Bead to Begin With

Happy New Year! Thank you for your patience. 

This, my 1st post for 2013, after I've sorted out some issues for my kids' new school term.

Upon returning from a long holiday, after unpacking & completing laundry work
I turned to my mini-studio and am surprised by the amount of beads I've hauled over the holidays. 

Oh My Beads! What have I done? Overspending again!
A life long symptom of every beader....

Putting aside the guilt, I would like to show you the variety of beads available in the market. Knowing the availability of supply should help you to decide which to buy before indulging too much. (Don't be a big spender like me)

Top Row: Japanese seed beads coded in different sizes.
                   Please note that the higher the number, the smaller the size.
Bottom Row: 2hole Tila beads (by Miyuki, Japan) &
                        Fringe/Teardrop beads (origin unknown)

Dimensional & shiny crystal beads by Swarovski Elements

Vertical-drilled Bicones

Top-drilled Bicones & Teardrop Crystal

Small Heart pendants

That's all for today. My next post will be about bead spacer & findings.

Contents of this post & all opinions are my own, inspired by craft magazines & books. This post is not sponsored by any parties.

Peace on Earth & Goodwill to All Mankind

Wishing All Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

I'll be back on 3rd Jan 2013.

How To : Simple Studded Earrings (Christmas Gift Idea)

Christmas is arriving in 2 weeks time. If you are on a tight budget and not sure what to give to your BFFs. Here are some simple earrings idea I would like to share with you.

Silver-shimmering studded earrings with teardrop danggle

Difficulty : Beginner

Time Required : About 30minutes to 1hour (Depends on the type of adhesive you will be using)

Supplies :-

From top to bottom:

1. Sew-on flat backs in Silver & Gray (make 2 pairs)

2. Ear studs & Ear nuts

3. Teardrop crystal beads & silver seed beads (size 8)

4. Headpins(30mm) & Jump rings(not shown above)

Use Epoxy Glue or Super Glue to adhere the ear studs

behind the sew-on flat backs.

Set aside & allow the adhesive to dry thoroughly.

Put one teardrop crystal followed by a silver bead onto
a 30mm headpin.

Make a wrap loop using jewelry pliers. Repeat for the
other teardrop crystal.
(Kindly refer Techniques to make a "wrap loop") 

Open a jump ring using jewelry pliers (here I'm
showing with tweezers for photography purpose).

Attach jump ring at the other hole of the sew-on. 

Add in the teardrop crystal before closing the jump ring.
Repeat with the other side.

Viola! Mission completed! I think the gray sew-on looks
simple & elegant without any add-ons.
(Picture only showing one side)

Gray-shimmering studded earring

The silver pair looks great for formal events while the gray pair looks good for both formal & informal functions. I'm using plastic ear studs because they are less prone to cause skin allergies.


Happy making! Hope you like these simple earrings. 
Happy Holidays to all Christian bloggers, crafters & friends.

The idea for this project and all opinions are my own, inspired by craft magazines & books. This is not a sponsored project.
This kit is available for purchase in Malaysia at MYR15(WM)/MYR20(EM) postage fee included.

Crook Books

This is not a book review. Sorry.

I have nothing against Stephanie Meyer. I'm neither offended by EL James nor Sylvia Day. They are "gifted" book authors. They're mothers, they write, and they've earned millions from writing books that awaken women around the world.

What really concerns me are the contents in those books. If you have censorship boards for movies, why not books? Why are their books not categorized under codes which indicate "Age Appropriateness"?

How did I come across reading their books in the first place? Yeah, those book reviews highlighted in the newspaper. Nope, they did not say it was categorized as "eroticas". I bought them because they were nicely packaged & with attractive discounts. (OMG! What have I done?)

I thanked God these books DID NOT land into the hands of my kids. 

Oh! Crook Books! (I have no idea what will happen if they do)

      You will steel the innocence in the young kids.

      You will contaminate their brains with wayward thoughts before the air

            contaminates their lungs.

      You will fill their mind with rubbish even before earth is covered by our

            own rubbish.

Why the bookstores did not segregate these books? 

(FYI, Malaysia is a Islamic country).

I'm dumb founded.

So is the Twilight Saga series. Why on earth did they not install "Self-Destruct Button" on the last page? Why would a 18-year-old girl want to offer herself to sleep with a 100+year old vampire, before marriage? If this is fiction & fantasy, then is too much for a teenager to handle.

Call me old-fashion, I'm OK with that. 

Sex education should be taught at home & at school in a healthier environment. Not by fictions. I really need to express myself!!

How To: Tree of Togetherness (Christmas Tree Garland)

Yes! We have finished setting up our Christmas Tree on Saturday (1st Dec) and presents are piling up!
YEY! We are super excited :D 

Today is Monday. Is not a "Moody Monday". Let's put aside our electronic gadgets and start crafting. (iPad, iPod, iPhone & PSP all put away)

Since is year-end school holiday here in Malaysia (7weeks), we have plenty of time to put up more decorations. So, we have decided to have some additional trees in the house, Christmas Trees garland at every door frame.

Together we make : Tree of Togetherness

Here is how we make these garland. Gather the materials :-

1. Green felt

2. Card board to make a tree template

3. Green & Gold crochet yarn (1mm thick)

4. 4mm Red beads

5. Golden stars (for scrap booking) or Gold sequins.

6. Multipurpose adhesive

Tools : Scissors, protractor, ruler, drawing chalk/pencil, big eye needle
Difficulty : Beginner

Prepare template : Draw a Christmas tree on the cardboard  and cut out  (About 24cm x 12cm :Height x Width)
Then, draw the shape of the template on the green felt using a chalk/color pencil.

Cut out the green felt accordingly.

Randomly cut edges from the sides.

Use glue to harden the tip of the gold & green yarn, prior to threading through the needle.







Glitter up the trees :-

1)Start at the bottom of the tree. 2)Tie a simple knot behind. 3)Bring needle to the front and sew slant upwards. 4)Can sew up to 4 or 5 loops upwards. 5) To finish, bring needle to the back, sew twice on the same spot, then trim.

There! A tree with gold thread. Is easy, even a nine-year-old boy could do this.








Add red beads :-

1) Begin by tying a knot behind (at the bottom near the gold thread). 2)Bring needle to the front, thread 3 red beads. 3)Bring needle through 1st bead and pull through, creating a tight circle of 3-beads. 4) Bring needle to the back & pull taut. Move needle to the next gold thread point and bring needle to the front, repeat step 2 to 4.

Add a gold star (or a gold sequin)      

using multi-purpose adhesive at the top of the tree.

Make as many trees as you wish and attach them to a strand of green yarn. Secure both ends using blue tack on door frames or fire place.

Happy Crafting :)

Admiring their work.

Younger brother requested only 3 trees.                           

Is a joy to be a mother & be able to spend crafting hours with my kids. I hope you would enjoy making these with your kids too.

(This project & opinion are my own, inspired by magazines & craft books. This is not a sponsored project)

If you have other Christmas-themed projects, please share here.

Let us try!

I've posted my first tutorial yesterday. I hope you are inspired to make one for your daughter/granddaughter/niece for Christmas & New Year. Maybe you could try making one piece, then make another piece together with her, as a gift for her friend. Just try and start to communicate with her again. You could also try out the tutorial with your son/nephew/grandson. Maybe he could make this piece for that special girl at school. Handmade jewelry/trinkets are always more meaningful compared to mass-produced goods.

I'm a self-taught beader & crocheter since I was 9. I know it is very hard as a beginner to purchase all the material & parts you need to complete a piece that you've read from a craft book, newspaper or magazine. Even if you're able to buy all the materials needed, balance of unused material would be just left to lie around your drawer or even chucked aside at dusty corners.

So here I've prepared some kits which I've created for your convenience based on the completed pieces I've made for my customers who order from my FB Page (Beaded Glitters). Kits are currently only available for purchase in Malaysia (due to costly delivery fee), I regret to say that. However, I am still in search of other options (lower postage fee) to deliver these kits, if you are residing overseas. Tools are not included in these kits, but the tools could be easily obtained from your local craft store or hardware store. There will be some extra pieces of parts in each kit as spare, in case you break any  by accident. Besides, you wouldn't need to allocate extra space to keep chunks of unused beads/parts when you've completed the project.

Happy Crafting & let the bonding begin!

How to: Flower Galore Bracelet

Floral Galore Bracelet (Max Length 8inches, Min Length 6inches

Supplies



1. 8pcs 14mm Acrylic flower bead

     8pcs 14mm Glass flower bead

     (In assorted colors or single colors)

2.  13pcs 8mm Pearls (single or assorted colors)

3.  3mm Silver beads

4.  2.5mm Silver beads

5.  35mm Silver eyepins

6.  30mm Silver eyepins

7.  Lobster clasp & 2inch Chain Extender

8.  3mm Silver jump rings

9.  4mm Silver jump rings

10. 30mm Silver headpins

11. 35mm Silver headpins

Difficulty : Intermediate

Time required : About 2.5hours

1. Select 3 pearls of your color choice. Using the 30mm eyepin, put in one 3mm Silver bead, one pearl & one 3mm Silver bead. Use your craft pliers to make a simple loop to lock in the pearl in between the silver beads. Cut excess wire with wire cutter. Repeat same method to the other 2 pearls you have chosen. [You now have 3 pearl units as connectors]

2. Select 3 Acrylic flowers & 3 Glass flowers to match. Using 30mm eyepin, put in one 2.5mm Silver bead, one Glass flower, one Acrylic flower & one 3mm Silver bead at the tail of the flower. Use your craft pliers to make a simple loop to lock in the flowers. Make another two flowers as shown in the picture (with your choice of colors). [You now have 3 flower units as connectors]

3. Select 1 Acrylic flower with matching Glass flower, repeat same step as Step 2 using a 35mm Eyepin, but you will need to make a wrap loop at the tail of the flower before attaching the Lobster clasp using a 4mm Jump ring.

Use your craft pliers to open a 4mm Jump ring

side ways. Connect one pearl unit and the flower

with its tail connected to the Lobster clasp.

Put in Two 3mm Jump rings before closing
the 4mm Jump ring. (As shown in pic)

Connect the flower units & pearls units together using 4mm Jump rings and add Two 3mm Jump rings before closing the 4mm Jump rings. (The Two 3mm Jump rings will be used to connect danggles of pearls & flowers)



Making Flower Danggles :
Use One 30mm Headpin, put in One 2.5mm Silver bead, One Glass flower, One Acrylic flower and One 3mm Silver bead. Use craft pliers to make a simple loop to lock the flowers in between the Silver bead. (Make sure the loop is at  the tail of flower unit) Cut excess wire with wire cutter. Repeat & make a total of 4 Flower Danggles.

Making Pearl Danggles :
Use One 30mm Headpin, put in One 3mm Silver bead, One Pearl, One 3mm Silver bead. Use craft pliers to make a simple loop to lock the pearl in between the silver beads. Cut excess wire with wire cutter. Repeat & make a total of 10 Pearl Danggles.

Arrange the danggles as shown in the picture above & connect them to the 3mm Jump rings attached earlier. Now is COMPLETE!!

Now you can add "A Special Charm" (if you have one)  for that special person.

Completed bracelets in 2 different color combination. The inner circle bracelet added with customise charm "Made For An Angel".

I hope you can try out this tutorial with your daughter, niece or sister. A chance to communicate & reconnect with teenagers the fun way.

[Pls refer to "Technique" to learn making Simple Loop, Wrap Loop & opening and closing Jump Rings]

This idea for this project and all opinions are my own, inspired by magazines & craft books. This is not a sponsored project.

This Kit is available at MYR17.00(WM) / MYR22.00(EM) postage fee included