Art Bead Scene: Beads 2011 Giveaway

I have to post about this giveaway because I want another chance to win it, but I don't necessarily want anyone else to join it because I am seriously coveting the big prize and don't want to decrease my chances...what a dilemma!  haaaaaaaaaaa  


The Art Bead Scene editor, Ms. Erin Prais-Hintz, has gathered bits and baubles from tons of artists and businesses featured in the recently released Beads 2011 and is having a huge giveaway!

I have a copy of this issue sitting right here in my living room and the corners are dog-eared because I spent a lot of time looking for my friends and favorite artists who I've met through blogging in there.  Luckily I found a ton of them who I already buy from on a regular basis....
- Suebeads is Sue Kennedy from Pittsburgh.  Since she's a fellow Pennsylvania girl, we've gotten to know each other with lots of bead sharing and tips, ideas, and inspiration.
- Shaterra Clay Studio has some luscious pieces and she actually just put a bunch of new goodies in her Etsy shop.  (I have to make a little note here because I just almost cramped up laughing...I put "shaterra.blogspot.com" into my navigating line and when the results came up the post at the top said, "I'm looking for cartoon characters having sex." Apparently this wasn't Sharleen's blog! haaaaaaaaaaaa)
- Summers Studio ceramics are always lovely...and really show off her style.
- Heather from Humblebeads showed off her latest components...she's been adding new things to her polymer clay line like crazy!
- Elaine Ray beads are a fave of mine...I tend to hoard them, though, rather than use them.


I know this isn't a complete list, but I have to go to work eventually.  I was there until almost midnight trying to analyze data and figure out how the Air Force's civilian hiring controls are going to affect all of our units.  With about 10K positions out there and just about as many civilians filling them, it was a bit of a challenge.  Gotta get back to it!

Dandelions and Wacky Chunkies

It's always so funny to submit things to magazines because you have to do it so early that the seasons seem to be offset.  Back in November I had to get in the groove of April and May to meet the design deadlines.  Apparently it worked out because now that it's May, Bead Trends is out and there's a pretty little set all ready for the flowers and sunshine and rain showers (and pollen and stuffy nose....haaaaaaaa) that I'm proud to say I created!





I know we're more in dandelion's yellow flowering time right now, but eventually those little fluff balls will be out.  This polymer clay bead captures the fluff beautifully...it's from Heather at Humblebeads.  I found a few available in her etsy shop if you're coveting.





Those awesome lampworked glass disks are some of my faves from Heather (a different Heather) at HMB Studios.  She calls them "wacky chunky" and since I think of myself as kind of wacky chunky I have a huge collection of them as a sort of self tribute. haaaaaaaa 


She actually just posted this week that there are a bunch of new wacky chunky sets in her Etsy shop.





In addition to the awesome art beads, the other thing I think is cool about this set is the fact that those little bone flower circles actually came from Michael's...and I'm sure I used a coupon so they were a super deal.  It's a good balance of more expensive handmade beads with some bargains.  I'm trying to get over being too much of a bead snob.  :)  

Bead Table Wednesday

BTW - Shinies, originally uploaded by jenjuddrocks.

It's a little late in the day, but it's still Wednesday so I'm joining the BTW posting party.  Heather of Humblebeads fame came up with the idea and there are already 14 of us in the Flickr group--check out what everyone's working on.

I'm all about the metal flower pieces and the bangle blanks. I can't stop! I've been digging out all the bead caps I haven't used in years--they're perfect to layer with the big flowers petal pieces.

I had a few good hours tonight with my little Reb, so I'll have more pics to post later in the week including the BRIGHT YELLOW challenge I took with Amy F.

A Peek: ABS Design Team

With the re-vamped look of the Art Bead Scene, there's also a new feature called the ABS Design Team Challenge.  I was honored and blessed to get an invite from editor Heather Powers to participate in the first group!  I'm so thrilled!  Of course I'm not done yet, but wanted to share just a bit since I got some of her lovely nature-inspired beads to work with.

Just to get a taste of the sweetness, here's a photo of the goods from Heather's Mother's Day post on her Humblebeads Blog. 

I've got a few ideas jumbling around in my head and I think bezels and resin are going to play a part in the end result...but they're still a work in progress...this is the scene from my dining room table last night.  Wish me luck with the ICE resin!

I had a blast searching through old buttons, my grammy's pins, some dried flowers and sticks from around the house, old wallpaper from my childhood home...I want to try a variety of things so we'll see what happens and what works best with my Humblebead treats.  And, if none of them work, well then onto another idea!  haaaaaaaaa

The Sisterhood: A Traveling Bead Giveaway!

So, check this out...

I'm one of many out there who have TONS of beads stashed away...collecting them for years...hoping for the perfect project...happy to share...well, Heather Powers has the greatest idea based on just this very idea:  The Sisterhood of the Traveling Beads Giveaway.

She's put together a box of goodies gathered during a studio cleanup/makeover...over $200 worth of beads and findings!  Here's the collage of pics from her post:

Heather'll pick one winner from her blog post comments.  That person will get the box in the mail, pick and choose goodies out of it, replace the chosen goodies with new items out of her stash, and then have another blog giveaway.  Isn't that a fun idea? 

I have drawers and drawers of beads just waiting for some love...in honor of St. Patrick's Day this week, here's just a glance at my two "green" drawers:

If you're interested in being a part of the traveling bead fest, check out the Humblebeads blog...if you're not all that into beads, you still might be impressed with Heather's recent studio cleanup.  I'm so jealous of all that clean counterspace!!!

Bangles! Mini Art Bead Collections!

My latest projects...

Inspiration?  Can you see the Totally Twisted in these?  haaaaaaa  My take on Kerry's projects from the book...It’s not just a bangle, it’s a mini art bead collection!

I used tons of great art beads from lots of different sources (all listed below with their Etsy seller IDs)...

For this one...

- Big enameled metal by Barbara Lewis at PaintingwithFire

- Lampwork glass by Cherie Ranfranz at Happyskull

- Polymer by Heather Powers at Humblebeads

- Lampwork glass by Karen Richards at LibelulaDesigns

- Lampwork disk by Heather Boardman at HMBStudios

For this bracelet, I used:

- Polymer clay from Doreen at Doreensbackyardbeads

- Lampwork disks from Heather at HMBstudios

And, then I couldn't resist mixing up the metals along with some more of those great round beads and some faceted lemony quartz.

And, some of my Air Force Blue beads from HMB studios for this pretty blue and silver number.

All of these are available for your shopping pleasure in my Etsy shop!

My Air Force: Simple & Chunky

They're ready for primetime!!!

The Air Force blue themed pieces that I'm donating to the 2010 Air Force Charity Ball!  A couple of weeks ago (okay more than a month ago) I posted about the custom blue wacky chunky beads I got from Heather at HMB Studios...well, it has taken me this long to realize that I really needed to keep it simple. This project was starting to stress me out! 

For the necklace I ended up with a simple gathering of the disks that makes the best of the clouds, wind, air, and entrails that come to mind when thinking of Air Force blue.  The inspiration for this simple design actually came from day one of the Humblebeads challenge from last October:  Fun with Focals.  Heather used a design by Teri Bienvenue as her inspiration; you can see both of their designs here.

Then, for the bracelet, I wanted a couple of dangles for the sheer entertainment value, but focused on lapis lazuli (aaaahhhh the Afghanistan connection!) for the meat of the bracelet.

I am really starting to get in a simplification groove...I am usually so far over the top on adding things to a piece that I get overwhelmed with it and then wonder why it doesn't look perfect.  So, I'm practicing a little "less is more" mantra lately.  It's sort of against my nature, but seems to have worked out in this case, if I do say so myself.  haaaaaaaaaa I got a little validation on the simplification from The Rabbit Muse this week...she's been doing more basic shapes with her ceramics with less of the bells and whistles and I think they're gorgeous!

So, that's that for now.  Hoarders is on tonight...so crafty "collectors" unite!!  haaaaaaa


Jen