Independence Day

Independence Day means different things to different people. First and foremost, we need to all be grateful for the liberties afforded us in this (still) wonderful country. However, I'm not a political person and don't wish to use this as a format for political things, so let's get on to the fun stuff. :-)

Hubby and I took a little mini vacation this week to our favorite place...the beach! We have a little place we rent out for the summer, but only managed to get August rented so we were lucky enough to use it ourselves this summer for the 1st time. As an added bonus, there were fireworks across the bay last night. We sat on our deck and watched the light show despite the clouds.

This morning, we woke up to a beautiful, sunny day. We went exploring to the North Fork of Long Island. Had a lovely breakfast at Love Lane Kitchen in Mattituck. We then went to Catapano Dairy Farm hoping to bring bring home some of their delicious freshly made goat cheese. But we forgot to bring a cooler & couldn't chance keeping the cheese in the car for the ride home in this heat. We enjoyed visiting the goats & their lovely grounds. Will have to go back another time to purchase some delicious cheese.

 Our next stop was to our favorite Long Island Winery, Laurel Lakes. Had a little wine tasting and of course made a purchase to bring home. Very nice folks and delicious wines.

Hmmm.....what will tomorrow bring? I'm guessing a relaxing day at the beach is in store.

Cup of Bead Soup Results

I was invited by Lori Anderson to make lampwork beads for her Cup Of Bead Soup. I was to make a large focal for 4 participants who would then create something using the bead. I toyed with different ideas for the bead, knowing I wanted it to be something really special for the talented jewelry artists participating. I finally settled on a large encased lentil, approximately 1.25", made with a high silver content that creates all sorts of lovely reactions. I added a murrini on each side for added interest. Here's the bead to refresh your memory.

I've been waiting (somewhat) patiently since making the bead for the day of the big reveal to come and that day is here!!

My 1st visit was to Lori's blog.  Is there nothing that Lori can't do & do well?? She came up with this unique pendant using tiny gemstones that she wire wrapped. her generosity holds no bounds. She also posted a mini tute on her she went about wire wrapping them. I think I may have to give this a try myself one of these days.

My next stop was at Marlene Cupo's blog to see what she created. I was floored! Amazingly, she was able to interpret what I created out of glass into polymer clay beads that were almost identical to the focal bead. She had asked me for an explanation on how I made the 'flowers' for the bead. You can read her post to see what I said & see her unbelievably gorgeous necklace.

Next stop on the Cup of Bead Soup train was a visit to Sonya Ingersoll-Stille's blog.
Sonya started out with 1 idea and then scrapped it for a different seed bead creation using a stitch that she tried for the 1st time. Check out her blog to see them both. I personally loved the spiral too, but have to agree that the end result was perfect, down to the beaded toggle closure to match.

Last, but certainly not least, was Shaiha's creation, which was another unique idea. She created not one, but TWO bracelets that can be worn separately or together. What a brilliant idea! And I just love the clasp she used!

This has been such a fun and inspiring challenge! I bow down to these fabulous jewelry artisans and their amazing creations! I hope you'll stop by their blogs to read about the experience from their perspective.

Lori of Pretty Things

Marlene of Amazing Designs by Marlene

Sonya of Dreamin' of Beads/SAS Jewelry Designs

Shaiha of Shaiha's Ramblings

I love collaborating with jewelry artists so please check out my sites as well:

http://www.LAJewelryDesigns.Etsy.com

http://www.LAJewelryDesigns.Artfire.com

https://www.facebook.com/LAJewelryDesign

Cup of Bead Soup Winners are....

The suspense is over! The lottery winners are:

Marlene of Amazing Designs by Marlene

Sonya of Dreamin' of Beads/SAS Jewelry Designs

Shaiha of Shaiha's Ramblings

and of course, Lori of Pretty Things

As a beadmaker, nothing gives me more pleasure than having a designer share their final project with me. So, to have 4 super talented artists design a piece using the same bead I've created is going to be a BLAST!!! Please check back June 30th for the reveals. I'll be waiting patiently till then....or trying to! lol!

A big thank you to Lori Anderson whose creative spark brings out the best in all of us!

My links if you’d like to see some more of my lampies:
http://www.LAJewelryDesigns.etsy.com
http://www.LAJewelryDesigns.artfire.com
http://www.LAGypsyDesigns.etsy.com
http://www.facebook.com/LAJewelryDesign
http://www.facebook.com/LAGypsyDesigns
http://pinterest.com/leaavroch/
https://twitter.com/#!/lajewelrydesign

Pretty Things Cup of Bead Soup

I've participated in Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Blog parties in the past so was honored when she contacted me asking if I'd be interested in providing beads for her Cup of Bead Soup. What fun! Of course I said YES! The hard decision was what to make. I tried several designs finally setting on the bead above. This bead is a complex one, using silver glass (meaning that it contains fine silver). The glass is very expensive, but so worth it! It creates such amazing colors that are ethereal in quality. The lentil bead has a silvered glass murrini on each side & interesting patterning. Check out Lori's blog for info for participating in this fun project.

Why is that pendant so expensive?

This is borrowed from a fellow lampworker who posted on facebook in response to a question so many of us are asked every day. While most of my customers are wonderful and appreciative of the time, talent and cost of doing business for an artisan, there will always be those that ask the question, or THINK the question. This question really applies to any artist creating handmade art. The bead pictured is not the one in question. Just 1 that I'm particularly fond of. :) "Why is that pendant so expensive?" Well, let's see. I made it using an $800 torch, and then annealed it, so it will last as close to forever as possible, in an $800 kiln. I've been doing this for ten years, so that's hundreds of hours of practice and I've taken classes that cost hundreds of dollars. The tools I use cost money, and so does the glass, the gas, the oxygen and the clean-up. The pendant is set with sterling silver, which has gone up 500% since I started doing this. At $40, I promise you that pendant is a BARGAIN.

Cabs or Buttons?

Can I just say...I love my customers! Especially when they contact me with custom orders. Sometimes the orders are for remakes of existing designs, but sometimes they prove to stretch my horizons. I was contacted by a customer who asked if I could make some small buttons for her. When she said she needed them to be 1/2" diameter, I had my doubts, but I hate to say no without trying. I had made other buttons like these, with glass shanks (sorry for the crappy pic), but the shank would've been too bulky for such tiny buttons. So I wound up making teeny tiny cabs freehand. I'll then glue on clear plastic shanks. Learn something new every day! :) These are the button/cabs awaiting their shanks. Which style do you prefer?

On Fire For Handmade Featured Artisan: T.Rusk4u

Are you On Fire for Handmade? http://onfireforhandmade.com

This week's Featured Artisan is Teresa Anderson Rusk - T.Rusk4u. Teresa has some beautiful creations

that are a perfect addition to anyone's wardrobe! You can find T.Rusk4u on:

Handmade Artist's Shops

Facebook

Twitter

Blog

Grab the code for your blog here

Art Jewelry Elements: Book Review and Giveaway

Check out Art Jewelry Elements' new book review and giveaway. Enter for a chance to win Irina's Inspirations for Jewelry

Art Jewelry Elements: Book Review and Giveaway-Irina's Inspirations for Jewelry

Featured Artisan Share the Love.. Blogger's Unite

Are you On Fire for Handmade?
http://onfireforhandmade.com

This weeks' Featured Artisan is Georgia Groves... georgiamarbles. A taste of the past with her delicious aprons and darling dolls! You can find georgiamarbles on:

Etsy

Facebook

Blog




Grab the code for your site HERE

Pretty Things: ~~~ Win a Set of Impress Art Letter Stamps!! ~~~

Pretty Things: ~~~ Win a Set of Impress Art Letter Stamps!! ~~~

What a wonderful, generous giveaway on Lori Anderson's blog! Makes me want to check out all the other yummy alphabet stamps!

As  if that's not enough, she's also giving away this awesome stamping hammer especially for metal stamping

Finding Charm Featured Artisan

This week's Featured Artisan - Finding Charm! Beautiful Creations at Budget Friendly prices!

You can find Finding Charm on"

Etsy

Artfire

Facebook

Blog

Twitter



Click HERE to grab the code for your blog!

On Fire Featured Artisan - Chicadee Tree

 Jessica Cauthon - The Chickadee Tree is This Week's Featured Artisan for Share the Love, Blogger's Unite.

Unique Creations made by a lovely Artisan! 

You can find The Chickadee Tree on:

Artfire

Facebook

Twitter

Blog

Bead Soup Blog Party Reveal.....Finally!!

Some of you know already about the past week....no laptop for over a week and the passing of my BFF's dear mother, may she rest in peace. I won't go into it again except as a means of explanation for why I haven't posted my Bead Soup Blog Party creation until now. I finally got my laptop back, uploaded my pics from my external HD...thank G-D that worked cause I don't know where I'd be without my photos!

My Bead Soup Blog partner was Kristie Roeder of Artisan Clay. She sent not one, but three focals to play with. I only had time to use 1 so far, but definitely plan to use the others at some point in the future. For this piece, I used her clay donut for the focal and some of the amazonite rounds she sent. I made a couple of lampwork glass lentils to match as well as some glass discs for the other side. I decided to go with a copper clasp I had in my collection to pick up some of the coppery highlights in the drops that you see on the left of the pendant. Hope you like it! Please go check out Lori Anderson's blog and visit the numerous super talented folks involved in this.

Delay in Bead Soup Blog Posting

I've had some major computer issues this past week and now have my laptop in for repair. Sadly, all my photos are on that laptop. On top of it all, my BFF's mom passed away last night. :( Needless to say, I have to be there for her in the week(s) ahead. I feel so badly about disappointing everyone, especially my wonderful partner, Kristie Roeder, but hope to be able to put up a late post later in the week. I apologize to all the wonderful Bead Soup Blog Party participants, but this was all unforeseen & unavoidable. I can't wait for some quiet time to be able to visit all of you.

Enamel E-Course Giveaway!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Fn2xN9RK3i8

Barbara Lewis is having a giveaway on her blog of her Torch Fire Enameling eCourses! This is something I've never done before and would love to learn. If you would too, then click here to enter!

Bead Trends Cover!!

Welp, I don't have my copy yet, but I've heard from others that have already received the March 2012 issue. That's my piece on the cover!! I couldn't tell a soul until the release date, but am doing a happy dance now!!! I've been published before, but never a cover...until now.

I submitted the design to Northridge Publishing many months ago. When they told me they wanted it for the cover, you could've knocked me over with a stick! I was super excited but had to keep it quiet till now. Of course it will be more real once I have the actual magazine in hand and my necklace back. Can't wait. In the meantime, please check it out.

Bead Board With Folder by Creative Options

 

Look what came in the mail this week! This lovely new bead board from Creative Options! Let me begin by saying that it's got great visual appeal. The lovely padded cover incorporates all my favorite colors; purple, turquoise and green. There's a bit of orange too, but barely noticeable. The company name is even embroidered on in the lower right hand corner. Did I mention the visual appeal?? I couldn't wait to open it up to see what the inside looked like!

On the left it has green elastic stretch webbing material to hold all your tools. On the right is a bead design board where you can lay out your design. It has a plastic cover which will hold your beads in place too. The bead board is held in place by elastic in the 4 corners, but is removable so you can set it up wherever you like while working. Also, on the lower left is a small zippered pouch which will hold any other small miscellaneous items you might have, such as needles, beading thread, tubes of beads, etc. A sturdy velcro tab holds it all closed for traveling. They've thought of everything and at a very reasonable price! I found it on Amazon for $17.94. You can also check your local craft shops, Michaels, AC Moore, Hobby Lobby, etc. If they have it, you can use your weekly coupons for even more savings. I absolutely love mine & can't think of a single thing I would change about it! If you go to their website, you'll see lots of other craft organization products that they carry.

Right-Angle Weave Stitch Workshop

 

I've been a subscriber of Bead & Button magazine for over 10 years, loving all the beautiful projects. However, right angle weave is probably one of my most challenging stitches. So I was looking forward to reviewing this book and trying out some of the patterns. I flipped through the pages and earmarked just about all of them to try. Shock, I know! lol! This book is chock full of beautiful projects from the beginner to the more advanced. I decided to try the Crystal Ribbon pattern. This is a photo of the one in the book.

 

I made a few changes to it to make it more personal. Here's my version, without the longer ovals.

All in all, I find this book to be a wonderful compilation of RAW (right-angle weave) projects for those wanting to tackle all sorts of projects. The only down side is that I personally would've liked to see more 2-needle RAW projects. I prefer it over 1-needle, but that's just me.

Featured Artisan: Allurynn - Creations by Moonlight

This week's Featured Artisan is Allurynn - Creations by Moonlight! Beautiful creations by a very 

talented artisan! You can find Creations by Moonlight on:

Website

Etsy

Facebook

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Blog

Bead Soup is Here!

 
Lookie what came in the mail today....a lovely package from my Bead Soup Blog partner, Kristie Roeder. She makes lovely pendants out of artisan clay, hence her shop name. Ready to see what she sent?

When I opened the gift box, I found this baggie with all sorts of fun wood beads mixed in with beautiful seafoam glass beads. At least I think they're glass, not quite sure. They might be Amazonite. So, what's behind the 3 bright pink wrappers?

She sent not 1, but THREE focals for me to choose from and a darling silver clasp. Now to think of something special to make with these lovely beads so I do them justice.

And here's a pic I took of the beads I sent her way. I feel OK about sharing since I know she's received them already. I'm sorry for the crappy pic. I took this at night before quickly packing them up to send them on their way to her. Hopefully she took a better picture than I did. I sent her a lampwork glass focal and 4 matching rounds (made,by me :-) ) a strand of beautiful purple freshwater pearl drops, some copper beads and a matching Tierra Cast copper toggle clasp, 1 of my favorites. This being my 1st Bead Soup Blog Party, I hope I did OK and she likes what I've sent her.