Enamel Beads

Check out Barbara Lewis' new bead shop, PaintingWithFire, featuring her enamel beads.  They remind me of the seeds in our inspiration painting and would work great for this month's challenge!

Featured Designer of the Week-Earthe Fae

 

Elvensoul by AJ Reardon of Earthe Fae

Each Monday we feature the Designer of the Week. One of our editors pick their favorite from the Monthly Challenge entries. This week's pick comes from ABS editor, Tari Sasser.

"This necklace works well for this month's challenge. Earthenwood's Fairy bead is perfect with fringey details of the necklace. It is beautifully executed."

This months challenge "Fairy Feller's-Master Stroke" by Richard Dadd.

Sundays with Cindy

Good morning, Beady Readers! Wondering what's going on in the bead and jewelry world? Take a peek at our links and see.....

Art Bead Scene
An Art Bead Scene first - the December sponsors collaborate on a special set of art beads for the December monthly challenge prize!

Carmi's Art/Life World
Carmi uses a leather button to make a wearable collage.

Cindy Gimbrone aka Lampwork Diva
Cindy has developed a new line of jewelry to remind us all to live life slowly and enjoy what we have. First in the series is "Grounded."

Jean Campbell
Jean describes what it's like to edit someone's book and shares her thoughts on Marcia DeCoster's latest, Beaded Opulence.

Jewelry & Beading
Cyndi is giving away a copy of Ronna Sarvas Weltman’s unique polymer clay book called "Ancient Modern". Come and get in on this contest!

Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!
jean is amazed by the treasures you find in Cynthia Thornton's spectacular wonder of a book, Enchanted Adornments!

Strands of Beads
Melissa trys out Friendly Plastic (and likes the results).

Studio Saturday-The Great and Powerful Oz

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 weeks winner is Pearl and Pebble Congratulations! You have won one of Jangles Pendants from the studio of Jennifer Heynen. Send Jennifer an e-mail with your address and she will get it right out to you.

This week we visit the studio of Tari Sasser at Creative Impressions In Clay.

We find inspiration everyone to create unique, beautiful, meaningful or humorous art. 

I like to laugh. OK, so I laugh a lot. Sometimes you laugh so you don't cry. I have at times a sick sense of humor, childish humor etc., there is a funny side to most everything. It may be inappropriate but you have to laugh. 

To be entertained in the movie genre I like comedys. Life can be so serious and scary we need comic relief. My favorite movie is "The Wizard of Oz!" I have been watching it since I was a little. Much to my childrens amazement, I was little once.

To celebrate the 70th Anniversary of this wonderful movie, I've created pendants. Something different than most buttons/pendant I have created in a while. I started these weeks ago so I could have them for the Beads-of-Clay open Studio Blog event. I ended up spending time at local medical facility so I was unable to participate. So now there are unveiled. I hope you like them. They make me smile and start singing (in my head of course) songs from the movie.

My Question this week is:

Is there a movie or movies that has inspired you to create?

I doesn't have to be jewelry. Any creative process.

Are you a "Good Witch" or a "Bad Witch?" Why, "I'm not a Witch at All."

So "Follow, follow, follow, follow." We're "Off to see the Wizard." 

"Click Your Heels" three times, and say "There's No Place Like Home."

The and Powerful "Oz" has spoken!

Leave your comment (or I'll get you my pretty) and you could win your choice of "one" of the pendants shown above.

 Tari (the Button Lady) who may be a "Good Witch" or "Bad Witch" today is flying off on her broom laughing...with her little dog too!

Findings Worth Finding - Ceramic Bead Caps

I'm so over the moon for Elaine Ray's bead caps.  They are so earthy and delicate.  Perfect for earrings, pair them with wire and stones for instant autumn inspiration.  They also fit nicely with this month's fairy theme - they remind me of the seeds and flowers of the painting.  You can find Elaine Ray's bead at Ornamentea.

Inspiration from the Fairy Feller

I am honored to have been asked to choose a piece of art for November's Challenge, so I picked one of my favorite pieces, the Fairy Feller's Master Stroke by Richard Dadd. My fellow bloggers have already given you a good amount of the fascinating history and story behind this painting and the artist, so I thought I would share my personal history and thoughts about it, and some of my works that were inspired by the painting.

Above, a very regal fairy like necklace made with Earthenwood charms and a face stone, with Vintaj brass. You can learn the techniques to make this necklace in the class I will be teaching on the 2010 Bead Cruise!

I had already been familiar with this painting from a few of my art history and fairy books, when I happened upon the actual piece on loan at a museum many years ago. I can't remember where I was, but I remember being very effected by this piece. It is quite small, just over 15x20 inches, and even though it was in a room of giant paintings, I was immediately drawn to it. It seems that tiny detailed, jewel like objects attract me... who knew?

My Queen Mab Faerie Parade necklace, which can be seen in the gallery section of the new book Enchanted Adornments by Cynthia Thornton, one of the other prizes for this month's Challenge!

I spent a good long time staring at the painting, and felt moved almost to tears. Especially with its tiny size, the amount of detail in it is so amazing, it is like it is an impossible piece of art, like a human could not have painted it. It looks like an artifact from a fairy world. The paint is applied with such texture, it adds depth that can't really be seen in reproductions. I feel fortunate to have seen the Fairy Feller in person, and it became a source of inspiration for color, theme, and detail for my work for many years to come. I am glad to share it with you!

I am not the only one inspired by this amazing painting! Did you know that Queen wrote a song about it? Maybe this little bit of musical fun will help you create your fairy inspired piece to enter this month's challenge!

Melanie Brooks is the ceramic beadmaker behind Earthenwood Studio, who blogs from her Metro Detroit, Michigan home.

November Monthly Challenge Prizes

We have prizes this month from 4 different sponsors! Plus 2 randomly chosen winners!
How Fantastic is that?!!

Green Girl Studios has some of the most wonderful pewter charms and buttons. For the release of Enchanted Adornments, Green Girl Studios is giving away a copy of the just released book + 6 charms and 1 toggle worth over $50.

Visit Green Girl Studio's website to order some of their fantastic items. Become a fan on Facebook!

Melanie of Earthenwood Studio creates wonder beads, charms, pendants and buttons out of porcelain clay. Her style and designs are magical. I love the fairy beads. Melanie's prize this month is shown in the above photo.

You can see all of Melanie's creations on her website, etsy bead shop. 

Beads by Laura creates these yummy colorful beads out of glass. They are very whimsical and absolutely adorable. Good enough to eat. Laura will "bake" you 3 cupcakes to your specifications if you are one of this months winners.
Visit Laura's website to see all of her wonderful glass creations.

Bello Modo is the online place to find supplies for all your beading needs

Bello Modo's prize this month is C-Lon cord and Tierra Cast findings.

Visit Bello Modo's website to see all the wonderful supplies you can use for this months challenge.

Get your Art Beads, Buttons, Charms or Pendants out, start creating and enter this months challenge!

Fairy Fellars' Master-Stroke by Richard Dadd is a enchanting fairy inspiration for your creations this month!