Creativity In A Nutshell

So guess what readers?! I got some new beautiful beads from Artbeads.com! They are so fantastic and I am so excited to make necklaces with them - which I will share with you all!

Look at all of the wonderful Czech glass beads they have! And I love the olivine swarovski beads... and, well, you already know about my weakness for brass...

Remember this sneak peak?



What's The Plan, Stan?
I'm so excited to share this tutorial with you, using some great Valentines Day Beads and Components from Artbeads.com. I love these earrings, and I know you will to.

Ingredients:

• 2 8mm Swarovski faceted rounds
• 2 Copper headpins
• 2 Copper earwires
• 2 Copper Plated Heart Key Charms
• 2 Copper 10 mm open jumprings

Tools Of The Trade:

• Wire cutters
• Chain nose pliers
• Round nose pliers

Process:

• First, place your swarovski crystals on the headpins. Finish with a wrapped loop.
• Next, open your jumpring, and add one swarovski crystal loop to each jumpring.
• Place the copper key charms on each jumpring, on either side. 
• Add the earwires.

C'est Fin!

*I have recieved these products free of charge from Artbeads.com to honestly review in this blog. I have not been paid for my endorsement as it pertains to the products received*

These past two weeks have been crazy busy for me, but I'm finally sculpting out some time for updating my Etsy shop. Here are some of my new treasures, available for purchase on Etsy.

I love the unreserved sparkle of vintage costume jewelry. It's so beautiful and reminds me of playing princess when I was younger. It's easy to find some vintage costume jewelry of your own. I got my pieces from a yard sale ages ago and just recently had the time and inspiration to play around with them. Keep your eyes open for broken or incomplete pieces that you can modify.



What's The Plan, Stan?
Using a few different vintage costume jewelry pieces and some lovely Swarovski beads, we are going to create an entirely new necklace and set of earrings to show off some lovely sparkle.

Ingredients:

• For this specific necklace, I used an old necklace with these really pretty metal flowers set with Austrian Crystals and tiny pearls in the middle, as well as an old clip on earring. I took the necklace apart, using just one of the flowers for the pendant, and the main earring piece is also going to be used. There were great crystal dangles on the earring as well, which I will use on the necklace to accent the pendant. Oh also, I used the lovely chain from the necklace, complete with the clasp. to complete my new necklace. If you can't find vintage pieces quite like this, you have a couple options:
• Modify the design! You're a crafty individual and I have faith in you! (Please send some ideas, I'd love to hear them!)
  
• Look around on the various beading sites to see if you can find something similar.
• Peach colored fresh water pearls
• 6mm Swarovski Crystal Silk faceted rounds
  
• 4mm Lacy agate rounds
• 3mm silver plated jump rings
• 6mm silver plated jump rings
• 4 silver plated crimp beads
• 4 silver plated crimp bead covers
  

For the Earrings:

• 6mm Swarovski Crystal Silk faceted rounds
• 5mm Swarovski Colorado Topaz roundells
• 4mm lacy agate rounds
• Silver plated headpins
• Silver plated french earwires
  

Tools Of The Trade:

• Bent nose pliers
• Needle nose pliers
• Round pliers
• Wire Snips
  

Process:

• First, I created the pendant for the necklace. This process will totally depend upon what sort of fun findings you have found. I created a nice dangley chain using jumprings from the upcycled vintage earring and attached the great crystal dangles. Then, I attached the earring to a headpin with a beautiful Swarovski faceted round, connected to my upcycled flower finding. I'm really pleased with the affect.

• Once I was satisfied with the pendant, I attached two 4mm jumprings to the flower petals, allowing me to attach wire for the necklace on either side. String the wire through a lacy agate round before crimping, in order to protect the necklace from getting too worn and breaking. Crimp and cover with silver plated crimp bead covers.
• Now just string the beads following the same pattern for both sides of the necklace:
• 3 freshwater pearls
• attach your crystal dangle using a 4mm silver plated jumprings
• 3 freshwater pearls
• 1 lacy agate bead
• 1 Swarovski faceted round
• 1 lacey agate bead
• 2 freshwater pearls
• Crystal dangle
• 2 freshwater pearls
• 1 lacy agate bead
• 1 Swarovski faceted round
• 1 lacey agate bead
• 2 freshwater pearls
• Crystal dangle
• 2 freshwater pearls
• 1 lacy agate bead
• 1 Swarovski faceted round
• 1 lacey agate bead
• 2 fresh water pearls
• 2 lacey agate beads
• crimp bead
• 1 lacy agate bead
• String your wire through a 4mm silver plated jumpring, then back through the agate bead and crimp bead. Crimp and cover with the crimp bead cover.
  
•  Attach jumpring to upcycled chain. If the clasp is still intact, use it! If not, attach another one using a 4mm silver plated jumpring.
• For the earrings: Place first a Swarovski faceted round, then a roundel, then a lacy agate round. Finish with a wrapped loop. Attach to the silver plated french earwires.
  

A note about lacy agate : agate is a natural gemstone that comes in a million different shapes, colors etc... I happened to have to really lovely, but also very pale, blue lacy agate rounds in my bead supplies. For this set, I wanted something that was light in color, which would enhance the overall light feel of the necklace. If you can't find any light blue lacy agate, go with something light in color and you'll be good to go.

C'est Fin!





Bead Artist Showcase
You work could be right here! Submit your own upcycled vintage costume jewelry to Creativity In A Nutshell via email to cagarp@plymouth.edu. Feel free to include pictures, anything new you tried and suggestions you have for improvement.

More Similar Fun Stuff!

• Aztec Secrets: Jewelry Set Project  
• Sparkling Wine: Necklace Earrings Set Project  
• Classic Decadence: Vintage Inspired Earrings Project

It is such a pleasure to be able to work with Swavorski crystals. They glisten! They shimmer! They radiate! This set of jewelry is inspired by Aztec treasures, in delectable hues of copper and teal.



What's The Plan, Stan?
We're going to use some lovely copper Swarovski beads, mixed with subtle turquoise hieshi beads and delicate fresh water pearls to create an Aztec Treasure of our own.

Ingredients:

• Necklace
  
• 12 6mm Swarovski Copper Faceted Rounds
• 4 12mm Swarovski Copper Cosmic Crystals
• 6 4mm Swarovski Silver Plated Smoked Topaz Ring Channels
• 21 6-8mm Turquoise hieshi Beads
• 12 4-5mm peacock fresh water pearls
• 11 2inch silver plated eyepins
• 24 4 mm silver plated jump rings
• 22 5mm silver plated jumprings
• 2 sections of silver plated chain, about 2 1/2 inches long
• 2 5mm oval silver plated jumprings
  
• Bracelet
• 8  6mm Swarovski Copper Faceted Rounds
• 18 6-8mm Turquoise Heishi Beads
• 2 silver plated crimp beads
• 2 silver plated crimp bead covers (about 4mm)
  
• 1 silver plated toggle clasp
• 16 iris fresh water pearls
• 2 4mm silver plated jumprings
  
• Earrings
• 2 12mm Swarovski Copper Cosmic Crystals
• 2 2inch silver plated eyepins
• 2 silver plated french earwires
  
• 2 2.5mm Swarovski indigo bicones
  

Tools Of The Trade:

• Needle Nose Pliers
• Bent Needle Nose Pliers
• Wire snips
• beadboard (not required but highly recommended)
  

Process:

• First, you want to set out your beads on the beadboard. This necklace will have two main sections, each on eyepins. The first section: freshwater pearl, Swarovski cosmic copper bead, freshwater pearl. The second section: Swarovski copper faceted round, 3 turquoise hieshi beads, Swarovski copper faceted round.
• Over all Pattern: Section 1 in the middle. Either side of necklace: Swarovski Smokey Topaz Ring Channel, Section 2, Swarovski Smoked Topaz Ring Channel, Section 1, Swarovski Smokey Topaz Ring Channel, Section 2, Section 1
• End with a third section: fresh water pearl, Swarovski copper faceted round, freshwater pearl
  

• Take all of your sections and place them on silver plated eyepins. Close eyepins with loop. Do not use a wrapped loop, since it will not match the opposite end.(Note that you will need to be extra careful, making sure that all of your loops are entirely closed so the necklace doesn't fall apart).

• Attach a 4mm jumpring to either end of each section, including the Swarovski Smokey Topaz Ring Channels
• Attach a 5mm jumpring to both 4mm jumprings on each section
• Attach each section together using the 5mm jumprings

• Attach the chain sections to either end of the necklace using two 4mm jumprings
• Attach clasp with two oval jumprings
• For the bracelet, follow this pattern:
• Working left to right: 
• 3 freshwater pearls 
• 2 turquoise hieshi beads, 
• 2 fresh water pearls, 
• 1 Swarovski copper faceted round, 
• 3 turquoise hieshi beads, 
• 1 Swarovski copper faceted round, 
• 2 freshwater pearls, 
• 1 Swarovski copper faceted round, 
• 3 turquoise hieshi beads, 
• 1 Swarovski copper faceted round,
• 2 fresh water pearls, 
• 1 Swarovski copper faceted round, 
• 3 turquoise hieshi beads, 
• 1 Swarovski copper faceted round, 
• 2 freshwater pearls
  
• 1 Swarovski copper faceted round
  
• 3 turquoise hieshi beads
  
• 1 Swarovski copper faceted round
  
• 2 fresh water pearls
• 2 turquoise hieshi beads
• 3 fresh water pearls
  
•  End with a crimp bead, attaching a 5mm jumpring to either end. Use a silver plated crimp bead cover. Attach small toggle clasp to jumprings
• For the earrings, first place a 2.5mm Swarovski dark indigo bicone on a silver plated headpin. Then the Swarovski cosmic copper bead, lastly the freshwater pearl. Close with a wrapped loop, attaching the silver plated french earwire.
  

C'est Fin!

Bead Artist Showcase
You work could be right here! Submit your own version of Aztec Secrets to Creativity In A Nutshell via email to cagarp@plymouth.edu. Feel free to include pictures, anything new you tried and suggestions you have for improvement.

More Similar Fun Stuff!
Sparkling Wine: Necklace Earrings Set Project 

Have you ever toured a vineyard in the autumn?  The colors are nothing but inspiring. The leaves are still that lovely green, twinged with the gentle turning of yellow autumn. Every vine is heavily hung with clusters of purple and green. This vineyard-inspired necklace is simply stunning.



What's The Plan, Stan?

•  We are going to use Swarovski crystal beads to create this necklace and earrings set, combined with delicate amber chips and soft green freshwater pearls.

Ingredients:

• Necklace:
  
• 12 sage green freshwater pearls 6-8 mm
• 67 amber chips 4-6 mm
  
• 26 4mm Swarovski Olivine faceted Bicones 
• 13 5mm Swarovski Light Colorado Topaz Roundels
• 5 6mm Swarovski Olivine Faceted Bicones
• 1 27mm Swarovski Silver Plated Amethyst Filigree Sunflower
• 1 1 1/2 inch Gold Plated eyepin
• 8 4mm Gold Plated jumprings
  
• 1 8mm Gold Plated jumpring
• 1 8-10mm Gold Plated spring clasp
• 2 Gold Plated Crimpbeads
  
• Earrings
• Pair of ball post earring findings
  
• 2 9x6mm Swarovski Amethyst Teardrops
•  2 4mm Swarovski Olivine faceted Bicones 
• 13 5mm Swarovski Light Colorado Topaz Roundels
  
• 2 Gold Plated 1 1/2 headpins
  

Tools Of The Trade:

• Chain Nose Pliers
• Needle Nose Pliers 
• Angled Needle Nose Pliers (optional, but helpful)
• Bead Designing Flockboard (also optional, but also very helpful)
  

Process:

• First, set up your bead board with all your lovely ingredients. Admire them! There is nothing like the pleasure of working with wonderful beads! The pattern for this necklace is fairly simple.

• We are going to start with the pendant part. The Filigree Sunflower goes in the center. Attach the Gold Plated eyepin to the sunflower. Add first the 6mm Olivine Bicone, an amber chip and a Colorado Topaz Roundell. Create a wrapped loop at the end. 

• Next, lay out the elements for the actual necklace. I am going to list the beads for one side of the necklace. Repeat the same exact pattern for the other side:
• Amber Chip
• 4mm Olivine Bicone
  
• Colorado Topaz Roundell
• 4mm Olivine Bicone
• Colorado Topaz Roundell
• 2 Amber Chips
• Pearl
• 2 Amber Chips
• 6mm Olivine Bicone
• 2 Amber Chips
• Pearl
• 2 Amber Chips
  
• 4mm Olivine Bicone
  
• Colorado Topaz Roundell
• 4mm Olivine Bicone
• 2 Amber Chips
• Pearl
• 2 Amber Chips
• Pearl
• 2 Amber Chips
  
• 4mm Olivine Bicone
  
• Colorado Topaz Roundell
• 4mm Olivine Bicone
• 2 Amber Chips
• Pearl
• 2 Amber Chips
• 4mm Olivine Bicone
  
• Colorado Topaz Roundell
• 4mm Olivine Bicone
• 2 Amber Chips
• Pearl
• 2 Amber Chips
• 4mm Olivine Bicone
  
• Colorado Topaz Roundell
• 4mm Olivine Bicone
• 5 Amber chips
• 4mm Olivine Bicone
• 3 Amber Chips
• 4mm Olivine Bicone
• Gold Plated Crimp Bead
• 4mm Olivine Bicone

• Next, finish the strand by looping through a 4mm gold plated jumpring, stringing back through the 4mm Olivine Bicone and crimping. Add 3 more gold plated jumprings.
• Once you have done this for both sides, attach the gold plated spring clasp to once side and the 8mm gold plated jumpring to the other. Now the necklace is done!
• The earrings are super simple. Place the amethyst teardrop beads on the headpins. Next, add the Colorado Topaz Roundell, and the 4mm Olivine Bicone. End the headpin in a loop (or a wrapped loop if you have enough room), attaching it to the ball post earring findings.

C'est Fin!


Bead Artist Showcase
You work could be right here! Submit your own version of Sparkling Wine to Creativity In A Nutshell via email to cagarp@plymouth.edu. Feel free to include pictures, anything new you tried and suggestions you have for improvement.

More Similar Fun Stuff!
Necklace of Intrigue: Project

More Stuff on the Information Highway:
Swarovski Color-Changing Crystals