Findings Worth Finding - Industrial Chic

Oh, here is a reason to hop in the car and head out to Michael's today - Susan Lenart Kazmer has a line of findings and components called Industrial Chic and they are pretty amazing.  I've seen some designs online using the components and I'm in love with them!  My favorite are these connectors, I need some - now!

Photo from Erin Prais-Hintz.

Subscribe to Free Beading Newsletters

I sometimes feel as if I have been living under a rock. Did you know about all the jewelry making newsletters there are out in cyber land? Because I didn't! There are newsletters that help you sell, that educate you in new techniques, inform you of new findings, and newsletters that inspire you to go forth and create! You sign up and you wake up and there they are shining in your inbox, chock full of info.

Here are a list of my favorites that I subscribe to and links that will take you to the subscriber page;

Bead Style Magazine

Jewelry Making Daily

Stringing Magazine

MarketingJewelry.com

Since subscribing I've learned of contests that challenged me, sales for items I use regularly and marketing tips that help me sell the jewelry I love to make. I hope you enjoy these beading email newsletters as I do!


Much Love & Respect,
Shannon

missficklemedia.com

Garden Gates

Here is a fresh selection of beads and findings to fit my summer mood.  I'm imagining a white-washed garden gate, sculptures faded from the summer sun, birds chirping nearby and sweet blossoms popping up in every corner. 

 Ghost White Patina Copper Chain from MissFickleMedia and Ceramic Wings from Gaea.

 Shabby Metal Filigree from PalomaAntigua and a Dandelion Wine Bead from Humblebeads. 

 

Aged White Skeleton Key from PatinaQueen and a Zinnia in Relief from ClassicBead.

The white patina on the brass adds a summery touch to vintage inspired findings.  Pair them with birds, flowers, dragonflies or butterflies for quick and easy seasonal favorites.

Findings Worth Finding: Leather Flowers

The Art Bead Scene is always on the look out for new and unusual findings for your designs. We predict we'll be seeing more leather in jewelry so this finding worth finding is a set of pink leather flowers with center holes from HM Creative Supplies on Etsy (photo courtesy of HM Creative Supplies.).

I have an idea how I'd use them, but what might you do with them?

(written by Cindy Gimbrone, who is off searching for more new and unusual findings.)

Designer of the Week: Melissa Meman

Each Monday we feature the Designer of the Week. One of our editors pick their favorite from the Monthly Challenge entries. This week's featured designer is Melissa Meman!

ABS editor Lorelei Eurto had this to say about Melissa's entry for this week's challenge: " As soon as I saw the large pink flower, I was captivated. Once I went in for a closer look and discovered all of the detail, the wire wrapping, and intricate way Melissa put these earrings together, I knew these would be my pick for this week! I adore the color similarities between the Lautrec painting and the earrings.  The shape of the petals mimic the dancer's dress and the detailing on the lampwork glass beads is a great correlation to the depth of detail in the painting.  It's no surprise to learn that Lautrec is one of Melissa's favorite paintings. These earrings say it all!"

Check out more of Melissa's lovelies at her Flickr page
.

Sundays with Cindy

Happy Sunday! Hope you're enjoying your coffee this morning! Let's see what's going on in the Bead Blogging world....

About.com Jewelry Making
Tammy is proud to announce some of her jewelry designs were recently published in BeadStyle magazine.

Art Bead Scene
Join the Art Bead Scene Carnival Bloggers as they pay tribute to Bead and Button by creating a statement necklace.

Barbe Saint John - New Jewelry from Forgotten Artifacts
Look at all the fun I have have playing with fire.

Beading Arts
Shhh...don't tell Cyndi's Mom! Cyndi made her a necklace from some wonderful lampwork beads from Artbeads.com!

Carmi's Art/Life World
Carmi recycles a beautiful tea box to create this necklace.

Cindy Gimbrone aka Lampwork Diva
The Empress models a statement.

Jean Campbell
Check out Black Crow's Gothic Contest winners...fantastic!

Lorelei's Blog: Inside the Studio
Lorelei started up a new website, and would love to hear your input on it!

Snap Out of It, Jean! There's Beading to be Done!
Lydia Muell's mesmerizing art beads and her free giveaway this week!

Strands of Beads
Melissa shows off her entry that won the Grand Prize Gold Medal in the 2010 Fire Mountain Gems and Beads' Metal Clay, Metal Beads, Wirework and Chain Jewelry-Making Contest.

The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton
Andrew hosts the BIGGEST prize in Thursday Giveaway history ever! Find out how you can win a set of beautiful lampwork glass beads by Barbara "Basha"!

Studio Saturdays with Lorelei Eurto

I apologize for the delay!

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.

This weeks winner is Diana P. Congratulations!

You have won a Route 66 button from the studio of Tari Sasser!
Send Tari an e-mail with your address and she will get it right out to you.

This week we visit the studio of jewelry designer Lorelei Eurto!

Due to major technical difficulties, the video studio tour that was to be posted, had to be cut out of today's post. I tried most of the day to get it uploaded. Normally I would have used my husbands Macbook to do the video but he forgot to bring the charger home.

I feel like I have a lot going on lately and this weekend, I had my sister and her boyfriend up for the weekend. I finally remembered that I had to do the Studio Saturday post about 2pm.  I have wasted away the day fighting with youtube, blogger,  the camera, you name it.  If I ever get the video to work, I will try to add it to the next studio saturday post that I'll do.

WORKING!! finally!



We were able to sit down and co-design one piece of jewelry. There are a few others in the works but this one actually became a finished piece. Frances pulled out all of the beads, and together we worked on talking about layout, color, size differences in beads, focals and where to put what. Once we agreed on the layout, I put the bracelet together using brass wire, and brass jump rings. It was my idea to add the second strand of chain- I felt like it was a little unfinished with just the beaded strand.  I asked her if she wanted a charm, and she at first said no. This seemed weird to me so I added one of my little pewter owl tags just so it felt more finished.

Here is the piece:

Leave a comment on this post answer the questions:

Do you bead with a buddy? How do you become inspired?

Do you look through books and magazines together? Do you bounce ideas off of each

other?

And next week, a random winner will be picked to win the grab bag of beads!

Beads from Gaea, Kylie Parry, Jubilee, Golem Studio