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Thursday, May 29, 2014

Birdies Squared

Birdies Squared
Or maybe even Birdies Cubed! I've been hoarding these beguiling little ceramic cubes from Stinky Dog Beads--I love just about miniature anything and these really tickled my aesthetic funny bone. It took me a while to come up with a design where they'd be really visible. They have large holes, making them perfect for so many of the current design trends (you could thread them right onto a heavy gauge bangle, or slip them easily onto 2mm Greek leather), and also for that reason lend themselves well to this kind of metal link. I hammered some 18-gauge copper wire and made tight loops at each end, that hold the beads in place nicely. I paired them with these sweet little Czech glass birds (also from Stinky Dog), and popped some teal glass beads (I'm in love with these beads!) from AfroBeadia onto the earwires.

You might have noticed I've been doing this extra wrapping lately across the front of larger beads--I love the way it looks but it has the added benefit of keeping those flat beads from turning around on the headpin. That drives me CRAZY. I want those beads to face forward but they don't usually cooperate. Sometimes I can get it wrapped down tight enough to keep them from moving much, but you risk breaking the bead when you do that. This works great!

These got me thinking about exotic birds. Here are some fabulous birds to inspire you!
Blue and Yellow Macaw by Luc Viatour
Green-Headed Tanager by Lars Falkdalen Lindahl
Rainbow Lorikeet by Misty Bushell
Golden Pheasant by Bjørn Christian Tørrissen
(Public domain photos above from Wikimedia Commons.)

Have a fabulous day!

Keirsten
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8 comments:

  1. Oh I am drooling over them but its my humble opinion that they'll look better as a necklace

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  2. I love the combination of beads you chose for these. You must have an incredible bead stash! <3 The colors are not paired in each side and yet they work so well. These beads are destined to be together! I can see these being worn with a long summer tank-dress. (on me- of course!) :-D Great Job!

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  3. I am in love with these earrings! These cube beads (and the bird beads) are soooooo pretty! I do love the wrapping that you do to keep the beads straight. Drives me nuts too LOL Love, love, love!

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  4. Oh ya, loving those little cubes!!! And you know I'm a birder so I love them too. I don't think I've ordered from Stinky Dog Beads before, must check them out!!

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    1. Unfortunately I can't find the cubes on there right now, I think she's run out. But she has lots of other new stuff.

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  5. Absolutely beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!! The colours are just so pretty!

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  6. Yes, I love the cubes too! I really like the hammered links too - really nice.

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  7. Love the colors and the squares!

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