Today is First Reveal for Lori Anderson's Bead Soup 7

Yaayyyy!  Bead Soup 7 Reveals Have Begun!   Today is the 1st Reveal.  Here are links to the other shops. 

Alicia Marinache	All The Pretty Things
Amber Dawn Goldish	Inventive Soul
Barb Solem	Vivi Magoo Presents
Bev Breisinger	Country Frog Creations
Birgitta Lejonklou	Create With Spirit
Breana Fry	Vault 31
Brenda Sue Lansdowne	B'Sue Boutiques
Carol Dee Myers	Carol DeeZigns
Carolyn Chenault	Carolyn Chenault
Cassi Paslick	Beads:  Rolling Downhill
Cece Cormier	The Beading Yogini
Cheryl McCloud	One Thing Leads to Another
Cindy Wilson	It's My Sea of Dreams
Crystal Thain	Here Bead Dragons
Cynthia Riggs	Cynth's Blog
Dana Hickey	Wind Dancer Studios
Dana James	Dana's Jewelry Designs
Darlene Fortier	Delicious Rejuvenations
Deanna Cox	Agape Creations
Deb Brooks	From the Heart Creations
Denielle Hagerman	Some Beads and Other Things I Like
Denise McCabe	Cabewoman
Diana Frey	Tattered Adornments
Diana Welte	Lilyweeds
Dini Bruinsma	Angaza by Changes
DiYana Alcalde	Agape Creations
Dolores Raml	CraftyD's Creations
Donna Millard	Donna Millard Art Glass
Dot Lewallwn	Speedie Beadie
Duane Clark	dc'z bizzy bead adventures
Dyanne Cantrell	Dee-Liteful Jewelry Creations
Eleanor Burian-Mohr	The Charmed Life
Elisabeth Auld	Beads for Busy Gals
Elizabeth Owens Dwy	1996 Shabby Lane
Emily Greer	Gaia Copia
Enikö Fabian	Perl-eni
Erin Grant	Erin's Jewelry Creations
Eva Kovacs	Ewa Gyongyos Vilaga
Eva Sherman	Eva Sherman Designs
Gina Hockett	Freestyle Elements
Grace Rotenberg	Rivka's Mom
Gretchen Nation	Art Food Lodging
Hannah Rosner	Good River Gallery
Heather Davis	Blissful Garden Beads
Heather Marston	CSW Designs
Heather Powers	Humblebeads
Ingrid McCue	Wrapped in Silver
Jacqueline Marchant	FiddleDeeDee Jewelry
Jan Petek	Pepper Tree Designs
Janeen Sorensen	Wild Vanilla Designs
Jane-Michael Stallings	Craft Vacuum
Jasvanti Patel	Jewelry by Jasvanti
Jayashree Paramesh	Nchantme
Jayne Capps	Mama's Gotta Doodle
Jean Yates	Snap out of it Jean, There's beading to do!
Jennifer Cameron	Glass Addictions | by Jen Cameron
Jennifer LaVite	Dry Gulch Beads & Jewelry
Joan Williams	lilruby jewelry
Jodie Marshall	Jodie Marshall
Judy Riggs	Rigglettes
Julie Anne Leggett	The Peaceful Bead
Kat Barron Miller	Midnight Kat Productions
Kathy Lindemer	Bay Moon Design
Kim Hora	KimmyKats
Kim Houston	The Pink Martini Boutique
Krafty Max	Krafty Max Originals
Kris Lanae Binsfeld	Cherish Designs
Kristen Stevens	My Bead Journey
Kristi Harrison	It's a New Day
Kumi Fisher	Malie Kai Designs
Laren Dee Barton	Laren Dee Designs
Laura Bracken	Laura Bracken Designs
Laura Demoya	The Bead Therapist
Laurie Hanna	Laurie's Jewelry Box
Laurie Keefe-Cecere	Tree of Life
Lea Avroch	lajewelrydesigns
Leanne Loftus	First Impression Design
Lee Anne Messerschmidt	Adventures in Jewelry
Leslie Schenkel	Twisted Chicken
Linda Anderson	From the Bead Board
Linda Djokic	Lutka and Co.
Linda Sadler	Ida Louise Jewelry
Lisa Liddy	Metal Me This
Lisa Suver	Fanceethat
Liz DeLuca	Creative Arty Facts
Liz Engriser	Bead Contagion
Lola Surwillo	Bead Lola Bead
Loretta Carstensen	Designs by Loretta
Lori Anderson	Pretty Things
Lori Bergmann	Lori Bergmann Design
Lori Bowring Michaud	Artfully Ornamental
Lori Poppe	Adventures in Creativity with Lorillijean
Lori Schneider	Bead Addict
Lyn Foley	Lyn Foley
Maddison Langford	Maddy's Stitching Corner
Magdalena Sikora	Poranna Gazeta
Mallory Hoffman	For the Love of Beads
Marcella Austenfeld	Good to Go Jewelry
Marcy Lamberson	Studio Marcy
Maria Clark	Sweet Willow Designs
Maria Rosa Sharrow	Willow Street Shops
Marianna Boylan	Star Girl Shop
Marti Conrad	Marti's Clay Blog
Mary Ellen Merrigan	Mary Ellen Beads
Mary Harding	Mary Harding Jewelry Bead Blog
Molly Alexander	Beautifully Broken Me
Nan Emmett	Spirit Rattles :: Spirited Earth
Niky Sayers	Silver Nik Nats
Pam Chesbro	A Fortunate Soul
Pam Farren	Re-maker
Pam Sandy	Pam's Eclectic Stuff
Pam Traub	Klassy Joolz
Pamela Gangler	She Always Loved Pink
Patricia Buchanan	Bracelets Too
Patricia Johnson	Patricia L. Johnson Glass Art
Paula Hisel	Simply Stated
Peggy Gabrielson	Georgia Mountain Arts
Rachel Baron	R. Baron Designs
Rachel Stanley	Catching Hummingbirds
Rain Hannah	Honey & Ollie
Rana Wilson	Rana Lea Designs
Renetha Stanziano	Lamplight Crafts
Robin Reed	Artistry HCBD
Rochelle Brisson	A Creative Chelle
Rose Rushbrooke	The Art of Rose Rushbrooke
Ruth Szapa	New Things
Sally Russick	The Studio Sublime
Sandi Volpe	Sandi Volpe
Sandra Pendragon	Pendragon Jewelry
Sandy Richardson	Sandy's Coloring Box
Sarah Small	blog by salla
Shannon Hicks	falling into the sky
Shari Replogle	Plays With Paper
Sheila Daniels	Cheeky Magpie
Sheila Davis	Stone Designs
Shiraz Biggie	Secret Song Designs
Shirley Moore	Beads and Bread
Skylar Bre'z	Brising Beads
Staci Smith	Staci Louise Originals
Stacy Pomerleau	Craft En Ville
Stephanie Weiss	Uniquely Me - Beads, Wire, and Desire
Sumi Rani	Hundred Colors
Susan Sheehan	Susan Sheehan, Strands of Thought
Suzette Bentley	Ellie's Bijoux
Tamera Norris	Beads and Things
Tracy Choy	BumbleBeads Designs
Tracy Stillman	Tracy Stillman Designs
Valerie Norton	Hot Art
Vicki Holliday	Flop Cat Design

Can I Now Call Myself a Seed Beader? - Of course, I'm Kidding....

Even though I have been busy working on a big jewelry project, I have been distracted a time or two along the way and have actually made something of interest to me.  Not that the big jewelry project isn't interesting - it is, but I just needed a distraction a time or two.

I have long admired the seed beaders out there - and I have been collecting seed beads for quite some time -- I guess I thought that if you had to have a huge inventory of seed beads, then you would automatically know what to do with them.

I have been playing around with two things - first some beaded beads that I want to somehow incorporate in my Bead Soup project and some simple bracelets.

 I made the first one in the earthy rustic ancient looking seed beads of which I have many, many because I love them so much and can't say no to them.  Then because I also love, love the southwest color palette and horses, I made the second one.

I have been wearing the earthy one now for about two weeks solid and I can't believe it is still holding together.  I tried very hard to be cognizant of how I finished and began my threads so hopefully I got it right.

I like them and they are very, very easy to wear.  I will probably be offering them in my etsy store soon.

I am finally putting my Bead Trends Sept. 2013 feature designs into a box for shipping out.  I am now very excited to begin working with the Bead Soup I received from Jelveh Johnson.  Even though I am in the second reveal group, time continues to tick by and it is getting closer.  I can't wait.

Bead Trends March, 2013

Today I want to share with you my contributions to the Bead Trends March 2013 issue.

This issue has some beautiful jewelry in it - I especially love this piece that is on the front cover.

 My first piece is a hammered copper choker style with a fantastic shell bead by Marla James.  It is framed by flowers by Marti Conrad and I wrapped some Bali-sterling beads and picasso fire polished beads to decorate the front.

For a clasp, I made large loops and wrapped one side with another fire polished bead to make the loop.

Marti made this gorgeous owl pendant as well.
I made copper bead caps and used small turquoise fire-polished beads and fringe chain to make the hair over the owls head.

The matching earrings were published in the Winter 2013 issue of Jewelry Stringing.

















I am just about finished designing the jewelry for my September spread in Bead Trends.  I have one more piece to make and then I have to write all the instructions, etc.  That is the paperwork and I hate paperwork.  Well, not really, but it is not my favorite part.

And before I go, I want to send out a special "THANK YOU" to the component artists that make beautiful jewelry possible. None of this would be possible without you and I appreciate you all.  

Enjoy Looking!

Race Horses.......

Who doesn't love race horses?  But, how many of us are ever lucky enough to know one -- let alone own one?

Well, I'll tell you who ---- my sister-in-law, Janie Rogers.  I only have one brother and he managed to marry one of the coolest women I know.  She has a Harley - and you should see her in her leathers --, she has raised three wonderful sons (but man let me tell you, she is one tough Mom - she is definitely not a coddler.)  I joke that if you are her kid, when you turn 18 years old she throws you a big birthday party, then sets you out on the curb so a word to the wise -- have a place to sleep on your 18th birthday because she will already be redecorating your room by nightfall.

She is an accomplished painter and I am patiently waiting my turn for one of her paintings.  She loves to make things about as much as I do.

She also owns a race horse.  In her younger (pre-sister-in-law days) she was actually a professional jockey.

She just won her first race! and I wanted to share her joy (and mine) with you.  Marti I know you will enjoy this and I hope many others of you do too.







The top is a picture of the win and that is Janie standing at the head of the horse in the bottom picture.

Isn't that about the coolest thing!



Congratulations Janie! and give Officer's Desire a hug for me - oh, and an apple.

The Snow is Leaving, but.....

Before it does, I want to leave one more picture of a unique snowman.  This one is just to the south of our house on the corner.  Yesterday and today have been so warm we didn't even need to wear coats and when I drove by this one this morning on the way to the market, it was almost gone.  About all that is left is its feet.

In our neighborhood, when you have stuff that you don't want any more, you just set it out on the curb and someone will usually take it before the sun sets on it.

I was walking Jebadiah and Sophie when I took this one's picture.  She found it very interesting - worthy of closer inspection.




Spring will be here in no time. 









Okay, now back to work.

My Contribution to Stringing Spring 2013

Today I wanted to share my contribution to the Spring 2013 issue of Stringing Magazine.  The version that was published is actually my second version of the necklace. 

For those of you that haven't tried being published yet, one of the things you have to do when you submit your piece for consideration is to also write instructions on how to make it and make a complete list of each piece, down to every little jump ring and crimp, with a description of size, color, material, and where you acquired it.

In the first version, I used a wider variety of African Trade Beads and more sections of macrame.

After completing the first version, I realized it was going to be impossible for me to actually write instructions on how to make it. 

 So, in the necklace, I used a bag of Greek Mokonos Heishi Beads that I purchased from Rings-Things and kept the connections simpler.  I love the way it turned out and if you want to give it a go, it should be easy enough to follow the instructions published in the magazine.

The earrings drops were made by Marla James and are a beautiful compliment to the necklace.

I purchased the pendant on eBay years ago, but the colors in it were perfect for this issue and this necklace.

And, if you haven't purchased your copy yet, here is a picture of the front so you will know what to look for.



















The pendant that I used in the first version was a "parrot wing" jasper.  It was very pretty, but there is a spot on the front of it that didn't look out of place until I took its picture.  I thought the more purple piece looked better in the end and it photographed better.

Disclaimer:  For those who keep track of this type of thing, these pictures were used with Stringing's permission.