I am going to ArtBliss!

I am so very excited!  I just registered and signed up for my classes at ArtBliss in September! This is an awesome venue created by Jeanette Blix and Cindy Wimmer. I was lucky enough to have attended the inaugural ArtBliss a couple of years ago- I took one class - K.reating A.rt B.eads with Kerry Bogert .  At the time, I had only been involved in making jewelry for less than a year. I knew no -one there, I did not read but two-three blogs, did not have a blog...you get the picture.   However, I happened upon Kerry's book, Totally Twisted at my local bead store in Occoquan, Virginia, and I instantly became hooked on lampwork beads.  This class was so much fun - I still do not have a kiln but am planning to get one next year, fingers crossed!  Kerry is an excellent teacher and I am excited to be signed up for her class entitled True Colors: Cold-Worked Bezels & Colorful Camouflage!

I pre-ordered her next book, Rustic Wrappings, and am patiently awaiting its delivery in July! The class I signed up for includes a project from this book.

I have to mention that Totally Twisted  is also what changed my jewelry designs from basic stringing to include wire - Kerry's book demonstrates how easily it is to enhance any design!  

Starfish by SuburbanGirlBeads

Love to make my own clasps with wire!

Anyway, the only problem I have with the ArtBliss venue is that I truly want to take ALL of the classes with all of the talented instructors!  Alas, unless I am cloned between now and then, 3 will have to do!

Won't you join me?!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Bead Swap# 7 and # 8 - with Moobie Grace Designs

My bead swap results continues!  Today's package of goodies contained the following beads, generously given to me by Tania of Moobie Grace Designs (click on the pictures to get a better view):

I ended up making three pairs of earrings from these gorgeous lampwork beads.

Turns out that the colors in the disc beads were a perfect complement to the round beads! So, I wire wrapped with silver wire the discs and  rounds to make these fun earrings.  I added sterling spacer beads and hand forged ear wires.

These colors and textures formed in these beautiful grey lentil beads remind me of the mountains with a stream running below.  I formed a flower with some enameled bead caps and ear wires, from Sue Kennedy, and some brass bead caps I had on hand.

I wanted to keep these earrings simple - loving the teal and red together - so I just added small oval silver beads.

The next bead pouch contained a stunning toggle and 2 charms, all made by Tania:

The fuchsia charms are so vibrant and have pops of blue and orange added - look at the details!  Anyway, they stumped me for a while, as this is not a color palette that I have used before!  However, I have been hoarding  buying quite a few Tangerine Tango beads lately, so I found two in my stash - these are from GlassBeadArt - and made some fun and funky earrings.



My last piece is a bracelet made with the beautiful taupe toggle.  I combined some gorgeous raku beads from Duane Collins of Elements Pottery.  I also wired-up another flower charm, with enameled componets made by Sue Kennedy.

The raku beads are just gorgeous - a picture cannot capture all of the beautiful colors!

I am almost done with my soup ingredients!  Thank you again Tania, and Lori Anderson for organizing this amazing, impromptu swap!

Thank you for stopping by today!

Going Tribal - Bead Swap # 6 with Moobie Grace Designs

My Bead Swap with the lovely beads received from Tania at Moobie Grace Designs continues!

Here is the contents of this bag of goodies:

This bag was bulging with beady goodness...lots and lots of shells, coral, baroque pearls, mother of pearl, and two gorgeous lentil beads made by Tania.  My niece Rachel's honeymoon next month is in Jamaica, so I decided to make her a beachy-tribal themed set. 

Tania's polymer clay lentils are just stunning!

 I used copper colored beading wire and Vintaj chain for the necklace.

Isn't this mermaid clasp sweet!!??

I really like the color of the copper beading wire, so I strung a few shells and pearls, crimped at the top, and added handmade brass ear wires.

A perfectly themed set for Rachel to wear with a sundress on the beach!

Thanks again, Tania, and thank you for stopping by today!

Happily Ever After - with Erin Prais-Hintz

So here I was surfing Facebook a week or so ago, when Jennifer Justman of Souls Fire Design shared a link to this pendant:

Photo by Erin Prais-Hintz (her pictures are MUCH better than mine!)

I have admired Erin Prais-Hintz of Tesori Trovati's  Simple Truth's Pendants forever. Each piece of handmade art tells its own story - I marvel at her attention to the intricate details!  This particular pendant is made from polymer clay, set in a bezel, hand stamped, painted, buffed....it is gorgeous! This pendant was created specifically for the Vintaj.com Storybook theme going on right now. You can read more about this exciting adventure on Erin's blog - here. 
 

My beautiful niece, Rachel, is getting married on May 12th....so I had to have it! I made the jewelry for Rachel's eight bridesmaids already...you can read about that by clicking here.

I wish I had taken a picture of Erin's package - a pillow box with her signature key - it was so sweet!  In my haste of opening the package, I did not take a picture (I'll just have to place another order!)  She also included a very nice card - it felt like Christmas and I was receiving a gift!  If you are reading this Erin, thank you...your presentation is stellar!

Anyway, I received it on Wednesday and was so excited to create with this little treasure!  This is what I created:

The colors of this pendant looked vintage and I wanted to keep that feeling in the piece.  I happened to have some beautiful Swarovski pearls in my stash.  I made a "pearl chain" using Vintaj brass wire.  Instead of using jump rings, I deconstructed a vintaj brass chain and used the individual links from a Vintaj to connect the pearl links. 

I found some small, cranberry colored pearls in my HUGE stash, as well.  I wanted to bring out the cranberry color in the "crown" from the pendant...just in touches throughout the necklace.  So, I used some antique brass bead caps and very fine brass headpins to make tiny little flowers.

I wire wrapped 3 more "pearl flowers" to the bottom of the pendant.

Unlike her Aunt Patti, Rachel has been blessed with a long, slender neck and she wears the longer-style earrings beautifully!

Rachel loved her gift!  Thank you, Erin, for creating such inspiring designs!

PS:  Blogger has been giving me fits all weekend!  I had to write this post 5 times, as it would just disappear while I was typing! I don't even want to discuss the problem I am having with line spacing....ugh!

Thanks for stopping by!

Bead Swap # 5 - with Moobie Grace Designs

Today is my reveal for my 5th installment of "What I created with the bead swap gifts from Tania of Moobie Grace Designs!  This next one was a challenge - Tania created these gorgeous, hand forged copper hearts: (click on the pictures for a better view)

She also made the copper clay moon charm!  I have not used the charm yet...but I will!  Anyway, at first I thought the hearts could be used for earrings, but they are too large.  And, since I had two, I did not want to only use one as a pendant in a necklace....so, I found a way to use them both in one necklace.  I paired them with gorgeous, handmade swirled beads from Duane Collins of Elements Pottery.

There is no way my pictures can illustrate the phenomenal colors, luster, and sheen coming from these beads!

I used a couple of copper bead caps that I had etched and wired everything together with heavy gauge copper wire.  I also made a very simple clasp.

I patina-ted all of the metals with my torch before assembly, then used some Renaissance Wax to protect the effects.  I also found two brushed copper hearts that I made into earrings.

Its always hard for me to take a good picture of necklaces - Surprisingly, this lays very well on the neck when worn!  So pleased!

Thanks again Tania!  And, thank you for stopping by today!