Designer of the Week - Kelly Davidson

Jellyfish Colorwheels
Originally uploaded by south of reality

Each Monday we will feature our Designer of the Week. One of our editors will chose their favorite from the Monthly Challenge entries.

Tari Sasser picked Kelly Davidson's Jellyfish Colorwheels saying, "You had me on color! Color rules my life!"

Our theme for April is Youthful Spirit and Kelly's necklace captures the joy and exuberance of the season!

To see more of Kelly's amazing glass art visit her website or flickr album.

Want to be next week's featured designer? Take a moment to enter April's monthly challenge!

As The Bead Turns...

...in this week's episode, The Art Bead Scene neighbors have noticed that Earthenwood Studio has "given birth" to some new Pea Pod babies! How did Earthenwood Studio keep the Pea Pod babies a secret?! The neighbors think because they were hidden in the garden!

(Remember As The Bead Turns is a bead soap opera written for fun, like the television programs, it is acting and Earthenwood Studio has not really given birth.)



So sit back with your box of bon-bons and enjoy the soap opera-like drama and gossip in the bead and design world....

About.com Jewelry Making
So, you finally have a jewelry web site up now. But why don't you have any sales?

Art Bead Scene
Shakespeare inspires April's Challenge theme.

Earthenwood Studio Chronicles
Melanie ponders acceptance, as well as rejection, as it applies to submitting beading articles to magazines

Jennifer Jangles Blog
Jennifer shows off a necklace made with her new ceramic beads.

Jewelry & Beading
How do you learn about designing if you didn't go to art school? Check out all these online resources and see how you can learn about the principles of design and apply them to your jewelry making!

Katie's Beading Blog
Katie wrote an article about vintage style for Craftrends magazine and it hits mailboxes this week. Are you a subscriber?

Make It Mine Magazine
Even jewelry-making gals need to fix their britches once in a while. Check out the videos.

Naughty Secretary Club
Wanna win a contest or host your own craft show? I thought so.

Savvy Crafter
Candie’s been “wrappin’” with the high school kids this week to create wire and found object pendants.

Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!
Whoa! What have we here? Jim's "lightshow garden" and a pair of chandeliers!

The Impatient Blogger
Margot received a lovely hand crafted gift from her good friend Jean Yates, come see and hear Jean talk about the gift and the materials she used to create it.

That's As The Bead Turns for today.
Did you read or write any good dirt on a bead blog this week?
Did you remember to stop by yesterday and read Studio Saturdays?
Leave us a comment and a link and tell us the latest scoop!

Studio Saturday-Birthday Inspiration

Welcome to Studio Saturday! What is 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 bead each week to bribe you to use that keyboard. The following week we choose a random winner. This weeks winner is Sprite. Sprite has won Melanie's Keyhole Steampunk pendant. Please use the suggestion box to send us your address.

My friend Jamie's birthday was this week. We are celebrating this evening. I needed something really cool to give her. I used the "Tyche-Goddess of Fortune" button as the focal for her bracelet. We are fortunate to have good friends. This button has been curved so it lays nicely on your wrist and has a loop on each side to attach jumprings. I used an assortment of colors and sizes of aluminum jumprings to make the bracelet chain. It is embellished with light amethyst Austrian crystals. After all we all need a little bling for our birthday!

I wanted to try the lazy designers way to make an instant art bead bracelet. I have these neat brass bracelets I bought at Rishashay. I took the same button with loops and attached it to the pre-made bracelet. Surprisingly enough it worked and didn't look bad either.

Tell me, what's your fave handmade item you gave to someone as a gift or have recieved?
A lucky random winner will win one of my triple dot beads on a steel choker.
Click on the image to see it larger.

Free Friday Project: Bundled Pods Necklace

Bundled Pods by Melanie Brooks Lukacs of Earthenwood Studio

Winter is ending and the time has come to shed the bundled clothing and wake up to a new season! The beads and blossoms in gracing this colorful necklace will be sure to set you into a blooming state of mind. The little bundled face beads are little reminders of new life and youth.

Materials:
1 pewter 30x15mm courage doll pendant
4 lime 15mm porcelain peapod face beads
2 sea foam 15mm porcelain peapod face beads
2 sea foam 15mm porcelain spiral beads
10 turquoise 8x10 luster leaf bead
10 light green 9mm five-petal flower bead
10 rose yellow 8mm four-petal flower bead
10 tanzanite 6mm bellflower bead
70 opaque purple size 6 seed beads
56 color lined lime size 6 seed beads
2 sterling 14mm speckled ring
14 pewter 6mm beaded spacer
1 sterling 18mm dotted toggle
4 sterling 2x2mm crimp tubes
2 sterling 3x3 crimp tubes
4 sterling 3mm crimp covers
24” of .018 beading wire
80” of teal 4 ply waxed linen thread

Tools:
Chain nose pliers
Wire Cutters
Crimping pliers
Ruler

Step 1: Cut a 16” piece of linen thread. Fold in half and attach to the pewter pendant using a lark’s head knot. String onto two threads the following: 1 purple seed bead, 1 pewter spacer, 1 lime peapod face, 1 pewter spacer, 2 purple seed beads, 1 pewter spacer, 1 sea foam peapod face, 1 pewter spacer, 2 purple seed beads, 1 pewter spacer, 1 lime peapod face, 1 pewter spacer, 1 purple seed bead, 1 large crimp. String the thread onto the speckled ring and back through the large crimp tube. Pull firmly and flatten the crimp tube. Repeat on other side.

Step 2: After the crimp, string onto one of the thread ends 1 tanzanite flower and 1 rose yellow flower. Tie a knot at the end, leaving a ¼” gap in the thread after the crimp. Trim the thread to ¼” and fray the end. String onto the other thread 1 turquoise leaf and 1 green flower. Tie a knot at the end, leaving a ¼” gap in the thread after the crimp. Trim the thread to ¼” and fray the end. Repeat on other side.

Step 3: Cut 8 pieces of thread at 6” each. Fold 1 thread in half and tie in a lark’s head knot onto the cord right next to the pewter pendant. Repeat step 2 onto these thread ends. Repeat on other side.

Step 4: Fold another thread and tie to the necklace between the two seed beads between the lime and sea foam peapods. Repeat step 2. Fold another thread and tie to the necklace between the two seed beads between the last sea foam and lime peapods. Repeat step 2. Repeat on other side.

Step 5: Cut 2 pieces of 12” beading wire. Onto one wire, string a crimp tube, the speckled ring, and string back through the crimp. Pull tight and crimp the crimp tube. Trim the wire. String 1 spiral bead, 1 pewter spacer, and an alternating pattern of 1 purple seed bead, 1 lime seed bead, repeating 29 times, ending with a purple seed bead. String 1 crimp tube, half of the toggle clasp, and then string back through the crimp tube. Pull tight and crimp the crimp tube. Trim the wire. Open 2 crimp covers and put one on each end over the crimps. Repeat this step on the other side.

Step 6: Fold another thread and tie to one side of the necklace above the speckled ring on top of the crimp cover. Repeat step 2. Repeat on other side

Resources:

Porcelain: Earthenwood Studio,

http://www.earthenwoodstudio.com/

Pewter art beads: Green Girl Studios,
www.greengirlstudios.com/

Glass leaves and seed beads: Kandra’s Beads
www.kandrasbeads.com/

Glass flowers: Eclectica,

www.eclecticabeads.com/

Silver rings & clasp: Hip Chick Beads,

www.hipchickbeads.com/

Waxed Linen: Royalwood LTD,

www.royalwoodltd.com/

All other materials: Fusion Beads,

www.fusionbeads.com/

Melanie Brooks Lukacs is the ceramic beadmaker of Earthenwood Studio, who blogs from her Metro Detroit, Michigan home.

Bead Biz - Can We Talk?

It's coming up on show time for many artists and designers.
Let's talk about self-promotions.

It is absolutely necessary to have a business card. You can design one yourself or pay a graphic artist to do their magic for you. It should represent you and your business. A business card is an item that is always picked up at shows and should be shipped with orders. Your card usually ends up in a pile with other cards that will be looked at later. Stand out from the crowd! I like to design business cards vertically instead of horizontally. I believe you can get more info onto the card in this format.
The best price for 4 color printing is Vistaprint. Sign up for their mailing list and you will receive loads of offers for free items. I have had business cards, postcards, magnets and note cards printed through them. You just can't beat their prices.

The next item after your business card is a postcard. This is a multi-functional tool for marketing and so cost effective. They can be mailed out prior to the show you will be exhibiting in and telling your customers your booth information. They can be used to showcase a new item or design in your line. Postcards are in essence a larger business card that can be mailed, handed out, hung up or left at other businesses as a pick up item. 4 color is very eye catching and stands out.

More ideas? Of course we have plenty. What about buttons?
Not the type I make but the advertising type button you pin on. Melanie uses them in her packaging and for shows. People love to collect these adorable buttons. Choose a great image or catchy phrase.

Melanie chose to showcase 4 different beads and she has one that has "I Heart Beads." Mine has "Fun, Funky & Functional" printed on them. These are great promo giveaways at shows. I have used "One Inch Round" and Melanie has her buttons printed at an indie business "Button Arcade." The great thing about both places is that you can put text on the edge, such as your business name or website.

Yet more!?! Last year I took a leap in the self promo world and had pens and sticky notes printed. I was trying to think, what would people hang onto longer than a couple seconds that they could use. You always need a pen. The sticky notes were cute and functional. Being the purple freak that I am, I made sure the pen wrote in purple ink. Believe me I scoured the internet for the best prices. Unfortunately the prices change every year from vendor to vendor. ThePenGuy.com still had the best price on a basic stick pen at .24¢ each. This year the best price for sticky notes was Quality Logo Products. Ask for Anthony, he's a hoot to deal with.


Custom 2 part order forms are great and look professional. They can have all your vital information and be referred to later by the customer. Plus the credit card receipt can be stapled to the written receipt. I use 2 sizes. A small size 4.25" x 5.5" for retail shows and an 8.5" x 11" for wholesale shows to write orders. I didn't want a pad that involved carbon paper. carbonless.net and carbonless.com both have many different sizes and formats to choose from. Of course price is always paramount.
There are thousands of promo items out there. You need to decide what fits with your business and your budget.

Recently I purchased fitted table coverings. And they come in purple (oooo, aahhh), which is what I ordered. I was getting tired of the individual pieces of fabric on the tables. The fitted cover will look more professional at shows and help at outdoor festivals with fabric blowing in the wind. Plus people were tripping on the fabric.

Presentation is everything!

Tell me what promo items you use or have used. Do it work well?
If you have a great resource, please share! I need a good resource for banners at a good price.
Our money needs to be stretched really far these days.

Art Beads in Paper: Beadmaker Annie Ridlon

1. What is your personal name, business name, website and location?

My name is Annie Ridlon, I’m an artist, teacher and designer living in Jamaica Plain, MA- which is a really laid back & artsy neighborhood in Boston. Moontree Studios encompasses all the eclectic things I do, including fine art, mosaics, jewelry, photography, illustration, and of course, bead making. You can see pictures of everything on my flickr, and for now you can see everything I have for sale at Etsy

2. What kind of beads do you make? What kinds of processes do you use? What is your favorite beadmaking technique?

I make Artisan Paper Beads. They’re similar to those crafty rolled paper beads you’ve probably seen, which are made from magazines or wallpaper, but mine are the next step up. They almost resemble glass or raku ceramic, but have the lightness and beautiful textural quality of paper.

Each bead begins with a large sheet of gorgeous original hand-painted paper, which almost a work of art unto itself. I cut the paper into long tapering strips which I hand-roll into beads, which are then varnished with a clear resin to protect the bead from moisture. I also use printed text, drawings, iridescent glazes, metal leaf, organza ribbon, and fine glitter to add some variation, making each bead a unique work of art. The colors are rich and variegated, and because they are handmade from unique one-of-a-kind papers, and no two beads are ever alike.


3. How did you get into beadmaking? What are some of the important things you do for your business?

I’ve been making art almost as long as I can remember. I learned to make paper beads about twelve years ago when I was a teenager, and first beginning to experiment with jewelry design. I actually hand-drew a little catalog called “Moontree Bead Company” with all the beads that I was making at the time, and photocopied it at the school library.

Then I went to art school and tried some other things for a while….. about a year ago I quit my cubicle job to start my own design studio. Even though it’s kind of airy fairy, I decided to go back to the name of my little bead company I started when I was a kid. It’s been really fun, and now I have plenty of time to make beads!
Generally I spend a lot of time scoping out color and fashion trends so I can stay on top of what’s new in the jewelry business, and I also look for inspiration wherever I go. I check out art galleries, weblogs, shops, or what my artist friends are creating. I’ve been trying to get involved with the art community here, so I can meet other artists or network with potential clients. I always try to be on the lookout.

4. What is your workspace like and how do you work in your studio? What is a typical day like?

I work out of a big bright sunshiny room in an old house with a lot of character. My boyfriend and I recently decided to convert our living room into a gallery and studio space (with some help from Ikea!) , so now we have lots of space to be creative. We usually have groovy music playing and a nice view of our big yard with lots of trees. It’s fantastic.

Overall we are pretty laid back; I get up pretty early in the morning, make coffee in the French press, feed our house rabbit, Ugmoe (otherwise he is a nuisance when I’m trying to work), and spend an hour or so checking blogs and email. Sometimes I work on an idea in my sketchbook while the rabbit supervises, or maybe take a walk and take photographs if it’s nice, and when I’ve collected some good juju together I start whatever project I have planned for the day. Sometimes it’s painting a big sheet of paper to start a new batch of beads, sometimes it’s a new idea for a piece of jewelry, or sometimes I go off on a completely different creative tangent.

5. How do you stay inspired and motivated?

I have a tendency to be a hermit-a bead hermit, if you will- so I try to make a point of getting out once a day to take photos or grab a cup of tea or hang out with a friend for a while. I have a couple of close friends who are artists, so we’re constantly bouncing ideas off of each other. I also work a few hours a week in a local craft gallery, so I have the opportunity to see all aspects of running a creative business. And my sketchbook is usually CRAMMED full of notes and doodles and drawings and ideas.

6. What type of beads and jewelry designs do you feel best compliment your art beads? Do you design your own jewelry too?

I do indeed. I have a massive bead collection, I swear I have as many beads as my local bead shop, haha. I like to play with all kinds of colors and materials, and I especially love using vintage or unexpected objects. But for the most part I’m a die-hard designer: although I love color and texture, I love it in measured and well-thought out doses. I don’t like gratuitously “beady” jewelry. I try to emphasize one aspect of a piece so that it makes a statement.

7. What beady plans do you have for the future? Do you have new designs or ideas you will be exploring soon?

I’m always up to something. Today I was thinking of ways to combine my illustration work, which is really graphic and almost “street” looking, into my paper beads. So that’s a new experiment. I’m also working on some non-bead related projects, like hand-painted vintage purses and a new obsession with tempered glass mosaics. Ultimately I’d love to find a way to combine my art with my mosaics with my beads with everything else!

8. If you have a discount code you would like to give our readers, please list it here, including the expiration date:
When you place an order with me on Etsy through May 1, write “UGMOE” in your message (That’s my cranky rabbit’s name), and I’ll send an assortment of free beads with your package. How’s that?

(All photos courtesy of Annie Ridlon)

April Monthly Challenge - Youthful Spirit

April hath put a spirit of youth in everything. ~William Shakespeare

Shakespeare Pendant from Urbanbead

This month's challenge theme is "Youthful Spirit" inspired by the Shakespeare quote. What does this mean? Well, that's up to you to interpret. Show us your jewelry designs inspired by the renewal of spring that April showers us with each year. Maybe you'll go with a floral theme or a design inspired by today's youth. Or you might find Shakespeare himself as your inspiration. Just remember each design must include at least one art bead.

Shakespeare Garden Bead from Humblebeads

Featured Designer of the Week!

This month we are trying something different. 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 first Featured Designer will be this Monday, so get those entries in soon.

(We are still giving away free beads every week during Studio Saturday.)

Spring-inspired bead set from Earthenwood Studio featuring square window pendant from Chinook Jewelry as seen in the Spring issue of Stringing Magazine

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 strung on a chain or cord will not be accepted.

Cindy Gimbrone's Anime bead inspired by today's youth culture.

2. Upload your photo to flickr.

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 AprABS to your photos. Include a short description, who created the art beads and a link to your blog or website, if you have one.

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.

No denying the youthful spirit of Creative Impressions in Clay's Tie Dye Buttons, wouldn't they make a great clasp?

***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.

Portia - a Shakespeare inspired pendant by JenniferRydinDesigns.