Designer of the Week

Each Monday the Art Bead Scene features a Designer of the Week.

One of our editors picks her favorite from the Monthly Challenge entries.

This week's featured designer is....

Linda Moseley of DivaDesigns1

Here is what ABS editor Tari Sasser said about Linda's necklace:

This necklace represents the painting wonderfully. The components used gives it an old world feel.
Green and red stones are perfect.

Link Library with Melanie

  Back in August of 2007, Art Bead Scene contributor Virginia Miska reviewed an online store that sells high quality leather cord in a Findings Worth Finding post.  Given the popularity of cording nowadays, I thought it was a good resource to remember.  Click here to see the review of Greco Leather Cord in the archives.


And now, here are this weeks awesome links from some of our beady friends

A Bead A Day
Lisa shares her love for the creative community! Connecting with others is what it's all about!


About.com Jewelry Making
Bravo has a new TV show that uses Project Runway as a template but the designers are making accessories instead of clothing. What are your thoughts about this new show?

Art Bead Scene
Art Bead Scene announces its annual Holiday Ornament Blog Hop!


Beading Arts
Jewelry designer Tammy Powley shares some of her expertise for creating unique bead strung jewelry!

Beads & Books
Michelle shares upcoming deadlines for beading & jewelry making contests and challenges.


Cindy Gimbrone Beads
Cindy is off her loom this week! Come see her new RAW book!

Earthenwood Studio Chronicles
Melanie mourns the passing of a furry friend by making a pair of special cuff bracelets to honor her memory


Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!
Jean's famous friend, the Great Margot Potter, has some wonderful news! Read all about it on Jean's blog!

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

Studio Saturday with Creative Impressions In Clay

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 ErinS. Congratulations! You have won a Holiday Pendant from Jennifer Heynen of Jangles. 
Send Jennifer an e-mail with your address and she will get it right out to you.

This week we visit the studio of
 Tari Sasser at Creative Impressions In Clay.

Happy Saturday to all and welcome to the glamorous life of buttons! Wait, it's glamorous?! I didn't get that memo. Above is what I have been working on. Snowflakes and Alpacas...sexy (hmmm, right.) 

Clay is a muddy business and it only became remotely sexy with the movie Ghost. Believe me, Demi Moore I am not. Most potters detest even hearing that reference. 

I haven't thrown on my wheel for quite a while but really need to just for therapy. Like Calgon, take me away. There are times you need to have your mind go somewhere besides the task at hand.

Or the mess at hand. This is the usual mess on my work counter. Take your arm and push any and everything to the side so you can begin another project. At some point you will have the time to clean up the mess. 

Time is something I haven't had a lot of in my studio. I have started working outside of the studio. Something I haven't done for many, many years. You do what you have to do. 

I work at a wonderful gallery. What better place to be than a gallery and be able to look at art all day. It's an American Art and Craft Gallery. Yes, some of my jewelry is being sold there. 

I get to explain how items are made and techniques used. I love that part of my job and it helps customers understand what is put into making art. Along with the prices that go with the art.

The owner of the gallery uses Wholesalecrafts (lots) and also attends shows to purchase items for the gallery. I just realized yesterday that she placed an order with our own Virginia Miska. 

Since I am now uber curious to learn about Wholesalecrafts, 

My question(s) is:

Do you use wholesalecrafts.com? Is it worth the cost? Has it been a successful tool?

Do you vend at any of the wholesale shows to sell and market your art?

Answer one of my many questions and you could win the Celtic Buttons shown above.

My sincere apologies to the winner of my last Studio Saturday. 

I have misplaced your info, could you please resend. 

Feeling sassy as usual.

Tari Sasser

Creative Impressions In Clay

Renaissance Beauty: Inspiration from Etsy for the November challenge

'Renaissance Beauty: Inspiration from the Art Bead Scene November Challenge' by TesoriTrovati

This month is all about a classic renaissance female form in the painting Madonna Pietra degli Scrovigni by Marie Spartali Stillman. With its somber colors and natural setting, this is sure to be an interesting challenge!

Handmade Lampwork Bead ... SunDoorBeads $32.99	Ceramic Bead Two Hole H... MarshaNealStud... $6.00	Leafy Tree Pendant earthenwood $10.00	zen leaf sterling silve... Hint $26.00
Pair Of Faux Olive Jade... SCDiva $24.00	Paisley Jacquard Ribbon... Nineheads $1.80	Beautiful in Black and ... Brilynn $29.99	Lampwork Bead Silvered ... HeatherBehrend... $14.99
Infinity Donut Beaded B... gwenbeads $36.00	Autumn Link Bead for Pe... CapturedMoment... $3.75	ALMOST GONE - Hand Dyed... abbyandellie $3.95	Dogwood Blossom Pendant... humblebeads $12.00
Heart Pendant Ferns maryhardingjew... $15.00	Stunning Woven Habutai ... RaesRags $2.50	Dark Oil Slick Handmade... Lutrick $15.00	Sage Green Beaded Beads... TheBeadedBead $35.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

Holiday Sparkle - Czech Glass and Art Beads

This year I'm making jewelry for smaller trunk shows and events and trying to keep an affordable price point in mind.  I'm mixing fun holiday pendants with just a touch of sparkle using Czech glass, rhinestone spacers and brass or gunmetal chain.  Here are some of my favorite combinations.

I'm pairing up this vintage image of a pine cone with traditional mix of the ol' red and green with just a bit of pink/champagne color reflected in the greenery.

Czech glass beads from Beads by C.

While some are looking for more traditional holiday gifts, others want jewelry that are winter themed that will last through the season.  I like this winter woodland scene paired with cream and brown Czech glass beads.

Czech glass beads from Dream Girl Beads.

And why not be a little playful for the holidays - I love the idea of using these bright Czech glass bead mixes to mimic holiday lights.  Pair them with a pine tree pendant and mix in the flowers stacked three together and upside down to look like tiny trees.

Czech glass beads from Dream Girl Beads.

And finally back to the winter theme with icy blues and snowball white beads paired up with this sweet Snowbabies pendant.

Czech glass beads from Beads by C.

All polymer clay pendants from Humblebeads.

Free Project- Believe Necklace

Supplies Needed:
1 Believe Ceramic Link
3 assorted Holiday Charms
2 red 6mm faceted Czech beads
1 yard red organza ribbon
1 yard lime organza ribbon
2 foldover crimps
2 head pins
3 silver 4mm jump rings

Instructions:
1. Begin by connecting a charm to each of the three bottom loops on the link with a jump ring.
2. Thread one ribbon through a top loop on the link. Tie a simple knot to secure the ribbon. Repeat with remaining ribbon on the opposite side.
3. Trim the ribbon ends to the desired length. Remember you will be tie a bow so be sure to leave extra for that.
4. String a Czech bead onto a headpin. Make a simple wire loop. Before closing it slide it onto the loop of the fold over crimp. Repeat this step for the second crimp.
5. Place the ribbon in the center of the crimp. With your chain(flat) nose pliers fold one side of the crimp over to secure the ribbon. Fold over the second side and pinch tightly. Repeat on other side.

 

 This project was written by Jennifer Heynen a.k.a. Jennifer Jangles

Holiday Ornament Blog Hop

Jingle, jingle, merry and bright! Join in the 2nd annual Art Bead Scene Ornament Blog Hop.

How to play along:

1. Sign up - email to let me know you are planning to participate. Please use the subject line: ABS Ornament Blog Hop

2. Create an ornament using handmade components or art beads. Here is an example: Little Church in the Woods.  (Click the link to see last year's hop)

3. On December 4th post a sneak peek on your blog and send me the link. On December 5th I'll send you the links of the participating blogs. (You'll replace your sneak peak with the ornament post so that we can have a list of direct links.)

4. December 6th post your ornament on your blog and the list of participating blog links.

This is an inclusive creative challenge - we'd love to see Hanukkah , Kwanzaa or Winter Solstice themed decorations along with traditional Christmas ornaments. Have fun!

Pictured above are some art beads to help inspire you.

From left to right:

1. Donna Millard      2. Lynn Davis

3. Heather Powers    4. Miss Fickle Media

Have questions? Feel free to leave them in the comment section.

Q. What's a sneak peek?

A. You'll post a small preview of your ornament on the 5th and replace it with the full size picture and text on the 7th. So that we have a direct link to use for the hop rather than general blog url. Readers won't have to search for your blog hop posts, the links will go directly to them. Detailed instructions will be emailed to participants.