January 2010 Highlights

2009 has been an eventful year for me personally. With the addition of a new member to my family, life has gotten busier (and crazier)! Thankfully, the students and Beads Cage have been understanding and accomodative to my schedule to allow me to continue teaching. I hope for the new year, I will have more time to come up with new projects to share with all.

So, what's new for the new year?

In January, we have lined up two classes namely Pearly Bangle and Endless Spiral Necklace. The Pearly Bangle is a variation from our Bollywood Bangle project, with a twist in the design. The Endless Spiral Necklace is a simple spiral rope technique that creates a beautiful necklace in quick time.

The 'Gallery' has also been revamped to showcase most of my previous and present works. New works will be added periodically. Under the 'Students' Gallery', more new projects from our talented students have also been included.

With the new year just hours away, I would like to wish all Happy 2010!

Happy Holidays

Merry Christmas

&

Happy New Year!

Swarovski Crystal Stones (ALL SOLD OUT)

SOLD OUT !
Here is a listing of more Swarovski stones that are available for sale at our online shop. I apologise for the poor photography as I did not have time to retake them.

Pacific Opal Square Rivoli Stones (pointed at back) 12mm - $9.50 each (4 in stock)

Burgundy Square Rivoli Stones (pointed at back) 12mm - $2.50 each (10 in stock)Montana Dentelle (pointed at back) 10mm - $7.50 each (4 in stock)Yellow Opal Dentelle (pointed at back) 11mm - $2.50 each (10 in stock)

January 2010 Classes Open for Registration

Our January 2010 classes are now open for registration! We have lined up 2 class projects that you can create in time for the Lunar New Year in February.

Our 'Pearly Bangle' (3 & 17 Jan) is a variation from our good old 'Bollywood Bangle'. This 2-session class will teach you the flat, tubular right angle weave and embellishments on the bangle. In addition, you will learn the design that we have adopted on our 'Bollywood Bangle'.

Level: Basic
Technique: Right Angle Weave
Class: 2 sessions (2 hours each)
Course Fee: S$140 (inclusive of materials/loan of tools),
S$90 (If you already know how to create a flat right angle weave band, materials will be given beforehand and you will attend the class on 17 Jan.)
Date/Day/Time: 3 & 17 Jan 10, Sunday, 3pm - 5pm
Registration: Online or Beads Cage in person

BONUS 1: Illustrated manual on Bollywood Bangle Design
BONUS 2: Quality materials kit inclusive of Fireline Thread

The 'Endless Spiral Necklace' (31 Jan) is a relatively quick project to dress up your wardrobe. We will be using gemstones, pearls and beads to create a long opera necklace which does not need any clasp for enclosure.

Level: Basic
Technique: Spiral Rope
Class: 1 session (2 hours)
Course Fee: S$70 (inclusive of materials/loan of tools) - Please bring along your own thread, if not Nymo thread will be provided.
Date/Day/Time: 31 Jan 10, Sunday, 3pm - 5pm
Registration: Closed. (Class is fully registered)

PROMOTION : Enjoy 10% discount when you sign up both classes. Enter "PROMO10" during online checkout.

For more class details and materials selection, please visit our site.

Coral Leaf Necklace

This is my latest creation of the Coral Leaf Necklace in Greyish Black Hues. The transition from light grey to black makes this necklace unique from my previous works. For the necklace chain, I have stitched it with the flat herringbone technique instead of single right angle weave. Pair it with a black V-shaped top, the necklace will look sensational.

Here are my other Coral Leaf Necklaces.

ION Orchard

Last Friday, I stepped foot into ION Orchard for the first time since its opening. The mall is huge and confusing, I think. After walking for awhile, I spotted the Swarovski crystal boutique and went in to look at the sparkling jewellery.

Their Christmas range this year is very nice and I tried on a bracelet, named 'Evening Bracelet' , in Light Jet coloured crystals. The sales lady told me that the bracelet comes in 1 size only and guess what, it fits me perfectly! It is really gorgeous with the smoky grey crystals sparkling at the unique cuts and would look very nice as a formal wear. However, at a price tag of SGD 700, I don't think it is something I need to get. So, my mission now is to find the right stones and made a piece inspired by the 'Evening Bracelet'.

Overall, it was a nice shopping trip but I don't think I need to step into ION again, unless that bracelet goes on sale! ;)

Completion of Stock-taking

I have FINALLY completed my stock-taking and tidying up the teeny weeny seed beads. I hope the revamped online shop eases your shopping experience. There are still some images waiting to be downloaded but they will be completed soon.

The new TOHO Permanent Galvanized seed beads have arrived and are currently selling at our online shop. The images are as true as they can be in my opinion but may differ slightly on your computer screen.

There are more new items to come, so do check out our blog for updates on the new products.

Happy Beading!

Vintage Swarovski Crystal Rivolis & Cabochons

I am sorry to those who were unable to purchase the vintage rivolis and cabochons. I will be making another purchase and will include more new colours and types. There are no available photos to show till I receive the stocks. So stay tuned!

Netted Crystal Bracelet

This bracelet was demonstrated during the Bead Netting class on 1 Nov. I was experimenting to hide the clasp with the crystals and it worked!

New Products - Swarovski Rivolis / Cabochons

Here they are! Stocks are very limited but they can be re-ordered if you would like to have more than the specified quantity. Please email me if you would like to purchase as I will not be posting them on my online shop.

For the Purple Haze rivolis, I have 2 units in stock and each purchase comes with accompanying seed beads as seen below.

PUPRLE HAZE - SOLD OUT
EMERALD & SIAM RIVOLIS - SOLD OUT

SIAM CAB - SOLD OUT

All I want for Christmas is........

In case you are thinking what to make for your loved ones this Christmas, here are some of my favourite projects (not in any order of preference) that can be completed in a relatively short time. If you are not sure what colour seed beads to use, stick to Gold or Silver for a timeless look.

Tiffany Earrings : Simple peyote stitched bezels around the beautiful Swarovski Crystal rivolis.
Rivoli Necklace : Similar technique to the Tiffany Earrings. Simply string on the bezeled rivoli onto a sterling silver chain.
Golden Corals Necklace : Our latest class project may seem to take forever to complete, but you will be surprised how quickly you can create the necklace. If you do not wish to create the necklace chain, simply create a bail after the leaf is completed and hung onto a neckwire or sterling silver chain.

Pearly Ring : Peyote band embellished with Swarovski Crystals and Pearls. The downside of this project is that you have to know the recipient’s ring size.
Embroidered Ring : Embroider a cabochon with different coloured seed beads and sealed it onto an adjustable ring base.
Bollywood Cuff : For a dressier look, our Bollywood Cuff with Swarovski Crystals is sure to dazzle this season. Our students have tried using different materials (pearls, gemstones, etc) and they all look fabulous!

Leafy Earrings : Another simple peyote project to bring nature to your wardrobe.

Disc Earrings : Using brick stitch to create groovy disc earrings.
Freeform Peyote Cuff : This is a great project to use up your left-over beads to create an abstract bracelet band.
Vintage Glass Necklace : This project does take more time than the others but it’s my all time favourite! The necklace is made with tubular netting stitch and glass cabochon embroidered.

Which is your favourite project? Tell us about it.

Winter Stock-Taking

We are in the midst of stock-taking and tidying up our inventory. If there is any item that you like and does not seem to be available, please email us as the online inventory status is inaccurate at this moment.

Thank you for your kind understanding!

Golden Corals Class

For those who have signed up for our 'Golden Corals' class, the materials are now ready for your selection. Please kindly revert to me on your preferred colour choice. Thank you.

Feedback from Student

Our student, Lynda has kindly emailed me about her experience with the DesignaSeal and TOHO Permanent Galvanized seed beads. Here's what she says.

"I have tried using wet cotton buds to clean off the excess (DesignaSeal) on the quartz & it works.. neat & gd.. I have also been using Toho Silver Galvanized Permanent - is perfectly good.."

Thank you, Lynda!

Coming Attractions.....

I have added 3 more new colours of the TOHO Permanent Galvanized seed beads to the collection, which will be on sale from mid November. They are Size 11/o Yellow Gold Matte, Size 8/o Matte Silver and Size 8/o Matte Gold.

Other new products include Swarovski crystal cabochons. These are beautiful crystal cabochons that have a flat back surface, so they are perfect for bead embroidery. Some are vintage lot and limited pieces. I have actually only bought a couple of each kind because I couldn't view the pictures and only went with the descriptions. I am expecting some surprises! Pleasant ones, I hope. :)

TOHO PERMANENT Galvanized Seed Beads

Beady Girl will be bringing in some Size 11 Toho Permanent Galvanized Seed Beads in Silver, Matte Silver, Gold and Matte Gold by mid November. These are the new PERMANENT galvanized beads by TOHO where the finish is less susceptible to being rubbed/chipped off.

Matte Gold Galvanized PermanentMatte Silver Galvanized Permanent

Gold Galvanized Permanent

Silver Galvanized Permanent

My personal experience with these seed bead has been good so far. I have used the Silver beads for my oval links bracelet and the finish has stayed stable to date. I am excited about the Matte Silver and Matte Gold range. So far the only matte round beads that we carry are the Supra seed beads range. Though their colours are pretty stable, I am not totally satisfied with their colour tones.

These beads will be packed differently from my previous 5gm packs. The prices would be determined later but be rest assured that they would not cost more than my Delica seed beads.

If you are interested in these permanently galvanized TOHO seed beads, do send me a note so that I can estimate the demand for them.

Christmas Shopping
Shop early for your beads supplies with Beady Girl! If there are any backorders, they will be replenished by mid November.

Netting Class in December (FULL CLASS)

Updates as of 21 Oct : This class has been fully registered. Thank you for your interest.

Dear Beaders

Thank you very much for your interest and support for the Netting Class. It is scheduled to be conducted on 6 December, Sunday, 3pm - 5pm at Beads Cage. As we received an overwhelming response for the re-run of this class, we can only confirm your seat upon receipt of full payment. There are only 7 seats available for this class.

You may register either online or in person at Beads Cage. Please read through our registration policy if this is your first time registering with us. If you have any further queries, please feel free to contact us.

Thank you once again.

Regards
Cynthia

A Glimpse of Netted Bangle

Here's a sneak preview of our November 'Netting' class project. The students will be creating a necklace and a bangle with slight variation to the technique.

The class on 1 November is fully registered. There have been requests for a re-run in December. If you would like to join us for this class, please drop us your name and we will keep you informed.

a birthday present..............

This bracelet was specially custom made for my good friend, Lis's (Simple Arts Planet) birthday in October.

The inspiration for this design was drawn from the lovely Serpentine donut pendant which I bought from Beads Cage. The pendant has a very lovely soft olive green base with natural lines in gold hues. I know Lis would like that "organic" look especially when olive green is one of her favourites.

I thought of a few stitching techniques and finally settled on using the Herringbone (flat and tubular) stitch to create simple bracelet bands on both sides of the pendant. We are both into simple jewellery and trying to make it too bling would only mask the beauty of the pendant. The challenging part of the project was finding the right seed beads colour to match the pendant. Going with the gold seed beads was not my first choice as I know Lis is more of a "silver" person. However, silver beads would not work in this case as there is too much negative contrast with the gold hues on the pendant. Hence, the matte gold beads were used instead and I think the combination worked out nicely.

This bracelet is actually my second version. The first set of bands was stitched too narrowly and did not look right. I undid and stitched another set of the bands with broader width. The juxtaposition of the new bands and pendant couldn't have been any better.

The present has been received by Lis and she has written a very lovely blog on it with pictures attached.

Thank you, Lis and have an enjoyable birthday!

Beads Cage in Perth?

This beads shop (The Bead Cage) is located inside Floreat Shopping Mall in Perth. I took a picture of it as I was amused by its shop name which (almost) resembles the beads shop (Beads Cage) where I conduct my classes.

November Classes Open for Registration

Our November classes are now open for registration.

NETTING (1 Nov 09)
This class is fully registered. Please kindly email us if you would like to be put on waitlist.

GOLDEN CORALS

Coraling is a popular beading technique in Russia. It looks challenging but is actually a relatively simple technique to master. In this class, we learnt about the basics of coraling and make a stunning 'leaf-drop" design necklace, completed with a simple right-angle weave technique.

Level: Basic
Techniques: Coraling & Right-Angle Weave
Class: 1 session (2 hours)
Course Fee: $60 (inclusive of materials/loan of tools)
Date/Day/Time: 21 Nov 09, Saturday, 3pm - 5pm
Registration: Online or in person at Beads Cage

'Web Pendant' Class

Here is a sneak preview of the project that we will be creating in our October 'Web Pendant' class. The cabochon used is a turquoise oval shaped one with accompanying seed beads in different hues of gold. The finished pendant is simply strung onto a 16" gold-plated 3mm neck wire (will be provided as part of the materials). Alternatively, students can create their own necklace chains.

Bead Embroidery

Many beaders shy away from bead embroidery because it seems complicated and there are few resources on this technique. However, once you learn it, you may probably find it one of the most satisfying beadwork you have done. I personally like this technique alot because there are so many variations you can apply and each gives a different effect.

In October, we are conducting our Bead Embroidery classes again. For beginners who are totally new to bead embroidery, our 'Embroidered Ring' is a good project to get started. The basics of this technique will be covered during the class and it is also a pre-requisite lesson for our subsequent intermediate bead emboridery classes.

Once you have mastered the basics, you can move on to our 'Web Pendant' project which covers more embroidery techniques, the dos and don'ts and of course our very own "web" design on the cabochon.

The 'Embroidered Cuff' is another intermediate class which we had conducted earlier this year. Due to a positive demand for this class, it will be re-run again soon. Hence, if you think you like to learn how to make the cuff but do not have the basic knowledge, do sign up for our 'Embroidered Ring'.

Class is Full

Thank you very much for your kind support. Our October 'Web Pendant' class is fully registered at the moment. If you are interested in this class and wish to be put on waitlist, please kindly email us or leave a comment here. We may re-run the class again if we have sufficient number of students.

Fused Glass Cabochons

I like to work with fused glass cabochons and have incorporated them in many of my projects. In our forthcoming class on 'Web Pendant', besides beading on a gemstone cabochon, the students will also be introduced to bead embroider on a glass cabochon. These glass cabochons have to be purcahsed separately (not part of the course fee) and it is not compulsory for students to purchase.

The glass cabochons used measure 4cm by 4cm square and will be specially fused by Creative Escape. They are also available for custom order to the public. Please place your order through our site and send it in by 10 October. If you have any queries, feel free to contact us at info@beadygirl.com.

October Classes

Our October classes are now open for registration. As many have expressed interest in the classes, we would appreciate your kind registration and payment in order to secure the seats.


Embroidered Ring
Bead embroidery is a technique for adding beads onto fabric using traditional embroidery stitches. In Part I of our 'Art of Bead Embroidery' series, we will be creating a vintage looking ring with black onyx cabochon and beautiful seed beads. We will learn about the basic cabochon beading, edge variation and edge stitching. This is a pre-requisite class for our 'Web Pendant' project on 25 Oct.


Level: Beginner
Technique: Bead Embroidery
Class: 1 session (2 hours)
Course Fee: $60 (inclusive of materials/loan of tools)
Date/Day/Time: 11 Oct 09, Sunday, 3pm - 5pm
Registration: Online or in person at Beads Cage LIMITED SEATS LEFT


Web Pendant
In Part III of our 'Art of Bead Embroidery' series, we will learn more about the different edge variations, creating a bail and a unique webbed design by Cynthia for a focal pendant. We will also discuss about the different types of cabochons that are suitable for bead embroidery and the accompanying materials. Students will be using a Turquoise Cabochon for the class project and are encouraged to work on a glass cabochon as well. (Note: The glass cabochons have to be purchased separately.)

Level: Intermediate (Knowledge of basic bead embroidery is required)

Technique: Bead Embroidery
Class: 1 session (2 hours)
Course Fee: $70 (inclusive of materials/loan of tools)
Date/Day/Time: 25 Oct 09, Sunday, 3pm - 5pm
Materials:Turquoise Oval Cabochon
Registration: CLOSED. PLEASE EMAIL US IF YOU WISH TO BE PUT ON WAITLIST.

September Classes

Our 'Peyote Stitch Frenzy' series are back! They are suitable for novices who would like to learn about seed bead weaving or experienced beaders who would like to bring their jewellery making skill to a new dimension.

Pearly Ring - A beginner's course on Peyote Stitch.

Level : Basic
Date/Day/Time : 6 Sep, Sunday, 3pm - 5pm
Location : Beads Cage @ Centrepoint
Registration : Closed. Class is FULL.

Rivolis Chain Bracelet - An intermediate class on Peyote Stitch which focuses on creating bezels for rivolis/cabochons.

Level : Intermediate (Basic knowledge of peyote stitch is required.)
Date/Day/Time : 13 & 27 Sep, Sunday, 3pm - 5pm
Location : Beads Cage @ Centrepoint
Registration : Online or in person at Beads Cage

Vacation Notice 13 - 24 August 09

I will be travelling from 13 - 24 August. Our online store will be closed during this period and any orders received will be processed after my return. If you have any queries on the classes, please kindly contact Beads Cage directly.

Thank you!

'Rivolis Rings' Bracelet Part II

Pre-Order for 'Rivolis Rings' Materials Kit

Step 1:
Choose ten 10.7mm rivolis from the list of colours available as shown below. I used a mix of Fuschia and Light Rose rivolis for mine. You can order as many or as little rivolis you like, no restrictions on the number.

Step 2:
Choose either Size 15 Galvanised Gold Metallic Seed Beads or Size 15 Galvanised Silver Metallic Seed Beads.

Step 3:
Email your request to info@beadygirl.com by 10 August.

Remarks:
- The Delica seed beads will be matched according to your rivolis choice.
- A simple instructional note will be enclosed with the kit.
- Please note that Beady Girl will not be carrying stocks of these rivolis and if you need more, we will have to make a special order.

My "5-minute" Project - Rivolis Rings Bracelet Pt I

No, I didn't stitch this bracelet in 5 minutes time, but in many, many intervals of 5-minute. Now that I am so tied down with my kids and household chores, having time to bead is a rarity. Nevertheless, I am glad to finish this project in time for August.

The 'Rivolis Rings' bracelet was created in conjunction with our September class on 'Rivolis Chain' bracelet. I wanted to show the flexibiity of the techniques in two different designs. Both involve creating bezeled rivolis and attached to tubular peyote rings. These are just two of the designs and there are many ways you can play around with the two elements.

For the 'Rivolis Rings' bracelet, I have used 10.7mm round rivolis and size 15 seed beads to stitch up the tubular peyote rings. This project calls for the size 15 seed beads as they will make the bracelet more intricate as compared to using the size 11 seed beads. The rings are made in varying sizes to make it look more abstract. I finished the project by applying a layer of DesignaSeal to seal in the silver coating on the metallic seed beads.

If you like to learn how to create this bracelet, a similar course on 'Rivolis Chain' bracelet will be introduced in September. Tips on creating the 'Rivolis Rings' bracelet will be discussed.

If you are already an experienced beader and would like to create the 'Rivolis Rings' bracelet, you may purchase our materials kit (see below) and a simple instructional note will be enclosed. Please note that you have to know how to stitch bezels and circular peyote rings in order to complete the project.

Pre-Order for the Materials Kit
~ 10.7mm Swarovski Crystal Rivolis - 10 units ($25)
~ Size 15 Miyuki Galvanised Metallic Seed Beads - 20gm ($10.80)
~ Size 11 Delica Seed Beads - 5gm ($4.50)

Total Kit Cost : $40.30

If you are interested in the kit, please make a pre-order by 10 August by sending us an email at info@beadygirl.com. The kits will be available after 24 August.