bit at the rope ends, and to great effect with the button.

When I modified my tutorial to include my most recent "Conflagration" colorway, I added the blank chart to the tutorial as a final page. I am encouraging you to enjoy yourself and design your own results as Joni did.  I'll post it here too.  

In a way, I suppose you could think I am handing out my tutorial, but I believe my text instructions and step by step diagrams are necessary to success with this project.  If you want the updated version of the tut, you may be able to download it from your receipt, and if not, just ask and I will send it along if you convo me from your purchase receipt.  You also have my permission and blessing to steal it here, from my blog, if you have purchased the tutorial.  

If you don't own the tutorial, here's a link to my Etsy shop, where you can purchase it and several kits currently available:  https://www.etsy.com/shop/HauteIceBeadwork

Happy Leaf Season!  Stay SAFE!