Showing posts with label art beads. Show all posts
Showing posts with label art beads. Show all posts

Saturday, March 15, 2014

Spring Fever Design Challenge & BSBP 8

Well hello! Holy cow, this is only the 18th time I've blogged in the past 14+ months. That's really sad. Sigh. I've got to work on changing this, well a lot of things. Let's start with the positive shall we?
A couple of weeks ago Lesley Watt of THEA Elements, The Gossiping Goddess and THEA jewellery as well as Claire Braunbarth of Smitten Beads and Caroline Dewison of Blueberri Beads put out a call for participants for their Spring Fever Design Challenge and I had my name pulled out of the proverbial hat! YAY me! We've all had enough of this winter, correct? I know I certainly have - I really don't have any desire for another gray day, or another flake of snow. We've had quite enough already. I'm ready for walks on the beach in my shirtsleeves and flip flops, thankyouverymuch! My beautiful components arrived earlier this week:
AMAZING, aren't they - each and every little piece! Now, I will say the peach will be a little bit of a design challenge for me - and that's a good thing! Usually if I use a bit of peach, it's peach with a tad bit of pink to it. My oldest daughter has fallen in love with Caroline's bird beads - she can't have them though, they're mine! Please stop back on reveal day - Wednesday, April 16 to see what I and the other 25 artists created with all of these lovely bits and bobs - they're all similar, but different!

Also coming up is the 8th annual Bead Soup Blog Party. Reveal day is Saturday, May 3. What a fun day (heck, week is more like it) that will be - I believe there are approximately 500 participants. The very  lovely Lori Anderson (and her husband Rick, and several very hard-working helpers) of Pretty Things created this wonderful event for us folks who love beads and love to create with them.

I've been paired with Kelly Hosford Patterson of PyxeeStyx and The Traveling Sideshow. To say that Kelly is an incredibly talented mixed media artist is a total understatement. She is a fiber/couture and jewelry artist - she creates her own fabrics folks! Kelly works with wire and metals, she enamels - honestly, I don't think there's a medium she couldn't tackle if she hasn't already tried it. Here are some amazing things Kelly has created, I mean seriously folks (photos all by Kelly):
I'm inspired and I can't wait to work with her. We're just getting to know one another and we're shipping our soup to each other a little bit after everyone else, but it will be so worth it. Stay tuned to see what we send and receive!

Saturday, January 12, 2013

Memories and Thanks Blog Hop

Some people come into our lives and quickly go.
They stay in our lives for awhile,
leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never, ever the same.
T.J. 1 week old. 
And so it is when you give birth to your first child.

Good morning and welcome to the reveal of Lori Anderson's Memories and Thanks Blog Hop. If you're not family with the story about why Lori initiated this blog hop, it's heart-wrenching. Lori Marianna wished to participate in the Bead Soup Blog Hop but didn't have a blog. Lori helped her with this and Mari began blogging. When the date for sign-ups came and went, yet Mari hadn't signed up, Lori became worried and sent her several emails. Then one day her daughter contacted Lori to let her know Marianna had passed away unexpectedly. To say it threw Lori for a loop is an understatement.

Marianna's daughter forwarded a package to Lori that her mother had intended to send before her death. Lori had known about the package. She hadn't been prepared, though, for each bead/set in the box to be individually wrapped with a note in Mari's handwriting about each bead. That's when Lori decided to make a very special piece using these treasures and to invite anyone who would like to remember someone living or passed to participate in this very special blog hop. I knew, immediately, that I wanted to participate. I knew who I wanted to remember and I knew with what. This is something that is very near and dear to my heart.
T.J. at 15
We lost our beautiful 19 year old son T.J., our oldest, 8 1/2 years go, very suddenly, very tragically. I've written about T, briefly, on his own page here on the blog. T was big, strong, and healthy. The irony was not lost on us that the only part of him that was injured was his brain, his brain was the part of him that didn't "function" right. T was an organ donor; 5 people who were dying are alive today because of his gift of life, 2 people who were going blind can now see. Countless others will be healed with his gift of tissue and bone.

T had a huge heart. All he wanted was to be happy and love/be loved. He didn't think that anyone other than his family loved or cared about him. He was so wrong about that. The funeral home stopped counting at 1,400 the day of his wake; the church was filled to overflowing - he touched so many lives in so many ways. He still does. We love him and miss him every minute of every day, but we go on and we try to do it with as much happiness as we can muster, because it's what he'd want.
When I saw this heart pendant on Ebay in 2005 I was immediately drawn to it. It was made by Aimee of Lakeside Lampwork. I'm not sure if she's still making beads or not, I couldn't find any active links. It's a beautiful sculpted, electroformed lampwork heart with a citrine chip dangling in the middle of the opening. I believe the heart was formed on a heart-shaped mandrel - it really is so perfect.
I love me some sparkle and vintage beads so I've included Swarovski crystals in purple velvet and crystal copper, vintage amber colored lucite, some beautiful iridescent copper/iris pearls, some Unicorne Beads drops, amethyst rondelles and some amethyst and copper beads. Amethyst is T.J.'s birthstone, I think it's the perfect accent for the copper and amber. Copper is healing and increases energy - necessary on so many levels.
 Heart of My Heart
Sorry for the dark pics, it's overcast and rainy this morning. Thanks for stopping by! Please visit these other wonderful artists to read the stories behind the art they've created in memory of someone they love.

  Hostess, Lori Anderson       Pretty Things
 Adlinah Kamsir                   Dream Struck Designs
 Aimee Biondolillo               Aimee's Jewelry Treasures
 Alicia Marinache                 All the Pretty Things 
 Andra Marasteanu               Handmade by Indra Marasteanu 
 Andrea Trank                      Heaven Lane Creations
 April Grinaway                   Brooklyn Bead Goddess
Barb Solem                         Vivi Magoo Presents
Becky Pancake                    Becky Pancake Bead Designs
Beth Emery                         Stories by Indigo Heart
Bonnie Coursolle                Jasper's Gems
Cassi Paslick                       Beads: Rolling Downhill
Catherine King                    Catherine's Musings
Cece Cormier                      The Beading Yogini
Chandra Leitz                     Juniper Goods
Charissa Nesler                   FireStorm Designs
Charlie Jacka                       Clay Space
Christina Hickman              Vintage Treasures Jewelry
Christine Stonefield            Sweet Girl Design
Chrizette Bayman               Bead Soup Mix
Cindy Wilson                      It's My Sea of Dreams
Crystal Thain                      Here Bead Dragons
Cyndi Lavin                        Beading Arts
Debbie Rasmussen             A little of this, a little of that
Denielle Hagerman             Some Beads... and other things I like
Diana Gonzalez                  Arte y Poemas
Diane Hawkey                    diane hawkey
Dita Basu                            ankarshilpa
Donetta Farrington             Simply Gorgeous
Dyanne Everett-Cantrell     Deeliteful Jewelry Creations
Emma Todd                        A Polymer Penchant
Erin Kenny                         beadiful therapy
Erin Prais-Hintz                  Treasures Found
Gina Hockett                      Freestyle Elements
Gloria Allen                        Innovative Dreams Jewelry
Heather Marston                 CSW Designs
Inge von Roos                    Inge's Blog
Jacqueline Marchant          Fiddledeedee Jewelry
Jami Shipp                         Celebrating Life!
Jean Yates                          Snap Out of it Jean, There's Beading to Do!
Jennifer Reno                     Musings of a Crafty Jenny
Jenny Robledo                   Peppa's Dream
Jennifer VanBenschoten    Jewelry, Art and Life
Jessica Klaaren                  Cellar Door Jewelry
Jessica Murray                   Whimsical Monkey
Joan Williams                     lilruby jewelry
Jo-Ann Woolverton            It's a Beadiful Creation
Joanne Browne                   josjewels1
Jodie Marshall                    Jodie Marshall Lampwork Beads Wearable Art
Johanna Rhodes                 Fire Phoenix Creations
John Rasmussen                 Rasumussen Gems and Jewelry LLC
JuLee Wolfe                       The Polymer Penguin
Julie Bean                           Blue Pig Blog
Karen Mitchell                   Over the Moon Designs
Karin King                         The Sparklie Things Blog
Karin Slaton                       Backstory Beads
Kat Douglas                       Washoe Kat's
Kay Bolton                        Toodles and Binks
Kelly Hosford Patterson     The Traveling SideShow
Kim Ballor                          Vitamin C ... A Daily Does of Creativity
Kim Dworak                       CianciBlue
Kim Houston                       The Pink Martini
Kym Hunter                         Kym Hunter Designs
Laren Dee Barton                Laren Dee Designs
Lea Avroch                          LA Jewelry Designs
Leanne Loftus                      First Impression Design
Lena Adams (Mari's daughter) -- TBA
Liddy McLaughlin               Liddy McLaughlin Art
Linda Florian                       Lily's of the Valley Jewelry & Creative Creations
Linda Inhelder                     Must-Haves Jewelry
Lisa Hamilton                      Simply Irresistable Jewelry
Lisa Suver                            Fancee That
Lori Bowring Michaud        Artfully Ornamental
Lori Poppe                           Adventures in Creativity with Lorillijean
LouAnn Elwell                    Southpass Beads
Mandi Effron                       Craft-o-licious
Marcia DeCoster                 MadDesigns
Marcia Dunne                     The Alternative Foundry
Marie Covert                      Creating Interest
Marjorie Savill Linthwaite     bennubirdrising
Marlene Cupo                        Amazing Designs by Marlene
Martha Aleo                           Ornamento
Marti Conrad                          Marti's Buttons -n- Beads
Mary Ellen Parker                  BeeTree by m.e.
Mary Govaars                        MLH Jewelry Designs
Mary Lindell                          Mary Lindell Artisan Jewelry
Maureen Connolly                 Mrs Beadsley's Workshop
Maybeline Tay                       The Jewelry Larder
Melissa Elgin                         The Addicted Beader
Melissa Mesara                      one-eared pig beads
Menka Gupta                         Menka's Jewelry
Michaela Pabeschitz              la mar de bonita
Mischelle Fanucchi               Micheladas Musings
Mona Rae Baroody               Who Does She Bead She Is?
Nan Emmett                          Spirit Rattles -- Spirited Earth
Nancy Pedersen                    Something Heartfelt by Nancy
Natalie Davidson                  NorthShore Days
Nikki Douglas                      Bead It and Weep
Pam Farren                           re-maker
Pam, the Crazier Sister        The Crazy Creative Corner
 Priya Krish                           Hellopalz 
Rebecca Anderson               Song Beads
Rebecca Sirevaag                 Becca's Place
Robin Kae Reed                   Artistry HCBD
Rochelle Brisson                  a creative chelle
Sabine Dittrich                     perlendschungel
Sandi Volpe                          Sandi Volpe
Sandra McGriff                    Creative Chaos
Sarah Goode                         Pookledo
Sarah Singer                         String a Song of Sixpence
Serena Trent                         All Things Made Jewelry
Shai Williams                       Shaiha's Ramblings
Sharon Palac                        Sharon's Jewelry Garden
Sharyl McMillian-Nelson    Sharyl's Jewelry & Reflections
Sheila Davis                         Stone Designs
Shelley Graham Turner        Fabric of My Life
Sherri Stokey                       Knot Just Macrame
Sherry Baun                         Unicorns Jewels
Skylar Bre'z                         Brising Beads
Stephanie Haussler              Pixybug Designs
Tania Spivey                        Moobie Grace Designs
Terri G.                                Blooming Ideas
Terry Carter                         Tapping Flamingo
Terry Matuszyk                    Pink Chapeau Vintage Jewelry
Toltec Jewels                       Jewel School Friends
Tracy Kruse                         Goldkisses Art
Tracy Martin                        Nutkitten's Jewelry 
Zia Parks                              Anzi~Panzi's Work Shoppe 
Zoe Marcin                          Beads, Tea and Sweets

Saturday, January 5, 2013

Art Bead Love Tour - The Winner!!


Renetha of Lamplight Crafts!!

Congratulations Renetha! I've sent you an email for your address so I can get this sweet package moving along to you!

Thanks to those who stopped by and commented - good luck to you in the next round!

Monday, December 17, 2012

WOO-HOO! The Art Bead Love Tour is headed my way!


I am over the moon excited! The Art Bead Love Tour chain started by the lovely ladoes of Love My Art Jewelry is on its way to me!! I had a lovely surprise facebook email from Mimi Gardner of baubles, beads & other curiosities, the most recent holder of the chain, yesterday suggesting I take a peek at her recent blog post - I am ecstatic! I cannot wait to hold that beautiful piece of art in my hands and gaze upon it with my own two eyes. I'm not yet sure what I'll add to it, as I'd like to see what beauties I'd like to remove from it first! Stay tuned folks, your chance to win is coming up soon!

Friday, December 14, 2012

Art Bead Love Tour is on the move again!

 
Hop on over to visit Mimi Gardner at baubles, beads & other curiosities to see what she claimed from that gorgeous chain and the lovelies that she added to it! Drawing is Sunday, December 16 at noon!

This amazing chain was started by the folks at Love My Art Jewelry . It is one and a half feet of incredible art bead/component goodness! Check out their site, they have wonderful tips and tricks for folks who love to create art jewelry.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Mismatched Art Bead Earring Swap

Hello and welcome! Today is reveal day for the Mismatched Art Bead Earring Swap hosted by the lovely Diana Ptaszynski of Suburban Girl Beads and Suburban Girl Studio. Thank you so much Diana for hosting such a wonderful swap, I know it's a lot of work and a bit of frustration to put these together! These are the first pair of really mismatched earrings I've made or received. It was a challenge, you should have seen my dining room table.....
Diana paired me for this swap with the very, very talented Lesley Watt of THEAtoo jewelry components and THEAjewellery. Lesley is not only a talented component designer, her jewelry designs are simply amazing. Lesley sent me a pair of earrings that goes with so many things - I love them!! They go with so many of my tops!
Lesley featured bronze clay bead caps that she made along with lampworked beads by two artisans: Josephine Wadman crafted the larger patterned beads and Pebbledreamss created the smaller solid colored beads. Aren't they great!?! Thank you again Lesley for being such a wonderful swap partner! You can check out Lesley's blog The Gossiping Goddess to see the autumnal earrings I created for her using some vintage and hand painted components! Here's a little sneaky peak:
Now, go visit all of these other talented designers to see what they received and swapped!:

Charlene Jacka   http://clay-space.com/blog