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Total matches for beadwork: 187

Alfador Pixel Bracelet

Alfador Pixel Bracelet

A gift for my girlfriend, schalakitty, since she’s kinda into Chrono Trigger or something. It’s the purple cat, Alfador! On a bracelet. Because bracelets. While not technically “pixel perfect”, the minor edits were made as a stylistic choice, and just look at how shiny. Ahem.

Date: 18 February 2015
Vesta

Vesta

Winged fire serpents like Vesta may not be what you'd expect. Oh yes, they carry the family lines of ancients, of great and powerful creatures which roamed worlds long before we can imagine. It's just that now, here on this planet of Earth, they've come to be so very small. Fitting in the palm of your hand small. But oh, they are no less fierce! But if you'll share your lunch with them, I bet you'll have a grateful buddy who is totally willing to light your barbecue for you.

So I wanted to do something a little different from my jewel dragons. From the moment I picked out the colors, I knew exactly what she was going to be; but this poor girl waited so very patiently to be worked on between other projects, and I'm happy that I finally managed to finish her. Unlike her beaded kin before her, she's not specifically designed for poseability, but for being sturdily reinforced to hold that pose. (Which isn't to say that small adjustments can't be made, but she's meant to be static.) I just really loved the idea of the dramatic pose, wings out, her lower wings supporting her as she gets ready to fly. I am deeply pleased with the result.

About those colors by the way... her body is comprised of beads I'd been hoarding away for a very long time. Long enough to find that they've been discontinued since. The wail I let out was not dignified. These things happen way too often. So, technically, her eyes, the 6 crystals on her lower wings, the dark red beads that make up most of her body, and the fabric of her wings, have all been discontinued over the years. This seems cruel. (Sold.)

Date: 18 February 2015
Puzzle Box Pendant

Puzzle Box Pendant

In before tragic reboot. Ahem.

I'd wanted to do a Hellraiser-inspired beadwoven cube for quite a long time, honestly. It took me a long while to finally figure out how I was going to simplify the pattern on the puzzle box, before finally deciding to go extremely simple. The result was unfortunately as much failure as triumph. The cube itself is fully reinforced internally (non-squishy, in other words), solid without actually having sharp corners despite the look of it, though it is somewhat obviously not exactly a cube. My initial plan for getting everything together turned out to be far less stable than I felt comfortable with, so I had to make last minute edits and woe, not-quite-cube and a truly messy bottom portion. Do I know how to fix this for next time? Oh yes, the pattern edits have been made. But it's probably going to be quite a long time before trying again. I'm happy with the result, anyway. Proof of concept and all that.
For Sale

Date: 08 January 2015
Classic Transformers Insignia Bracelet

Classic Transformers Insignia Bracelet

Well... I just had to do another Transformers-related thing. I still really enjoy the reversible Beast Wars cuff, so I decided to cut that down a little and make a smaller one for the classic Autobot and Decepticon insignias. My hope that the beads would take on two distinctly different properties actually worked out, too! In low and/or indirect light, the insignias are actually relatively subtle. Direct light, though? SPARKLE! It was sort of rubsign-inspired. You remember rubsigns, right..?

1,934 beads. Geez. I also wanted to do a little something different with the actual "bracelet bits", so the chain itself is meant to loop through one side and clasp onto one of the jump rings hanging from the chain. That lets the bracelet to expand from a touch under 6 inches (for the tiny-wristed, like myself) to 9 inches. Options! (Sold.)

Date: 22 November 2014
Shockwave Bracelet

Shockwave Bracelet

This may be what happens when I'm staring idly at Transformers while taking a break. Seems dangerous. At least I managed something that is actually simple, right? Relatively, anyway. I wanted to do a simplified version of Shockwave's distinctive "face", then decided that I really wanted a simple band to go along with it. To make that happen, I used some super-thin but reinforced beading thread for the bracelet bits to make sure there was extra strength and stability even with the relatively thin band. Success and shiny!
(For Sale)

Date: 08 November 2014
Lightcycle Pixel Pendants

Lightcycle Pixel Pendants

A little classic geeky bling, perfect for User and Programs alike. I spent a little time trying to figure out semi-appropriate pricing, the result is lovely geeky classic arcade-inspired Tron lightcycle pixel pendants! Whew. Obviously I needed a little extra dangly flare at the end there.

(Both For Sale)

Date: 16 October 2014
Legacy of the Nameless Queens

Legacy of the Nameless Queens

Well beyond our cultural memory, there was a long line of queens--warriors and scholars, from "proper" and learned to rough and feral--who abandoned their names to take on their country; and with it, a symbol of their status. The Legacy jewels have been stolen, bartered, hidden and, if the stories are true, were once melted down only to miraculously re-form in the hands of a True Queen. Clearly the legends differ from region to region, becoming more grandiose as time passes. The fact remains, however, the Legacy jewels do remain intact, perhaps waiting for their next queen...

As is usually the case, I didn't mean this project to be quite so... extensive. I'd gotten these gorgeous little "slightly imperfect" seraphinite beads a long while back with the intent to do a necklace of some sort, and it seemed like the right time to finally get around to doing that. And that seemed pretty simple, really... then I decided to add just a little bit of extra dimension by making it "not quite flat", which wasn't really a problem. Of course I followed that up by electing to develop a method with would make relatively thin beaded pieces extremely strong while maintaining flexibility and a bit of "stretch", which was more time-consuming than I wanted it to be... then came the thought, "Hey, you know what this needs? Earrings." And. Um. Well. This.

I learned. I learned a lot. As a result, the necklace is flexible and comfortable worn either as a choker or a double-wrap bracelet, and the ear cuffs are surprisingly comfortable even while I was trying them on with glasses. Weird. I'm also quite fond of using the non-pierced rings as the "actual earring portion", because it gives more flexibility to exactly where on the ear they get worn.

(For Sale)

Date: 09 October 2014
Purple Iris Dragon

Purple Iris Dragon

It's rare for a person to actually see an iris dragon, or at least to recognize one. They're quite good at hiding, folding up their wings in such a way as to trick the eye into thinking they're just another fancy iris. By the time there's any realization that a second look is needed, they've fluttered off to some more flowers. More fascination comes in the fact that they don't even need eyes to "see" their environment; the "teardrops" that hang down from their tail are more advanced and sensitive than any insect's antennae. If by some chance you do manage to see one that isn't hiding, they tend to like gentle rubs on their backs, right between the wings. They're very soft and fuzzy there.

I'd had a very vague idea of this lovely creature somewhere around the time when I started working on the first Desert Bus 2014 chocobo. I even started the body and basic wire structure between chocobos. After I'd finished all of my Desert Bus work, I came back to this and had intended it to be simple. Yes, I should have known better. But I really love the result. The body is real silk velvet in a rich purple, with the purple beads being dark amethyst and the white ones being opalite. Then just so many glass beads, so much wire and finally a decent use for that plastic-feeling beading thread. And they're a pin/brooch! Because I don't do practical unless I'm paid in advance. (For Sale)

Date: 11 September 2014