Practice, Practice

Ok...I've been practicing on my wiring.  Both of the earring styles are from Perfect Match:  Earring Designsfor Every Occasion by Sara Schwittek & Anita Lin.  Below is a simple pair of earrings using sterling and 8mm Amazonite rounds. 

This is another pair of earrings using sterling silver, lilac crystals, smokey quartz rounds and fluourite colored glass donuts. These were not as challenging as they look!

We had our It's Riveting Class on 11/14 and the students created pendants using Vintaj rivets and blanks.  Not only did they rivet their pendants, but they also played with some texture. 

These are Catherine's pendants (thanks to Catherine for taking and emailing me the photos).

Linda's Pendants.

Lindsey's Pendants...Lindsey did make one more pendant...but we didn't get a picture of that one.

Pam's Pendants.

Patty's Pendants.

We didn't get a picture of Theresa's Pendants.  She made 3 really nice ones as well.  All of the ladies did a great job and had fun making just a "little" noise pounding on the metal.

Hope you enjoyed the pics....let me know what you think!

New Projects, New Technique

I've been happily working on some wirework....this is something new for me.  The picture below was my very 1st project with the coiling/wrapping technique.  I used 16 gauge copper wire as my base and 26 gauge silver plated wire to coil and add on the 3mm Firepolish.  The outside dangles are dyed quartz rondelles and the large central dangles are vintage German gladd beads purchased in Portsmouth, NH.

These delicate little beauties were my 3rd attemp and were just me fooling around.  I was inspired by a trip to the local box store and their costume jewelry selection.  I used 22 gauge wire as my base and 26 gauge copper wire to wrap/coil.  The accents are ivory ceylon 8/0 seed beads and small rice-shaped freshwater pearls.  These were a bit trickier because the wire is soft and thin but so worth the delicate, airy look!

Hope you've enjoyed my practice runs at some wiring beyond the basic earring.

Bead Happy!

Michelle

What's been shakin'

Ok...it's been awhile since I've posted anything new.  I've been working on several things--Christmas Ornaments for our Ornament October classes (we had 3 new ornaments this year) and then I totally got hooked on the new rivets from Vintaj. 

Above are my samples that I played around with to try out the rivets. Of course I had to add a bit of sparkle to some.  Our class is full for this project on November 14, but don't worry, we will be having this class again after the 1st of the year!

We've gotten in a bunch of cool new books including Seed Bead Fusion by Rachel Nelson Smith.  Isn't this a cool bracelet.  I used Met. Gold Iris 8/0 & 11/0 and Matte Met. Green Iris 11/0 and fushia Swarovski crystals.  This is really an easy technique! 

One of her projects--the Shiloh necklace--was offered as a class at the Bead and Button Show this past summer.  I almost took this class it was sooo pretty!  Can't wait to try this project.  We've sold out of some of the books that we've gotten in over the last couple of weeks...but we will be getting more in time for the holidays.  So put some books on your holiday wish list!

There are some new holiday earring ideas that we will have out...Aren't these candle sticks adorable!?! 

Thread on a 10mm Swarovski 3700 (Margarita bead), 3 4mm bicones, 1 4mm Swarovksi Rondelle and a Swarovski 5500 (9x6 drop bead).  Create your wrapped loop or simple loop and attach to an earwire.  These cuties are about 1 inch long (not including the earwire).

And these little cuties...Christmas Lights!  Thread on (narrow side down) a Swarovski 5500 (9x6 drop), a 4mm rondelle and a 4mm round (Swarovski 5000).  Create your wrapped loop or simple loop and attach to the earwire. 

There have been other things that I've been toying around with...I've been trying to practice my wire skills so that I can teach more wire classes next year.  I've also been playing with some new weaving patterns and wire knitting on a spool. 

What new things have you been working on or reading?

Oh!  And if you didn't know...I had my hair all cut off!  Talk about change...I donated 10 inches to Pink Heart Funds which will accept hair donations of 6 inches or more.  The hair is used to make wigs for children AND adults who are in need!  So if you or someone you know would like to donate hair but do not have 10 inches to spare this is the organization to use.  I found this organization through AARP magazine. 

All for now and promise to post more often! 

Bead Happy!

Michelle

I'm on the Cover!!!!

We just received our copies of The Best of Stringing today and Michelle's project made it on the cover! That was a total surprise! Did not even know until we opened the box. How cool is that! We sold out of all of our copies...but we will be getting more copies in--hopefully next week! Michelle's project is the one in the middle.

Happy Beading.....

2, 4, 6, 8...100, 200.....

Ok...it's been awhile since the last post, but we've had lots of stuff going on--not just the physical inventory. We have it all counted (almost) for another year! 3, 6, 9, 12....5, 10, 15....100, 200... The boss...Zoe just had to check to make sure that everything was filled out just so! She just jumped up on the chair and posed--honest!

Pat...counting all those lovely, tangled jump rings! You can now buy those TierraCast rings in packs of 25!

Ellen & Marie (thanks Marie for the pictures)...the were in the Naughty corner...or is it the Sparkly Corner?

Michelle is just concentrating on getting those little buggers...um..beads...counted just right.

Thanks Syd for pitching in the last few hours of the last day! Ellen brought her hubby in to help us count!

We are glad that every last crystal, stone and jump ring has been counted! Just in time for the holidays.

More to come...some new projects in the works with wire and sterling and seed beads.......

Happy beading!

How do you Organize?

I've been reading a lot of blogs lately about organizing your "stash" and decided to share pictures of our home studio. Our studio is located in half of our basement. We painted the walls a soft creamy yellow (our piece of sunshine) and put down rubber floor tiles with some random carpets to be a bit of a buffer on the tootsies.



The studio is still a bit of a mess....most of the beads from our personal "collection" are now put away, but there are still some to be put away once I get more containers (office supplies and containers--love 'em!).

Just a small portion of beads. This is the best organizer! I love all the drawers and all my little containers. They are all organized by color--I used to have them organized by size then by color and type....but I had to dig through so many spaces to get to what I wanted. This way I can pull out a drawer (or 2 or 3) and all the beads that I have in that color family are right in front of me.

Larger beads and pendants are organized in trays.

Ok...talk about lack of organization....Do you have any UFO's (unfinished objects) lying around? This is a small portion of ours. These are some personal items that are a up to 3 years old! Maybe more. There are also some shop projects that need to be completed. Not organized at all! Some of them will be pulled apart and some will be finished (some day, some time).

And this is just what we have in our bead book library. And it's not all of what we have...there are a few books in the family room, my room and Pat's room. I am such a book and magazine junkie! There are so many ideas out there and I want to try them all...and I will....

And lastly, I'd like to thank the woman who dropped off these bags to us this week...we're not sure who you are...but we have ideas for these nuts....or are they beads....hmmm.....

Wishing you many beads and no knots!

Bead Embroidery Class 7/25/09

A close up shot of red cabbage from our garden. It just looked so pretty! Nothing to do with embroidery...but it would make a wonderful color combo for one.

My mostly finished piece from a prior post. I still need to back it and decide what to do with it...pendant or brooch. What do you think? Center stone is from Earthenwood Studio. Surround is made from Czech pressed glass, button pearls, Japanese seed beads and Czech seed beads.

Pat's work in progress. Center stone is Kambaba Jasper. Surround is Japanese seed beads.

Mary's work in progress (already named Lydia). Center stone is from Earthenwood Studios. Surround is made from Japanese seed beads and stick pearls.

Marie's work in progress. Larger center stone is from Earthenwood Studios, small center stone is Kambaba Jasper from and surround beads are Japanese & Czech seed beads.

Gayle's work in progress. Center stone is from Earthenwood Studio. Surround is Japanese and Czech Seed beads.

Ellen's Work in Progress. Center stone is from Earthenwood Studio with surround in Miyuki seed beads.

Hope you enjoyed pictures of our class projects. I think everyone had lots of fun in class. It's very different from what they have learned from me and very different from what I've ever taught.

Today I taught Russian Spiral. I haven't taught that one in awhile so it was a bit of a refresher for me. I remember why I was really hooked on this stitch when I first started beading!

I just couldn't resist....my Russian Spiral is made with 1.8mm Miyuki cubes and 8/0 seed beads. The clasp is a copper magnetic clasp.

Enjoy and Bead Happy!

What I've been working on...beady or not

Just a pretty pic from the garden...of a lovely little squash blossom. Soon to be something yummy to eat! All of the "work" is done with the garden. Now just watching it grow


My most current bead embroidery project. I have it mostly completed--this was a pic from last week. Stitching this is so totally addicting but almost medatative....It just starts to flow and you don't want to stop! The next thing you know...a few hours have flown by.

I finally finished up my earring project. Whew! I made 7 pairs of earrings...1 for a bride (cream and pewter), 5 for the bridesmaids (the color above) and an extra pair (silver lined cobalt & white). This was my 1st attempt at brick stitch-at least from scratch and not to repair a broken piece. Pretty and very light weight....hmm...maybe this will be a class someday.

At the shop we are hoping to place again for our local Reader's Choice Awards. The last 3 years we've come in 2nd place for the Craft & Hobby division. We are really pushing for 1st this year! I'll have the link posted with the "rules" in a few days. Keep your fingers crossed.

Also, some exciting news! I'll have 2 items published in the next 2 months in Stringing Magazine. More about that in the next few weeks! Yay Me! :-)

First Post....

Welcome to my blog! I've decided to post all things beads...info, pics, Beadalotta (my bead store) news, personal stuff. Of course this means that I really need to keep up with the pictures! Reminder to self...don't leave home without the camera!

This is the newest technique that I'm teaching myself...Bead Embroidery. This a picture of my 2nd project. I'm having a lot of fun with it...just need more time in the day to play with all I want to! The picture is a bit dark...the colors are bright red, grey/purple and black. A little funky and way too much fun to do!

Updating this will be much easier than updating the website. I hope to post some pictures this weekend.

Have a safe and happy holiday weekend!