CraftyHope: Bead Box 17

I love having a box full of beads ready to be made into jewelry. Quite a few years ago, I stocked up the first version of this box. It's just a plastic organizer with seventeen compartments. Into each compartment, I place the elements for one design. And, when I travel or lack inspiration, I can turn to this bead box to keep my hands busy. It's been a few months since I shared the pieces made from the last box, and the box has been sitting empty and forlorn ever since. I remedied that recently, and now it's time to share what I've packed into this seventeenth version.

Before I begin, I have to go ahead and tell you that in boxes past, I've sometimes forgotten what the original design was supposed to be. I lost my vision for the elements partly because I waited too long to work on the pieces and partly because I didn't document my ideas. I made sure that this wouldn't be the case (not entirely anyway) with this box. As I designed each piece, I sketched it out with plenty of notes. Hopefully, this will keep me on track. I guess we'll see!! Okay, let's get to it.

When I created that soldered bubble, I had no idea what I would do with a pendant of two old-timey soldiers. But, when I pulled out some of the bullet casings I picked up not long ago, I realized that they would pair perfectly with this pendant. Some brown-toned beads will fill out some of this necklace. And, I will add additional chain later to finish it.

After that first design was packed into the box, I wasn't sure what else to use to fill it up. I ended up turning to my selection of artist-made elements. It was a lot of fun to be reminded of the beautiful things I've gathered over the years and pick out some to work with. I will try to link the makers for these items if I remember where I got them. (And, if I don't mention where they came from and you do recognize the maker, please let me know so I can try to link them.)

I bought these earring charms from Petra of Scorched Earth on Etsy many moons ago and have hoarded them since. I plan to just add a fringe of bead dangles from the bottom wires, and I selected small, complementary beads that will allow the charms to really be the star of the earrings I plan to make.

This pendant came from Gaea. (I've linked to her Etsy shop, but she sells in several other places too.) This is going to be a simple chain on cold wire with alternating blue and white pearls. That pendant is such a stunner, it doesn't need anything too fussy.

That copper and enamel piece is also from Gaea and the heart is from Petra. I'm going to combine them with the Czech glass heart in a pendant. The chain of it will be made up of that mix of beads and buttons with some copper wire. It should super cute.

That's a Golem Studio pendant that I received in a bead swap ages and ages ago. It was actually used in a design that never really worked. So, that was taken apart, and I'll try again with the salvaged glass pearls, red beads, and tiny black beads.

Oh, y'all...There are several different designers in this mix. The enameled beads came from Cheryl Foiles as part of one of the Bead Soup Blog Parties. The green stoneware connector is from Karen of Starry Road Studio and the copper loop is from Miss Fickle Media. These treasures will be combined into a pendant. The chain will be made from the coppery wood beads on the waxed cord. I'm excited to work on this one. It's a little different for me.

Here are a couple of other components that were previously worked into one design that ultimately wasn't quite right. The patinaed copper charms are from Melinda Orr of Orrtec on Etsy. I'll include those tiny freshwater pearls on the chain to hang in front of the copper pieces. I actually remembered to pull out the small gauge headpins for the pearls. Yay!

Oh goodness...I've had that lampwork bead in my stash for a long time. I can't remember where it came from - maybe a giveaway, maybe I bought it. But, it needs to linger no longer. I will accent it with a simple tassel made from recycled sari silk. The frosted and crystal-clear beads will make up the chain.

Here's another Gaea pendant (I do love her stuff!). Wood, bone, and Amazonite beads will be combined with antiqued brass wire to make a simple necklace.

For the life of me, I cannot remember where this beautiful pendant came from. I've searched blog posts and Etsy purchases to no avail. I believe it might have been part of some kind of challenge as I know I made a necklace with it and garnets, but that was disassembled some time ago. This time around, I'll make a chain of those sparkly glass beads and dangle the little faux opal headpins. I learned to make those in the Grungy Resin Opals tutorial from Marina of Fanciful Devices.

I believe I won this lampwork bead (and a few others) in a giveaway. It was made by Kimberly Rogers of Numinosity Beads. I'm going to use it as a focal for a double-strand bracelet. One will be a rosary chain and the other will use the leather cord and some of the beads. My sketch has a couple of suggestions on how to finish it depending on how it looks. I guess we'll see it in my reveal!

We're switching to more of some of the items I've made, like this resin pendant. I'll use it in a necklace with a basic chain of alternating beads. Easy peasy.

Michelle Mach of Beads and Books gifted me several of the laser-cut wood squares. I added some resin and typed words in this one. I have plans to wrap some wire and seed bead loops through the holes around the outside frame. The chain for this necklace will be really simple.

I got these beauties and many others as part of a swap from Juli Cannon of JulsBeads (alas she's no longer making beads). I'm going to make them the star of a pair of earrings with just some wire. I think they're perfectly juicy and bright for summer.

This soldered bubble is another of my creations. I thought it was perfect for a bracelet focal. I'll use the polymer clay beads (from a destash from Shipwreck Dandy), an enamel bead, and a few others I tossed in on some beading wire. We'll see how that works out.

Here's another solder pendant I made. This was some kind of bottle stopper, I think. I picked out a mix of other clear beads to make a long chain for a necklace.

I'll use these little tin domes that I cut out along with the beads and chain to make a pair of earrings. They're not the most spectacular way to finish out this box, but I was tired by this point!

And, that's all there is. If you have any interest in seeing any of my other boxes and what came of them, here's the full list.