I've actually had this bead box stocked since I revealed Bead Box 9 back in November. I'm not sure what's gotten in the way of creating this reveal, but it's about time I got around to it.
Let me quickly explain that my "Bead Box" is a basic, plastic craft organizer with 17 compartments. I like to stuff the elements for one jewelry design into each compartment and work from the box when I'm away from the house, lacking inspiration for other projects, or just want to have busy hands. I'll have my list of the other versions of this box below, but let's get to this one.
Also, I began using plastic baggies within the box to help contain the contents further as I found that sometimes materials migrated into other compartments. This doesn't make for the best picture, but definitely helps me know what's what! Let me admit that I've already worked my way through about half of this box and some of the items have even already sold. But, let's talk about what I had planned anyway.
As I was sifting through my containers of artist-made materials, these elements seemed to pull toward each other for a lovely pair of earrings.
I've long had that little
Gaea Handmade mushroom but never could make a decision on how best to use it. I settled on some amazonite nuggets and little dark wood beads for a necklace.
There are quite a few of the
Gaea Handmade pieces in this box as this little cluster-of-mushrooms pendant is another of hers. I created a frame with Czech glass beads around it to complete the pendant for a necklace that was made with the crazy agate, peanut beads, and tiger's eye beads.
I created this floral pendant some months back when I was
Using Vintaj Patinas for a video. It ended up being the perfect thing for a challenge. I added some bright, colorful glass beads to make a chain for it.
I'm fairly sure those enameled rings are also from
Gaea. I had visions of just linking them to one another to make an organic-feeling necklace.
I was really dipping into the art beads for this Bead Box as I also pulled out these enameled filigree beads and matched them with a couple of glass beads for some earrings.
Those little polymer clay beads are from
Tree Wings Studio. I've been hanging onto them for. . . forever! I felt that their wonky, organic-feel needed some balance, so I pulled out glass melon beads, Czech glass seed beads, and tourmaline quartz teardrops to use with them to make some simple earrings.
The
Tim Holtz Metal Word Bands* work beautifully in bracelets. Because of the sentiment on this one, I altered it with
Vintaj Patinas in an irregular pattern. Then, an array of mismatched beads from my bead soup were collected to create several chains for a bracelet.
This soldered word bubble and tin-encased line of rhinestones have been floating around in my stash for a while. Something told me to put them together. I added black, red, frosted, and clear faceted glass beads to the design.
Something I saw online sparked the desire to create a bracelet with a leather cord. The soldered button looked like a great focal while small charms were thrown in for interest.
Still dipping into my art bead stash, I found those little charms from
MyElements. Inspiration struck and I created a couple of
Vintaj Patina-colored tin diamonds while adding dyed stone and glass beads to the compartment to make a pair of earrings.
When I found the glass headpins in the first set (at the top), I also found these. Since I've had them for so long, it seemed a good idea to go ahead and use them all. I picked a pair of frosted glass beads (hard to see) and some stars to make a pair of earrings with them.
Another Tim Holtz product, a
Typed Token, makes a great little charm. I highlighted the word on it with
Vintaj Patina in Ruby then found matching seed beads. A few gray glass beads will contrast the brightness of the seed beads when this bracelet is made.
It's been so long since I packed this box that I had forgotten about some of the designs in it. This one really excites me. I'll be using those vintage salvaged cones with handmade lampwork beads and some tin that I cut. Gold seed beads will act as spacers in these earrings.
I soldered the pottery shard some time ago. It was apparently found on the shore of Mobile Bay. A variety of green beads (glass and jade) will make up the chain for this necklace.
These tin teardrops will be accented with lampwork glass bead spacers and metal bead caps to create a pair of earrings.
Playing with a
patina technique that I watched from TheCrafsMan, I altered a basic copper washer but then didn't know what to do with it. When I found the small ceramic charm, I realized they would pair perfectly together for a sweet necklace pendant. Dark blue glass, wood, and copper beads will be used to make its chain.
And, that's the whole box. Like I said, I've already worked a good way into it. And, after seeing these pictures, I'm reminded how excited I am about some of these designs. Hopefully, I can finish them up soon. For now, if you want to see some of the other boxes I've packed and what I've made from them, here's the full list.
Which of these are you most excited to see made?
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