Hello, and welcome to February! Are you as relieved as I am? Something about getting the first month of the year out the way feels good. It's not so long til we in the Northern Hemisphere get a little more sunshine. Here in the Uk, we don't always hope for a glorious summer (we'd be hoping in vain!) but I am as excited about the longer days and shorter nights as anything. More natural light to design, create and photograph in - suits me very well!
This month is the month of Valentine's Day. I know in the USA, you guys really go to town for the holidays. Over here in the UK, it's less of a big deal, but still, commercial venues have been throwing the usual hearts, flowers and chocolates at us for some time now. I for one know that the very commercial, slightly artificial side of this celebration doesn't really appeal to me. It takes some of the meaning out of telling someone you love them. And hard going if you are not in a relationship right now too (we've all been there, even if we are not this year!) However, making someone you love feel special? Now that sounds more like it. And if you are not in a relationship just now - why not treat yourself. Show yourself some love.
Handmade is always more special to me, whether it's made by my own hands or the hands of another artist, but sometimes I can find hearts to be a little sickly sweet and corny. This month, I'm going to be looking out for a mixture of heart beads - yes, those that are pink and sparkly and gooey inside(!), but also those that are a little more subtle or unexpected.
Without further ado, here's a run down of some of the lovely heart-themed beads I found from the Art Bead Scene team:
Tesoro Trovati (Erin)
Something to do beads (Claire)
Humblebeads (as if you need me to tell you, but it's Heather!)
Which are your favourite (he)art beads? Leave us the links in the comments below!
And now for the beadblogger links. Have a great week!
Cyndi shares her first Bead Journal Project piece of the new year, along with a tutorial! She's working on 3D forms this year.
Have you ever received a gift of healing through gemstones? Lisa shares her story and is on the lookout for a special finding.
Rebecca is a Scottish jewellery designer; currently living in Edinburgh, capital of her native land. You can read more about her and her work at her blog, songbeads.blogspot.com and see more of her jewellery at songbead.etsy.com. She also has a supplies shop at thecuriousbeadshop.etsy.com.
4 comments:
Ema's heart is seriously awesome.
No heart post would be complete without mentioning Jolene Wolfe's hearts (Kitzbitz Art Glass). She is mainly on FB and she does custom orders, but she does have some MTO listings on etsy:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/207395330/vivid-red-hearts-lampwork-bead-sets-and?ref=shop_home_active_17
Another person known for her hearts is Stephanie Gough. Again, she's mainly on FB these days, but here is a necklace she made with one of her heart beads:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/109417342/purple-heart-purple-and-goldstone?ref=shop_home_active_6
Scorched Earth, who is on my list of artists to buy from, has hearts. I like the shiny ones best, I think. They are rustic, but still have a bit of bling:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/210112552/dark-mother-of-pearl-lustre-hearts?ref=shop_home_active_6&ga_search_query=heart
All gorgeous hearts that you've shown. I've come to appreciate hearts over the last year or so in a way I didn't before. It's because they are (he)art beads as you say! Staci Louise Smith has some rustic rune'd hearts she recently listed. I have one winging its way to me. Can't wait to see it in person. There might be some left if you visit her shop: http://www.stacilouiseoriginals.com/catalog/artisan-accents-beads
They are all wonderful but my fave is Ema's.
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