Red Panda Beads

BeadSmith Snowflake Wire Forms Part 1

2011-10-29T15:06:00.000-04:00

This time of the year BeadSmith Snowflake Wire Forms are very popular. They come in four sizes and are easy to decorate. They make great personalized gifts as well. I will be doing a series of blog posts about all the different uses for these forms.

With Halloween just a few days away, these forms make great supports for spiderwebs.

I chose the 9" forms for my spiderwebs. The 4mm Preciosa Bicone Crystals are black and orange. Of course, I chose SpiderWire to string the web.

First I strung the crystals, alternating between orange and black on the "spine" of the web.

Then I began stringing silver lined Miyuki 15/0 Rocialles to make a sparkly web, adding a crystal here and there.

Here is the finished web.

Halloween is not the only spiderweb occasion - remember the Christmas Spider?

This time I chose the 3.75" Snowflake Form to make Christmas spiderwebs to decorate my tree.

I used Miyuki 15/0 Silver Lined Delicas to make the delicate web. I like to use the silver lined Delicas instead of silver ones, since they stay shiny and do not have any tarnish or fade issues. I decorated the spine of the web with 4mm Bicone Crystals and Miyuki 11/0 Rocailles.

Here is a close up of the details on the spine of the web. The Rocailles are silver lined matte and have a rich glow.

The 3.75" forms come with 8 in each package, so there are enough to do a set of Christmas Spiderwebs to decorate your tree, or to give as a hand made gift.

Now on to Part 2 ~ Snowflake Suncatchers......

Happy Beading!

Betsy

Snowmen Earrings in Swarovski

2011-10-18T13:30:00.001-04:00

Now that Fall is finally here and the weather is starting to cool off, it's time to begin thinking about the holidays. My favorite part of the holidays, of course, involves beading! This tutorial blog will show, step by step how to make Swarovski Crystal Snowman Earrings.

Here is the finished pair of earrings.

In addition to the crystals and other components, you will also need these tools:

Flat Nose Pliers

Round Nose Pliers

Side Cutter Pliers

Available in the Red Panda Beads store are kits with all the necessary components to assemble a pair of Swarovski Crystal Snowman Earrings..

Each kit includes:

2 ~ 10mm Swarovski Round Crystals

2 ~ 8mm Swarovski Round Crystals

2 ~ 8mm Rhinestone Rhondells

2 ~ 8mm Swarovski Jet Margaritas

2 ~ 4mm Swarovski Jet Cubes

2 ~ Sterling Silver (or gold filled) 1.5 inch Headpins

2 ~ Sterling Silver (or gold filled) Ear Wires

Step One

Place one 10mm crystal on a headpin - this is the snowman's bottom.

Step Two

Place an 8mm Rhondell on the head pin next - this is the snowman's scarf.

Step Three

Place an 8mm Crystal on the headpin, this is the snowman's head.

Step Four

Add an 8mm Margarita - this is the bottom of the snowman's top hat.

Step Five

Add a 4mm Jet Cube, this is the top of the snowman's top hat.

Step Six

Using Flat Nose Pliers, prepare the headpin excess to be trimmed.

Step Seven

Trim the excess with Side Cutter Pliers

Step Eight

Using Flat Nose pliers, bend the top portion of the head pin 90 degrees

Step Nine

This is what it should look like now...

Step Ten

Using Round Nose Pliers, begin to roll the end of the headpin, before you close the loop, add the ear wire.

Step Eleven

You've finished one earring, repeat all these steps for the second one, and before you know it you will have a pair of earrings!

Happy Beading!

Betsyhttp://www.redpandabeads.com/servlet/the-Crystals-cln-Swarovski-cln-Earrings-%26-Kits/Categories

Miyuki Berry Beads

2011-10-05T20:15:00.000-04:00

Miyuki just released new Berry Beads. They are similar to Matsuno Peanut Beads, but slightly larger. The Berry beads measure 2.5mm x 4.5mm and have the same great quality as other Miyuki beads. There are 33 colors, including some precious metal plated beads. They were so adorable I could not resist playing with some myself! :)

First I picked the colors and finishes I wanted to work with. I love the gold plated beads and at first thought to do a plain Peyote bangle with them alone, but it was just too plain. So I decided to add some 4mm Capri Blue AB crystals and changed the stitch to a two needle RAW.

The Berry Beads nestle the crystals very nicely.

This bracelet very much resembles a tennis bracelet - but it is nice to be able to add the crystals in any color, not just clear or clear with an AB finish.

I next wanted to work with the silver lined matte Berry Beads. These are so pretty. I knew immediately that I wanted to contrast the frosted beads with a bright color - and with October being Breast Cancer Awareness, I chose a Fuchsia AB crystal.

The matte Berry Beads appear like little flowers between the crystals.

There is an air of elegance, almost like a pearl necklace about this bracelet.

Then lastly, I wondered what using just the Berry Beads in a RAW would do. So, again for Breast Cancer Awareness, I chose to pinks. The base of the bracelet is a pale inside color lined pink and highlighted is a darker inside color lined pink.

The weave almost gives the impression of fringe on either side of the bracelet.

This is a very pretty way to support Breast Cancer Awareness.

Here I have all three together so you can see how different they all appear, just by switching a few components - yet they all were created with Berry Beads. :)

(shhhhh.... don't tell anyone, but I like these better than the Matsuno ones....)

If you are considering trying some of these for yourself - wait until Friday 10/7/11 - they will be featured with a 20% discount. :)

Happy Beading!

Betsy

MaroonBlue Designs

2011-09-27T07:23:00.000-04:00

Tuesday's Treat :)

Miyuki has released some new shapes of beads this year, Long Magatamas and Berry Beads are some of the newest shapes. These new shapes are inspiring creative designs by beaders. Sharon is a new customer to Red Panda Beads this year and she was kind enough to share photos of what she created with Miyuki's new Long Magatama beads.

She used golf filled rings to create this 3 in 1 half-persian necklace with a focal piece of the Miyuki Magatama beads.

Here you can see just how this piece drapes.

She also did matching earrings. Sharon has been beading for over 10 years and her friends and family have enjoyed buying and receiving her beaded creations as gifts. She decided to branch out of her warm market and entered a piece in the Fire Mountain Gems Swarovski contest last year. Her design, "Simplicity in Motion" made it to the finalist group, so she decided to start selling her pieces to a larger audience. Here is a photo of the piece she entered into the contest.

Sharon is in the process of stocking up her Etsy shop to feature her unique designs. She also used the magatama beads to make a very fashionable watch....

I can hardly wait to see what she adds to her shop. Thanks Sharon for sharing photos of your stunning work with magatama beads!

Happy Beading!

Betsy

Beyond Beads

2011-09-12T18:09:00.000-04:00

When I started this blog last year, for some reason I thought that it needed to be "pure" beads and bead related. But I've come to realize, that I'm more than a beader and bead vendor! For one, I am a confirmed foodie as well as a beader and I love to cook. My cooking has taken a really creative turn in the last few years and I have started creating my own recipes. My latest is Fresh Bruschetta. I'm sure it is similar to some others out there, but I have a few unique ingredients that I think take mine over the top! And it is too good not to share!

First the eye candy.....

doesn't it look delicious? I can testify it is! :)

Now the recipe. This recipe is "to taste" so there are no real measurements. If you like one item more than another, you can add more of it. If you hate an item, just leave it out or substitute one of your favorites instead. For instance, in stead of black olives, you might prefer green. That's the spirit behind this recipe - make it your way.

Fresh Tomato - chopped - of if they are out of season you can substitute sun dried tomatoes

Marinated Artichoke Hearts - chopped

Capers - chopped

Black Olives - chopped

Parsley - fresh or dried to taste

Oregano - fresh or dried to taste

Garlic Power - or fresh chopped - to taste

Red Wine Vinegar - to taste

Olivado Oil - Omega Plus, or Avocado Oil - to taste

Onion Juice - to taste

Kosher Salt - to taste

Freshly ground Black Pepper - to taste

Mix all the ingredients together. I like to thinly slice a ciabatta loaf and lightly brown the slices in butter before topping with the bruschetta. You can also add a layer of fresh mozzarella cheese and broil until the cheese melts. The delicate flavor of the Olivado oil and onion juice help blend the other flavors and the red wine vinegar gives the tang. This is so easy to make and tastes so fresh - I'll never buy bottled bruchetta again!

Little Socks

2011-07-26T17:01:00.000-04:00

Čarapice

Tuesday's Treat :)

Anica is a new Red Panda Beads customer from Croatia. She does beautiful bead work. Here is her introduction on her website.....

My name is Anica Čarapić. Čarapić means Socks in Croatian and Čarapice (my site) means Little Socks. I inherited my last name from my dear husband with whom I am married for 6 years who I love very very much.

The interest in jewelry making in general was brought out by one of my dear friends who remained to live in my beloved Varazdin (city in Croatia).

Her works have fascinated me so much that I wanted to do something myself. I found a talent in myself, I did not know until then.

I was born in a village near the city of Varazdin, and now live in the capital Zagreb.

I have started work again a few months after my child got a little older and more self-reliant (and since he started to go to kindergarten).

Personally, I value handcrafted jewelry of any material because it was done thoroughly and lovingly.

Anica sells her work to her friends and to people who contact her through her webpage.

She has a slide show on her webpage that shows much more of her work and the pictures are bigger too.

Anica also sells her work at local fairs.

She prefers to work on more intricate pieces.

She specializes in bracelets....

...and she sells more bracelets that anything else.

She works with various stitches.....

....but Peyote is her favorite.

She also does fabulous earrings.....

....and many varied designs.

She also works with the various bead finishes, sizes and shapes to create interesting texture in her pieces.

You can see her eye for design even in the photos she does to display her work.

She is so talented, it is hard to pick just one as a favorite!

This cuff has the look of lace.

This cuff sports embellishments that add to the interest in the piece.

Visit her website to see more of her work, and if you would like to contact her, to purchase a piece - here is her email address - acarapic@gmail.com.

Thank you Anica for sharing your beautiful work! :)

Happy Beading!

Betsy

Judi Morgan Fine Art

2011-07-19T15:58:00.000-04:00

Tuesday's Treat :)

Judi is a Red Panda Beads customer from the UK. She is a very talented artist and beader. She paints beautiful landscapes....

"I want the finished painting to take me back to a particular

time and place, essentially capturing through paint a fleeting

but significant experience of somewhere."

She sells her work on her website. In addition to landscape paintings she also sells jewelry and has recently added Dragonfly Pins to her inventory. She made the first one for her "Mum", Annie, who introduced Judi into beading. Sadly, as Judi was finishing the first pin in the series, she learned of her mother's recent passing. In her mother's honor, Judi calls the pins, Annie Pins. Judi uses size 11/0 Miyuki Delicas to make these pins. She is currently selling them at various craft fairs, but plans to add them to her website in the weeks to come.

No two Dragonfly Pins are exactly the same.

And, if all that were not enough, in addition to her landscapes and jewelry she also features hand painted lamps on her site in her Lamp Shop. Each lamp is hand painted then fired to fix the pigments to the glass. The lamps measure approx 10cm square by 23cm tall and come with a 9 watt low energy bulb and all the fittings.

This close up shows the quality of her work.

There are even more lamps on her site and each one is a beautiful piece of art!

Thank you Judi for letting me share your beautiful artwork!

Happy Beading!

Betsy

Meet Cammie

2011-07-17T16:14:00.001-04:00

Even before Chewie, our toy poodle, died of thyroid cancer, we decided that we would never buy another dog. There are just too many that need to be rescued. :(

K-9 New Life is an all breed, no-kill dog rescue organization in our area. They do really good work and we support them.

The mission of K-9 New Life is to take in dogs from shelters when they have run out of time or are injured or too sick for the shelters to handle. We provide them with health care, rehabilitation, training and a loving foster home until they can be adopted. Our focus is to give these less fortunate dogs a second chance to live the happy life they deserve.

They have a facebook page that I follow. So we saw the story of Tuesday unfold. Tuesday was rescued last Fall. She was due to be spayed when she surprised everyone with the fact that she was pregnant! She gave birth on October 30th to 6 pups, 5 of which survived. While no dog could fill the hole in our hearts after Chewie died, we wanted another dog in our lives. So we checked to see if any of the pups were still waiting for adoption and there were two left.

We scheduled a visit with the foster mother, Donna to see the two pups, Chloe and Penny. Since Tuesday gave birth in her foster home and her pups were raised in a home environment, they were all very well-socialized. Donna very graciously gave her home for what I can only describe as "Puppy Romper Room"! The pups were four months old when we visited. Of course we left with one! We chose "Penny" but we renamed her Cammie. Since all the pups were together, they really did not know their names and all would come if you called just one.

Shortly after we got Cammie, I saw a beaded dog collar and thought to do a custom one for Cammie. I wanted to do her name and have paw prints on either side. So I set out to make a pattern.

I figured out how wide and long I needed the beading to be to cover a nylon collar. Then I made an excel grid so I could start playing with the design pattern. You can see in the photo that I went through several iterations before arriving at the desired paw print shape.

Next I used a Guitar/Belt Strap loom to create the beadwork. I chose bright pink and a copper color to match Cammie's coat.

After beading the pattern, I sewed the beadwork onto some ultra suede to attach to the nylon collar.

And here is Cammie showing off her personalized collar!

We are very grateful that we can provide a good home for this sweet dog! Thank you Donna and K-9 New Life for saving Tuesday and her pups! :)

Happy Beading!

Betsy

Spiffy Jewelry Designs

2011-07-12T15:23:00.000-04:00

Tuesday's Treat :)

Tiffany is one of the newest Red Panda Beads customers and the owner of Spiffy Jewelry Designs. She has been making jewelry since she was five years old, starting by simply stringing beads. She now creates her unique designs using new ideas inspired by nature and her traveling experiences. She looks at anything and everything for inspiration, from small plants to huge sky scrapers.

Tiffany likes to incorporate Swarovski crystals with Delica seed beads.

She also likes to use sterling silver findings.

She weaves other types of beads together to create her colorful pieces.

She incorporates other elements, as well, such as beach glass.

Tiffany prefers to work with FireLine when creating her designs.

She calls this piece "Metallic Swarovski Elegance". The weave in this design is very unique and one that she is most proud of.

Not only does Tiffany have her etsy site, but she also displays her work at various craft shows. She plans to add many more designs to her etsy site after the show season ends in August. So be sure to look for more stunning designs in her etsy store this fall. :)

Happy Beading!

Betsy

Chain Maille

2011-07-10T16:06:00.000-04:00

Summer is here and I always enjoy creating new anklets to wear with my sandals. I've been meaning to dive into Chain Maille ever since I added the Artistic Wire Chain Maille Rings to my website.

So what better way to experiment with the rings than to use them for the basis of my new anklet?

I began by assembling my items. I chose the Non-Tarnish Silver 20 Gauge 3/16" rings. I decided to do a simple modified Italian link and embellish them with some Miyuki 3.4mm Drop or Fringe Beads.

I really like these inside color drops. You can see the vivid orange through the peridot colored glass. They just seem so bright and summery! :)

I chose this heart and key toggle clasp - I think it adds to the overall theme of the anklet.

The Italian link is a simple chain maille pattern - it starts out with two interlocking sets of rings and you keep adding more sets until you get the desired length.

I tried using two pairs of pliers - but found I was more comfortable with my trusty jump ring tool. You simply slip it on your finger and you have a handy tool to grip one side of the jump ring while you use your other hand with the pliers to open and close the rings. When I tried with two pairs of pliers, I kept dropping the rings! I guess I am way too clumsy to be a surgeon!

Once you have the desired length you add the descending rings with the added drop bead.

Here is the finished anklet. This was a quick and easy way to jump into chain maille (pun intended)! I can't wait to move on to more intricate projects!

Happy Beading!

Betsy

Crystal Mixes, variation on RAW

2011-05-19T20:14:00.000-04:00

May is not only the month with Mother's Day but it is also has my mother-in-law's birthday. So I wanted to make something special and unique just for her. I've been contemplating the Swarovski mixes that I carry. There are the same great colors as the Bead Soups by BeadSmith. But when I've worked with crystals before, I usually stick to one color crystal per piece. There are at least five colors in these mixes - and some that I would never think to use together. So I decided to pick the mix that suited my mother-in-law best and go from there. She really likes purples, lilacs, periwinkle and similar colors, so I went with the Lilacs mix. Here are the colors in this mix.....

I decided to pick just two of the colors in the mix - otherwise I felt the piece would be too busy. So I picked these colors....

I knew that I wanted to play around with RAW and these crystals, but I wanted to spice the design up a bit with other beads. So I picked complimentary Rocailles.

I chose inside color lined 8/0 Rocailles to match each color of crystal and I also chose a 15/0 transparent silver lined Rocaille that I felt would work well to pull all the colors together.

I chose to soften the angles of the crystals a bit by using the 8/0 and 15/0 Rocailles as spacer beads. I alternated the colors based on the colors of the crystals in the pattern.

I did not like silver or regular gold for the clasp - so I went on a hunt and found this rose gold toggle clasp. The color works nicely with the scheme. After I had the clasp and jump rings in the rose gold color, I realized that I did not have an rose gold 'French' Wire!! That is my preferred method to attach the clasp. So after sleeping on it, I realized I could use the 15/0 Rocaille beads, just like the 'French' Wire to coat the beading thread and protect it, while nicely highlighting the clasp.

I also had a slight set back when I realized that the jump rings were closed and I needed open ones to attach the clasp.

But never fear - I used my side cutter pliers to make "open" jump rings and they worked great!

Here is the finished bracelet.

My mother-in-law loves it! :)

On a side note, if you are planning on trying to sell your work online, a photo is worth a thousand words - literally! When I started the photo session for this blog, I really liked the way the bracelet popped when it was shown against a black velvet back drop - but the camera did not! So it is really important to not only have the correct lighting (full spectrum) but you really need to experiment with the back drops and back grounds too. The only difference in the photo below and the others in this blog is the color of the back ground. Same lighting, same camera, and same settings on the camera. Who'd think the color of the back drop would make such a difference?

Happy Beading!

Betsy

Gifts from the heart

2011-04-16T15:37:00.000-04:00

Hand made gifts are unique and often more meaningful than any gift card or other more expensive gifts.

My grandmother's (my mother's mother) birthday is next week and I always try to make her something, that is special and unique. More often than not, it includes beads! Of course, that is a given.

She collects angels, so one year I did this picture for her. I did this on my loom using 11/0 Delica Beads. The gold beads in the ribbon and candle around the angel are real gold plated beads. I mixed opaque, matte and transparent silver lined beads to create texture in the angel's dress. The background was done in matte beads, so the angel would stand out even more.

This year, I decided to use some of the Preciosa 4mm Bicone Crystals I've recently added to my store. I'm making her a bracelet and earring set.

Since her birthday is in April, I am using Crystal AB crystals. I like the sparkle that the AB finish adds. They are on the right in the photo below. I wanted to make the set more interesting than just plain Crystal crystals - give it some color.

My mother died when she was 45. Even though my mother was already an adult with her own children and grandchildren, she was still my grandmother's oldest girl. A parent should never have to bury a child. So, in honor of my mother's memory, I am using Alexandrite AB crystals in the bracelet as well. My mother's birthday was in June, so these represent her birthstone. Pearl is also recognized as the June birthstone, but I like the Alexandrite better. Alexandrite is a unique color that changes color in various light sources. Under the light bulbs, it appears light blue, but in the sun light, it turns a very pretty pale violet.

I've chosen the simple RAW pattern for the bracelet.

Only this time, each connecting crystal will be Alexandrite.

I chose a simple hook and eye clasp, so my grandmother will not have to struggle to put it on.

I used 'French' Wire again to attach the clasp, but I did not cut a piece long enough. The end of the clasp rubs the ending crystal on the bracelet.

So I took it apart, and used the shorter piece as a guide to cut longer pieces.

Now the clasp has plenty of room to move around.

I used the same length of 'French' Wire for the eye end.

I repeated the process to make these earrings to match the bracelet.

And here is the finished set. It is even prettier than I imagined it would be and I know my grandmother will cherish it not only for it's beauty, but for the meaning behind the crystals. She will have a beautiful reminder of her daughter, made by her daughter's daughter. I could never "buy" anything this perfect for her.

Happy Beading!

Betsy

Matte Crystals???

2011-04-09T11:50:00.000-04:00

When I started selecting the first colors to be added to the new Preciosa Crystals section of my website, I noticed they had crystals with a Matte finish. Isn't the whole ideal of crystals to have them sparkle? Needless to say I was intrigued - enough to order some of the matte ones and see just for myself.

So I chose the matte aquamarine crystals and thought to make a bracelet using both the matte and regular crystals. I wanted to do the RAW crystal bracelet again and use the matte crystals to frame the regular ones. I really liked the Spiderwire and used it again in this project.

To finish the bracelet and add the clasp, I chose sterling silver French Wire

I cut two lengths for each end of the bracelet.

I chose a small toggle clasp for this bracelet.

Then I began to attach it....

I began by placing the length on one of my needles....

and added the clasp...

Then I ran the 2nd needle through the length of French Wire..

Next I began to weave both ends back through the RAW stitches...

Then I tied a surgeon's knot to secure the clasp. After cutting the threads away from the knot, I used my Thread Zap to melt the end of the Spidewire.

I repeated the process for the toggle end of the clasp and here you can see the clasp closed.

Here is the finished bracelet.

I must say I rather like the effect of mixing the matte crystals with the regular ones.

Next I decided to do earrings to match. This time I wanted the earrings to be in the same RAW stitch....

I used the same technique to attach the ear wires with the Spiderwire and French Wire.

Here is the complete set. So my skepticism has been replaced with appreciation for these matte crystals! :)

Happy Beading!

Betsy

Preciosa Crystals

2011-03-27T15:25:00.000-04:00

Nancy is one of the newest Red Panda customers. She was having computer issues and was not able to get on my site, so she called me and placed her first order over the phone.

We had a nice conversation and talked about our bead projects and preferences. She asked if I could carry Preciosa 4mm Bicone Crystals. She was having a hard time finding them. I did some research and found a source for 135 colors. Preciosa Crystals are from the Czech Republic and are considerably cheaper than Swarovski Crystals. So far I've only added the four colors that Nancy wanted. One of these colors is Aquamarine. Since that is also my birthstone, and I wanted to work with the crystals to see how I liked them in comparison to Swarovski, I decided to make a bracelet using the Aquamarine crystals.

I wanted to make the bracelet using crystals only, so I searched online and found instructions to do a Right-Angle Weave Crystal Bracelet by Katherine Kelly, an eHow Contributor.

This was my first attempt at RAW - I'm pleased with the way it turned out.

I chose to use a new product in the Red Panda store to string the bracelet. Spiderwire has patented translucency technology that makes this line the nearest thing to clear and is invisible. Since the crystals are so light, I did not want any thread to show through. Also, Spiderwire is stronger, smoother and much more durable than other braided line, while still amazingly thin! It is excellent for use with sharp edged beads which would normally damage other types of stringing material. The bracelet is incredibly fluid having used the Spiderwire.

I chose one of the newer Anti-Tarnish Clasps in the Red Panda store too. I love the simple elegance to this hook and eye clasp.

I modified the clasp attachment a little, by choosing to use "french wire" to cover the Spiderwire when I attached the clasp.

French Wire protects the line as it wraps around the end of the clasp. It also gives a much nicer finish to the clasp.

I also used my Thread Zap to do away with the extra ends after tying the knots - and since it melted the excess line, it helps to seal the knots.

Here is the finished bracelet.

Since I started out with a gross (144) of these crystals, I had plenty left over to make some earrings to match.

I used these 18mm Gold Filled Ear Wires to make the earrings.

I also took head pins and trimmed them to various lengths to get the desired effect.

Here you can see the earrings next to the hook end of the clasp of the bracelet.

The whole project took less than two hours and I'm very pleased with my new bracelet and earrings! I am also very satisfied with the Preciosa Crystals and plan to start adding them to the Red Panda Beads inventory.

Happy Beading!

Betsy

RIP Chewie

2011-02-17T19:44:00.001-05:00

It never occurred to me that Chewie would die when I first posted his pictures on my facebook page and this blog. I know none of us live forever and dogs have shorter lifespans than humans. But the average toy poodle life expectancy is 12 years. And if a dog is healthy and well cared for, they can live 14 or more years. Somehow, I always expected Chewie to outlive the normal expectancy. But that was when he was 9+ years old and before Thyroid cancer.

We first noticed Chewie's bark starting to turn hoarse. Then during his annual vet visit, the Dr noticed a slight thickening in his throat. Turns out that Thyroid cancer in dogs is very rare and most often strikes Beagles. How my precious Chewie got it is a mystery.

He loved to play with everyday items as much or more than toys. His favorites were empty water bottles and balloons. He would play "vollyball" with a balloon until it popped. He was so obsessed with balloons that we reserved them for special occasions, like his birthday or Christmas.

When I made my office he was sure my chair was reserved just for him!

Thyroid cancer is not only rare, but it is an aggressive and ugly cancer in dogs. There is no cure. The only treatment is to surgically remove as much of the tumor as possible, but know that they will not get it all. Then chemo treatment to try to slow the metastases, but eventually it will metastasize and the dog will die. Because this cancer is so rare, there are no qualified surgeons in our area - the closest one is hours away in another state. Some dogs don't even survive the surgery. If I had an aggressive cancer that I knew would kill me regardless of treatment, I would opt to forgo treatment to allow as much quality of life as possible in my last days. I could do no less for Chewie. So instead of invasive surgery and chemo, we opted to make his last days as comfortable and pleasant as possible.

He loved to spend time outside in the afternoon sun. So we tried to spend a little time each day out there with him.

We took lots and lots of photos of him, while he still felt good.

This is my favorite picture of him. The dappled sun highlights his coat as he looks up to my husband. Don't you just love the cute bushy tail in the foreground?

Chewie was a lap dog, but he was always in control. He chose the lap and he would always have just a tad of resistance as you held him. He would put his paws on you with a gentle pressure to let you know he was holding you too.

I knew the end was near, one day last week when Chewie wanted me to hold him. This time he provided no resistance and only wanted to be cuddled and comforted.

As Chewie's days came to an end, he struggled to eat and breathing became the final struggle. I am very grateful that the Dr at the emergency vet hospital was kind enough to let me hold and comfort Chewie in my arms as he administered the lethal dose. This cancer has been so uncontrollable it was comforting to at least be able to make his death as intimate and loving as possible. I will never forget how finally peaceful his limp body was as I handled it over to the doctor. Thank goodness he is no longer suffering.

Rest in Peace, Chewie.

9/11/00 - 2/13/11

Have a Heart.....

2011-02-11T09:37:00.001-05:00

Valentine's Day is just around the corner and to honor this "heartfull" day Beth Gordon has done a line of Puffy Swarovski Crystal Heart Pendants and they are all available for purchase. :) She used 4mm Swarovski Bicone Crystals to make the hearts. She has done one for every month of the year, so no matter when you were born, you can have your very own birthstone heart! :)

January's Heart is made of Garnet crystals and they are very dark - so this is the best photo I could get of it.

February's Heart

March's Heart

April's Heart

May's Heart

June's Heart

July's Heart

August's Heart

September's Heart

October's Heart

November's Heart

December's Heart

Beth saw this unusual color and could not resist making a heart of it - the color is called Indicolite - very pretty!

Beth will even do custom hearts with crystals of your choice! I had some extra of these Crystal 2AB and asked her to make a heart for me. I love the rainbow effect the 2AB finish has on the heart! I wasn't sure what I'd do with it - but now I know! My grandmother's birthday is in April - so the crystal color is right on - and if I get it in the mail today, she should have it on Valentine's Day! :)

If you would be interested in one of Beth's hearts, you can email her at: banda@ntelos.net

Thanks so much Beth, for sharing all your hearts, and for making mine! :)

Happy Beading!

Betsy

Tine

2011-02-08T17:20:00.000-05:00

Tuesday's Treat :)

Christine - or more informally known as Tine, is the subject of today's Tuesday's Treat blog post. She is the first international beader to be featured in this series who also sells her work. Tine is from Belgium.

Currently Tine is really into making Peyote cuff bracelets with Delica size 11/0 beads. She loves to search for her patterns on etsy - there are some stunning patterns for sale!

I tried to find these exact patterns for sale again, so that I could credit the artist, but could not find them. So if you are the artist, or know who the artist is, please let me know and I'll update this post to include proper credit. :)

Here are two of her most recent finished projects. The first one uses an even count flat Peyote stitch.

The second one uses a 2-drop Peyote stitch. Personally I prefer the multiple drop count stitches, they work up so much faster! :)

I especially like the added detail of choosing the anti-tarnish flower clasp for this flower bracelet.

Tine sells some of her work at the shop Oliv'hair in Grez-Doiceau, Belgium. I added a link to the fan club on facebook for Oliv'hair since Tine does not have an online presence just yet. Now you have an excuse to go to Belgium! I'd love to see all her work close up and in real time :)

Thanks so much Tine for sharing your work! It's lovely! :)

Happy Beading!

Betsy

Let it snow, let it snow......

2011-01-27T19:25:00.000-05:00

Here we are stuck in the depths of Winter with short days and long nights that can certainly make Winter depressing. Add to that inclement weather that makes everyday activities miserable, it's no wonder people suffer the winter blues.

But not everything Wintery and snowy are ice cold!

These Snowmen Earrings were made using Swarovski crystals and add a little sparkle and fun to an otherwise cold and seemingly monotonous dreary end to Winter!

They come with colorful "scarves" - these have siam scarves.

These have amethyst scarves.

These have crystal scarves.

These have emerald scarves.

And lastly these have sapphire scarves.

These light hearted snowmen are fun to wear and with the various colored scarves, easy to match to your favorite outfit. And they are guaranteed not to cause frostbite! :)

Happy Beading!

Betsy

d'Olivia Jewelry

2011-01-25T14:27:00.000-05:00

Tuesday's Treat :)

Diane is the owner of d'Olivia Jewelry. She has an etsy store where she sells her jewelry creations.

At first she took jewelry classes to try to repair store bought jewelry. She was always a fan of beaded jewelry, but eventually noticed the mass-manufactured items fell apart after only a few wearings.

She even had a beaded necklace virtually explode while on a date in a pub. It was fairly embarrassing with both her and her date on the bar floor picking up beads.

So now she makes quality jewelry that will last. She likes to mix textures, shapes and finishes to create her unique pieces.

She likes Miyuki seed beads for their uniformity and beautiful colors.

I never cease to be amazed at the various ways Red Panda customers use their Miyuki beads.

As spacers, these seed beads really add an air of elegance to this piece. Their neutral color allow the rich tones in the green to stand out.

Using Miyuki beads as spacers also enhance the quality of her pieces.

There are vast amount of sizes, shapes, colors and finishes available with Miyuki beads.

Adding a Miyuki seed bead on either side of these pearls gives this piece a classic beauty with a twist!

And here you have it all summed up in her own words,

"I use seed beads for color contrast, for spacing, for adding a sparkle, to echo a color, and to add variety to a piece. I’ve found that Miyuki beads have great color, variety, and uniformity of shape."

Diane also has a blog, she is on facebook and twitter.

I've only put a few photos in this blog post, so you want to be sure and check out all her designs! Thanks for sharing Diane! I tried to pick one of these as my favorite - and I can't! They are all so nice! :)

Happy Beading!

Betsy

Beahobbi

2011-01-19T09:04:00.000-05:00

Bea is a Red Panda customer from Hungary. For Christmas she received a CD of Michael Bublé's music. She loves his music! In fact she loves it so much she wanted to create a bracelet in his honor. She used her bead tool software to create a pattern. She does not have a local resource for Miyuki Delica beads, so she ordered the beads from the Red Panda website. In less than seven days, she received her beads!

But as fast as the beads were to travel, she was even faster to create this beautiful bracelet!

She is so pleased with the way this turned out, she is already planning her next piece! I can't wait to see more photos! :)

Bea also has a blog. She made the cutest little angles for Christmas! All her beadwork is gorgeous - you will definitely want to check out her blog! :)

Beautiful work Bea! Thanks so much for sharing!

If you notice the clasp on the bracelet, it is slide multi strand clasp. What a coincidence! These are the newest clasps that I have just added to the Red Panda website!

Don't forget to enter the Red Panda Getting Your Beads Organized Package Sweepstakes!

Prize Details

In this package one lucky winner will receive:

1 ~ BeadSmith Tube Tower (holds 138 2"-3" tubes)
1 ~ Value Pack of 3" Tubes (50 tubes)
1 ~ BeadSmith Sticky Bead Mat
1 ~ BeadSmith Bead Mat Tray
1 ~ Ivory Bead Mat
1 ~ Tan Bead Mat
1 ~ BeadSmith Blue Mini Travel Box

All this makes this package worth $78.44

Here are your links to enter the contest:

Twitter

facebook

The contest ends January 31st and the lucky winner will be announced February 1st. So don't delay, enter today!

Happy Beading!

Betsy

BeadCreator Software

2011-01-13T19:58:00.001-05:00

Delica beads with over 1,000 colors in the popular size 11/0 beads are the beader's palette. Ironically, my first project, where I discovered Delicas, I was making a black and white version of Steam Boat Willie.

I learned a lot with this project. First I started with regular craft beads, (I was a novice and did not know any better). This project took much longer because I actually tried to use the craft beads, and found them to be too misshapen to fit together to make a tight weave. This picture is actually six panels that were done each individually on an Indian Loom. Then when they were all finished, I sewed each panel together. The time consuming part was redoing the individual panels over and over! I finally gave up on the craft beads and went to my local bead store and paid four times as much for "better" beads. But I found these too were misshapen!

So very frustrated, I looked on the internet and found Delicas! Much to my amazement they were actually uniform in size and worked beautifully for my project. Back went the expensive bead store beads and I've never looked back! LOL

For my first few projects I modified cross stitch patterns. But I soon wanted to put more of a personal touch into my bead artwork. I researched and decided to try BeadCreator software.

My first BeadCreator project was a birthday gift for my father. He is an avid fisherman - and has everything fishing he could ever need - so I decided to do a picture of a Large Mouth Bass. I found some free clip art and used that to create a pattern with BeadCreator.

Here is the print I used to create the pattern - I placed it on the bottom of my loom to give reference as I worked on the project.

Here is the finished picture.

My next project was a Valentine's Day gift for my hubbie. He loves the mountains, Grandfather Mountain in particular. He could stand on top of that mountain and take photos for hours. I used one of his photos to create a pattern using BeadCreator.

Here is the finished artwork.

Since I have been so pleased with the software, I decided to carry it in my online store. Several customers have purchased the software and are sharing their experiences with me. Laurie is one. She recently turned a photo of a friend's dog into a beaded picture for a Christmas gift. Here you can see the photo she used with the pattern.

Isn't that just the cutest picture?

Here is a close up of the artwork so you can see the detail in the piece. It is amazing and I'm sure her friend was thrilled to have such a thoughtful and personalized gift!

It is very satisfying to be able to fully customize a bead pattern for our own needs, I know from personal experience! If you are looking for a good software program, I recommend this one.

More looming projects to come..... (yes I could not resist!)

Happy Beading!

Betsy

to Bead or Knot to Bead

2011-01-11T19:30:00.000-05:00

Tuesday's Treat :)

This is the second in a series of blog posts that I'm doing to highlight Red Panda Beads customers who sell their creations. These posts will be on Tuesdays - not every Tuesday - so when they are posted, it will be a Treat! This post is featuring Barbara Zaner aka to Bead or Knot to Bead!

Barbara is a newer Red Panda customer. But she is an avid beader, as you can tell from her website! :) Her specialty is Bead Crocheting.

Here is Barb's bio:

From my earliest memories, my love of nature and its splendor inspired me to become a science teacher. I wanted to covey that passion to my students hoping that they would come to love and respect nature and the environment, as I do. After teaching Biology and Earth Science for 33 years on Long Island, I retired to the foothills of Tucson, AZ where I have magnificent views and can enjoy the rich array of plants and animals that are able to survive in the dry, arid desert (quite a change from the near coastal home we had back east).

Flowers, butterflies, animals and landscapes are the inspiration for my beadwork. Unable to draw, I can capture the colors and shapes with my beadwork. Pictured below is one of my original creations, the Bottle Brush design which I have used for several necklaces and even a bracelet.

Despite the necklace’s prickly appearance, it is soft and supple, almost sensuous in its feel.

The spiral pieces, shown in the gallery, were inspired by the beautiful sea shells found at Jones Beach. One piece was inspired by peas in a pod, another by a scoop of sherbet, and yet another by an ear of Indian corn with all its wonderful varieties of color. You are invited to take a few minutes and look at my pieces in the hope they serve to inspire memories for you, too.

An orphaned baby squirrel floating in our pool led me to one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. The squirrel was taken to a wildlife rehab center where I saw a chance to give back to the environment and practice what I had been teaching. For the past 10 years, my husband and I have been dedicated volunteers, helping return hundreds of birds and small mammals back to nature. This is who I am.

Barb has an amazing repertoire!

Bead Crochet Bracelets

These bead crochet bracelets are made from seed beads and come in a wide variety of colors and patterns. They roll on, have no clasp and fit wrist sizes up to 7.75". They are made with a very strong button-hole weight polyester thread and will endure humidity, body oils, etc. Shown is a small sample of my inventory. Please contact me directly for a complete update on what's in stock. Custom orders are a welcome challenge.

Spiral Bead Crochet Bracelets

These hand crocheted bracelets are highlighted with a ridge of Czech beads or Fresh Water Pearls. These bracelets are a new design that I've developed over the past few months. They are clasp-free, just roll on and fit most wrists up to size 7.75 inches. They come in a variety of colors and color combinations. I will design one to suit your needs.

Fire Polished Bead Crochet Bracelets

Using 3 or 4 mm Fire Polished Beads creates a thicker and bolder bracelet than one done with seed beads. These have no clasp and just roll over your hand. Only a small selection of my wide variety of colors and styles are shown here. Please contact me for my current inventory or place a custom order.

Bottle Brush Crochet Bracelets

An experiment with Czech mini-daggers that is soft and supple — almost sensuous in feel. Many other colors can be made to order.

Pinch Bead Bracelets

These triangular Czech beads fit together and form a smooth reptilian texture. The pictures don't do them justice. A wide variety of colors are available, just contact me for my current inventory.

LMA Wrist Wraps

LMA Wrist Wraps are more than a bracelet. LMA beads are new from the Czech Republic and form a delicious addition to your wrist. They are adjustable and close with a SS lobster claw clasp. More than a dozen colors are available, just contact me to check my current inventory.

She also does Necklaces......

Bead Crochet Ropes

These ropes are usually made with Japanese seed beads, because they are a very uniform and produce a nice even quality rope. I have also experimented with Czech pinch beads and 3 mm fire polished beads. These ropes can be used alone as chokers or necklaces. They can also serve to display your favorite pendant.

Spiral Bead Crochet Necklaces

These one-of-a-kind hand crocheted necklaces are made with Japanese seed beads and fresh water pearls or Czech glass drops to create the swirl effect. They can be monochromatic or very colorful depending on your needs. Any of the necklaces can custom sized.

Bead Crochet Necklaces with Focal Bead

These are unique, crocheted necklaces made with Japanese seed beads, silver bead caps and clasp. The focal beads can be a semiprecious stone, but usually a beautiful handmade, one-of-a-kind lamp work bead from a local artist. One special necklace features carved rabbits in domestic ivory. Any necklace can be sized to order.

Bottle Brush Bead Crochet Necklaces

These necklaces were inspired by the Bottle Brush flowers native to Arizona.

Garland Bead Crochet Necklaces

My first necklace in this original design was made with an assortment of Czech pink drop beads. It reminded me of a garland of roses. Since then I created several other necklaces using different colors and combinations. One of my favorite necklaces is shown as the icon and is called "Indian Corn".

Kumihimo Japanese Braiding

Kumihimo is the name for the ancient art of Japanese braiding. Assorted fibers, yarn, threads and even ribbon can be woven into wonderful braids. The process is labor intensive.

Barb's latest creations with Red Panda beads have used the DBM 10/0 Miyuki Mixes.

Barb is truly a fascinating bead artist. Check out her site! She also does purse charms and even has a cancer awareness line. The hardest thing will be picking just one item that you must have! :) I'm having a tough time deciding!

Happy Beading

Betsy

Beads at Christmas

2010-12-24T14:14:00.000-05:00

I am a confirmed beadaholic! :) Now I find that I view everything, even Christmas, from a beaded viewpoint. How to incorporate beads into Christmas? Aside from designing and giving beaded gifts, beads can be used for decorations.

One of the hottest sellers this holiday season has been the BeadSmith Snowflake wire forms. They come in four sizes, ranging from 3.75 inches to 9 inches. The possibilities are limitless for decorating! And they can be an inexpensive gift with a personal touch.

Kathy has been busy making her snowflake forms.

She added 12mm Twisted Bugle beads and says that the sparkle is much more stunning in person.

Here you can see another of her ornaments on the tree. This one she added beads between the bugle beads to create more texture.

I like the way the lights set off the sparkles in this snowflake. These snowflakes are great for decorating wreaths and can adorn windows as sun catchers all winter long. Thanks so much Kathy for sharing! :)

Another way to decorate with beads is to add embellishments to plain glass ornaments. This adds a richness and beauty with a personal touch. These are also nice gifts that can be cherished for many years to come. You can even design your ornament, so that the beaded portion can be removed and added to another glass ornament in case the original one breaks. You can find patterns in books, magazines or even on the internet. They can be very elaborate and ornate, or they can be very simple. The ornament below was done my by sister, Linda. She modified the pattern to adapt to her preferred Delica size 10/0.

This was her first attempt at a beaded ornament. I have to admit that I have been rather "persuasive" in getting her into beading. LOL I think this ornament is beautiful and am very proud of the fact that she was brave enough to not only modify the pattern, but then to send me the photo and allow me to add it to this blog! Thanks Linda!

It's never too early to start thinking about Christmas... I have seen some ideas for beaded garland that I think I am going to have to try for next Christmas............

Happy Beading (oops) Holidays and Happy New Year!

Betsy

Lady Voodoo Beading

2010-12-21T19:02:00.000-05:00

Tuesday's Treat :)

This is the first in a series of blog posts that I'm doing to highlight Red Panda Beads customers who sell their creations. These posts will be on Tuesdays - not every Tuesday - so when they are posted, it will be a Treat! This first post is featuring Tammy aka Lady Voodoo Beading!

Tammy is a 3rd grade teacher in Florida. She has always been into arts and crafts, but it wasn't until she was home on maternity leave that she discovered beads. She saw a friend's I.D. Badge Lanyard that her friend's daughter had made out of glass beads and Tammy was hooked! She started out making them and selling them to her teacher friends. It snowballed first into all jewelry..... Check out these beaded beads.....

Tammy ran across Julia Pretl's book "Little Bead Boxes" and now seed beads are her favorite obsession of all time!

Currently she focuses on making 3-D objects with Delicas, or covering small items with seed beads.

I must say this is my favorite! I love the tri-color theme and the coordination of colors with the flowers. It is so tiny and yet so elegant!

I am a curious person by nature and could not resist the urge to ask, "why Lady Voodoo?". Turns out her hubbie is a computer gamer with the tag, Voodoo, after the character in Top Gun. She liked the sound and since she's his Lady,

Lady Voodoo just seemed too cool to pass up. :)

Now you know the inside scoop on Lady Voodoo Beading! Check out her website.

Happy Beading!

Betsy

Red Panda Beads "Warehouse"

2010-12-14T09:42:00.000-05:00

Four years ago I never would have dreamed in my wildest imagination that I'd be here today. I did not even know how to blog then! I have certainly come a long way on this beaded path! LOL

I started selling a few beads online in April 2007. At first it was just a fun venture some evenings and weekends. I was able to gradually add more and more beads and other related items in my "store". It was not long before I needed a dedicated space ~ so we converted our living room into my bead office.

Now I have out grown this small space. I know you should take before and after photos - but the before was sooooo cluttered. Unofficially I began using our dining room as an overflow area for items like packing materials and bulkier stock items. This year we made it official, removing the dining room furniture and installing 6 foot metal shelving.

This is a much more efficient use of this space!

Now I can store boxes and labels with ease and see exactly how much I have in inventory and know when to order more!

Much easier to access the bubble mailers and various sizes of baggies when they are organized!

Now the Bead Soups have their own individualized compartments.

The bead mats have a new home too, on top of one of the wire racks.

And it is much easier to store the bulky beads while transitioning them to their formal and final filing home.

So much easier to work with.

This is the view from my computer chair in my office. I am so grateful that I have an understanding and supportive husband. How many husbands would allow their living and dining rooms to be over taken with beads?

Happy Beading!

Betsy