Cloud Nine

Cloud Nine

noun

Definition:

state of great happiness

Synonyms:

bliss, blissfulness, heaven, over the moon, paradise, perfect contentment, seventh heaven, top of the world, walking on air.

This does not describe me  at the moment but I am hopeful that this will come. My day will come. Soon enough.

i scream, you scream

Melanie of Earthenwood Studio, sent some summery Ice Cream pendants and round links for this month's Design Team Challenge. Check out Melanie's post about how these came to fruition!
 Although the ice cream pendant is a bit bigger, I used it as a bracelet charm in this colorful frock anyway. Rubber O rings, petal dots and Plastic rings from My Elements paired perfectly with the ceramic goodies. I love how lightweight it is, so comfy to wear!

You can check out what the other Design Team members did with their beads by checking out their blogs: here's the list!

http://gaeabeads.blogspot.com/
http://andrew-thornton.blogspot.com/
http://deniseyezbakmoore.blogspot.com/
http://treasures-found.blogspot.com/
http://erinsiegeljewelry.blogspot.com/
http://humblebeads.blogspot.com/
http://lorianderson.blogspot.com/
http://prettykittydogmoonjewelry.blogspot.com/
http://mairedodd.blogspot.com/

Weekly Bead Blogger Links

A Bead A Day

Featured Designer, Genea, creates some very happy beads and shares how she works them into gorgeous jewelry pieces!

About.com Jewelry Making

Find out how you can use your beading skills to help raise money for an Autism center.

Art Bead Scene

Art Bead Scene is having a giveaway. Come check it out!

Barbe Saint John - New Jewelry from Forgotten Artifacts

It's jewelry "Re Do" time and a giveway of the finished piece.

Beading Arts

Cyndi has been featuring wonderful wire artists all this month...take a look at what these folks are doing!

Carmi's Art Life/World

An acorn is the inspiration for a new thing in epoxy clay.

Cindy Gimbrone aka Lampwork Diva

It's a Tangle Tutorial. Come make a pair of "Well-Loved" earrings!

Earthenwood Studio Chronicles

Lumber everywhere! Melanie's wood-grain components are popping up in Beads 2011, on the Vintaj blog as the Art Bead Partner of the month, and at Art Bead Scene in a huge giveaway!

Lorelei's Blog: Inside the Studio

Lorelei's birthday brought big changes to her jewelry studio this week, come on over and watch her vlog.

Resin Crafts!

Resin + chocolate = great new bezels!

Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!

Jean had a wonderful time creating a necklace set using both Artbeads and Earthenwood Studio components together, as she a blogging and design partner for each! See what she designed ! You might think the end result is as as yummy as she does !!!

The Bead Dreamer
Stick beads, gemstones and wood earring findings inspire a necklace and matching earrings - both made using the same wood findings!
The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton
Andrew hosts one of the biggest Thursday Giveaways EVER! You could win TWELVE coin pendants from his Shop!

A few more

Ok that's it.
This will be it for a little while.
The beads are missing me.
I re-ordered some tin, including this beauty!
I have listed the following things in Tin Snippets this morning.
Enjoy!

Tin Snippets Update

Come on over to the tin snippets shop - I updated the store with 3 sizes of various bead caps. Toodle Loo!

Tin Snippets

Couple o' Covers

I am looking so forward to the following 2 issues from Interweave Press! Both are available in stores on June 14th. Easy Wire is available for pre-order now, but Stringing isn't yet. I am keeping an eye on the site to see when.
I am the covergirl on Stringing, and my button/shell pendant necklace is on the cover (bottom left inset pic) on Easy Wire! Woot!

 

The Long Barrel Shape

I was attracted to this shape last night in the studio and three pieces of jewelry resulted because of it.

First, a mixed media necklace with ceramic barrel beads from Keith O'Connor. I mixed in some similarly colored lampwork glass from Ferrari Original Beads, a lampwork flower from Mermaid Glass, antiqued silver chain, and Argentium silver wire. The Pewter focal at one side is from Green Girl Studios, and the small silver wire hook clasp attaches below the pewter link. The silver charm at the right side is from Kathy Van Kleeck.

These drippy earrings have ceramic charms from Elaine Ray, and Vintaj Brass findings. The glaze on these beads has so much depth, I wanted to showcase and boosted the color in the photo a bit so you could see it better.

And this last necklace happened on accident. I have been wanting to use one of these unusual shaped pendants from Round Rabbit Extra for some time but didn't exactly know how. I pulled it out, and found a piece of half hammered thick 14g wire on my desk.  I put the ceramic focal on the wire with a coordinating Lampwork glass bead from Loupiac, hammered the other side, and added oval shaped holes, jumprings and voila! A unique focal on brass rolo chain.

I heart Enameled Beads!

Everybody is having the BEST giveaways these days! Maybe it has something to do with the "End of the World" or maybe people are making so much stuff they just have to destash, or maybe people LOVE giving stuff away. Whatever the reason, I LOVE IT!!

Go over to Barbara Lewis' s blog to enter a great giveaway for a set of enameled beads, in any color you like! She is promoting the Look Inside feature at Amazon.com for her new book, Painting with Fire. Finally, a sneak peek at the new book, which I am really excited to get my hands on.

She's drawing a winner Tuesday, May 31st!

The Biggest Giveaway I have ever Seen

Where: Art Bead Scene Blog

When: Winner will be picked on May 30th

FOLLOW

THIS

LINK

TO ENTER!

Weekend Pretties and Totally random thoughts

After having spent most of Sunday in the studio, and cranking out some new work, I want more. It's Monday. Back to work but I don't want to go. I want another day in the studio, like yesterday. I envy so many people who can stay home and be creative all day. Sometimes my job is sucking the life out of me but I know I should be grateful to be working. Isn't the grass always greener on the other side?

Today is day 5 of keeping track of my basal temps. I am finally now taking a pro-active approach to try getting pregnant. It feels good to know that I am actually doing something useful. Although I am taking the temps, I am still not sure what to look for, and am hoping that my friend Christine's book that she is sending me, arrives today so I can learn about what the spikes mean.
I hope it still doesn't feel like work when the time comes to get busy.  At 37 years old now, that internal clock I have has started ticking in overdrive. Am hoping June is the month. I could use your prayers if you have a spare moment. ;)

I've got a boatload of buttons to give away. Later this week, I will have 4 containers of buttons for a big blog giveaway.

I am a little sad that it's already May 23rd. May is almost over, and in the past has been the most beautiful month but all it's done is rain rain rain rain. I am sick to death of it. Can the sun please come out for 2-3 consecutive days please. PLEASE!

i heart macro

New beads from Doreen Willey- she is the mastermind behind these lovelies! Couldn't you just eat them! Believe it or not, they are polymer clay. I have no idea how she gets that sandblasted texture but it is outstanding.  I am looking forward to hoarding these for a little while, and then I'll use them- it might be a while.

beekman 1802

today, we made it to sharon springs. 

we lunched at the Black Cat Cafe, 

gushed over the Lebanese potato salad,  

walked up and down main street, 

marveled at the old historic hotels, 

daydreamed about winning the lottery 

   and buying the empty storefront a few doors down from the Mercantile store, 

fantasized about the town and what it was like back in its hay day, 

stopped in at the Mercantile shop, 

chatted up Megan, 

bought some Cajeta caramel sauce and goats milk soap, 

drove by the actual Beekman farm like a coupla papparazzi, 

and took a zoomed in shot of brent as he was working in the yard.

i am such a dork.

but, what a great day.

From the Archives

Going back to 2008 - my design process was very much like it is now, except I didn't have the stash of beads that I have these days.

Spirit, Yea I have it

I miss those fun word charms that Melanie Brooks made back in the day. They always added that little bit of pizzazz to a piece.

 

Necklace of Knowledge

I love this!! The pewter Tree of Knowledge coin pendant from Green Girl Studios is one of my favorites. The lampwork glass bead is from The Orange Bell and some simple green silk. 

 

Nesting

Another favorite! I love the red beads in this piece- the asymmetrical placement- and the experimentation of using cording as the button loop. This pewter bird from Mamacita Beadworks sits on top of a wire wrapped pod pendant from Michaels, that I filled with turquoise rounds.

I am just trying to get inspired today. Hoping to make stuff, we'll see if I can stay focused for a while.

Hope you all have an inspiring and crafty weekend!

Some Recent Acquisitions

 Lush Lampwork

 Summers Studio Etc.

 Ferrari Original Beads

 Jess Contreras

 Tesori Trovati

Jubilee

Inspired by Wing Dings

 

I saw this yesterday and was immediately 

inspired to play with my Genea Beads too.

I added a pewter Pollination Clasp from Mamacita Beadworks

and some patinaed chain. 

This necklace can be worn several different ways, with

the clasp as the focal at the front, or at one side.

I love how the wing ding beads look all lined up together.

This was a fun necklace to put together.

Sally Russick, Come on DOWN!

We have a winner!!  
Congratulations Sally Russick 
 for winning the Jade Scott pendants from yesterday's giveaway post! Please contact me with your address and I will ship your pendants asap! Thank you everything for the beautiful birthday comments and the cake suggestions, and telling me what your favorites are. I had a vanilla cupcake today and it was divine. But my favorite cake is yellow cake with chocolate frosting. Nothing fancy, no sprinkles. Just the basics. :)

It was a great day, a very nice and relaxing birthday, and I look forward to another fulfilling year!

xo
lorelei

What 37 feels like

Another Jade Scott Giveaway!

Happy Birthday to me Wednesday May 18th! Happy UN-BIRTHDAY to YOU!!  This week's giveaway is for these 3 pendants from artist, Jade Scott! The lucky winner will receive these 2 large drop inside a drop inside a drop pendants, along with this sweet teardrop charm.  I will draw one random winner on Wednesday evening, probably sometime around 7-8pm, after we get back home from dinner.

Please leave a comment on this post to be entered to win, no anonymous comments please. Answer me this, what kind of cake is your favorite??


ALSO tomorrow, Wednesday is the last day of my 25% off sale- use coupon code ilove25 to get your discount when checking out!

VINTAJ GIVEAWAY

Vintaj is having their first art bead giveaway- go here to enter and be sure to tell them I SENT YA!

YAY!


I love this collection of beads, awesome awesome!

Positive Changes!

Thank you to my friends Tara Avella and Erin Siegel for their wonderful studio inspiration!!

All Yellow

 

Yellow is a happy color!

 "Yellow"

Look at the stars,
Look how they shine for you,
And everything you do,
Yeah, they were all yellow.

I came along,
I wrote a song for you,
And all the things you do,
And it was called "Yellow".

So then I took my turn,
Oh what a thing to have done,
And it was all "Yellow."

Your skin,
Oh yeah your skin and bones,
Turn into something beautiful,
You know, you know I love you so,
You know I love you so.

Gardanne Beads is having a giveaway!

Look at that LOOT Anne is giving away! Just delicious, I hope you head on over to her Blog to enter to win!

Anne is one of my all-time favorite glass artists. The colors she works in always appeal to me, and she's always working on something new and different.

Thank you Anne for such a great blog giveaway- so generous and CONGRATS on 1000 sales!

Birthday Coupon

Crown Postale- Don't mind if I do!

Andrew Thornton has been hard at work the past few weeks, creating beautiful beautiful things, such as these brand new Crown Postale pendants. He creates the pendants using filigree and bezels, attaches them together, and fills the bezels with vintage stamps and paper ephemera. Some of the resin has been sanded and buffed for an even more vintage feel.
I got my hands on these 4, and used one in this bracelet design below! They have such a romantic feel to them!  I used this patinaed pendant as the bracelet focal and attached strands of simple wire looped vintage glass rounds, and some ruby and turquoise beads with brass spacers. The toggle is from Vintaj Brass Co. As a little added embellishment, I added a small bronze heart charm from Candice Wakumoto.

                                                                                                         Love
                               that
                                color!

Be sure to check out Andrew's Big Cartel shop for the Crown Postale pendants, and other really cool things he's making. I have one of these, one of these AND one of  these coming my way soon! I can't wait!

Marcie Abney, COME ON DOWN!

Maybe this will help Marcie's hurt feelings about not going to B&B! Congratulations Miss Marcie! You have won Kylie's cuties.... please email me with your address and  I will get these right out to you pronto!!

I am so so sorry to hear so many of you can't make it to this bead show. I know the feeling, as I have been wanting to go for about 4 years now.  I am excited to tell you that I will be going this year, after much contemplation. But let me tell you how it ended up working out. I don't want you to think I'm sitting here rolling around in the dough, because that is not the case!!

Initially I thought, hey this might be fun to go to even if I don't have a large bead buying budget. So I started looking into tickets, and quickly became discouraged until I had a creative idea- Our bank has this ScoreCard Rewards system where we have accumulated all of these points that you can use to spend on different things.  We get the point balance in the mail like every few months, and I have never given it a second thought before ditching it in the garbage.

Joe looked up the balance and we have like 36,000 points saved!! Come to find out, we can use that for round trip airfare, anywhere in the continental U.S.!  It's amazing! K so that was the great surprise of yesterday. I booked my flight last night, and was kind of thinking it may be a jip because most of the airlines were telling me I could put partial points towards the flight but would still have to pay like $300. I finally found an airline after searching and searching, where I was able to apply all the points and no extra.

Then yesterday I was talking to Lisa Peters and she graciously offered to let me stay in her room with her and Mom. So so stinking excited. We went to Spain together a few months ago and had a blast. So I am all set, and do have a very small bead budget but will bring the Flip video and get lots of good footage for the blog so it will be like you're all there with me! Not only am I excited for the beads, but I am most excited to meet a few more people, finally in person, that I have been following the past few years- such as Cynthia Thornton (who I'm not sure if she'll be there, but I hope she is!) and Heather Wynn-Millican  (also don't know if she'll be there but she has been there in the past), Anne Choi... there is going to be a few Art Bead Scene peeps there, so it will be fun to see Heather Powers again, and meet Erin Prais-Hintz, and maybe Lori Anderson!
 Definitely want to meet Brenda Schweder.. and Vlad from Golem Studio!.. can't wait to see Diane Hawkey and Melanie Brooks again!

Anyhoo, stay tuned- next week will be another Jade Scott giveaway!

Super Cute Line-up

Welcome to this weeks 24 Hour GIVEAWAY! Woo Hoo!! Kylie Parry donated this adorable set of charms from her Etsy shop.  You will receive all 5 charms, a beehive, ladybug, mushroom, squirrel and Hedgehog- Valued at about $65!  These will be awesome to use all together or one at a time in a bracelet, or a necklace or even mismatched earrings. The ideas are limitless!

Here's how you enter:

Leave ONE comment answering the following question: Are you going to Bead & Button, in Milwaukee this year? Who are you most anxious to see while you're there?

For one extra entry, Leave ONE comment if you blog about this giveaway- You are welcome to use the picture I took in this post for your post.

I will be drawing a random winner tomorrow morning at 6:30am. Good luck to everyone!

Be sure to check out Kylie's Shop, and her blog is so great too!

Mondays are for Suckers

This is what most of my weekend looked like. Which is okay with me, sometimes this is what a weekend should be. Relaxing. Veggie out on the couch watching the Voice. My new favorite show. I mean, this show is way better than American Idol. The judges are more interesting, the talent seems a bit better- I get hooked when it's on and I still can't figure out why it's on, on a Sunday afternoon. They must replay it on E! on the weekend from the week before. Which is so cool because then I can catch it. As long as I'm doing this and not other things.

Eventually I did get off the couch to do 2 things. Eat.  {we had Big Mac style burgers. HOW have I not done this before!? They were so good- there is just something about Russian dressing that makes a burger better!}
And I did make a few things for the shop. Although mostly replicas of designs I've done in the past but still, at least I got into the studio. These are all listed on etsy.

I'm a little sad it's Monday. Back to work :(

Old is New Again!

 A popular genre in jewelry designing today is mixing old found objects with newer beads and findings. It creates an updated and modern twist on vintage jewelry that people love! Don't be afraid to mix new with old, it's quite easy to do.

This month's Artbeads.com blogging program theme is What's Old is New again! and so the partners were asked to purchase items from the website that invoke that vintage feel and pair them items that are old.

For this first bracelet design, I picked a brass circular link, brass bezel charms and those pretty resin flower cabs.  I glued the cab into the brass bezel with superglue.  I paired these items with some Czech glass beads, Vintaj Brass Co. round link chain, and an old Keyhole. Above the flower charm, I added a vintage brass button as embellishment.

 

 

 I love the brass bezels - I didn't get a photo of the back but it has a pretty floral design on it. You can find a lot of vintage-type findings in this Tierra Cast category at Artbeads. The round Flower Cut out link is also so sweet. I love the design and the cutouts give many options for attaching it with wire or to other components.

 I also picked out some pretty glass cabochons at Artbeads. I had gotten these with some Nunn Design silver tone bezel connectors but when I got them, the glass cabs are a bit too big. The only thing I had on hand that would fit perfectly are these copper ring blanks. Although both "newer" components, it still has a vintage feel and reminds me of a vintage button.

 I took those silver links and put together this pair of earrings. The Resin flower cabs fit perfectly into the bezels and with the loops on both top and bottom, I just attached some jump rings and earring wires at the top. Then tied some vintage silver shank buttons using some vintage thread with silver running through it, to the bottom loop.

Disclosure: All above mentioned beads from Artbeads.com were kindly provided free-of-charge by Artbeads.com, within the frames of Artbeads.com blogging program.  I was not paid in any way for doing this post.