Saturday, August 13, 2022

Making Mask Cords





Aug 13, 2022  ( 8:15 am ) ~ Good morning from the sunny side of Singapore  ...
I am quite early to write a blog today coz I don't have much house chores to do since I had done most of them yesterday. So today is a more relaxing day I hope eventhough a bit of a sore throat is bugging me. 
No worries it isn't Covid  ( I hope🙏🙏🙏 ) 

Last week I was indoors most of the days coz I was beading for several mask cords in new colors. I need to re stock my depleting stock of mask cords to catch up with some orders from friends. Yep, time to socialize and see my friends soon. I had not seen them for several months after my Philippine Holidays. Bonding to catch up with experiences and latest news among friends and to play our famous game , Mahjong and to deliver their orders ! I just love to multi -task 😝😜😍



I guess I already forgot how to play coz I am just on the learning stage. My 1st year of being a beginner after starting to learn how to play it last February. I t was so fun and addicting ! 😆😄😃

Anyways, back to my beads again, mask cord is still an in demand item till now. People around Singapore are still wearing masks especially when in an indoor environment like offices and malls or in crowded areas. Most of the locals here prefer to wear mask even when walking outside for safety.

The mask cords I make are of versatile style.  They are easy to use and interchangeable as well to suit your preferrence. 



It can be used as the following :
1).  A Mask chain to keep the masks hanging around your neck when not in use. that way you can keep it from falling on the floor or being left somewhere when you move. 



2). An Eyeglass Cord to keep your spectacles or sunglasses with you at all times to avoid it from being left behind and  breakage from accidents like glasses falling on the floor.


3). A Necklace itself to adorn your outfit.

 




The necklace can be worn as a long  single strand necklace or double  layered if you prefer. 

It comes in a variety of colors :

Crystal White
Garnet Red
Lt / Dk Amethyst 
Lt/ Dk Blue Sapphire
Peridot Green
Green Emerald
Yellow Citrine
Brown Topaz
Fuschia Pink
and many more ....

I would be listing them in my Etsy store soon ... or you can order from me online as well via instagram or through comments below. 








******************************************



Friday, August 05, 2022

CRAW ~ Cubic Right Angle Weave






Aug, 5, 2022 ~ Happy to be in my Beadroom this week after a month and a half long vacation . I had missed my craft table and I am already starting to forget where to find my bead parts and tools , It had been a while so I felt like a blind being in the dark trying to find my ways . 

I had focused actually in making a necklace for my Bumblebee  Jasper pendant I had wirewrapped during the pandemic.


Bumblebee Jasper (which is actually not a true Jasper) is a complex calcium carbonate mineral with inclusions of arsenic and manganese oxide.Contrary to its name, Bumblebee Jasper is not a true variety of Jasper because it does not contain quartz. Its vivid colours of yellow, orange, grey and black banding are composed of fibrous calcite, realgar, and pyrite.


Bumblebee Jasper is a great life talisman that is here to help keep you “buzzing” throughout your day, even when negative energies constantly come your way. This stone helps you maintain a positive and upbeat attitude through the daily stresses of life, while encouraging you to continue your own spiritual evolution. 

Wow, a life's Talisman. I better finish the whole piece any time now. Eventhough I was undecided before whether to make a wirewrapped chain that would hang the focal Bumble Bee pendant or just  a simple beaded rope to go with it. After some thinking and researching in the internet for something more challenging design to create, I decided to gather my 11/0 Toho seed beads and started weaving a Cubic Right Angle Weave ( CRAW ) . 

The two most common ways to build CRAW: face-built and base-built. were 2 types of methods in doing CRAW , First is Face Built CRAW ( Face-built CRAW is when you add beads to form a new face from the previous face )

Base-built CRAW is when you add beads to form a new face from the base. ) Secondly, Base Built CRAW is not of much difference from the Face built 
because the faces all have equal passes of thread – the face-built method has more thread on one of the faces of each cube. I had decided since I was going to make a longer chain, /
 for longer ropes, base-building is a much better choice inorder to finish the rope sooner





The pendant on the other hand had been wirewrapped with non tarnish artistic beading wires # 20 Gauge complemented with Dark Bronze / Swarovski Pearls & Hematite Beads.










So there it goes. My finished Long double stranded CRAW necklace with Bumble Bee Jasper Pendant. It took me at least 3 days with breaks in between for my house chores and errands. 

What do you say ? 





******************************************



 
,