Sue Beads

This month's component of the month is exciting - it's a lichen cabochon or pendant by Caroline Dewison of Blueberri Beads!  Here's what she made for us!


I chose a blue cabochon - I got the one on the bottom right!  As usual, I didn't take work in progress photos, which I really like to do on these projects, but here's what I made!


I was excited to receive this because I was attending the Bead My Love retreat in Delaware before this CoM was due, so I thought I'd get some great ideas there!  I really wanted to make this elaborate beaded cuff, but just don't possess the skills or patience or space to do it right now, but someday I will make one.  So for now, I made a beaded bezel, and used some of my new skills to add more rows to it.

I added a stop-bead row of purplish-gray size 8 beads to the outside of the peyote bezel, and then did a brick stitch row of beads in that pretty blue.  I also added a row of blue beads between the peyote bezel and the stop-bead…

I also have a selection of cabochons left from my Bead Fest inventory - some ammonites and also some new arty ones I did.  You can find them in the SueBeads etsy store!

I wanted to show you all what you can do with my ammonite glass cabochons, so I decided to make myself a necklace!

I used one of my large cabochons (1.5 inches!) and made a beaded bezel from a tutorial from Sally Russick on her blog.  

 I made a spiral rope from directions from a magazine and a little help from fusion beads - their tutorials provide nice illustrations of what you are supposed to be doing.

 I made the bail from Sally's tutorial.  She really did a fantastic job and if you are wanting to give it a try yourself, her tutorial is all videos and very easy to follow.  I'm waiting for a magnetic clasp to finish the necklace - the ones I ordered and received today are too small for my comfort!

So, this is one thing you can do with my cabochons.  You can also bezel set them (like Patti Vanderbloemen) or glue on a metal bail, or .... who knows what else!  What are you doing with cabochons?

Today is the reveal for the Beading Around a Cabochon Challenge hosted by Sally Russick!  She not only hosted the hop, but she provided video tutorials for us newbies!  She is so incredibly generous and I can't thank her enough for doing this!  I make cabs, but never beaded one and I'm so excited to have finished it!  Here's a link to the cabochon section in my etsy store!


I started out by using one of my own cabs that I really love - it's made with pale aqua glass, silver foil and frit.  I have a lot of fun making cabs because you have to get them just right on the mandrel and it's a very zen sort of thing for me to do.











I am really happy with my choice of beads, and how it turned out! I'm going to either use a blue suede cord to hang it on, or a chain - I can't decide yet, I think the blue suede would be best.  I can't bead a rope yet, but hopefully I'll learn that someday!

I already started working on another for my mom!

Please check out everyone…