"Bohemian Inspired Jewelry" Book Project

I see designers use the word "Bohemian" or "Boho" a lot when talking about their jewelry.  So I was wondering, "Is my jewelry Bohemian?"  I thought I would get out my book called "Bohemian Inspired Jewelry" by authors Lorelei Eurto and Erin Siegel.  Right in the books introduction, Lorelei and Erin explain in depth what is Bohemian inspired jewelry.  They say, "It's an artistic, nature inspired, and playful combination of materials and textures."  They go on to say, "Key features of Bohemian style include vibrant colors, organic materials such as wood, stone or clay, and patterned or textured fibers such as leather, ribbon, or cord."

I started looking more through the book, and the authors do an excellent job of introducing the reader to all these things in the guide before all the 50 finished jewelry designs.  I contacted Lorelei for permission to use her design on page 48 called "Quietude" as the inspiration for my design.  She said yes, so I was excited to share this with you.  This is the picture from the book:

What drew me in to this necklace was the use of disc beads, the focal pendant and the bar on top of it. A while ago, I discovered wax linen and how much I like knotting vs. stringing wire and crimping, so it is my go to stringing material.  Lorelei teaches the reader how to knot through the discs so they lie flat instead of having to stack them on the stringing material.  I am a ceramic bead artist, so I made my own inspirational pendant, the bar component and a heart bead (there is a heart bead a few beads up on the left side).  I couldn't find a metal button, so I used a heart lobster claw clasp instead.

I chose an entirely different color scheme, but followed along with the book directions.  I think my new necklace in the cool blue and purple tones, is calming, so I put the word Dream on the pendant. I purchased the lampwork disc beads in a Facebook group and I don't recall the artist's name (sorry!).  I hope this inspires you to get out your copy of the book and do this with a design that inspires you!  If you don't have a copy, they can be purchased on Amazon or at http://interweavestore.com

Next month I will be taking another design out of the book and doing this again, but I would like to invite you to do it with me!  Page 114 "The Beach House", also designed by Lorelei Eurto, is our inspiration.  If you don't have the book, here is the necklace:

Isn't it pretty with the multiple strands of beads across the front and the toggle on the side?  I have been wanting to try peanut beads, so here is my opportunity!  I don't know the exact day I will be blogging again, but have it made in 30 days, and you can post in the comments your design.  Thanks and I hope you'll play a long!

Michelle McCarthy, Firefly Design Studio

12 Days of Christmas - Day 1: Artist Spotlight Juli Cannon

I have gotten to know many friends and talented artists through Facebook that I haven't yet had the chance to meet in person.  I know when I get to meet Juli Cannon either in her home state of Alabama, my home state of Florida or maybe at a bead show, we will have an amazing time! Not only is she one of my favorite lamp work artists, she is really funny!  Juli started the Facebook Group, Art Beads, which is a trunk show selling format for lamp work artists, ceramic bead artists, metal clay artists and special events open to all group members.  She carefully selects her trunk show artists for the over 3,000+ members to shop with.  There are games, giveaways, friendship - Oh and amazing art beads!  Here is the link if you haven't discovered this fun way of shopping:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/ArtBead/

Yes - I became a customer and friend of Juli's through Art Beads.  I have a collection started and when I pulled them all together for this post, I have proved that shades of blue are my favorite!
Here's my stash:

Aren't they yummy?!  Her earring pairs just scream to me to make something, like NOW.  When I shop for beads, I am thinking of what ceramic beads and glazes I can use to create something wonderful.  Juli's beads have dimension and character, and I love that!

I made a pair of beachy turtle earrings and a wax linen based bracelet with the purple disc strand.  For the earrings, the base is a 4" piece of silver plated 20g wire.  I twirled the bottom and bent it behind the turtle to keep the charm in place.  Then I stacked some silver spacer beads and Juli's amazing lampwork and finished it with a wire wrap loop.  So cute!

Waxed linen is my favorite stringing material.  The endless colors add to the jewelry design. I like the element knotting adds and it is strong!  Another plus is the wax seals around the knots and I don't have to put messy glue on my jewelry.

I used lilac waxed linen and started with an overhand knot at the round toggle end.  (measure out 48" of waxed linen and fold them in half, twice, so you will have 4 strands).  Juli's beads have a generous hole size, so it was easy to string 4 pieces of waxed linen through them.  I chose 10 of the purple tone discs and separated them with a daisy spacer.  After the 10th bead, I did another overhand knot.  Here you string small beads on the 4 seperate pieces of waxed linen.  I twisted them for an added impact, attached the other end of the toggle and made some cute dangles instead of trimming the waxed linen up close to the end knot.

Juli has been making lamp work beads since 1999 and it is her full time job, if you can call creating beautiful art a job!  Juli has a web site where you can also start building a collection of her beads:
http://www.studiojuls.com

and she has a Facebook page you can join, but I have to warn you - wear a bib because you are going to be drooling over the amazing eye candy there!
https://www.facebook.com/Studiojuls/

Thanks Art Bead Scene readers and team members for a fun 2016!  I am looking forward to next year.

Michelle McCarthy, Ceramic Bead Artist
Firefly Design Studio

An Interview with Artist, Raida Disbrow from Havana Beads by Michelle McCarthy

I am lucky to have met Raida Disbrow from Havana Beads, at the Intergalactic Bead Shows Pompano Beach show, quite a few years ago.  I fell in love with her lamp work headpins for earrings, but really....I love everything she creates!  Raida is triple talented...lamp work, ceramic and jewelry designer.  I enjoyed interviewing her and this is what I found out.

How long have you been an artist? And how did you get started?


I’ve been on a creative path my entire life. In 2002 I started to make jewelry at a local bead store. There I discovered lamp work beads and knew I had to make them and incorporate them in my jewelry designs. By 2005 I was making lots of lamp work beads and making jewelry I sold at local art shows. In 2007 I opened Havana Beads on Etsy and the rest is history.



What are your favorite mediums?


My first love is lamp working. I love to work with wire and metals and also love to come up with unusual ceramic pieces and enameling.

What would you consider your designer style?


I consider my style “Earthy”.

Do you prefer making beads or designing jewelry?


I couldn’t possibly pick one or the other. Both are so important to my style.

Do you have a signature bead?


I think if you ask my customers they would probably say crusty beads and headpins. I love to make beads that are earthy in nature. My studio is located on the Manatee Pocket in Port Salerno, FL so I get a lot of inspiration from nature.

What is your favorite color combination?


Anything earthy! I love blues, browns, turquoise, greens, etc.

Where can we find your work?


You can find my work at havanabeads.etsy.com. I also have some jewelry listed at gentlewinddesigns.etsy.com. Most of my jewelry and beads can be found at my studio, which is open to the public, in Port Salerno, Florida. The address there is: 4745 Desoto Avenue, Port Salerno, FL 34997.


Thank you, Raida, for your wonderful beads and jewelry!  I am looking forward to seeing you in Pompano Beach again next month!

Inside the Studio with Ema Kilroy and Cherry Blossoms

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.

Congratulations to Liz!

You have won a $20 gift certificate to Erin Prais-Hintz's lovely shop, Tesori Trovati.  Send Erin an email to claim your gift certificate. 

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Hello Art Beading Friends,

It's been some time since I've had a chance to visit with you. I'm happy to be here today. The day job, family life and snow (as I write this post on April 9th, it snowed ... again! Mother nature has been overbearing this winter.) have kept me incredibly busy over the past few months.

I wish I was better at carving out time to create. Lately I've been feeling a sense of lack in myself because my schedule hasn't allowed time for me to relax and create. Or maybe I haven't properly scheduled the time. Whatver the reason I've had plenty of sources for inspiration!

New glass inspired me.

This scrumptious pink glass, Opal Raspberry, by Reichenbach is simply amazing. It's an incredibly expensive glass. This rod is sold by the ounce whereas most glass rods are priced by the pound. I'm always on the hunt for delicious pink glass so when I saw this I couldn't resist, I had to buy a few rods and I'm glad I did. This is simply a luscious glass to work with. 

Raspberry Cherry Blossom

Opal Raspberry Blossoms

Cherry Blossom heart

Staying with the cherry blossom theme I was inspired by a scarf worn by my friend. She was kind enough to take it off so I could snap a couple photos to use for my inspiration.

 Cherry blossom scarf ....

... becomes Cherry Blossom beads.

I also found inspiration in a blog; Earrings Everyday March Inspiration photos. Our own Erin Prais-Hintz choose some fantastic macro dragonfly photos for the March inspiration. Here is just one. I just love these photos!

Macro Inspirations

I'd like to explore these macro photos a bit more. The color combinations and the macro nature of the photos light my creative fires!

(Side note: I'll be listing these beads in my shop on Sunday morning. The beads have been added to my shop on Etsy)

As always, thanks for visiting ABS today.

Please share with me how you manage your time.

Answer this question to win a $20 gift certificate to my shop.

 How do you work creative time into your schedule?

Ema Kilroy is a lampworker and metalsmith living and working in Central Massachusetts. 

Facebook at Ema K Designs

Ema K Designs on Etsy

Ema's Blog

Art Bead Palette :: JoyMunshower

Periwinkle Reticulated Octopus

I've had Joy Munshower's Etsy shop bookmarked for ages, and I had to share at least one of her pieces for the sheer artistry. Isn't that lampwork bead exquisite? The details are just incredible, and when I realize it's glass - I'm blown away, how about you?

These are one of those beads that I'd probably never use, but collect and frame instead. Talk about a little piece of art!

To see more, stop by Joy's shop.

Inside the Studio with Ema Kilroy: A Study of Trees

Welcome to Inside the Studio!

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.

Congratulations to Denise McCabe! 

You have won a $15 Gift Certificate to Creative Impressions in Clay. 

Please send Tari an email with your information.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Did I happen to mention that I LOVE trees? I'm still making trees inside the studio!

I know many folks get a bit gloomy when the leaves fall off the trees. Such is not the case with me. In my eyes, when the leaves drop, the trees are in their most glorious state. In their nakedness I see them as truly beautiful, revealing layers of branches reaching for the sun and stars. They truly make me happy!

I'm often found looking up, taking photographs. I'd thought I'd share some of my favorite photos with you.

So cool!

This is one my favorite inspiration trees. Sadly it has been loosing limbs over the last few years.

I'm not alone in my love of trees. I recently found out about a woman who has traveled the world photographing trees. Beth Moon is a photographer who has published a book, Ancient Trees: Portraits of Time. A book I will have to buy!

These are the beads inspired by the photos I've shared with you. The glass as a canvas and I feel like I'm painting the trees on. These are fun to make. I look forward to carving out more time at the torch to create more of these beads.

Answer this question for a chance to win a $15.00 gift certificate toward a purchase in my Etsy shop.

Have you found something that has fired you up this New Year? Perhaps a color, as Rebecca shared in her last Amuse the Muse post or maybe the ABS January challenge has inspired you. 

What's got your gears spinning? Oohh....gears...now I'm thinking.

Ema Kilroy is a lampworker and metalsmith living and working in Central Massachusetts. 

Facebook at Ema K Designs

Ema K Designs on Etsy

Ema's Blog

Art Bead Palette :: StudioMarcy

Christmas Bunny Rabbit Snow Globe by StudiMarcy

On behalf of the ABS team, I just wanted to wish you a very Merry Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Boxing Day! Thanks for all of your support this year!

Art Bead Palette :: CalypsoBeads

Summer Wine Lampwork Heart Bead

Is it bad to say that winter has pretty much just started, and I'm already over it? Not that I ever need a reason to dream of warm beaches, but Silke Buechler's shop, CalypsoBeads, absolutely fits into my daydreams right now.

To see more lampwork goodness, click on over to Silke's shop!

Art Bead Palette :: Juliyamrboro

You all know how I love boros, and since today's Thanksgiving in the US, I thought I'd share this beautiful lampwork bead set from Juliyamrboro. Not only am I thankful to bead artists such as Yulia for creating amazing bead sets like this, I'm thankful to come across so many talented people in the online art world.

Plus, the colors remind me of the holiday. Gobble, gobble. And as always, stop by Yulia's shop to see more.

From the ABS team, we wish our American friends a very Happy Thanksgiving! What are you thankful for this year?

Inside the Studio with Ema Kilroy of Ema K Designs

I'm heading out on vacation. The day this post goes live I'll be relaxing with my Mom, two sisters and my niece in Florida. We're heading to a favorite spot of ours on the Gulf of Mexico. As I prepared for this trip I wanted a pendant to wear that captured the turquoisey, blues and greens of the beautiful Gulf waters. I'd say I leaned more toward the blues but I can't help myself as blue is my favorite color. 

 It's been difficult for me to find a substantial amount of time in the studio these days. When I have been able to carve out time I'm finding myself drawn toward the torch and working with glass. I spent the earlier part of this year working in metal and now I find the glass is calling me back.

 I love simple, statement jewelry which usually consists of an art bead as a pendant hanging from a silver chain. Lentil shaped beads make me happy.

Lentil shaped beads make perfect focal beads.

I'm enjoying the swirls and visual textures achieved within these beads. Although the beads themselves are smooth.

I tried to mix it up a bit by combining turquoise with a lime green. I don't think the colors photographed well. It's much more vibrant in real life.

Here's my collection of turquoisey, blue jewerly I'll be wearing beach side!

The bead above is going to belong to a lucky ABS viewer.

Leave a comment for your chance to win.

I'd love to know the answer to this question. Do you have a favorite color that you use in your jewelry designs?

Thanks for stopping by ABS today!

Ema Kilroy is a lampworker and metalsmith living and working in Central Massachusetts. 

Facebook at Ema K Designs

Ema K Designs on Etsy

Ema's Blog

Art Bead Palette :: Meital

We're trying something new here at ABS - weekly color palettes! I hope you're as excited for that as I am. We could all use some colorful, beady goodness, right? Right.

This week, I just had to share these colorful spacer beads from Meital Plotnik. Aren't they fun? I especially love the added touch of orange on each bead - so lovely and festive. Plus, the smaller size is a great way to dive into lampwork beads, if you've never tried them before.

To see more from Meital, stop by her Etsy shop.

Inspiration Strikes

in·spi·ra·tion noun \ˌin(t)-spə-ˈrā-shən, -(ˌ)spi-\

: something that makes someone want to do something or that gives someone an idea about what to do or create

 : a force or influence that inspires someone

: a person, place, experience, etc., that makes someone want to do or create something

: a good idea

Consider me inspired! I love to know what inspires bead artists and jewelry designers to create their pieces. So today I thought I'd share my inspiration with you.

I was out on an afternoon walk recently. It was one of those absolutely perfect days; sun on my skin, temperature at the perfect comfort level and the glorious colors of fall surrounding me. The fall foliage set against the bluest of blue skies struck me as simply stunning.

I'm a tree fantatic. I love trees! (Is that weird? But really...don't answer that because I love trees). The colorful leaves against the blue background accented by the deep richness of the branches. I couldn't help but think B.E.A.D.S.

Lampwork beads that is. I created a set of scrumptious beads based on the photo. 

Beads emulating the tree branches full of color against the blue sky.

Along with a matching focal to capture the full beauty of the tree. This is bead is double sided, with the tree wrapping around both sides of the bead.

I just love the flow of color in these leaves. Seemlessly flowing from one color to the next. 

These maple leaves really caught my attention, with three colors flowing through the leaf quite beautifully.

I leave with you an inspiration photo for a studio. My dream studio! I walk by this building everyday, dreaming of how I would put it to use as my studio. It sits empty not far from from my home as part of an old farmstead, which happens to be for sale. Ahhhh....if only....

As always, thanks for stopping by for a visit at ABS. I hope I've left you feeling inspired today. I've shared with you how trees inspire me. I'd love to know what inspires you. What really inspires you? What makes your heart open up and sing?

I'll be listing the beads in my Etsy shop.

Ema Kilroy is a lampworker and metalsmith living and working in Central Massachusetts. 

Facebook at Ema K Designs

Ema K Designs on Etsy

Ema's Blog