Long Time no Beads

by Staci Louise Smith

I know this blog has been vacant for sometime now.  Life gets in the way like that at times.  However, it has been calling me back. I miss blogging about my creative life.  I miss that interaction with everyone, because you know what?  We inspire each other!  

I am prepping for Bead Fest Philly again, and have been hitting the polymer clay after a bit of a hiatus.  I am both intimidated and excited.  This year I have some new work that mixes polymer clay with two part epoxy resin and crystals- I must say, I am loving these so much!  

Dragon Eye bead / polymer clay, epoxy resin, crystals, paint, other mixed media stuff

Due to life's complexities, I know I am not going to have the amount of beads I like to at Bead Fest this year.  I do know I will have enough.  I used to freak out and work 16 hours days prepping for this show making everything I know how to.  This year, I am focusing on making what my heart is telling me to, rather than what I think others would want to buy.  I am listening to my intuition.  I will have a table full of unique items for sale in addition to my beads, like I have in the past.  I will have my jewelry, ceramic offering bowls and other things.   

You can find all that event info here on my Facebook page.  Please follow it if you have not in the past.  It is the best place to keep up with where I will be and what is going on in my creative world.

I also recently finished converting y Gold Rush class I did for Craft Art EDU into a PDF file you can purchase in my shop.  I was so very sad to see Craft Art EDU disband, but I am thankful they gave us our classes.  The tutorial is an entire class in one!  You learn to form the polymer clay beads, do the faux gold, cure and paint them with a crackle to make them look like stone, and then it even gives complete instructions to make two different necklaces.  You can purchase that here if you are interested in learning some techniques.  The best part is that this class is so full of different techniques and tips, you can use them many different ways.  I really believe this class can take you on a creative journey to new places! 

Well guys, it feels good to be back!  I am hoping to also do some posts to highlight some of the wonderful tutorials we have on this blog.  Click the tutorial link above to see a list of all the wonderful tips and designs posted by various artists over the years.  

Day of the Dead Blog Hop

Love my Art Jewelry is having a Dia de los Muertos blog hop!  Sugar Skulls everywhere!!!!!

Now, if you follow me at all, you know I love the beauty of a sugar skull.  

Recently I have been doing some lino-cut prints, and even had to do a sugar skull for that!

Anyhow, I had also made sugar skull beads in polymer and in bronze clay.  So I wasn't sure which I wanted to do for this blog hop.  I had originally thought about taking my bronze one and setting it into silver with silver work, maybe even some gemstones bezeled around it.....................but it had a mind of it's own, and I have really been into wire chokers with charms lately, so that is what was born.

Once I decided to use one of my bronze sugar skulls, and do a charm style necklace I got to work

I created the base for the necklace first.

Then I started to pick out my beads

Ginger of the Blue Bottle Tree had sent me some of her beads to design with awhile back.  She used her Rustic Beads Tutorial to create these flowery fun beads.  They turned out to be the perfect accent for this piece!  After all, a sugar skull needs some flowers near it or on it! I LOVE the old paint look, and they are so well made (of course!). The only problem was that I could not fit as many as I wanted to use in my piece.  So I think I will have to visit them again soon.

Anyhow, just as things always go, I had to change out some of my original components due to how the piece lays while worn, and for compositional issues.  

I am very happy with how it turned out.

I even made matching earrings!!!!

If you want to see what everyone else made, hop over to Love my Art Jewelry and check out the links posted.  I am sure there will be lots of great creative eye candy and inspiration this morning!

http://lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com/2016/10/dia-de-los-muertos-reveal-by-karen.html

David Bowie Blog Hop

It was such a sad day the day we lost Bowie.  He touched so many with his art, his music, his fashion.  

I really found it hard to pick one song, or one thing, or one picture that inspired me to create a piece of jewelry to honor him.  

However, there is a theme that I kept going back to, and that was the stars.

maybe it's because the first Bowie song I loved was Space Oddity.  Maybe its the amazing Sun, or heavenly object he would sometimes adorn himself with.

To me, he was always other worldly.  Whether he was Ziggy, or the Goblin King, or just a man who could wear anything and stand out completely.  He never blended.  He was unique through and through.

My first memory of him was riding in the car with my mom.  My mom was awesome, and she introduced me to all the GREATS of classic rock.  We were always listening to good music.  I remember when Space Oddity came on.  And as I listened, I remember being so very sad at the story.  I asked her if they guy died in space, and she said yes.  I was in love.  It moved me, as music should.  Being an avid reader, with a love of personal stories, that song hit me hard and touched me deeply.  Suddenly, there was a connection.  Any man who could write such a sad and haunting story, in a fashion that makes you love it and want to sing along, is a genius.

So, his celestial quality, and the reemergence of it as a theme in his work inspired my piece.

or 

Maybe its just this...........which sums up Bowie himself perfectly.  He did blow our minds....over and over again.

So I chose this star bead I made out of polymer clay.  I thought the way the gold crackle came across it reminded me of the way he would paint a lightning bolt on his face.

I figured, any piece I made to honor him, would have to be bold!  

I originally wanted to do something really outside of my comfort zone.  However, I felt it was better to make a piece, that was my style, but in honor of him.  It would make a small connection between him and I, and so, here it is!

It is called "Stardust" of course!

I am cleaning today, but I am wearing my fabulous piece and listening Bowie.  

If you want to hop along and see what everyone else has done, check out the links at the bottom of the Love my Art Jewelry blog

http://www.lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com/2016/04/david-bowie-blog-hop_14.html

Some Exciting New Adventures

Well, some pretty exciting "firsts" are happening this year. 

First I found out a while back that one of my jewelry pieces was picked to be in the gallery section of this book.

http://www.kalmbachstore.com/67040.html

I just got my copy today.  I sent in picture of 4 different sea glass designs, this is the one they featured in the gallery section.

I also have the privilege of gracing the cover of Bead Design Studio this month.  They do a beautiful job on the magazine with top notch photography.  It is beautiful, and I am honored.
(it is actually my second cover, but the first one I had all to myself)

http://beaddesignstudiomag.com/issues/current.shtml

I wasn't sure when the magazine was coming out, but I got my necklace back early (and its one of my favorites)...I happend to be wearing it as my son and I ran to the store for rolls, and guess what was on the self? I was pretty unhappy to be caught off guard (bad hair day) but had to get the picture since I was actually wearing the necklace!

Finally- I am going to be teaching a class at Bead Fest Philly this year.  

In my class you will learn to make organic polymer focals and beads, learn to paint them with a faux ceramic / aged crackle effect, and then make this finished piece using the beads you made and materials supplied.

You can sign up online here https://www.eiseverywhere.com/ehome/79000.  Just look for the Painted Polymer Fossil Talisman class.  It will be a fun time, and a good chance to learn some new techniques with your fellow artisans.

So that is everything.  I am still catching up from the Bead Show, and post show sale.  Though I hope to be blogging more regularly now.

Also, remember to check out Love my Art Jewelry.  We have a great Boot Camp going on about Asymmetry in your work....tips, encouragement and inspiration!  If I am not blogging here, then I am usually blogging over there!  

Now bring on Spring, and everything will be wonderful !

Wire Work Out Blog Hop

Today is the blog hop over at Love my Art Jewelry.  I set out to make a piece entirely of wire, but the gemstone lover in me just did not allow it.  I did however, use a lot of wire, and the focal portion is wire work.

 

I had wanted to do a tutorial on it, but, um, not way.  It was kinda hard to explain and somewhere around getting the second piece wired together I thought "forget about it".  Sorry.

 

I will say this, I mostly used wire wrapped loops to connect pieces, along with simply wrapping smaller gauge wire tightly around larger wire to connect them. 

 

I had some free form fun making the dangles too, and that is about that (with out all the details).

 

 

I can't wait to see what everyone else did. 

 

www.lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com

 



Some Simple Wear

I am going to the mountains with family this weekend, in laws, my parents and the hubs and kids.  We are pretty excited.  As we prepare to go, I decided to make myself a couple simple necklaces that I could wear all weekend, whether hiking or just hanging out- because I am always wearing a necklace. 

 

So I made a couple bold pendant styles on simple leather.  They are just perfect for everyday wear.  The first is an ammonite fossil, black opal and Charlevoix stone (which is a fossil stone found in Michigan).  The second is one of Genea's urchin focals with a stripe (LOVE this bead), pearl, and a rustic disc criffle from Kim of Numinosity.

 

 

 

 

 

I also decided to play around with some wire for our Love my Art Jewelry Boot Camp blog hop on Monday.  I ended up making a piece I am very happy with for the blog hop, you will have to check back here Monday for that.........but I ended up making this piece too.  It also became a very wearable simple piece, but VERY big and bold.  I just love it.  Joan Millers large focal and Genea's stone bead are wonderful together (and of course I added one of my bronze scroll beads, can't get enough of them).

 

 



Update on Everything

I just took some time to update everything I should be updating daily!  I added some new magazines that I am on the side bar.....including this brand new beading magazine called Bead it Today!  It features quick and affordable projects, and has a really great price point!  This was the launch issue, and it is so nicely laid out, beautiful clear pictures, and lots of fun projects.  So if you have never heard of it before, that is why.  Head on over and get your subscription today!!!! 

 

 

http://bead-it-today.com/issues/index.shtml

 

I also updated my shop links for the Love My Art Jewelry group (on the sidebar) since we have had some members leave, and some new ones arrive. 

 

I have really been slacking on updating this, but here is a link to the current location of the Art Bead Love Tour. 

photo from / by  Pretty Shiny things blog

 

You can find it at Pretty Shiny Things blog.  You can win a chance to swap art beads on this chain!!!!!!!!!!!!  You can check where it is on our Love My Art Jewelry blog, on the side bar at any given time.

 

 

I have two back to back jewelry shows the first two weekends in May...between sick kids, spring stuff calling, and prepping for my shows, I've been very very busy!  I have been making components, and finally am starting to make some jewlery pieces.  Here is a peek at the new direction some of them will go this year!  I am making chain, and charmy dangly tribaly things!  I even used brass.

 

 

And I found out that today I was featured on Polymer Clay Daily's site- it featured my blog post from last week on making molds (LMAJ) and had a picture of this piece.  What an honor- I am over the moon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

So, I guess that catches you up on things.  I will be selling my wares next weekend in Peddlers Village, Lahaska PA at the Annual Strawberry Festival.  So if you are local, come on out and say hi!!!!!!!  The Artisans are on the Street Road Green, between Earls Prime restaurant and Touch of Britan.  We are not in the actual village with the festivities, so make sure to come over and visit!!

Boot Camp- Textured Metal Blog Hop

(if you are still hopping with the Bead Soup blog hop, click here or just scroll down one post)

 

It is time for our second Art Jewelry Boot Camp Blog Hop.  This time around we talked about texturing metal- whether in sheet or wire form.  We talked about what you can use as far as tools and materials to texture.  This boot camp was specific to hand texturing- no etching or rolling mills allowed! 

 

I decided to use the piece I made using letter stamps on wire, in my finished piece.  I find that I have too many started items lying around that never make their way into finished jewlery. 

 

Here was the piece I made for Love my Art Jewelry.

So I made a couple of matching spirals, cut some jump rings, made a textured clasp to match and put together this piece.  I just LOVE all the texture in it.

 



 

The ceramic beads are by Marsha Neal Studio, the stones that dangle in the front are fossil stones.

 

 

Texturing wire was really fun, and I wouldn't have really tried it if it weren't for Boot Camp.

 

If you want to hop along and see what everyone else made, check out Love my Art Jewelry.

 



Balled Head Pins Boot Camp

Over at Love my Art Jewelry we started a new challenge, no more Strut your Stuff, we are going hardcore with Boot Camp!  You can read all about it here.  Basically, we wanna teach you some new fundamental techniques, and then let you try it out and run with it, and then, have a blog hop at the end of it all.  This month we spent a lot of time working out the bugs, but its blog hop time.

 

You can read about Boot Camp here.

 

You can see my tutorial for balled head pins here.

 

You can enter your creation for the challenge and future challenges in flickr, here.

 

If you want to hop along you can enter by adding your blog by inlinkz here.  Remember to link your blog to ours (LMAJ) so your friends can hop along too!

 

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Here is what I made with the balled headpins technique.

 

I have used LONG balled head pins balled on both sides to create dangles, such as in my jellyfish earrings.

 

 

I have used them to create texture on pieces too.

 

 

 But for this challenge I wanted to do something new, so thought about using them as a connection.  Balling a headpin, dropping it through and balling the other side to connect two things together. 

 

I also happend to be making bronze clay beads, and I often like to layer them with sheet metal.  So here is what I came up with.  It is a trilobite fossil in bronze, with balled head pins to connect it to a nickle silver backing.

 

 

The bail on this piece is also a head pin, balled on one side, fed through a hole and balled again. 

 

So I hope you had fun with boot camp, and learned to make some headpins and found some new ways to use them in your jewelry making.

 

Remember to go to to Love my Art Jewlery to hop along and see what everyone did!

 

Art Bead Love Tour

The Art Bead Love Tour is in full swing over at Love My Art Jewelry.  Check it out and see how you can participate in a beads swap with this.............

Since the Art Bead Love Tour (please hop over to Love my art jewelry to enter for that) is only open to the US residents, I am doing a giveaway below for INTERNATIONAL friends only!  NOT open to US residents.

Leave a comment below, with your email, and your country.  You can leave an extra comment for sharing~this gets you another entry (facebook, twitter and your blog).  You can win one of my new Antique Bible Pendants- made from molds using an antique leather tooled bible I scored at a yard sale!  Winner will be announced November 30th, so check back here to see if its you.  International entries only please!!!!

I will throw in some other goodies too!!!!  I just wanted to let you guys know we appreciate you too!!!
Here a picture of the pendant....

It has one hole at the top, but I can add others if you win, and you want me to, just let me know before I ship.

So- good luck!!!!

Art Bead Earring Swap

Thanks so much to Diana Ptaszynski of Suburban Girl Studio LLC for organizing this great swap!  I loved the idea of just swapping jewerly- especially with art beads.  I mean, even if we all make our own, you know we drool over everyone elses designs too!

I think earrings are both fun and challenging.  I am in a place in my jewelry making where I want all my work to be cohesive, and honestly represent my style.  When you make earrings, you don't have much room to make a statement.  They are an artform all their own!!!!!  So it can be challenging, but its always fun to make mini- art too!  (if you have seen how chunky and large my necklaces are, you will see why I call earrings mini-art!)

I got paired up with Lisa Petrillo of Lucid Moon Studio!  I was really excited, since I have "met" her through a couple of other hops.  I love her work, she really has an eye for design.  Her blog is full of life, and I just know she would be so much fun to hang out with in person.  Lisa is in the process of moving this week, I don't know how she does it all!!!!

Here is the amazing package I got from her.

We emailed each other prior to creating our earrings for each other, and I told her that I don't really wear earrings, but was excited to get a pair as a gift for my mom.  My mom is a BIG fan of earrings, and certainly not loyal to mine!  LOL!  I thought she'd like a pair from a new artist for a change.  The box is perfect and ready to gift!  I just love getting a nicely decorated package!

Then I opened it to find these adorable and versitile earrings!  Love them, and so will my mom.

But thats not all, she also included these, in case I wanted to make a matching pendant.

Isn't that so thoughtful???? 

So, I am looking at these beads, going, "these look so familiar".  So I emailed Lisa and it turns out they are made by Love My Art Jewelry's own LeAnn of Summer Studios!!!  Small world!!

If you want to check out what everyone else got, here are the links!  There are some great artists in this bunch.  I can't wait to have an excuse to browes their blogs all morning!!!

Happy Hopping!

Diana Ptaszynski http://www.suburbangirlstudio.com

Jenny Davies-Reazor   http://www.jdaviesreazor.com/

Marie-Noel Voyer-Cramp http://www.skyejewels.blogspot.com

Lisa Petrillo http://www.lucidmoonstudio.com

Patty Chaban Gasparino http://www.mylifeunderthebus.typepad.com

Susan Kennedy http://www.suebeads.blogspot.com

Shannon Iko Chomanczuk http://www.formysweetdaughter.blogspot.com

Cilla Watkins http://www.tellyourgirlfriends.com

Diane Hawkey http://www.dianehawkey.blogspot.com

Pam Ferrari http://www.ferrarioriginalsyahoocom.blogspot.com

Lori Bowring Michaud http://www.artfullyornamental.blogspot.com

Stacey M. Curry http://www.starhitchedwagon.blogspot.com

Linda Landig http://www.lindasbeadblog.com

Norma Turvey http://www.moonlitfantaseas.blogspot.com

Melinda Orr http://www.orrtec.blogspot.com

Holly Westfall http://www.silverrosedesigns.blogspot.com

Rosemarie Cowit http://www.gemrosedesigns.blogspot.com

Staci L. Smith http://www.stacilouise.blogspot.com

Sarah Elder http://www.mysocalledjunkylife.blogspot.com

BTW ~ Inspiration and Dimension

Remember these cool shells and things?????

Well, they inspired these.

And that's whats on my beads table!  (check out the flickr group Bead Table Wednesday to see what other artists have on their table)  These are still in the patination process right now.  I cannot even wait to play with these in some jewelry designs!!!!
If you want to see how these flat copper discs.......................

Become these cool 3-D little charms.................................

.................then hop on over to Love my Art Jewelry for my tutorial of how to make them.