Traveling with Erin

I was so excited when Erin of Treasures Found contacted me to let me know that she wanted to use my idea for her next challenge.

The challenge is to be inspired by places you've never been and we've decided that right now with the Olympics in full swing it seems so appropriate to learn a little more about the people and cultures represented by each of the Olympic countries and even some that aren't participating in the Olympics.

The idea is to pick a country (it can't be yours!) and to get inspired by the people, the culture, the food, the art, or maybe you'd like to do a literal interpretation of the flag!

Yes, this challenge will require a bit of research on your part, but who knows you may end up finding your dream family vacation!

  

The castle of Isabel and Ferdinand in Spain

Erin has all the details over on her blog where you can read more about the challenge and also sign up. If you're really wanting a challenge, Erin has also given the option of letting you let us pick your country for you! 

London and Big Ben

I do hope you'll stop by Erin's blog and take a minute to sign up for this one, it's going to be a world of fun! 

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

Wow.

I've been so overwhelmed with your response to my tutorial sale and I can't thank you enough for your support. I'm really glad that some of my customers were able to pick up tutorials that they'd been wanting for some time and save money for other things.

Your support means so much, so Thank You. ;)

I thought I'd take this opportunity to show you what's been going on around here jewelry-wise and also some things that have really been on my heart and mind lately.

First up, I've been working with these lately.

I bought these probably 5 years ago from Lucky Accessories in Raleigh.

They are vintage wallpaper pendants soldered and anchored between two microscope slides.

I wore them for a couple of years around my neck with just leather cord, but I thought they needed a little oomph, so I've been trying to create some interesting cords to hang them from.

The best part of these little guys?

They're two-sided!!

And just as pretty from the front as they are from the back. (Or maybe it's from the back as they are from the front.)

If you like these, check them out in her shop, Lucky Accessories. 

Okay, the last thing that I want to talk about is something that has really come to concern me over the past 8 months. I really began to do some serious research on our economy. I've seen the economic downturn affect the lives of people all around me very closely and I really wanted to know more about what we were facing and why.

What I found took me totally by surprise.

If you are an American, you must understand the monetary policy that drives our country. It is the most basic building block of our economy and it affects every single one of us every time we purchase something, pay a bill, pay our mortgage, pay our taxes...it is the foundation of our economy and most Americans know nothing about it.

We operate under a central banking system, in this country it's called the Federal Reserve. This is highly misleading because it is anything but Federal. It is not owned or operated by any elected official, it is a private banking cartel owned by private banks.

Did you catch that?

Here's a better explanation:

Now, I do not have enough time to explain this to you in any detail. I've read books about this and have been researching it for months. However, if you'd like a little insight into the kind of corruption that this brings on, I'll leave you with this:

I think we can agree that what they are doing has NOTHING to do with supporting the average American, but instead was designed to fill their own pockets.

If you want more, look here and here and here.

Now, there is a legislation that just passed the house yesterday designed to audit the Federal Reserve. Open the books and let everyone see exactly what they have been doing over the past decade. 

H.R. 459 passed the house with an over 2/3 majority and supported by both Democrats and Republicans.

It now faces the Senate where Harry Reid, who supported auditing the Fed in 1995, has promised that it will not hit the floor of the Senate.

Here's the bottom line for me, I'm only 29, but I remember paying $1.50 for a gallon of gas and $2.50 for a gallon of milk. That same gas costs me $4 now and that gallon of milk? Almost 5 bucks.

I get so frustrated when I hear the political Right yell "we have to drill to bring down gas prices!" or the political Left blames the oil companies and their profits, but neither will breathe a word about the debasement of our currency by the Federal Reserve which Congress allows because the Fed writes them a blank check to fund their pet projects while those of us starting out or the elderly on a fixed income are robbed of their economic freedom.

I cannot force you to read this information or to do the research and if you want to label me as a political nutcase I can't stop you.
But my heart breaks for every American who has been living under the yoke of the planning of a few men to destroy the lives of the many for their own gain.
To that end I have been writing my representative urging him to vote to audit the Fed and I'll be writing my senator when I can get a moment to sit down and do so.

I've turned the comments off.
Politics in this country has become so divisive and I think it ought not be so.
I believe that in our hearts we all want to be completely free, free to succeed and free to fail and free to learn from both. If you do have questions, I'd love to answer them, you can contact me through my Etsy convo or e-mail.

I'll leave you with this:
"Give me control of a nation's money and I care not who makes its laws."
-Mayer Amschel Rothschild

Tutorial Sale!!

I am very excited to be published for the first time this year in a real book.

I know there are a ton of great artists showcased in this edition of Lark's 500 series and I'm honored to be a part.

(Wanna know a secret? I saw this book last week at my Barnes and Noble and I'm pretty sure they were a little early putting it on the shelves!)

Well to celebrate, I've decided to offer the tutorials for the three pieces that I have in the magazine at 50% off their normal price.

La Catedral is probably my best selling tutorial to date, and I can't blame the buyers. It's my favorite to wear and to make and once you get the hang of it, you'll want one in every color.

La Catedral Tutorial in the shop. 

My Queen's Crown Bracelet Tutorial also made it into the book, and I think this one is particularly appropriate considering the Olympics are being held in Her Majesty's London this year.

This one is a great way to use up the pile of bugle beads that we all have lying around.

The Queen's Crown Bracelet Tutorial 

Last but not least, Tumbling Tiles.

This one uses LOTS of Tila beads, so grab a tube and get going.

Tumbling Tiles Bracelet Tutorial



This sale only lasts for two days so spread the word to your bead buddies!!

If you're planning on making Christmas presents this year, it's never too early to start!

I'll be in and out of the house today, but I'll send out your tutorial by the end of the day for sure if I don't get to it immediately.

Thanks for all your support again and I do hope you'll check out Lark's new book, it's a very inspiring trip through the world of beads.

Enjoy your Tuesday! 

#4

This is the fourth ring I've made using silver.

The stone is green jade, rose cut with the most gorgeous facets and tons of height.

I don't have a ton of time to play with silver, so when I get an hour or so, I try to find things that will stretch my abilities and help to increase the difficulty of what I can do with metal.

With this one, I wanted to fold metal.

So, after about 30 min. of filing a groove into the metal (not easy, let me tell you), I folded and then hard-soldered to reinforce the fold.

The back of the ring is not exactly what I wanted.

My plan was to have more of an overlap, but it would have been too small.

I learned so much about layering metal and setting squares. (notch the edges of the bezel!!!)

These are learning pieces that won't be sold, but will become a collection of snapshots to remind me what I've learned as I've journeyed from beadwork to metalwork. 

Of course, I haven't forgotten my roots and this piece was brought to life with a gorgeous clay pendant from Chinook Jewelry and a huge chunk of Red Creek Jasper.

(I'll drop this one in the shop tomorrow.)
UPDATE: In the shop here. 

I'm off to play with metal while I've got the time!

An Argument for the Attempt

He knew as much about woodworking as I did about beadweaving.

Nevertheless, I picked up a needle and a thread and he picked up a planer and a few planks.

His first attempts were small and sweet and yet, when we moved and needed a table for the patio, he offered to make what we couldn't afford.

He said the word "mahogany" and I of course, had my doubts....

all of which were quickly laid to rest...



Turns out, they use mahogany to build ships.

Sturdy, weatherproof and handmade by my better half.

One to pass down to the generations.





Wanna trade??

I have a confession to make.

I've been spending a lot of time drooling over art beads lately.

I'm particularly in love with the ceramic.

Feather from Kylie Parry

I'm not too crazy about lampwork in general, but these discs are stunners.

Discs from OutWest

Leaves and trees are really the only aspects of nature that I'm crazy about and these are gorgeous.

Tree from Easy Findings

I also love the chunky textures that a talented artist can pull out of a piece of clay.

Beads from Gabriel

And, I LOVE metal when it's drenched in color and hammered silly.

Drops from MissFickleMedia

The problem with all of this is that I'm trying not to spend too much money on beads right now.

There are just other places where the money needs to go.

So I thought....

What if I offer a trade to all my art bead makin' and art bead hoardin' buddies?

So, here's the deal....

I've got two necklaces that have been languishing in my shop lately and they need new homes.

My Arc Pendant in this funky, coppery, purple combo with a thin copper chain.



And my Emerald Teal version of the same necklace strung on a long thin gunmetal gray chain.



They were each priced at $50 when they were in my shop.

So, the trade is an even exchange of Art Beads for a finished piece of jewelry.

If you'd like it as a gift, I can even package it for gift giving and send it on its way.

I only have two of these, so I'll just take the first two takers.

Convo me here if you're interested.

Enjoy your weekend!

Buzzzz....

I decided to make a piece honoring the most prolific creature in and around my house.

The bug.

We have them in all shapes and sizes.

Spiders, cockroaches, crickets, rolly-polly, you name it...

but, my least favorite are the things that fly and sting.

Wasps terrify me, hornets horrify me, bees are the bane of outdoor living and mosquitos think I taste like Snicker's bars.

So, why not create a piece to honor the creepy crawlies (and flyies...).

This one is the Hornet's Nest. A big piece of Silver-Leaf Jasper with stripes of matte gray and mustard yellow to mimic those sported by the ever-present hornet (No fear, this one won't sting).

Here's to facing fears head-on.

I also couldn't resist another Steampunk Ring.

4 o'clock on the dot this one reads.

A bit of history frozen in time and brought to the modern era.

I like to think I gave this particular watch face another lease on life.

I think it earned a second chance, this time with all the glamour and none of the work.

A little dark, a little dented, but every bit as lovely.

And here for the Time Traveler in all of us.

Oh, and remember this?

I made another one.

Which I promptly attached to the first one.

Now, I have this huge chunky pyramid bead.

Now, what to do with it?

Before I go, Kitty wants to know....

what exactly have you been doing to stay cool this week?

Cover Girl (Okay, Promo Girl)

It's very exciting to have one of your pieces published in a magazine.

It's even more exciting to be on the cover of the magazine!

Well, okay, this is technically not the cover, but it was very exciting to get this promo in my inbox from interweave and see my Blazing Sunburst Necklace front and slightly left of center.

I actually have two pieces featured and both are super easy, super beginner level beadweaving pieces that incorporate metal components and bright seed beads for some real punch.

This great magazine with 101 amazing designs from a ton of well-known and new designers is available digitally here.

I can't wait for the actual hard copy to arrive in my mailbox!

I hope you'll check it out for some great inspiration for fun summer beading.

Be-Boppin and Blog Hoppin'

I feel like I've missed so much over the past couple of weeks.

I've been so busy doing housework and with the wedding, I haven't however, stopped reading and I wanted to assemble a post with some of my favorite pieces from the blog hops I've been enjoying lurking around in the past few weeks.

First up was the Bohemian Jewelry Blog Hop hosted by Erin Siegel and Lorelei Eurto for their new book. The creations made by all the amazing designers that participated were just beautiful and I had great fun picking out a few of my favs.

The first up is a bracelet created by the very talented Rebekah Payne.

I bought a few fox beads from her last year and I loved them.

Here is her creation.

My favorite design element? The seed beads (I, for one think seeds are very underrated, wink, wink).

My favorite practical element? The little birdie that hangs from the end of the chain. These are so helpful when you're trying to clasp the bracelet on, it gives weight to the chain so that it hangs on your wrist while you attach the clasp.

The second piece for me was by Erin Prais-Hintz.

This little woodsy piece with the chunky jasper stones just sung to me.

My favorite design element? The leaves. A necklace with a bit of movement really becomes a statement piece when you wear it, even if it isn't chunky or attention grabbing.

My favorite practical element? The button clasp. I've always found these to be very reliable. If the loop is made to the perfect size and the necklace has great weight, then it won't go anywhere as you wear it.

I also enjoyed checking out Jo's bangle challenge. She's the mastermind behind Daisy Chain Designs.

She crafted a few of these cute copper bangles with poppies and daisies and passed them on to a few other designers to do with as they please, the results were very inspiring.

This is Jo's bangle:

My favorite design element? The peanut beads. I love peanut beads in embroidery and I think they make the cutest chunky "beads" wrapped togethere here in this bangle.  

My favorite practical element? The built in clasp. Sometimes bangles don't fit right or they're too big if they just slide on, so it's nice to have a sizing option.

My next favorite design from this blog hop was Shannon's.

My favorite design element? The dangles. Again, movement in a piece is always a plus.

My favorite practical element? I like the way Shannon spaced out the dangles. This really helps to weight the piece evenly so that it's not constantly spinning around on your arm as you wear it.



 

The last blog hop that I enjoyed was Kristi Bowman's Copper Element Hop.

(These pieces are just gorgeous!)

You definitely should stop by her blog to see all the ways people used these elements, but my favorite was done by Kristen.

Very clever use of the seed beads, beady lady!!

My favorite design element?

The shape of the design coming out from the center of the hole. It looks as though the design was flanked by the copper.

My favorite practical element?

She kept the original hole right where it was. I think that really does the piece justice and gives a way to really show it off that looks so creative.

 

 

Last, but not least, I have to remind you all about Lori's Bead Soup. No, I can't participate this time around, I just don't have the time.

But, she's got over 400 people signed up, so it should be a great swap!

Thanks to everyone for keeping me inspired and good luck to all the Bead Soupers. Enjoy your soup and I can't wait to see what you create!