Spark Kits in Stock Tomorrow!

 

Many of my Fall Flame necklace kits allow you to make the rope with either the A beads at the center, or the E beads, as the tutorial is written.  To accomplish this feat, you can simple re-label the A beads as E, and B beads as D.  C remains C as usual. I believe you could also change the leaf around if you prefer, but honestly, I like the contrast between vein and leaf, and I think that would be lost if you made that switch.  BUT it's YOUR CHOICE, to make.  

For the next week, I'll mark the tutorial for Fall Flame down 25%, so if you want to try your own colorway, please feel free.  Many people have done so, very successfully, and enjoyed it.  

What I love most about this colorway is it's Spring into Summer look.  And it looks great with many different clothing options.  I had to do a little styling for you!

I love it on my favorite little black summer dress, as well as with citrusy lemons and limes.  It also looks great on deep avocado, since the vein is a complex bead that features that color with a pinky glaze, and this year's Viva Magenta was made for this lovely leaf.  

If you want to try the beautiful shapes and ripples of this leaf, and you don't want to wait for any of the more Autumnal color versions, this is for you, right now!

I'll put the listing in my Etsy shop tomorrow morning, April 29th, 2023, at 9am CST, and pop back here to drop a link for you then.  I have nine of these kits, but if you miss getting one, I could make a few more, so just drop me a convo.  

I'll leave you with this above closeup, and this side view, which reveals it's shapely natural curves.  

Bermuda Dragon Kits Re-stocked

I had a request for a Bermuda Dragon kit, and making just one is just insane, so I made 10.  Then I put them in my Etsy shop today and now there are 4 left.  Yikes!  Just when I was thinking it was time to fully retire.

I imagine it might be nice in the summer.  I have always imagine it breathes frost, or at the very least a cool breeze, so I suppose it might be a good portable AC unit, lol!

I used the last of these cobalt blue crystal rondelles, so had to substitute a 6mm X'waro round for the last couple kits, but I think the result will be equally lovely.  I also think the charm painting was some of my best this time around.

It's a pretty kit, with a yummy result, and it's going fast.  I thought I was past needing to post a a pre-notified time, but if you want to snag one of these, best move fast.  

Here's a link:  https://www.etsy.com/listing/1357803903/kit-only-for-bermuda-dragon-necklace

OH!!!  And I put the tutorial on sale, 50% off through next Sunday the 23rd, 2023, so if you don't already own it, grab it this week.  https://www.etsy.com/listing/555566974/tutorial-only-for-dreamscape-bermuda-and

Hugs and happy Springtime, wherever you are in the world.  

Fall Colors for Caramel's Claws Necklace in Cinnamon

I was asked for kits in both the Sage and Cinnamon colorways, and have been out of them for ages.  It's really hard to find viable focals, but I have a set of each colorway now, and I am happy with the choices I have gathered together.  Here's a quick rundown in a larger scale than I can show you on Etsy.  These will go live in my ETsy shop tomorrow, Sunday, March 12th,  at noon CST.

Some deep jade greens, with cinnamon swirled throughout.  Deep and mysterious.

The most old-school Red Creek Jasper in the group.  Spectacular, and the last of its kind that I can find.

Also quite a classic collection of Red Creek markings and colors.  

Predominately cinnamon, with golds, greens, and deep, dark veining.

Nut brown with jagged deep green veining, and just a few hints of gold.

Various shades of brown and copper with a quartzy lightning strike.

The simplest of the group, in deep rich chocolate.  

This focal would feature the pretty curves and details in the bezel.

Some interesting dark inclusions in this focal bead, with creamy highlights.

The dark tones in this focal are almost purple, maybe best described as midnight.  

It has a petrified wood quality.  Unique and unusual.

For this week, I will leave these kits priced as they are at $52.  A kind of sale, because as I calculate my kit cost each time, it seems to go up, just like the cost of housing and groceries.  Then, on the 18th, they will go up to $55, so if you are interested, grab your favorite by St. Patrick's Day, to take advantage of the old pricing.  Caramel's ancestors demand to be fed, and the cost of peanuts has gone up...

Raspberry Caramel's Claws

COMING THIS WEEKEND, SUNDAY MAY 22nd, AT NOON CDT.

First I'll show you the oval stone focals for the LIGHTER GRAY BEZEL.

And then, the oval stone focals for the DARKER GRAY BEZEL

    

As you can see below, I have done a different bezel treatment for the darker stones, using a deep fuchsia 15/0 bead for the detailing on the bezel points.  I did a similar detail in the light bezel, including both the deep fuchsia and the French Pink.  All the stones contain both colors, in varying degrees.

 If you have made the design before, you will see that I have included an additional 15/0 bead in Step 15 where usually there is a skip.  I was just in love with the color pop, and you can choose to add or skip as you prefer.  Here's a chart for the two points, which I am also including on an info sheet in each kit.

I also have fiddled with the acorn itself, to get a color balance that I find appealing for each acorn, and here is that chart.  You will use the same thread path for ANY of my acorn patterns, only the bead size and color placement is different.  This chart is also included in each kit, with a key chart for the beads as well.  

I almost feel like I should apologize for these little changes, but I believe they are what maximizes the potential of the colorway, and I hope you can appreciate that although they are fussy, they have value. And of course, you don't have to take my advice.  Bead what makes you happy!

Finally, the 12mm wood bead used for the acorn has a BIG hole and our little beads wanted to slide into it, so the hole has been made smaller with a little nylon tube.  Most of them fit tightly, but just be sure you don't loose that valuable little addition.  

OK!  So I'll get back to finalizing my kits, so they can appear in my shop on Sunday!  

OH!  And....  More Mint jewels are arriving tomorrow, so hopefully those can be re-kitted next!

LILAC KITS!! Plus a 25% off sale on the Tutorial.

One of the first tutorials I wrote was "White Lilac".  And at the time, I thought I would make kits for the project.  As it turned out, making those kits was a substantial task.  Twenty bags (and this by  consolidated several groups of products into more eco-friendly single bags) and 27 different items were required!  At the time, I simply lacked the organizational experience to do this.  But now, older, wiser, and more experienced, I MET THAT GOAL.

I HAVE LISTED THESE KITS IN MY SHOP, AND THE TUTORIAL SALE IS LIVE AND LASTS THROUGH THE END OF THIS MONTH.    

The most common feedback I get for this tutorial is about how hard it is to find all the beads.  So given that I had bought many of the beads for the white colorway in 2016, (and more since, as I have run into them at what I consider to be kitting prices) I have decided it is time to remedy that situation.  

I also have a new colorway I am calling Lavender Lilac, plus the original White Lilac colorway and the kits are finally assembled, the tutorial buffed up, and a 25% off sale on the tutorial are all ready to go, just in time for the vernal equinox! 

The White Lilac is built from two different white Czech rounds and their organic shapes and subtle color shifts are so beautiful in these flowers!  They have a sharper, deeper matte green leaf, and are high contrast, with a subtly sparkly gilt-lined Ceylon pearl Toho bead in the yoke.  I wear mine with several different colors and always have people stopping me to look at the necklace. 

Love the way this upper leaf pulls away from the neck, and how the attachment allows for a V or a choker!

The Lavender uses Opal Silver Lined Toho beads, and a softer, rainbow finish bead for the leaves, for a generally springy and lovely look.  I did the gradation as it is done in the tutorial, but I am planning to do this one more time using a different idea.  I just LOVE the varigated lilacs that I recently discovered.  Here's a link!  Now, my flower pattern cannot really be used to create this edge detail.  BUT I think something magical could be done by using the kit beads in a slightly different way.  

You would likely need the tutorial to be able to fully understand this, but I think if you were to use the A and B PALE beads at the tips of the all or most flowers, varying them slightly, sometimes just the A, or just some of the A, and sometimes 1 or 2 or 3 or even 4 of the PALE B, it might just be spectacular.  Like that one little flower above!  I put an insert with info about that idea in the Lavender kits.  So if any of you decide to give that a try, PLEASE SHOW ME!  I'd love to share it here on my blog!

If it seems like a good time to take on a BIG project, (these take me about 25-30 hours) and you feel like celebrating the return of warm, sunny days, and sweet-smelling flowers, stop on by MY ETSY SHOP! 

Summer Fruit Kits Back in Stock, and a Sale on the Tutorial

I am going to take the assembly of these kits as a big win! 

I felt completely overwhelmed when Swarovski shut down sales to mere mortals.  Between that and Covid, I found it hard to pick up a needle or a bead.  BUT...  I got busy with some Christmas beading and my mojo peeked out from behind its rock.  I remembered I had bought oval fancy stones to re-kit this project, and finally with a little nudge, and some help from a friend, it's done!

The tutorial allows for 5 different variations of an extended, winged bezel project.

And to celebrate, I am selling the tutorial at 25% off until next Saturday.  So if this project is of interest, now is the time to grab that tut!  And if you want, the Kits are now is stock too!

And MAYBE, just maybe, there might be a new project in the offing...  Crossing my fingers!

How Beaders Use My Patterns Fascinates Me!

I am really fascinated by the things people like to do to my Fall Flame leaf pattern.  Judy set out on a real learning mission and asked a lot of questions along the way.  It's fun for me to be able to talk all bead nerdy with someone else who actually cares about that I am blabbering on about.

Judy wanted to shape her leaf differently and give it an additional vein and a more complex edge.  

I believe the darker leaf has just the two veins that my Sugar maple model had.  

But in her lighter red leaf, she added a third vein to each side of the leaf, and a much more complex edge.  I know she found it challenging to make the two sides match.  Trying to record and draw what you did the first time to replicate the second side is challenging!

I know there are maple leaves that have 5 separate sections, instead of the three (and hint at a fifth) that Sugar Maples have, and I honor her effort and achievement.  I find it inspiring.  I also found it interesting that she did not have an interest in the color ombre.  Pretty sensible really if you want the observers eye to take in the complex shape and edge.

She did a great job!  Thank you for sharing with me and my readers Judy!

If you want to play with this pattern yourself, you can find just the leaf and bail pattern here:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/477843955/etutorial-for-fall-flame-leaf-bail-only

If you want the rope too, look here for that tutorial:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/469164117/etutorial-for-fall-flame-leaf-bail-and

Visit my Etsy shop here, for all available kits and tutorials!

https://www.etsy.com/shop/HauteIceBeadwork

12mm Pearl Acorn Earrings

EDITED TO SAY:  Kits are re-stocked in all four colors!

I am pleased to say that I have a tutorial in the FINAL Bead and Button magazine.  I made up a few kits and re-vamped my 12mm tutorial in honor of the event.  It's on sale half price (normally $5, now $2.50) for the rest of the holiday weekend.  I should have written this post on Friday!!!

The tutorial is very similar to the one I did for the Peach Caramel's Claws necklace, and if you own that version, there is no real need to buy the new one.  Except of course that I believe I improved the illustrations and layout just a bit.  But I am just like that. And it includes all the bead lists for the new colorways.  But I'll just give you that here. Not the best quality image, but the best I can do right now.

They are pretty, simple, and I like the scale with my smaller face and bones.  Here are the glamor shots.

I am also working on re-kitting my Fall Flame leaves.  Some are done and in my shop, and the rest, plus one new colorway should be ready this week.

I have done no beading this summer.  I have spent my time in my garden, community parks, and on our many lakes in my Covid kayak.  I have always wanted one, but have never before had the muscle to move one around on my own.  It's a wonderfully peaceful thing, and good for my soul.

I think about many of my repeat clients often, and hope that you are all weathering this year of challenges well.  I do have a couple new projects in mind, and maybe with the cooler weather, I will stay off the water and put some of them together for you.  Till then, a virtual, socially distanced hug to you all!