Just some fun with the original idea of the "Notes Not Played"

 A couple months ago I released a kit in two colorways. The project was called The Notes Not Played and I wrote a post about it too. 

Many of the beads I used in the kit were discontinued. My idea was that peeps who buy the kit will hopefully fall in love with the design as much as I did, and use the template to make many more versions of this cool design.

I still have some kits available on Etsy, for the colorway with the gold.  And I purchased some more materials to make at least one more colorway, but that is not done yet.

However, I could not just let the idea be. I really, really liked this bracelet a LOT. It's modern, sleek and sexy and can be recreated a hundred different ways with different beads. So I experimented with the use of different precious stones, seed beads, etc, using the same shape.

I do not sell kits for these, neither do I sell the pattern only. If you like the idea, I recommend getting a kit and after familiarizing yourself with the concept through making the original design the way it's described in the instructions, strike out on your own and make new versions.

I would love to see your interpretations of this design, based on the original kit you purchased.

Here we have the two original colorways ( the ones with the draw string closures) and the three I made just for fun. Wide open beaver style.  

Here is a more discreet shot  of the same.

This little pretty has its center component covered in Ethiopian opal beads. The side circles have vintage Venetian pink opal seed beads. These are as uneven as Czech beads, making them look more like itty bity stone beads than seed beads. It's a very soft, very pretty piece. Instead of the drawstring cord, I opted for an Anna Bronze closure.
 

The back is covered in the most life affirming, gaudiest of lizard embossed holographic leathers ever. There are things that get my inner 6 year old excited more than anything, this is one of those. Holographic leather is the bee's knees.

 

The next one is covered in three different sizes of faceted pyrite beads and size 15s surrounding them. I wanted a uniform, monochromatic bracelet that had these heavy little itty bitty  stone beauties repeat in varying sizes until they created a wonderfully toady texture that also happened to be super glitzy. When I was thinking about outlining the components, I wanted to add contrast. It was going to be either neon orange seed beads for the edge, or raspberry pink. I went with the pink. In real life that pink edge lights up a lot more, and it's like lacy things showing in places where you don't expect to see them. Delightfully naughty looking in the best, most well behaved way. The closure is an antique button.

Then, here is a minimalist, not entirely finished version with blue leather in paisley print on the sides and delft blue and marigold yellow in the center. This was going to be different, but it was too busy, so I did the frog stitch and rip it- ripped it. Then just decided to use the leather in the front, not only the back. The outcome is a rather serene, pleasing composition. Nothing major, nothing to write home about, just pleasing.

And here are the original two. Out of which the goldie one is still available. The other sold out a while back. Keep an eye on my store for future versions. I really like messing with this idea, I think there will be more than one future versions for kits as time goes by.