Tuesday, January 31, 2017

January Challenge Recap


What a breath of fresh air this painting was for the month of January! This time of year it always feels so dark and dank, as if the light has been dimmed and the cold creeps slowly from your toes to your nose. So seeing these bright cheery blooms and the sunny color palette was certainly a balm for my soul. I hope it was for you, too!

Here is the slideshow....chock full of beauty!


Now it is your turn! If you posted about your creation, please add your link here! Great prizes up for grabs!


Friday, January 27, 2017

Perfect Pairings :: Jewels of Sayuri + Lampwork by Jyothi


This easy-breezy lariat-style necklace is perfectly in tune with the hot summer climate where designer Divya lives. I found her process very interesting as she is teaching a class in color theory and used this to explain the analogous palette for this month's inspiration. The variation of the hues that Divya chose and the pointy-petal shape of the star-flower beads capture the dense field of wildflowers perfectly. She used some lampwork beads by Jyothi, and although I couldn't find a website for this artist, I thought they were so very intriguing and maybe we can encourage one to be created if she doesn't have a website yet! ;-)

Featured Designer :: Jewels of Sayuri
+
Featured Bead Artist :: Lampwork by Jyothi

We are now using Pinterest! 
You can find more details in this post about the exciting new changes,
including a board devoted to art beads inspired by the monthly challenge!
(Ooh! Look! More pretty beads to lust after!)

Pretty please make sure that you post a link in your Pinterest description
so that I have someplace to attribute the picture! 
And don't forget to tell us about those art beads - providing links to bead makers is appreciated!

Deadline January 29th to get your pictures posted to the Pinterest boards for the creation of the Monthly Challenge Recap post for January 31st
TIP: If you upload your photo rather than pin it from your blog or shop, edit the pin (the little pencil button) and add your link as the source. Save your edits. This will allow us to click directly on your photo and go to your blog or shop to read more about your entry. If you don't, I might not be able to access the photo to share it.


Thursday, January 26, 2017

10 Artist's Dates for Jewelry Designers

Creative people do not create in a vacuum. We are all affected by the daily tug and pull of a myriad of things both good and bad in our lives. There are times when as a creative person you hit the bottom of the well, empty on inspiration.

Your creativity can be zapped by too much time online, stress, not sleeping well or eating right, over-scheduling and just sometimes the winter blues. So what's the cure? You need to fill the well back up with inspiration. 

Heading to Pinterest might be your first inclination and that is a good place to start but I would like to recommend unplugging and taking yourself on a weekly artist date to tap into the inspiration all around us. 


What is an artist date? It's a concept from Julie Cameron's classic book, the Artist's Way

"Artist Dates are assigned play.

The Artist Date is a once-weekly, festive, solo expedition to explore something that interests you. The Artist Date need not be overtly “artistic” — think mischief more than mastery. Artist Dates fire up the
imagination. They spark whimsy. They encourage play. Since art is about the play of ideas, they feed our creative work by replenishing our inner well of images and inspiration. When choosing an Artist Date, it is good to ask yourself, “what sounds fun?” — and then allow yourself to try it." - Julie Cameron

Here are 10 artist dates for jewelry designers.

1. Go bead shopping, make a plan and head to your local bead shop. Even if it's a drive, my closest bead shop is 2 hours away. Head to a craft store if you don't have access to a bead shop. You don't need to spend a small fortune. Pick what you need to finish one project and go home and use those beads immediately. 

2. Go to an antique/vintage shop. Study the jewelry in the shop: anything interesting about the construction, colors or beads used in these pieces from the past? What motifs were popular through the last few decades. Look around the shop for interesting finds that could be make into jewelry like buttons, keys, a vintage tin that can be transformed into components. Think outside the box. 

3. Head to museum. If you are lucky enough to live in a metro area head to a museum that has decorative arts for maximum inspiration or a history museum where you can see how humans used jewelry through the ages. Check out an art museum for fun color palette ideas or go through the museum and notice how jewelry is portrayed in the paintings.  

4. Visit a botanical center or nursery. Flowers and plants can heal a winter-weary soul. Take lots of photos.


5. Go for a nature walk. Head to a trail and notice the understated beauty of nature during the winter or if you are somewhere lush and green enjoy the foliage and sound of birds. Soak in the textures you see, notice patterns in nature. Think of how that could translate in jewelry. 

6. Head to a small boutique. Make a note of  the colors and patterns in the shop. What jewelry is the shop carrying? Notice any trends? 

7. Visit your local art scene. Go to a studio open house, gallery exhibition, gallery hop, local art center. Soak in what artists in your area are creating. Sometimes it's nice to see regular people living out their creative dreams. And being surrounded by colorful art is always inspiring. 

8. Take a class. Take a class locally, doesn't matter if it's a cooking class, a jewelry class, painting on ceramic plates, a dance class. Tap into a different part of your creativity and learn something new. Who knows what this will spark.


9. Go to the library. Spend a few hours pouring over jewelry from ancient history. Check out some jewelry or craft books that look promising and commit to going home to try a project. I recommend going to the library rather than looking online because it gets you out of the house, libraries themselves can be inspiring and while you are there check out the community events board to see what else is happening in your area. 

10. People watch. Head to a busy coffee shop or restaurant and spend some time observing humanity. We are infinitely interesting after all, I recommend keeping your phone put away, don't go online. Stay in the moment, order something delicious and enjoy it. Bring along a notebook or sketchbook to help avoid looking at your phone and it gives you an excuse to linger after your meal! This will also give you a chance to write, sketch or make a list of what you observe that could relate to jewelry.   

Want more ideas: Here are 101! Be sure to pick ones that get you out of the house and offline to start! 

Wednesday, January 25, 2017

Bead Table Wednesday: Design Tips for Pendants

Watch today's video for tips for creating bails for art bead pendants. I cover several design ideas and share some of new bead acquisitions. 


Video Resources
Beadmakers:

Leather provided by Classic Elements

Facebook Art Bead Selling Groups


Happy Endings Tutorial by Lorelei Eurto - finishing techniques for silk, leather, linen and cord. Video and written instructions for basic ways to finish fiber designs. Clean, simple and informative tutorials that offer several ways to complete your next fiber project. 


Here are the finished designs from today's video!

Monday, January 23, 2017

Guest Contributor: Monica Pryor

Today we are welcoming jewelry designer Monica Pryor of Feminine Genius Jewelry as a guest contributor:

To me, creating jewelry with art beads is like composing a piece of music. You start with an idea of the main melody and the story you want your piece to tell, the feeling you want to elicit in the audience. Then you flesh it out with other colors and shapes as harmonious accompanimens. Two of my favorite "melody" artists at the moment are Anne Choi and Cathleen Zaring.  

Anne Choi's handmade sterling beads each tell their own story, either with a brief line of poetry or miniature illustration.  This first pic is Anne Choi's Wheat bead, combined with a soldered leaf charm by Sasha Crow that ties together the rustic fall gemstones and Harvest feel.
The next is another Anne Choi, her Maple Leaf bead, combined with Green Girl Studio's pewter squirrel and a copper leaf by Patricia Healey with a rainbow assortment of gemstones to represent the array of colors in the changing seasons.

I recently created one with a special Valentine's Day theme, that my heart really went into. It's a hug to everyone who has ever hurt on Valentine's Day, and a reminder to be Single and Fabulous! It features Anne Choi, Susan Woodworth, Jolene Riley and Cheryl Kiyoi.

Another source of wonderful inspiration (and catalyst for my shameless hoarding) is Cathleen Zaring who works in copper enameling. Each piece with its shape, colors and decorations, is its own tiny vignette. I especially enjoy her pieces that have holes in the bottom, offering great opportunity to add bits and treasures to flesh out the story.

The first one of these "Treasure Earrings" I made combined denim blue and copper Cathleen Zaring pieces with Green Girl Studio's decorative link with "Strength" inscribed on it, combined with Sodalite and copper chain.  

The next pair uses soldered Splash headpins by Susan Woodworth that give an element of oceany movement and glimmer and complete the story of an underwater garden full of little treasures. 
The last pair uses offbeat edgy mismatched charms by Cathleen Zaring in bold spicy colors.  These were perfectly complemented by handmade Sari silk and Pyrite drops made by Anna Pierson, with their own bit of random shape and striking colors. 

Some of Monica's favorite beadmakers:




Cynthia Thornton at Green Girl Studios: http://www.greengirlstudios.com/

Susan Woodworth at Susie Designs: http://www.susiedesigns.etsy.com/

Anna Pierson at SagaHus Components:



To see more of Monica's colorful art bead jewelry visit her Etsy shop, Feminine Genius Jewelry and her Facebook page

Friday, January 20, 2017

Perfect Pairings :: Beads for Busy Gals


This is such a happy necklace! The balance of the different elements and the blend of citrus colors is so well designed as to feel effortless. That is the hallmark of a great design, when it comes together so well. I am equally impressed that Miss Elisabeth made many of the beads in this necklace. Miss Elisabeth is like me in that a deadline is what makes her get in the studio to get the creative juices flowing. I look forward to having her join in the ABS challenges more this year!

Featured Designer + Bead Artist :: Beads for Busy Gals

We are now using Pinterest! 
You can find more details in this post about the exciting new changes,
including a board devoted to art beads inspired by the monthly challenge!
(Ooh! Look! More pretty beads to lust after!)

Pretty please make sure that you post a link in your Pinterest description
so that I have someplace to attribute the picture! 
And don't forget to tell us about those art beads - providing links to bead makers is appreciated!

Deadline January 29th to get your pictures posted to the Pinterest boards for the creation of the Monthly Challenge Recap post for January 31st
TIP: If you upload your photo rather than pin it from your blog or shop, edit the pin (the little pencil button) and add your link as the source. Save your edits. This will allow us to click directly on your photo and go to your blog or shop to read more about your entry. If you don't, I might not be able to access the photo to share it.


Wednesday, January 18, 2017

Bead Table Wednesday - Heart Pendant Ideas

Welcome to Bead Table Wednesday! Today I share with you some ideas for designing pendants with heart beads. Watch the video to see my tips for this week.


Bead Resources from the Video:
Hearts - Humblebeads Etsy (update on Friday)
Enamel leaves - Gardanne Beads 
Lampwork bird and leaf headpins - Thornburg Bead Studio
Wire headpins: The Curious Bead Shop
Word beads: Diane Hawkey
Pewter Nest: Green Girl Studio
Brass bird: Vintaj 
Chain and jump rings: Yadana Beads
Leather: Nunn Designs
Leaf and branch connector: Anna Bronze
Steel wire: Ace Hardware 

Brass bird, leather and 15mm jump rings: Lima Beads

Bead & Button

Psst...it's much easier to create the wrapped loop on top and then string on the heart bead and do a wrapped loop at the bottom of the heart. Took me the whole video to figure that one out! 




Tuesday, January 17, 2017

A little love from the Art Bead Scene - Heart Beads, Pendants and Charms

Today I'm sharing a collection of artisan heart components from some of our team members. We can all use a little more love in our day to day. Hearts are the darling of Valentine's day, but they are never out of season - love is always in style!

Tesori Trovati - delicate tiny polymer clay roses are nestled in a heart pendant.

Firefly Design Studio - classic red heart ceramic charms are perfect for earrings.

Creative Impressions in Clay - playful and fun this graphic ceramic heart button can be ordered as a pendant too.

Summer Wind Art - a hand-painted wood-burned pendant featuring a homespun heart. 



Mary Harding - an organic take on the heart theme with a floral pendant in ceramic. Mary often sells her work on the Ceramic Art Bead Market on FB and here is the direct link for this pendant.

Soul Silver - a trio of etched lampwork heart beads.

Humblebeads - layers of branches, leaves and flowers cover this colorful polymer clay heart beads.

Have you made a piece of jewelry with a heart art bead/component? I'd love to see it!  Share your link in the comment.

Friday, January 13, 2017

Perfect Pairings :: Winter Bird Studio + Scorched Earth + Pinocean + Garden of Beads


The bright bold colors is what attracted me to this pair of earrings. That and the petal shape of the main component. I like the textures that are in play here...the dripped paint effect, the filigree brass leaves, the dots on the tiny spacers. These earrings would perk up anyone with mid-winter blues!

Featured Designer :: Winter Bird Studio
+
Featured Bead Artists :: Scorched Earth + Pinocean + Garden of Beads

We are now using Pinterest! 
You can find more details in this post about the exciting new changes,
including a board devoted to art beads inspired by the monthly challenge!
(Ooh! Look! More pretty beads to lust after!)

Pretty please make sure that you post a link in your Pinterest description
so that I have someplace to attribute the picture! 
And don't forget to tell us about those art beads - providing links to bead makers is appreciated!

Deadline January 29th to get your pictures posted to the Pinterest boards for the creation of the Monthly Challenge Recap post for January 31st
TIP: If you upload your photo rather than pin it from your blog or shop, edit the pin (the little pencil button) and add your link as the source. Save your edits. This will allow us to click directly on your photo and go to your blog or shop to read more about your entry. If you don't, I might not be able to access the photo to share it.


Thursday, January 12, 2017

Art Bead Evolutions :: January - Growing Free

I am not quite sure exactly how long I have been doing it. But it is likely since about 2011. 


That was the year after I started making my Simple Truths components in polymer clay. I thought it would be fun to offer my followers a way to ensure that they got the newest pieces that I was creating, and it would also allow me to keep coming up with something new, while also using it as an excuse to teach myself new techniques. The idea was that I would make a limited edition pendant or component in a little surprise package delivered each month to members who select 3-, 6-, 9- or 12- month subscriptions. I called it the Simple Truths Sampler Club


For about a year or so I was just making something that spoke to me. Possibly seasonal or thematic. But I found that to be a hard thing for me to sustain because it seemed....lacking something special. 


Don't get me wrong... I love each little creation I make (I totally forgot about the Queen Bee Rules!), and looking through these old pictures is like visiting with old friends (friends that I often wonder where they traveled to or what they became?). Some of them I even still make today because they have never gone out of style.

This is one of the few Sampler pendants that I made (April 2014) that I still take custom orders for today.
If you know me at all, you know that I absolutely have to have a meaningful message behind what I create. Often my creations have words, poems or song lyrics woven into them. Sometimes the image is enough.



And then it hit me....each month I was writing and creating for the Art Bead Scene with the awesome art challenges and I truly loved those inspirations. They were the sole reason I started using art beads in the first place, and the way that I got into making my own. Why not use the monthly art as my Sampler Muse? Absolutely, an aha moment!

In addition to the component, I started sending out a little letter to the members detailing the monthly challenge inspiration...my response to the inspiration...anything new that I learned along the way...and my process for creating something inspired by it. I have heard that they love these little letters. So I have decided that I will share this monthly missive with all of you so you can be privy to how I interpret the challenge theme each month. Welcome to my new series: Art Bead Evolutions.

The pieces that I make are created first and foremost for the Club members. If there are more created in a limited run, or if I decide to offer them as a custom made-to-order piece, then they will be available in my shop. 

Art Bead Evolutions



Simple Truths Sampler :: January 2017

With the bleak landscape of winter around here it is easy to get stuck in a rut of doing neutrals or dark and moody monochromatic color schemes. At least it is for me. That is why I was so happy to see that the artwork for January was bright and full of vibrant colors! Maybe these colors are more typical for end of August or early September, but that is why I love them all the more for January.

The painting by Egon Schiele is a departure from his most famous works which typically include figures and nudes. This Field of Flowers is just bursting forth with a liveliness that January desperately needs. There is a child-like exuberance in this painting with the simple brush strokes for each petal. I love the tapestry quality of this mass of flowers. The petals almost look as if they could be stitched. (Wouldn't this make a gorgeous quilt?) I can almost feel the heat on the back of my neck and the bees buzzing lazily around the blooms.

There are a lot of colors to work with in this painting. The varying shades of burgundy to pumpkin to ocher to cream is complemented by the various shades of green in the stems and the leaves. You can stay with the analogous warm tones and then add in the complementary color of green from the other side of the wheel. And if orange is your nemesis (as it was mine a few years ago), this is the perfect time to give it a shot! Make it the star! That is the only way that I know to make it my own. Adding little pops of lighter or darker values allows texture to play an important role in whatever you create.

For this month's component I decided to turn my focus to the flower shapes. Last month I started working again in micro mosaics for a new gallery exhibit. Using up all those bits and pieces I have amassed has given me a new focus and helped me breathe new life into all of my work, not just jewelry. I knew this would be the perfect technique to use.

While not necessarily a new-to-me technique, usually I make micro-mosaics very flat. This one I wanted to be dimensional. So that in itself was the challenge.

I had sold kits for a bracelet design I did that was in a magazine a few years back and ended up with a lot of these bright marquise shaped epoxy resin components left over. I realized they would make the perfect daisy petals. So I came up with a design that would allow me to use them in different color combinations for a charming little pendant that is practically bursting with life. This posy is sure to make you smile!

wild·flow·er
ˈwīldˌflou(ə)r/
noun
  1. a flower of an uncultivated variety or a flower growing freely without human intervention.


It seemed to me that this field of flowers that Egon came upon was likely just a bunch of wildflowers. I like the idea of wildflowers as "growing freely". That means they are hardy and sturdy and able to withstand the elements. If I learned only one thing from this past year it is that we all need to be hardy and sturdy and able to withstand the elements. We are stronger together and all our colors blend for a more beautiful vista. I want to be just like this wildflower. So I named these pendants Growing Free


And something else I want to do in the new year... as well as creating the components, I want to make sure that I save one for myself to make something. More often than not I give them all away! I made mine just a bit more bling-y with a different center to the flower. To complement the colors of the bloom, I did a color-block sort of pattern with dyed gaspeite magnesite, carnelian, resin flower rounds and dyed buri seed tubes. I call this necklace Like a Weed.

I am looking forward to seeing your Field of Flowers inspired by this painting! 




Wednesday, January 11, 2017

Bead Table Wednesday - Painting Chain and Beaded Clusters

In today's video I share how to alter chain with Vintaj Patina paints. With a few tricks you can quickly transform a plain chain with a pop of color. The second half of the video is demostration on how to embellish chain with wire and keishe pearls.


Video Resources:


Supplies Used for Chain:
Vintaj Patina Paints
Nunn Designs Round Chain in Antique Silver
Liver of Sulfur Extended Life Gel
400 grit wet/dry automative sandpaper

Beaded Clusters:
Keishe Pearls (Rings & Things
5mm oval copper chain (soldered rings)
26 gauge brass colored wire

Birds and disk beads: Humblebeads




Tuesday, January 10, 2017

The Earring Whisperer - Chain Tassel Earrings


Hello, 2017 Greetings! I am new to the Art Bead Scene team, my name is Loralee Kolton. I wish you all a wonderful, bright and creative New Year!

I was delighted to find that Chinese New Year falls in January this year, so I thought, how lovely for my first monthly feature to have an Asian touch!

I have to say, I'm pretty crazy about these; they have lovely movement and shimmer! Sexy stuff! They are bold and yet easy on the ear. Comfort and balance is always important.

Supplies:

1 pair, ceramic artisan charms with multiple connectors .
8, 3 mm vermeil  seed beads.
4, 4mm oxidized jump rings.
20 pcs., .75" black and gold chain.
6 pcs. of 2.5" - 3" 26g. oxidized copper or brass wire.
2 oxidized brass or copper earwires.

Earwires and jump rings by Vintaj.
Vermeil seed beads and chain: Many shops on Etsy carry these items.

Directions:

1. Taking the ceramic charm and one piece of 26g wire, thread it through a connector loop, leaving a small tail to hold down with your thumb. 

2. Begin to coil the wire around the loop,  going up as high or as low as you'd like. Snip the wire with cutters and press the end tail with your chain nose pliers until smooth. Repeat on all connector loops.

*Small vermeil seed beads were added to the top loop by slipping them on one at a time as you coil the wire.

3. Take two open jump-rings and add 5 pcs. of chain to each. Attach the jump-rings to the connector to form a tassel.

4. Add earwire to the top connector.