Showing posts with label necklaces. Show all posts
Showing posts with label necklaces. Show all posts

Bead Box 16 - Reveal

It's been about FIVE MONTHS since I shared what I stocked in Bead Box 16 and probably seven months since I stocked it. I'm not even sure how that happened. But, I've finally finished all the designs and am ready to reveal how they came out. 


First, let me remind you that my Bead Box is a simple 17-compartment plastic organizer that I use to stash the elements for one design per compartment and take with me when I travel or just use it when I'm not inspired to come up with something new. I guess I just haven't traveled much and have been inspired by other projects. And, yes, there have been 15 other iterations of this box (I'll link all those below.) For now, let me get to it.


I mentioned in my stocked post that I had sketched out some of these designs - but I currently have no idea where that scrap of paper might even be. So, as I finished up some of these last pieces, I wasn't sure exactly what I originally had in mind. I just let myself be inspired anew by the materials in the compartments. And, it seemed to work out just fine.

This came together exactly as I had envisioned, I believe. I know I worked on this necklace back in JULY!! It's a great neutral piece. 


Simplicity was the key to this one. It was just about making the chain and hanging the shell dangle. Easy enough, and perfect for keeping my hands busy. 

I like that this one has a little more interest to it with the dangles. Oh, and if you have any idea what that stone is that I soldered, would you help a girl out and let me know?

Mismatched earrings aren't usually my jam. But, these worked out to the perfect length with the addition of the Czech glass bead on the earring with the shorter key. 

I have to admit that this bracelet turned out a bit small when it was finished. So I added a short length of chain when I attached the clasp (I do all the finishing touches to these boxes at one time.) I feel like the chain might need a small dangle from the end of it to give it some weight. What do you think?

You wouldn't know by looking at it, but the chain of this necklace is what held me up the longest with this box. I kept toying with the idea of making it a multi-strand chain or a layered-look necklace. Really, the problem was that I was trying to run the chain through the loop on the soldered piece. Once I cut that off and just added a jump ring, this came together easily. 

I'm going to admit to you now, that I'm not sure about ANY of the bracelets that I made from this box (well, the last one might be okay.) This one feels a bit...clunky. I LOVE the soldered heart but am not sure that this bracelet works for it. 

I simply gave up on this necklace. Once I pulled the pendant together, the whole thing just didn't feel like my style. So, I didn't go any further. And, that's okay. 

These feel more like me - sweet, simple, and romantic with gorgeous beads and salvaged elements. I like it. 

These could not have been more simple to put together. And, they almost make me regret putting them in the bead box and taking up a compartment. I think more busy-hands projects might meet my needs better when it comes to this box. I'll have to think about that. 

I am so tickled to have put that lucky duck pendant into a necklace. And, I think it's pretty perfect.

Even when I wrote about these in the stocked post, I wasn't sure how I had planned to assemble these earrings. I have to admit that that's a bit of a relief because I was befuddled by the elements in this compartment. At least they worked out into something pretty!

I did remember what I wanted to do with the black beads and pale blue sequins in this compartment. Those sequins have a LONG history in my stash. I thrifted them ages ago and every time I tried to purge my stash, I just couldn't part with them for some reason. I think it's that color. It's so subtle and lovely. These may look like pretty simple earrings, but I have to tell you - it was a booger to get all those sequins onto the wire. Thank goodness they worked out!

Here's that "last bracelet" that I mentioned before. It's no show-stopper. But, it's a perfectly sweet, great-for-stacking, simple piece. And, I can't argue with that. 

I just read what I wrote about these in the previous post. And, it all still holds true - the tin reminds me of crocodiles and the khaki seed beads remind me of a safari hat. I'll likely call these safari earrings. 

Oh, lawdy, I wasn't sure at all what I was supposed to do with these elements. But, I dove in and made my favorite pair of earrings in the whole box! Seriously.

I'm fairly sure I had intended to hang the little pink beads from the holes in the bottom of the tin. I had the same number of beads as holes. But, I didn't include any headpins in the compartment and was feeling awful lazy and just ready to be done. So, I couldn't be bothered to go find ten headpins. Instead, I just used some of the wire that was already on my desk to wrap the beads to the bottom of the tin. It's something new and adds some neat texture. It works, I suppose. 

And, there we have it - Bead Box 16. I'm not sure how long it will take me to pack up bead box 17, but I don't expect to forgo this practice anytime soon. It's nice having that box available whether I'm heading away from the house or just want something to do that doesn't involve rifling through my entire craft room first. 

If you're interested in seeing any of my previous boxes, here's the full list.













I know I had a few questions for you up there in the descriptions. But, I'd also like to know which of these are your favorites too. 


Shop CraftyHope on Etsy

Slowly but surely, new jewelry is popping up in the CrafyHope Etsy Shop. Let me share just some of what you'll find there to maybe entice you to go take a better look!
Carved Stone Tassel Earrings

Boho Fringe Necklace

Violet Arch Earrings

Breathe Bracelet

Soldered Colorful Turquoise Necklace

Monarch Tassel Earrings

Altered Tag Necklace

A few of those are just perfect for the Halloween and Fall Seasons so I encourage you to grab them while the time is right. If you have any questions about any of the pieces in the CraftyHope Etsy Shop, please don't hesitate to ask!

Available on Etsy (and Giveaway Winner)

Sometimes, I believe I don't share near enough about the jewelry that's available in the CraftyHope Etsy Shop. I know you probably don't pop in there very often, so I like to show off a few of the sparklies available there. 
Poppy Tin Necklace

Brass Wine Earrings

Pretty Loomed Bracelet

Elegant Junk Earrings

World Traveler Necklace

FU Leather Cuff Bracelet

Summer Hoop Earrings

Simple Beauty Necklace

You'll find all that and more available in the CraftyHope Etsy Shop. Each item has a full description and loads more pictures, but if you have any questions, please let me know. Oh, and you should be taken to each of these items when you click on them. I also have jewelry for sale locally at Southern Antiques and Accents and will share some of the pieces available there next week - stay tuned!

Now, if you recall, a few weeks ago I became frustrated with working with a pendant I had made for a challenge and decided to just give it away. I'm excited to announce that Ann Schroeder is the winner of this pendant!
I've sent her a message on Facebook but my neurotic self isn't sure if that was the right Ann or not. So...if you're the winner and I didn't contact you, please get in touch with me! Congratulations!!

So, which of the above pieces strikes your fancy?

Bead Box 5 - Reveal

WAAAAAAAY back in October, I shared what I had packed in a simple plastic organizer to help me get some jewelry made when I'm away from the house. I started that post with the words, "I wouldn't get as much jewelry made if it weren't for my handy-dandy Bead Box." I spoke too soon. That stocked box of designed jewelry has been lingering around since then, following me from place to place, taunting me. I even forgot what some of the designs were supposed to be. This week, I sat down and made myself complete the last couple of designs...finally. I'm going out of town soon and hope to have it re-stocked to take with me. For now, here's a reminder of what the fifth version of this stocked box looked like.

Let me go ahead and admit that the wrap bracelet in the far left compartment isn't done and won't be making an appearance in box 6. I just can't tote it around anymore. I'll never get it done. However, the rest of the designs were completed. One has already sold on Etsy and several others are already for sale either there or at Southern Antiques and Accents. If you need a refresher of the before pictures (I did), take a look at Bead Box 5 - Stocked. Now, let's take a look at the after!

These simple upcycled tin and bead earrings have already sold on Etsy. I should probably make some more similar since they're such a lovely little design.

This isn't the best picture of this necklace that combines acrylic paint poured tin (reversible), brass beads, and chain. However, it's a great shape and available at Southern Antiques and Accents (SAA).

I totally love the combination of hot pink tassel, distressed brassy tin, and more paint poured tin for the long pendant in this necklace. Golden beads  and chain were used to make the long chain. This Hot Pink Flow Necklace is available on Etsy. 

I can't get enough of the tin, and buttons have always been one of my favorite elements with which to work. The stacks of tin and buttons were already made when I added them to the box. It was just a matter of creating the bead connectors and attaching them to ear wires. You can find these Spring Sky Earrings on Etsy.

I was excited about this necklace when I designed it, and I'm not disappointed. The array of white shades in the beads along with the juxtaposition of the fabric and upcycled tin on the pendant just make me giddy. As with the pieces above, the Frayed White Shades Necklace is for sale on Etsy.

This box seemed to be full of long pendants that are just combinations of vintage found objects that make me smile. That's exactly the case with this necklace that simply combines a key, a chandelier crystal, and a vintage button. I added a beaded charm to the front of the key to match the handmade beaded chain that I created. You can find the Button Crystal Key Necklace in the Etsy shop. 

Salvaging old jewelry to make it new again is one of the things I love to do. In this case, I took an old brooch and removed the pin mechanism to make it a pendant. Chinese crystals and golden beads were wire-wrapped together to make the front part of the chain while basic gold-color chain finishes the necklace. This necklace will be available at Southern Antiques and Accents in the coming weeks. 

These elements should have been super easy to combine, but I struggled with them for some reason. I was finally able to coax the bronze PMC charms, vintage buttons, and my own wordy washers to come together cohesively in this pair of earrings that will likely end up on Etsy.

When I matched up the elements for this necklace, I was elated that I was able to get that minty, pistachio green color to match in all the pieces. However, when I started to bring them all together into a necklace, it was just too much. I broke it up with some gunmetal-colored seed beads to finish this pretty little Pistachio Journey Necklace that is already on Etsy.

I added antiqued brass beads to this design to break up the mother of pearl buttons and to echo the brass bell at the bottom of the pendant.  I like this necklace a lot and plan to list it on Etsy before too long. 

There was a bit of a snag with this necklace when the tassel fell apart on me. (I failed to make sure the knot holding it together was tight and glued - my own fault!) Once that was fixed, the rest of the chain came together beautifully with jade and copper beads. It will be heading to Etsy.

This is the main necklace whose design idea got lost between coming up with it and making it. Not all of the elements for the design were in the same compartment in the bead box. I kept finding a baggie of buttons in the box that I couldn't figure out why they were there. I should have looked at the original post for the answer. Dur! Instead of using the buttons, I found these salvaged glass beads in a coppery, rust color that I used to break up the other beads. It worked out just fine. I think this one will likely go to Etsy as well. 

There really wasn't much to this design. Of course, I have no idea what my original idea had been, but I really think I made this work out well with the elements I gave myself. I simply wired everything together then added a bit of chain. The clasp and jump ring aren't agreeing at the moment, so I will have to fix that before I take it to SAA.

Heavens knows what I had planned for this small collection of five buttons. I went with the flow and simply wired them together to create this simple necklace. I'm tempted to do a tutorial on how I created it. Would you be interested in that? Let me know. As for the necklace, it'll be hitting the shelves at SAA soon. 

Like some of the other designs, I decided that I needed a little something else to go with the originally selected elements. In the case of this necklace, I added the large round, faceted crystals to the smokey topaz crystals in the chain. The back is a simple antiqued brass chain. Watch for this one coming to Etsy!

Nothing had to be added to this design. It simply needed to get wire wrapped together. I love the faux watch look of it and the sparkle from the crystals and the distressed tin. It's destined for Etsy. 

I'm so glad to have that bead box finally emptied and ready to fill back up. I don't really know what took me so long to work my way through it. But, I have a feeling that it was my need to add additional elements to the designs while I wasn't within reach of those new elements. For my own sake, I hope to plan out the designs a little better to keep my productivity moving. I'll share with you when I get Bead Box 6 stocked up. If you're interested in my previous Bead Boxes and reveals, here are the links for you. 



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