A Beady Bird In The Hand

Ooopsy, another long gap in between blog posts. One day I will get the hang of posting regularly, one day!

I'd like to share a recent project with you in this post. I wanted to invest in some new props and display stands for my craft fair set up, and decided, given that my business name is Hollybird Beads, that I wanted to buy one of those ornamental wire bird cages to hang jewellery from to add interest and draw peoples' attention. I found one for a reasonable price and bought some wired paper flowers to wrap around the bars to pretty it up a little. The one thing my birdcage was lacking though, was a bird.

Having hunted around for a small ready made bird and not been able to find one, I decided to go ahead and try and make my own. Thus the challenge to create a beaded bird began. 

A search of the internet found this tutorial and pattern for a fabric bird http://www.spoolsewing.com/blog/2008/05/16/bird-mobile/ and so I embarked on first creating a fabric base out of ultrasuede on which to embroider. 

Pinning the pieces together ready for sewing...

The finished form - note, I had rather a bit of trouble with the ultrasuede being relatively thick...and had to resort to getting my pliers out to pull the head out through the small hole at the bottom of his tail to turn the form inside out to hide the stitching!

 Then the embroidery started - I definitely 'winged' it quite a bit with this piece. If I make another I would definitely draw out my patterns on the form first before starting embroidering.

 

The finished bird in the hand...several days work in short bursts, I couldn't tell you an exact time it took to make. I sewed 2 large beads onto the underbelly in order to allow me to thread some wire through to attach to the perch on the birdcage.

I love my beady bird, who has been named Beadrick Featherington. I hope to make another (I've plenty of ideas for modifications after my first attempt) at some point...well it would be rude if he didn't have a friend!

 Beadrick has been getting up to quite a bit of mischief...here he is inspecting my purchases from the Big Bead Show at Sandown last month.

He's also been out exploring in the garden...

I suspect Beadrick might have many more adventures in between adorning my craft fair displays. I hope you have enjoyed seeing how he was created.

TTFN

Nicole

xoxo

The Evolution of the 'Halo'

In the relatively short time that I've been selling my beadwork jewellery, there is one design that has sold many times over; my 'Halo' necklaces. They've been through several evolutions and their basic design has been adapted, embellished and combined with other motifs to create a collection of work that shows the versatility of a peyote stitch beaded ring.

I learnt how to bead a peyote ring at a workshop using size 15 seed beads and size 11 cylinder beads, however, I wasn't overly keen on the 'flat' effect of the seed beads, so was tempted to try using normal size 11 round beads instead. I like the effect that using round seed beads has on the texture and shape of the ring, so I've carried on that way ever since.

The very first 'Halo' necklaces I created were a simple beaded ring, embellished around the outer edge with crystals, firepolished beads and even some small semi-precious stones, hung on a lightweight chain like the turquoise version below.

I still have the first 'Halo' like this that I made - mine is silver-grey with glass pearls and bicone crystals around the outside. I like the simplicity of the design in this way - whilst I love big, intricate beadwork designs, I think many people would feel they were 'difficult to wear on a day-to-day basis' and part of my aim for the jewellery I sell online is to make beadwork that is 'wearable' and could be worn to the office or out to the shops, rather than being 'saved for best.'

The next evolutionary step for the 'Halo' necklaces was that they gained a wire-wrapped chain tassel. I was given some fine chain that had come from a big lot of chain that the jewellery school I teach for freelance had been sent and was just too tiny to be used for the beginner's classes we teach. Searching for a way of using the chain, I decided to try adding a little to the bottom of a 'Halo' to add some extra movement and sparkle. The original chain I was given was silver-plated, but I liked the effect so ended up buying antique gold and gunmetal coloured chain and findings in order to provide a range of metal colours - not everyone is a 'silver-only' person like me!

I've tried numerous other things with the 'Halos' - I've joined them together in triplicate....

...used them with other motifs, as in my 'Aquila' necklaces....

 

...and even linked several together to create a bracelet...

I am sure I'll not stop using the 'Halo' motif in my beadwork for a while yet! I've listed several new variations recently, which incorporate new colours and a little bit of wirewok too. I am really proud of the latest few 'evolutions' of the Halo. If you click on the link you'll be taken to the shop listing for each necklace - as always, I am happy to take on custom orders and bead something in the style of what you see here (or indeed anywhere in my online shops) in your favourite colour palette. Each of these new necklaces has something special about them - I'll be sad to see them go when they find a new home.

'Amethystine' - this necklace features matching seed beads and Czech firepolished crystals which are amethyst with a delicious golden lustre and is hung on an antique bronze tone chain to compliment the gold-dust effect of the beads and the dark 'dorado' metallic gold Swarovski crystals.

'Moondust' - is another 'triple Halo' necklace which uses some unusual seed beads in the main ring - they are light sapphire blue lined with bronze, but they appear grey-ish with a blue 'flash' which is very reminiscent of the semi-precious stone labradorite. Embellished with grey lustered Czech crystals and 'white opal' Swarovski bicones.

'Woodland' - I think this one is my favourite of the new pieces (I'm allowed a favourite, right?). This necklace features a 'Halo' pendant embellished with two layers of tiny beaded leaves, as well as a row of 'olivine' and 'dorado' gold Swarovski crystals. It is hung on an antique gold chain which has had wire-wrapped crystals added to it, with a chain tassle at the bottom for extra sparkle and movement. I am sure I will be re-visiting this style of 'Halo' in a few more colours.

I hope you've enjoyed reading about how my 'Halo' pieces have changed and continue to grow - I pulled together a bunch of photos of the different varieties and colours I've created and formed them into this collage. I hope all those who have a 'Halo' love to wear it as much as I enjoy wearing mine, and making new ones!

Nicole

xoxo