Beading around the clock!

Wow, it has been a long time since I posted here but I have actually been very busy beading!

I have been finishing up so many projects for Christmas and Birthdays that I got seriously behind in the Earring a Day Challenge at Beading Daily! But I have been working over time to get caught up...I still have about 8 or 9 pairs to go before I am caught up to today...but I get behind with every day that goes by!

But here are some of the pieces I have completed in the last month:

Medici Drop Earrings Designed By: Marcia DeCoster from her book "Beaded Opulence"

Medici Drop Earrings in Black Crystal

Medici Drop Earrings in Olivine & Light Metallic Gold Crystal

Medici Drop Earrings in Hyacinth, Crystal Red Magma and Crystal Bronze Shade (18mm drop)

Medici Drop Earrings in Hyacinth & Crystal Red Magma (28mm drop)

And here is a pair that I made as a Christmas gift and sadly I only have this WIP photo. This pair is made with Hill Tribe Silver tiny beads and Crystal Red Magma bicones to go with the Ruby Red CZ Drops. These were for someone who doesn't really wear long earrings, so I made them with smaller 18mm CZ Drops and only one beaded component!

Medici Drop Earrings in Ruby Red (WIP)

This pair is another Marcia DeCoster design from Beaded Opulence...obviously I love that book! Marcia is an amazing bead artist and I am always inspired by her designs! She is the reason that I actually learned how to do RAW and learned to love it!

Whitby Earrings in Black Crystal with a little accent of Metallic Blue

Design By: Marcia DeCoster

The following 2 pairs are Herringbone with seed beads and Tila beads with a Crystal Pearl drop. I wish I could remember where I saw this design so I could give proper credit but I saw them a while ago while browsing the Internet at 3:00 in the morning! So these earrings were inspired by someone out there...if anyone recognizes the design, please leave me a comment!

Tila Herringbone in Bronze

Tila Herringbone in Black

And finally, the following pair is not woven with seed beads...I actually did some wire wrapped loops and attached Dark Red Coral Crystals to some Filigree Flowers and I attached them to the earwires with some chain.

Bronze Floral Filigree

I still have a ways to go in getting caught up for this challenge, but I am pleased with the amount of work I have actually completed lately!

I have also been busy working on pieces for my family's Secret Santa exchange...I drew my sister's name this year which made it easy! I made her several pieces in Silver with Swarovski Crystal Silver Night bicones for embellishment. Very much her style!

I was literally working down to the wire on this set so I still have to get photos one of these days! But here is a photo of the cuff I made for her.

Design & Creation By: Me

Inspired By: Erin Simonetti & Jean Upton

Techniques: Loomed with Cube Beads, Weave in Warp Management, Picot Edging, Fringe and Surface Embellishment

Materials: Miyuki Duracoat Silver 1.8mm Cube Beads & 11/0 Seed Beads, Miyuki Silver 15/0 Seed Beads, Swarovski Crystals, Toho One G Thread, Ribbon End Clamp, Clasp and Chain.

Silver Cube Cuff with Fringe

I also made several simple bracelets for Christmas gifts. This design is from the Aug/Sept 2011 issue of  Beadwork Magazine and it uses Tila beads! I made one in Matte Metallic Bronze, Matte Metallic Tarnished Silver, Matte Black and Matte Metallic Copper AB. And again, I only have photos of two of them!

Moroccan Tiles Bracelet in Matte Black & in Matte Metallic Copper AB

Design By: Heather Kahn

And finally, here is a choker that I made for myself. This is a design from the Dec/Jan 2008 issue of Bead & Button Magazine. It is worked in regular and reverse St Petersburg Chain stitch.

Regal Reiteration

Design By: Hatsumi Oshitani

I am also currently working on a Bead Embroidered eyeglass case for my dad (a very late birthday present) and a Bead Embroidered key chain for both my brother and for my brother in law! Hopefully those will all be done before their birthdays! There are several other Works in Progress going on here and I will be back with photos soon!

I am just so excited and impressed with how much beading I have actually accomplished lately! I have been beading around the clock instead of reading blogs and posting in forums and stalking on facebook! It's amazing how much you can get done when you actually sit down and do the work!

So, what are you all working on?