Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Creative Bead Chat on Facebook - Giveaway!


I belong to a awesome group - Creative Bead Chat - on Facebook, comprised of creative component and jewelery designers  to share new creations, tool tips and help build our creativity and sales.  There is a fantastic giveaway going on right now with 15 lucky winners - total retail value of giveaway is over $400!  Winners to be chosen next Tuesday, March 27th!



As one of the prizes, I am offering these earrings! 



This gorgeous pair of earrings features a pair of polka dot copper discs, handcrafted by the talented Kristi Bowman (http://www.etsy.com/shop/KristiBowmanDesign). The discs measure 3/4" and have been topped by a fabulous pair of glass lampwork crystal/diamond shaped beads, made by Daniel Janelle (http://www.etsy.com/radiantmind). These handmade beads, aptly named "Paprika" blend apricot with cobalt, teal, and powder blue, fine silver blended in ivory, and dazzling goldstone aventurine sparkles. The earrings have been wrapped with copper wire and tiny copper beads, and hang from handmade, solid copper ear wires with a 3 ball focal, made by Melinda Orr (http://www.etsy.com/shop/ORRTEC). These one-of-a-kind earrings measure 3" from the top of the ear wire to the bottom of the earring and have a retail value of $55.00.




Please follow the link below to visit Melinda Orr's blog for more details on how to enter the giveaway! 
http://orrtec.blogspot.com/2012/03/invitation-to-creative-bead-chat-group.html

Thanks for stopping by!

Monday, March 19, 2012

New work!

Sam...on the mend!


In between taking care of Sam - who had knee surgery on Feb 7 - I managed to make a few new things...



These gorgeous ivory and black polka dots lamp work beads are made by Davinia Design


Raku starfish pendant by Suburban Girl Beads and lamp work beads by Blue Seraphim




Bracelet, Earrings and Necklace - The starfish pendant (necklace) and awesome shell connector also by Suburban Girl Beads and sea foam green lamp work and starfish lamp work beads by Lyndas Lampwork - both on Etsy. 


Gorgeous violet flower lamp work beads by Susan Kennedy


Enameled beads by Susan Kennedy (sold!)  I changed out the ear wires to antique brass, at the customer's request.


 I LOVE these red stripe and black lamp work beads by Sue Kennedy


The last item is a custom bracelet - it's for a 12 year old girl for her birthday. 

That's it for now....thanks so much for stopping by!

Friday, March 9, 2012

Mom's New Sewing Room!

I know this is not jewelry or bead related, but, exciting to me just the same! My mom - my mentor and the creative genius of the family - FINALLY decided it was time to upgrade her sewing room furniture. She is an EXCELLENT seamstress, and I am not just saying this because she is my mother!

Mom has been sewing FOREVER....she used to make matching outfits for my sister and I, though at Catholic school, uniforms were the norm during the week. No...my sister is not my twin, but Mom did it anyway. In fact, she used to have our hair cut the same way, too...ugh! Anyway, I digress. Her favorite form of sewing is decorative...quilts, curtains, valences, re-upholstery...you get the drift. She had been using this TINY LITTLE SEWING CABINET. I'm not quite sure how she did it all these years. It was decided that a larger sewing cabinet was in order, especially for quilting. I bought a sewing machine and serger years ago, from Sew Vac Direct, and we started our search. Due to the fact that her sewing room is located on the second floor of my home, it was necessary to buy the cabinet un-assembled, so that I could carry it up the stairs! No such thing as "White Glove" delivery for pre-assembled units.  She settled on the Kangaroo Aussie Suite!  I assured her that I could assemble it.  10 LARGE BOXES AND 3 DAYS LATER, I did!  And without further ado, here it is! (Pics were taken at night....probably should have waited for daylight, but I was so excited it was done and could not wait)!




This cabinet is awesome!  There is an additional leaf on the back of the cabinet that opens up to hold the fabric (i.e., quilt) while sewing, providing TONS OF ROOM to hold heavy quilts, etc., instead of the fabric spilling on the floor!  The machine itself easily retracts into the cabinet...it just happens to be sitting in its uppermost position right now.  Lots of cool nooks and crannies to hold the essentials!  Her serger is located on the bottom of the left hand side of the cabinet.  She can pull it out to use it anytime.  Even her quilting rulers are located in the back of the cabinet...right under her chair, providing easy access!


My uber-sweet niece's boyfriend was kind enough to re-locate shelves for her - I can put anything together but I CANNOT HANG THINGS ON THE WALL!!  Thank you, Kevin!


This awesome cabinet has nine drawers inside - the back leaf also folds up to become a cutting table, as seen in this picture.  The whole thing is on wheels and easily slides out from the wall to have it in "cutting mode". 


Nine drawers!  She has an additional chest, not pictured and not part of this cool set, also filled with notions, interfacing, etc. 


The coolest thing we did was move her little corner computer desk and file cabinet from my guest room into the sewing room.  Now, all of her "stuff" is in one place!  She loves it!

I have to tell you...the customer service departments at SewVacDirect, and the manufacturer, Kangaroo/Arrow Cabinets, are awesome!  Out of the gazillion pieces received, one of the tops was damaged - I called and received a replacement piece in 2 DAYS!!!  I am very pleased with their service!

A HUGE thank you to my sister - the Queen of Organization!  She helped me arrange the room last Saturday, which was a feat!  Thank, Lori!  I could NOT have done this without your help! 

Well, thank you so much for stopping by my little world!  Have a great day!

Friday, March 2, 2012

It's Finally Here! Bead Soup Blog Party Time!

First of all, I can't believe it is March already...I mean, what happened to January and February?  Anyway, the moon and stars must have aligned when Lori Anderson's randomizer picked me as one of the lucky participants in her Bead Soup Blog Party - her fifth and largest party to date!  This is my first time participating, and I was matched with the talented Natasha Lutes of N's Whims.  Here is a recap of what Natasha sent me:


Gorgeous semi-precious gemstones, including turquoise (my personal all-time favorite!)


A beautiful dichroic glass focal, which is quite large, with gorgeous hues of blues, yellows, and brown. The mix also included a few extra glass beads that coordinated with the colors of the focal.


Pearls and glass rondelles.

And last....but not least...a huge mix of Vintaj components!  Look at that star!  Focal perhaps? 


The Vintaj mix also included 2 clasp choices.

I have never used Vintaj components, or dichroic glass.  This is not to say that I don't have any Vintaj in my stash....I just have never used it before!  This was a challenge ... the whole point of this soup!  I was so excited to receive this very generous soup from Natasha....thank you!

I mulled over my design for days.  I was stumped on how to use the dichroic glass.  I had other brass filigrees and tried to wrap it, making the focal into a pendant.  That failed (in my mind).  I happened to have a large filigree that I thought would make a good back drop for the focal.  So, I combined the two...

Instead of just joining the chain to the focal, which just was not interesting to me, I wire wrapped the vintaj star component, some of the beads, and the vintaj filigree bead to the chain.  The toggle clasps on the side....not the back of the necklace. 

I was happy with this design, as the eye travels around the necklace - instead of just focusing on the pendant.  I used extra beads and the small, vintaj star charm and made a dangle that sits on top of the dichroic and filigree focal. 

Since I don't like soup leftovers, I also made a bracelet and two pair of earrings.


I love multi-strand bracelets - and I wanted to use this clasp!



Here is a picture of everything I made -

My niece has already claimed everything I made...thank you Rachel!   

Thank you for stopping by, and your comments mean so much to me!

  Please visit all of the participants by following the links below.


Hostess, Lori Anderson


Special Book Sneak Peeks, Cindy Wimmer
1.  Adlinah Kamsir (Singapore) and Hajer Waheed (Kingdom of Bahrain)
2. Adrienn Lukacs (Hungary) and Agata Grygiel (Poland)
3.  Agi Kiss (Hungary) and Carolien Muller-Genger (the Netherlands)
4.  Agnes Asztalos (Hungary) and B.R. Kuhlman
7.  Alicia Marinache (Canada) and Dita Basu
15.  Bonnie Coursolle (Canada) and Fay Wolfenden (Canada)
16.  Carmel McGinley (Australia) and Tracy Stillman (Australia)

21.  Cheryl Brown (Canada) and Diana Ptaszynski
22.  Christina Stofmeel (the Netherlands) and Eva Kovacs (Hungary)
24.  Cilla Watkins (Canada) and Elaine Robitaille (Canada)
25.  Sabrina Straub (Switzerland) and Kathy Combs
32.  Dee Elgie (UK) and Joanne Lockwood (UK)
33.  Dian Hierschel (Germany) and Eniko Fabian (Austria)
37.  Doris Stumpf (Germany) and Eszter Czibulyas (Hungary)
39.  Elke Leonhardt-Rath (Germany) and Marjolein Trewavas (UK)
41.  Erika Nooteboom (the Netherlands) and Giorgia Rossini (Italy)
43.  Evelyn Duberry (Canada) and Gaea Cannaday
45.  Ginger Bishop (military, Okinawa) and Martina Nagele (Germany)
48.  Helene Goldberg (Australia) and Karen Vincent
54.  Joanna Matuszczyk (Poland) and Julianna Kis (Hungary)
55.  Joanne Tinley (UK) and Michaela Pabeschitz (Austria)
65.  Kristina Johansson (Sweden) and Penny Neville (Canada)
66.  Krisztina Erlaki-Toth (Hungary) and Nicole Keller (Germany)
76.  Lori Finney (Canada) and Marie-Noel Voyer-Cramp (Canada)
78.  Marta Kaczerowska (Poland) and Milla Starchik (Canada)
83.  Michelle Jensen and Sandra Young (Canada)
86.  Natasha Lutes and Patti Vanderbloemen You are here!
92.  Rosa Maria Cuevas (Mexico) and Tejae Floyde
93.  Sabine Dittrich (Germany) and Sally Russick
95.  Shanti Johnson and Tracy Mok (Canada)
97.  Sonya Stille and Traci Zeller (Canada)
98.  Stefanie Teufel (Germany) and Tania Hagen (New Zealand)

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Andrew Thorntons Feburary 2012 Design Challenge

I participated in 2 blog hops today!  My 7000 Bracelets for Hope blog post can be found by directly below this post!



 
This is what Andrew Thornton offered as his last Design Challenge Kit....The only hints given were the colors "pink and fuchsia".  I said to myself, "what the heck...I like those colors"..and so I challenged myself and bought the kit.

Days later, he posted a picture of the contents (not including the Mystery Components).  In his words "The Design Kit, which I think is extremely challenging (I don't work too much with pinks or fuchsia) consists of a Simple Truths piece from Erin Prais-Hintz, a ceramic bead from Keith O'Connor, a polymer clay round from Pam Wynn, lots of dyed jade, vintage plastic, pink opal, rosewater opal glass, fuchsia Swarovski crystals, vintage glass, organza ribbon, irradiated shell, Czech glass, and the Luxury Bead Blend."

This is what I received in the mail - pardon the plastic, but I did not want tiny little beads rolling around my bead table into other piles of beads that will someday become completed projects.

I have to say, I was honestly scared when I opened up the envelope!  I had NO CLUE WHATSOEVER what to do with all this pink and fuchsia!  Not to mention...lots of tiny beads! My go-to colors are blues....or greens....or browns...never pink and absolutely never fuchsia!

After mulling it around FOR DAYS, I rallied to this challenge, sat down, and made the coolest, multi-strand bracelet that I have ever made! 

Erin's Simple Truth's pendant is the obvious focal.  I used the Luxury Bead mix, and bits and pieces of the other beads, including the Swarovski crystals, and wrapped them together with sterling silver cones.  My 24 year-old niece has already claimed this bracelet as hers!

The Mystery Components were two beautiful enamel beads, made by Andrew I assume, that were begging to become earrings.

I wrapped sterling silver bead caps and connectors, and two small pink opal beads from the challenge kit to make these sweet earrings, which hang from hand formed sterling silver ear wires.

Lastly, I used the polymer clay bead from Pam, to make a focal for the necklace.

I have never used organza ribbon before (I have never used fiber at all, for goodness sakes!), but I had some sterling silver crimp beads with a hook in my stash, and made a loop closure from silver as well.

The focal includes more fuchsia Swarovski crystals, a pewter bead frame, and a sterling silver bead cap.

I am sad that Andrew has decided to end this monthly challenge .... my first!  But, I am so glad that I had the chance to participate!  Thank you, Andrew!

Please visit the other participants blogs to see their works of art!  As always, thank you for stopping by!

Shannon Chomanczuk  For My Sweet Daughter
Kari Asburty Hippie Chick Design
Suzette Bentley Ellie's Bijioux
Peg Gyldenege Wild Hair Studio
Therese Frank Therese's Treasures
Patti Vanderbloemen My Addictions Handcrafted Jewelry by Patti  You are here!
Kari Wilson  Creations by Kari