Pssst... Over here. Look at me! HERE I AM!!!!

You love what you do. Other people may even love what you do. You may even be getting requests for what you do! So how do you get the word out to greater people about what it is that you are doing? Shout it from the roof tops? Maybe. Knock down every door? If that feels right. Sit back and wait for some one else to notice your special talent and sing your praises loud and clear for the whole world to hear and maybe give your special work to the right person who may pass it on to a special highly visible someone (hello, Angelina Jolie!) who in turn wears that special thing on the red carpet of some premier where she is asked repeatedly "Who made that extra special something you are wearing? WHERE CAN I GET ONE!!!!" that starts the ball rolling to form an avalanche of publicity for you? A girl can have a dream can't she! Foot work. I'm talking about getting out there and getting your feet, hands, mind (well, maybe not your mind! Ok. Maybe just a little!) dirty. A bit over the top and dramatic but my point is this, no one will know you exist unless you let them know. Your message doesn't have to be loud and flashy if you are not a loud and flashy person, but if you are then that's great too! I am always surprised at how just wearing a piece of jewelry I've made can garner attention. It is of course great if there are other people out there wearing it too!

In Calvin J. Goodman's book "Art Marketing Handbook" there are many examples of how to market yourself. The book is designed for artists but the information translates well for other artisans and craft folk. Suggestions like, groups or guilds, like Art Bead Scene or Beads of Clay give good and much needed support for individual artists. Safety in numbers, right. Some of us are not as confident to go out and knock down doors in person as others and If it is in your budget, hire someone to get the word out for you. Basics like Google Ad Words listings or even Etsy or eBay auctions are great for getting your word out about your wears and making a possible sale. Advertising in a magazine can be a big but pricey step. Not every self promotion needs a price tag. Offering a class on what you do, a demo or party from your home to show case your work can be fun. A simple postcard for mailing or handing out on the spot. Local post boards where you can post a flier or business card. Craft fairs, farmers markets, web sites and blogs are all useful tools. As in many areas of life, it is all about the tools in your tool belt. So tool up people and hammer it home!

Featured Designer of the Week

Each Monday we feature the Designer of the Week. One of our editors pick their favorite from the Monthly Challenge entries.

This week's featured design was chosen by editor, Cindy Gimbrone and is Maria Sariego's Indian Summer Bracelet.

Cindy says, "The copper lampwork beads are a surprising accompaniment to the silver. It's unexpected and lovely!"

You can see more of Maria Sariego! You can see more of Maria's work on Believe Street

Would you like to our next featured designer? Enter the July Monthly Challenge and you could be here next Monday!

Archeological Dig on Hysteria Lane

Now that last week's storms have cleared, the Desperate Editor has spotted a pile of dirt on Hysteria Lane. Creeping over to see what it's all about she finds these.....





...hmmm are those antiquities or faux-tiquities? The Desperate Editor was fortunate to find the person doing the digging and interview her to find out. While the Desperate Editor gets to the bottom of the archeological dig, let's see what's going on in the Bead Blogging World....

About.com Jewelry Making
If you are looking for some super easy methods for promoting your jewelry business, here are some no-brainer ideas for you.

Art Bead Scene
Pass us a cold drink because a heat wave engulfs Studio Saturday!

Barbe Saint John
Doing a big arts & crafts show? Here are some tips to help make it go smoother.

Linda Ausburg at BeadStyle Magazine
Alison Libby is BeadStyle's guest blogger this week. Check out her first post and leave a comment about how you started beading.

Jewelry & Beading
The fabulous Amy Clarke Moore shares her inspirations and creative process!

Strands of Beads
Inspired by Art Bead Scene, Melissa creates a focal and clasp with fine silver circle links

Did you know the Desperate ABS Neighbors open up their studios on Saturdays? Stop by and read Studio Saturdays to find out more about the Desperate Neighbors of the Art Bead Scene!

Did you read or write any good dirt on a bead blog this week?
Leave us a comment and a link and tell us the latest scoop!

(Photo credits: Seeing Stars photo of Desperate Housewives set.)

Studio Saturday In True Colors

Welcome to Studio Saturday! Each week one of our contributors gives you a sneak peek into their studio, creative process or inspirations. We ask a related question of our readers and hope you'll leave comments! As an incentive we offer a free prize each week to bribe you to use that keyboard. The following week we choose a random winner.

This week's winner is Emanda! Please send your postal address to the ABS Suggestion Box and Lynn will send you the pair of metal clay circle links!



Welcome to the Studio!

It's Color Week on my blog so I'm looking at color in a different way than I normally do. I don't think about color so much as I think about the physical properties of the glass.
I don't think color first, I think will it do what I want it to do? So I started to think about my work as

dull

boring

zzzzz snore

but when I said I needed to kick up the color, a commenter said I was wrong about my work - it was vibrant, colorful. Hmmmmmm.....

Maybe the high contrast on the Heartz n Skullz series is colorful....


...and the greens and blues mixed with the copper metal, ya think?


...ok yeah, the red, turquoise and yellow of Modern Folk Bird is colorful....


...ok ok OK! I give! Yes, I DO work with vibrant colors! Stop twisting my arm! The Rainbow Spiral is the epitome of lively colors!


As I rub my arm from having it twisted almost off, I realize I don't always see my glass as the customer or other artists might see it. Despite the fact I choose a glass color based on what it can do, I'm still choosing vibrant colors.

Does this mean I'm not boring? Wink!

Here is today's question: Do you think you see either yourself or your work as others see it?

Post a comment and I'll send you a surprisingly colorful bead! It will be a surprise because I'll pick one randomly from my inventory.

Look forward to reading your comments!

The Trendy Bead - Design Trends

1. Asymmetry
"When designs are a little off, not perfectly symmetrical, it catches your eye and gives the piece a more modern, updated look." -Lindsay Burke, Fusion Beads

Heather Powers

2. Clasp Creativity

"I'm seeing parts of toggles used in earrings, clasps made of seed beads, and clasps used in the front of a necklace as the focal piece." -Beth Garbo, You've Got To Be Beading

Lorelei Eurto

3. Found Objects

"People are incorporating a lot of found objects, like old keys, into their jewelry." -Jess Italia-Lincoln, Galena Beads "Serving Creativity"

The Venerable Bead

4. Mixed Metals

"Silver, gold, gunmetal, and copper are all very popular right now, and people aren't afraid to use them together." -Lindsay Burke, Fusion Beads

Lynn Davis

5. Material Juxtaposition
"People are putting plastic with chain with fiber - things you might at first think don't go together." -Heather Desimone, The Beadin' Path

Sand Fibers


2008 Trend Report by Danielle Fox, reprinted with permission from Beads 2008, copyright Interweave Press.

If you haven't already picked up your copy of Beads 2008, it's still in stores. It's a great resource for supplies, creativity and more!

I Heart Tools - Bead Spinner Magic

I love tools, they speed up the tedious parts of jewelry making and leave more time for the fun and creative things.

Glass seed beads combine well in designs with art beads of all types and sizes, they can be so versatile, inexpensive and colorful, very useful to combine with art beads or use in bead crochet to make great necklaces to put through large art beads for a great contemporary look. This beautiful piece is by Beverly in New Orleans at No Easy Beads and is a great example of using the colorful seed beads crocheted into a rope with a beautiful art bead made of raku.

But if you buy seed beads or other small glass beads in tubes unstrung, it is a bit tedious to string them before you can use them. I don't have a lot of patience for the stringing process, it always seems to take so long and I'm impatient and anxious to start using the strung beads right away.

That's where a bead spinner comes in, and it's kind of fun to use it, too. You put the tiny loose seed beads in the container bowl of the bead spinner and twirl it around, and like little soldiers the beads climb up the needle and onto your stringing thread. It's like magic!

If you've never tried it, you won't believe how fun and cool it is to use one. If you need a lot of small beads like seed beads strung, try out this super tool. With a bead spinner, stringing your beads can be part of the fun of designing. I recommend putting the spinner inside a large plastic bowl with tall sides at first, as there might be some attempts at bead escapes until you get the hang of spinning, but it doesn't take long before it's a regular twist of the wrist motion.

Some beadspinners are beautiful pieces of woodwork also, made of exotic wood. The BeadspinnerLady has a website, take a look at some beautiful beadspinner tools, or opt for a simpler model, and never spend your designing time stringing beads again.

The Bead Biz: DIY Packaging

As an small business owner, I look for the least expensive options in packaging to keep my costs low, it keeps the buyer's cost low. But low cost = boring! Brown paper envelopes, small plastic resealable bags, etc.

ZZZzzzz....Snore.

Time to take out my stamps, ribbon, heart shaped paper punch and ink. I happily lay out groups of 12 plastic bags and stamp away, stamping thank you's and happy phrases for each customer. I add a little ribbon and VOILA!

A perfect bead package unique to each customer - and I DIY'd it!


Written by Cindy Gimbrone, glass beadmaker, and rabid DIY-er!

Editor's Note from Heather: Want more DIY packaging inspiration? Check out the Flickr Group, Nice Package!