$10 Tuesday - Woodland Pendant

It's time again for our creative editors to bring you an art bead project for $10 or under.

This week's design features beads from 2 different artists! Just call me McFrugal.

Supplies:

Disk bead (Humblebeads)

Ceramic leaf (Every Heart Crafts)

Brass hammered ring

Brass bead cap

6mm pearl

4 brass 8mm jump rings

1 brass 4mm spacer

1 brass headpin with ball

3" brass 24 gauge wire

18" gunmetal chain

(Brass from Bello Modo, chain from Rings & Things)

Directions:

1. Wire wrap the disk bead with the brass wire.

2. On the headpin string the pearl and bead cap, trim wire and form a loop.

3. Attach the leaf and both dangles to the hammered loop with jump rings.

4. Attach a jump ring on the top of the loop and string through the chain.

The $25 or under variation:

Have some extra cash in your pocket? Spruce up this project with a tiny little charm from Hint, like the precious little hummingbird below.

This project is from Heather Powers of Humblebeads.

Iris Inspirations

We'll resume the featured designer of the week next Monday, giving you a chance to put in an early entry or two.

Remember your pieces for this month's challenge can be inspired by the painting anyway you interpret it - the colors, textures, some tiny part of the painting that ignites your creativity! I can't wait to see what iris inspired creations you come up with this month.

Here are 4 beautiful iris beads for some Monday morning inspiration.

Leah Fairbanks' Lampworked Iris Bead

Shadow Iris Lampwork Beads by Libelula Designs

Susan Sheehan's Watercolor Iris Lampwork Glass Focal Bead

Blue Iris Flower Garden Focal Bead by Serena Smith

Have you seen a bead that fits our monthly challenge theme? Leave a link in the comments section for a chance to be featured in an upcoming post.

Studio Saturday Winner

Running a blog and traveling across country doesn't always mix! I forgot to pick a winner for yesterday's Studio Saturday. Summer has won 2 Celtic round buttons from Creative Impressions in Clay from our Studio Saturday post on December 20th. Summer please send us your mailing address and Tari will send those out right away.

The Desperate ABS Neighborhood

Bringing you all the gossip going on in the Bead Blogging World....

About.com Jewelry Making
Tammy takes a look in her jewelry box and picks out her top 10 jewelry projects for 2008.

Art Bead Scene
ABS Editor Cindy Gimbrone shares her favorite post from 2008. Junk Envy!

Carmi's Art/Life World
Carmi makes some felt bundles for rings!

Jewelry & Beading
Cyndi is wondering what the best advice you every received is...

Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!
When beadist Kim Miles comes up with some new ideas, they are always fantastic! Check these out!

The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton
Inspired by Edgar Allan Poe's famous poem, The Raven, Andrew creates a shopping guide to raven and crow-themed beads and pendants.

Have you heard any good dirt in the beading world? We'd love for you to share!

Gossiped...errr...reported by Cindy Gimbrone, The Desperate ABS Editor and glass beadmaker.

Studio Saturday - Moving Forward

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.

It's 2009 and no matter how you feel about resolutions or goals, the new year is a natural time for reflection and planning ahead. 2008 was a wonderful year filled lots of new beads, new jewelry designs published and ending with 2 of my necklaces appearing in Bead Star magazine.

For me, 2009 is going to be the year of the books. I have books bubbling inside of me, impatiently waiting to make their way into the world. Some ideas have been perculating for years now, so it's time for me to move head and get the work done.

My question for you for this week's Studio Saturday is what is your creative dream/goal for 2009? Leave your comment, one lucky winner will receive a set of disk beads from me.

January Monthly Challenge

For 2009 we have decided to put a new spin on the monthly challenges, instead of themes we are turning towards art history for inspiration. Each month we'll choose a new painting to inspire our readers to create jewelry or bead embellished designs that use art beads!

For our January challenge I've decided to choose my all time favorite painting, Irises by Vincent Van Gogh. Both my favorite painter and flower all wrapped up into one glorious mix of color and texture! Your entry this month can be inspired by the colors, irises, pattern, whatever you choose to focus on for your creation. Just remember to include at least one art bead in your design. We can't wait to see what you create!

The Prizes:

A winner will be randomly chosen from all the qualifying entries on February 1st. Our first prizes are two sets of Van Gogh inspired beads Humblebeads.com.

Lisa Peters has also donated a set of incredible raku beads. Photos of the prizes will be posted next week.

Featured Designer of the Week!

From all the entries during the month, an editor is going to pick their favorite design to be featured every Monday here on the ABS. We want to give our participants more time in the spotlight! Our Featured Designer will be this Monday, so get those entries in soon.

How to enter the Monthly Challenge:

1. Create something using an art bead that fits within our monthly theme. This challenge is open to jewelry-makers, fiber artists, collage artist, etc. The art bead can be created by you or someone else. The challenge is to inspire those who use art beads and to see all the different ways art beads can be incorporated into your handiwork.

***Beads by themselves and beads simply strung on a chain or cord will not be accepted.***

2. Upload your photo to our flickr group. Detailed instructions can be found here and click here for a tutorial for sending your picture to the group. If you can't upload to Flickr, send your entry and information to Heather.

Please add the tag or title JANABS to your photos. Include a short description, who created the art beads and a link to your blog, if you have one.Deadline is December 31st.

Photos are approved by our moderators, if a photo hasn't followed the guidelines it will not be approved. You may upload 2 photos a day.

What is an Art Bead?

An art bead is a bead, charm, button or finding made by an independent artist. Art beads are the vision and handiwork of an individual artist. You can read more about art beads here.

*** A bead that is handmade is not necessarily an art bead. Hill Tribe Silver, Kazuri ceramic beads or lampwork beads made in factories are examples of handmade beads that are not considered art beads.

p.s. If you have a blog, post your entry and a link to the ABS challenge to spread the beady goodness.

December Monthly Challenge Winner

Okay, 1st lesson of 2009 - don't set your blog to publish on a date and then celebrate all night and forget to pick a winner before it publishes! Drum roll please...

Congratulations to ayeletbeads! You are the winner for this month's challenge. This entry was randomly chosen from all the qualifying entries this month.

Our theme was "Puttin' on the Glitz". Ayeletbeads has won beads from Cindy Gimbrone, Jangles and a copy of Fabulous Fabric Beads by Krystal Wick from Interweave Press.

Tomorrow we'll announce our January monthly challenge an exciting new twist, new sponsors and new prizes!