Summer Beading Ideas

I’m so sorry for disappearing for so long.  Life seemed to take over and the bead blog got neglected.  😛  But on to better things!

This spring Kelsey made some new necklaces that are fun pieces for warmer weather.  I really like each of the pieces.  She managed to put something unconventional in each necklace which makes them unique and interesting.

PSX_20150625_035339I loved this necklace for several reasons.  It is a choker length piece which is my personal favorite style to wear.  She used beads with a variety of textures and materials–glass, metal and plastic.  The colors are all warmer toned and put together, the pinks, orange and brown remind me of a sunset.  She also incorporated beads with a double holes which separated the two strands nicely.  The two strands combine into a single strand toward the back of the necklace and are finished with a gold toggle clasp.

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This is another super pretty necklace that looks much more complicated to complete than it really is.  It did take some time for Kelsey to string the multiple strands of seed beads and bugle beads, she make her bead selections quickly as she simply used various shades of pink and magenta.  Again, she used a lovely combination of textures, such as shimmer, opaque, and faceted beads for extra shine.  While one side of the necklace does utilize a multi-strand metal finding, the other sides incorporates a silver toggle clasp as a design element.  This necklace falls to just below the collar bone which allows each of the beaded strands to drape together nicely.

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The sheer pastel colors in the necklace make it a perfect choice to wear in the spring or summer months.  Kelsey used glass beads that came in both chips and faceted rounds.  The chunkier section of the choker was made using a daisy chain technique.  Because the faceted round beads are so big, rather than making separate daisies that lay flat, they become a chunky focal point for the piece.  The “daisies” look almost like a helix pattern.  This might be my favorite of her most recent creations!  I love the way this necklace turned out.  Let me know if you might like to see a tutorial on how to make a beaded daisy chain.

 

 

PSX_20150625_035615The last necklace that Kelsey made reflects her own personal style.  It is a boho piece that really casual.  It is just edgy enough for a teen to enjoy wearing it with the blue skull beads and large metal pendant.  Again, she mixed a variety of materials in the necklace which gives it additional contrast and interest.  I like the bronze metallic beads and the use of a large silver toggle as part of her design.

Each of these pieces is unique and different.  Some of the pieces are casual and some are more dressy.  Either way, Kelsey has added to her jewelry stash nicely.  Which is your favorite necklace?

 

 

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Pearl Knotted Necklace Tutorial

I finally had the opportunity to sit down and make something with the beads that Kelsey and Maddie helped me choose from the Bead Show several weeks ago. With my mother-in-law’s birthday coming up quickly, I needed to put together her necklace. So today we have a tutorial for a pearl knotted necklace.
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For this necklace you will need pearls (or some other preferred beads), cord (this cord has a thin wire needle already attached to one end), bead tips, a clasp, tweezers, and nail polish or liquid glue (like E6000). (Another note: other clasps will work. For this particular necklace, I chose to use a sterling silver filigree pearl clasp.)
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The bead tips up close….
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The clasps….
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Begin your necklace by tying an overhand knot at the end opposite the needle. Slide on a bead tip so that the knot is caught in the “clamshell.”

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Slide the first bead onto the needle and all the way down the cord to the bead tip.

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Begin tying a loose overhand knot.
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Use the tweezers to reach through the knot and pinch the cord right next to the bead.

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Slowly tighten the knot and remove the tweezers.
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I realized that white cord on a white background is hard to see, so apologies for the presto-change background, but here is a better photo:
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Continue until the necklace is as long as you want it. This particular necklace falls just below the collarbone. Slide one more bead tip on so that the clamshell faces away from the beads. Tie another overhand knot to hold the bead tip snugly against the beads. Secure the knots using clear nail polish or another liquid glue. Once the knots are dry, clip the excess cord.
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Slide the clasp pieces onto the hooks of the bead tips and carefully close the bead tips using pliers.

That’s it–you’re done! Here is a photo of the final necklace (sorry for the inconsistent lighting–I took the photos in different parts of the house).

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Just FYI, my mother-in-law loved her birthday gift!  Since this was our first full tutorial, please feel free to leave feedback and comments.  (Again, apologies for the crazy lighting.)  Be sure to visit www.jensfindings.com for all the findings used in this tutorial or whatever else you might need for your jewelry projects.

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Boho Chic

Kelsey loves to make her own jewelry.  It is both easier on her student budget, but also allows her the freedom and flexibility to make pieces that match her style.  Her latest favorite trend this summer has been boho chic.

Her favorites colors seem to be shades of brown and blue, and she will often layer several different pieces together until she gets the look that she wants.

In addition, Kelsey often combines textures, such as faux leather, metal, glass and stone.  The look is super cute on her and the jewelry was made for just a fraction of what it would cost in a store.

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My Favorite Bead Show!

We finally had the opportunity to go!

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Can you tell that my kiddos were excited about their new finds?

It has been such a long time since I have attended a bead show, and I loved the chance to see what kinds of great beads and other jewelry components are available now.  We were overwhelmed by all the choices….glass and resin dollar strands, decorative chains, gorgeous high quality pearls, beautiful lampwork beads, and tons of sparkly semi-precious stones.

Considering this was the first time that I had taken the kiddos along with me, I think we demonstrated admirable restraint.  We walked out with beads and components for several projects:

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Kelsey is not exactly sure what she is going to do with these, but she has a couple of ideas.

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These were $1.50 each.  There one for me and one for our littlest kiddo because we had to leave her at home.

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Maddie loved the color of this dollar strand, and I think she wants to use these with copper wire somehow.

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Maddie loved the color combo of these three glass strands and has a necklace project in mind with these.

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My mother-in-law’s birthday is coming in a week.  There may be some pearl knotting in the future….shhh!!!

Can’t wait for the show to come around again–the girls and I had a wonderful time together!

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