Paper Bead Trade Creations
We have concluded the Paper Bead Trade and I’d say that it was successful because of all the nice people who participated, who stayed committed to the project with enthusiasm and genuine interest in each others work. We have somehow came to know each other here. Here’s some of beautiful creations from Elim, Liz, Deina and Claire.
Paper Bead Bracelet by Deina
Elim, made necklace and earrings set, you can check out her paper bead charm bracelet here.
Paper Bead Set by Elim
Elim
Liz, made earrings. I love the clear crystal and dark pink with gold combination. Definitely wearable.
Paper Bead Earrings by Liz
Claire also made necklace and earrings, and you can find more of her creations on her blog:
http://laraignee-fauchee.blogspot.com
I hope everyone had an inspiring weekend!
I must say, another day of turning trash to treasure.
Fruit de Mer
This is one of the projects I have been working on. We shipped out first batch of the paper bead kits, Kayla patiently sorted them out and made sure everyone got paper beads from all the 18 participants. The rest of them will ship tomorrow. You know the feeling when the party has almost come to an end and you did not want to part yet with your new found friends? Well, let’s just go party at another friend’s place, house, blog? In the mean time, you will see projects that I have been working on, and this is one of them. I call it Fruit de Mer, because to me that’s what it is, even with the red paper beads nestled inside the shell.
A great way to wear your paper bead creations is to mix and match with your other jewelry. This has a bail big enough for gold omega wire to go through and it looks nice layered with gem stone necklace.
What is nice about this kind of shell, it is reversible, the back is just as pretty as the front of the shell.
This will also look pretty hanging on an organza ribbon
Another day of turning ordinary to extraordinary!
Adorned Cockle Shells
The first time I heard of cockle shells from an old nursery rhyme, Mary Mary Quite Contrary and I didn’t even know what it means. Well for those of us whose memory needs to be nudged a little bit, it goes like this:
Mary, Mary, quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells, and cockle shells,
And pretty maids all in a row.
Although I grew up in a place where shells are abundant, I have never seen a cockle shell before. Legend has it, that this heart shaped bivalve is given by sailors to their sweet hearts waiting for them at home. I can imagine mermaids wearing them as adornment. It is very fragile, just like the sand dollar – a perfect gift and a reminder to someone you are giving it to: “to take special care not to break your fragile heart”. It’s the romantic in me again 🙂
They are pretty the way they are, but for some of us who loves our “bling”
I can imagine wearing this at a beach wedding, or when you are on a cruise……I have been doing a lot of wire crochet and the lacy effect of wire crochet makes it romantic and feminine, don’t you think so?
I waited a little bit in mailing out the kits for some of the other paper beads to arrive. We have received from seven participants today! I will be posting that tomorrow and the kits will all be mailed out starting Saturday. I am so happy with the response and all the beautiful paper beads…..
Etsy Monday
I am listing three items of paper bead necklaces on etsy today. I got inspired by one of our readers Sanja, who incorporates shells in her jewelry making. I find free form wire wrapping to have really rewarding results and I have been doing a lot of wire wrap on shells which have irregular shapes.
Paper Beads can look like shells or wood beads and it looks pretty neat when paired with sea shells.
Do you know that Philippines has one of the most beautiful shells? It is also know as the “Pearl of the Orient”.
The wire wrap I did in these shells are really simple, just a bit of practice. I took a class once on wire wrapping and I just lost interest, it was so complicated and the heavy gauge wire is too hard for me to manipulate. I am still thinking of how I can shorten the video without cutting the important parts of it 🙂
Kayla and I will be busy the next few days putting those kits together.
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