I am tearing through these Bead Boxes lately. Before I finish this one, I thought it would be best to go ahead and share how I stocked it.
Let me first explain that my bead box is a simple plastic organizer with 17 compartments. Into each compartment, I place most of the elements for a jewelry design. This is the twelfth iteration of this box. I'll have links to all the others below. Here's what I've stuffed into this version.
I made this riveted tin piece a few weeks back but wasn't sure what to do with it. When I started stocking this box, I made sure to include it. I simply added some black faceted beads and cultured sea glass beads that will help transform it into a necklace.
I've got several little baggies of gemstone chip floating around the craft room. I thought it might be fun to try to incorporate them into some handmade hoop earrings. This copper set with the mother-of-pearl chips is my first design with this idea.
The idea of adding a bunch of fringy beads around a bracelet bar got into my head so I rolled with it by prepping some tin from my stash then grabbing coordinating seed beads.
Here's another hoop and chip design. For this one, I've added a couple of handmade resin charms.
I had a bowl of prepped tin pairs set aside, waiting for something like this. This set was hand-painted and just needed coordinating beads.
These were also set aside and waiting. I picked out some gold beads that match the gold dots (hard to see in the picture) on the tin but will use gunmetal pins to mix up the metals.
A few soldered ceramic shards have been stashed away too. This pretty blue and white one will be paired with matching blue faceted beads, off-white faceted beads, and a couple of blue and white floral beads to make a necklace.
While searching for elements to inspire designs for this bead box, I opened a drawer in my bead cabinet that holds pendants. The large crystal and black acrylic key slid next to each other when the drawer was moved, and I decided it was a match. I dipped into my bead soup to pick out a bevy of brightly colored beads and buttons for the chain.
Initially, this design was going to be something to do while I took my niece to get her Covid-19 vaccine, but I didn't get to it. So, the vintage skeleton key and beachy blue and gray beads ended up in the Bead Box instead.
This metal feather was unpainted in that pendant drawer. I fixed it up with a few Vintaj Patinas. When I couldn't find beads to go with it, I made my own by adding more of the Patinas in the holes of the clear crystal beads. A few basic silver-tone beads round out the design for this bracelet.
I've been messing around with UV Resin a bit lately so when I unearthed these double-sided bezels, I decided to use more Vintaj Patinas, the resin, and some book text to create little charms. They'll be connected to form a bracelet.
I've been holding onto this laser-cut octopus from Allegory Gallery for far too long. It really only needs some simple embellishments. So, I chose tiny matching wood beads and some aqua-colored cultured sea glass beads.
Not too long ago, I picked up a few locker tags. I've curved this one to make a bracelet bar and will be adding a few black and red beads to make the chain for a bracelet.
Yeah, you see the embroidery floss. I'm going to make tassel earrings with the reproduction clock hands and crystal beads.
Those two soldered bubbles with faces were in my stash. Something called to me to pair them up for the pendant of a necklace. I added a few light pink beads and some crystals that will make the necklace chain.
While making my
tissue paper earrings, I wondered if I could use the UV Resin in other open-backed elements. So, I tried with the petals in these decorative keys. It worked! I'll be adding some peridot chips to finish off these earrings.
Lastly, I had another few bits of tin and a couple of beads. I know I had a great earring design idea, and I'm hoping I sketched it out. But, for the life of me, I can't remember what it was. Here's hoping it comes to me soon because I'm inching closer to finishing this box already.
If you're interested in my previous boxes and their reveals, here's the full list.
I'm working my way through this box faster than the last one, I think. But, I won't complain. Staying busy and getting some jewelry made is always a good thing. Which of these are you looking forward to seeing completed?
