CRYSTAL FOREST

BEEN KNITTING!

2012-01-01T17:16:00.000+11:00

Well i have been busy buy knitting not beading,it suddenly took over,the dollar went up and i found Ravelry and knitting Paradise and was gone.
so much has changed since i seriously knitted years ago,self striping yarn,patterns everyhwere,bamboo,alpaca,fine merino,cashmere and the colours are like wow,you should see Tart,what a red.
My other blog is www.rainforestknitter.blogspot.com i was going to be barefoot knitter but someone already had it!

If you are interested in knitting,pop over and see how versatile i am,haha,if you are thinking of coming back to knitting,please do,join knitting paradise forum and away you go.
I did make somple simple stuff for xmas gifts in beading,glad i know how.
Happy 2012 to everyone!!!

BEEN BEADING!

2011-03-17T17:13:00.004+11:00

Didnt realize it has been so long since i posted,have made and nearly made a few things since Feb,although its the last thing i finished i just love this pattern.With some money for my birthday i bought this patter,Butterfly Wings,by Mikki Ferrugiaro from artfire,i changed two colours and it came out mag,i am not great on diagrams and did the two drop peyote from the word chart,enjoyed every minute!

RIVOLI PENDANT

2011-01-17T15:41:00.003+11:00

This is light and dark a two sided pendant that i made after beading around a rivoli for another project i thought i would do 2 contrasting sides.One side is copper/greens,the other silver/light purple.It's a cute pendant and is also for sale,i have so much stuff,$40us plus postage.
Email me at juliacraftylady@gmail if interested.

The floods here in australia have devastated so many people,an instant inland tsnumai,death destruction and mud everywhere,sad and awful.As usual aussies came back with spirit and thousands of volunteers decended on Brisbane and cleaned up other peoples homes and businesses.

BLUE MONDAY

2011-01-17T15:26:00.005+11:00

I just had to make another one of these and in blue it's gorgeous,Blue Monday is for sale,$80 us, plus postage,if interested please email me atjuliacraftylady@gmail.com ,it has a blue swarovski rivoli,and crystals,and can have a pendant loop on it or glued to brooch pin.

BOLLYWOOD LOTUS

2010-12-22T19:56:00.004+11:00

OH MY did i enjoy this one to bits,i bought the pattern from Sabine Lippert at TRY TO BEAD,i saw it in pinks and saw a lotus,the other colours did nothing for me,it was called Granada,10 euros which is $13au.
Well this is so clever,all the twists and turns,different size beads,and the colour and sparkle,and as the back gets tighter to encase the rivoli,it pops up and becomes 3D or layered.I am over the moon with this one,i love lotus,and i love this pattern.

EGYPTIAN QUEEN WITH LAPIS

2010-12-22T19:45:00.003+11:00

I thought this pattern looked amazing,it is one of Juanitas,www.jayceepatterns.com ,and boy was i right,it was very interesting to learn,and the gold delica band that holds it together is great too,though hidden at the back.Here in oz i got my gold delicas from Cranberry.com,this is my 3rd bracelet in a row and i was wondering what to make next,well wowee keep looking.

December Already

2010-12-06T19:44:00.008+11:00

Well i thought i posted recently but seems i didnt,i have been beading,yah i found some things i really wanted to do,and strung a necklace from nepal beads,from etsy. I also made a ring,a huge triangle swarovski from beading in the rain on US Ebay,best price i could find.It turned out to match a dress i bought,co-ordinated yet again.
The 2 bracelets i just finished were from BeadworkDec/Jan 2011,pages 77 and 66.The gothic butterfly one is done in red and black,and has wings ,the other was called ouroboros,well thats a snake eating its tail and it looks like a plant to me,even if its an odd one,so i called it Triffid! Its so easy to make herringbone look like flowers and the copper sequins sewn on really topped it off.
The last thing is a little star,from a pattern on try to beads blog,its free,simple and very cute.I upped the size of the crystals so Cleo could wear it around her neck,its a twinkle twinkle as she loves that song,swarovskis for a 3 year old,sure why not!if her name is Cleopatra!
At least i know she wont see it on my blog,unlike my cousins work that i'll put up later.
Its the weirdest summer we have had for years,its cool and very very wet,when its usually 30 c overnight and up to 40c in the day,i am loving the cool but fibro pain is so bad i am wondering if its too wet.

Green Sunshine

2010-10-09T19:43:00.005+11:00

I have just finished working on this stone,a 27mm lily cut swarovski rivoli,bought from BeadingInThe Rain on ebay.This was from my first buy from Judi and my 2nd lot is on its way,time to spend when the oz dollar is up so high.
Well i have been beading in the rain,its been pouring here for weeks,the kind of grey tedium that goes on and on and maybe we will flood.
I followed a tutorial on a site by oceania i think it was,and enjoyed doing it,would be better if i had my new glasses,next week,yah,and my fibro hands didnt just seize up,really i couldnt make them do a thing and just had to stop.
I finally got to give my granddaughter her dress i knitted her for her 3rd birthday,it was a pattern called tropical lily on ravelry.com and is open at the back like an apron with straps over the shoulder,she looks so cute but was being shy,when nanny arrived swooped on her and put it on,happy 3rd birthday Cleopatra.

Long time no bead !

2010-10-06T16:47:00.007+11:00

Well apart from needing new glasses and not beading much,i spent september in bed,hot delirious fluey,and very very ill,i thought this was the worst thing i had had in years,then i got the vomit bug and sept was a nightmare i dont want to repeat.
I have streted a beautiful project but it will have to wait till i pick up my glasses,fibro even stuffs youre eyes about,but i strung a couple of bits,stringing is my first love and when i actually design myself.
The first pic is the butterfly bail from Kassie Inman,her pattern,that i was going to make a jungle theme necklace but that fizzled out.
The orchids i got 3 of as a present and they were glorious.
Purple elephants is what you see after pink ones i suppose lol,i loved these etsy elephant beads,and they have a tiny purple crystal poked into eack one as the holes were so big.
Verdigris is my current fave,bits and peices from shops all over,etsy,australia etc,and in a big surge of creativity,it was born.
The paua power bracelet just fell together and is amazing in the sunlight.
It has been raining here for weeks and driving people crazy,soggy dogs,school holidays and mud everywhere,friends booked in for camping holidays,we got 8" of rain in 24 hours,deafening on a tin roof.

A New Baby and Some Bits.

2010-08-24T13:08:00.007+10:00

Firstly i have a new grandbaby,Seth James Wolfgang White,my son and his partner produced a beautiful baby boy,i am 51 and have 3 grandchildren who i love to bits.
I have been knitting a top in 100% bamboo by Cleckheaton,its the softest loveliest yarn and i am a slow and doddery knitter but its nice to do.
The crystal bracelet was on the cover of beadwork and caught my eye,i get my crystals from abovefashion on ebay and picked all the colours and sizes needed,then went back and got more to make 2 xmas presents.
The necklace of crystals.....well nearly 2 years ago i bought a poodle puppy and the father dogs owner gave me her grandmothers crystals as she liked my jewellery and wanted me to do something with them,easy huh! No way! i have struggled with every colour bead,silver/gold ,pendants drops etc,and finally have decided on this monochrome deco style,now i know why i have seen these always strung together at antique stalls and shops,the are weird to work with as some things deplete there colour,others dull it,some of the colours take over etc etc,not sure whether to email her the pics before sending,or front up with them and hand them over,the pendant would look better and sound less clanky if it was one peice but i havent seen one,(or i would have bought it lol).
The blue set is a london blue topaz,a topaz hit with heat and it goes that colour,as i was born in London and love the colour it was bought for me as a present from OMG Tourmaline on etsy,the other blues are glass,its cute and light to wear and clashes beautifully with my vampire red hair.

INTERMISSION..........

2010-07-11T16:43:00.006+10:00

Well i have been away,not physically but mentally,my beads stopped talking to mr,my muse escaped through an open window,and the worst of it was after the panic i didnt care.
I have never gone for long without my hands crafting something,so i bought some crochet patterns,found some free ones and knitting ones and joined some crochet groups and a fibro group.
So i have made a scarf,(yet to block it)kept up with the posts on beading groups,and finished this.
This pic was in Diane Fitzgeralds calendar,i have her book,i Love her book,so made this,with a glass cab eye,small enamel blue scarab,some brass pharoahs,chain and a snake toggle.It felt great and i got lots of feedback on the net and real life.
I was only well enough to leave the house twice for short times in 7 weeks,i think that and that i was racing to bead,buy more,find more patterns and doing nought else made beading a bit job like and i burnt out,i have lots of unfinished projects and thats not me.
I did read SIG"S chapter of her book at beadedbear.com and that made me feel better,and while i am knitting ideas for the jungle challenge are pricking at the back of my brain,i am not in a rush i'll wait and see.
The cicada,snake metal mesh necklace,and turquoise sticks are all etsy buys.

More Art Nouveau

2010-05-01T12:38:00.004+10:00

I came across this pattern at Beadcoop,by Beadholden aka Lesha McPherson,and just had to do it.I changed two colours of beads and think the silver lined crystal really makes it pop.The toggle wasnt a toggle at all but a silver stamping and i used a toggle bar as well.
The weather here in oz is lovely,bright sunny autumn days,cooler nights and as usual i have a fluey type virus thing and am doing not much,my beads arent talking to me and i have a few new goodies from Etsy as i have been buying while the dollarAU is worth 90c US.

NEPAL bracelet and earrings

2010-03-19T11:43:00.006+11:00

I am really thrilled with how this came out,its for a turquoise challenge on Beaddreamz group,i had some beads but found the nepal bead on Etsy for $4,and the copper/sterling ones i bought from Szarka at magpie turquoise,go and check her out if you want to max the cash,she has so much you'd like to buy.
It was hard to get a clear pic as its drizzly and grey most days latley,and i have been very ill and had an eye infection,so at least this makes me feel i have done something this week.

New new new nouveau

2010-03-10T04:35:00.005+11:00

This is my latest offering and one i enjoyed immensly making.I used to do decoupage and this was a bit like it.I used rivoli's for the first time but instead of beading them i used settings i bought from Etsy,againlol.
The title is for Dr Who fans,in an episode where the Dr and Rose land in the future opposite the city of new new york,the doctor explains that it has actually been rebuilt 15 times so should be called new,new new,15 times york,new new york for short.I love the art nouveau style though my big love is Deco,if i was rich i would collect deco everything.

Bouquet Cuff

2010-03-10T04:25:00.003+11:00

This is a simple garden bracelet i just did.I used wine/red 8 delicas as a base and then just added the flowers and leaves,glued stitched onto aluminium blank covered in ultrasuede.I love the tri colour flowers.
The other pic is my 8 week old grandson Chester,i didnt make him,he looks just like his mother,not as she did as a baby but right now,should be fun watching him grow up.

John William Waterhouse mermaid

2010-02-19T12:36:00.003+11:00

I love Waterhouses art work and saw a pendant similar to mine in a mag a while back,i used to do decoupage so no problem doing the pendant and all the bits came together as Etsy finds came in and just slotted into place.
I am enjoying the fashion of mixed metals especially silver and copper,this is simple but nice.

White Opal Lotus

2010-02-06T18:56:00.005+11:00

This is one of my etsy finds again a sort of lotus flower with side bits.I knew what i wanted to do right away as i love white opal swarovskis and i buy lots of 4mm from abovefashion an ebay seller,around $4 a hundred,bargain i say.I didnt want to put silver beads inbetween and so it shines like mad.
The ring is part of a birthday lot paid for by my partner.Its mingj on ebay and you can buy ring settings there and cut gemstones ,just match the sizes,add a bit of glue,bend prongs,designer ring.The base was $8 and the peridot,which is brilliant cut round like a diamond was $20,another bargain,for a woman with not much money i look expensive haha. 51 tomorrow wow how did i get here lol.

Early Birthday Present or "look what i got"!

2010-01-29T19:26:00.003+11:00

I received a cute little box from a beady friend in NC USA,i had an idea what is was but wasnt going to open it till my birthday,so while reading her blog i came across a post Julia's Sea Star and there it was,my present ,so off came the paper,open the box and look what i got,Aryd'ell made it for me and its amazing.
This is the first beaded thing i have been given,and didnt make myself and i love it.
I think the pattern is made by a woman called Lidia who hopefully will be selling it soon,as i won't to make one too.
The colours are fantastic and it looks so realistic,i am thrilled,thanks girlfriend!!

Bead Like An Egyptian

2010-01-19T17:00:00.002+11:00

I spent the last couple of days making this just for the fun of it,i wasnt to bothered where threads and knots went and if i couldnt go up or down a bead as it was full of thread i did another bead,as happens when i bead for myself with no worries it came out great.It was originally a Toika Bridges RIP pattern but her wings were half the size and looked to small for the scrab and i wanted an OTT bezel around it.
I had just finished it and was so rapt but thinking its so typically egyptian like everyones egyptian work when a male friend of Daves came to visit and announced that my native american necklace was good,(he already has glasses) and that native americans use turquoise and silver like that,????,well then there you go not to egyptian after all,dare you to find coral,silver and turquoise in it,haha!

PHEW its over.

2010-01-03T17:17:00.006+11:00

Yah xmas is over for another year,ahh its awful here,to hot,to noisy etc.This is a picture of my buddha i got for xmas,it is called meditating buddha but i think of it as resting,so lovely.
I finally finished Jaycee's pattern Firestorm2,which is lovely.I just have trouble with peyote with lots of colour changes,its me and though i get things done its always a long frusrating journey.
Strangely enough my most unfavourite colour of all time ORANGE!!!!now features in both my latest works,this one being a simple bracelet row of crystals.The pattern is at Rubys Beadwork,the herringbone bangle and i just used black 11's and fire opal 4mm crystals.As a helpful hint i inserted a chenille stem to help it keep stiff and bend nicer and used the trimmed metal ends of the stem to hook around the button magnetic clasps little holes,it held on much better and was easier to bead.I made it on new years eve and i think it looks like fireworks against the black sky,i buy most of my crystals from abovefashion on ebay.
My new grandson is due in 4 days and his mum is very fed up,its hard to be very prenant in the heat.

Julia's Favourite Brand

2009-12-16T13:09:00.005+11:00

I bought this pattern from Claudia at Happyland,as a painful non-smoker i thought it was cute and funny and a perfect present for my fagging friend.The first one i made 2 small,2nd one proper size,they are fun and easy to make.

Xmas faery etc

2009-12-01T14:43:00.003+11:00

No its not the xmas faery,well maybe to me,its my granddaughter Cleopatra in her faery dress that we bought her and doesnt she look rapt.
This is also the hot air balloon ornament i made her for xmas,its a Muridar Gardiner pattern that i have had for years,simple netting and a square stitch basket,hope she likes it.

Ahhhemm

2009-12-01T14:25:00.005+11:00

Have been absent for quite a while now,my beading muse collapsed and my get up and go got up and went,i couldnt see anything i liked,couldnt see the point of beading anymore stuff to keep in my room for the occasional time i went out.
Sometimes life just becomes so small when you are permanetly ill,go nowhere,see and talk to no-one.
Lucky i had reluctantly signed up for the beaded hand challenge on BDZ,and had to finish it,i ran out of beads and had to send to the US for more,however finishing it felt so good,and i am slowly getting back on the horse.
I called my hand Maharani,i thought a female sultan but thats a sultana wasnt calling it that,hopefully it will be appreciated,my UK cousin asked if it was a real hand haha,a compliment i suppose?

Nacre

2009-09-08T10:48:00.007+10:00

I found this pattern in a copy of bead and button magazine,i kept getting drawn back to it,which is odd as its not my usual style,or colours,pastels arrggg,so i decided to make it with the delicas i had on hand.I picked a transparent pink and a pearly white.
I learnt a lot making this,bead cages for the fire polished beads and just how you can be drwan to things,i decided it was because its so organic in style and flow,and i love Biwa pearls.I named it Nacre after the coating that is laid down by the oyster to make a pearl,it reminded me of the film Dr Doolittle i saw as a child when he goes inside the snails shell.
It is a spiral herringbone tube,with caged firepolish crystal beads,branch fringe and Biwa pearls,

India blues and new kit

2009-09-08T10:12:00.007+10:00

I bought these silver beads from my local Spotlight store,they were on a small display and i loved them,i had some lovely blue stones and drops and voila i had india Blues.This set took me an hour to whip up and i love it to bits,this year blue seems to be my new purple lol.
i also bought myself a kit i had been coveting for ages from Sig Wynn-Evans called art nouveau dragons,its sort of gothic as well.After i had paid for it and saw how much it was after currency exchange into aussie dollars,i emailed Sig to tell her i had paid,the lovely woman put a matching earring kit in with it,how fab.
Sigs site is www.thebeadedbear.com and she has some great patterns,kits and patterns to buy as downloads,she is also the authour of The Cracked Bead which is ahysterical look at the beading world,with swear words thrown in,a really good read and a good warning haha.

Which came first?

2009-09-08T09:41:00.003+10:00

The pants or the bangle,well the pants actually have had them since last summer and when i saw the 8 delica colour i thought wow,the other colour is gold but didnt photograph as gold but they look good together.

2 PEYOTE BANGLES

2009-08-13T16:04:00.004+10:00

Just popped in to show my new peyote bangles made in 8 delicas,wow 8 delicas,youre fave bead now you can see it too!This was easy and fun,looks cool,and makes you want to make more.It would be great if you were learning peyote as the holes are big where the next bead needs to go.
My big news is that my new grandchild expected in jan is a BOY!!!as his sister is already here and the light of my life this is great news.
My girl poodle Roxy is 6 months old now and really was the pick of the litter shes a beauty.http://www.beadandbutton.com/bnb/Objects/PDF/bnb-on1206.pdf this is the link for the pattern,enjoy!!

Stone Pendants or Julias Everincreasing Beadstash

2009-07-31T12:03:00.003+10:00

These 3 pendants are part of my latest thing,i found the 5 peice picture jasper?one while browsing on US ebay,the shop Walybeads has some of the most lovely stones,cut in every way and shape and i won all of these for great prices like $7us or so. Not sure what to do with them yet,but very pleased,wweeeeee!

Lovely Lotus

2009-07-24T12:13:00.003+10:00

Well i have a thing about Lotus at the moment,you know how you do,have been buying pendants,looking at tattoos etc,and came across these base metal connectors,yes on Etsy! I dont actually have loads of money or time,its just that i spend a lot of time ill in bed,when i am ok but not to get up i browse etsy and as i havent been out for weeks have a little spare cash.
This IS my own design and i love it to bits,i wore black to the shops and it was just a stunner of a set.As my muse had deserted me and i thought my beading ability had gone out the window this picked me up no end.

VINTAJ BRASS BLUES

2009-07-24T12:00:00.004+10:00

I saw this pic on a Vintaj brass ad in a magazine and then went to there site.Tracked down Vintaj bits here in oz at Alchemy and Ice. This necklace went together so well and i was very surprised at how the brass made the blue/green pop.
I have some other beads and shell pendants that could use something wrapped and glued to them,and also bought another focal bead and 4 round sea type focal beads from EbbNFlow on Etsy to make a sea themed one. I have had so many compliments and ooohhss and aahhhs when i wear it out and it can be a variety of lengths as i just added a toggle bar to one end chain side so it can be put through any link on the other side. Its certainly not my own design but i just love it!!!

GANESH NECKLACE

2009-07-24T11:49:00.003+10:00

Just using up an old pendant that needs a new life,i thought it came out well with the gemstone colours and the tiny star beads.

MALACHITE N MOONLIGHT

2009-06-22T16:44:00.005+10:00

Made this yesterday to match my malachite ring,most of the beads i bought at spotlight,blue moon beads,and some 4mm malachites i have had for ages.I bent the dragonfly aroung the shell pendant and glued in place,i saw it done on a Vintaj ad in B+B.I have also ordered some Vintaj bits from a shop in oz,ALCHEMY AND ICE,saves postage from US,will tell how it goes,and have some more deco bits coming from Etsy,wwwhhhhhoooooo.

Pearls and all

2009-05-26T14:29:00.004+10:00

I finally got my daughters 30th birthday present finished,its a pearl,well MOPearl,3 strand that she saw when i had marlene blessing and jamie hogsetts Pearl book from the library.Sourcing the ovals was a bit tough and i couldnt get brown and white just white,7 strands from Beadaholique on ebay.
I am giving it to her tomorrow,bit late,hope she loves it.
I also made from the same book a long strand of mixed real and glass pearls for myself,not really my style but hey they look nice,if it ever gets cold enough here to wear a jumper they might go.I made a coin pearl bracelet from this book,pic in a previous post,i keep borrowing it from the library lol.
The ring is a malachite one i bought from Gemfest here in town,i also got some onyx cresent shaped beads,a strand of fluorite,some cheap tiny pearls for embroidery and the tiniest 2mm watermelon tourmaline strand,no idea what i'll do with it but i love watermelon tourmaline,just cant afford it lol.

Tdddaaaaa,Cross Of Agadez

2009-05-16T16:13:00.005+10:00

Well i cant beleive i have made this one,when i bought Diane Fitzgeralds book Dimensional Peyote i knew i was peyote impaired,but a wonderful design and lots of work and i have it.
The parts are done in steel delicas 021 with olivine glass cabs all bought from Beadaholique on US ebay,with the aus dollar worth just over half US things are pricier but i get what i want there.
The first square took me ages to get right and then things got a little faster,the trick is not to miss youre step up in the peyote and get the corner beads to sit right.
Dave calls this the medals of the order of the crafty people as he says they look like medals,i just gaze at it and think "i did That" the cry of satisfied beaders across the globe.

BEAUTALITY

2009-04-28T17:06:00.003+10:00

Beautality is word that was coined to describe art deco,beauty+functionality,and i have looking through a fab deco book and some talk of it going on on a bead group.
I bought these findings from Etsy and just new they somehow had to go with the deco triangle i peyoted from diane Fitzgeralds book,so here it is,it fell into place last night.I think the black beads and the moonstone cubes go well. PS the 2nd pic added later,much clearer.

One Bracelet

2009-04-25T19:43:00.003+10:00

One bracelet thats all i have to show,the last month has been weird and sad,a death and now an impending death,my son in laws family now my partners,and with the recession and stuff life seems a bit tougher.
I also decided that the side effects from my Norspan pain patches,that help with my fibro pain were to much,so i stopped wearing it,dont go there its awful,experienced cold turkey withdrawal symptoms,and it was hell.
Roxy has grown up some more and i did bead this bracelet,pattern by Marie Starr called desert dawn,i changed a few colours though,i bought Dianne Fitzgeralds dimensional peyote beading,and was surprised i liked so many projects,trouble is i am not a peyote wizz,have managed an embellished triangle deco style pendant and a couple of squares of Star of Agadiz necklace.
The delicas cost a bomb,steel ones and it took me ages to get the square done,only to have my beading turned over by a rat (we live in a forest,they are natives,cute but pests) and it knocked off my square,was spitting chips.

ROXY

2009-02-27T11:58:00.004+11:00

Not much beading being done here despite buying a great south western style bracelet from Starr Design Studio called Desert Dawn,been trying to get enough sleep and clean up wees and poos ,though for 8 weeks old she is pretty good.So no new beading pics but here is Roxy!

Expecting lol!

2009-02-18T16:14:00.004+11:00

Well i am expecting in a funny sort of way,next Saturday i am picking up my new puppy,a black shiny ball of poodle wool with a nose haha,she is a miniature(not the little one thats a toy) poodle girl i have named Roxy and she will be microchipped,vacinated and 8 weeks old and ready to come home.
I mer her last week and feel like the mum who left the baby at the hospital,she will be meeting up with our 6yold apricot boy named Ra,and hopefully it will go well.
here is a pic of Roxy,Roxy with me and Ra.

More Pearls

2009-02-03T11:44:00.003+11:00

These pearls i bought from etsy,described as black south sea island shell pearls,apparently made from crushed pearl shell and dye and shaped round,they are quite heavy and so beautiful to wear and touch,they look darkest green,gunmetal or black depending on the light.
Ever since i got them i wanted this design but thought it to simple,but today was it,and the israel silver clasp tops it off.And i still have another strand to use wwwoooeeee.

TUSCON BRACELET

2009-02-02T12:05:00.005+11:00

Just finished this square stitch bracelet from a pattern i bought,will put up where when i find it again,its lovely colours and i enjoyed it and the toggle goes well.
Also some earrings i did in 5 seconds from ,yes pearls again,still trying on the rain video!

At Last

2009-02-01T16:21:00.004+11:00

This pendant in SS was bought for me a few years ago and i have been trying to make a necklace to hold it,show it off and not hide it,well i got some Blue Moon beads from my local Spotlight shop for xmas and these round metal ones went perfect with it,so here it is ready to go.
I wore my pearls and lillies out the other day and got so many compliments,i laugh when people ask me were i get so much jewellery and they never see it in shops,funny most people dont think i made it,and i ask people who wear stuff i admire,did you make it?very queer looks.
This is another clearer pic of the fuschia,the light was just right,bright but cloudy.

Back To Beading

2009-02-01T12:43:00.003+11:00

Okay back to beads,i seem to have a thing about pearls at the moment,Marlene Blessing-Jamie Hogset book from the library and few good buys on ebay,well they were good before the currency converter showed them in oz dollars,GULP.
First i made the pearl bracelet from coin pearls,it was a lot of fussing about for me as it is done in RAW (right angle weave) and in the book it looked stunning,especially on the black skinned model,on my moontan it looses something but i can always unpick it.

Try the video again!!!

2009-02-01T12:34:00.002+11:00

Sorry video wont go,try another time.

In The Crystal Forest

2009-02-01T12:12:00.008+11:00

Some pics of the place where i live and some wildlife etc.A parrot that came in a huge flock and he came down near the house to eat seeds,wow they chatter away, so pretty the colours are amazing. I went outside to a flock of birds in a tree right near my verandah a few years ago and said "hello cocky" to them,as you do,when no-one is listening haha,one of them piped back"hello want a cuppa tea",then "want a biscuit?" i was as stunned as if my poodle spoke to me,it was very funny,it must have been an escapee froma cage. The land mullet lives here and last year they had 2 babies and this year one. The rain is just amazing especially after a hot hot summer day,yeah i know we all get rain,the vidoe isnt great on picture but listen to our rain,its deafening!

MOM VIDEO

2009-01-26T05:05:00.001+11:00

I thought this was hysterical and very clever,so enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lillies n Pearls

2009-01-08T17:01:00.004+11:00

Found myself with two strands of gorgeous purply colour glass pearls and made up most of a necklace last night.Got up excited this morning and finished it off and did the earrings as well.
The lilly shapes are vintage and came from Etsy and white is a new thing for me,the pendant is a connector like the others with lillies wired into it,we'll see how that goes,and a ringing silver prayer ball on the end to make it "mine"though it was my idea and not a pattern.
The black velvet sofa was a xmas present,opens to be ajewellery box,well i have lots of that,lol,and is agreat prop for pics.It looks like it needs a Jamie Carrington 1930's doll on it with furs pearls and a leopard.

2009-01-07T12:52:00.000+11:00

A New Year

2009-01-06T23:29:00.002+11:00

I havent posted in ages as i havent been beading much.Summer in Australia is hard,the humidity just wipes me out and when its 30c at night its hard to sleep and hard to think in the day.
I am also in a strange headspace as i am about to turn 50 next month,and as i have been ill over half my life wonder were the time went,and how i will get through another year.
My last 2 female friends left me,one grew apart and the other dropped me hard out of nowhere with a "dearJulia" email which hurt like hell,i could understand if she was healthy and had a life but she was as ill as me,plus we had lots to talk about,it hurts.
I have been buying beads and have a couple of projects on the go,waiting for some delicas to arrive from the US,but feel flat,friendless and tired.
I bought a lotus pendant and will photograph it tomorrow,its very sweet and light and has swarovski tiny crystals added to it,lotus are my thing at the moment
I have a koala outside my room tonight grunting his head off very loudly,they make he wirdest noise but are almost impossible to get on camera.

2008-12-21T16:47:00.000+11:00

Flat Spiral mania

2008-12-21T16:27:00.004+11:00

Well i am posting again,sometimes i dont know what to say if i havent beaded,here in oz its horribly hot,it makes you sweaty and weak and my brain just doesnt work.
On 2 of my bead groups people have been infected with the flat spiral virus,little did Aunties Beads realiaze that there video tutorial would turn out to ba all the rage this year.At www.auntiesbeads.com,or you tube Karla Kam or flat spiral is the tut and it is so simple and fast to work up they have been appearinmg in all colours and beads,pearls,gemstones,cathedrals,as well as the bicones shown.
I have made my first and soon 2nd and enjoyed it very much,mine is turquoise rounds,black 11 triangles and silver drop beads.

BYZANTIUM BEAUTY

2008-11-07T16:17:00.005+11:00

This is my favourite necklace at the moment,i liked it ever since i saw it in Beadwork Magazine but i couldnt doo all the stitches at the time.It is done in copper11 hex cuts,steel cylinder 11's,bronze pearls,bronze daggers,permanent finish 11's silver and metal spacers.The band across is odd count petote,then brick stitch,herringbone straps,ladder stitch strap holders.
As i had a bashed up bruised hand and couldnt bead for a while i was thrilled to get back to it even slowly.The magazine called it Byzantium,and it seemed to suit.It actually looks better on,i am not really a collar person having a round face but this looks like it was made for me hahaha.My partner said it looked like it had been dug up,in man speak apparantley thats a complimnent meaning it looks old valuable and in a museum,i beleive him lol.

FUSHIA

2008-11-07T09:35:00.005+11:00

I made this Fuschia from a pattern in an aussie publication,Jill Oxtons Cross Stitch and beading.It looked very hard to me but as i just learnt brick stitch it wasnt at all.I love the colours purple,magenta,fuschia etc and this shines like mad with its swarovski bicones and cube crystal.

GIRAFFE BRACELET

2008-10-18T17:36:00.002+11:00

Another of juanita's designs but this one took me ages as peyote is not my forte and drove me nuts.This is done in 2 drop which is easier to see the space left by 2 delica's instead of one lol,and reflects juanita's love of Africa where she lived.The white pearl AB and matte black really pop in this design.

DECO LINES

2008-10-08T16:49:00.005+11:00

Just finished a lovely bracelet that i call Deco Lines as the bold colours really show off the clever pattern. The original pattern ,called Iridium meaning rainbow ,was done in softer gold tone colours and if you havent seen Juanitas patterns,do youre self a favour and go look. http://www.jayceepatterns.com/

Juanitas love of Africa is reflected in her patterns,with giraffe,elephant etc,art deco,florals,egyptian,something for most tastes,in brick peyote and square stitch. She has a brilliant bracelet with cut out parts for the more experienced or those looking for something new or unusual,as you can tell i love her stuff.

20TH ANNIVERSARY PRESENT

2008-09-20T12:01:00.002+10:00

For our 20th anniversary we went to Byron Bay for lunch,overlooking the sea.Dave bought me this gorgeous art nouveau dish/plate/earring holder,it looks like brass but is actually resin,so well done,she even has a shiny bottom,and a purple lotus bud,and her finger is swirling the water.I adore it and put earrings in it as soon as we got home.It was a lovely day all cool and cloudy and grey,i just about keel over on nice sunny hot days,like today.

Heidi Kummli Pendant

2008-09-09T16:30:00.002+10:00

I have liked this pattern for a while now,it is meant to be done on a loom,but you can square stitch loom patterns so i did.The silver beads are Toho permanent finish ,and the other beads my favourite jewel colours,though the purple beads show up blue in the pic.

As i didnt have a cabochon the size i needed i made one by mixing a scrap of silver sculpey into black and pressed into a cab mold i bought from a shop in Canada,baked and put on Liquid Glass and voila,gemstone cab.

SIMPLE SWAROVSKI SPARKLE

2008-09-07T16:30:00.005+10:00

Just put these earrings together the other day and they are dangly and sparkly.I used 4square swarovski's in a colour called Tabac,(sure that was grandads aftershave) and just some loops of chain,very nice!!!

2008-09-07T16:27:00.001+10:00

GODDESS NECKLACE

2008-09-06T16:10:00.005+10:00

Bought this gorgeous strand of stones,was told they were chrysachola? but most people agreed african turquoise.I love gemstones and didnt want to detract from them so just used a few filler beads and a pewter goddess pendant,the colours are amazing in real life!!!

BLOG BLOCK

2008-09-06T16:00:00.003+10:00

Well i have been ill with one thing after another so havent been in the mood to blog or have much to say,except cough a lot and complain,so suprised over 900 people have been here.

Have made a macrame necklace that i have wanted to make for years,wasnt to bad at it since havent done it since i was 14 lol.

Had a beautiful purple moonstone pendant to use,it came out great and i get lots of compliments when i wear it to the supermarket!

FLU

2008-07-16T16:41:00.002+10:00

Dreaded flu going around and as i have low immune system have had the flu shot,saves me getting hospitalized each year lol,but still feel like rubbish,cant make anything,so down and depressed and walking about in winter on the verandah with not much on to try and cool down,coughing etc and no sleep,no wonder people used to/still do die of flu,i am fed up.No pics no making anything,cough cough.

SYMBOLIC DOLL JOURNEY

2008-07-07T11:17:00.011+10:00

Just completed my symbolic doll that was an online class given by Kristen,as a class from BAD beaded art dolls group.The class was fascinating and plenty of notes and excersises to get in touch with youre creativity and explore symbolism.

My doll is a dragonfly,a creature that lives in two realms water and air,symbolizes change,joy and maturity and reminds us we are all light.The symbols done in charms down the front are a spiral,life death rebirth,a goddess feminine and fertility,a winged scarab,ladybird,home and family,a sun and a shell.

The wings seemed to not want to be beaded so left them in hoffman batik fabric.

The tail /back of the body was done in matte black 11's and sparkly delicas,done in the round,as i went round i thought it was a lot like life,dark bits sparkly bits,and then back at the front a surprise,or good day etc then back to real life.

This was a fascnating class and i enjoyed it so much.

PENDANT FROM MOULD

2008-05-30T17:27:00.005+10:00

This was a project included in one of the face moulds i bought from Canada,Shades of Clay,i followed the instructions and she came out lovely,not sure what to do with her but adds to my womens face collection nicely.I like projects that make you feel clever!!!

She is actually copper with copper mica powder and seems to look pink or purple in some pics.

DRIFTING

2008-05-30T17:17:00.004+10:00

This is my new bracelet "drifting" from a pattern by Margie Deeb in her book Beading her Image.This book is lovely just to own and all her patterns are done in brick/peyote,and square/loom stitches. I love square i know where the next bead goes,peyote does my fibro fogged head in. I am going to make maiden,mother,crone bracelet,since my daughter had Cleopatra i am now the crone,that's Mrs Crone to you lol. Pouring rain and cold on the east coast of OZ,must be winter lol. The delica colours Margie chose for this actually show the face well,and when tilted a little, sparkle like sun on water.

ODD PIC

2008-05-24T19:22:00.003+10:00

Just an odd pic of my long little finger nail.I usually keep this one long,my nails grow really well after chewing them off the first 15 years of my life.People ask me if its real which i find really funny.Its about 3cm and will probably come off soon.

Can also be used as a bead scoop not recommended for picking the nose lol.

GOODIES

2008-05-24T19:12:00.006+10:00

Love buying and getting stuff in the mail.This is some beads from whim beads all size 11 for dolls,two fat quarters of japanese print material from ebay and some heads i made using two moulds from Canada,all arrived on the same day,as i was feeling dreadful i couldnt get up and play,but could still look.

LAND MULLET

2008-05-24T19:05:00.002+10:00

This is a pic of a lizard called a land mullet,not because they are flatish like the fish but because they give off a foul fishy stink when hassled.We called this one Mr Black ,but when he turned up with 2 babies,maybe Mrs Black! Its hard to get much info on these and i havent found another pic of one with babies,didnt know they cared for there young,enjoy Julia

LIFE'S JOURNEY-RUNE'S BRACELET

2008-05-08T17:08:00.004+10:00

Took time out from beading dolls to make this lovely runes bracelet,its done in black,gold and my favourite jewel colours.The pattern is from Jill Oxton's magazine an aussie publication,and done in square stitch,was to be done in delicas but was too small for my wearing so did it in 11's.Enjoy!

Weather has really changed here and is so lovely,cool/cold night and morning and bright warm sunny in the day,love it.

KOOKABURRA

2008-04-11T19:51:00.002+10:00

Just a quick pic for anyone who hasnt seen a kookaburra,he lives in the tree outside my window,or i live outside his tree,the branch in the front page pic,enjoy!

FINALLY FINISHED FREYA

2008-04-11T19:44:00.002+10:00

Well finally finished my first beaded art doll,a bit like pics of the firstborn.It's funny how if you put a face on something it grows a peronality.I see Freya with her baby in/on her belly as a fertility goddess,and she fits nicely into youre hand,100% beading feels and looks amazing.

I did take quite a while,went into a blank for a bit then charming pet poodle bit me,squashing and bleeding 3 of my fingers which stopped me beading,i can type one handed but not bead.

If you want to work with beads and do something different i'd definitley recommend a doll.

FRONT OF FREYA

2008-03-26T15:56:00.003+11:00

Phew i have got the front done and some of the back of my first beaded art doll,i think she is lovely,so much work,i cant imagine how people give them away,what a special present when so many hours and beads! go into them.

If you want to bead and try something other than jewellery i'd say got for it,only the back to go now!!!!!

CHANGE OF PLAN

2008-03-15T11:36:00.002+11:00

I thought my first beaded art doll would be my purple one or a mermaid etc,but have been a bit stumped trying to do an 8" doll while trying new pain patches!so have changed down to a small rounder goddess type doll,that has swirls and patterns on the material that gives me a starting point.She is Fertile Freya as she has a baby face on her belly. I made the copper faces and have started the beading and enjoying it heaps. here is the start of Freya.

SERENA AND CUFF

2008-03-09T16:26:00.003+11:00

This is Serena because she is so serene,,my first all home made doll face,i took the mold myself and made her for a face pin challenge. She hasnt been shot she is going to be a pendant rather than a brooch and she has a headdress type thing on with dangles,swarovski crystals in the top.This was fun to make while i am waiting for my purple doll to decide what beads she is going to wear.

This is the cuff ready to be filled in with beads,a 3 cut blue mix,should be great done.

NEXT CUFF PLEASE

2008-03-03T17:08:00.002+11:00

Decided to do another cuff after i liked the last one(now on older post page) so this one is an indian/ganesh style,like my room and the clothes i wear,having fun with the new camera and the free download program picasa .

SLOW PROGRESS ON DOLL

2008-03-02T15:05:00.003+11:00

My first art doll is coming along slowly,its harder than it looks ,beads that you think will work dont or dont blend in or pop out as you want.I amlso suffering from S.A.D. hands,stuffing art doll hands,woweee it hurts if you have finbro or any other hand problem,and then its like trying to bead on a brick wall lol.Anyway here is a progress pic,and the yellow goddess to be stuffed,enjoy!

WOWEE MY FIRST MOLDS

2008-03-02T14:26:00.004+11:00

After searching the net i decided to try making my own molds for art doll faces,so today i took molds from my 3 mermaid ornaments,baked them,and then just pushed in some clay to see how they went,got so excited ran for the camera and clicked off a couple of shots. For first time molds i think they are cool and definatley encourage to me to get better at it,so heres the first molds made by me!

SLIDESHOW

2008-02-27T06:28:00.002+11:00

Some pics of my jewellery and beading for you to enjoy,the pics arent fantastic but with the new camera will get better,watch this space lol.

Check out my Slide Show!

2008-02-27T06:24:00.000+11:00

AMAZING WEATHER

2008-02-27T05:51:00.006+11:00

Just been to visit the family a couple of valley's over and met this amazing storm on the way home,taking photos from the car i felt like one of those stormchasers on tv. Started off near little country church,a lot around here,some still used,some made into houses,i love weather but have to admit have never been a victim of its rages so that helps,enjoy!

my beaded jewellery

2008-02-21T19:50:00.002+11:00

Just put up the address at webshots for my beaded jewellery,there is stringing,beadwork,and some more pics of where i live in australia.

Before beading i was a miniaturist,dollhouses,roomboxes etc,and made most of the stuff myself. I had to stop as i just simply ran out of room,we have 5 houses in the lounge room and a couple more and roomboxes,a lighthouse etc in the craft room. My names at webshots for the mini's are craftyladyjulia and later work under ravenspell,one of my houses is ravens keep.

Working on the beaded doll,its just lots of time getting the right beads in the right spot and with the chronic fatigue and fibro some days are just bed days.

This is my seaweed necklace a made 2 years ago,it reminds me when i am down that i do make stuff lol. I love this it looks so organic like a seaweed tangled up with bits.

An about face

2008-02-18T10:55:00.002+11:00

So i decided on a purple face and somehow some blue came up in it,i couldnt have done it if i tried. After her about face i started with some beads in mauve,a silver bugle ladder and a heamatite cab.She is called PRACTICE MAKES........PURPLE! i think as in this case it does.

2008-02-18T10:52:00.002+11:00

This is a pic of the doll layed out and a goddess template from my group that i want to get some gold material for as i think it would make a great hindu goddess,talk about the prospect of going over the top with beading

2008-02-18T10:48:00.001+11:00

I then stitched her up and glued on the face and promptly didnt like it,lol

BEADED ART DOLLS

2008-02-18T10:36:00.002+11:00

I have always wanted to document of peice of my work picture by picture,so now with the help of my birthday present camera and my first art doll i can. My first doll is a sort of goddess shape and will be done mainly in purple,fave colour,and silver as i have more beads of those colours.I made a copper poly clay face and started off

2008-02-15T19:52:00.001+11:00

Flame cuff that i did in square stitch,pattern was in B+B mag as a loom pattern

PEYOTE BRACELET

2008-02-15T17:12:00.002+11:00

This is called dragon scale as i think it looks like it fell off a dragon.It was done in 11,8 and 6 seed beads in peyote,making it dimensional,you need a tight tension to pull it into the pattern. The pattern was a free one available at

http://www.silvermistgarden.com/ .

BEADED CUFF CHALLENGE

2008-02-15T16:39:00.003+11:00

This is some pics of a cuff i made for a challenge on beaddreamz beading group.I was reluctant to make one as i didnt think it would be my style or that i would wear it,so i made this square stitch flame cuff first,then the embroidered one.It was fun and i now like it very much and have worn it out.