Candy Christmas Challenge at Sparkles

The Sparkles Christmas Challenge is a multi-craft challenge blog, which is great for me as I so rarely seem to find the time to get to the Christmas card and gift tag ideas rolling around in my mind. Primarily, it's a space thing, as I work my way through the shiny beads.

Beaded Icicle Ornaments on Beaded Spiral Hooks

Beaded Icicles on Beaded Spiral Hooks -  Red & White

Along came the next evolution of the beaded ornament/beaded hanger with the Beaded Icicles on Beaded Spiral Hooks.

Beaded Icicles on Beaded Spiral Hooks - Hot Pink & White with huge 24mm beads

 I have a few new lovely suppliers in the US and in the UK and all sorts of my favourite beads are used here in combination with other beads I've sourced from taking apart bracelets and whatever I can find.

Loads of my favourite beads here! Stripy beads, Glitter beads, Huge faceted beads  ...

I've worked them up on 5" lengths of coated wire and then I work them directly in to the beaded spiral hooks, so it is an all in one component.  These are divine and I love them.  The huge white 24mm acrylic beads are like snowballs and they are substantial enough that they will make a big impact on the tree.

These would be amongst my largest, most deluxe versions of the beaded icicle ornament but I'm looking forward to trying them in a wide variety of styles and they would also look nice with smaller beads.  We had icicle lights when I was a little girl so I am particularly fond of the icicle imagery.

Fussy but Royal Beaded Ornament Hooks!

My beaded ornament hooks are getting fancier and fancier these days.  I keep being drawn to these fabulous special beads - in this case more rhinestone bling, in silver - and when I saw these deep midnight blue faceted crystal beads I just couldn't leave them as a bracelet.  The colour is so deep and rich and they shine like crazy.  I knew they would look great paired with the bright silver gems and the style puts me in mind of the 'royal ring' that once belonged to Diana and now belongs to Kate.  I've always loved that ring.

Santa's Beaded Ornament Hangers

Santa's Beaded Ornament Hooks?

These - I like to imagine - are the beaded ornament hooks that Santa might have on his tree. They couldn't be any more Christmas-y could they?   Bling and shiny in holiday colours of red and green with crystal icy accents, surely these are what Mrs. Claus would choose.

S is for Santa Spiral Beaded Ornament Hooks

This is one of the things on my crafting table today.  Spiral beaded ornament hooks are back, and I'm trying to work up a number of variations in some basic colour schemes.  My friend Catherine named these "S is for Santa" spiral hooks, and I think that's a perfect name.  They are so jolly.

Luxurious Red Velvety Beads

Luxurious Red Velvety Beads in Beaded Ornament Hangers

These are some more of my recent fabulous new bead finds.  Rich red velvety beads - in a huge 22mm.  They seem very luxurious to me, so I have paired them in these beaded ornament hooks with deep opaque colours and rich metallic gold seed beads. 

Vintage Mercury Glass Ball Ornament Hangers

Super Shiny 20mm Acrylic Beads in beaded ornament hangers

Remember those beautiful mercury glass Christmas ornaments of days gone by? The super shiny ones that reflected everything around them in a magical way but would shatter to smithereens if you ever dropped them?  Well these gorgeous 20mm acrylic beads are just like them - without the shatter worries.

Pretty Glass Beads

Glass Beads wirh Diamond Collar Spacers Beaded Ornament Hooks

This week has been busy with a great deal of sorting, sourcing and planning things I want to make in the next few weeks.  The overall picture is still one of creative chaos, but there are pockets where I can actually see what I have to work with, and to work up.

Treearrings? European Style Beaded Ornament Hangers

European Style Beads with Pearls Ornament Hangers

I seem to be going a bit more to the 'designer series' section of my Christmas crafting these days with some fabulous and unusual bead finds.    These aren't necessarily unusual, but they certainly are special.

Cats Eye and Pearls Beaded Ornament Hooks

Glowy Cats Eye style beads look rich and elegant with graduated pearls

It's no wonder I have so many trees at Christmas time when I keep falling in love with every new beaded ornament hanger.  I found these beads the other day and they are stunning, with a cats eye effect that catches your eye and seems to shout out "hey look at me, aren't I gorgeous?"  I love them to bits!

Please Don't Eat the Cherries

Take a look at these lovely beaded ornament hangers.  They are my favourite so far, and I'm not taking any credit  - it is ALL about those gorgeous red beads.  I think they look for all the world like maraschino cherries as they are similar size.  But please, don't eat the cherries, these go on your Christmas Tree.

I "Heart" Christmas Ornament Hooks

 

Well now you know ... what happens when two holidays collide?  You end up with an "I Heart Christmas" line.   Some of the Valentine kits that I have been purchasing recently - for the card stock mainly -  came with these little heart beads.  I didn't think they were that great for card making purposes ... but they're just the thing for these "I Heart Christmas" ornament hooks.

Spiral Ornament Hooks

Lime Green and Red

How fun are these? The next variation of the ornament hook is a curvy style. I'm itching to put up a Christmas tree just to see how these look with little swirls of colour appearing below the branches to hold the ornaments.

Eureka! Beaded Ornament Hangers

Since I started making ornaments a few months ago with beaded hangers, I've been contemplating how I could possibly get to all of my packed away Christmas ornaments to add customized beaded hangers. I never did quite figure that out!