Monday 5 November 2012

PRECIOSA ORNELA

My first Christmas Present arrived via email today - I was chosen amongst a huge number of people all over the world to receive a wonderful gift of 1000 grams beads and seed beads from Preciosa Ornela!!!! Can hardly believe it, but then again, why not me?

Why don't you log onto their website and see all the bead paradise they have for sale?

http://www.preciosa-ornela.com/


 

Wednesday 3 October 2012

Pearly Shells Bead Embroidered Collar

Music is simply an essential part of my life - I breathe it with every breath.
Like so many of my items did this beautiful collar originate from the song

Pearly Shells

Pearly Shells,from the ocean.
shining in the sun,covering up the shore
When I see them
My heart tells me that I love you,
More than all the little pearly shells.
For every grain of sand upon the beach,
I got a kiss for you.
And I've got more left over,
for each star,
that twinkles in the blue,
Pearly Shells,
from the ocean,shining in te sun,
covering up the shore,
When I see them,
My heart tells me that I love you ,
More than all the little Pearly Shells

I beaded with C Lon D on Pellon, the backing is ultra suede. Sea shells were used, and glass pearls in various colors throughout. Glass seed beads, Japanese glass beads and Delicas made up for the texture.

Pearly Shells Collar will easily fit around a 15,25 inch neck (39cm). If necessary, can the clasp be removed and a lobster clasp and chain fitted to give additional length.




This gorgeous collar is available in my Etsy Shop: 

https://www.etsy.com/listing/110588805/pearly-shells-bead-embroidered-collar

Saturday 29 September 2012

Green Moss Bead Embroidered Necklace EBWC

Imagine a Misty Winter's Dawn in a Forest, where you're walking around the forest with the mist around you, its cold and wet and the sun is hardly visible - all the colors you notice seem to be matte with hardly any sharp definition of trees, plants, ground.

Especially if there is no direct sunlight coming through the trees, you get the underground in the forest to be one of "Green Moss."

I designed this necklace to be "Green Moss", with the occasional stone, pebble, and a lonely leaf as the focal areas. The center cabochon is an Agate from the Orange River, here in South Africa, and typically reflects the branches of a tree in the Moss Forest.

I beaded on leatherette, used C Lon D and ultra suede as backing. A chain finishes off the necklace, being a rustic color to compliment the "Green Moss" effect. Lobster clasp added for closure.

The length of the necklace is 21 inches (54cm), but additional chain can be added to provide additional length.

I am a proud member of Etsy Bead Embroidery Guild and Etsy Beadweavers team, to see more work by these members please search EBW team or EBEG under handmade or visit our blogs at http://ebeguild.blogspot.com/ or http://www/etsy-beadweavers.blogspot.com.

Friday 14 September 2012

Pink, Purple, Metallic Coral Reef

A couple of months ago I shied away from using any pink seed beads in bead embroidery - don't know exactly why! This week I embroidered a stunning cuff using all of the various shades of pink seed beads I had, added shades of purple and metallic, and this is the result - NOW I love beading with pink beads.







The name of the cuff is Coral Reef, as it reminds me of scuba diving and dwelling or swimming on the coral reef. If never done it before, so I let my imagination run free.

Coral Reef can be bought in my Etsy Shop:  

http://www.etsy.com/listing/109183631/coral-reef-bead-embroidered-bracelet

Have a wonderful weekend Friends, and remember to live!





Thursday 6 September 2012

Steam Punk Jewellery

The wonders of art  - just when you think that you know all the genres another one catches your imagination!

This time I was introduced to Steam Punk Jewellery by a fellow beader, and of course had to make a piece of jewellery. A gorgeous collar made its way into my mind, and I couldn't wait till it was done!

Please don't forget to visit my Etsy Shop where you can browse and buy to your heart's delight!



Sunday 2 September 2012

My Very Famous Bread-and-Butter Pudding



My Very Famous Bread and Butter Pudding - NOT for the faint - hearted!

6 Slices of white bread (pre-sliced)


Butter on the one side and smear Apricot Jam on the other side.

Use a greased oven proof dish and arrange the slices into layers.

Mix 600 ml full cream milk, 2 eggs and 1/2 cup of sugar, pour over the bread and leave to stand for at least 30 minutes.


Preheat oven at 180 degrees Celsius, bake (uncovered) for at least 2 hours.


Serve hot from the oven with very warm custard.


Enough to serve at least 6 people. And those left overs are perfect the next day or two heated in the microwave.
 

Saturday 4 August 2012

Never ever ever ever give up!

We all know that phrase very very well. And sometimes its really hard and difficult to do just that, not to ever give up. Perseverance and more perseverance, and just one fine day you'll see that all your hard work has paid off.


Today I sold my very first item in my Etsy Shop - this very beautiful hair barette - 


As the month of August is my birthday month, I really want each and everyone to celebrate with me - I'm offering a 20% discount on all my items in my shop till the 15th August- all you have to do is use the code Connique20 on checkout once you've ordered your items.  

So don't miss out - here's to you and to Connique (pop goes the bubblies!)



Sunday 22 July 2012

"Masquerade"

Chorus:
Masquerade!
Paper faces on parade.
Masquerade!
Hide your face, so the world will never find you!
Masquerade!
Every face a different shade.
Masquerade!
Look around -
there's another
mask behind you!

Flash of mauve.
Splash of puce.
Fool and king.
Ghoul and goose.
Green and black.
Queen and priest.
Trace of rouge.
Face of beast.
Faces.

Take your turn.
Take a ride.
On a merry - go - round
In an inhuman race.

Eye of gold.
Thigh of blue.
True is false.
Who is who?
Curl of lip.
Swirl of gown.
Ace of hearts.
Face of clown.
Faces.
Drink it in
Drink it up
'til you drown in the light.
In the sound   
(Phantom of the Opera)


Friday 13 July 2012

Busy Beading Babe

A very Busy Beading Babe - that is how you can describe me!

But then again, there is never a dull moment in my life, if not beading, reading, listening to music, being and just being me, the only time not accounted for is when I'm asleep, and that I don't need a lot of either.

So - here are my latest treasuries that may be bought through my Etsy Shop:

www.conniquejewellery.etsy.com

Year of the Dragon Collar

 "Mijo" Necklace

 Groovy Flower Power Necklace

Have a wonderful weekend Friends - see you next week!






Friday 29 June 2012

Tutorials listed!

Just before I'm getting ready for the weekend - here with my 2 Tutorials I listed in my Etsy Tutorial Shop this afternoon:   A basic Cuff Tutorial and a Basic Pendant Tutorial, both suited for beginners.



Now I'm done for today and this week - enjoy your weekend Friends.


Thursday 28 June 2012

I'm still here!

Just thought I let you all know I'm well - don't know what happened to this month but it just flew by!

I've been very busy with cuffs and a collar this month - here are a few new ones you can view and buy on my Etsy Shop.

Below is my Funky Fox Cuff influenced by Heidi Kummli.

Coral Bubble Collar below.


And oh yes, there is a huge surprise or two up my sleeve - but that will have to wait for next time!

Don't forget to leave a comment and follow Friends!

Wednesday 30 May 2012

"Grace" is what it's all about.



 
Also called elegant, sophistication, affected, appropriate, apt, aristocratic, artistic, august, chic, choice, classic, clever, comely, courtly, cultivated, cultured, dainty, delicate, dignified, effective, exquisite, fancy, fashionable, fine, genteel, graceful, grand, handsome, ingenious, luxurious, majestic, modish, neat, nice, noble, opulent, ornamented, ornate, ostentatious, overdone, polished, rare, recherché, refined, rich, select, simple, stately, stuffy, stylish, stylized, sumptuous, superior, turgid, well-bred.



To me that was quite a revelation - I was born in August, and I can relate to most of the synonyms above.

When I was still a little girl, I attended boarding school because of distances between our farm and the town. All the farmers' children attended boarding school, so to me it was a very natural thing to do. My dad/mom would drop me off before school starts on a Monday morning, and fetched me again straight after school on a Friday, normally at about 13h15. I then would spend the weekend on the farm.

My mom was really very good with sewing, baking, creating things, painting,  and often made me special dolls' clothes. She will then dress the doll in the new clothes, and should they go to town during the week, leave the dressed up doll on my bed in the boarding school. I will then find the "surprise" on my bed when I return from school that day.

One of my very special memories from those years is a particular doll that was dressed in a full length pure white wedding gown. I came home from school one day and there was this beautifully dressed up dolly on my bed. I can still picture the image, it is so vivid.

Many of the beads in this collar came from my mom's stack of beads after she passed away some years ago. The sequence beads were used on that very same wedding dress for my doll. "White" resembles pure, grace, and to me the wedding gown for my doll my mom made me.



The white rose represents a little girl, the white glass cabochon below the rose purity, various white shells, white cabochons and glass cabochons were used in creating "Grace".  Embellished with glass beads, glass seed beads, glass pearls, sequence beads, this collar to me will be a direct reflection to my doll and her wedding gown.

I embroidered on white leatherette, ultra suede is the backing, the length of the collar is around 53 cm. A toggle finishes off this collar.

To create depth and texture I made use of Picot Stitch between some of the cabochons.

Hope you will enjoy this creation as much as I did when creating it.


Monday 21 May 2012

Midnight Blue Monday?

Well, we all know about a Blue Monday. So I decided to make a gorgeous Blue Pendant for my private collection, but instead of Blue Monday I called it Midnight Blue Monday.


The cab is a perfect midnight blue, I used my Midnight Blue Bead Soup to finish this pendant. The absolute BEAUTY of Bead Soup is now coming to its full value.  

I spent a wonderful time with my daughter last week, she spoiled me rotten, what a special daughter/friend/person she is! I just love her to bits.

Her Gran's birthday is the end of this month, Gran saw my  Swampy Forest Cuff, and loved it so much she also wanted one! Except Gran is very skinny, and the wide cuff would not have suited her arm, so I made her another bracelet/cuff - 


This cuff is only 1inch wide, I used a tiny very strong magnet clasp for ease of use around her tiny 16cm wrist.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY OUMA NITA!




Sunday 13 May 2012

Mother's Day

A most amazing day to celebrate - and with the celebration comes the memories (of course!)

Two women made a huge impact in my life and I will always remember them, honor the heritage they left behind and try and walk not only beside them, but be worthy of them.

My Gran - Cornelia Maria Vorster (previously Barnard) nee Roos


And my Mom- Japie Pienaar (nee Barnard)


I salute you!


Wednesday 9 May 2012

Bead Soup

Where did this week go? Can't believe its almost weekend - time seems to fly 
WHEN YOU'RE HAVING FUN!

I discovered Bead Soup! Now what is that you may ask? Bead Soup simply is a number of different beads of different colors of different sizes thrown together  - and from this Bead Soup Mix one creates a piece of jewellery! I not only discovered Bead Soup, I also learned how to use the Color Wheel to create my own Bead Soup, and as they say in the classics, the World Is My Oyster!

Bead Soup no 1 Cuff - Rainy Forest


Bead Soup no 2 Cuff - Swampy Forest


I love strong colors, but my next Bead Soup Project will be a Pastel One!

Going to mix my Bead Soup now - I love being a Lady Child!

Don't forget to leave a comment and join this blog please...
  


Friday 4 May 2012

Pendants

Did I mention that I am a bead addict?  Signing off for the week with this photo of pendants I finished today.





Finished the pendants below earlier this week!
Way to go Girl!


Have yourselves a wonderful weekend!

See you all next week - don't forget to comment and sign in on my blog - 

 

Monday 30 April 2012

Have not done some polymer clay cabs for a while, thought I make some today - but had to experiment of course.

I wanted to make a sun and moon - did that. Moon in various shapes and colors, and a moon with craters in it.

Then went on to do something I have not done before, used charms embedded in the clay, as well as a 12mm rivoli, and they came out quite well as well. 

Now of course the sky is the limit!

All the cabs on this photo have been baked, but not glazed as yet.

 


Sunday 29 April 2012

Pendants Galore!!

Pendants, pendants and more pendants!

Pendants in various stages of completion, just imagine the fun and creativity that will go into making these. 

Needless to say, this lady child is out to play! 

Again? you may ask?  Not again, but always!

Have fun Friends, don't forget to play and create.

See you next time.

Comments are always welcome!

 

Saturday 28 April 2012

Snow White

Progress done on my Snow White Theme for the 3rd Bead Fest - having fun!!!

 
The glass coffin will be on the right hand side of this photo - still have to figure out how to do it!
 
Would love to hear your comments!

Friday 27 April 2012

3rd EBEG Bead Fest - A Fairy Tale

Its all about being a child again. Don't you just love it when you don't have a care in the world, knowing fully well that all and every need of yours will be taken care of by your parents?

So this grown up child is having fun being a small child once again. I grew up on Snow White, The Three Bears, Cinderella, Red Riding Hood and several others. My Mom told us those Fairy Tales over and over again, until we knew them off by heart.

So when I had to choose a theme for a Fairy Tale Bead Fest, it came so easily that I didn't have to think about what exactly a Fairy Tale is!  

I chose Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,  here is the first photograph. You will see Snow White, looking at the mirror, and wedged in between Snow White and the mirror is the poisoned apple of which a bite was taken.  The Seven Dwarfs are there as well, here I used polymer clay cabs I made myself to represent the Dwarfs.  I already have the final outcome pictured in my head - absolutely no lack of imagination for this little child! 


 Please remember to sign in as a friend on my blog, you are most welcome to leave a comment!




Tuesday 24 April 2012

Tuesday

Thought I share the update on my projects so far - 

All White Collar


Salmon and Green Collar - here I added blue faceted beads, to compliment the blue color in the cab.

Have Fun Friends!

Thursday 19 April 2012

Pillars of the Earth - Ken Follett

 Pillars of the Earth is one of the books I read that will always remain with me. It is a true historical novel and one of the books that is worth reading, over and over again.

 This pendant is almost done, just to add all the final touches. I named it "Cathedral". 


 Progress on my All White Collar and Green & Salmon Collar. The focal point on the White Collar, the White Rose, was omitted to make beading easier. Will put it back again when the collar is finished.



An Animal Farm

An Animal Farm - beautiful memories from my youth.

 I grew up on a farm, and we had all sorts of animals on the farm - cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens, geese, all life stock to live off. We grew maize and wheat as well, and we lived and survived off the income from the land. We as a family never wanted for anything, mainly because my Mom was such a very capable lady, she canned, preserved all the fruit and vegetables, she made all our clothes, baked and cooked up a storm, although we never had money to waste, we most certainly didn't feel the need for anything.

  My very long term project will be a collar with an animal farm theme.  Very intricate, but will be a very nice memory trip to go on.



Tuesday 17 April 2012

We had joy, we had fun, we had seasons in the sun

I'm a sun baby. I love the sun, the warm, the energy, I simply love the sun. Which goes with me being a lover of summer, long days, short nights, lots of LIGHT!

Added 5 small projects in the form of pendants to be, will name them after the 4 seasons, and an additional one for summer. 


Polymer Clay Cabs done by myself!  

Don't forget to buy that special Mothers' Day Beading Tutorial so you can bead a wonderful bracelet for your Mom!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/ConniqueTutorials

Back to the Studio - beads are singing:
We had joy, we had fun, we had seasons in the sun!

Monday 16 April 2012

Beading Tutorials

Did I mention that I just LOVE my job?  The possibilities are endless - something new to be added as often as I want to!

I started my Beading Tutorials yesterday, opened my Etsy Beading Tutorial Shop, and had so much fun designing my first Tutorial, named Aries Tutorial, which of course is very appropriate for this month.

Why don't you check it out in my Etsy Store?   http://www.etsy.com/shop/ConniqueTutorials

And of course please remember to sign in as a member and leave a comment - if you have difficulty in signing in, use the Anonymous option, leave your name in the comment block, I would love to know who you are.



Saturday 14 April 2012

2 Smaller projects added

I added 2 smaller projects today - a cuff and my filigree project, a pendant.



What do I do for fun?  I play around with beaded beads!  They fascinate me, the possibilities are endless, and I just love making them.

Just joking, I always have fun beading, whether it be embroidery, beaded beads, stringing, weaving, all aspects of beading gives me much joy. If you can't have fun doing what you love, what is the point in doing it?

Signing off for this weekend - Have Fun!

Thursday 12 April 2012

Starting a new project today, actually 2

Well, I successfully finished the 11 projects I was working on yesterday, and having half of my admin done, I thought its time to start my next couple of projects. 

First one will be my All White Collar, 


Followed by my Green and Salmon Collar



Still want to do something with Filigree as well, haven't designed it yet. Will do that probably tomorrow or the day after.

As for this afternoon, it will be back to the rest of the admin, cleaning out and sorting my stock cupboard.

Also considering doing a bit of bead weaving - I really like to do various techniques at any one time.

But right now its time again for that much needed cuppa!

Tuesday 10 April 2012

Leader of the Pack of One

I'm Leader of the Pack of One. Let me explain a little better, I'm Leader of the Pack, and there is only one in the Pack! That's me, also referred to as "Leo".


Summer is my best time of the year, when the sun rises early in the morning, and sets late in the afternoon, which means here by us in Cape Town it stays light till about half past eight at night. You might say I'm the early bird which catches the worm, as I can get up very early as long as there is sunlight. 

Winter taught me a few things - I change productivity from being the early bird to the night owl. During winter I don't like to get up when its cold, wet and dark, which means that my day starts late and then ends late, as I can work late in the evening. If I were a swallow or a tortoise I will be able to understand my winter and summer changes, but I'm neither, so to me it remains a misery.

Leader of the Pack of One - one doesn't keep regular work hours, one works all day long till the work is done.  The work will never be finished, as it is a business one runs, which includes buying, (good old retail therapy), selling, manufacturing ( which takes up the larger amount of time), stock-taking, marketing, advertising, admin, designing, all part of the normal run of the day business. 



Leader of the Pack of One - also means "working from home". So I can get up later during the winter, don't have to sit in traffic on my way to my office, (nightmare for most people including me), irregular income ( thought you can't live without your monthly pay-cheque?), having to make your own cup of coffee, keep your own studio tidy, do you own filing (ouch!), motivate yourself when needed, and also praise yourself when praise is due.

Do I love my job? Yes, I LOVE my job! 

Now for my second cup of coffee, and then to the Beading Studio for more Creative Therapy!

Monday 9 April 2012

Pendants Galore

On this very fine day I'm finishing off pendants - quite a number to do still.