Art Bead Scene Blog: Design Team Challenge - June

One of my favorite blogs, the Art Bead Scene, recently got a new look and added some new features.  I was thrilled to be invited to participate in the very first ABS Design Team Challenge.  Editor Heather Powers sent a selection of her handmade Humblebeds to a few of us out here in jewelry-making blog land:  Cindy Wimmer, Erin Prais-Hintz, Lori Anderson, and Lorelei Eurto.  It is very cool to see how each of us took the core pieces and went our own directions.  All of them are so pretty and unique!

I started out with this Humblebead in hand...

..and thought I'd go with some resin-filled bezels.  In my first post about the challenge you can see the mess on my dining room table.  I changed course and found my way to the Red Creek jasper that I picked up at Beadfest in Philly.  From there this set emerged...

In addition to the jasper, I added red-orange leather, copper, and a pretty little Artisan Clay pendant from Kristie Roeder. 

The set's available on Etsy.

Thanks, ABS!!!

Missing My Blog Family!

I can't believe it has been over a week since I last posted!!  But, alas, I have been moving my household...including two ridiculous cats and a boatload of crafty stuff...and am finally down to just a few boxes left in my cute/tiny apartment.  I've been living without connectivity for a while...other than my little phone...and that has felt just about crippling for communicating. But, the cable people girl was here last night and now I'm back in action!!

I've been down to Bead Haven a few times to chat with Joanne and plan my first teaching gig...whoo hooo!  I'm starting small with an asymmetric bracelet class and I'm so excited to do some research and paw through everything she has in the store.  haaaaaaaaa  That's coming up in a couple of weeks.  Plus, I have a holiday weekend coming up so that means lots of time for beach strolling and being inspired in the morning with hot afternoons in the coolness of the workshop.  I'm soooo looking forward to it.

In the meantime, I actually found some time before I left Alabama to shoppity shop.  It's all about the orange on these Donna Millard beads.  There's a matching focal, too, that's just sooooo sweet!

Plus, the antique and flea markets back in my hometown, Bedford, Pa., provided lots of distractions while I was home visiting.  I can't wait to show you the vintage goodies I found!

I have to get ready for a little PT before it gets up to the 100's again...great.  :)

Soup-a-Palooza Begins!

My new apartment is still jammed with boxes, but I'm ready to share in the bead soup-y goodness for this week's adventure.  Many thanks to Lori Anderson who coordinated this event for the second time with much success.  :) 

I was thrilled to be paired up with Cindy Dolezal...she sent me a gorgeous green focal pendant (that she made herself!) plus a great mix of brass and earthy toned beads.  The Vintaj brass clasp was a really cool component, too!!

I focused on the metal...gave me a chance to really work with the warmth of the brass.  Then, I found this feather pendant while out browsing and thought it would make a fun coordinating piece.

So, first off, the necklace...along with Cindy's focal, I added my own colorful zip (including orange, of course!  haaaaaaaa) with some gorgeous lampwork glass rounds from BeadAddicts.  Then, lots of colorful dyed magnesite nuggets along with some green glass rounds and brass spacers from Cindy.

I wanted to feature the pretty clasp on a bracelet so it'd get more visibility, so I used the moonstone rounds from Cindy, some more magnesite, and more lampwork to create a little asymmetric number that lets the clasp shine!

I used the feather focal along with some brass chain and a few of the Vintaj brass beads from Cindy to create a coordinating necklace.  Finally, a little bit of rollo chain and a few more of Cindy's treasures worked themselves into earrings.

Party Week starts June 19th. Last party, we had so many attendees that we really needed several days to visit all the blogs and view all the loveliness, so this time the party has been extended for a week!  Here's the party people and the schedule...

Saturday, June 19th -- blogs 1-13

1. Lori, Pretty Things

2. Lorelei, Lorelei1141

3. Norma, Moonlit Fantaseas

4. Beth, EB Bead and Metalworks

5. Katie, KatieBead

6. Kimberly, Bahama Dawn

7. Debbie, Prairie Emporium

8. Lisa, Joolz by Lisa

9. Kate, Tropical Blonde

10. Janet, Singing Woods

11. Julianna, Juls Beads

12. Erin, Treasures Found

Sunday, June 20th -- blogs 14-26



14. Jen, Jen Judd Rocks (Whoo hoo!!)
15. Kella, Me But a Little More In Depth
16. Emanda, Artemisia Studio
17. Marie, Skye Jewels
18. Loretta, Designs By Loretta
19. Stacy, Sissy and Jack's
20. Joanna, Filcowe
21. Diane, Diane Hawkey
22. Marianna, Pretty Shiny Things
23. Anna, The Laughing Raven
24. Marcie, La Bella Joya
25. Lois, Que Onda Q'town?
26. Jayne, Mama's Got To Doodle

Monday, June 21st -- blogs 27-36


27. Lisa, Alterity
28. Dale, Dales' Flights of Fancy
29. Melanie, Kookie Designs
30. Christine, A Hot Piece of Glass
31. Nancy, Beading From the Heart
32. Laurel, Rue's Daftique
33. Sandi, Do Be Do Bead Do
34. Nicki, Nicki's Reef
35. Virginie, ViviBijoux
36. Janeen, Wild Vanilla

Tuesday, June 22nd -- blogs 37-47



37. Filomena, Pink Velvet Bird
38. Lyn, Lyn Foley
39. Tari, Pearl and Pebble
40. Rebecca, Song Beads
41. Regina, Regina's Writings
42. Nancy, The Rabbit Muse
43. Whitney, Whitney Lassini
44. Maria, Garden Path Beads
45. Michelle, Life in the Bead Lane
46. Ann, My Critical Eye
47. Lisa, Lucid Moon Studio

Wednesday, June 23rd -- blogs 48-59
48. Nan, Spirit Rattles
49. Amy, Copper Diem
50. Malin, Beading by Malin de Koning
51. Anne, Gardanne Glass Lampwork
52. Alice, Alice's Beads and Baubles
53. Barbara, Second Surf
54. Amanda, Articulations
55. Heather, Humble Beads
56. Melissa, Melissa Meman, Art, Life, Love
57. Kate, Organic Odysseys
58. Patti, PJ Clark Designs
59. Stefanie, Stefanie's Sammelsurium

Thursday, June 24th -- blogs 60-71


60. Carol, Carol Bradley Designs
61. Wanda, A Frayed of Fibers
62. Diana, Vintage Blue Studio
63. Marieke, Marieke's Blog
64. KJ, Silver Parrot
65. Maire, Maire Dodd
66. Shannon, Miss Fickle Media
67. Dana, Dana's Jewelry Designs
68. Charlene, The Bead Dreamer
69. Elisabeth, Beads for Busy Gals
70. Cathryn, Chile Cats
71. Missy, Melissa Rappaport

Friday, June 25th -- blogs 72-84



72. Cindy, Cindy Dolezal Designs (my partner!)
73. Valerie, Hot Art
74. Courtney, Beads by Breul
75. Johanna, Fire Phoenix Creations
76. Shea, gr8findings
77. Julie, Pryce Designs
78. Jeannie, Jeannie's Blog
79. Patricia, Verre Design
80. Christa, Adventures of One Beady Woman
81. Heather, My Muse
82. Susan, Night Beader at Large
83. Sonja, Drachenei
84. Jennifer, Glass Addictions by Jennifer

Saturday, June 26th -- blogs 85-97

85. Melissa, One-Eared Pig Beads
86. Rebecca, 2SistersBeadwork
87. Karyn, Releases by Rufydoof
88. Denise, Bling on the Blog
89. Doris, Glaszwerg
90. Megan, Churchy & Her Sailor
91. Jo, Daisychain Designs
92. Jen, VanBeads Jewelry and Design
93. Kristie, Artisan Clay
94. Jess, Vintaj
95. Suzann, Beadphoria
96. Sharon, Sharon's Jewelry Garden
97. Michelle, bMichelle

It's a Beautful Day in my New Neighborhood

I'm settling into my new neighborhood which happens to have a bead shop in walking distance...it's right near the bar, so I had a perfect evening last night with martinis and then some bead chat with Joanne, the owner of Bead Haven.  She just moved the shop into this growing area called the Peninsula Town Center, so how lucky am I?!  haaaaaaa

Even luckier, she had the new Summer issue of Stringing so we oooohed and aaaahed over the great projects, including three of my necklaces!!!  I feel like I've made the Bead Celebrity D-List.  haaaaaaaaaaa  Amidst all the drama of moving and unpacking and starting a new job, it's so nice to be able to chat with someone as excited as I am about crafting and art and creating new pretties.

So here's a little preview of the pieces in this issue...

Once I get back from some leave visiting family, I think there might be a giveaway in order!!!  I can share some extras of the beads I used in these pieces...aquamarine nuggets & cool turquoise bits.  :)

Graduation

I started the week with a graduation ceremony.  I now have a master's degree in Military Operational Art and Sciences.  Pretty cool! 

Jewels and beads were a major part of my life here in Alabama, but I also spent plenty of time reading about air power, warfare, culture, and history.  I can actually read the whole newspaper now and understand it...I don't have to stick with the tv listings and the sudoku.  haaaaaaaaaa  I read a ton about Afghan history and culture that has really helped me understand some of Curt's daily mission and the challenges he's facing.

There was a huge graduation ball on Saturday night, so here's a pic of some of my flight mates and their lovely spouses.  I was truly blessed to meet all these guys...even the fighter pilot!  haaaaaaaaaaaaa  I'm headed to Langley Air Force Base in Virginia while the others in my flight are headed off around the world:  Honolulu, Okinawa, Las Vegas, D.C., Louisiana, San Antonio, and Phoenix.  My international student buds are going back to Armenia and South Africa.  It seems like we'll be far apart, but it's amazing how small the world gets when you have a shared experience like we've had here. 

So, on that note, I have to get ready for the packers...they're already late, but should be here eventually today.  I'll have to write more about moving and how much fun it is later on when it's all done and I'm through with the fun.  haaaaaaaaaaa

Bead Air Power!!

ABS Carnival Bloggers: Making a Statement!

I thought a lot about what statement this piece makes...

my mind just settles on this one with a big loud laugh and a smile: 

 "The B*tch Has Beads!" 

haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

I used every kind of glass bead I had in my inventory from handmade lampwork art beads to recycled glass to Czech glass to furnace glass to peacock glass to vintage Japanese glass...you name it and it's probably in here.

On that note, in honor of the Bead and Button show going on this month, our illustrious leader, Cindy, challenged the Carnival crowd to try something different.  The lampwork beads are from Lisa New, HMB Studios, & Linden Avenue Designs, that I know of...there are some other "mystery" beads on there that I bought a long, long time ago and I don't remember the artists since back then I didn't pay enough attention. 

So, there are some other folks out there with big statements to make, so please go check out their pieces, too!

~ Cindy Dolezal (who's my bead soup partner AND she's having a giveaway this week!)

~ Cindy Gimbrone, the Lampwork Diva and our ABS Carnival guide

~ Christine Hansen's Intuitive Sparks light up the glass bead making world.

~ Island Girl's Insights are shown in her glass works.

~ Janel Dudley - She's a Fire Diva who rocked her orphans!

~ Jeannie has a couple of pieces in the latest Bead Trends magazine.

~ Sharon Palac at her Jewelry Garden - She's been doing a lot of cool metal work lately!

~ Kate Clawson at Organic Odysseys shares pretty, pretty goodies.

~ Marcie Abney at La Bella Joya - She makes my fave beaded beads.

~ Mary Harding's statement is all about Beads of Clay in a BIG way!

~ Nicki from Nicki's Reef over in Germany!

Enjoy!

A Flowery Chandelier Picnik

I was in a Picnik sort of mood tonight, so here's what I did...

First is the picture as it came out of the camera.  It's from an kick-ass antique market in Atlanta.  They had the most amazing chandeliers...I have more pics and will share eventually.  I'm still recovering from the phenomenal meals we had there at a couple of former Top Chef contestants' restaurants.  I had six types of protein in one day!!  It was heaven!

Here's the first cool effect:

Then this one that I LOVE!  It reminds me of my favorite polymer clay extrusion and layering methods, but this one is a lot less messy and only takes a few keystrokes.  :)

And finally this one...I love the yellow-green color in the background.  I actually just bought an armchair and ottoman that color...Curt says he likes the color, so we'll see!  haaaaaaaaa