Congratulations to Christine of Stories They Tell!
Each Monday we feature the Designer of the Week. One of our editors pick their favorite from the Monthly Challenge entries. 
If you haven't stopped by Lima Beads before, you should check out this fun and innovative bead shopping site. Along with offering a great line up of stones, filigree and Green Girl Studios Beads, they have the Big Green Bead Machine, Lunch Specials every Tuesday and a new sale each day with their Fresh Picks. Pictured above are some of the Green Girl beads I recently ordered from Lima Beads. I can attest to their great service too.
I was lamenting to a friend that I feel so out of step with the design season still. Trying to come up with projects for fall can be quite a challenge when you are ready to celebrate spring with soft pastels and florals.
If you're like me and want it now - you can even download Earrings, Earrings, Earrings from Annie's Attic!
Each Monday we feature the Designer of the Week. One of our editors pick their favorite from the Monthly Challenge entries.
Welcome to my studio here for LynnDavis and ExpeditionD, I've been busy making some special pieces of jewelry and I want to share the story with you.
Have you seen the new Trios wire sets from Soft Flex? Looks inspiring! Here is the write up from their website:
And they are so clever, they had talented designer Jamie Hogsett work up a few designs, including this one and the matching earrings. You can find both projects and many more on the Soft Flex website.
I wanted to share another version of the painting for our challenge inspiration from Matisse. This one features a brighter color palette in purple, yellow, green and orange. Pull out those beads and enter our challenge! 
The perfect mix of all the colors from our inspiration painting, lampwork beads by StoneyMarieDesigns.
Love those luscious green leaves in the background? Add a few ceramic leaves from EveryHeartCrafts.
MamacitaBeadWorks has a cute little minnow if you are feeling more figurative for your designs.
I'm really drawn to the playful dot pattern in the painting. These Baby Buttons from Creative Impressions in Clay fit the bill!
Plaid is hosting a spring craft contest. Submit your favorite spring craft projects for some cool prizes. For more information go to the Plaid website.
rainy days and mondays pendant
Each Monday we feature the Designer of the Week. One of our editors pick their favorite from the Monthly Challenge entries.
This week in the Humblebeads studio seasons have been on my mind. I'm in a bit of a limbo, wanting to create Spring and Summer inspired jewelry, but being mindful that so many of my current deadlines are for fall issues of magazines. It's hard to switch gears when I'm dreaming of flowers blossoming on trees, urchins and starfish in tide pool, to focus on the changing hues of fall, with leaves, darker tones and earthy designs. I'll get there, just like seasons on the calendar I go through seasons in the creative process.
So where are you at in the creative process? Ideas bursting forth like ripe summer fruit? Is it a time of gathering and planting as in the spring? Is there change on the horizon like the autumn chill? Or is it a time of using ideas from the storehouse during a winter in your creative life?*Ambrosia Bead Company
5607 Tieton Drive Suite 104
Yakima, WA 98908
(509) 972-3750
www.ambrosiabeadcompany.com
Is there anything unique about where your located?
*We are now located in a new building with a store front facing a major road. The natural lighting here is superb - we love it!
What kind of handmade art beads does your store sell? What types of materials do your customers prefer?
*We have handmade lampwork beads, ceramic beads, Polymer Clay, PMC beads and Sterling silver beads and charms. All made by artists in the USA!
*Sterling is always a favorite here and now I’d have to say ceramics is becoming very popular.
How do you stay current with the trends in the bead business?
*I’ve traveled to take classes in the lastest trends - I’ve also taken classes at the local college to learn new techniques. Catalogs and TV shows are also good ways to watch for new trends.
What are some of the important things you do for your business?
*We try to focus on customer service here - that’s what sets us apart from other bead stores and the craft stores. We also have a beading club that meets once a month to work on projects and socialize. (And eat good food of course!)
What role does education play in your business? Do you offer classes or tutorials?
*Education plays a huge part in our store. We offer tons of classes on weekends and mid-week. We bring in outside instructors if it’s a technique we don’t know how to do ourselves.
What kinds of art beads do you look for? Is there a bead you wish an artist would make for your store?
*The art beads that have been popular here so far are lampwork beads, ceramic beads and Sterling creations.
What plans do you have for the future?
*Keep up on the newest latest trends. Come up with fun ideas to keep bringing in the customers during these tough economic times. We still think beading is great for relieving stress!
What new bead trends are you excited about?
We are getting the most excited right now with Ceramic Beads and Recycled Jewelry (Steampunk Jewelry). There is so much you can do with both of those!
Wanna be twisted like your friends?
The Art Bead Scene was invited to participate in Rings & Things blog partner program. They send a packet of items to review or use in a project, I share my thoughts and results with you.
Directions
Each Monday we feature the Designer of the Week. One of our editors pick their favorite from the Monthly Challenge entries.This week Tari Sasser picked Green Savannah Necklace by divadesigns1. Tari noted, "To me the red in the art bead represents the fish with the black and white representing the shadows and highlights. The subtlety of green in the art bead and jasper adds to the entire piece." To see more of Linda's work visit her blog.
Our theme for the month of March is "The Goldfish" by Henri Matisse. The deadline to enter for the monthly prize is March 31st! Create something that combines the theme with art beads and then send in your submission for the March Challenge.
I'm a grandma again! Way too young to be a grandma at 48, even though I love it! I was in Minneapolis last week for the birth of Alexander Jack. A beautiful, healthy 8lb8oz baby boy. This is my daughter Kristen and Artem's (husband), second child. Shown also is big sister Anastasia who calls me "Grandma Lady." It's been quite an adjustment for her especially at 2 1/2. Kristen is my oldest child. Kali, in the second picture, who is beaming as she holds Alexander, she is my youngest child. There is a sixteen year difference between she and Kristen. It's insane, I know. We have yours, mine and ours. Kali is ours, Kristen is mine, with 4 more in between of mine(2) and yours(2).
can a leaf be sassy pendant