When People Use my Tutorials, and Add Their Own Personality and Skills

 Susan contacted me when she could not find her download of one of my tutorials.  We had a nice chat, and she went on to buy a Summer Fruit kit in the Grapefruit color.  I know orange tones are not everyone's favorite, but she assured me she loved color and proved it when she finished her focal.  She swore she had the wardrobe to work with it, and she DID!  I love this fabric!  It was her gentle nudge that reminded me I had the materials to re-kit Summer Fruit.  That was a good thing!

I was enthusiastic about her costuming, so she shared a Fall Flame necklace she had made, with coordinating earrings.  

   I think those earrings are inspired, and I also love what she did with the bead caps before the clasps!

Then she sent me an image of her Fuchsia Pineapple Blossom Necklace, again, with earrings she created with leftover kit beads and some rivoli's she "happened" to have on hand.  Don't we all have stuff like that??

I love how she adapted my pattern to create the rivoli edges for her earrings!  

And again, an interesting bead cap and clasp variation!

And finally she had asked if I could put together a Green Frond kit for Pineapple Blossom, and of course, I had most of the materials, except for the Swarovski, which of course was no where to be found in quantity.  So she made up her own, similar colorway and again, matching earrings.

It's really rewarding to see my patterns made up, and added to, by my sweet customers!  

Thanks Susan, for sharing your ingenuity with me!  And letting me share on my blog!!

Visit my Etsy shop for these tutorials and kits and more here.

Back In Stock Fall Flame Leaf in "Singe"

Yup.  Singe is back in stock.  It's been a long time since this one was available.  Find it here in my Etsy shop:  https://www.etsy.com/listing/484089195/kit-only-for-singe-leaf-rope-and-bail

I was planning to restock this using the new Toho Permanent Finish gold beads, but Covid seems to have robbed me of that opportunity.  There are few to be found and the kit requires 11 grams.  So it's back to the original 24k gold finishes.  This makes it a more expensive kit that the others, but honestly, it is also REALLY elegant in person!

I love the rope in particular with the real gold shimmer guiding the eye through all the color transitions.

I have also made one change in the leaf beads.  I was never best pleased with the D bead, which was a soft gold transparent rainbow bead.  It's the one next to the smoke topaz at the edges of the leaf above.  All the other beads have a silver lining and this one did not, so I have replaced it with a silver lined topaz, which has better presence and punch.  You will have to take my word for it, since I did only a scrap of sample to be sure I would approve.

I have been spending my energies on finding a new colorway for this fall.  And yesterday, I thought I had it.  But when I finished the first half of the leaf, I noticed the Raspberry finish was rubbing off the bead, leaving some pale pinks and some flat silvers.  GAH!

See the Raspberry beads near the black edge?  See how some of they are pale pink?  There's one at the bottom center that has lost almost ALL of its color.  Sigh.  I looked the bead up on my favorite Toho suppliers website, and sure enough, there is a color stability warning.  So I have made another choice and a new sample is underway.  But I think you can see where I was going.  It screams October to me, and I think it will be good worn on black.

Yes, I do still have other design ideas, but the fall Gem and Lapidary Workers show was again cancelled like the spring one.  Until I have better access to unique and beautiful component shopping, I am kinda stalled.  Plus every other bead I decide I need seems to be impossible to locate.  SO... hang in there.  I am not done with beads, but the struggle is real, as they say.  If everything goes well and nothing is impossible to buy, this kit should be ready for next weekend.

OH!  And the 12mm Pearl Acorns are back in stock.  They went fast!  THANK YOU!! That tutorial is also half price again for this long weekend, through Monday.  I bet you know how to get there, but just in case:  https://www.etsy.com/shop/HauteIceBeadwork

Spark and Blaze

Why am I creating new colorways and kits for older projects?

Because my Fall Flame rope was included in the 13th edition of "Creative Beading" from Kalmbach.  I have been meaning to have kits available for every project in my Etsy shop, and this seemed like a nice opportunity.  (Yep, that is a preview of one of my hubbies beautiful new art tables too!)

So there are two newbies!

I've been wearing Spark on white shirts for the last few days and I just love it.  I had originally named  it "Inferno", but although it is metallic and shines like crazy, it has this summery softness that I just adore.  So, "Inferno" was somehow just too much for it, and I devolved the name to Spark.  We are both happier, LOL.

Eight kits are available in my Etsy shop here:  https://www.etsy.com/listing/614580704/kit-only-for-spark-leaf-rope-and-bail: https://www.etsy.com/transaction/1462615464  (oops, they sold out, but I will have more next weekend!)

While I worked on these new colorways, I also re-colored all the leaf illustrations in the tutorial, to move the colors further apart visually from each other, and make the diagrams easier to read at a glance.  If you have purchased this tutorial, and want the new version, you should be able to get that from your Etsy receipt. If not, convo me and I can e-mail you a copy. If you are just now buying the pattern, the updates are included, along with the materials lists for both new colorways.  Find it here:  https://www.etsy.com/listing/469164117/etutorial-for-fall-flame-leaf-bail-and

Which brings up the other new colorway!  Meet "Blaze".

I have not worn "Blaze" yet, because it just screams AUTUMN.  I want to wear it with black corduroy, and tweedy wool.  It's July, and hot outside, but in a couple months, I know this will be my go-to piece.  Find this kit here:  https://www.etsy.com/listing/614580704/kit-only-for-blaze-leaf-rope-and-bail?ref=shop_home_feat_3

While I was at it, I re-kitted my favorite from the original group of colorways, "Psychedelic Scarab".  For me, this one is a year-round piece and I hope you will find a general purpose place for it in your wardrobe too.

The colors came from the pretty little Swarovski Scarab bead that sits on the bail.  I think it looks both the iridescent beetle and peacock-esque, and I love it with all deep cool colors.

You can find it here:  https://www.etsy.com/listing/465877396/kit-only-for-psychedelic-scarab-leaf

HUGE thanks to my sweet friend Ann, who came to help me label and fill baggies for this project in the midst of preparing for the Minneapolis Master Gardener Learning Garden Tour, which I am going to see this morning.  She was cool as a cucumber with this big event approaching and is always a huge help to my kitting process.

If you are a Minneapolitan, here is a link to the event taking place TODAY!  

https://hennepinmastergardeners.org/events/hcmg-learning-garden-tour/

Maybe I'll see you in a beautiful garden!

I promise to ship kits as soon as I get home.  :)

I have not forgotten I promised a new video with Bead Embroidery tips and techniques, and that is up next along with a new set of bags...
Plus a beautiful new Fall Jasper piece and a Holiday Rose Bud necklace, coming soon.