June Bead Trends

Just a quick post about this month’s Bead Trends magazine.  But first, if you haven’t had a chance yet, go out and check out May’s issue featuring the enormously talented Cindy Wimmer of Sweet Bead Studio as their monthly highlighted designer.  In addition to her trademark wire work, Cindy features some beautiful vintage-inspired designs that are definitely worth your time!

June’s issue is also stunning, full of beautiful designs and featuring Judith Glende of Judith B. Designs.  She includes unique jewelry full of etched metals, cold connections and wire work in varied styles.

I also have a set included in this month’s magazine called “Summer Skies”:

I used beautiful drawn copper cable and stunning dumortierite from Rings and Things and a lovely glass copper disc from Blueseraphim.

As always, thanks go out to Bead Trends for including me in their gorgeous magazine!

December Art Bead Scene Challenge

This month, Art Bead Scene gave us two paintings to use as inspiration for our challenge piece, both by John Anster Fitzgerald:

 

 

"The Storm"

 

"The Captive Robin"

 

What captured my eye in both of these pictures is the use of color to bring the subjects to life, and that's what I tried to do in my piece.

 

The piece I submitted is one I made a few months ago, but fit this challenge perfectly:

"Robin Redbreast"

 

The focal is made from an etched and soldered bezel with a digital collage topped with antique watch parts and filled in with ICE Resin.  The chain is made from Picasso finish glass lentil beads from Artbeads.com, and copper beads from Rings & Things.

 

As the cutoff is December 31st, it isn't too late for you to enter.  Check out the Art Bead Scene blog for more information and get creating!

Upcycled Beauty - Totally Twisted Project #4

I've just finished the fourth project in Kerry Bogert's book, "Totally Twisted". 

Here's my version of her "Catching A Wave" necklace called "Upcycled Beauty", which is for sale in my etsy shop.  The techniques used in this necklace are:  crimping,  coiling, closed spiral, wrapped loop and hook clasp.

OK...at this point I feel like I need to let you in on something:  most women love it when their husbands bring home flowers or jewelry.  While I definitely love both flowers and jewelry, I know that my hubby is truly thinking about me when he brings me old, rusty things that he finds in the road or parking lot.  I know - weird, but true.   Both washers (sealed for safety) in the pendant were found for me by my esteemed hubby, and I was just waiting for the perfect project to use them with. 

In fact, the rust and wear of these beat up old washers were the inspiration for this 3" x 1.5" pendant. The necklace is made from four strands that close with two handmade coiled copper wire cones and a handmade copper wire bail.

Two of the strands of the 21" necklace are made from clear crystal seed beads strung on beautiful copper-toned beading wire. The third strand is made from vintage Czech glass 1 1/4" teal bugle beads, and the fourth strand is made from fair trade Ethiopian copper tube beads from Rings and Things.

I really like how this piece turned out, and I will definitely create another version of it at some point in the future.

:-)

Totally Twisted!

OK...I FINALLY picked up Kerry Bogert's book, "Totally Twisted", and I just LOVE it! 

If you aren't familiar with Kerry and her work, she is an absolutely FABULOUS lampwork bead artist whose beads are both beautiful and whimsical.  Her blog (http://www.kabsconcepts.blogspot.com/) is great as well - check it out!

I love the book so much that I've decided to work my way through all of the projects, putting my own spin on them.

Here's the first project I finished, "Twisted Love" that you can find in my etsy shop:

Now, those of you who know me know that I am a copper freak.  I wanted to use all copper for this first project, so the presence of brightly colored glass beads and wire are notably absent in my version of "Bang Gals".  I incorporated one of B Heart Ranch's fun copper heart buttons and one of my favorite copper beads from Rings and Things.

On to the next project!

Butterfly Gardens

Just a quick post to share "Butterfly Gardens" with you:

"Butterfly Gardens"

The inspiration for this necklace comes from these GORGEOUS artisan lampwork beads made by the fabulously talented Jennifer Jennings of http://www.blueseraphim.etsy.com/.  The blues, periwinkles and earth tones work perfectly with the etched copper butterfly and handmade bead caps.

I also made a sweet pair of earrings with the same beautiful beads, and I love the way they look with the necklace.

Hand-coiled copper wire links and wire-wrapped copper beads I picked up at Rings and Things' unbelievable bead show in Mesa complete the chain that closes with a handmade clasp.

You can find this summery set in my etsy store.

Have a fantastic rest of your long weekend!

Home Is Where The Heart Is...

"House Of Love"

The necklace is made using etched copper, handmade copper wire beads, lampwork glass beads and beautiful solid copper beads from Rings and Things.

The clasp is made from twisted copper wire as well, and the whole piece was patinaed and tumbled to give the copper depth and age.

Underneath the butterfly 'house' is a handmade bezel with our friends' family picture  (check out those two beautiful babies!) covered with ICE resin.

This was a new bezel shape for me, and I really like how it turned out - I'm definitely going to use it again!   I've got more new ICE resin pieces to finish up and list in my etsy shop, so stop by again soon!