Folded peyote star - The twenty-third door

I've said it before and will probably say it again more than once - I hate making the same thing twice.
When I had made my first folded peyote earrings, however, and held them next to each other for a picture, I couldn't help but think of a star.

I knew it would take at least six "rays" to complete this star which is a big number for someone who has a problem with even two identical parts, but there was plenty of time for big breaks between making each one, so it would be fine, right?
Actually, it was a hard one. To be frank, after the first three elements my motivation to make more was close to zero, but sewing them together and seeing it was going to look the way I had imagined helped a little.
For colors I had chosen a transparent emerald with AB finish and a cranberry lined peridot luster. The temptation to use silver lined Christmas green and red instead had been huge, but the sparkle might have been too much. The shiny emerald, however, and the muted cranberry make for a great contrast.
I couldn't resist adding a bit of sparkle by sewing on gold lined crystal beads in the shape of stars on the centers of both sides. To hide the hole in the center, I used black Austrian glass pearls with one of the golden beads.

And here it is, my folded peyote star ornament. Although I really like the result, I don't see myself making another one of those again very soon! ;-)

Winter comet - The ninth door

The puffy star is back!
It all started with a large tube of bead soup, at least ten years old. I know many beaders hate bead soup, but I'm Swabian, and throwing beads away would feel like ripping my heart out, especially Delicas. I couldn't think of anyone to give it to, either.
It was easy enough to pour out the whole soup and pick out just the beads needed, though, mostly clear ones in this case. Bead soup doesn't scare me.

At first I had wanted to try something that didn't work out the way I had hoped, like so often, so I ripped it up again and made a winter comet instead, or maybe an ice comet.

The web tells me that comets have two main tails - gas and dust - and a coma.
Well, this comet has a baroque pearl and quartz tail because gas and dust are very hard to make from beads. Also a comet doesn't look like a puffy star, but artistic license and fantasy do wonders.
Just don't tell NASA about it.

Little star - The first door

Welcome to this year's advent calendar!
As announced yesterday, it will be different from the last one.
Throughout the year I took some time from my regular creating to make Christmas and winter items and I will share one every day.
There will be no stories or traditions unless an item has been inspired by one in which case it will be told, and if I chose to try out a tutorial, I will of course share that, too.
I hope you will enjoy my crafty advent calendar.
Let's start this!

Stars - they are always there, but play a special role at Christmas.
This little star was supposed to be a break from the puffy stars. It's definitely flat! ;-)
I used a shimmering transparent purple for the five brick stitch rays. As you can imagine, the shape wasn't holding up very well by itself, so I spontaneously glued and sewed it to some embroidery base and added Ultrasuede backing.
Still the star looked too simple, so I gave it a small shiny edging as well.
Isn't it cute now?

Tackle that stash, Christmas star - The eighteenth door

What a day. It started with the wrong veggie box, so the driver had to come back when he noticed, dropped things, broken beads, and of course Ponder also stepped into one of my bead cups. Yay, bead explosion!
Oh, and I forgot to take pictures of yesterday's baubles which were picked up in the evening. All different patterns, too, that I would have liked to show you!
I decided to try my hand at a Christmas snowflake/star ornament instead, but I just finished that now, and I don't have a story to share together with the picture.
Maybe you are actually glad to not read my ramblings for a day, though ;-)

I should say something about the star, however. The only real stash are the twisted bugles which I had ordered last year. To make a snowflake/star ornament after a tutorial. Which I didn't. Not last year, not this year. I improvised this one and now it looks quite big on my little tree, but I still like it.