Bead Soup 6, Round 2...What I got from my partner

My Bead Soup reveal is Saturday, August 11.   Just a few more days!  In my normal modus operandi, I have procrastinated until this week...would you expect anything less?

I realized today that I had not shown the spectacular goods that I received from my partner, Ema Kilroy.  So, take a look...

fabulous lampwork by Ema, rose quartz barrels, tiny iridescent glass beads,  copper jumprings

gorgeous copper toggle clasp, created by Ema

A closeup of the amazing lampwork focal bead Ema created!

My photo skills do not do this focal justice...the colors are amazing...orange, purple, pink, yellow, all swirled and dotted!  It is hard to see in the 1st photo, but the other lampwork beads are more of the same...some with more of a metallic sheen as well.

Not pictured are some copper headpins Ema torched and included!

Needless to say, I have my work cut out for me.  I hope you will stop back by on Saturday to see what I have created with this wonderful stash.  Find out more about Bead Soup 6 and who is participating by visiting Lori Anderson's blog post.

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!

Um, I mean earrings! Yay!  No chickens were harmed in the making of these earrings :)

Random Integer chose #3... Shirley! From Beads and Bread ...you are the winner!  Send me an email with your address and I will get them out to you.

Thanks to everyone for your fabulously sweet comments, and thank you, Barbara Lewis for imparting all this cool enameling knowledge, and for honoring me by including me in this fantastic, fun event.  I've said it before, and will undoubtedly say it a few hundred more times, "You Rock"!!

Remember, the Virtual Book Tour goes through 10/24, so there is more enameled eye candy to be had...and more giveaways.

Today's blogger is Lisa Crone...go see what she created!

Painting with Fire Fun

Hi folks...finally getting a chance to stop in and chat for a few minutes. Hot and dry in Frederick, MD and my creativity has been on vacation for a while, it seems.  It has finally found it's way back home, happily!

This past Saturday, I attended a great workshop in Annapolis given by the sweet and gracious Barbara Lewis! It was the next step after her original Painting with Fire class…this time we added liquid enamels and stenciling to the mix.

The Painting with Fire Goddess, herself!

I had a blast! Not only did I learn new, very cool techniques to add to my enameling arsenal,  but I got to spend time with a handful of my jewelry bud, and made some new ones as well.  I hitched a ride from Fredneck with my good friend Carol Wingfield Myers, and new friend Bette Brody, then met up with Laura Twiford from Souvenirs from Life, Jen Velasquez from Jen Judd Rocks, and Elizabeth from Beads for Busy Gals.  Jen, Elizabeth and I went out to lunch and had the best time eating, talking and laughing!  The really cool thing is, I will be seeing most of them again at ArtBliss in September!  Yay!

The happy bunch...Anne, Carol, Mike, Betty, Laura, me, Jen, Elizabeth, and Barbara (oh, and Jim in the back!)

A little rough, but I like them!



Tasty Bead Soup Ingredients Have Arrived!

I got my sweet package from LeAnn of Summers Studio early this week and I am so excited.  She was super generous, and it is all so gorgeous!  I have just been sitting and staring at it with ideas swirling!

Let's take a closer look, shall we?

gorgeous handmade bronze clay clasp...

sweet bronze clay pendant, connectors and charms (earrings perhaps?)...aren't these adorable?

the cool soup-  gorgeous silk from Marsha Neal, turquoise coins, brass chain and sweet little pale jade

LeAnn threw this little baby in just for me!  I know exactly what I am going to do with him!

I am in love, and so ready to jump in and get to work!

the light at the end of the tunnel...

Okay! Had my last show of the year on Saturday and it pretty much sucked :)  I know these things are always hit-or-miss, but geesh, the place was packed with folks, it was very festive, people stopped to touch everything, ask me questions, but then would just wander off.  And I kept seeing folks with bags so I know they were in the buying mood for some things.  I always second guess myself - is my stuff too pricey? not pricey enough? too artsy?  not artsy enough?  Arrggh!

I still have several custom orders to finish and a deadline to meet which I hope to complete within the next couple days, then I look forward to practicing some new things I have been learning through some online classes I haven't had time to keep up with. And of course, getting the house ready for Christmas and doing fun holiday things with the family :)  B and I went to his Cub Scouts den meeting yesterday and did some fun art projects and I think we will be making holiday cookies together this week.

I still intend to have a holiday sale, so watch for the announcement at any time...I need to get my latest show inventory loaded into my shops.

In the meantime, here are a few new earring pairs that I created this fall...same basic design - formed and textured wire, but 3 totally different looks.


bronze wire embellished with copper

 

copper wire, embellished with sterling



sterling with pink sapphires and tourmalines

Happy Monday to you all - I'm hoping that light I see at the end of the tunnel isn't that proverbial oncoming train :)

I followed my bliss...

at ArtBliss, this past Saturday!  If you read lots of jewelry blogs, you have probably been inundated with posts about how fabulous it was.  Well, it was!!!

Kudos to Cindy Wimmer and Jeanette Blix for organizing this retreat!  My only complaint was that I was too broke to take advantage of more classes!  I took Melissa Manley's Hard Candy class which really expanded my jewelry "horizons" immensely!



Saturday evening, I took Deryn Mentock's Musical Earrings class, which was very fun!  I got to use Ice Resin, and am now all psyched to jump into her Towers and Turrets on-line workshop!

One of the best things about Saturday was getting together with old bloggy friends, and making new ones! During Hard Candy, I was lucky to share a table with sweet Christine Brandel and during Musical Earrings, I sat next to the talented Sue Kennedy!   So much fun, crammed into 1 day for me :)   



Leslie, Shelby, Christine, Maureen and Melissa -the afterglow of Hard Candy Bliss!

I don't have many photos from the day..I forgot my camera in the car, then went and got it and took a couple shots and the battery died...go figure.   Go check out Cindy's and Jeanette's blog for more cool photos of the event...Cindy even took several videos! 



Some of us in the Yahoo group exchanged leaf charms as a keepsake of the workshop...I haven't put mine together into a cohesive piece of jewelry yet...I keep taking them out and fondling them though!  Here are the ones I made...little pressed czech glass leaves in lovely autumn colors.  I formed a leaf shape around them with copper wire.  Simple and fun!



I can't wait for the next one!!!

Happy Valentine's Day...from my flying pig to yours :)

Anticipation...

Continuing from my last post, one of my goals for 2010 is to take my jewelry art to a new level. I have jumped in with both feet!

I mentioned signing up for Bead Soup Party. Particpants have been paired up to "swap" a focal, a few coordinating spacers or beads, and a special clasp with another jewelry artist. Each person then creates something with those items, then posts a photo of their creation on their blog on February 10th. Then the "party" begins as we go from blog to blog to see what was made. I am paired with lampwork artist and jewelry designer Cassie Donlen...how fun! I can't wait to see what she sends. I have my little bag of treasures all ready to ship to her, although I am feeling a tad intimidated, since I don't make my own beads.

I am also very excited to have signed up for my 1st actual jewelry class ever! Other than a lampwork workshop I took several years ago, and instructional books, magazines and online tutorials, I am pretty much self-taught. On March 6, I am going to take Barbara Lewis' Painting with Fire workshop, where I will be learning to enamel beads and pendants! You've probably seen Barbara's work in several jewelry publications, such as Belle Armoire Jewelry, or read her blog Jewelry of Distinction. An added bonus is that I will be able to meet in person some new bloggy friends! Yay!

Torch-fired enamel pendant by Barbara Lewis

If this all wasn't enough to get me going, I ordered and received some new fun lampwork beads, a couple of new books, and some other fun (and a bit daunting!) materials to try some new things...watch for blog posts and photos!

It's that time of year...

leaves are changing color, autumn nip is in the air, pumpkins and Halloween stuff in the stores...school fundraisers!

Ben came home with stars in his eyes and a smile on his face...and an envelope full of school fundraiser information. "Mom! I'm going to get a Nintendo Wii!  All I have to do is sell some stuff!"  Yep, he can win the coveted Nintendo Wii by selling 139 items.  Oops!  How do you convince your excited 8 year old that the probability of us selling 139 items is not very good?

Seeing the light in his eyes dim after bursting his bubble, I guiltily promised him that we would try our best, after all, it does benefit his school!

So, if you'd like to help support Whittier Elementary School in Frederick, MD and help a disillusioned little boy follow his dream of owning a Wii, go shopping!  They actually have some cute stuff as fundraiser items go.  The link is http://www.shoplavenders.com   Make sure you enter Ben's ID# 255117 so that he will get credit. 

Look at this face!

New Friday Faves...featuring my faithful blog pals:)

This week I decided to showcase a few of my blog pals...the ones who faithfully take the time to stop by and say hi and leave me with a word of encouragement. They also create some totally amazing jewelry! Go take a look at their other work.

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Thanks Tammy, Janice and Swati!

Hint, hint...come on by and drop me a line...who knows, you may get featured next :)