Fire Mountain Gems

Latest FMG catalog pages:

New Listings!

I went nuts (like usual) the other day and glazed a bunch of glass tiles for jewelry. Today, I finally got around to adding 5 of the bracelets to my etsy store, along with a beadwoven necklace and bracelet.

Things have been a bit hectic with my schedule and I feel like I haven't gotten much done in the way of beading. I know it's not true because I've increased my stock in the gallery, but I just haven't gotten photos taken of everything for etsy. Sometimes, I just feel like my business gets in the way of my business! Of course, I'd sit and bead all day if given the chance, but I have to say, I've enjoyed hanging out with friends lately and working on my committee assignments. Yes, I am crazy, why do you ask?

Glass Bracelets:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23714548
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23717249
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23718635
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23719178
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23719608

Dutch Spiral Bracelet:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23722427

Bird's Nest Necklace:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23720308

It's finished!

I don't usually push myself this close to a deadline, but I did this time. Today, I finished putting the final fringe on my entry into this year's Rings & Things "Your Designs Rock!" contest. I was going to enter another piece (and may still enter it - I took new photos), but this one got under my skin and I HAD to finish & enter it.

As is my usual, I started off playing with new stitches. I previously blogged about getting The Art of Beaded Beads: Exploring Design, Color & Technique edited by Jean Campbell. I've had more fun making the confetti beads and variations of my own beads that I often forgot that my wrists were hurting! It wasn't until I started making a pom pom bead that I had to breakdown and buy some painkillers. But, I'm really happy with the results. So, after I hit "Post" here, I'm off to fill out the online application and get her in.

I present "Having a Ball" featuring approx 20mm wood beads beaded in RAW with size 10/0 & 11/0 seed beads, the center bead is done the same way with fringe, small beaded beads using 6/0 & 11/0 seed beads and fringe & chain up the size in 8/0, 6/0, 10/0 and 11/0 seed beads. I luff me some seed beads.

New Listings

Finally got around to trying to fulfill one of my resolutions. Listed 11 pieces yesterday!

Beadwoven earrings:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=19940601
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=19941048

Glass tiles:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=19939928
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=19939531

Steampunk Series:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=19941692
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=19944130
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=19944619
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=19944980
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=19945331
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=19946183
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=19946183

EBW Voting Time!

I had a hard time voting myself! Please visit the EBW Blog and vote for your favorite!
Voting begins on Sunday, November 9th and ends midnight November 15th. The best way to show your appreciation for the efforts of these amazing artists by taking on the difficult task of voting for your favorite. (The ballot will appear on the side bar at right on November 9th.) The individual pieces are listed below the mosaic where you can visit each entry for more information by following the link. Thank you, enjoy and be sure to come back to vote between November 9th and 15th!

1. Catching A Dream Bracelet - myfairladyvt4

2. Florida Gators Orange and Blue Herringbone Bangle - njema

3. Beaded Ancestral Expressions Petroglyph Totem Cane - SalamanderHouse

4. hands against time cuff - thebeadedlily

5. Celtic North American Native - SilkenLariat

6. The Greek Key - BeadsAndI

7. Hungarian meets French - beaddiddy

8. DNA in Violet and Blue - Wide Beadwoven Peyote Cuff - time2cre8

9. ONE WORLD Bead Woven Embroidered Cuff Bracelet - caraway

10. Trail Mix - ThesePreciousThings

11. Roses and Pearls Necklace - SpringColors

12. Proud to be an American - dreambeadweaver

13. Let My People Go Collar - triz

14. The Hoshen - a Breastplate - beadshead

15. Plaid Pride Bracelet - FrancescasFancy

16. Patchwork Cuff - playnwithbeads

Ancestral Expressions

I finished my piece for the Etsy Beadweavers November Challenge yesterday and I'm really happy with it. It's bright, free and is very much an expression of who I am.

The November theme is "Ancestral Expressions." When I first started thinking about projects for this challenge, everything that came to mind was very literal about my background. I've always embraced the Celtic/Pagan part of me, as I'm part Scottish, Irish & Welsh. I was sketching Celtic knots, the Celtic family tree, thinking of researching my family's different tartans, but it all seemed a bit trite and contrived. I knew I was leaving out more. I'm also English, Swedish, Cherokee & Sioux. So I thought about doing seven panels - each representing my different heritages. But then I knew I was probably leaving out some nationality that I don't know about.

The thought that came to me then is always my response to when people ask me what I am. I always say "Trail Mix." My mom has started researching our family tree, so I know certain ethnicities and a little about my family's past, but it's garbled and missing information here and there. So, trail mix seems to fit. When I thought about that, I decided to design something that represented the different pasts, their varied histories and holes in the information that I do have. What I came up with is my bracelet, lovingly titled "Trail Mix" - full of color, peyote, right angle weave, herringbone, ladder, picot fringe and some backstitch with the embellishment. The holes represent the holes in my history.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=16808573

Please visit the EBW blog at http://etsy-beadweavers.blogspot.com between November 9th and 15th, to see all of the entries in our November challenge and vote for your favorite. Search EBW TEAM for more beautiful beadwoven creations and EBWC for monthly challenge entries.

Feature & St. James!!!!

The lovely and talented Zoya Gutina featured me in her September newsletter. Thank you SO much, Zoya.

St. James Court is this weekend and I've started to freak out even more. I told my friend Anne that I'm afraid they're going to tell me it was all a mistake when I get there & I actually didn't get juried in! There are around 750 juried artists & craftsmen from across the US at this show & it's repeatedly ranked in the top 10 shows for the US. It's scary & exciting!

I've also listed my challenge entry for the Etsy Beadweavers October Challenge "Animal Instincts." I actually finished this piece a few weeks ago for the challenge, but wasn't sure that I'd enter it and planned on doing another piece. With all of the festivals, etc. going on here, I didn't get a chance to finish my scarab piece, so the "Zebra of a Different Color" is my entry. Im pretty happy with it's funky dye job. Gives me ideas for my own head!

Please visit http://etsy-beadweavers.blogspot.com/ to vote on the October challenge from October 9th until the 15th and see the beadweaver team members amazing works of art!

Bracelets!

Added three new pieces to my Etsy store yesterday. The first is "All that glitters..." which is an even-count peyote bracelet featuring twisted dark gold bugles and gold Delicas. The clasp is a gold button closure with a loop.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15034651

The next piece is a sort of study in tubular herringbone, featuring a rainbow of colors. It's rather large and could actually be worn as an anklet by smaller boned people. It also has a a button and loop closure.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15035184

The last piece is probably my favorite. The October Challenge for the Etsy-Beadweavers is "Animal Instincts." I thought I'd try a zebra print, but in different colors than black & white. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out, but I think I'm going to do another piece for the Challenge :)

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15034207

Speaking of challenges - go vote for the September Challenge! http://etsy-beadweavers.blogspot.com

My inner geek

Blue Eye and
Green Eye.

I've doing some beadwork this week, but mostly focusing on trying to get some older pieces photographed & on Etsy. What I'm really been doing is geeking out. My mom runs a computer repair shop located next door to my gallery. When I have time, I rummage through her discarded pc parts and pull things I think might work in jewelry or artwork. I've been pretty successful with my pc windchimes, but would much rather make jewelry. Every geeky fashionista needs some bling.

I give you, Geekware, my new line on Etsy!