Where the Dunes and Rockpools Meet...

You might remember that a while ago I did my post about the Dunes and the like... Well more recently another lovely lady asked me to do a commission on some Rockpool style charm beads. I so enjoyed doing the work I just had to put some of the photos in the blog. 

There are more photos of the set on my Flickr page if your mouth is watering....

I can tell you that c, d, e, f, h, i and j are now sold, but the others (as of 30th of April) are still for sale.

And here are some of the individual beads in close up. They were such a delight to make! Thoroughly enjoyable!

These two look great together (l and k). Might be making their way onto my bracelet if I'm not careful....

This one is a little sea urchin

Last week I had a most pleasurable couple of hours helping a favourite customer marry up 'The Dunes' theme with the 'Rockpool' theme when she came over to the house and we created a new bracelet for her completely from scratch! A few cups of various hot beverages later, and here is the result...

Going from the clasp end they are as follows: 1. Lemon Grass dotty bead, 2. Rocky Bobble bead, then 3, 4, 5 are three beads from The Dunes set, 6 is a Rockpooly Sea Anemone bobbly bead, 7 is a Dune bead, 8 is another Grey/Green Dotty bead and finally 9 and 10 are two more from the Dunes set. She picked up a couple of silver stopper beads from me at the same time. (The bracelet and other silvers are the 'models own').

The whole effect is a bracelet that is full of interest and plenty of colour as it tones through from lemony green to marram grass green to seaweed green. There are gold tones, sandy tones and antique lace/white sand tones which give it some timeless elegance. The dotty beads add a bit of fun and contemporary fizz to it too. Yet, most importantly we liked where we got with it because the bracelet remains (usefully) to be easy to wear, and blends with many clothing styles and colours as the tones are still subtle and gentle.

close up of the Sea Anemone Bobble Bead

On the owner's wrist in natural light

Lastly, I thought I'd better get these in...

On the last sesh of the torch I was obviously in a really bobbly sort of a mood. I just couldn't stop myself!! As well as the sea urchins, sea anemones and rocky bobbly ones that I did, (most of which are now winging their ways to their new homes all around the UK), I also made this Purple Bobblishious bead pictured below. 

Of course I had to take the piccies with the bluebells as a backdrop for obvious reasons...

It's quite big (15.5mm by 7.5mm wide) and it is made to fit a Pandora sized bracelet as the hole through the middle is a little larger. I've just listed it in the Etsy shop if anyone likes the look of it ;-).

I just love the way the colours are magnified by the clear glass bobbles!

Well I should really sign off now,  otherwise I won't be up for school-run in the morning... Take care chaps!!

Enough of this British Weather - I'm going to Bead Land!

A lot later than I thought I would, I got round to making, cleaning, silvering, polishing and photographing some brand new beads. These were meant to be done just after Christmas, but hey, better late than never!

Some of this little collection will be making it onto the Etsy shop soon and others have been ordered for customers. If you see any thing you might like or maybe would like something similar just send me a message and we will sort it out for you!

In this blog I thought I would try to show you how the beads are born and how the ideas come to life. In many cases I might randomly pick a rod of glass and start melting a bead and it brings an idea into my mind, triggered off by a colour, a colour combination, the way the light moves through the glass or the texture or shapes that are created. Then I set off with gusto (and much excitement and anticipation, I might add) fixed on this theme trying to 'round out' that thought making the other beads in the series. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.. I might need quite a few goes till it looks right, but this is how many of the beads sets and individual focal beads get 'born'.

So here, I have tried to match up the finished beads and bead sets with the images that no-one usually sees; these are the images that percolate around in the brain while the beads are forming at the torch!

My first set is called 'The Dunes' This set reminds me of being back in Somerset on good old Berrow beach taking a walk to blow the cobwebs away in the sand dunes there. (It's very, very windy; ALL the time!) These beads have a lovely cleansing and calm feel about them, just as one might feel after one of those fresh walks.  They are very natural and organic, and I was trying to make something that was relatively 'neutral' so you can wear them without worrying that they don't coordinate with what you are wearing! These are clear-minded, worry-free beads!

The next set I will call 'Fairground Attraction'. These beads are really cutsie and small (they are just over a centimetre in diameter), but the colours have a wild abandon about them, like that amazing feeling of being let loose at a fairground for the first time when you are a teenager or when you go out on the town for the first time...AT NIGHT! There is neon excitement with these, electricity, fun and frivolity. Good things come in small packages!

...Now we are leaving the fairground, and moving to the Amazonian Rainforest for the next collection. I've had another request for some 'dotty doughnuts' this time with a green theme and here they are fresh and verdant and lovely. They will be called 'Rainforest Fresh'.  

There is something distinctly watery and lush about these. They say aloe vera, ferns, dew drops, crystal water and thick swathes of abundant leaves. They say juice and freshness and vivid green to the extreme!

A new set of black and whites will soon be winging their way to the shop. Black and white is timeless; so sharp and clean and neat! Humbugs, piano keys, dominoes, zebra stripes, polka dots!!

I went a bit candy crush crazy last time I was on the torch. These colours really remind me of sweets and candy in general. Cupcakes, sticks of rock, seaside games, donkey rides - the works!

The next one is pink too but has an interesting mix of gold swirls too so it looks much richer like a gilt pink gates of a pink palace or something or a golden sunrise firing the pinky orange colours in all directions! Maybe a bit bollywood. Will call this one 'Pink Princess'.

The other colour I've been really into is this one! We have decided it's called 'cerulean' (thanks Kate for the heads up on that one!). It is SUCH A DREAMY COLOUR!!!

This is a Cerulean Kingfisher on the right. What a colour! It makes me go weak at the knees! On the left, to get you in the mood, is some beautiful cerulean water that that lucky lady's swimming in...OK now for the beads, now you have the colour in your head...

These trio are a similar sort of hue, but more rockpooly and seashoreish!

The last ones are a collection in an on-going theme for me. Organic, earthy rich tones like a forest floor or a mossy bank. Greens, purples, gold and deep red and brown. The warmth of the earth and the vibrance of the living things all rolled into one! This is the type of bead I love!!

Well, that's quite enough for one night. Sleep tight xx

Who's been a busy little elf? Last orders for Santa's Sleigh...

Hi all, I've got a beer by my side already this time so all set up to write the blog! 

(It is Christmas after all ;-))

SAFARI

The SAFARI beads are done!! Yay! I am sooooo happy with the outcome!

Been playing around with techniques for this set for a good while now, and I am very happy to say that I am finally satisfied with the results. 

(I went to town, somewhat with the photos so sorry if there are a few two many for your liking!)

This one is a TIGER BEAD pendant for a very special lady who likes her big cats!. It is strung onto waxed cotton and has pure sterling silver clasps and fitments. It's a lovely bauble shape. 

I hope she likes it.

These are the set of big hole beads for her charm bracelet. There are three tiger style beads each with their own very distinct, individual markings and two amber complementary beads which help give texture and separate them out a bit. One has a load of little bobbles in three different colour amber glass shades, and the other bead is a darker amber hue with little disc shaped cog-like bobbles going all the way round. I think that as the set of five they really hang together well.

On a bracelet they just look amazing. I was a bit 'mouth-watery' while I was taking these piccies, it was quite sad to see them go out the door really.... but I have to remember... business is business!!

BLACK & WHITE

Black and white is always a winner. It always looks so clean and fresh and elegant. I have been making a few little black and white pieces recently. Here's the first:

The set consists of a sweet little pair of earnings and a charm bracelet bead to match. 

The next set is a charm bead group of five. These always look so cute on a silver bracelet and the monochrome thing means that they will go with absolutely anything you are wearing and always look so pristine!

 PURPLE PARADISE (2)

I had a lot of interest in the purple paradise set shown in the last blog. So have been making more of that type. I have two bobbly ones (1,4) and three smooth ones. I have used some great colour changing glass laden with silver. Number 4 is actually quite metallic to look at with the naked eye, but this effect doesn't come out too well in the photographs.

Here is a close up of the number 4 one. You can see the mirror like bobbles a little better on this one.

This one is really lush up close. The purple is really electric!

This pendant below, was made for a very special and wonderful, inspirational lady; my Mum! My Mum has a very serious weakness for all things purple, so I have made this silvered reduction glass pendant for her for Christmas! It is a really delicate cylindrical shape. It's about 2.5cm high and about 1cm wide. It has little iris purply/blue swirls on it and the base glass is an inky blue transparent purple too.

RAINBOW CHARM BEADS

These little beauties are also made with silver glass, but treated to a different heating and cooling technique. I'm so pleased with the way they have turned out. They shine up so great in the light.

These finally, are some little earrings I made with a very light shade of pink, lilac, clear and white. I love the way the light moves through the baby clear glass beads. They look so gentle and delicate!

Not sure I will get another one in before Christmas, so if I don't, have a really lovely holiday. I will try to get plenty of torch time in so I can stock the shop up in the New Year! Loads of love, Chellie xx

Coming down a chimney near you!

Hi everyone, Happy Christmas!!

The wrapping is just about done, the kids are off from school; this Christmas thing is really starting soon isn't it?.. I don't feel quite ready for it yet!! Maybe a Christmassy blog will get me in the mood…

Might actually get me a little Sherry to sip while I write…hang on…

(she goes to kitchen to get Sherry..)

Oh yes that's much better! (she has her Sherry..)

In the last few weeks I've been making beads for Christmas commissions and also making lots of presses for my friends and family too. (Funny that.. everyone has asked for beads this year…)

I thought I might pop a few on here to show you what I've been doing.

Right then first up:

 This is one of my 'spotty' sets. A little birdy said that they would like something in red and black. So this is the result. There is a little opaque core covered in clear encasing and then little random black dots placed all over. I did some earrings to match..

This pair of earrings were a special commission in particular colours for a Christmas present. I really love the way they have turned out.

I've got into hearts recently.. These turned out really interestingly, and they are really festive. They have  a base of ivory with a deep crimson red circle of six hearts around the middle… The red colour doesn't photograph that well I'm afraid..sorry!

I also did some cute little charm beads to go with the earrings.

This set is also quite Christmassy and similar to the ones above in some ways but very different in others. These have a pure white background and a more bright red colour to make the pattern. They are still festive but have a cleaner more modern look…. and they also come out much better in a photo!

These ones are real stunners! All purply and gorgeous! Some are made with silver reactive colour changing glass (1,3 and 4). One has gold stone glitter encased inside (2), and one is made with a clear purple pinky glass.

The bobbly one in the middle is my favourite!

 

This set is similar but more in the blue/green spectrum. Again my favourite is the bobbler one on the end!

The last silver glass set has really interesting colours. We have greens, blues and browns. I imagine that if mermaids wore beads, they would wear ones like this!!…

The next ones are for a lady who really loves pink! This pair of beads have a mixture of baby pink and candy pink. The first one has a series of bubbles all the way round and the second has a heart motif running all around it.

The earrings turned out to be a really lush mixture of the two colours in a swirly pattern.

The last two items are really delicate little earrings. One is an multi-shade opaque and white turquoise, and the other is a clear glass almost translucent blue pair with pretty see-through ghost flowers inside.

 

 

Well, there is still time to fit a few more bits in before Christmas descends. If anyone needs/wants anything then just give me a shout and I'll be happy to put something together for them. The shop is a bit understocked at the mo. (Sorry about that), been too busy with homey stuff. I will rectify the situation over the next few weeks!!

Happy Christmas again everyone. Have a lovely holiday!!

Christmas Gifts and Little Treats

I'm really happy to say that the teal and purple set was just what my special customer was looking for. All the beads pictured in the previous blog have now been sold. It is a colour combo that I will do more of though so hopefully I will put some similar ones on the shop before Christmas (if there's time….)

Does anyone else feel like time is running away this year faster than ever in the lead up to Crimbo? It's crazy at the moment!
No - I have not done any Christmas shopping yet really,… bead making is just too much fun!

This week I have been catching up on beads, pendants and necklaces that customers have requested in the last few weeks. Some will be found in stockings on Christmas Day, and some are little treats that they saw in 'me little studio' and couldn't resist!

Today I had time to photograph them so thought I would do a little blogette to show you what Ive been up to!

 This one is quite unusual. it was hiding in one of my display boxes not made up into anything particular, when Charlotte found it and asked if it was for sale. "It certainly could be for sale.." I said, "but not in it's present state." So I set about 'shinying' it up with some sterling silver bits and giving it a nice glass and silver polish. Now it's ready for you Charlotte!

This one below was also spied in the studio and ear-marked for a pressie. Its a sort of lentil shape made mainly of silver glass with black stripes on it and a textured swirl on the front with a few dots thrown in for good measure. It's quite abstract in design. Almost modern-arty I guess!

This one is going to be a pressie for someone. It's made of colour changing silver glass and is bauble shaped. The colours in it are really lush. You can kind of get lost in it!

Up-close and personal view of the silver glass bauble. It looks like a far away nebula somewhere in distant space I think!

 Mandy - your Christmas pendant is finally ready! I feel like I have taken ages to do this one. This little pretty had been spotted on numerous occasions in the studio and I was asked if I could make it up into a nice pendant. To be more in keeping with her style though, she didn't want to wear it on a chain so we found some nice 'more modern/casual' cotton cord that has been teamed up with some 100% sterling silver findings beads and toggle clasp pictured below. She also wanted the necklace part to be a particular length (she is quite demanding ;-)).

I hope she loves wearing it; and even better she is getting it from her hubby for Crimbo!

The next one is another butterfly! (A few blogs ago, I did a few of these, and had been asked for another) This one is a pinky, fushia sort of shade with more bluey purple highlights and I managed to find a ribbon that complemented the colours really well.

This one is another colour reactive silver glass pendant and sterling silver snake chain. It has a really delicate shape.

Close up of the swirling colours in the pendant

The last one here is going to be another gift. Again we used the 'not chain' necklace and we felt it gave the pendant a more contemporary/elegant feel. The glass used is colour reactive on a cobalt blue base which has brought out this dreamy petrol blue and turquoise highlighted focal bead.

I teamed it up with this complementary smooth and shiny cord and finished it with sweet little sterling silver cord ends and a beautifully simple sterling silver toggle clasp. I hope the lady likes it. Shh can't tell you who it's for…

Close-up of the silver bits!

If anyone wants anything particular done for them or a loved one for Christmas, I might be able to squeeze a few more requests in. Just drop me a note, contact me through convo on etsy or give me a call if you have my number.

I love commissions they are really fun because it's great making something especially and individually for a person and knowing that they are going to get exactly what they wanted!

See you later x

Colour Combining - Purples and Teals!

Hi Guys,

Long time no see.
I have had lots of fun over the last few days!!. This time got lots of different Pandora/Troll style beads in purples and teals.

One of my lovely customers has asked me for some beads to fit her Pandora bracelet in a combination of purple and teal.

Well, there are lots of purples to choose from, so I have been on a colour adventure experimenting with different ones and using them in different ways to see what designs I can come up with.

The first colour combo is a sort of purply/blue mauve.

The one of the left is a reverse of the one shown on it's own above.  The teal almost looks aqua because it has a white dot behind it.

This one has an interesting basket weave sort of pattern.

I really like this combination. It has a lightness and a freshness about it as well as a richness that comes from the purple. 

(Most of these pictures have been taken before the silver cores have been fitted and apologies for photo quality. They have been taken with the iPhone 'quick and snappy-like' so they don't really do the beads justice.)

purply, bluey, mauve combo

The next set pictured below are made with the second purple which is darker and more of a plum like purple. They really look vibrant in natural light and the teal somehow looks lighter because of the contrast I think.

Second set made with a more deep plum/wine coloured purple

spaced out a bit to see the detail

The two pictures below on the leaves show the different ones in more detail.

From top left to bottom right: 1. Concentric petal rings 2. Narrow twisty 3. Game of two halves 4. Mirror Lotus 5. Shaded triangles 6. Ribbon Twist

From top left to bottom right: 7. Silver thread 8. Tortoise Shell 9.Teal on Purple ZigZag 10. Purple on Teal Zig Zag 11. Opaque Core Zig Zag

(12. Ripple Pools)

 This one I absolutely love. I think it looks even more pretty in real life! 

The colours look like ripples in little pools. Cute!

Ripple pools (12) from the side.

13. Whirlpool

Whirlpool (13) from the side

The next set is going to be made with a deeper purple again

 which is more of a deep violet kind of purple.

 I'm hoping to make them tomorrow (or maybe the next day) xx