Grey Wolf Bracelet

Having blogged about some impulse buys recently, I thought it was time to showcase the bracelet combination I put together for Boxing Day using another another impulse buy from a few months ago, Grey Wolf.  I was also able to use some of my new silver beads and some older beads that were among the first beads I chose.

L-R: LE Christmas Kit 2011, Waves, Brown Desert, Lucky Knot, Grey Wolf, Lucky Knot,
Golden Cave, Big Planet, OOAK Brown & White Harlequin

I like the use of the double silver lucky knots here, one of my first multiples of a bead to be acquired when I bought the luck and joy starter bracelet, since then I've acquired 2 retired pink prisms and another multiple of a different prism on the way!

L-R: Grey Wolf, Lucky Knot, Golden Cave, Big Planet, OOAK Brown & White Harlequin, Yin and Yang,
LE Jasper, Zodiac Birthstone Star, OOAK Brown, grey and white.

I love this bracelet, it's one of my less vivid combinations, worn on the day with an amber pendant and a tigers eye and other "stone bits" bracelet.

L-R: Ebay stopper, Baltic Gold Amber, Transformation, Grey Squirrel, Endless,
LE Christmas Kit, Waves, Brown Desert, Grey Wolf

Lock with Buds

The new Lock with Buds also had an outing, I'm still having a bit of trouble with the smaller end as I don't always remember to check it will go on that particular bracelet until after I've assembled the full bracelet - d'oh!

Artisan & critters bracelet

Some fun bead play with my new beads led to what I think of an artisan and critters bracelet...

L-R: Green and blue ooak, Porcupine, green ooak, Luccicare turtle, green ooak, trollbead stopper, Swan Lock

Another Luccicare bead between the 2 blue and green ooaks

Penguin & Baby Christmas Collection 2012 silver bead on the chain

All the silver beads and lock are creatures/critters as well as having a glass turtle in the combination

The three central beads are all artisan, purple and cubic zirconia is another Luccicare,
the two either side are unknown.

Artisan Turtle by Christa at Luccicare on Etsy

So, given that I was disappointed not to receive silver Turtles earlier this month I made plans for a replacement and decided to go with Artisan bead maker, Christa Keizer and one of her glass turtle beads.  I was already a fan of Christa's beads having bought my first ones last month.

As much as I like trollbeads glass turtle beads (which can a bit hard to get hold of) I must admit I actually prefer Christa's turtles, the detail on them is incredible and whilst I've been admiring them for a while, it was this fella with his shiny spots that made me take the plunge.

This won't be the last turtle I buy from Christa although I haven't decided on what colours to go for next, if you fancy one why not pop along to her shop on Etsy, there's one just like this available right now, but if you miss it and you can't see what you want, you can always get in touch and ask for your own choice of colours!  Christa is a delightful and talented lady to buy from and very accommodating to her customers, she comes highly recommended from this blogger!

New additions to the Troll Collection

No I haven't secretly been given access to the new Christmas Collection a week early before anyone gets too excited by the title... but just to get into the festive spirit here are my new additions to my troll collection on a bit of tinsel, no expense spared here! (Well no expense at all actually spent or spared... as another collector sent me some beads on the tinsel so just recycling as usual)

I was driving home the other day and I randomly decided to drive past a trollbead shop with my often exercised "trust to fate" approach; if there's a car parking space nearby I'll stop and have a look.  I normally avoid doing this as I can easily predict what is likely to happen in this scenario.

There was, I did, I bought, I came home.

This was just a browsing mission just to see the new Halloween beads in person* (or so I kept telling myself, as the compulsion came upon me).  I have about 5 working wish lists at any given time, plus ideas that have been nurtured whilst I write my blog, inspiration from reading about or looking at other people's collections and/or their bracelet ideas and not forgetting the good old fashioned "ooh shiny/pretty/bumpy/wow/sparkly**" method of picking up beads.

The latter method introduced me to Grey Wolf, whilst I've toyed with some of the animal inspired glass beads I've only actually bought Black Squirrel before and readers to the blog will already know the trouble I've sometimes had in using this bead on my bracelets (having narrated previously that I mostly buy beads I like without a bracelet/theme plan in my head, this can often leave me with beads that are that bit harder to incorporate into any given combination... we shall see what happens with this one!).  Nevertheless this big fascinating fella was yelling up at me from the display case, there was another regular one or two in the shop, but this noisy one was clearly the alpha male by comparison.

My 2nd purchase on this browsing trip was Turquoise Prism; I'd been mulling over buying some more as they are such useful additions to bracelets and I agreed with this post in Tartooful when C commented that they are very good for finishing off bracelets nicely as it gives a tapered line to the lock, or words to that effect.  What I love about turquoise prism, which I think has to be my favourite prism so far, is that it's dual toned and with two of my favourite jewel shades! I was sporting this bracelet below at the time and the colours compliment beautifully the purple and green beads shown below.

The bead I bought from the ideas that have been nurtured whilst I've been writing the blog came with buying a bead I already have, World Tour Lithuania's Bead which is a firm favourite of mine and is now the first of my multiple beads bought from another collector who was having the same issues with this one as I have had with Black Squirrel.  (Even broke into my Holiday Fund for the first one, which is far more sacred than my new boiler fund which gets broken into quite regularly; I have a very healthy interest in trying to nurse my old boiler along for a few more years yet).  Ironically the two versions are so different I'm not sure I'll be using them as a mirrored bead in a combo, but I will be able to use them "twice" on different bracelets.

Finally another prism, Pink Prism this time, came into my field of view from another collector, and bingo the postie knocked twice (well she was new and didn't realise, unlike my regular postie, that I camp beside the letterbox when expecting a bead delivery), so that's 4 very useful prisms now in my collection and an expansion to the Pinks!


Artisan Beads

Finally I bought some artisan beads, i.e. non-Troll, and although I don't know who made these as I didn't buy them direct, I'm already in love with them.  They have slightly larger cores but that's not so obvious when they are on a chain and I adore the colours.  I also have my eye on several bead makers that do sell direct and when the time is right I think I'm going on a spending spree, but I'll save that for another blog post.

3 Artisan beads - top view

3 Artisan beads - side view

One more package expected for the moment but I couldn't wait for that one to tell you about my new beads, the postman didn't even knock today, just pushed through a pension newsletter which DOES NOT make me go "Ooh shiny" in any way shape or form.


* the observant amongst you will note I also still haven't bought any Halloween beads yet... in case you were wondering they did have stock in the shop; I just got sidetracked by the other beads but I can confirm that Inner Glow does indeed glow in the dark!
**delete according to taste.