My Very Own Etsy Store (And A Couple Of Giveaways!)

Hello! Hello! I'll fully admit it, it's been a little bit quiet around here recently. I've been busy working on a couple of 'hush, hush' projects (that I promise to share with you all soon) and I have finally taken the plunge and opened my own little etsy store, Obstinate Pursuit.

It's been a long, long time coming! In celebration, I'm sponsoring this month's giveaway over at Operation Tackle That Bead Stash - and giving you a little preview of a bracelet tutorial that will be available for sale in the shop this weekend.*

I'll be choosing one winner at random to receive a copy of the tutorial and all of the materials that you need to make a bracelet - including Miyuki Seed Beads and Swarovski Pearls - and will announce the winner on the 31st July. Just head over to Operation Tackle That Bead Stash and leave a comment on The July Giveaway.

* And, just in case you're wondering. It's not available at the moment, because I still haven't chosen a name. So, if you'd like an extra chance to win the tutorial, please leave a name suggestion on this very post! If I choose your suggestion, I'll send you a copy of the tutorial too! How simple is that?

It's Back! {Tried & Tested}

I'm battling an addiction and, I admit, I'm in serious need of a Pin-tervention! Just recently, I've been 'busy' sifting and sorting through my 'lazy old likes' and have either re-pinned them or deleted them - whittling down over seven thousand (ahem!) likes and leaving myself with twenty-six boards and well over nine hundred lovely looking projects to attempt - eventually.

In my defence, it wasn't a complete waste of time - and that some-day has already arrived. That's right, I've actually started to work on some projects inspired by all of that pinning. So, I'm bringing back Tried & Tested, and will be regularly reviewing and revealing the results of my crafting efforts that have been inspired by all of the beautiful projects and tempting tutorials that can be found on the internet!

To prove that I mean business this time around, I started with a project that has been languishing in my 'likes' for a very, very long time. The tutorial, 'Random Snow', is in Russian, but beaders familiar with basic square stitch should find the diagram fairly easy to follow. The basic pattern is repeated - over and over and over - but the end result is more than worth a little tedium! 

Materials: Blue Moon Beads - 4mm Champagne Glass Pearls & 6mm Champagne Glass Pearls; Miyuki - Size 11 Galvanised Gold Seed Beads.

I went for a 'classic' look, using some of my favourite Champagne Glass Pearls from Blue Moon Beads and some Galvanised Gold Seed Beads. I'm absolutely loving this combination at the moment - there's just something timeless about it! Given the time it took to stitch (oh so long!) I'm unlikely to be making another one anytime soon, but I am ever so pleased that I finally made something from my Pinterest boards.

I'd love to hear from other 'addicts'. If there's enough of us, we could encourage each other to move away from the computer and into the craft room!

Fit For Royalty {Bead Table Wednesday}

Hello! Hello! After almost a month of building work, and no internet connection, you cannot imagine how wonderful it is to have a little time to just sit down, with a cup of tea, and catch up on everything. And without the persistant sound of drilling!

Time without the internet made me feel amazingly productive - and I'm seriously considering scheduling myself time away from the computer each week - so there's quite a lot for me to share. As it's Bead Table Wednesday, I'm starting with one of my recent makes for The Blue Moon Beads' Design Team. 

Materials: Blue Moon Beads Glass Round Pearls, 4mm, Champagne. (BM25233) Blue Moon Beads Oxidised Silver Crown Toggle Clasps (ZF-001-00172) and Miyuki Galvanised Steel Seed Beads.

The 4mm Glass Pearls in Champagne are such a classic colour and combined with an Oxidised Silver Crown Toggle Clasp and some co-ordinating Galvanised Steel Seed Beads, the end result is a little more 'modern' than the classic combination with Gold or Silver. 

I've been blessed with some ideas for embellishing and adapting this little cutie, so expect to see a few variations on a theme. Is it just me that, busy working on one thing, has ideas for another twenty? 

Kasaviragas Karkoto {Tried & Tested}

Just popping in today with a Tried & Tested review of another tutorial that's perfect for using up some of your beading leftovers - Kisaviragas Karkoto by Panita. That's right, it's in another language - but please don't let that put you off! The diagram truly is exceptionally easy to follow if you have a little bit of beading experience and, of course, anyone who needs a little bit of help can just ask me!

The pattern calls for seed beads in Size 11 and Size 6, though I have successfully used Size 11 and Size 8 in my own version of the bracelet. To stitch up the full bracelet, with three rows, you'll need approximately three grams of each bead size. So, have a little rummage for all of those 'nearly empty' tubes of seed beads! 

If you're not sure whether you have quite enough beads for the full bracelet, I've found that a one row version looks just as cute and, of course, if you want to play around with the basic pattern to make some earrings, you'll need a much smaller amount!

You can vary the pattern a little by working with other sizes of beads, as long as you pair together two different sizes. Size 15 and Size 11, still work perfectly well, but you'll need a smaller needle and possibly a thinner thread. 

Can't wait to see the variations that you all come up with x

Striped Peyote Bracelet {Tried & Tested}

One of the things that I hope will be highlighted by my new feature - Tried & Tested - is the people within the crafting community with experience and expertise who happily share their knowledge and enthusiasm with others. There is some amazing talent out there - and the lovely Tracey of Crystal Star Gems & Jewellery is no different. Every month, Tracey is posting a free tutorial on the Crystal Star Gems & Jewellery Facebook Page, each of them covering a new beading stitch at a level suitable for absolute beginners. 

And let me tell you, Tracey's Striped Peyote Bracelet Tutorial was amazing to work on! The photographs are fantastic, showing each of the steps in clear detail - and the instructions are well written without being too wordy. So, even though I only knew the basics of weaving in peyote stitch, I was soon beading away and, more importantly, enjoying myself!

Although it's an extremely easy piece to bead, I felt that I learnt so much from this one tutorial - including how to keep track of stitch counts, zip up flat bead work and decrease or increase in peyote using different sized beads. So to finish up with such a beautiful bracelet at the end, seems like a bonus! 

Tracey has now 'retired' the free version of this tutorial, but you can still purchase the Striped Peyote Bracelet Tutorial from Crystal Star Gems & Jewellery. At £2.99 it's a steal - and I promise you won't be disappointed.