Blooming Bangles, Deryn Mentock's online class was full of techniques and wonderful ideas for creating bangles.  Here's my spin on the class....I took three bangles and did some wire weaving to bring them all together in one bracelet.  One has the bloom on it and the other I embellished with bone and pearl beads. I highly recommend her online classes if you aren't able to take a class in person with Deryn. 

Until then.....be creative!

Isn't She Lovely???

A new member recently joined my jewelry team.  She is fast becoming friends with the other members of the team....Margot and Babbette.  She's become a valuable asset in such a short time.  Plus she's just a lot of fun!  Her name is Mireille which means to admire.  And I do.  Mireille loves to display my jewelry and is very photogenic.  She also adds a bit of ooh la la to my bead studio!
 

I want to thank a fellow student of Deryn Mentock's online class...An Alchemy of Found Objects for providing the source of Miereille.  She's wonderful when testing your necklaces and how they will look on someone...is there balance?....does something turn the wrong way?....that kinda stuff.  

Until then.....keep creating!!! 

The Third Reveal -- It's Here, It's Here!!!!

I saw the mailman and I thought one of those has just GOT to be for me!  And I was so excited when one of those boxes had my name on it from my partner, Kay Mallery. There it was....a box all taped up just waiting for me to tear into it.

I've been given some really kewl bead soup........

Vintage Findings, Beads, Czech Glass, MOP

 But I had to take another pic to show off the awesome vintage rhinestone pin that Kay sent along with that very French box it's laying on.

Vintage Rhinestone Pin, Sardonyx chunky beads and Tourmalated Quartz

But WAIT......there's more more more~~~~~lampwork beads that Kay has made herself.  And look at all those colors. Green's that represent the lushness of Oregon's Willamette Valley, shades of Blue off Oregon's rocky Pacific coast, and the Amber's that are all the shades of sand the ocean splashes up on.

Kay's Lampwork Beads

Well, I better get busy thinking about what I'm going to do with all this bead soup goodness I've been given.....time to get creative!  Thanks, Kay, for your beautiful bead soup.

Until then........let the creative juices flow!!!

It's Kinda Like......"Are we there yet"?

I'm like that kid in the backseat of the car asking mom and dad....."are we there yet"?  I'm filled with anticipation that my BSBP partner will soon be revealed to me.  I'm on the edge of the backseat of the car bouncing up and down until mom and dad finally say....."almost"!

Lori Anderson has performed a mind-boggling task of pairing BSBP participants together.  Thanks for all the many hours you've spent to make this event fun, exciting, and challenging for all of us.

Until my partner is revealed......Happy Beading!!!!

Jewelry Affaire Magazine, Autumn 2012 and Winter 2013......REALLY???

Once again, I was thrilled  
(I just can't come up with another word....
anyone have a suggestion?) to be published in  the Autumn 2012 and Winter 2013 Jewelry Affaire magazines.


I wonder what their process is for selecting jewelry pieces for publication. 
I can't imagine it being an easy task. 



If you are so inclined, purchase  a copy of Jewelry Affaire magazine and become inspired by creative artists such as Kathy Menasco, and her Tattered Dream Cuffs (Winter 2013 issue);  Brooke VanDerzee,and her very French necklace "Magestically" (Autumn 2012); and Tina Shiefer,  and her Vintage Drift necklace (Winter 2013).

Until then......Happy Creating!!!

More of the Same.....but Much More!

Event 58 was started in 2011 by 5 gals who called themselves Artistic Link 5.  They had a vision to bring high caliber artists together to share our love of art and, frankly, to sell our art!!!

Last year, Artistic Link 5 presented it's first art show called, Event 58.  It was a small show with about 18 artists participating.  Because it was a successful show in terms of the number of people who attended and the caliber of art displayed, Artistic Link 5 is presenting it's second Event 58.

This year there will be over 30 wonderful local artists along with music, complimentary wine and a raffle.  I hope that if you live in or around central Oregon, you will save the date of November 10 to come and enjoy all there is to offer at Event 58.

Please visit our blog, Artistic Link 5, to experience a sampling of what you will see at our show.

 

Until then......Happy Beading!

 



It Happened Again.................!!!!

Once again......there's that thrill that goes through you when you see an e-mail from Beth Livesay, Managing Editor of Jewelry Affaire magazine.

Could it be?  Then you see the word "Congratulations, your jewelry piece has been accepted!!!"  (OK, Beth only used one exclamation point).

Check out the Spring, 2012 issue.....it's filled with inspiration.
















Happy Beading!

Making it Special....It's in the Packaging

When I opened my Etsy shop, Suite7 Bijoux Designs I hadn't really given too much thought as to how I was going package someone's purchase of my jewelry.....am I the only one that didn't think about that?  And maybe I should also include that occasional swap.....how do you present those goodies?

I thought about it when I received an etsy purchase from Patti at Altered State of Tin and it was wrapped in beautiful paper with ribbon.  Patti was definitely thinking about it.  I purchased a custom altered tin from ferrytalesgifts and it was in a collaged box...just as kewl as the altered tin.



That gal was thinking!!!!

This is how I packaged a purchase when I shipped it off to the buyer.  It's not elaborate but it's a start and I've discovered RUBBER STAMPS.  I'm having fun making the tags and it makes it special when the package arrives.

This is a tag that I made this weekend when I was with friend of mine and we decided to have some creativity fun together.  We used rubber stamps with clear embossing ink, Stasz On Ink, pigment paint, glue, distress ink stamp pads, stickers, and buttons. 

It seems like one fun thing leads to another!!!
Until then...........Happy Beading!!!!