Tag: wrap bracelets

Beads

Boho bangles and bracelets

Melissa

As I write, my arm is jingling with bracelets. Today is the reveal day and blog hop for Tracy Statler’s Wrapped Stacked and Layered Bracelet Challenge.

I ended up making quite a few bracelets, mostly in the last week! I do wish I had made time to make another leather wrap bracelet as I love the style. But in the end, I had bracelets aplenty for a couple of different sets. Bangles wrapped with wire and sari silk. A stretchy loop of almost iridescent Czech glass beads. A few gemstones and some lampwork beads. Brass chain and an eclectic combo of Czech crystals.

The first set, which I’m calling “Dusty Roses”, incorporates the two bracelets I showed in my last bracelet post, but I added a stretch bracelet I found among my jewellery that matches the colours really well. I also made a bangle using a Vintaj creative hoop, a gemstone nugget that could be agate or possibly quartz, and some beautiful frayed sari silk that I wrapped around the bangle and overwrapped with antique brass wire. I can see myself wearing this combination a lot with jeans.

The second set, uses more vibrant colours. I’ve called this set “Boho Peacock” for its turquoise, green, and lavender hues. It includes three bangles, a double-wrapped braid of sari silk, a stretch bracelet of iridescent Czech glass beads, and a pretty little bracelet of brass chain and Czech beads. I think this combo will be great at night.

I think the bangles also work as a set on their own. One of the bangles uses a gorgeous lampwork pillow bead from Etsy lampworker Vivian Houser. Her shop is Dragyn’s Fyre Designs. Another bangle has a small lampwork bead from Australian lampworker Angela Gensch (her Etsy shop is Genschi). The sari silk comes from another Etsy shop Designtalentedone. The gemstone nuggets in the third bangle is rainbow fluorite. And I’m not entirely sure what the faceted gemstone nugget is in the fourth bangle, but as I said above, it’s probably agate or quartz.

I have to say, I have learnt a lot while doing this challenge. My wire-wrapping skills are definitely improving. It’s been fun incorporating sari silk into my jewellery designs. And I have lots more ideas for bracelets and bracelet stacks.

Here is the list of participants in the challenge—there are almost 80! Go and have a look at what they’ve made! I know I’ll be spending a bit of time browsing these blogs tomorrow! Thanks again Tracy for this great challenge!

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beadrecipes.wordpress.com YOU ARE HERE!!!

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Beads, Uncategorized

Bracelets on my mind

Melissa

I’ve signed up for another challenge. This one is the Wrapped, Stacked and Layered Bracelet Challenge started over at Tracy Statler’s Make Bracelets blog and it’s all about stacking and layering bracelets to create a unique-to-you look.

The big day is 21 April, when all the participants (and there seem to be quite a few signed up!) post pics of their bracelet on their blogs.

The thing I like about layering bracelets is that it’s all about texture, mixing different beads and techniques to get an eclectic effect. Different metals, like silver, copper or brass, beads made from glass, clay, semi-precious stones, dangling charms and beads sliding along, leather, chain and fabric all mixed up together.

I’ve got a few bracelets I’ve made, and a few more that I have acquired along the way, and I’m putting together some more in the next couple of weeks, so hopefully I’ll have a few to choose from. And I’ve been having a lovely time fossicking around the web, looking for inspiration. I think I could almost start a separate Pinterest board just for ideas!

Some of the bracelets I have already made include this wrap bracelet in the Chan Luu style. It’s made from brown leather and pink rhodonite beads and finished with an antique silver button. I’ve got earrings made out of the same pink stone too.

This one was made by knotting together a set of Gaea ceramic beads on natural leather. I finished it off with antique brass findings. But I think I need to hang something else from the closure side, to balance it a bit, as it keeps sliding around so that the pretty beads don’t keep ending up on the inside of my wrist.

Now I just have to decide whether to go for a silver bling-y effect or an antique-y boho look. Or maybe I’ll do both! See you on the 21st for the big reveal!