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Total matches for beadwork: 187
Double-Side Beadwoven FFXV Moogle Plush
Square-Enix's FFXV Moogle fan art contest was the absolute best excuse to finally get on with a project I'd been debating for a long while, anyway: a little beadwoven "sprite" version of the FFXV Moogle. All off-loom weaving, nothing but beads and thread, and... a bunch of hours. Finished within two weeks, so beyond that, what meaning does time really have anyway.
I started with a picture of the official key chain, available at the Square Enix Cafe, and based a very basic pixel version around that. Brightening up the colors and adding more shiny elements, because I am me, I was very happy with how the "standard Moogle side" came out.
But. In the game, the Moogle is definitely a little different. Being that I am who I am, I decided to rework the pattern slightly, selecting off-white beads and trying to translate the stripes and patterns to itty bitty pixel sprite form. Ultimately I also added a little bit of thread detail as well, just because I enjoyed that element of the original design.
Then I was further myself, deciding that yes, I needed to make this a double-sided piece of beadwork, because I've never joined two sides with this complicated a shape before. How'd it go? I really, honestly, do not want to talk about it and no I don't want to replicate this anytime soon... but I did it. Success. A lot of work and time and cursing and I'm taking a few days off after, but it worked!
I kind of love how it all turned out, not going to downplay that. On one side, brightly-colored "traditional" Moogle, and on the other side is the made-with-love patchwork FFXV Moogle. I'd have gotten around to it no matter what, but if I can reflect even a little bit of the love and devotion FFXV inspired in me by submitting it to a fanart contest? I am totally happy to be spurred into starting, finishing, and submitting this as my entry.
I even attempted to record a quick little video to better see the way the light moves across the beads, and how flexible the finished piece is. Which... is not anywhere near the best video in the world, but hey, it's a thing.
(Full disclosure: I never had the heart to use one in battle. Yeah, I know. I just... how dare I.)
(For Sale)
Thirteen Kings
No secret around these parts that FFXV has more or less destroyed my life. ...I mean not in the worst way since it's inspired me, right? That's what I keep telling myself. So there's this Armiger in the game, a collection of sparkly super weapons to collect so you can kick all the ass. On the pause menu, they each have a little tiny icon.
But that was too easy, wasn't it. Initially I designed all 16 icons in a larger size, 30 pixels high. ...After making the first one, I realized how incredibly huge the whole line would turn out to be (and how much extra time it would take), so I completely redesigned all of the symbols at 16 pixels high. Ish. The Rouge got an extra pixel so I could pull off the detail, but I believe we can all agree she deserves it.
4,176 beads for the main design. Yeah, I didn't really want to know that either. 3+ weeks and... well. I really don't want to think about that. The result is kind of amazing, though. I wound up picking beads that I hadn't expected to pick (more on the process here) and I am so very pleased with the result... but of course the different ways the beads shine make it so, so very difficult to get good pictures. I did what I could and I'm incredibly happy with the result.
(For sale.)
Polychromatic
Apparently I... needed some color. A lot of color. I'd picked up these beads because they were shimmery on top of being just shiny, and picked up the light to give off a bit of a glow effect depending on the angles, so how could I resist? Apparently I couldn't resist the extra silver "scale" bits or the round glass "hematite" beads, either. Then I threw in the rest of what I had left of this imitation rhodium-plated steel chain because additional shiny and... here we are.
Unsurprisingly, I enjoy it a lot. I just can't look at it in bright lighting for very long. There were some pauses between photos.
(For Sale)
With Abandon
Gonna level with everyone here. This is the result of doing things I deeply do not enjoy. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy them! But the process... no. Just, no.
It started with the choker. Which I didn't even really plan to be a choker; just a couple of inches of a brick stitch demo with these incredibly lovely scale/spike beads because I wanted to try out other shapes and textures. And let me tell you, I had no idea I would dislike brick stitch as much as I do (and yes, I know it "looks better" with uniform beads, but I really wanted to play with the slightly "chunkier" ones for texture reasons). But it looked good and I... just kept going even through the mental grumbling. And of course near the end one of the beads turned out to be fragile and broke, so I had to go through hoops to replace it and there's one row at the back that looks crooked, but it's in the back and if anyone complains they're welcome to do it all over again themselves. ...Ahem.
After that harrowing experience, I then decided, "You know what else I don't like doing? Plain strung necklaces." GIANT SHRUG, I have no idea why this seemed like a challenge to take on, but it did. I dug through my bead drawer and came across this hematite pendant I'd had for years, just part of a random grab bag of things, and designed around it while keeping the look of the choker in mind. Instead of just one or two threads, there are five holding the weight of the pendant and holding the necklace itself together. Because I never trust single-thread necklaces.
Like I said, I'm actually really happy with the result. I just. Never want to do this again.
(For Sale)
Far and Away
This is a case of playing with materials and trying new things that spiraled out of control. Considering I was left with this result, I really can't find it in me to complain.
It all started with the fabric "feathers". I had some scraps and wondered if I couldn't manage to make a couple of different feather shapes and make them look relatively decent. That worked out, I think, and then I... just wanted to try a very different kind of stylized feather with beads... and naturally one can't make pendants without making a necklace, right? Yeah, sure. I had some cotton cord, recently learned the super simple macrame technique, have had these beautiful dark amethyst beads forever... and at the last moment I was handed a gold ring "for artistic uses". So, clearly, I used it. And this happened.
(For Sale)
Black Humor
For some of us, it is the most delightful coping mechanism.
I'd had these little black labradorite beads hanging around for a while, picked up from one place or another because black labradorite. I bought the tiny pewter skull beads on a whim, because who wouldn't? The rest just sort of... fell into place when I was looking for something "simple" to accomplish. I think it worked out quite well myself. Subtle... to a point.
(For Sale)
Autumn Baby Jewel Dragon Twins
Two curious jewel dragon hatchlings, ready to explore the world! And have a snack. And take a nap. You know, the truly important things in life.
I've been making these baby jewel dragons off and on for a while now, but I'd always been a little worried about their stability. Sure, everyone ought to know to be gentle with tiny handmade things like this, and I never received any complaints, but even so I just wanted to make them overall sturdier with enhanced stability just to be sure they'd stand the test of time. These two are the fruits of testing and labor and so much cursing and complaining, but the results are spectacular and extremely sturdy. They're still a little squishy and flexible, but overall the body, wings and limbs are much more stable than previous attempts. ...The downside here is that they take an awful lot longer to make (read: much more work) than previous attempts, but it's a worthwhile trade-off.
Still, I mean. Aren't they worth it?
(For Sale)
Snake Lariat Necklace Commission
I was contacted with a remarkably specific request for this pale yellow and cream snake lariat necklace, and was extremely happy to work on something like this again. I do hope it’s being greatly enjoyed. Date: 04 March 2017