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Total matches for beadwork: 190
Not Impressed
I'd been wanting to do a Chain of Memories Riku sprite for a while, and I also knew that getting to one of the larger talk sprites was going to be a tiny bit intensive, but even pausing about 1/3 of the way through to start (and finish) a Desert Bus for Hope chocobo did not ease how very long it felt that it took. ...Of course it did actually take a long time, too, but--
Part of that is adding an additional five bead colors (14 colors in the original art, 19 bead colors) to distinguish better between hair, skin, and clothing, and also because I wanted the background diamond to be frosted. I don't know, reasons. I also anguished over the eye color even if it is literally three beads, because I am me, and I will continue to lament Riku looking much too tan just because the lighter "skin tone" beads I was looking at appeared so washed out yellow that I was worried he'd turn out looking jaundiced... but when all packed together with black thread, they might have turned out better than the tests. The only way to know is to do it again, and that is definitely not happening without a specific commission. Ah well, I have learned a thing. I also learned that it would currently (October of 2026) take over $110 to replenish all 19 bead colors so welcome to that little factoid that I didn't want in my head either.
On top of that, there are some other assorted techniques in here, some which worked beautifully and some which could use a few changes in another iteration, but I am extremely pleased with the very obviously human-made result regardless. The odd/unbalanced shape assured me that I didn't really want to make it wearable and risk several points of weakness that no thread reinforcement was actually going to help with, so backing with white paper and then mounting it on a thin piece of wood and hanging that seemed like the best idea. The white was partly an attempt to lighten up some of those transparent beads, but also because it really lets all the colors shine through with some extra reflection for SPARKLE. Initially I'd been playing with ideas to have him against a Castle Oblivion pillar or against a save point diamond, but none of the sketches or attempts worked out as well as a plain old white slab, so. Fine, then.
For those curious (Chain of Memory spoilers, I guess), the sprite itself comes from the moment when Riku takes his life (and heart) back to walk his own path.
(Currently available for sale, though I wouldn't mind keeping him around.)
Dahlia
Dahlia's incredibly laid-back, it must be said. Her very favorite things involve hanging around and observing, but she's been known to provide feedback when requested. She finds human media to be very entertaining, but admittedly the concept of "take-out" and "snack foods" are more of a draw.
It's been such a very long time since I made a dragon bracelet. Admittedly the actual catalyst was wandering through Etsy and realizing...the vast majority of searches for "dragon bracelet" gave me the same results made with the same materials arranged in the same ways and it was abysmal. Granted I know there are probably a lot of actual unique designs hidden 9,847,543,895 pages in with Etsy's increasingly questionable search function, but... damn.
That aside, I just needed to make a dragon bracelet thing, threw some bead accents together and experimented with them. The whole necklace converter/extender was an idea from another project that worked out best without it, but I kind of enjoyed using the idea here more. So happy to get back to basics and try something a little new/different at the same time.
(Available for sale.)
Es
Es is pleased to meet you! Es is pleased to meet everyone! Very new to this world, they are, and interested in settling in with someone who is very willing to show them around.
I have been meaning to do this particular thing for many, many years. You know how it is with piles of things to do. Lasting... years. I had most of the beads set aside, but those deep green ones were of course one of many specific color/finish combos that got discontinued over the time when I was waiting to get to this, so I had to randomly mix in a couple of approximate colors in order to get the whole thing made. I think it worked out well, the color variants barely noticeable unless you're purposely inspecting it under bright light, and even then it just sort of adds a texture to the overall look. Making the body in individual segments and stringing them all on a satin "rattail" cord to keep flexibility and vastly increase the strength and stability of the necklace itself was also something that I had plenty of time to stumble into, and it works beautifully. The chainmaile itself turned out to be less about counter-balance than it was just a sparkly accent I wanted; the hook really doesn't need anything to keep it properly in place and... hooked, and the jump rings themselves add almost no extra weight at all. The random stone at the bottom weighs more than the copper wire chainmaile, which can of course dangle from every angle for multiple ways to wear the necklace.
At the last moment I also kind of wanted to add a "touch guide" or sorts on one side of the tail, near the hook. It's a great place to put your thumb while you're trying to guide the hook into the eye and I hope makes that process just a little bit easier if you're not in front of a mirror at the time. Things like that help me, anyway.
(For Sale.)
Shades of Control
Well. I got the urge to revisit one of my old FFVII SOLDIER logo designs... and then decided I also really wanted to tack on a couple of very subtle Shinra logos. They might actually have turned out a little too subtle unless you know what you're looking at, but that's also kind of perfect.
Because I am me, a few new things were tried on the "floating steps", and I did get the hang of something that's technically a little easier on both my fingers and the beads themselves... but it left a couple of slightly loose-looking beads framing the negative space and it annoys me. Greatly. Not that it affects anything but me personally, but still. Now I know how to avoid that for next time, anyway.
Currently available.
Shades of Control
Well. I got the urge to revisit one of my old FFVII SOLDIER logo designs... and then decided I also really wanted to tack on a couple of very subtle Shinra logos. They might actually have turned out a little too subtle unless you know what you're looking at, but that's also kind of perfect.
Because I am me, a few new things were tried on the "floating steps", and I did get the hang of something that's technically a little easier on both my fingers and the beads themselves... but it left a couple of slightly loose-looking beads framing the negative space and it annoys me. Greatly. Not that it affects anything but me personally, but still. Now I know how to avoid that for next time, anyway.
Currently available.
Progress and Solidarity
I've had this pattern worked out on my computer for ages, along with several smaller versions. But did I try the easier, faster versions first? Of course I did not. How silly.
Something something politics, I don't know, I just want everyone to have a chance at acceptance and survival and dazzlingly sparkly objects declaring such, how dare I.
Visit the Etsy page to see an actual itemized cost breakdown because I... do not want to copy it here.
(Currently Available)
Goes With Anything
The title is somewhere between a joke and a completely sincere statement. I mean, what does a shock of pink and black not go with?
I'd been wanting to do something with these beads for weeks, but I just didn't have a centerpiece. That came from a surprising source, an acquiescence giving away a literal bag of tangled old jewelry. I untangled and disassembled all of it into component pieces, and this amazing fused glass piece was one of those things. No artist name attached, no company, just a lovely glass pendant to make use of. All of the other beads are resin (the black beads with delicate silver "cracks"), glass, dyed and natural rose quartz, and Swarovski crystals. The spring ring clasp is a heavy duty silver piece I've had for years upon years. I'm deeply pleased by how this drapes when worn.
Currently available to buy.
Hubris Nebula
The entire motivation for doing this: because I could. The title came from a joke between a friend and I, ending in the suggestion that I name this "Hubris", while I was going to name it "Nebula". HENCE.
A grand total of 230 Swarovski crystals, and a... bunch of other beads. Over the course of... a week..? About. I don't know, I should have been resting my hands more thoroughly but I just had to know if an idea would work. It sure did! With spectacular results and the slightly irritated realization that several of these beads are no longer in production. Happens far too often these days.
This choker is heavy, being made of crystal and glass, but every single layer is reinforced with four strands of high quality nylon thread. There are some points along two specific lines where some of the thread can be seen, or one tiny bead is missing; tension adjustment had to be done to make sure it was still able to flex and move without the thread drawing too tight and possibly wearing down to the point of snapping. Lessons have been learned here.
Available to buy.