Welcome to the 8th Annual Bead Soup Blog Party!

It's finally here!

The 8th Annual Bead Soup Blog Party starts today!

I was paired with Pat Haight of Wigglebutt Creations. She is a talented polymer clay artist (wait till you see the focal she sent me!) as well as a talented jewelry artist. Here's a reminder of the very generous soup she sent me:

She sent me tons of natural materials to complement her polymer clay; mother of pearl beads, black onyx, pearls, lava beads, shell hoops, serpentine and more!

My original "plan" was to use the focal and handmade brass clasp (she sent two!) in a single piece. But my muse wasn't having it...so I grabbed one of my more neutral lampwork focals, and started adding some clay disks...pearls...onyx...mother of pearl beads...and came up with a cool necklace I love!

And here's a photo that shows the neat clasp and the colors a bit better!

Next, I had to do justice to the amazing clay focal Pat sent me. It looks like real Jade--I couldn't have guessed it was clay by looking at it! I knew the focal was so gorgeous, it shouldn't have too much to compete with it. I decided to make the focal a pendant on a simple silver curb chain, and added some dangles made out of more polymer clay flowers Pat sent. I just love this necklace, too!

Here's a shot of how it hangs:

And a closer pic of the amazing focal!

Finally a made a pair of earrings with the shell hoops and the lava beads. I love the look of lava beads, so I had to make *something* with them, even if it was just earrings!

So much natural beauty! I didn't even use all the beads Pat sent, she was so generous with her soup! Please make sure to check out her Blog, so you can see what she made with the soup I sent!

Now sit, back and relax, and have hopping the rest of this amazing group, and be sure to visit our Hostess, Lori Anderson first! Click on the link below to see the complete list!

http://www.prettythingsblog.com/2014/05/welcome-to-8th-bead-soup-blog-party.html

Bead Soup Blog Party #8 is up and running!

One of the best things to ever happen to my creativity was to stumble upon the Bead Soup Blog Parties that Lori Anderson hosts. The Blog Hops have gotten so popular, that they are now a once a year major event in the beading community!

This year is the 8th exchange, and I have been lucky enough to be paired up with Pat Haight of Wigglebutt Creations. First of all, how can you not just *LOVE* that name? Her clay creations totally make me smile!

How can you not love this? :)

Secondly, her clay beads and jewelry are simply beautiful! I especially love when a clay artist can create a bead that reminds me of my beloved glass. It is so cool to see!

I can't believe this is clay! Gorgeous! :)

I will be sending out a very special soup to Pat this week, so she can hopefully have some fun creating for the Blog Hop come May 3rd!

Until then, you can find Wiggblebutt Creations online in the following locations:

Blog: http://wigglebuttblog.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WigglebuttClay
Main Website: http://www.wigglebutt.com/

Spring Surprises Challenge from Znet Shows!

Some of you may remember I have participated in design challenges from ZnetShows. They have put out a call to the design team once again, and I was lucky enough to be selected! (It truly was luck this time, as they pulled names out of a hat!)

I figured I would receive a few beads and make some pretties. My jaw dropped when I received the package from Znet; the amount of beads they sent was incredible!

A selection of their cultured sea glass!

And a mountain of different crystal shapes, sizes and colors!

I have already created some pieces for our reveal, which will be in the ZnetShows spring Glossi. When the issue is available for viewing, I will surely let you know!

Me, published? Why, YES!

I've been a writer for Bead Design Studio Magazine for a few years. Writing was always my first passion, with beads being a close second. So it makes sense that my writing career got started in a bead magazine!

But even though I have numerous articles published, I never had a "piece" of mine published. You know, something I created out of *beads,* not just words. That is, until now!

I made this!!

Check out the latest issue of Bead-It Today to find the tutorial how to create this pretty necklace using one of my torch-enameled focal beads. I really do love this magazine. It's priced very fair (only $3.99) and is full of tons of inspiring projects and ideas. I am so happy to be included in it's pages!

I have the enameled focal in my Etsy shop if you would like to make yourself a similar necklace (or goo in a completely different direction!). Click HERE to be taken directly to the listing!

ZnetShows 7000 Bracelets For Hope Lightning Round

Wow, it has been way too long since I have updated my blog. Once the school year starts, my time is precious, and this poor blog is one of the casualties of this fall!

A couple of weeks ago, I was contacted as part of the ZnetShows Design Team to participate in a charitable creative endeavor. It was decided that we would create a bracelet for 7000 Bracelets For  Hope, part of the Global Genes Project, an organization I worked with last year when my students needed some community service hours. This organization works to raise awareness and offer support to the thousands of rare diseases that do not receive as much attention as other, more noted diseases. They ask jewelry artists to donate blue bracelets to be given to someone who has been affected by a rare disease or disorder.

Using some beautiful blue crystals and teeny 3mm glass pearls, I created a bracelet that also featured some of my torch enameled beads in a soothing shade of blue.

The crystals are Turquoise colored 6 x 4mm chinese crystals, while the glass pearls are a color called "Montana" (Color K0735). While ZnetShows offered to send me *more* blue beads for this challenge, they were so generous during the sea glass challenge last spring, that I had plenty left in these colors to create a bracelet. I couldn't ask for better colors to complement my enameled beads!

I will be sending the bracelet out in the next day or so. If you are interested in donating a blue bracelet to the cause, please see their website for the information and requirements. Also, be sure to visit ZnetShows when you are looking for Chinese crystals and glass pearls! Please let them know that you found them through their 7000 Bracelets For Hope Challenge!

BeadFest Bead Bounty!

I am so sad that BeadFest is over this year. I've really made some good beady friends over the past year that I only get to see in person at shows such as this, and I don't want to have to wait another year!

The other great thing about BeadFest is all of the beads!!! Last year I bought tons of crystals...a lot of which I still have. My style has changed to using almost exclusively artisan beads as the main components, and I'm also looking at making some more gemstone pieces. So that's what my bead stash consisted of this year!

First off, the gemstone hoard! I hit Dakota Stones--hard! They have great quality and good prices, plus they were super nice! I got a bunch of labradorite (my favorite), some cool hematite that looks like silver, pyrite, pink opal...and other good stuff!


My other bead purchases where made in Artisan Alley. I really wish I had bought more...thank goodness for the internet! ;)

XAZ Bead Co. Handmade Raku Feast!

Adorable earring components from Starry Road Studio!

 I made bought lots and lots of pretties from Firefly Design Studio, and Michelle is a sweetheart! I love her work and the colors she gets from her glazes!

Firefly Design Studios, take 1!

Sweet flowers from Firefly!

And yet more fun from Firefly Design Studios!

Then, I also was lucky enough to be included in the Art Bead Swap organized by the ever-lovely Diana of Suburban Girl Studio! I was paired up with the uber-talented Melinda Orr, who is a magician with metals!

This first pairing are patinaed and enameled, and are gorgeous! I know I will be hoarding these for a while as I let ideas swirl in my brain for creating something equally gorgeous with them!

Next, Melinda gave me an assortment of fun trinkets to play with, all of them awesome, along with some lengths of leather she had worked with!

 

Finally, I am in love with this last piece Melinda gifted me with. It is simply stunning and magical, and a photo can not do it justice. I'm still deciding if it wants to be a bracelet component, or a pendant...but whatever it turns into, it will be one of my personal pieces to treasure!

Now do you understand why I miss BeadFest already?

BeadFest Silver Glass Class with Sara LaGrand!

I have wanted to take a lampworking class since...well, forever! Ok, not quite forever, but considering my first class where I learned to make beads was about 10 years ago, I was overdue. I needed something to help hone my skills, get the creative juices flowing and just give me a boost creatively. I've tried to get in to classes in my area and Rochester, and have always been turned down because they fill up immediately.

Cool pink and dark caramel bead! Super cool reactions around the edge of the lines!

So I was thrilled to see that BeadFest brought back lampwork classes, and that there was a class of high interest to me--Silver Glass. For those of you who don't know the behind-the-scences of the glass world, silver glass refers to specialized 104 COE glasses that have a high silver content. These glasses, when worked properly, give incredible iridescence, sheen, and pops of color you can't get with regular soda lime glass. The "worked properly" part is crucial--some are easy to master, while others are downright persnickity, and all of them cost around $80-$100 PER POUND. So this isn't a material you feel great just experimenting wildly with!

Top 2: Views of a Triton Bead; Bottom Left: Gold Fumed rose bead (the base started as off-white and turned pink!); Bottom Right: Cool reaction when silver glass is placed over a pale moss green transparent

The instructor was Sara Sally LaGrand. The name rung a very quiet bell--turns out she was President of the ISGB (International Society of Glass Beadmakers) a few years back, and has been working with glass for 17 years. I'd say she knows her stuff!

Sara was an incredibly patient and generous teacher. She showed us some very specific techniques to try, but also allowed us to experiment and play a bit. I learned so much just by watching her work in the flame that I was able to address some bad habits then and there.

My play bead: 2 different silver glass for the flower petals...Amazing range of colors with little effort!

My favorite bead is one only a mother could love, because, frankly, it's totally ridiculous! I'm not one into drawing...and we were attempting a bead with a fish "drawn" on the surface with glass. The thing on my bead? Not. A. Fish.

Not a fish. More like a newt in a bad toupee...

I started laughing when I picked up my beads, because the delightful little guy looks like some cartoonish representation of the fish that walked out of the primordial soup, trying to be a reptile! But I do love him, because he reminds me that there is delight in failure (and if you saw what we *had* been going for, you'd agree).

Getting Ready for BeadFest!!

A lot of my beady peers are in overdrive mode getting ready for BeadFest Philiadelphia by cranking out loads of gorgeous beads to sell. Not this girl--I am relaxing (finally) and enjoying the rest of my summer--because I will be attending BeadFest as a happy shopper!

My overdrive time will come in late September and October as I realize I don't feel I have nearly enough inventory for the single show I am doing this year in November. But, I am sure you will see a panicked post about that in the fall.

For now, I *made* myself actually use the stash of artisan beads I picked up at last year's BeadFest. You, know, so I could buy *more* in good conscience! Here are some of the pieces I have created:

 

The above pair of earrings features truly unique and beautiful ceramic discs by Marsha Neal Studio. Am I in love with these, and had to force myself to list them in my Etsy!

These baby blues feature ceramic charms by Suburban Girl Studios. I love her clay! I paired them with some of my own hand enameled beads--perfect for jeans or a stunning blue dress!

Finally, I have been hoarding this stunning pendant by Michelle McCarthy of Firefly Design Studio (and, true confessions, I have another in a light blue, too)! Matched with some opal crystals and my hand enameled beads in the cobalt blue--so stunning, if I do say so myself!

Another confession: I still have some beads I am hoarding from some other artists. However, I don't think my conscience will interfere too much with my shopping experience this coming weekend...and remember, buying from artisans means you are helping the economy, so I expect my commendation from the President for aiding the economic recovery some time in September! ;)

ZnetShows Partner Picks Summer Challenge Reveal!

Well, it's been a heck of a few weeks since I signed up for this challenge! I selected some beads to be sent to my partner, Kay of Kayzcreationz, and she sent me a very pretty grouping of beads!

I knew I would be busy with the end of school, but figured once it was out, I could design my heart away...then, I broke my right hand. Yep, I'm right-handed.

This is what can happen when you take on a sidewalk and gravity at the same time, kids.

Before I even really had time to adjust to my new left-handedness, my mother had to be rushed to the hospital and was very ill for a few days with a nasty infection. She's still there, but is supposed to thankfully come home Monday--4 weeks later! So to say that I have been busy with non-jewelry matters is an understatement.

But I'm also stubborn. ;)

While I can't do any great wire work right now, or too much knotting, I can make basic loops and strung pieces with my left hand, using my right as little as possible. Who knew?

So without further delay, here are the pieces that I was able to create for the ZnetShows Challenge. I apologize for the pictures, which I had to take on the fly (like most everything these days!).

I loved the orange sea glass diamonds, and they reminded me of a blazing sunset. Since the theme is built around summer and the beach, I added the blue large hole crystals, and one of my own iridescent clear drops for sparkle. I love how these turned out!

Next, I wanted to use more of the green crackle agate, which I love, love, love! These earrings can be worn any time of year, not just for summer.

My final piece, which took a bit longer than normal, is the necklace built around the focal chosen for me by my partner. When I saw it, I immediately had a vision for it, and I came pretty close! I used the pewter fish and sea-foam green pebbles to accent the focal. For the necklace, I paired some glass rice pearls in a sandy brown with more of the pebbles. I finished it off with some copper chain, because I wanted to keep the brown theme...but now I am wondering how it would look with silver?

Complete necklace

 

Close up of the focal

 I'd like to invite you to see the rest of the designers' reveals on the ZnetShows blog. A special shout out goes to Hope Smithermen, of Crafty Hope, who helped to organize this swap and blog hop!

ZnetShows Partner Picks Preview!

Once again the generous people at ZnetShows have created another design challenge. This time we were paired up with another artist, who got to select an assortment of beads from ZnetShows stock to send to us. And since it's summertime, the theme has to do with summer and the beach.

All of the designers will be holding a blog hop this Saturday, July 6^th. For now here is a preview of what my partner sent to me. I was paired up with Kay from KayzKreationz. Here is what Kay chose to send to me!

Crystal, sea glass & fishies!

Shell focal

Coordinating beads!

Make sure to stop back on July 6 to see what I create!

Ain't No Junk in *this* Trunk Show!

This weekend I am holding an online trunk show via Artisans Open Market on Facebook. Click HERE to visit the show & see what I have for sale! The show runs until Sunday, June 30th at 11pm EST.

Not a Facebook member? Don't worry, I'll be re-stocking my Etsy shop next week! :)

Earring Swap & Blog Hop!

Who doesn't love earrings? Well, maybe people who hate fun, but for the rest of us, earrings are both fun to make and fun to wear!

Jessica Murray, of Whimsical Monkey, organized a wonderful artisan earring swap and corresponding blog hop. We were paired up, received a list of "likes" from our partner and were charged with creating a pair of earrings for that person.

I was paired up with Shellie Grady of Creative Ecletica, who was faced with a move during all of this, so she has been one busy woman!

Here are the earrings that I sent to Shellie, who said she loved both purple and turqouise:

In the pic above, you get both the front and side view of how they look. The pic is a smidge blurred, because they wouldn't stop swinging! Here they are, nice and still.

Sadly, I haven't yet received my earrings from Shellie...fingers crossed they are in today's mail and I can update the blog pronto!

In the meantime, please check out the rest of the participants:


Inge von Roos: ingetraud.wordpress.com
 Nancy Smith: wirednan.blogspot.ca
Marianne Baxter: http://www.simplyseablimejewelry.blogspot.com/
Leah Tees: mybeadylittleeyes.blogspot.ca
Andrea Trank: www.heavenlanecreations.com
Miranda Ackerley: http://blog.mirandack.com/
Cheri Mitchell-Reed: http://creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com/
Susan Kennedy: www.suebeads.blogspot.com
Michele Dotson: http://star-jewels.blogspot.com/
Deanna Cox: www.deannaaki.WordPress.com
Shelley Graham Turner: www.shelleygrahamturner.blogspot.com
Ingrid McCue: www.wrappedinsilver.com
Lennis Carrier: http://windbent.wordpress.com
Ginger Davis Allman: http://thebluebottletree.com/
Mary Anne Flesch: www.handcraftedserenity.blogspot.com
Nicole Valentine Rimmer: www.nvalentine.blogspot.com
Stephanie Weiss: uniquelymebwd.blogspot.com/
Silvia Sernicola: http://pipa-the-latest.blogspot.it/
Karla Morgan: www.TexasPepperJams.blogspot.com
Kay Thomerson: http://KayzKreationz.blogspot.com
Paula Hisel: http://simplybeadiful.weebly.com/simply-stated.html
Carol Dillman: http://dillmansdallies.blogspot.com/
Spun Sugar Beadworks: Spunsugarbeadworks.blogspot.com
Tara Plote: http://newbiebeader.blogspot.com/
Rachel Baron: http://rbarondesigns.blogspot.com/   <----You are here! :)
Laurie Keefe: http://treeofliferootedinmysoul.blogspot.com/
Kashmira Patel: http://sadafulee.blogspot.com
Gina Hockett: http://www.freestyleelements.blogspot.com
Shellie Grindy: http://www.creativeeclectica.com/  <---My partner
Shai Williams: http://shaihasramblings.blogspot.com/
Dyanne Cantrell: http://deelitefuljewelrycreations.blogspot.com
Mimi Gardner: www.OtherCuriosities.blogspot.com
Jessica McMullen: http://pheonixgatedesigns.blogspot.com/
Jennifer LaVite: www.drygulchbeadsandjewelry.blogspot.com
Laura Medeiros: http://zoeowyn.blogspot.com/
Alenka Obid: www.pepita-handmade.blogspot.com
Elsie Fonseca: http://www.ladelizchica.blogspot.com/
Cheryl Dunham: www.renaissance-jewelry.blogspot.com
Sandra McGriff: http://skyescreativechaos.blogspot.ca
Tania Spivey: http://moobiegrace.blogspot.com/
Mowse Doyle:  http://mowsemadethis.blogspot.com

Playtime!

I have been unbelievably busy at work. So what do I do? I develop a myriad of interests in new techniques I want to try. Call it creative ADD, call it passion, call it crazy--I has it.

So over the past month or so, I haven't really made much to sell. I've made some pieces for Znet Shows, but that's about it for jewelry. I've made a few lampwork beads, but haven't managed to even eke out a full set!

Here's what I have been up to. I bought a huge spool of copper wire so I could make my own headpins. And I tried to enamel them:

Yummy firescale!

And, a bunch of enamel flaked off...that wasn't supposed to happen!

Then I find out that headpins are a pain to enamel, because they tend to flake. So I feel better, and have done my research to fix that problem.

Next, a wonderful friend of mine took time out of his busy schedule to teach me how to use a jewelry saw. I had already heard from others that I could expect to break blades, curse a lot, and basically, swear off cutting my own metal forever.

Well, he is a great teacher, because he was able to advise me of the pitfalls and correct my technique so that I was able to practice without breaking my blade once. Yes, I am impressed with myself. I still need to practice my straight lines, because I want them perfect, but I think I've got the curves down nicely.

Aluminum triangle and copper shapes

Finally, I have been itching to do more bead enameling ever since I took my class last August at Bead Fest. I am finding that a lot of the raw copper beads out there really aren't pure copper, because I have had a lot of issues. But I finally ordered some iron beads from Barbara Lewis, and had some great results.

Big, beautiful beads!

You can see that the small blue one has some parts around the hole where the enamel didn't adhere. There must be some zinc in that part of the bead, because this has been a consistent issue with that style. Thankfully, I bought the small copper beads at a bead store and only bought a few, so I'm going to just use them as regular copper beads in my jewelry instead.

Next on the agenda? Etching! My plan is to etch some copper, and then use my new sawing skills to make some funky earrings. Someday, maybe I'll settle on one thing...but not today!

ZNet Shows Diamonds in the Rough Reveal!

If you follow this little blog o' mine, you may remember that I was part of the design team that was selected to  play with the new sea glass components from Znet Shows. Well, they are an extremely generous group of people, because I was also allowed to partake in their newest design endeavor; taking some overlooked wholesale beads, and giving them some fresh life.

I was allowed to chose from a long list of beads that were being passed over, and Znet sent me a huge collection of beads to play with for free! Every beader's dream, right? You can also enter to win a gift certificate from Znet Shows, so you can play with some of their cool beads--check out the end of this post for how!

One of the first stones I wanted were the carnelian flats. They were perfectly organic in their irregular shapes and the color was beautiful and deep. The warmth of the stones begged to be coupled with some lighter, more feminine components, including a lovely mauve shell pendant.

 

Here is a close-up of the pendant. I added an opalescent quartz nugget to make it more 3-dimensional.

Below are a pair of matching earrings, which are surprisingly light, for having the big chunky carnelian beads. I made some copper ear wires to finish them off.

For the next piece, I knotted the rhyolite nuggets on some irish waxed linen, and used one of my own lampwork beads as a focal.

 

Next I grabbed some of the round tiger's eye beads, and made some funky, freeform earrings. A photo can't quite catch how fun these are, since they have a ton of movement to them!

I also grabbed some tiger's eye, this time in a cube shape, to make this funky, tribal, bib collar necklace. It's strung on a piece of black rat tail, so the bib can be the star of the show!

Finally, I was able to craft one more necklace. I wanted to use another of the gorgeous shell flower pendants that I was sent. What came to mind was a perfect necklace for summer. Shimmering whites, with a hint of mauve from the pearls, perfect to with that little sundress you've been waiting to wear!

I did not get to all of the beautiful beads that were sent my way--there were so many of them! I also received some tiny bamboo coral rounds, some poppy jasper rounds, cool grey fire agate beads, and a pair of smaller flower pendants.

If you want to see the actual beads, click on the links above...and if you fall in love and buy some pretties, tell them Rachel sent you!

Now, if you would like to get some chances to win a $20 gift certificate from Znet Shows, check out the Diamonds in the Rough Top 20 vote on Facebook! Click on an individual picture, then click "like" to vote for it--and you can vote for more than one! Good luck!