You need a thicker wire for your framework when doig a cuff bracelet! Who knew! LOL

Well ok, yes it makes perfect sense and indeed it was even written at the begining of the dvd for materials, two types of wires, 1mm wire for framework and .22 gauge for the weave! I jiust in my haste wasn't paying enough attention!

SO in the end, I improvised with two bits of memory wire, and bound them together and then wove them in a figure of eight. The weavig techinique is actually not too hard however I need yo work on my tension, not pulling to tight, but not weaving too loose. It's nothing I could sell, but it was a good way to practice the weaving technique.

Three Swaroski crystals in the middle, the photo makes it look slightly blue but it is just silver and clear crystals.

So after that little failure well leanring curve, I decided to practice my spirals as they haven't been well very neat and spirally, and this is what I ended up with.



It actually turned out qite well and I linked about eight of them together three main ones and two smaller ones each side and had some spirals left for a set of earrings, Then I had to work out how to use chain as an adjustable clasp at the back,  I cam up with this.

So it's a length of chain with three jump rings on to allow a different point to attach the clasp too and then the chain folds over and goes to back to fasten on the other side too so your not left with two much of a strand dangling! Does that make sense.

So that was last night creations, not much I know but am sure will come up with something else tomorrow!

Beautiful Beads, and a recent commision.

Hello again,

Well having read a few jewellery making blogs, I guess I'm kind of on the right track more pictures however seem to be a way forward and a must.

So I ordered some gorgeous blue stripe agate and it is abs stunning, now I just need to think of how to use the beuatiful gems.

Dragon vein agate, which is actually stunning and when the light catches it it glows red, even though on first look they look a khaki green, with vine lines of caligraphy through them.

Turkey Turqouise.

I'm also waiting for a JM delivery, a macrambe dvd and threads, and some gorgeous gems to boot. Plus some gorgoeus Blue dragon's agate and some rubies!  Yes rubies from China so here's hoping they get here really soon!

So onto a recent commision a lady has asked me to do anything with dragonflies on but she has no idea what, so here are my attempts so far.

Swaroski dragonflies, on a necklace and on a bracelet. These are my starting points, I am trying to think of how to do a broach and have some ideas, have a month to come up with something.

Oh and crimbo of course, you'd prob seen these one to a penny but it's a start in a direction! LOL

There were a few more but for some reason they came onto computr as having error?  No idea why?

Oh and this was last nights make, just having a bit of a play around!

So going to close off now, am wondering whether to try macrame with embroidery thread? Or just go onto another piece I've had in my mind for a couple of days!  HMMMM, so many ongoing projects! LOL

Question of the day, why out of all the threads do cats love beading wire sooo much!  HAHA.

It's been so long forgot where the new post button was...

Ok so to be honest I think I'm in a bit over my head, I have no idea how to use  this blog to the  best of it's capabilities.  I need a lesson in effective blogging I think.

So what's new ,  I joined up to twitter + forgot my password lol, so trying to get back in again.

I have got a fair at a night of mediumship at Brentwood Leisure Centre Tuesday Night, gotta plan how I'm gonna get back, lol as don't fancy a bus at 11 pm with a bundle of jewellery making stuff, I reckon I'm gonna have to get one of those push along trolleys to put it all in! I hoping it goes well, I've made some lovely genueine gemstone items with silver 925 clasps etc, hence the price has had to be bumped up, so now I just have to see if someone will be happy to pay the higher prices. Or stop doing the genuine gemstones. It's all trial and error.

Memory wire bracelets are just racing off but I think this must be due to the stack em high fashion trend this winter. The layers and layers of bangles is back in, with colour blocking and gemstones!

I looked into all the fashion colours for this year too, lol did some research into this seasons trends, and found out all the pantone colours.

So these are apparently this seasons must haves for winter! 

I think maybe this may be time to look into the business side of things as I'm doing more and more, although have always sold my items they are few and far between to be honest, but as time goes on I learn to methods etc I'm definately putting more time into it.

Anyway so new creations this week have been a gorgoeus swaroski crystal necklace which I am sooo pleased with and my new profile picture of amethyst and garnet which also came out very well. 

I will add a picture in a moment, for some reason it's not uploading.

Then I have a school fair on 2nd December althought this is all yet to be confirmed.
I am trying to think of the best way to do personalised bracelets as these go down so well with kids, but i won't have time to make them up as well as sell other stuff on my stall. So I either need to take orders and deliver them or bring them into school the next day or make a selection of names and just hope, or somehow find an assistant to help string them all together!  Hmmm, I thought ordering was a good idea but would children really want to part with money if they're not getting it until the next day?  Hmmmm.

I've done a few more dummy clips too which is nice change, and may well do a bit mroe work on some more charm bracelets my P2 chain has arrived, so can make some more.

WIll try and get back real soon and go sort out my twitter account! :LOL

46 garnets 925 sterling silver clasps and earrings. Faceted Amethyst rounds. £20.00

OH new techiniques and a tv channel!

LORDY LORDY. Much to my demise I have discovered JM.com and oh dear I wish I had my millions!  But on a brighter note discovered some new techniques. DOUGHNUTS, FLOWER CLUSTERS AND DOUBLE STRANDED WITHOUT CONNECTORS!

it's so simple when you actually realise what your doing and obvious really that I could kick myself when I realise how straight forward these items are to do.

So I was watching JM yesterday lol, in the evening the whole day replay! And discovered how to do doughnuts. So i set to work. I went a bit wrong and the strands didn't curve so I ended up with a straight tiered kinda look, but turns out that looks good in itself and even realised where I was going wrong. Not taken pictures yet as my blackberry has broken!  ARGHHHHH, new one coming tomorrow. and the camera is charging! But will pop pictures up asap. So did this tiered circle effect with black and gold beads. Only did it with cheap beads as I wasn't sure it'd turn out ok and didn't want to waste anything. But as it turns out it's quite an effective piece. just not highly exciting and a bit bland would defo add some sparkle next time, I'm in love with sparkle!

Then went on to make some more flower clusters with crackle beads and these have turned out gorgeous! I've done two shades of blue on one, a gorgeous turquoise and a deep midnight blue, looks great, but doesn't fit me! :(  I have big wrists for a lady! Then i did another in shades of red and this one is just lusciously rich and warm. I was sooo proud, by now it was about eleven am but I've got the bug and as you crafters will know just can't stop.

So then I made a beautiful neutral colour double strand with twists beige glass one, with different textures in and again it's fabulous. I was so impressed, my twisting didn't work as well as wanted it too, but it's really not bad for a first attempt.

I'm waiting on some stock from JM (hubby will not be pleased.) lol and some stuff from China which seems to be taking ages already well over the ten days, but it's not just one item so maybe there's a genuine hold up somewhere. I think they have some kind of holiday around this time of year whereby NO ONE goes to work!

I'm excitedly awaiting some swaroyski (sorry I cannot spell it, it comes up auto on most pages. lol) crystals which I cannot wait to work with as I haven't worked with them before. But have so many little ideas flicking through my mind. I have a silver 925 set coming so am actually going to make some 925 silver pieces. And have a personal task I'm on route to making been longing to make one for so long, but can't work out whether to attempt to make the resin cabochon I'm wanting or just buy one ready made? I don't know what would work out better in the long run, but this is along the lines of bangles. I defo want to make more bangles I love bangles and sparkly bits. I'm one of those that adores the sound of bangles banging together.

So much going on but am going to be busy babysitting this weekend and next lol I may be sending all the kids to bed really early!

Anyway I should really head off before I get the bug again as I need sleep, for over a week now I've not been going to bed earlier than 2 am! I don't know how I'm still walking to be honest especially with a school run in the mornings.

Sweet precious beady sparkly dreams!

MY first fair!

My first fair Saturday 10 September

Ok so it was a little church fete but you know what it was great and gave me an inisght to the world of public selling.

I stayed up late for two nigths making loads of children bracelets and it took off, I made £30 of profit. Mostly on children's bracelts so my little insight was well directed. I had two days notice no table cloth and no price tags, lol but it went well.

I sta next to a lovely lady with a table of jewellery but we both did well, she had far more stock than me however and comse lovely soarkly bits, i felt someone a bit intinidated. However they were lovely people and a lady even gave me a lesson on making clusters of beads on bracelts, an amzingly effective but very simple process.

I've made a few but am some what lacking in stock of beads now. :( with no finances for two weeks! I have now foudn a website who sells dvd on wire work, so I cannot wait to get underway with th am even thinking may give polymar clay ago, as I spend a fortune on other peoples designs produced for all as well as customised pieces for me.

Then I discovered jump rings.

LOL and thus went into keyrings, even made my own chain but soon decided it was far more pratical to buy chain by the bulk. I dscovered all sorts of chain, colours, sizes, 

I started hunted high and low for tips tricks and things I'd need. You tube was a real influence and helped me learn so many techniques. 

I brought more and more beads in absolutely loving my delivery days, Funny as looking back as a child I would stand in awe of beads and never know what o do with them just that I LOVED them. My husband is now used to regular parcels through the post and humours me well! BUT he remains very supportive even though it is costing me a small fortune!

I googed tigertail memory wire foiled beads, crackle beads,  Falling in love with the potential of every little thing available!

So here I am five months down the line and still loving leanring new techmniques and coming up with new ideas. Working with polymar clay, with glass beads, with snake chains with pendants with clasps, just playing about and picking up bits here and there.  

I love to try and do things new all the time so if there's an idea I'd love to hear about it as I'd love even more to give it a go, I have a huge amount of ideas, and even had to get myself notebooks for ideas, themes, orders. All to keep track of what I'm doing and where I'm at. 

Here are a few of my recent items.

 

Where did Olivia's Pretty Things aspire from?

WELCOME to Olivia's Pretty Things thank you for visiting.

So a blog appears to be the next step. But where hence did we come from...

This passion all started with a christmas being broke and stuck for ideas for christmas, I made my family special christmas ornaments for their tree and European style bracelets (pandora style.) I ordered in a bulk of murano glass beads and snake charms. 
I loved putting the pretty beads together so much I made loads, sold a few but the fad is fast fading out now. 
As time went on, I got a bit bored of just adding beads to a snake chain, so I wondered and thought about what I could do next, I moved onto glass bead bag charms. Gradually brought more and more bits I liked the look of and went from there. 


These were my first ever attempts at charm bracelets before I knew about jump rings.