Beadblogger's Sunday

Today is one of those perfectly glorious blue-sky-65-degrees-birds-tweeting-and-bees-buzzing-on-the-late-summer-flowers kind of day. I woke up early and sat out on the deck with Carmen to watch the sun rise, its fingers of light poking through the dense wall of trees in the neighborhood. Everything is so serene. Calm. At peace.


I am so thankful for days like today. It's a day like today that will help me get through those other days...like when I fall asleep on my keyboard from burning the candle at both ends and in the middle, too; or I've been possessed by a screaming hormonal banshee and everyone clears the decks when I walk into the room; or when I feel completely defeated by the cat hair, spilled food, and layers of dust that seem to cover every surface in the house.

Summer, a Facebook friend, sent me this quote by John Lubbock--so fitting for a day like today!

"Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer's day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time."

So I think I'll wander back outside to soak it all in (right after I check out what my beadblogging buddies have been up to this week!).

A Bead A Day
Creating a "tiara" for your wrist is easy using Jill MacKay beading components and bicone crystals.

About.com Jewelry Making
Check out my beautifully organized list of mixed-media book reviews and find the perfect book to help you mix up your jewelry making.

Art Bead Scene
Art Bead Scene gets green findings at the local re-use store.

Carmi's Art/Life World
Carmi has a short demo on how she came up with a contest entry.

Cindy Gimbrone aka The Lampwork Diva
What do bronze and rawhide have in common? Cindy explains how she uses both in her studio.

Earthenwood Studio Chronices
Melanie contemplates taking risks, making changes, and creative experimentation to prevent art burnout.

Jewelry & Beading
Cyndi wants to know, what's the best thing you've made so far this summer?

Katie's Beading Blog
Katie's project is a free, featured download on Beading Daily. Yay!

Lorelei's Blog: Inside the Studio
Take a peek into Lorelei's studio and see some cool bead storage solutions!

Strands of Beads
Melissa reveals her Use the Muse II Entry, "Briar Rose"

The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton
Come join the fun in Philadelphia this weekend at Beadfest! Stop by the Green Girl Studios booth to say hello to Andrew and check out all the great new things available!!!

New Gig at Lady Bug Beads!

Just heard from Ladybug Beads in St. Louis, Missori, where I'll be teaching two classes the weekend of November 14/15, 2009. We'll do Le Cirque on Saturday and Katarina on Sunday.

I've never been to Ladybug, but this is where my sister Mary shops for her beads and she just raves about it--says they've got absolutely everything a beader could ever desire. I'm really looking forward to it! It'll also be fun to hang out with my sister, who has the beading bug just like me...

Button Brooch

I wrote a blog on Beading Daily today entitled 5 Ways to Wear a Brooch. The exercise got me truly jazzed up about making brooches again! Since I don't wear them that often (I'm not a very good wardrobe planner), I never think to wear them. But they work up so fast that they're fun to make. I think I'll need to pull them out of the drawer more often.

Here's a brooch I made last night that I'd like to share with you. Blogger is being naughty and turning all my photos upside down, though, so click here to see the photo-only instructions. Please let me know if you can follow along okay. Enjoy!

Materials and Tools
2' of brass 28-gauge wire
1 green/gold 17mm glass vintage button with shank
1 diamond trellis filigree (Vintaj #F280)
1"x3" piece of brown scrap leather
2 brass 6mm eyelets
1 1/2" pin back
Wire cutters
Heavy-duty scissors
Chain-nose pliers
Ballpoint pen
Eyelet setter
Dremel tool and 7/64" drill bit
Beading awl

Beadbloggers (almost) Sunday

I've been cooped up most of the summer, but tomorrow I get to head North! North with a capital N, mind you, because Northern Minnesota is a realm of its own. There are very large fish like this, for example. And big men with axes and blue oxes.

Going North means lazy mornings with hot tea and toast on the quiet dock...lazier afternoons floating on innertubes, being awakened only by the little fish nibbling on your toes or the screams of a eagle...and late nights around a bonfire cooking s'mores and telling scary stories. It'll just be for a couple days, but I'm really looking forward to it!

Before I take off I thought you might like to have your weekly peek at what's been going on in the bead blogosphere this week. Enjoy!

A Bead A Day
A Crystallized "Square Ring"! If you have never seen a "square ring", stop by A Bead A Day to see how it has been incorporated into a bracelet.

About.com Jewelry Making
Too Much Jewelry Business Success? Is it really possible? And if so, what do you do about it?

Art Bead Scene
Art Bead Scene announces the August monthly challenge theme - a beautiful woodcut print.

Beading Arts
The simple spiral square stitch can add pizazz to your projects. Learn this easy stitch with an easy-to-follow tutorial!

Carmi's Art/Life World
Carmi explains how she made her glue gun leather brooch.

Cindy Gimbrone aka The Lampwork Diva
Looking to create a pendant from one of her antique button treasures, Cindy tries her hand at mold making.

Earthenwood Studio Chronicles
Melanie shares her new Shino glaze tests, and ponders about new work.

Lorelei's Blog: Inside the Studio
There are a couple of new bead and blog books on the shelves at Barnes & Noble! Lorelei's got the scoop!

The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton
The BIG REVEAL is here! Check out Andrew's submission to the Use the Muse II contest!

What Sets Your Favorite Teachers Apart?

ACK! This shot was from the fateful Foxxy Cleopatra shoot for Beading Daily. I couldn't find a Foxxy wig, so had to go with a Napoleon Dynamite one. It was such a depressing shoot--I felt ridiculous and rushed and well...kinda trashy. Just ACK! you know? Anyway, I think I'm over that hump now so thought you'd get a giggle about what that get-up looked like in color. Believe me, it wasn't very foxy.

Okay, now that I've got your attention, I need to ask a favor:

I'm doing a lot more teaching over the next year. It's a change in my life I'm actually quite pumped up about. Not only will it simply get me out of the house to see people and learn how to be human again (oh, geez--is that why I've been playing dress up so much lately?), it'll also be a great incentive to continue designing and innovating...

So in my effort to be a better instructor, I thought it might be good to poll my blog readers:

What sets your favorite teachers apart?

(To be honest, I have another agenda with this little poll, too--I'll probably turn the results into a blog for Beading Daily.)

Thanks for your help!

New Babies

Oh! What an exciting week it's been. Emma and I had so much fun over the weekend in our "Girls Only" clubhouse. I can't believe the boys are coming home today already. Can you believe the kitchen and toilets have stayed clean for FIVE STRAIGHT DAYS? Who knew such miracles could happen?

But the REAL miracle that happened this week was the birth of my newest family member, Nephew Charlie:



Isn't he just perfect? I've never seen a more beautiful newborn. (Yes, I have two children, and yes, they were perfect because they are my kids, but no, they didn't look as good as little Chuck here.) I just can't wait to spoil this kid rotten. And to give him toys like drums and firetrucks and other loud things to drive his parents crazy.

In other news, today on Beading Daily I write about how to tie a sliding knot, which is a very cool technique if you don't know how to do it. I got out the pleather (plastic leather) cord to do it. I love this stuff and have often made attempts at making "real" jewelry with it. Well, after examining the gift I received from Rose Hanley in Chicago, I came up with this new little baby:



What do you think? I think it's pretty sassy. A little bit biker chick, a little bit girlie girl...



I wear it wrapped around my wrist three times, but you could also wear it as a necklace. It's a great no-needle project for those fearful of seed beads--very straightforward with fancy results. (The resin beads are from Natural Touch; the metal seed beads from Beyond Beadery; and the button was a gift from my friend Jamie Hogsett--I think she got it from Fusion Beads?) You could go with any selection of cord, beads, seed beads, and button, to suit your mood, and I think the technique is just ripe with possibilities.

I need to track down more cord, though--got a good resource?

Blog Award

Who says Facebook is a waste of time? I mean, heck, a lampworker I met there, Lea Avroch, sent me a Blog Award. Thank you, Lea!

I'm a total sucker for awards, and this is a pretty neat-looking one. It's all French and looks like a Mattel My Scene doll that a little brother got hold of with the scissors:



Part of my award's acceptance speech is to list 5 things I love. Okay, here goes:

-clean sheets

-handwritten letters

-kids too big for my lap asking to sit on my lap

-the thrill when a new design comes together

-Joe

The next part of this blog award is kind of like a chain letter, I guess, because I'm supposed to list 10 of my favorite blogs and then send this award to all of them, too. But I'm not so good at following the rules, so I'll just list these 17 blogs I like...you might like them, too!

A Bead A Day
About.com Jewelry Making
Andrew Thornton
Art Bead Scene
Barbe Saint John
Beading Arts
Beading Daily
Cynthia Deis
Dustin Wedekind
Earthenwood Studios
Jamie Hogsett
Jean Yates
Katie Hacker
Lorelei's Blog: Inside the Studio
Marcia DeCoster
Margot Potter
Sara Hardin

...And I'd like to thank my parents, my fourth grade teacher Mr. Berger, the Swiss chocolate producers, and...

Beadblogger's Sunday

The Campbell boys went on a man trip to the Boundary Waters, so Emma and I have taken over the house as a girls-only zone. We went to the Demi Lovato concert last night to kick off our week.

I'm not a big Disney-machine-produced music fan, but Emma's just starting to get really into exploring her musical tastes, so I'll play along. And, if it's gotta be Disney, Demi Lovato ain't so bad. Her voice isn't amazing (she was actually losing it at the concert, so that was a bit of a bust) and the songs all sound similar to me, but from what I could gather from the lyrics, she comes across as a pretty kick-butt girl. Lots of great, upbeat energy without being too plastic, and she's definitely gracious with the crowd and her fans.

So there I was...me and thousands of screaming 8- to 16-year-old girls (and their moms, of course)...not my typical situation. I wanted to dance, but was strictly forbidden at Emma's request. I resorted to what I know: looking at what Demi was wearing for jewelry. Turned it into a little cultural icon research.



Bracelet: I watched some of the behind-the-scenes videos on her website and I'm pretty sure that silver bangle cuff is Swarovski. In any case like to see that wide size. I figure if you're going to wear a bracelet, you should wear one big enough to show off.


Rings: She had some kind of strange reverse brass knuckles ring thing going on with her right hand--can't see how she played the piano with those on? But on her left hand she wore a pretty ring that looked a bit like this Kenneth Jay Lane ring. Wouldn't that be pretty with beads?



Necklace: Definitely the most intriguing part of the ensemble. From what I can tell by the way she was touching it, stretching it, etc., the thing was made with stretchy lamé silver fabric cut into a necklace shape, sewed to a cord, and attached at the back. I bet it's the perfect jewelry for performing in--great sparkle and presence, very lightweight, and could handle the copious amount of sweat the poor girl produced because of the high humidity in the stadium. Dying to know where she found it...you know, for all those stadium performances of mine... Really, though, I'd like to examine it to see how we beaders might incorporate a similar type of fabric into our work. Ever seen one of these? Send me a link!

Emma's still sleeping off her Demi stupor, but we're off for more girl fun today--the Uptown Art Fair. It's so nice to have a daughter to do girly stuff with!

While I'm waiting for her to wake up I think I'll read what my beadblogging pals have been doing this week. Maybe you want to, too?

A Bead A Day
Do you use buttons in your jewelry designs? Stop by A Bead A Day to share your experiences and ideas.

About.com Jewelry Making
Is the under 20 crowd crafting more or less these days? Take the quick poll & see the results of what other crafters are thinking about this issue.

Art Bead Scene
Looking for some new earring ideas? The Art Bead Scene reviews 101 Wire Earrings.

Barbe Saint John - New Treasures from Forgotten Artifacts
Join in the fun of the Objects & Elements Reader Challenge!

Beading Arts
Beautiful Swarovski components from ArtBeads.com inspired Cyndi...right over the moon!

Carmi's Art/Life World
A little Friendly Plastic, a charm and resin makes for an amazing pendant.

Cindy Gimbrone aka Lampwork Diva
Summer heat getting to you? Cindy has a wrist full of Frost Links in Pear to keep her cool.

Earthenwood Studio Chronicles
Melanie happens upon a new line of supplies that blend perfectly with her steampunk designs as well as her new resin collage pendants.

Katie's Beading Blog
Check out Katie's upcoming workshops!

Lorelei's Blog: Inside the Studio
Lorelei shares some links to another really cool blog beading challenge.

Strands of Beads
Melissa creates a simple but stunning necklace with goodies from Rings & Things

The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton
Andrew reveals ten new jewelry designs.

Squiggle Gear Earring Design

I give pointers about making gift earrings on Beading Daily today, so I thought I'd whip up a pair of funky Steampunky-style wire earrings inspired by the work in Denise Peck's new book, 101 Wire Earrings.

Here's how I made them:

Materials
2' of bronze 20-gauge wire
4' of brass 26-gauge wire
4 ~10mm watch gears in gold and silver (beadbury.com)
2 gold 2" eye pins

Tools
Wire cutters
Round-nose pliers
Chain-nose pliers
Metal file


1) Cut the 20-gauge wire in half. Form a wrapped loop at one end of one wire.


2) Use chain-nose pliers to form a U-shaped bend 3/8" from the bottom of the coiling.


3) Slide on 2 watch gears (one gold, one silver).


4) Coil the working wire around the first bit of wrapping.


5) Cut the 26-gauge wire in half. Messily coil the wire around the 20-gauge coiling.

6) Use the widest portion of round-nose pliers to bend an eye pin 1/3 of the way down from the loop; file the end of the wire smooth. Connect the dangle.

7) Repeat all for the second earring.

What do you think? I think there will be no gifting with these babies...I'm keeping these for myself!

Lilium

I'm really excited to introduce my latest design, Lilium!

This one was specifically designed for Beads by the Bay, a retreat March 12-14 in San Francisco with Marcia DeCoster, Maggie Meister, and Moi. (Will get you info on how to sign up very soon!)

The design incorporates that "catcher's mitt" petal shape I blogged about in June. I took several of your suggestions to heart and came up with this wrist corsage, but it could also be done as a necklace or brooch.

What do you think? I'm personally excited about the color, but I'll need to put together a couple of other colorways for the class...any suggestions or requests?

Beadblogger's Sunday

What a lovely Sunday it was! Read the whole paper...worked a little, but not too much...drove the kids around...I even took a nap! It was topped off with my nephew, Josh's state championship lacrosse game (they won, 8-3) then dinner at my house with two of my brothers and their families. The perfect day, I figure...

Now I think I'll sit back and read what my beadblogging cohorts have been up to this week--maybe you'd like to, too?

A Bead A Day
Swarovski Crystal Volcano! Are you ready to see sparks of red, yellow and orange?

About.com Jewelry Making
Tammy's going bananas over bamboo beads!

Art Bead Scene
Learn how to make your own bezel with Art Bead Scene!

Beading Arts
Fishing is a fun summertime activity, but even more fun when it results in something to wear!

Carmi's Art/Life World
Carmi places some vintage lace/tatting between glass for this lovely pendant idea.

Cindy Gimbrone
Want to add charm to your jewelry? Cindy Gimbrone shows you how to make glass nugget charms.

Lorelei's Blog: Inside the Studio
Lorelei is helping to promote Cynthia Thornton's new book release by offering the 1st of 8 giveaways!

Strands of Beads
Melissa discusses her experiences with metal clay safety issues

The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton
With Swarovski crystals from Artbeads.com, Andrew creates a wire-wrapped dangle bracelet inspired by a fuzzy caterpillar.

From the Postman

It was a typical week here in my studio...lots of editing to do...4 deadlines to make. Stress, general crankiness, and not much sleep. Why do I continue to do it? To be honest, I think I do it for the postman. Look what he brought me this week!



Yesterday these pocketwatch faces from Steampunk Supply came. I'll be incorporating them into kits I make for my Le Temps Necklace class I'm teaching for Swarovski in Tucson, 2010. Melanie Scardina, the woman behind the Steampunk Supply curtain is just a gem--friendly, timely, personalized service and a wide assortment of goodies.


I finally got my hands on Diane Fitzgerald's new book Shaped Beadwork. I'd seen a lot of this work in person when I was traveling with Diane earlier in the year, but seeing it all laid out in the book with instructions is such a bonus. Diane is truly a genius when it comes to experimentation, and this book is the perfect vehicle for showcasing that talent. She explains how to form basic geometric shapes, then combines them to create a whole host of interesting designs. And when I say whole host, I mean a TON! The variations alone are staggering. I see J'Aime Allene (she's Bonnie Brooks' daughter, by the way) did the illustrations, which is clearly why they're so good. And my buddies Judith Durant and Nathalie Mornu edited it, so I'm sure the words are great--can't wait to dive in and try a few out.



This was something 3 years in the coming, and doesn't have anything to do with beads... Backstory: When my dad died we didn't have the proper papers to get him is WWII Vet internment flag. Well, I finally gathered up the proper papers, tracked down the correct government form, and found out how to get the flag...from the postman! It was a bit of a surprise to receive it this way--I guess I envisioned something more formal? Like with a letter from the Army or something? Oh, well. It really is a beautiful, high-quality flag. My next job will be to iron it out, then learn how to fold it into the proper triangular formation. I'll send it to my oldest brother, who I guess is traditionally supposed to receive it.



Had lunch with Bob Sorenson of Bobby Bead in Minneapolis on Monday. We had a good discussion over Amazing Thailand about the state of the beading business. At the end of the lunch he gifted me this lovely pair of earrings hanging on this sweet earring display, which I love for its Olive Oyl silhouette. Bob has been selling these in his shop for a very reasonable price--he has a huge display of them! Very pretty.



Speaking of gifts, I've been meaning to post these really great ceramic beads by Diane Hawkey since I returned from Cleveland. She was so sweet--just walked up and handed them to me...just like that! I'm always amazed by the generosity of people, and I really like Diane, so this gift is extra special.

Anyway, I love these beads, especially the little birdie, which is both figurative and abstract at the same time. Really, really nice.

Did you receive anything in the mail that helped you get through the week? Tell us what it was! (Even I have a whole lot of that "vicarious living" thing going on...)