Lampwork Obsession

Yes, my obsession with lampwork glass beads has abated over the past few years, but I still cannot resist when I see something super special.  Something I have not seen before.  Something outside my color comfort zone. 

Against my better judgment, I went to the Best Bead Show while in Tucson.  The reason this is problematic is that I know I will not look at gemstones there -- it's not the show to go to for gems.  The primary reason to go to that show is for the lampwork.  Like I need more lampwork to ogle.  You see, I rarely use lampwork beads in my jewelry because I can't seem to part with those lovelies.  Most of them become part of my private collection.  And I admit that I love having them in my studio. They make me smile. They make me happy.

I defy you to say this bead does not make you happy:

 
Yes, it's really, really long:

I don't even know how I would use it in a finished piece if I wanted to!  But not to worry -- the rest of it's life is dedicated to making me smile.

The artist is Dvora Silberman.

A Peek Into My Work Area

I spent all of yesterday morning making pairs of briolettes and beads in preparation for an earring making marathon.  I really enjoy the pair-making.  It lets me reacquaint myself with my beads (why, hello HUGE garnets!) and take stock of what's still left in my inventory.

Sometimes it can be frustrating as well.  Like when you have many (like 20+) large, beautiful iolite briolettes remaining, yet can't find a pair among them.  Makes me want to growl and say lots of bad words.  I think I did the last part ... a lot.

Close up of the right end.  And yes, those are some deliciously large marquis cut citrine briolettes.

And look!  There's another pair on the left side.   I never put pairs of the same stone next to each other, lest I get confused and pair up the wrong 2!

And lastly, this little baggie of multi colored tourmaline briolettes that I have yet to cut.  But I will.  Soon.  (They're not from Rio Grande -- that's the baggie of beadcaps behind them.)

Vintage Jewelry

As recently as last December, I expressed  (maybe on twitter?) that I was considering selling off my collection of vintage jewelry.  So, why then did I go ahead and buy some more while in Arizona?  The answer is, because I love it and will never part with it, regardless of what I might say!

In my early days of collecting -- about 15 years ago -- I could see how this could get out of control very easily, so I made some rules.  The basic rule is that the piece has to be composed primarily of beads.  It's not that I have anything against rhinestones, but my life revolves around beads and it seemed fitting that I collect bead jewelry.

This is getting too wordy, so I'll just skip to the pictures of my latest acquisitions: these four necklaces that I found in antique stores in Scottsdale.

If a necklace is in poor condition (like the 2nd one, which broke as I was staging it for this photo), I have no qualms about deconstructing it and salvaging the beads for new uses.  The aqua blue necklace is another story altogether.  It's in pretty good shape and absolutely gorgeous.  It will probably become a display item in my studio.  And that's fine.  I'll smile every time I look at it.

Alaska Bead Society Show

This past weekend was the annual show organized by the Alaska Bead Society. After many years of doing this show at the Anchorage Museum, we relocated to a new location. The ConocoPhillips building in downtown Anchorage has a beautiful atrium and they were kind enough to allow us to use this space.

It was bright and spacious. The general consensus was that the space was superior in all ways to the space we used to use at the museum.

Here is a photo (bad photo alert) of my table:


This year, I was fortunate enough to be located next to Jessica Stephens, a completely delightful young woman with extraordinary beading talent. While she did not want her photo taken, I did convince her to allow a photo of her spectacular beaded neck piece "We Are All Connected".

Artbeads.com - Swarovski Crystals

The Artbeads website has an amazing array of Swarovski crystal beads and components to choose from. I just received my first order from them and I'm thrilled with the contents of the package. It was a small package, but don't be fooled by the size -- Swarovski always packs a punch!

I ordered everything in quantities of two, with earrings in mind. This first photo shows some Flat Briolettes in 4 different colors. I can envision some beautiful earrings with these crystals that will take you from day wear to an evening on the town.



These following beads are called Cosmic and I've never seen this shape before. I ordered them in Copper and Red Magma and I love them both.




Twisted Coins are a classic shape, so I ordered some classic colors, Amethyst, Black Diamond and Golden Shadow. These are larger than I usually work with, so they will take some special planning on my part.





Last, but certainly not least, are these gorgeous Column Pendant beads in Satin. These will most certainly become a pair of earrings for me, me, me!

Stay tuned to see what I create with these lovely components from Artbeads!

Fun and Whimsical Lampwork Necklace

I recently started using some of the wonderful lampwork beads I purchased from my friend Marcy. They are incredibly lifelike and the food beads make me drool!

This necklace is on sterling silver textured chain and I made the circle from fine silver wire.

The beads are a beautiful slice of watermelon, a chocolate ice cream cone and a miniature sand dollar. Aren't they amazing?

You can click on the photo to go directly to the listing in my etsy shop. And be sure to visit Marcy's etsy shop.

Details, Details

When working with beads or making any type of jewelry, details are so important. Here's one of the little details of creating beaded drops that I find critical.


After stacking beads on a headpin for creating a pair of earrings, we most often make a wrapped loop in order to attach the drops to earwires. I make 2 types of wrapped loops: neat and messy. But that's a topic for another post. This post is about the neat type of wrapped loop. Chances are, you have a favorite method of creating said wrapped loop. Take a close look at the last pair of earrings you made. You will notice that they do not look the same when viewed from the front as they do when viewed from the back.

This first photo shows one drop facing one way and the other drop facing the other way. Can you see the difference in the wrap? This may seem like a minor point, but in a simple pair of earrings, if each one is not suspended from the earwire in the same direction, it can really stick out like a sore thumb.



I won't try to tell you which way is right and which way is wrong, I only suggest that you assemble both earrings the same way. I always hang my drops as seen below, because I see this side of the wrap as "the front". You may see it the other way. Just be consistent!

Captured Turquoise

I completed a series of earrings a few weeks ago and listed one pair in my etsy shop. I tend to work this way -- make a bunch of one style, varying the colors and then dividing the finished product between etsy, galleries, inventory.

The pair I listed online features turquoise and coordinating turquoise colored craft wire. The beads are framed by a large oval sterling silver link.

For the rest of this series, I used red faceted pearls, green pearls, pink pearls, a bold yellow glass bead, and a variety of neutral colored glass beads. This color selection was dictated by the colors of craft wire that I had on hand.

Click on the photo to go directly to the listing.

A Series of Textured Metal Pendants

I completed a good sized batch of metal pendants last week. Starting with copper and brass sheet, I set up a little assembly line type operation: cut shapes, file, sand w/280, sand w/360, sand w/600, texture, patina, assemble. See, I really can work efficiently when I put my mind to it!

The only really fun parts were the texture and assemble steps of the above list. The remainder of the process was quite tedious.



I used two different patinas: liver of sulfur and an antiquing solution which works only on base metals like copper and brass. Lightly sanding with 400 grit polishing paper after applying a patina provides a great contrast, as it leaves the low spots dark, while effectively erasing the patina from the high spots.


It was interesting to see how the antiquing solution gave such different results on the copper and brass. I also practiced my letter stamping on a few pieces. I think I need much more practice with that stop.




Assembling and adding beads was quite a bit of fun. Trying to match the mood of the metal pendant to appropriate beads and charms took quite a bit of time.


And my favorite piece is the brass panel embossed (with the rolling mill) with a leaf pattern, and embellished with a brass dragonfly element. I may just keep this one.

Rick's Beads

Many of you know that Rick is a talented metalsmith. He didn't get there overnight. He trained as a machinist and worked for many years as a welder, working on some of the largest construction projects in Alaska. About 4 years ago, he decided to try his hand at a different sort of metal work -- jewelry. He has proven to be a quick study and his natural charm (HA!) works very well on his adoring customers (double HA!).

I've decided to add some of his handcrafted beads to my etsy shop. They're gorgeous and can be worn alone or incorporated into a more complex design. This is only one I've listed so far, but there are more to come. Stay tuned!

I'm Home

Going away on a fun trip is great for the soul. But coming home is even better.

We were gone for 10 days. The first 4 days were spent in Tucson, buying beads and other jewelry making supplies. The gem shows had a different feel this year, probably because of the economy. Many vendors did not show up, but worse, there were vendors who did not bring any new merchandise. I think that was a poor business decision on their part, because many of us are still buying and want to create pieces with new beads and gems. As a result, I purchased from some sellers who I have never purchased from before. Many of them were smaller businesses, who were happy to have a new customer. This experience will definitely affect my purchase decisions in the future. The lesson I've learned from this for my business, is to KEEP IT FRESH!

Now the not-so-fun part begins. I need to log all of my purchases and update my cost spreadsheets. At least I get to fondle those beautiful beads all over again.

After we left Tucson, we headed north and spent a few days in Phoenix and the surrounding area. We found a fabulous art show in north Scottsdale: Celebrate Art. We spent most of the day there, chatting with the artists and watching them work. What an intriguing concept it was -- a 10 week interactive art show. We met many talented artists in all sorts of mediums, from all over the country. It was a great day.

We did some antiquing and I found some lovely pieces to add to my collection of vintage beaded jewelry. More on that at a later date ....

Must get to work now!

Tucson Shopping List

As I prepare for my annual trek to the Tucson Bead/Gem/Rock/Mineral Shows, I'm reminded of those times I went without a shopping list. I spent far too much money. I remember one time when I purchased the same item twice in one day. True, they were gorgeous lemon quartz briolettes, but I really didn't need so many of them.

I'm determined to be more thoughtful about my purchases and use my shopping list as a guide. It's so easy to get caught up in the frenzy while surrounded by an obscene selection of gemstones and pearls. The sheer beauty of a table mounded high with the luster of pearls can be overwhelming.

Here's my list:

1. Tiny white keshi pearls: I just love to use these in my cluster earrings and pendants. The brightness of the white pops and begs the eye to look closer.

2. Tanzanite rondelles: I looked for these last year, but couldn't find them at a price I was willing to pay. They may remain on my list and out of my suitcase if the same thing happens this year. The blue-purple coloring of this stone is unmatchable.

3. Citrine rondelles, large and small: I have purchased many of these in the past, but I seem to run out towards the end of every year. I'm not a huge fan of yellow, but it is the complement of violet. Is that a good enough reason to use so much of it?

4. Iolite: The medium blue (denim?) of iolite is perfect for everyday jewelry and I use tons of it. I'll be looking for rondelles and interesting briolettes.

5. Prehnite: I hope to see more of this pale green and sort of milky stone. The green is soft and easy to wear and my customers have really taken a liking to it. I'll be on the lookout for interesting briolettes.

6. Apatite rondelles: I buy some of these every year, and at the end of the year, I'm always left with a pile of them that won't fit on 26 ga wire. I will not, I repeat, not use 28 ga wire. It's not sturdy enough for me. Even 26 ga feels a little iffy to me sometimes. Ideally, I will find some that fit on 24 ga. A girl can dream, can't she?

7. Sterling silver chain: The best prices and selection can be found in Tucson, sometimes at the smaller shows.

8. Whatever else looks good -- you knew that was coming, didn't you?


Here's what I will not buy:

Multitudinous amounts of pearls - if you could see my current inventory, you would understand this.

Bali Silver - if you could see my current inventory, you would understand this.

Vintage Glass Beads - if you could see my current inventory, you would understand this.

These self-imposed guidelines are just that, guidelines. I maintain the authority to add anything to that list at any time. So there.

Freeform Wire Wrapping

These "messy" (aka freeform) wire wrapped bracelets are fun to make. I start with lots and lots of 20 ga dead soft sterling silver wire and create the wrapped elements. I oxidize them and sand them by hand with 800 grit sand paper to highlight just a small amount of the shiny silver.

The elements are connected with jump rings and decorative dangles are added in between. Voila, a bracelet is born!

I currently have 2 of these bracelets listed in my etsy shop. To receive special offers and news, please sign up for my etsy shop newsletter.

Coppery Goodness

I've owned my Wig-Jig for several years and rarely use it. Then, earlier this year, I was playing around with some 18 gauge copper wire and developed a pattern I thought might make a nice pendant at a very affordable price.

I made a series of these necklaces in a variety of color schemes and most of them were sold during my fall shows. There are two listed in my etsy shop, and I've pictured them here.

The chains are solid copper and I hand-crafted a simple hook clasp from copper wire. I oxidized all of the copper and hand sanded it, allowing just some of the copper color to show through.

Visit my etsy shop to see more photos of these necklaces and my entire jewelry collection.

Happy Thanksgiving ... Don't Eat This Turkey!

My very talented friend Marcy Lamberson (you may remember her from my Breakfast Necklace post) has done it again! What better way to start Thanksgiving Day than with this adorable and incredibly realistic turkey bead.

If turkey isn't your thing, or if you're a vegetarian, she has plenty of other foods for you to enjoy, like this key lime pie. If you go to her etsy shop, you will also find cupcakes, an ice cream sandwich and some other yummy pies slices!

Spoil Me

Just in time for the holidays -- this necklace will tell everyone how to treat you between now and then! It would also make a great gift for that diva in your life.

The vintage image is secured under an acrylic panel, which is riveted to the brass background. The beads hanging below are a perfect complement to the colors in the necklace. There are two styles of brass chain, which meet at a handcrafted brass hook clasp.

This necklace, and other mixed media pieces are available for sale in my etsy shop!

Black Spinel

When I posted a photo of these earrings to my flickr account, my friend Patty called them "a party on a leverback". I think she was right!I started with a plump, faceted briolette of shiny black spinel. It is topped with a cluster of more black spinel in a tiny rondelle shape, pink tourmaline and green amethyst. The sterling silver leverback earwires finish these earrings perfectly.

They are for sale in my etsy shop.

Artisan Beaders Street Team on Etsy

Artisans who sell on etsy.com, often form groups with other like-minded artisans with similar interests and goals. These are called Street Teams. I belong to one group of fabulously talented women called Artisan Beaders Street Team.

This amazing team of mine is made up of 19 members. We all work with beads in some way, whether it is jewelry design, bead supplies sales, or as bead makers. Here is our mission statement:

Begin with a passion for beads. Combine with creativity. Mix with encouragement. The result is Artisan Beaders; a charismatic group committed to providing the knowledge, resources and support to help members succeed in their entrepreneurial dreams.

Artisan Beaders: Infinite Inspiration.

Doesn't that mission statement just make you want to get to know us a little better?

To help you out with that, our team hase put together a Holiday Gift Guide. There, you can see a few items from each of our shops, read a little bit about us, and have direct links to our etsy shops. If you'd like to search by type of item, look under the top banner, and you'll find jewelry and bead categories.

How Do I Know When I Have Enough Pairs of Earrings?

How do I know when I have enough earrings to take to a show? Well, I'll tell you how I know -- when these 2 plastic boxes are as full
as they can be. Right now, they contain about 230 pairs of earrings, but they're not quite full. I think another 20 pairs will do the trick.

The 3 display racks I use at shows can hold 96 pairs. That quantity gives the shopper plenty of variety to look at and hopefully find at least one pair that she can't live without.

This photo only shows my "carded" earrings. I have another line of more expensive earrings that I display on individual earring swans or a larger display. That display is usually at the other end of my booth space, to further differentiate between the two lines of earrings that I offer. I think I have about 40 pairs of those ready to go at any time.

Upcoming shows: Bad Girls of the North - Fairbanks Westmark Hotel - September 26 & 27
Alaska Bead Society Show at the Anchorage Museum - October 4 & 5

Lampwork Earings

I started with lovely lampwork beads from Deronda Designs. They are of and indescribable golden hue, with touches of aqua and soft pink. Emerging from the bottom is a collection of glass beads in coordinating colors, including some tiny aqua colored vintage glass beads.

These earrings are 1 1/2" (3.6 cm) from the bottom of the sterling silver leverback earwires. They are available for sale in my
etsy shop.