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As a designer, I'm challenged to make beautiful things almost every day. Most of the time, it works out, and I'm happy with what I make. Sometimes, a design is successful, but it's just not my style. Occasionally, it just doesn't work, and I have to leave the bead board and come back after a quick walk outside or a good night's sleep.

But every so often I make something that I love and wish I could keep. I'm sure you all know what I mean. I know Erin understands, as she wrote about feeling just that after designing her Toast of the Town Necklace which started the Quick Fire blog hop.

Well, The Collector's Necklace is one of my favorites. I designed it over a year ago for an episode of Beads, Baubles and Jewels, which you can usually find on your local PBS station. As it turned out, I wasn't able to present this project because I was late into my pregnancy, but Katie kindly picked up and did a glorious job presenting this project. Thanks so much, Katie! Just click here to see Katie present a how-to video, or click here for written instructions.

Everywhere I wear it, I get compliments, and it's such a versatile design! I made three different versions of it for the show, and there are so many more variations that I'd love to make, using a cute "you are my home" charm from swoondimples or maybe an aquatic themed necklace with this toggle from green girl studios. The best part of the design is that it makes it easy to use up those favorite beads of which you have only one or two left.

Even more exciting is you can win this version of the design by clicking it in Halcraft's Holiday Glam Giveaway!

Here's my first Collector's Necklace along with a two other versions I made for the show. Have fun making your own Collector's Necklaces. They're great gifts that also use up the favorite beads of which you have only one or two left!

Embellishment and the Bead

 

My most recent Halcraft Design Team challenge was organized around the theme of Holiday Gifts that are one-size-fits-all. I saw these beautiful gloves at my local Target store, and I thought that they could use a bit of beady embellishment! I used the glamorous Inspired by Vintage comonents from the Bead Gallery encap at Michaels to dress them up for a night out!



All I used was some Beadalon WildFire in white to stitch the sliders securely onto the gloves. I debated for a while about the "ring," but I thought that it looked like a little snowflake, so I went for it. What do you think?

I had so much fun that I made these two pairs as well!

 

 

 

I love the simple sophistication of the pendant on the blue gloves and I think the squared crystals on the tan gloves will peek out from the sleeves of a favorite wool coat perfectly.

The holiday crafting season is about to begin! Hooray!