Utrillo Bracelet May 24, 2012

This painting by French impressionist Maurice Utrillo is this month’s design challenge over at Art Bead Scene. It’s titled The Italian’s House at Monmarte. I fell in love with the color palette (Brandi Hussey of Brandi Girl Blog added the color palette strip).

Imagine my pleasant surprise to find some perfect lamp work art beads in my prize package from last month’s Art Bead Scene challenge. Two large and four small beads by the talented Jo Reed of Beadtopia. I added some carnelian, olive glass beads, carved stone rounds, and other odds and ends to create this bracelet. The metal charm is a small nod to all the windows in this piece. They are right on the street and so invitingly eye level. I imagine the passers-by couldn’t resist peeking inside as they strolled along the lane.

You can see all the other current entries in the May’s design challenge here.  Enjoy!

Tracy Statler’s Give Away May 17, 2012

Please forgive the numerous posts recently. But here’s one you’ll definitely want to check out.  Tracy Statler of Make Bracelets! is  having a cool Czech glass give away. Wonderful shades and shapes of orange glass beads. I saw a ton of orange shoes, bags, clothes, scarves, and jewelry in the Paris shop windows and on the street. It’s this year’s color for spring and summer. Head over to her blog and simply post a comment to enter a chance to win.

Orange is such a happy color, isn’t it?

Beady Love May 17, 2012

Look what came in the mail yesterday!  Oh, my goodness!

A few days ago, I wrote about my streak of luck in winning some cool give aways. The prize from the Boreas design contest was a gorgeous collection of lamp work beads by a group of UK artists on Etsy.  Even more beautiful in person, believe me.  Each one so distinctive and different.  A big thank you to the FHF team for their generosity.     Very happy to share their company names and art with you all.

And if you want to drool some more, do visit their FHFteam shop on Etsy.

From Ceardannan Jewellery…

From Alchemy Lampwork…

From Pandanimal Lampwork…

And from Beadtopia Lampwork Designs…

Smashing! May 16, 2012

While I was away on vacation, my brother, Chris, was hard at work smashing a small box of copper washers for me in his machine press. Another load of goodies to play with. Thank you, Chris. They are wonderful! I torch colored these two and added handmade sterling ear wires and amethyst picasso Czech glass beads. A gift for one of the speakers at our church’s Women’s Conference this weekend. Can’t wait to get away to the mountains with my sisters-in-faith for some fellowship and spiritual nourishment.

I’ve also been getting to know the editing tools at PicMonkey.  Pretty easy to use and very similar to Picnik.  Happy with it so far.

Bead Star 2012 May 14, 2012

The voting is now open…

Okay, I’ve had this debate with myself about this second post in one day.  A little too much self promotion, maybe. There was actually one more piece of good news in the jewelry side of my life while I was away.  I had entered a pair of earrings in the Crystals category of Beading Daily’s Bead Star 2012 contest.  Surprise! It was voted as one of 20 finalists. Now it’s up to the wider community out there to vote for their favorites. You can vote for as many pieces that you like, but only one vote per piece, until Monday, May 28th.

If you haven’t already, you’ll also need to register for one of their free accounts to vote. There are 20 finalists in each of these categories: Metals, Crystals, Plastics, Pearls, Glass, Ceramics, and Stones. Click here, if you’d like to see all the wonderful finalists and do please vote for your favorites!  Click here to register, quick and easy.

This pair of very long, very sparkly chandeliers was a custom order for a friend, Peggy, to wear to a relative’s wedding. They are almost 3 inches in length.  The photo just doesn’t do the colors or huge sparkle justice, but oh, well. It was before I had learned a thing or two about my camera and the benefit of shooting outdoors.

Beady Love May 14, 2012

One of the joys of being apart of the jewelry making community is it’s wonderful generous spirit. In the sharing of resources, problem solving help, tutorials, learning from mistakes, and encouragement.  Also, the opportunities to push yourself with design challenges and fun with occasional give aways.  While I was gone, I received not one, not two, but THREE emails that I had won something!  Jeepers!

Remember the bracelet stacking challenge? My number was drawn and I won free access toTracy Statler’s new video tutorials on two of her bracelet designs. Excited to try these out. She’s the Queen of Bracelets.

After leaving a comment with Objects and Elements to win one of their cool destash bags…I won this month too!  Blown away by the huge amount of goodies. Not my usual, but my mind is spinning with possibilities.  Have a peek.

Lastly, two entries in the Boreas design challenge were drawn by lottery to win prizes donated by fabulous art bead artists. I was one of the lucky two!  Here’s a look at the lovelies coming my way from the FHFTeam, a group of gifted lamp work bead artists.

Gorgeous, yes!

If you’d like to participate or just follow along on with this month’s Art Bead Scene’s art challenge, click here for more info. The May challenge is street scene by the French impressionist, Maurice Utrillo. What piece of jewelry do you see in this painting?

Meanwhile, I think I’ll be busy for quite awhile with all this beady love coming my way. Thank you for your generosity!

Home again…home again May 12, 2012

Lovely to take time away and travel to new places. This time to a new area of France we had not yet explored. And always, lovely to return home again with the senses filled with wonderful sights, sounds, tastes, and even, smells.  Here are a few photos that capture just a bit.  Some from the markets of Paris and some from small town open air markets and parks.  I’ll be sharing in the coming week of some new happenings with the jewelry side of life.

But for now…can’t you almost smell the strawberries!

My dear husband was the trip photographer and the only editing I did was a touch of sharpening and resizing. Absolutely no messing with the color, I swear.

 

Welcome to the Art Bead Scene April Challenge Blog Tour April 27, 2012

Hello, friends.  I pre-posted this before I left on vacation, so hope it works.  I don’t have the blog tour links for you, but I can refer you back to Art Bead Scene, where I do hope you’ll continue to enjoy the tour.

The painting, Boreas, by John William Waterhouse (1903), is the challenge inspiration for April. Boreas was the purple-winged Greek god of the north wind.  I love this idea of using a piece of art to inspire jewelry designs…it could be the mood, colors, setting, subject of the piece.  This one in particular has so many different options beginning with a beautiful color palette, perfect for the steel wire I’m currently using.  Two art beads were used in this design…a raku butterfly and hand blown lamp work bead, both purchased at a local, independent bead shop. Unfortunately, they couldn’t recall the names of the local artists who made these beautiful beads. The tornado bead, pendant, and clasp are handcrafted from annealed steel wire.

The female figure stands firm against the strong wind…her thin,wispy wrap a beautiful blue gray…the small pale gold daffodil tucked into her hair is a hopeful sign of the fullness of Spring approaching.  What an amazing work of art, with so many directions to take jewelry design. I can’t wait to get home and view everyone’s work.

Thanks so much for stopping by,

Lynda

Wrapped, Stacked, and Layered Reveal Day! April 21, 2012

Tracy Statler, over at Make Bracelets!, had issued a fun challenge this month and today is the big reveal!  So happy it’s finally here and we get to see what everyone’s put out there to meet it. You can read more about the details of the challenge here.  It plays along with the popularity of  wearing huge amounts of arm candy.

Here’s my entry into this fun…

All four of these bracelets were made by me.  From the top:  various small beads on triple genya cord.  Next, Ghana Krobo beads on leather. Then, white heart garnet glass knotted onto leather, and at the bottom is my favorite bracelet. My very first sterling soldering project. Imperfect, and beloved.

And just for extra fun with this, I let my four favorite girls make stacks with my bracelet collection the other day.  Daughters, Sara and April.             Grand daughters, Taylor and Jenna.

                         

Sara’s choices                                                                         April’s stack

                                 

Taylor and Jenna’s bling bling

And now…on to more fun with all the other arm candy out there. There’s quite a few, so grab a snack or cup of tea and enjoy the ride. Thank you, Tracy, for hosting this challenge!  Apologies that the blog link list isn’t here, silly me couldn’t get it right.  Please go back to Make Bracelets! for the blog list and continue on.

Ouch! Ouch! April 19, 2012

The first ouch is for my hands.  Just finished five pair of earrings that required quite a bit of pounding…thick copper washers and electrical wire. Must admit I got my thumb in the way a few times too. The second owie is for the demise of Picnik today.  These two photos are the last ones on this late great, easy-for-me, photo editing site that has made my blog life so much better.  I know I’ve said it before, but now, I will seriously have to switch over to another site for help.

These earrings were hand forged and textured, oxidized and polished, with handmade sterling ear wires. Embellishments are Czech glass rounds with a bit of turquoise, purple glass, fresh water pearls, abalone, and a pale teal glass.  Two of these pairs will be donated to an auction coming up in May.

Oh, and come by on Saturday, for the big Wrapped, Stacked, and Layered Bracelet Challenge reveal!  So many wonderful blogs to visit.  A list of links will be posted with my surprise entry.