Koi barrettes, part two

[merimask]

So.  I finished a whole bunch of koi barrettes. 

I made a few changes from my first design.  The new fish are about a third smaller and the dangles are much shorter (the longest one is about six inches).  The barrette backs are 50 mm instead of 70mm, which makes a huge difference.  The fish are shorter & narrower & actually look great as side clips.


I also changed how I did the dangles.  I beaded the whole wire which was very time consuming, but I'm happier with the way it looks.  I chose various glass beads in shades of blue & aqua, which is all sparkly & watery-looking.  I added a few accent pearls on some...on others I used Czech glass beads with a mirror finish (they looked like bubbles to me).

Anyway, I had fun doing them.  Many thanks to 

smillaraaq, who provided a link for a really simple giude to all the koi varieties...it made things a LOT easier for me because it was quick & easy to print out.  I still have a ton of varieties I want to make.

 

Next project; some new Medusa masks.  I want to make a couple in "real" snake colors.  Usually I do them in fantasy metallic colors over black, but I'm intrigued by the idea of a Medusa that's colored like a diamondback rattlesnake in brown & sand tones (& maybe turquoise eyes!  My favorite color combination!).  Anyway I cut out two of them last night.  It's going to be my big project for the next few days.

EDIT:  I just made myself an ETSY account!  It was SO easy...easier by far than clunky old e-bay to be sure.  You can see my shop here.   I only put a few pieces up, just to try it out.  Thinking of putting the koi barrettes in there as well.  Hmm!

Comments

[smillaraaq.livejournal.com]

Oooooh, you did Utsurimono and Asagi! *hearts* Are you going to do any of the sparkly Kinginrin or the metallics too?

Just how much more time-consuming are those new dangles for you, though? Because while the colors are certainly pretty and aquatic, your original style with just a handful of bigger beads honestly gives more of the bubble effect, to my eyes. The new ones are still pretty, don't get me wrong, but they just make me think "random dangly decoration" rather than "oooh, bubbles!".

I bet those smaller ones might work as large keychains or focal pendants, too. Yay koi! :)

[merimask.livejournal.com]

Eventually I want to do ALL of the koi varieties...I think they're all so pretty. The black & white varieties are especially eye-catching in the hair, though, I notice. Hmm...

True...I think I'll do some with many tiny glass beads & some with "bubbles", because the tiny beads take a long time to string. Though, in a quiet way, it's a very soothing, relaxing thing to do. Probably like knitting or needlework.

[smillaraaq.livejournal.com]

Beadwork is very much that way to me -- but it's one of my earliest crafts picked up in childhood, Indian seed bead work and crewel embroidery, so it's hard for me to be detached from it -- it's just sort of something I've done almost as long as I can remember.

Are you still doing the new dangles on tigertail-type cord, or are they sewn with needle and thread? 'Cause if you're going to be doing dangles for butterflies and dragonflies, and don't mind working with tiny bead needles, I can show you a really easy stitch that produces tiny little flower shapes out of seed beads.

[golden-meliades.livejournal.com]

I hate beading whole strands, lol, it takes forever. I did it for Shveta's bead-strand barrette though because it's the look I was going for...but to get the look I wanted the beads were much larger than the little buddies you used for your Koi barrettes.

I like the new dangles just fine, but I admit I like the old ones even better, with just a few bigger beads crimped on like bubbles. The new ones look perhaps more like water swishes?

The new guys are a much better size though and the dangle length looks quite reasonable :) I couldn't have worn the first one but I could wear these.

It'd be nice to have dangles from butterfly barrettes, too. Or dragonflies...they're even more popular than butterflies right now.

[merimask.livejournal.com]

Dangles from butterflies would be awesome too! Hmm! I could do those in earth tones or greens or really anything...it just felt right to use water colors with the koi.

[golden-meliades.livejournal.com]

PS: WAH, ETSY!!

Boy you're fast! You join etsy and instantly start selling :) But then, I've never sold before so it's taking me a little longer to get ready :)

[golden-meliades.livejournal.com]

PPS: It takes a while for shops to catch, btw...people don't notice that they exist right away. Plus the best sellers on Etsy (people who've sold over 2000 items) tend to be in the low price bracket...usually people who sell washi-type or print pendants like Littleputbooks or MadisonCraftStudio. It's the 12 dollars and under group :)

You might want to mention in your shop blurb that you have your own website, too! :)

[merimask.livejournal.com]

I've taken your advice & I put a bunch of smaller items up in my Etsy shop. Some little pins and the koi barrettes...stuff like that which sells for 15 to 20 dollars.

Setting up the shop was SO easy. I still can't get over how simple & convenient that site is to use. You should totally get started...it's a piece of cake & your jewelry will look GREAT in there. :-)

[kls-eloise.livejournal.com]

Personally, I like the new fish with the "old" bubbles. It's just more elegant to my eyes.

Just case you're keeping track.

[merimask.livejournal.com]

I'm keeping track. :-) The "old" bubbles are a heck of a lot less time-consuming too. Probably I'll do them both ways, but I'm sticking with the smaller fish for sure.

[silverontherose.livejournal.com]

*flying Silver glomp!tackle* They are beautiful. I like both the old and the new... so I guess I'm not too much help on that front. XD I've saved your shop in my favs on Etsy! *huggles*

[merimask.livejournal.com]

I'll probably do them both ways anyway...you never know what people will like.

Cool! :-) I love my new Etsy shop. It's shiny in there.