Etsy Picks

As soon as I turned to the job of Etsy picking this month, and stopped to take a proper look at this month's challenge painting -

I immediately thought of our own Mary Harding...

Mary Harding

There are so many leaves in the painting and so many leaf beads on Etsy I thought I'd stick with that theme. I adore the soft, restrained colour on these discs.

Blue Magpie Design

Having said that, I also love the vibrant, vintage shades in these lampwork leaves.

Fire and Fibers

Here's a selection of the other leafy beauties I found...

Gardanne Beads

At Home In Taos

Luttrick

Earthshine Beads

Suzie Q Beads

Beads By Earth Tones

Silvia Izkovich

Bye for now, Claire

www.somethingtodowithyourhands.com

www.somethingtodo.etsy.com

www.somethingtodobeads.etsy.com

Amuse the Muse - Leaf and Tree Beads - with Rebecca of Songbead

It's Monday - it's Amuse the Muse time! Let's dive straight in this week. 

I loved September's theme so much that I have kind of extended it, but with a slight variation - it's leaf and tree beads. Honestly, I love their symbolism all year round, but they seem particularly apt at this time of year. I'll start the ball rolling with some leafy, art bead-y earrings that I've created over the past month:

Art Beads - Pasion de Vidrio, Humblebeads  - and I blogged about 'In Autumn' here too!

Now for the beads! 

Cherryhill Studio

EJR Beads

Tanya McGuire

Kiyoi Design

Kylie Parry 

And now for the BeadBlogger Links. Have a great week everyone!

Art Bead Scene
Julie shares a beautiful and contemplative post with us - and asks you to give yourself permission to create. 

Etsy Shop Updates
Charlene shares a new feature under prototype at Etsy.

Floating Diamond Pattern
Connie's added a new free pattern that will be suitable for any season just by changing up the colors. Make a Halloween or Christmas ornament, or use the design for a special card. Since it is whole cross-stitch only, it will be a quick stitch.

How to Crackle Finish Furniture and Other Large Projects
Do you enjoy adding crackle finishes to crafts? Before you try to crackle finish furniture & large items, there are some important things you should know.

Beading Arts
Whatever happened to the seed bead amulet bag craze?

No Knitting Book!
Want to play with yarn but don't want to learn to knit or crochet? Then this book review is for you.

Snap out if it, Jean! There's beading to be done!
Jean reviews a stunner of a jewelry design book which you will love: Handcraft Wire Jewelry: Chains Clasps Pendants, by Kimberly Sciaraffa Berlin. Check this one out--it is unique and fantastic!

Rebecca is a Scottish jewellery designer; currently living in the capital city of Edinburgh. 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.