"Peniche" Bracelet - PDF Pattern

Reference EA0134

Materials needed:

• 6mm pearls or rounds;
• 3mm bicones;
• ios by Puca;
• 11/0 Miyuki seed beads;
• 15/0 Miyuki seed beads.

"Évora" Necklace Tutorial

Reference EA0133

List of materials used in this project:

• 4mm Swarovski bicones;
• kheops by Puca;
• 3,4mm Miyuki fringe drop;
• 8/0 Miyuki seed beads;
• 11/0 Miyuki seed beads.

Video tutorial

"Blooming Star" Earrings Tutorial

If you love a flower that lives on a star, it is sweet to look 

at the sky at night. All the stars are a-bloom with flowers...

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince 

Reference EA0132

List of materials used in this project:

• 14mm Swarovski rivoli;
• superduos;
• 3mm Swarovski bicones;
• 4mm Swarovski bicones;
• 11/0 Miyuki seed beads;
• 15/0 Miyuki seed beads.

Video tutorial

"Perfect Two" Earrings Tutorial

The Perfect Two earrings tutorial is composed of 3 step by step videos. This design was created through a combination of a main component, a peyote embelishment and a top part. 

The name for these earrings came up from the two pearls perfectly aligned in the centre of the main element.

Reference EA0131

List of materials used in this project:

• 8mm pearly beads;
• 3x4mm glass rondelles;
• super duos;
• 8/0 Miyuki seed beads;
• 11/0 Miyuki seed beads.

The main component can be adapted and turned into other pieces of jewellery. By linking several of these components you can make a bracelet or a necklace, for example.

Video tutorial

The peyote embelishment wasn't something planned. At first, the main component was created with another purpose, not to make a pair of earrings but a bracelet instead. However, everytime I pick up some beads to create a design, imagination goes wild and sometimes the finish project turns into something else.

Video tutorial

The video on the element that forms the top of the earring was a tutorial requested by a subscriber of our YouTube Channel. That little flower was named Forever Spring component. You can see another use for this element on a previous post about the Forever Spring necklace. The piece consists of a composition of several of these small components.

Video tutorial

"Game of Thrones" Bookmark by Crafts For You

With the release of Game of Thrones' new season just around the corner, i's a really good time to tell you about a special bookmark I received in the mail about a month ago. It was sent to me by my friend Ana from Crafts For You.

About Crafts For You
But first let me tell you a little bit about Crafts For You. As a book lover, Ana takes pleasure creating unique and custom bookmarks. She uses a great variety of components to make these bookmarks: charms, pendants, gemstones, fossils, crystals... Just give her the name of a book and she will do the rest. But Crafts For You isn't only about bookmarks! Among Ana's works you can also find bracelets and necklaces. Everything handmade with a lot of detail and love.
If you are curious to know more, check out Crafts For You on facebook or visit the site.

A gift from Crafts For You
Knowing that I'm such a big fan of the TV series, Ana surprised me with a customized bookmark, Game of Thrones style. Made with red suede cord, it has a crown charm on one side and a pendant with a dragon on the other side. It is such an exquisite and unique bookmark. I love it!
Maybe this was her way of giving me a little push to start reading the books! Was that what you were aiming for, Ana?! Just kidding! Thank you so much for this lovely gift.

Ana has a section of Game of Thrones' bookmarks on Crafts For You facebook page. This is one of my favourites (besides mine, of course!). Winter is here!

Photo by Crafts For You

"Torneo Creativo 2017: Beading" from Beads Perles Boutique

Beads Perles Boutique is a Spanish online shop that sells materials and components to make handmade jewellery. They ran two jewellery contests the present year: a Soutache Tournament and a Beading Tournament (from May to June).

A beading friend told me about their beading contest and I decided to sign up. I participated with the "Forever Spring" necklace. This design was elaborated with super duos, 4mm Swarovski bicones, 14mm Swarovski rivolis and 11/0 and 15/0 Miyuki seed beads.

My design didn´t pass the first round but that was ok. I wasn´t expecting to win, just wanted to join the contest. It was a good experience!

All competitors were very creative and their designs were beautifully executed. The tounament was won by Ana Reza from Leah couture bijoux. Congratulations!

Winner design by Ana Reza

"Braga" Necklace Tutorial

When I started my own designs I began naming them after portuguese places, like Tróia (peninsula in Grândola municipality) and Mouraria (neighborhood in Lisbon). However, this idea was lost along the way. To recover this purpose, the protagonist in this post was named after the oldest city in Portugal and one of the oldest Christian cities in the world, Braga. With more than 2000 years, the city was founded in the Roman period under the name of Bracara Augusta. Here are some pictures taken last Summer when I visited the city.

Braga, Summer 2016

But let's go back to the necklace, the main purpose of this post. Handmade with few different types of materials, this necklace turned out really gorgeous. It's very easy to make even if you are a beginner.

Let me warn you that 10gr of superduos won't be enough to make this necklace. I was able to make 15 complete units with this quantity and had to complete the rest of the length with chain. So, you will need 16 to 17 units to make a proper necklace.

Reference EA0130

Materials used:

• turquoise green matte superduos;
• jet iris 4x3mm rondelles;
• black 8/0 Miyuki seed beads;
• metallic forest green iris 11/0 Miyuki seed beads.
• beading needle size 10 or 12;
• beading thread.

Video tutorial