OK, So It's Been a While!

Yes, life happens and blogs get put at the bottom of the list.  But I'm still here and am going to try to keep up with blogging a little better in 2015.  It's a New Year with new goals.

Mainly I want to share about my jewelry business which continues to be a big part of my life.  For the past year I've been concentrating on designing bracelets and took a good part of 2014 learning Adobe Illustrator so that I could write tutorials using diagrams to explain the process.  I'm happy with my progress and plan to continue on this pathway, expanding into necklace and earring tutorials.

I'm a member of the Beadsmith Inspiration Squad which keeps me learning about and designing with some of the new beads being manufactured.  So I'll be sharing some posts on all of these new beads and what I'm creating with them.  Here are a few things I've designed over the past few months.

Bezel and Chain using Half Tilas

Hex Pyramid Beads

New Duracoat Silverlined Delicas

African Turquoise SuperDuo Mix and Matubo 8/0 Seed Beads

African Turquoise SuperDuo Mix and O Beads

I have not yet written tutorials for any of the designs shown above, but I did just finish writing a tutorial for my "Night Out on the Town" necklace that uses the new Silver and Gold SuperDuo Mix.  I used beadweaving and stringing techniques in creating this necklace.

The tutorial can be purchased on either my Etsy site or my Artfire site.

Here's to a good 2015 for you all!

B.O.T.B 2013

The Battle of the Beadsmith 2013 contest is well underway.  Round 1 battles have been fought and the survivors have moved on to Round 2.  Whew!  My Crystal Volcano necklace is a survivor.

 



Each round, participants are randomly paired, and then voting takes place.  The participants and specially invited judges, as well as the public are invited to vote for the piece they feel should move on to the next round.

There are three groups (A, B and C) and in Round 2, there are 16 pairings in each group.  Participants come from many different countries all around the world.  And what better way to introduce them than on Facebook.  If you'd like to see all of the wonderful creations, click HERE.  It will take you to the Group page and if you are not a member of the group, just request to become a member.  Then click on the "PHOTOS" button at the top of the page and you will see all of the beautiful and creative entries.

While the name uses the term "Battle" it is not the bloody and ferocious type.  It's a fun-loving, creative, worldwide expression of Bead Art.  It's just that only one Beading Queen can reign at the end.  Come join in the fun!

Taming the Long Magatamas

I love long magatama beads, but their wonky hole and odd shape can make them a bit difficult to use with the common beadweaving stitches.

  

The holes go through the beads at a slant so they don't sit all nice and neat like cylinder or seed beads.

But still, I wanted to use them and like a design challenge.  I found they play pretty nicely using the spiral stitch so I created a pair of earrings.

The long magatama beads are the white beads that spiral gently down around a center core of size 8 seed beads.

Somewhere along my beading journey, I learned a trick to tighten up a spiral stitch so that the beads don't hang all willy nilly.  I experimented with my earrings and discovered that with a small change, I could tighten up the magatamas and really show the spiral effect.

I've created a tutorial for the earrings as well as a matching bracelet and have now listed it in my Etsy shop.

I hope you'll give the long magatamas a try!  Happy Beading!

2012 Battle of the Beadsmith

And so it begins - The 2012 Battle of the Beadsmith!   You say, "What in the world is a Beadsmith Battle?!"

This is the first (and hopefully annual) beadweaving battle for beaders from around the world.  The battle was the brainstorm of mastermind Steven Weiss of the Beadsmith/ Helby company.  They distribute beads and beading supplies to bead stores all over the globe.  What better way to inspire the love of beads than getting 80 beaders from around the world to create some beading masterpieces? 

If you are on facebook, you can read more about this contest and get to know the participants as well as see some fabulous beadwork HERE.

While the name implies a fierce fight to the finish, it is really a celebration of beads and beaders everywhere.  The 80 participants from twenty-two different countries have been paired up with another beader (names were drawn out of a hat by the Weiss kids).  All participants will secretly create a beading masterpiece (gulp!!) and send pictures to the Beadsmith in early July.  The judges (all participants, plus an extra panel of judges) will choose between the two matched participants.  So in the first round, 40 beaders will be eliminated.  The remaining 40 beaders will then be matched in pairs and voting will eliminate 20 of these.  And so on until only the champion remains standing.  What a proud moment that will be for the last beader standing!! 

The participants who will battle it out are (by country)

Australia:

 Patrick Duggan

 Melissa Ingram

 Joanne Browne

 Neva Brown

 Lauren Macgregor

 Maryanne Villalba
 Karyn Healey-White
 Noel Wyres

Belgium:

 Laurence Dethier

Belgrade/Serbia:

 Ella Des

Canada:

 Jacquie Champion

Czech Republic:

 Lea Palickova

 Katka Vaclavikova

 Marta Koudelova

 Denisa Kangas

 Iva Jar

Dominican Republic:

 Edgar Lopez Disenos

France:

 Anneta Valious

 Mouna Marini

Georgia:

 Tamuna Lezhava

Germany:

 Elke Leonhardt Rath

 Olga Haserodt

Hungary:

 Annie Hatvani
 Eva Dobos

 Orsolya Füzesi

 Ibolya Ingesné Barkóczi

 Éva Csizmadia Lajosné

 Katalin Budainé Nagy

Ireland:

 Anastasia O'sarantseva

Israel:

 Ann Braginsky

 Miriam Cielo Shimon

Italy:

 Eliana Maniero

Japan:

 Guzialia Reed

Mexico:

 Sigifredo Contreras

Netherlands:

 Sandra Dokter van Esveld

Russia:

 Irina Chikineva

 Nella Moskvichjova

 Julia Turova

 Alla Maslennikova

 Olga Shumilova

 Ekaterina Kalinina

 Marina Nosova

Sweden:

 Olga Petterson

 Misan Tejre

 Nausikaa Dahllof

 Anna Lindell

Singapore:

 Helena Tang

Ukraine:

 Alla Vizir

 Katherine Gezey

 Anna Bystryk

United Kingdom:

 Heather Kingsley Heath

 Jill Thomas
 Lynn Davy

USA:

 Linda Roberts (me) :)

 Sharayah Sheldon

 Nancy Dale

 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

 Marsha Wiest Hines

 Carol Dean Sharpe

 Christina Neit

 Sue Horine
 Alexandra Sydorenko

 Betty Stephan

 Callie Mitchell

 Christian Rodriguez

 Kinga Nichols

 Mikki Ferrugiaro

 Amy Katz

 Kassie Inman

 Dini Alves

 Jennifer Chasalow VanBenschoten
 Rosita Pisarchick

 Roxan O'brien

 Christine Boyer Maj
 Kathy King

 Susan Brackett

 Hannah Rosner

 Terri Richards

 ARachel Nelson Smith

 Ulyana Rakcheyeva Seryankina

I am fully prepared to do my best and also to be eliminated in the first round. lol 

Stay tuned for future posts about the judges and the piece I will be making.

Bead Journal Project - May 2011 - May Gray (with a little bling!)

I don't know what happened, but time got away from me.  Here it is the end of June and I just finished my May Bead Journal Project.   I know one of the reasons I got a late start was because I didn't have any gray dichroic glass (do they even make any?) and I was determined to use the May Gray theme. So I pondered and procrastinated and then I took a vacation and went to the Bead and Button Show in Milwaukee (more about that in another post). It was just a short flight from Milwaukee to South Dakota where my family lives, so I continued my vacation with them for another 10 days. By the time I got back home and resettled into beading, June was almost gone too!

I call this piece "May Gray" because out here in California, the month of May is often full of gray days.   The large dichroic piece has a grayish bluish purplish hue.  I surrounded it with some size 8 Ceylon grey/lilac beads and then added the matte cylinder beads in an outward array.  The layers all use muted colors from gray to pale yellow (with some shiny beads interspersed), hoping to represent the changes throughout the month of May.  I added the dichroic glass hands of a clock in the 5 o'clock position to represent the 5th month.

You can view the Bead Journal Projects of others on these two sites:
http://blog2beadjournalproject4-2011.blogspot.com/
http://beadjournalproject4.blogspot.com/

Bead & Button Show 2011

I'm getting ready to go to the Bead & Button Show in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  If you haven't been to this show, you are missing out on the largest bead show in the world!   From June 4 to June 12, I will be in bead heaven - greeting old beading friends and meeting new ones, attending classes to learn new techniques, and of course - shopping for beads!  And another special reason for going is I get to see my grandson who lives, works and goes to school in Milwaukee.

The Bead and Finished Jewelry Marketplace opens to the public June 10 - 12th, 2011. Admission is $10.  There are hundreds of vendors!!  You can view a list of all the Bead Exhibitors here. For the first time ever, one of my beading friends from Bulgaria will be attending as a bead exhibitor.

Vladislav and Kremena Ivanov are the owners of Golem Design Studio.  They create high quality artisan handmade stoneware beads, pendants, and cabochons with a folk art look utilizing detailed glazing techniques.  You can view their work on their website and find out more about them on their facebook page.

Golem Design Studio is sharing booth 111 with Marsha Hedrick who is a porcelain artist.  You can find out more about Marsha on her website and on her facebook page (Amazing Porcelain Fantasies).  Here is one example of a new line of cabochons Marsha has created.

This year I will be taking three classes.  My first class is "Wire Finishing Techniques" taught by Adrienne Gaskell.  My second class is "Paper Clip Bead Looming" taught by Judy Walker.  My third class is "Kumihimo Sparks" sponsored by Swarovski Elements and taught by Jamie North.  I always look forward to the classes and learning new techniques and skills.

Only a few more days to wait!  Hope to see you there!

Bead Journal Project - April Showers Bring Spring Flowers

OK, not a very original title for my April Bead Journal Project, but it just seems so right for this month.  I was able to use three of my "DichroCentric" dichroic glass beads and turn them into Spring flowers.  When I was almost 3/4 of the way finished, I did think of another idea for this month's project that excited me a little bit more than this one, but I was so close to being finished.  I'll just save that idea for another rainy day!

You can view many other beautiful BJP's on these blogs:  http://beadjournalproject4.blogspot.com/ and
http://blog2beadjournalproject4-2011.blogspot.com/. 

Winnings from Beaded Impressions Contest

A package from Beaded Impressions (abeadstore.com) arrived yesterday full of beading goodness and I just had to share pictures of my contest winnings with you.

I'm always looking for interesting and well made closures, end caps and findings and I'm delighted with all the sterling silver, silver plated, copper and copper plated pewter items I received. 

Sterling Silver and Silver Plated Findings

  

Copper and Pewter/Copper Findings

I also chose a variety of beads (of course) in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes.  I have some specific projects in mind for some of them.  Other I chose simply because I liked them.  I'm sure they will speak to me and tell me how they want to be used.  We all know, one can never have too many beads!

Iolite Heishe, Labradorite Heishe and Teardrops, and Tiny Button Pearls

Flat Square Glass Beads, Czech Flowers, and Glass Peridot AB Daggers

Chinese Turquoise Heishe and 2mm rounds, and Rosebud beads

Tourmalinated Quartz Chips and 2mm Carnelian Agate Beads

I promised all my facebook friends that I would share my joy at winning 1st place in the jewelry category with them (thanks to their votes) - so stay tuned to find out more details about my "Thank You Giveaway."

Beaded Impressions Contest - Voting is Open

I entered my Rhythm and Blues freeform bracelet in the Beaded Impressions 2011 Beading Contest, sponsored by abeadstore.com.  Winners win money to buy more beads, and who doesn't need more beads?  Voting is now open and winners will be announced Feb 18, 2011.

My entry is #46 in the Jewelry Category and I need your votes in order to win.  Everyone who votes (even if you don't vote for me) will receive a 10% discount coupon for 10% off any purchase at abeadstore.com through March 15, 2011.

Thanks very much for your support, time and vote!

Bead Journal Project - January 2011

I'm only one day late in finishing my very first Bead Journal Project!  Yay!  I thought I was being so smart to limit my size to 3x3".  Believe me, that is huge when it comes to doing bead embroidery.  Next year, I will think even smaller! 

I am hoping to put all of my monthly projects together into an art picture, so I am leaving the edges unfinished until I know how I'm going to put them all together.  I will be using one of my own dichroic glass cabochons for each month of the year. This cab has always reminded me of a winter blizzard, so I thought it was appropriate for January. You can see just a bit of the trees, buildings and ground through the swirling snow.

This was very difficult to photograph, so it looks a bit blue in this picture.  All of the beads (except for the green ones) are crystal, silver or white and many have an AB finish.

I'm very happy with my first Bead Journal Project and excited that I finished my January project before leaving for the Tucson bead shows tomorrow. 

Bead Journal Project 2011

I'm very excited about deciding to participate in the Bead Journal Project 2011.  BJP is a group of people who have decided to create 12 beaded journal pages, one per month, for a year.  The goal is simply personal development and providing a pathway to expand our own artistic creativeness.

One of the goals for myself in 2011 is to increase awareness of myself as an artist.  I am looking forward to not following any rules and letting my muse have her way on these monthly projects.

We can use any medium in our projects as long as we also include beads.  I'll be using some of my dichroic glass cabochons and using bead weaving to create my journal pages.

I haven't decided on any particular theme, but I have decided to keep my projects small (no more that 3" x 3") so that I don't get overwhelmed and give up.  I guess that's my worst fear.

I hope to share my progress and my creations with you all throughout the year.  Happy Beading in the new year to one and all!

Bead Mavens Ice Queen Challenge

The Bead Mavens recently held an Ice Queen Challenge and the winners have been announced.  You can view all three winners on the Bead Mavens website and also on their blog. 

I was one of the donors to the prize pool and so I got to "meet" the 2nd place winner, Cindy Holsclaw of Bead Origami.. Cindy gave me permission to display her beautiful winning necklace.  The necklace contains 17 individual Pagoda Beaded Charms in a beautiful Icycle blue color.

You can read more about the necklace on Cindy's blog.  She also has her own website and Etsy shop where she sells her beadwork as well as tutorials - one of which is for the pagoda bead used in this necklace.

My donation was a gift certificate for something in my Etsy shop.  Cindy chose one of my dichroic glass cabochons which I called "Symphony."

It's a bold piece and I'm really looking forward to seeing how Cindy might use it.  Congratulations to all the winners of the Bead Maven's Ice Queen Challenge.  Every entry was outstanding.

Beautiful Artists and Their Works of Art - Part 1

This post has been on my list of "to do's" far too long.  I confess I have been procrastinating and I'm not sure why - especially confusing because the subject matter is so dear to me.

It is so rewarding for me when someone uses something I've created to create something even more creative and beautiful.  This series of posts will feature those artists who have purchased one (or more) of my dichroic glass cabochons and turned them into works of art.  My deepest gratitude to each of you.

The first artist I want to thank is Anita Martinez whose Etsy shop name is Turiana07.  She purchased one of my dichroic glass cabochons and turned it into this masterpiece she called "Celestial Wings."

It all started with one of my dichroic glass cabs I called "Scuba Diving Twin B."

There are many other beautiful works of art in her Etsy shop like this necklace she calls "Aztec Princess."

Be sure to stop by and let her know how beautiful her work is.  Thank you Anita!

Artbeads Valentines Day Creation

A few weeks ago, I gave a little preview of my Artbeads Blogging Partner creation which was supposed to be in honor of Valentines Day.  I had ordered these beautiful ceramic hearts as well as several types of beads that I thought would look good with the ceramic hearts - some cute mother of pearl hearts,  sterling silver roundels, 1.8mm square cut beads, and 4mm Druk cherry red beads.  Artbeads has a great selection  of Valentine's Day components which you can find HERE.  (Good to know for next year!!)

 

I had originally intended to make a bead embroidered cuff but when I started beading around the large heart I discovered some problems.  The larger ceramic heart bead is about 5mm thick and I was having a hard time figuring out what size beads looked good next to it.  I was also perplexed about what to do with the inner cutout part.  After several attempts I decided my idea wasn't going to work and I had to come up with plan B which came together much easier.

First I created two different pendants with the ceramic hearts.

Both pendants can be hung from the same beaded necklace "chain."

I plan on listing this necklace in my Etsy shop and will donate all proceeds to the relief efforts in Haiti.

I am delighted to be a part of Artbeads blogging group and I receive no compensation from them for blogging about their products.

Gorgeous CZ Faceted Components from Artbeads.com

Have you ever looked at some special beads and thought "I'd sure love to have some of those!" Well, my fantasy was fulfilled yesterday when these beauties arrived in the mail. These CZ faceted flat teardrops and CZ faceted round beads are from Artbeads.com and boy do they sparkle!

Artbeads.com has hundreds of different Cubic Zirconia items including beads, pendants, drops, clasps, links and earrings in many different colors and shapes. I chose the orange, yellow and peridot flat teardrops because I love those shapes and I also love those colors together. The thing I like most about CZ components is the sparkle created by the facets.

Can you guess what I'm going to make with them? Stay tuned for the finished creation. I won't be finished too quickly as I have to make some beadweaving components to match the CZ beads, but hopefully I'll be done in a week or so.

Thank you, Artbeads, for getting my creative juices flowing with these lovely beads. As part of Artbeads.com blog group, I received these products free of charge and am giving my honest critique of the products received. I have not been paid for providing this review of their products.

Beads, Beads, Beads Treasury on Etsy

When I see the word "Beads," it gets my attention. Just imagine all the beads it took to create all the lovely bead woven items in this Etsy Treasury.


SF Beads created this treasury and included my "Royal Affair" necklace with all the other lovely work. I checked out her shop and found many other items that could have been included, like this pretty "Summer Necklace."

This bracelet is called "Copper Age" would be perfect for fall.

If you've never stopped to consider the beauty of beads before, now is the time. You can find many beautiful bead woven items on Etsy, all handmade and created with love.

I Love This Stuff Treasury

My Silky Copper Bracelet was included in this treasury created by Little Stone Design.

Her June Garden Beadwoven Bracelet is one of my favorites on Etsy. But there are many many more beautiful items in her shop. Check it out!



If you aren't familiar with Etsy, you are missing out on some wonderful hand made creations. It's a great place to shop for gifts for everyone in your family.

Stuff I Want Treasury

My Limeonade Medallion Neckace was included in this beautiful treasury by Kitzbitz Art Glass on Etsy.

Here's some lovely Liquid Oil lampwork beads I found in her shop.


Kitzbitz and I are both members of the Handmade Artists Forum (HAF) Team on Etsy.

Thanks For Your Votes!

Oodles and oodles of thanks to everyone who voted for my necklace in the Abeadstore.com Beaded Impressions contest. My entry came in 2nd place and I won a $50 gift certificate! Here's my necklace but you can view all the winners here.

I'm sure you won't be able to figure out what I'm going to buy with my $50 gift certificate! Happy shopping tomorrow!

Captured Treasury on Etsy

Wonder of wonders! This is Treasury Jackpot Day! I received another convo that my Golden Elegance bracelet was included in this beautiful treasury.

This treasury was created by Dorothy Domingo who also has a shop on Etsy. Here are two of my favorites from her shop. The first is called Ocher Freeform Disc Bracelet and the second is Berry Disc bracelet. I think they are both wonderful!



Please visit Dorothy's shop and give her some love. Thanks, Dorothy!