Pretty Little Earrings

Last weekend, my daughter and I had fun going to the LA Garment District with my dear friend and her daughter.  Not only do they have clothes, but they also have fabrics, notions, jewelry making supplies, and floral supplies.  While perusing the bead store, I listened in on my daughters conversation.  Since she isn’t allowed to have a second ear piercing, she was saying she wanted the look of one.  So, I decided to make her and my friends daughter a pair of earrings.  I get great pleasure making things for family and friends, so it was a lot of fun.  Here is my daughters earrings with the ear cuff (not sure what it’s really called):

And here is one for my friends daughter:

My Beads On easy Wire Magazine!

Last September, I had the honor of being Lori Anderson’s (of Pretty Things) Cup Bead Soup Artist of the month.  Lori made some gorgeous jewelry, and even a chandelier fan pull.  Well, Lori submitted the Flower Garden Necklace (using my purple lampwork glass roses) for publication to easy Wire Magazine, and the issue just came out! How exciting is that!

Thank you so much Lori!

Sweet Bead Studio Button Swap Reveal!!!

It’s the Button Swap Reveal today!!! Hosted by Cindy Wimmer of Sweet Bead Studio.  I was lucky enough to be partnered with the very talented Patty Gasparino.  And here are the beautiful vintage picture buttons and mother of pearl buttons Patty sent me. She even included a couple of beautiful handmade buttons by Kristi Bowman:

And here is a bracelet I made.  I used peyote stitch to make the base of the bracelet, and sewed the buttons and embellishments on:

And here is the earrings I made:

And finally, here are the list of participants to visit:

Alice Peterson  and Kim Bender

Angie Blasingame and Billi R.S. Rothove

Billi R.S. Rothove and Angie Blasingame

Birgitta Lejonklou and Pam Farren

Bonnie Coursolle and Tania Hagen

Brenda Salzano and Hope Smitherman

Cat Kerr and Heather Powers

Cece Cornier and Jeannie Dukic

Celeste Thurston and Christine Damm

Christine Damm and Celeste Thurston

Christine Stonefield and Dana James

Cilla Watkins and Lori Bowring Michaud

Cindy Wimmer and Mimi Gardner *** Our Wonderful Hostess 🙂

Cynthia Machata and Julia Johnson

Cynthia Riggs and Lori Finney

Dana James and Christine Stonefield

Diana Ptaszynski and Erin Prais-Hintz

Emma Thomas and Rebecca Anderson

Erin Prais-Hintz and Diana Ptaszynski

Erin Siegel and Sharon Borsavage

Heather Powers and Cat Kerr

Holly Westfall and Sally Russick

Hope Smitherman and Brenda Salzano

Jayne Capps and Kim Dworak

Jeannie Dukic and Cece Cornier

Jenna Meyers and Kristi Harrison

Jenna Tomalka and Karen McKillip

Jenny Davies Reazor and Sandi Volpe

Julia Johnson and Cynthia Machata

Kalaya Steede and Kylie Dickman

Karen McKillip and Jenna Tomalka

Karen Mitchell and Renetha Stanziano

Karla Morgen and Mary Govaars

Kay Thomerson and Shannon Chomanczuk

Kim Ballor and Laurel Steven

Kim Bender and Alice Peterson

Kim Dworak and Jayne Capps

Kim Roberts and Partner unable to participate at this time.

Kristi Harrison and Jenna Meyers

Kylie Dickman and Kalaya Steede

Kym Hunter and Lynda Moseley

Laurel Steven and Kim Ballor

Linda Djokic and Patty Gasparino  *** Me and Patty 🙂

Line Labrecque and Teri Baskett

Liz DeLuca and Lorelei Eurto

Lorelei Eurto and Liz DeLuca

Lori Anderson and Niky Sayers

Lori Bowring Michaud and Cilla Watkins

Lori Finney and Cynthia Riggs

Lynda Moseley and Kym Hunter

Marianna Boylan and Tracy Statler

Mary Govaars and Karla Morgen

Mary Harding and Stacie Florer

Maureen Baranov and Tracy Bell

Melissa Martin and Theresa Fosdick

Michelle Hardy and Peggy Johnson

Mimi Gardner and Cindy Wimmer

Nicole Valentine Rimmer and Niki Meiners

Niki Meiners and Nicole Valentine Rimmer

Niky Sayers and Lori Anderson

Pam Farren and Birgitta Lejonklou

* Pam Ferarri and Stefanie Teufel (will share their reveal on a later date)

Patty Gasparino and Linda Djokic *** Me and Patty again 🙂

Peggy Johnson and Michelle Hardy

Rebecca Anderson and Emma Thomas

Rebekah Payne and Sue Kennedy

Renetha Stanziano and Karen Mitchell

Rose Binoya and Shanti Johnson

Sally Russick and Holly Westfall

Sandi Volpe and Jenny Davies Reazor

Shannon Chomanczuk andKay Thomerson

Shanti Johnson and Rose Binoya

Sharon Borsavage and Erin Siegel

Shirley Moore and Veralynne Malone

Stacie Florer and Mary Harding

* Stefanie Teufel and Pam Ferarri (will share their reveal on a later date)

Sue Hamel and Terry Carter

Sue Kennedy and Rebekah Payne

Tania Hagen and Bonnie Coursolle

Tania Spiveyand Teresa Gagne

Teresa Gagne andTania Spivey

Teri Baskett and Line Labrecque

Terry Carter and Sue Hamel

Theresa Fosdick and Melissa Martin

Tracy Bell and Maureen Baranov

Tracy Statler and Marianna Boylan

Veralynne Malone and Shirley Moore

Thank you Cindy for a fun Button Swap!

The Global Genes Project 7,000 Bracelets For Hope

The Global Genes Project  volunteer team continues to collect blue jean/denim inspired bracelets for families living with rare disease, the campaign is called 7,000 Bracelets for Hope.”

To help raise awareness they are asking 7,000 jewelry designers, volunteers from the craft community and various artists to donate one bracelet to this campaign to show their support for kids living with rare disease, disorders or conditions. These bracelets will then be distributed to participating families.

     

As February 29, marks  the fifth international Rare Disease Day, I thought I would make a few more bracelets:

I found this nice painted ceramic focal at my local craft store. I added some vintage glass beads I found at an antique store a while back:

I also found these nice ceramic beads at my local craft store – I liked the feel of the chunky beads. The bracelet is finished off with seed bead/ceramic button clasp:

This bracelet is made of a lucite flower with CZ center, and cut glass beads:

Here is a charm bracelet, ready for some personal photos to be inserted into the small frames:

A delicate memory wire bracelet with vintage glass flower bead dangles:

Another memory wire bracelet.  This time with Asian ceramic beads that I got many years ago when we lived in Australia:

And finally, a lampwork focal with flowers that I made:

If you would like to participate and make a bracelet, go to 7,000 Bracelets For Hope.

Jeannie’s Art Beads

My art instructor, Jeannie Dukic of the Drawing Lab is not only a talented artist, but also a very talented jewelry designer.  She offered her beautiful art beads to us as a challenge in making our own jewelry.  Here are the beads she sent me – handmade polymer clay beads with real gold leaf:

And here is what I created. A bracelet and earring set. I love to combine metals; gold and silver:

Thank you Jeannie for providing me with such beautiful beads to work with! 🙂

My Lampwork Beads

Well, I had a chance to get on the torch again, and here are some of my efforts: Pretty white roses, wild animal beads, and cute pink rosette beads. You can find them at my Etsy shop:

Vintage Beads From Europe Update

I recently received  four wonderful packs of vintage plastic beads from Vente of Vintage Beads from Europe.  Well, I finally sat down and had a chance to play with them.  Here are some things I made with them; a pretty brown tone bracelet, gorgeous drop earrings, funky purple earrings, and even a retro orange/yellow necklace for my Blythe doll Hana:
Be sure to stop by Vente’s store and have a look!

Very Vintage Challenge

Today is Michelle Mach’s Fall Challenge, “Very Vintage Challenge”.  I was lucky enough to snag a kit, and participate. Of  course I forgot to take a photo of my specific kit, but here is a photo of the general kit Michelle sent:

Photo courtesy of Michelle Mach.

And here is what I made; a necklace and an assymmetrical earrings:

And here is the list of all other participating artists:

Andrew
The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton

Cat
Boo Beads

Chris
beadjewelry.net

Cilla
Tell Your Girlfriends

Cyndi
Beading Arts

Cynthia
Cynth’s Blog

Dawn
Morning Glory Beading

Donetta
Simply Gorgeous

Heather
As I Bead It

Holly
SilverRose Designs

Kate
We Can Make That at Home

Kristina
Wild Roses and Blackberries

Lauren
Laurel Moon Jewelry & Beads

Linda
Lutka & Co

Lisa
Lucid Mood Studio

Lola
Bead Lola Bead

Mary
MLH Jewelry

Melinda
Melinda Orr Metal & Clay Jewelry Designs

Michelle H.
Firefly Visions

Michelle M.
Beads & Books

Salla
Blog by Salla

Shannon
Falling into the Sky

Shay
Shaiha’s Ramblings

Shel
MiShel Designs

Shirley
Beads and Bread

Stephanie
Pixybug Designs

Tari
Pearl and Pebbles

Terry
Pink Chapeau Vintage Jewelry

Tracy
The Bead Junkie

Thank you Michelle for another fun challenge!

My One Year Blog Anniversary!

I can’t believe it has been a whole year already!  My main reason for starting my blog was prompted by my younger son going off to College.  I also wanted to share my interests and passions.  What started off mainly as a place to share my lampwork beads, jewelry, and doll making quickly evolved to add photography, digital graphics and scrapbooking.  The more I blogged, the more fun things I discovered in the digital world.  Now I just blog about whatever takes my fancy.

Today, I am again doing what I did exactly one year ago: helping my younger son move back to school; this time for his second year in college.  I also wanted to thank everyone that have visited my blog and left kind comments by giving away a couple of my lampwork creations.  I will have a random draw a week from today, on September 25, 2011.  For those interested, just leave me a comment on this post.  And here are my two creations; a lampwork vessel pendant, and lampwork beads bracelet.  Both are all handmade and finished in sterling silver:

And again, thank you so much for visiting!

A Need For Inspiration…

I sat at my table today on an off for hours just putting things together, then putting them aside.  It seems I have “beaders block”  – if there is such a thing.   If I am participating in a challenge, it inspires me, and I am full of ideas, but to just sit and create, it’s just not happening right now.  Maybe I just need to take a small break.  Maybe I should go back and finally finish my Izannah Walker doll :-).

Here is what I fiddled around with today… I love these colors:

Mostly Metal Challenge Reveal & Blog Hop!

Today is the reveal of the “Mostly Metal” Challenge hosted by Michelle Mach of Beads And Books.  Michelle is a jewelry designer and writer, and hosts several challengs throughout the year.  I was fortunate enough to grab a kit for the challenge,  and my category was “Gunmetal Love”.  It was indeed a challenge for me since I rarely use gunmetal.  Here is the kit that was sent to me:

Since I couldn’t think of what to make incorporating everything, I chose to make several pieces:

It’s amazing how we retain things we learned in childhood – I made the red cords into a keychain by using the macrame techniques that I learned long long ago.  I also used hematite beads to make heart earrings.  The swarovski crystals were made into dangle earrings, and the red ribbon roses (unique to my kit) were made into a hair barette.  Now, I just loved the pink pearlized vintage glass cabochon, so I got some Vintaj brass components and made it into a necklace:

And here is the list of participating artists to visit:

Antique Brass Romantic

Filigree Fun

Gunmetal Love

Oh, Michelle is hosting a giveaway to those who leave comments at her blog as well as all the other participating artist blogs.

“Cup Of Bead Soup” Featured Artist For August!

I have the honor of being the “Cup Of Bead Soup Artist” for the month of August over at Lori Andersons Pretty Things Blog.  If you don’t know Lori already, she is a very talented jewelry designer, and articulate blogger.  Lori also hosts the semi-annual Bead Soup Blog Party.  In fact, sign ups start today. If you’re into jewelry making, or want to try, go check it out at Lori’s blog.  Anyway, back to Cup Of Bead Soup.  In a nut shell, I send Lori beads that I create, and in turn, Lori makes and shares her jewelry making techniques using my beads during the month of August. Doesn’t that sound like fun! And here are the beads I sent her:

I included my favorite beads; sculpted roses, encased florals, hollow beads, and my current obsession, vessels.  I can’t wait to see what she comes up with.  Check in with Lori from time to time this month to see what she creates!