Dragon Ring In Progress

So, I did not get as much time to work on my dragon ring as I would have liked (stupid beads spilled on the carpet), so the ring isn't finished, but here is an in progress picture. You can see I went with a color palate very similar to the original pattern. I did find a green for the wings that had a slight iridescence, and my background is bronze rather than gold (partly 'cause I had bronze, and partly 'cause I like darker colors). I am not sure how permanent the iridescent finish on the green beads is yet, but I find that a small ring project like this is a great way to test it, and since I plan to keep this ring for myself, no worries about putting out an inferior project. If I planned to sell the ring, I would want to already be sure of the finish.



On the note of selling, I wanna be clear that if I provide a pattern I do so because I am sharing it with all. If you want to make it for yourself or make it to sell, that is up to you. Once I put it out there, my rights to the finished products are gone. You make it you own it.

The only exception to this is the Marvel and DC ring patterns I make. In many cases, I am actually breaking copyright law myself by reproducing a logo or insignia. So, I am taking my chances with the lawyers, hoping that so long as I give credit and state that they are for personal fan use only, they won't sue. So, if you decide to sell the rings you make from those patterns, you will be taking your own chances. So long as we are just crafty fans, they generally don't care. If we become greedy fans though... all bets are off.

New Pattern: Dragon

I am more than a little bit in love with dragons. So, I thought I would try my hand at a dragon ring pattern. I don't think I did too bad for the scale.



Some ideas for making things pop a little:

1) I say this a lot, but mix your beads! Mixing rocailles with cylinder beads will help give the design dimension!
2) Choose your own colors! Though I have done the pattern in a simple color scheme, feel free to mix it up! Maybe your dragon needs to be purple, or blue!
3) Choose spiffy beads! Jazz it up with some silver lined beads, or go for an iridescent finish (just be sure it will stick!).

I hope to have some beading time this evening to whip this guy up for myself. I will be sure to post the finished ring later in the week!

Quote: It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him.
J. R. R. Tolkien

New Pattern - Sea Serpent

I offer you a whimsical sea serpent attacking a viking ship. "Why?" you ask. Because my niece and I have been reading the Hiccup Horrendous Haddack III books by Cressida Cowell. For those of you who are not familiar, the first book in this fun series inspired the Dreamworks movie How to Train Your Dragon.
	The books are a fun romp through viking times with dragons, pirates, Romans, and fart jokes. My 7 year old niece and I started reading the books shortly before the movie came out and have been slowly working our way through the series. I say slowly because I can only read with her about one night a week and because the books are a little hard to find at my local library (they are British and had a lower print run in the US apparently). On the most recent book, the little vixen got tired of waiting for me and finished the book without me! How rude.
Anyway, enjoy the pattern. It is suitable for a ring, or could be expanded for a thin bracelet. Could also be adapted to a pin, or a hair barrette... let your imagination run wild! Quote: This is Berk. It snows nine months out of the year, and hails the other three. What little food grows here is tough and tasteless. The people that grow here, even more so. The only upsides are the pets. While other places have ponies, or parrots... we have dragons. - Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III - How to Train Your Dragon (film)