Gem and Beaded Jewelry

IBA 2012. Three weeks to go!

2011-12-10T22:40:00.004-05:00

The second International Bead Award (IBA) 2012 contest is to support the art of beadwork. The theme of this contest is POP ART. "Pop" stands for the English word "popular". The suitability of mass consume can be or turn to Art. Strong colors and shapes, two or three dimensional, a certain simplicity, a reference to everyday objects or free abstraction, all is possible at the same time as well as a smooth succession of objects. Trivial things become original and refreshing. Humor is very important!

Three weeks to go! Deadline is December, 31!

International Bead Award 2012 rules

Art Nouveau Restored - IBA 2011 winner!

2011-11-24T14:07:00.010-05:00

On August 20, 2011 the winners of the International Bead Award Contest were announced at the Beaders Best Bead Art Fair. It was an exciting event! And good news: my Art Nouveau Restored necklace won two awards: First Place in Off-Loom Category and People's Choice Award.

Photo Credit: Friedhelm Ott | Perlen Poesie

First place winners are:

Lampwork Category

       1 Place: Helix - Jacky Teuchert-Rimkus, Germany
       jackys-glas-art.de

Loomwork Category

       1 Place: Spring Has Sprung - Erin Simonetti, USA
       simonetti.com

Off-Loom Category

       1 Place: Art Nouveau Restored - Zoya Gutina, USA
       mylovelybeads.com

Bead Crochet, Bead Knitting Category

       1 Place: Diagonal Bubbles - Jolanda Violante, Italy
       sinfoniediperle.blogspot.com

Embroidery Category

       1 Place: Cascade - Angelika Kenner, Germany
       schmucksyndrom.de

Paper, Textile Category

       1 Place: Altes Kyoto - Dorit Koppen, Germany

Polymer Clay, Ceramic, Porcelain Category

       1 Place: ...Love way... - Natalya Leitman, Russia
       flickr.com/photos/madllen/

Wirewok Category

       1 Place: Beach Dreams - Chris Wrinn, USA
       gildedowljewelry.com

Mixed Media Category

       1 Place: Born in the Sands - Svetlana Sametis, Latvia
       orubis.ucoz.lv

Public voting

       Art Nouveau Restored - Zoya Gutina, USA
       mylovelybeads.com

Our warmest congratulations to all winners!

Full list of International Bead Award Contest winners

Native American Necklace Contest. Winners

2011-09-25T09:48:00.010-04:00

Congratulations of the Native American Necklace contest! This contest was based on the movie Dances with Wolves, and entrants were suggested to design a necklace using seed beads with a peyote stitch and exact color combination.

Alise from Canada took the First Place...

Alema from Russia came in second...

The Third Place was taken by Zhukis from Latvia.

The jurors of the internations panel were:

- Zoya Gutina (www.mylovelybeads.com)
- Coco 006 (bagousenfollie06.skyrock.com)
- Laulo (lecrindeperles.blogspot.com)
- Peetje (peetjes.canalblog.com)

You can view all of the entries on the Perles & Dent’elles website, listed in three different languages.

Perlen Poesie issue 10

2011-09-05T19:11:00.004-04:00

Perlen Poesie number 10 is coming out! In that issue:

• Beadpassion with the love of nature... Zoya Gutina implements that into all of her designs. Using many different techniques she adds enchantment to her necklaces opulence of which is unparalleled;

• Workshop Spiral Techniques - everything turns... Impressive designs can be achieved with these techniques;

• Scrumptious Beads... Angela Brackrogge: Jopanda - her artist name stands for handmade glass beads with subtle gradient colors and elaborate shapes. Look and enjoy!

• Winners of IBA 2011... Look at the winning pieces of the international jewelry contest IBA 2011. Savor the diversity of ideas and - maybe - participate next time!

The magazine is published in Germany by Beaders Best Verlag Company, you can subscribe it. If you live in the USA, you can directly or via Internet buy single issues of the magazine at the Beads by Blanche bead shop.

Subscribe to Perlen Poesie magazine
Buy Perlen Poesie magazine in the USA

Perlen Poesie issues 10 and 9

2011-08-09T20:14:00.004-04:00

The 10th issue of Perlen Poesie magazine is coming out soon! For now we know just a cover page.

The 9th issue of Perlen Poesie magazine is filled with 51 pages of instructions:

• Science and Art. Since childhood Melissa Grakowsky was interested in both. She completed her education in physics and painting. In school she was not able to decide...

• Improvise with Beads. Brick-Stitch varies a lot in terms of popularity;

• Combined. Designer threads, antique beads, buttons are used by Doris Dohse in her freestyle crochet work and is modeled directly onto the body;

• Taking measures. Are you sometimes confused when buying supplies like wire? You don't know what the details of all those sizes indicate? Don't worry, just open page 83!

• Steampunk. Gears, lace, metal and glass - jewelry in nostalgic techno-romance;

• And a lot of info about the BEADERS BEST Bead-Art-Fair in Hamburg, Germany, August
20-21!

The magazine is published in Germany by Beaders Best Verlag Company, you can subscribe it. If you live in the USA, you can directly or via Internet buy single issues of the magazine at the Beads by Blanche bead shop.

Subscribe to Perlen Poesie magazine
Buy Perlen Poesie magazine in the USA

Fashion Colorworks 2011. Winners!!!

2011-07-04T12:45:00.004-04:00

The second international Fashion Colorworks 2011 Beading Contest is over! We would like to say THANK YOU to all entrants, jurors, and sponsors who helped us make the contest successful. 99 participants from 25 countries submitted 149 entries! Today we celebrate our bead holiday together, with our winners, all participants, jurors, sponsors, and bead lovers. In general, we reached our goal and feel happy! We are looking forward to seeing all of them in 2012 and hope that the next year contest would attract more artists!

First Place Winners

Beaded Jewelry:
Margarita Kruchinina, Rostov-on-Don, Russia for Original Rus Set

Finished Jewelry:
Julia Turova, Krasnoyarsk, Russia for Harlequin Beetle Necklace

Beaded Objects And Accessories:
Evgeniya Semina, Orenburg, Russia for Falling In Love With Life All The More Wedding Dress

Second Place Winners

Beaded Jewelry:
Fumiko Sekine, Yokohama, Japan for The Power Of Nature Necklace

Finished Jewelry:
Svetlana Karimova, Slupsk, Poland for Jurata Neckllace

Beaded Objects And Accessories:
Angelika Motzkin, Ashkelon, Israel for Magnolia Handbag

Third Place Winners

Beaded Jewelry:
Svetlana Dubinsky, Beit Shemesh, Israel for Tropical Vacation Necklace

Finished Jewelry:
Ulyana Moldovyan, St. Petersburg, Russia Dream Of Fisherwoman Set

Beaded Objects And Accessories:
Aleksey Soloviev, Lugansk, Ukraine for Dream Of Flight Tie

Special Award Winners

People's Choice Award:
Evgeniya Semina, Orenburg, Russia for Falling In Love With Life All The More Wedding Dress

Best Use of Color:
Svetlana Dubinsky, Beit Shemesh, Israel for Tropical Vacation Necklace

Best Use of Materials:
Liudmyla Heggland, Rennesoy Island, Norway for Undine Dream Necklace

Fashion Colorworks 2011 Winners

Fashion Colorworks 2011 Finalists

Fashion Colorworks 2011 Entries

Fashion Colorworks 2011. Finalists!!!

2011-06-25T18:31:00.001-04:00

The finalists of the Fashion Colorworks 2011 are announced, and the contest continues! Now it's time for contest site visitors to score beadworks juried into the final for People's Choice Award. That is going to be a difficult decision, but make it! Voting will be closed at midnight June 30, all winners will be announced on July 1.

Vote for Fashion Colorworks 2011 Finalists

Native American Necklace Contest

2011-06-04T15:28:00.003-04:00

Drawing your inspiration from the movie DANCES WITH WOLVES by Kevin Costner, we propose that you put into beads your personal vision of a necklace that could have been worn by a Native American woman.

1. Your necklace must be original work of your own creation.

2. Imposed technique: peyote stitch.

3. Imposed colors: brown, beige and three colors of the entrant's choice.

4. Materials:
      - seed beads of any size (Miyuki round or Delica, Toho round or Ttreasure, or other seed bead brands);
      - any other materials of your choice like wood, feather, bone, metallic tubes, etc.

5. The contest is International, worldwide beaders may participate.

6. Photos make the judgment by the panel of five independent jurors.

7. Jurors will score each entry upon three criteria:
      - creative capacity;
      - technical quality;
      - appropriateness of the entry with the theme of the contest.

8. Photo requirements:
      - size - 800x600 pixels maximum;
      - the entry must be shot against white background;
      - no distinctive signs must be put onto the photo. The entrant's name will be revealed upon entries announcement.

Entry photo is to be sent until Midnight September 1, 2011, at following email address: perlesetdentelles@yahoo.fr. The sending of your photo will validate your registration.

Please indicate in the email your full name, your nickname (if exists) and the link towards your site, blog or album if you have one. It is not obligatory to have a site or blog to participate in the contest. Also indicate the country of your residence. Languages to be used in your correspondence are: English, French or Russian.

Publication of photos on the blog Perles et Dent’Elles: September 20, 2011.

We shall publish the three first place winners first and then other entries in order of their arrival. Winners of the three first places will be rewarded with vouchers offered by our sponsors whose names are indicated here below:

      - for Western Europe:
      www.perlesandco.com
      www.bricolart.com
      www.cyberperles.com
      www.mondialperles.com

      - for Russia and neighboring countries:
      www.greenbird.ru

      - for the United States of America and other countries:
      www.artbeads.com

This contest is held by the team of the blog
perlesdentelles.canalblog.com:
      - Coco-Labijoutisse
      - Nouchka
      - Veronik
      - Zaza

Happy beading!!!

Fashion Colorworks 2011. Meet the sponsor: Artbeads.com

2011-05-30T19:36:00.005-04:00

Offering Inspiration with Quality Products at Competitive Prices

Artbeads.com is one the web's largest suppliers of beads, Swarovski crystal and jewelry making supplies. The company offers a variety of beads from all around the world, including Thailand, Israel, and New Zealand, and works closely with Swarovski to provide high-quality crystal to its customers. Along with providing quality products with competitive prices, Artbeads.com also offers tips on jewelry making, and offers over 800 free bead and craft designs. Artbeads.com prides itself on being able to sell products to amateur jewelry makers on a budget and wholesale buyers, including offering free shipping on orders of $10 or more. Artbeads.com also ships orders to Canada for $1.99.

They have also created Beadsnap.com, a new website dedicated to artisan jewelry designers and bead stores to make wholesale ordering easier. Those buyers who spend over $2,000 a year on jewelry making supplies will find this website helpful.

The company started in 1999 by owners Devin and Cynthia Kimura, and has grown to become one of the best known online retailers of supplies to create wonderful jewelry and crafts. Their idea was to serve their customers by providing quality products, outstanding products and the inspiration to create something beautiful. The company continues to make contributions to its local community in Gig Harbor, Washington, as well as making global donations. For every order received, Artbeads.com will donate to Conservation International to protect 25 square feet of tropical rainforest.

Artbeads.com owners Devin and Cynthia Kimura

Visit online at www.artbeads.com

Email address: support@artbeads.com

For friendly customer support call (253) 857-3433 OR toll free at 1-866-715-BEAD (2323)

Fashion Colorworks 2011 Beading Contest Rules

Flying Critters

2011-05-17T21:42:00.007-04:00

I'm hooked on Art Nouveau. My interest in this style began a year and a half ago, when Nancy Reinke, an artist from the Torpedo Factory Art Center (Alexandria, VA) presented me antique beads she took from her grandmother. Beads were Czech charlottes and were produced at the end of XIX century. No wonder, that I started reading about that time and learning art of this period. I expressed my love in several jewelry pieces: Lady Winter Necklace featuring painting Winter by Alfons Mucha, and Judith Necklace featuring... of course, artwork Judith by Gustav Klimt!

So, when Artbeads.com announced its new blogging challenge "What’s Old is New Again!", I was happy because it was a great opportunity to continue my own Art Nouveau challenge. I have to confess - and I'm glad to do that - they paid a lot of attention at vintage style products, and my search wasn't to long. Steampunk? Not now, maybe, later on...

So, I came to just launched Kabela Design that carries a very beautiful line of brass antique styled products. Art Nouveau art pieces widely featured elements of live nature such as threes, flowers, birds, insects, lizards, butterflies, etc., but number one is a dragonfly! How come? Who knows! I think, some explanations can be found. Try "Art Nouveau butterfly", and Google Image search will return you hundreds of jewelry pieces with those critters!

I finished my search very quickly, I selected two Kabela Design Antique Brass Dragonfly Pendant "to support" the center piece, and Kabela Design Antique Brass To Thee Pendant as a frame for embroidery: a piece of genuine leather and TOHO charlotte seed beads 15/0, in the center I attached a charm featuring hummingbird, the same charm I used as a small pendant. Swarovski crystal pearls of bronze and blue color, and Extreme Trios (24K gold plated) thread by Softflex helped me finish my light-weight necklace.

Art Nouveau must go on! And here is a piece of jewelry created just from beads I mentioned in the beginning of my post. It also features my lovely style. If you like that necklace you can cast your vote for People's Choice Award in the International Bead Award Contest:

Art Nouveau Restored Necklace

Disclosure. Being a reviewer of Artbeads.com products and a participant of its blogging program I received Kabela Design brass components free of charge. This post reflects my honest opinion; and Artbeads.com is not compensating me for my endorsement as it pertains to the products received and reviewed.

Fashion Colorworks 2011. Meet the sponsor: Rings & Things

2011-04-14T20:31:00.004-04:00

Rings & Things - Beads and Findings

Rings & Things provides professional craftspeople with wholesale beads and jewelry supplies for turning craft into wearable art jewelry. The company works to offer
quality parts at reasonable prices, and is happy to explain uses for findings and suggest ways to combine particular products. With over 18,000 beads, jewelry
findings and supplies, plus free how-to information and design inspirations, their goal is to be your jewelry-component source for decades, not just one or two orders!

Rings & Things offers wholesale quantity pricing for those who need it, and smaller-quantity options for those just starting out, and those who want to try a few things first ($50 minimum order; $25 with a $4 fee). Shopping Rings & Things is easy, because you have so many options:

•  Order online at www.rings-things.com

•  Call 1-800-366-2156 for friendly, personal service from in-house staff (M-F, 8am-5pm, Pacific Time)

•  Visit in person at their Spokane, WA, showroom (details at
www.rings-things.com/showroom)

•  Attend one of their traveling bead shows! (full schedule at
www.rings-things.com/show)

Rings & Things is a Better Business Bureau Accredited Business and a Certified Spokane Sustainable Business. Co-owner Russ Nobbs started his jewelry career in the 1960's, selling handmade pins and earrings at state fairs. In 1972, he opened a small retail jewelry store in Spokane, WA, and Rings & Things was born. Now primarily a wholesale mail-order business, the company continues to grow, thanks to fellow craftspeople like you. Rings & Things looks forward to serving you!

Fashion Colorworks 2011 Beading Contest Rules

The blue bird by Ulyana Seryankina

2011-04-06T00:10:00.002-04:00

The blue bird by Ulyana Seryankina

A Farewell to Winter

2011-03-20T21:08:00.004-04:00

Even though my last fall and winter were very busy with the development of my new permanent studio in the Torpedo Factory Art Center (Alexandria, VA), I couldn't miss this season and not to create another winter piece. I didn't have enough time to design something like Lone Snowflake Necklace:

that made the First place in Ice Queen Challenge held by Bead Mavens, and idea to create a smaller necklace came to me. So, I went to Artbeads.com...

Then I narrowed my search to pendants... Good choice! But I had to go further, and my search for pendant crystals gave me the result I was in need of.

I decided, just two sorts of beads: TOHO 11/0 clear transparent and TOHO 15/0 black. In addition to that, amazing coral-like Coral Crystal pendants by Swarovski I found out on Artbeads.com became a perfect match to "coral brunches" woven using seed beads.

What about focal? I continued my search and discovered on the site a beautiful Flat Baroque Pendant Crystal by Swarovski, that looked like a flower, frozen in ice! Done! I believe you can guess the name of the necklace: Flower, Frozen in Ice.

Disclosure. Being a reviewer of Artbeads.com products and a participant of its blogging program I received Swarovski crystal pendants free of charge. This post reflects my honest opinion; and Artbeads.com is not compensating me for my endorsement as it pertains to the products received and reviewed.

Keep going reading Perlen Poesie!

2011-03-18T20:04:00.007-04:00

This month the new issue of Perlen Poesie, Number 8, is out! I love it, what about you? In that issue:

• Bead-Pop-Art. Suzanne Golden: Large beads in bold colors - Suzanne creates pure eye-catchers. Read about this artist and admire her fabulous designs;

• Weben mit Rahmen. Gisela Hoffmann: One of the few German artists who is very successful in her range but not well known. Meet this outstanding loom and off-loom bead artist and create her loomwork bag "Hana-Bi";

• New outfits for beads. Refinements & Finishes: Beads do not only convince because of shape and color but also because of further finishes. Selected beads and their special definitions;

• Beadwork-Engineer. Martina Nagele: She plans everything precisely before she starts working; this is the way she works. The results speak for themselves!

• And of course 14 new incredible instructions!

The magazine is published in Germany by Beaders Best Verlag Company, you can subscribe it. If you live in the USA, you can directly or via Internet buy single issues of the magazine at the Beads by Blanche bead shop.

Subscribe to Perlen Poesie magazine
Buy Perlen Poesie magazine in the USA

Fashion Colorworks 2011. Meet the sponsor: Beads Unlimited

2011-03-13T19:35:00.008-04:00

Beads Unlimited aka The Brighton Bead Shop at 25.

It's hard to believe that it's 25 years since Beads Unlimited aka The Brighton Bead Shop opened its doors for the first time. On that first icy Brighton day in March 1986, notable for it's three-inch snowfall, the shop was sparsely populated and less than fifty pounds was taken. A quarter of a century on and Beads Unlimited is now a highly successful, stately, silver haired lady and an essential part of the beading community.

To celebrate their Silver Jubilee, Beads Unlimited is running bucketloads of competitions, give-aways and charity events throughout the year. One of the most important parts of their Jubilee year is their charity pledge. Beads Unlimited aim to raise £10,000 for the RNLI. The Royal National Lifeboat Institution is run solely by volunteers across the UK and the Republic of Ireland. They provide 24-hour lifeboats and seasonal lifeguards dedicated to saving lives at sea.

To help reach their target, The Brighton Bead Shop will be hosting a ton of in-store events and some of the staff will be competing in various sports fundraisers including a Brighton pier to pier swim! Beads Unlimited also launched their charity bead in January 2011. You can purchase this special bead for a suggested donation, when you check out at Beads Unlimited. If you would like to help Beads Unlimited reach their £10,000 for the RNLI target please visit www.virginmoneygiving.com/BeadsUnlimited. For full details and all information on what's happening now and what's to come, please visit www.beadbarmy.com and www.beadsunlimited.co.uk.

Fashion Colorworks 2011 Beading Contest Rules

Fashion Colorworks 2011 is on its way!

2011-02-26T10:40:00.006-05:00

The first International Fashion Colorworks 2010 Beading Contest was a resounding success for all its participants: the contestants, the sponsors, the judges, and the bead lovers. 83 participants from 20 countries submitted 132 entries (click here) !!!

Now the second International Fashion Colorworks 2011 Beading Contest is on its way! This year beadworkers are suggested to submit their artworks in three categories: Seed Bead Jewelry, Finished Jewelry, and Beaded Objects and Accessories. Entries in each category should be made in one of the three color combinations made up from Pantone Color Institute fashion colors for spring 2011:

First color combination:
Russet (CMYK: 44-67-76-9; RGB: 92614C)
Coral Rose (CMYK: 0-63-86-0; RGB: F47D39)
Blue Curacao (CMYK: 63-0-22-0; RGB: 4AC3CC)

Second color combination:
Lavender (CMYK: 33-32-0-0; RGB: A9A6D2)
Peapod (CMYK: 56-0-51-0; RGB: 71C59B)
Silver Cloud (CMYK: 25-19-23-0; RGB: C0C0BB)

Third color combination:
Regatta (CMYK: 73-28-0-0; RGB: 3397D3)
Silver Peony (CMYK: 3-13-15-0; RGB: F4DDD0)
Beewax (CMYK: 0-30-78-0; RGB: FDBA51)

The official contest rules are here:

http://www.mylovelybeads.com/contest/

Looking for inspiration? Perlen Poesie

2010-11-22T20:35:00.006-05:00

If you are looking for an additional source of inspiration, you have to pay attention at the 2-year-old European bead magazine: Perlen Poesie. You are always supposed to read beading world news, you can learn beading techniques and of course take excellent instructions from international artists.

On December 10, 2010, the new issue of Perlen Poesie will be out! In that issue:

• Anna E. Draeger: A portrait of the popular artist and Swarovski Ambassador;

• Perlen Poesie visited seven bead artists from France;

• The workshops of the First Bead Art Fair on 20-21 August, 2011, in Hamburg, Germany;

• 16 wonderful projects from well-known bead designers: Anna Draeger, Zoya Gutina, Claudia Steens, Melissa Grakowsky, Peter Sewell, Sabine Lippert, Carol Dean Sharpe, Claudia Cattaneo, Birgit Bergemann and some more (yes, I'm in it, too!);

• And more, and more, and more!

The magazine is published in Germany by Beaders Best Verlag company, but everybody can subscribe it. If you live in the USA, you can directly or via Internet buy single issues of the magazine at the Beads by Blanche bead shop.

Subscribe to Perlen Poesie magazine
Buy Perlen Poesie magazine in the USA

Indian summer at the door!

2010-10-20T22:01:00.008-04:00

It's already autumn outside... the grass is getting yellow... the leaves turn to red, brown and yellow... Some people can say, the nature is dying, I say it's falling asleep, and it makes us enjoy with its fantastic, cheerful and festive colors - Indian summer at the door!

When the sun rises, autumn colors flash out showing fall beauty, and water drops after night rain sparkle like diamonds! I like this season, and once I've already created the Autumn Splendor Necklace. This year the spring was pretty long and cold - but the fall is warm and beautiful, that's why I returned to the autumn theme.

Remembering my Tropical Blossom Necklace, I decided to use Swarovski pendants again, and that brought me to Artbeads.com. My husband said, "Good choice!" I have no idea what he meant, whether Artbeads.com or beautiful pendants they sell. In general, it doesn't matter, I found out what I was looking for.

I received red magma, olivine, light topaz, and copper Swarovski crystal pendants, and bought silk ribbons of bright autumn colors at the closest craft shop. Appropriate Czech glass teardrop and leaf accent beads, and TOHO 15/0 yellow and green seed beads should have been good much to my staff.

I wrapped up memory wire blank necklace and used it as the base of my piece, and embellished it with Czech beads; then I wound it with bead strings and made fringes with crystal pendants. The last touch was the brass leaf closure. The necklace could be named Autumn Wreath, but I call it Indian Summer, because Indian summer is outside!

Fashion Colorworks 2011. Call for sponsors

2010-10-19T21:47:00.004-04:00

The International Fashion Colorworks 2010 Beading Contest was a resounding success for all its participants: the contestants, the sponsors, the judges, and the bead lovers!

Our sponsors got great positive exposure, broadened their reach and name recognition, and increased their good will perception in the beading community. All of our 2010 sponsors have already committed to participation at an even higher level in the 2011 Contest. They say,

Artbeads.com: We would be more than happy to sponsor next years contest. We really enjoyed working with you and it was wonderful to see all the inspiring designs from all of the talented and amazing participants.

Beads Direct UK: We would love to sponsor again. Let us know when you have any more details.

Soft Flex Company: We'd love to participate again. Please count us in for 2011.

We're growing. When the Contest starts again on the 1st of December, 2010, in addition to Seed Bead category, it will be expanded to include two new categories of work: Finished Jewelry and Beaded Objects and Accessories. This expansion opens up additional new sponsorship opportunities for companies wishing to reach beaders and bead lovers worldwide.

Please contact us at info@mylovelybeads.com as soon as possible to reserve your sponsorship slot!

Go green with Mzuribeads!

2010-10-18T19:45:00.004-04:00

Got tired of traditional glass beads? If you're looking for new and unusual materials, you can find them on Mzuribeads.com. Mzuribeads is one of the many inspirational projects moving away from charitable aid, and onto the concept of business enterprise for sustainable income and development.

Mzuribeads paper beaders live in the village of Ndejje, Uganda, where they roll paper beads from strips of recycled magazines and posters. Prior to the founding of Mzuribeads, four of the women had been trained and were working to sell products through a defunct organization. These four women left then this organization with knowledge of the paper bead, but little idea of how this skill could support their lives.

Mzuribeads aim to generate a sustainable income by endeavoring to offer our customers ethical beads and the most fashionable and latest fashion accessory trends. This involves a large focus on quality control, design, and seasonable colors.

Mzuribeads makes beads not only from recycled paper, but also from cow horn, barkcloth, banana leaves, recycled glass; so you can GO GREEN with Mzuribeads!

Designing my Ethnic Fest Necklace, I used a memory wire blank necklace wrapped up with fabric resembling autumn leaves. Different Mzuribeads and seed beads, free-form as technique, and I'm done! It doesn't seem to be difficult, give it a try, and I wish you good luck!

Disclosure. Being a reviewer of Mzuribeads.com products and a participant of its blogging program I received Ugandan handmade beads free of charge. This post reflects my honest opinion; and Mzuribeads.com is not compensating me for my endorsement as it pertains to the products received and reviewed.

International Bead Award

2010-09-01T21:01:00.006-04:00

To bead or not to bead, that's not a question for thousands of people whose passion is beading. They face another question: to enter a beading contest or not to enter. Our answer is positive: of course, to enter! Not every contest, but promising a great challenge. It seems that the First International Bead Award held and supported by Beaders Best Publishing (Beaders Best Verlag) is what you don't have to miss!

The contest is open to all bead artists around the world. Five international jury members select a first, second and third place winners in each of nine categories. The jury will judge by photos only. The winners will be announced at the Beaders Best Fair for Bead Art in Hamburg, August 20-21, 2011, and shown in the following issue of the Perlen Poesie Magazine. All submissions will be showcased on the Perlen Poesie website after the jury has voted. Out of all submissions the website visitors will be able to select People's Choice Award Winner. Deadline for submissions is the 15th of December, 2010.

Join the international bead competition IBA!

Conditions of participation

Contests madness

2010-08-13T22:27:00.005-04:00

This year's Flex Your Creativity Beading Contest supported by Soft Flex Company is on Steampunk designs. Are you not sure what Steampunk means? Check out the short article, on that type of jewelry! Design entries must include exposed beading wire. All beading wire must be one of Soft Flex Company brands - Soft Flex, Soft Touch, Extreme, Metallics or Econoflex. You may use any color or diameter in your design. There is no limit to the number of designs that you may enter. The company encourages you to feature beads and findings from your local bead shop as well as create your beads and findings from found materials - clock parts, gears, washers, screws, bolts, bottle caps etc. Lampworkers, recycled glass from bottles, made into parts and components are encouraged, too. Prizes are great! All entries must be received by September 1, 2010.

Flex your creativity!

Christina (aka Good Quill Hunting) is sponsoring the Second Annual Haute Couture Beading Contest. Using one of the 36 presented Haute Couture Fashion photos as inspiration in color, technique, textures, shapes, and style, you are supposed to create a piece of jewelry. Go bold, go bright, use your imagination to conjure up your wildest dreams, as fashion designers have! You may use multi-media in this, but the main part of your work has to be done with seed beads. Prizes are also great! Deadline for contest is November 1, 2010. Winners will be chosen on November 26, 2010. Prizes will be shipped out within 72 hours of contest results.

Haute Couture Beading Contest

Fashion Colorworks 2010. Winners !!!

2010-07-03T16:55:00.007-04:00

The first international Fashion Colorworks 2010 Beading Contest is over! We would like to say THANK YOU to all entrants, jurors, and sponsors who helped us make the contest successful. 83 participants from 20 countries submitted 132 entries! Today we celebrate our bead holiday together, with our winners, all participants, jurors, sponsors, and bead lovers. In general, we reached our goal and feel happy! We are looking forward to seeing all of them in 2011 and hope that the next year contest would attract more artists!

FASHION COLORWORKS 2010 BEADING CONTEST. WINNERS

FIRST PLACE WINNER
Olga Vinnere Pettersson, Uppsala, Sweden
vinnere.pettersson@gmail.com
mamma-foxan.blogspot.com

Legends Of Lothlorien Necklace

SECOND PLACE WINNER
Evgeniya Semina, Orenburg, Russia
semmenity@mail.ru

Waltz Of Flowers Tiara

THIRD PLACE WINNER
Larisa Berenshtein, Ramat Gan, Israel
med55-55@mail.ru
beautiful-beads.livejournal.com

Midday Set

PEOPLE'S CHOICE
Alexandra Sydorenko, Cherry Hill, NJ, USA
alexander_sydorenko@hotmail.com

After The Rain Set

BEST USE OF COLOR
Tatiana Naumchik, Astana, Kazakhstan
kleo62@mail.ru

Spring Tenderness Necklace

BEST USE OF MATERIALS
Viktoriya Katamashvili, Nizhniy Novgorod, Russia
vikka.nn@rambler.ru
master-raduga.nnov.ru/katamashvili

Hope, Footsteps On The Sand Set

FASHION COLORWORKS 2010 BEADING CONTEST. WINNERS

Fashion Colorworks 2010. Final !!!

2010-06-19T21:58:00.003-04:00

Fashion Colorworks 2010 Beading Contest is coming to the end! 10 finalists are already juried, and People's Choice Award voting is open! Make you choice, score finalists and help us choose the winner!

All entries are awesome, but strong jurors scored those beadworks best of all. The next stage is starting, when the winners will be determined, including People's Choice Award Winner. Choose your favorite!







Fashion Colorworks 2010 Beading Contest - Finalists

Boudoir Beautiful contest

2010-06-13T21:50:00.006-04:00

Boudoir Beautiful contest, you can vote here:
Boudoir Beautiful Contest

If you want to vote for me, go directly here:
Noble Luster Necklace

Thank you! :)))

Fashion Colorworks 2010. Entries

2010-06-09T23:02:00.007-04:00

Just about a week to go! It's not late yet, the contest continues, and you can submit your entries for the Fashion Colorworks 2010 Beading Contest. June 15 is the last day. We are looking forward to seeing your amazing beaded objects at the contest!

Fashion Colorworks 2010 Beading Contest - Entries

Polished by fire

2010-06-09T21:26:00.005-04:00

You never know where you are with new materials! Glass beads are the main media to design beaded jewelry, and the technology for glass beadmaking is among the oldest human arts, dating back 3,000 years. Glass beads have been dated back to at least Roman times. Perhaps the earliest glass-like beads were Egyptian faience beads, a form of clay bead with a self-forming vitreous coating.

Fire polished beads from the Czech Republic are a faceted glass bead. Czech fire polish beads are made in an area called Jablonec nad Nisou. Production of glass beads in the area dates back to the 14th century and this area is well known for the manufacture of high quality glass beads. Czech fire polished beads have become so popular in recent years, primarily because they are the highest quality manufactured faceted bead available. This has helped make them one of the most favored glass beads by jewelry makers and beadworkers alike.

Thinking of summer themes, I decided that I need a light, bright, and not expensive necklace because this season is funny for outdoor activities, summer vacations, and nature scenes; summer is just the lovely season itself; and glass faceted beads seemed to be a good choice. Looking for beads, I stopped by Artbeads.com, that has... mmmmmm... unbelievably rich inventory! Using right angle weave technique, stringing and looping, Czech glass beads and Toho seed beads 11/0, I designed the necklace I like. It took me just a few hours! The only problem is how to photograph the necklace because of sparkling beads. It's not named yet, could you help me please with that?

Disclosure. Being a reviewer of Artbeads.com products and a participant of its blogging program I received Czech firepolished beads free of charge. This post reflects my honest opinion; and Artbeads.com is not compensating me for my endorsement as it pertains to the products received and reviewed.

Art and Fashion Show

2010-05-17T22:26:00.004-04:00

FREE Event - Art and Fashion Inspired by the Rainforest

Where:
Torpedo Factory Art Center, 105 N. Union St., Alexandria, VA

When:
Friday, May 21, 7:30pm

As part of the Friends of the Torpedo Factory 's Performance Art & Lecture Series, visitors are invited to view a fashion show and exhibit featuring wearable art and jewelry by twenty-one artists from the Torpedo Factory as well as Malaysian Batik Designer Sharifah Maheran Barakbah of Barakaff.

Participating Artists from the Torpedo Factory: Mirella Belshe, Cindy Brandt, Ruth Buhrman, Ann Citron, Ann DiPlacido, Candace Edgerly, Tamara Embry, Min Enghauser, Annemarie Feld, Jolande Goldberg, Zoya Gutina, Marcia Jestaedt, Anne Landry, Virginia Irby-Maxwell, Jamaliah Morais, Lane Palmisano, Gladys Seaward, Connie Slack, Alexia Scott, Tracie Griffith-Tso, and Liang Wei.

Read more...

Creating Personalized Jewelry

2010-04-18T21:46:00.002-04:00

Designing jewelry for my customers, from time to time I spoil myself. And, as a rule, soon the articles I create for myself were gifted to my daughters and my friends. Once I decided - stop, I wanted a piece of personalized jewelry! Of course, a Z-pendant featuring the first letter of my name should have become the best solution for that.

I'm not a fan of gold jewelry, and when looking for components for my new necklace and finding out on Artbeads.com amazing Bronze Alphabet Pendants, I was really excited! In my opinion, bronze pendants are a great alternative to their more expensive golden cousin at a fraction of the price. The combination of copper and tin gives bronze a rich color and durability that has made bronze a favorite among jewelers for centuries. When bronze is cast, it expands and fills in cracks, creating great detail and texture.

Swarovski Elements's crystal faux pearls, brass bird charms, brass spacers with Swarovski crystals, and a antique brass magnetic closure were perfect addition to my personal necklace. Spring is already here, and created a small light necklace using Extreme wire by Soft Flex Company. Using Z-focal (it comes from Zoya!) has given me hope that the necklace will adorn me for a long time.

Disclosure. Being a reviewer of Artbeads.com products and a participant of its blogging program I received a Bronze Alphabet Pendant free of charge. This post reflects my honest opinion; and Artbeads.com is not compensating me for my endorsement as it pertains to the products received and reviewed.

Fashion Colorworks 2010. Jurors

2010-03-14T14:36:00.004-04:00

I created the page where I introduce the jurors of the first Fashion Colorworks 2010 Beading Contest:

Beverly Ash Gilbert (www.beverlygilbert.blogspot.com),
Albina Polyanskaya (www.beads.com.ua),
Kerrie Slade (www.kerrieslade.blogspot.com)

Jurors Page

Please send any questions at info@mylovelybeads.com with subject FASHION COLORWORKS 2010.

Fashion Colorworks 2010. Rules

2010-02-24T22:47:00.007-05:00

We are launching the first Fashion Colorworks 2010 Beading Contest, it is held by My Lovely Beads. Entries should be made using one of the color combinations made up of three colors announced by the Pantone Color Institute, the world-renowned authority on color and provider of color systems, as top 10 colors for spring 2010:

Pantone fashion color report spring 2010

Contest Rules

The contest sponsors are:

Artbeads.com

Soft Flex Company

Beads Direct UK

Please send any questions at info@mylovelybeads.com with subject FASHION COLORWORKS 2010. Submit your entries! We wish you success!

Heart watch and Time for love

2010-02-10T12:37:00.004-05:00

This year I was truly excited by Valentine’s Day beads and components from one the suppliers I've dealt for almost a year, Artbeads.com.

I've newer done watch bands, but when I found out the Marcasite Heart Watch Face on their website, I changed my mind. Thinking of coming Valentine's Day I decided that it would be a great reminder that it is time for love! This heart watch face adorned with marcasites, a very interesting mineral; sterling silver clasp of the same style, hemalyke beads and Queen of Hearts Fire Designs furnace glass beads promised to be a good match.

My Marcasite Heart Watch is done, I like it. What about you?

Disclosure. Being a reviewer of Artbeads.com products and a participant of its blogging program I received all Marcasite Heart Watch Face and Queen of Hearts glass beads free of charge. This post reflects my honest opinion; and Artbeads.com is not compensating me for my endorsement as it pertains to the products received and reviewed.

Hot copper warms me up!

2010-02-06T20:32:00.006-05:00

Is it Russia? Is it Siberia? Oh, no! That's Alexandria, VA, on February 6. In D.C. metro area a snowstorm totals around 1.5 to 2 feet are common, with some places up to and past 30" or 36". Unbelievable! And I'm glad, that these severe days I'm warmed up with the stuff I received from from Artbeads.com.

For sure, Valentine’s Day beads and components can make happy any beadworker because of coming holiday, but copper elements did warm me up this weekend when I worked!

Don't wonder please, as a focal of my first copper necklace I used Copper Heart Toggle Clasp; and I added a mix of copper beads, bright and dark copper color seed beads, copper coins from oriental countries, jasper donuts and leopard skin jasper rounds, some other elements, and I'm done! Hot Copper Mix Necklace is ready.

Close-up of Hot Copper Mix Necklace.

The focal of my second necklace is a regular Copper Heart Shaped Leaf Pendant; Delica beads and teardrop beads with AB coating were a nice addition, they helped me create Copper Heart Leaf Necklace.

Close-up of Copper Heart Leaf Necklace.

Disclosure. Being a reviewer of Artbeads.com products and a participant of its blogging program I received all Copper Heart components free of charge. This post reflects my honest opinion; and Artbeads.com is not compensating me for my endorsement as it pertains to the products received and reviewed.

CZ means Cubic Zirconia

2009-12-09T20:22:00.006-05:00

It sounds like you claim to keep silence, "CCCCCCCC..." This sound reminds you of a bee buzz, "ZZZZZZZZZ..." If you put this letters together, it will be something strange, "CZ". Let's open Wikipedia for "CZ", and the first result returns you "Cubic Zirconia". We read, "Cubic Zirconia (or CZ) is the cubic crystalline form of zirconium dioxide. The synthesized material is hard, optically flawless and usually colorless, but may be made in a variety of different colors. It should not be confused with zircon, which is a zirconium silicate. Because of its low cost, durability, and close visual likeness to diamond, synthetic cubic zirconia has remained the most gemologically and economically important competitor for diamonds since 1976."

To tell the truth, I knew about Cubic Zirconia, but haven't tried those "diamondy" beauties until I received Cubic Zirconia Beads from Artbeads.com. They have a beautiful choice of CZs of any kind: beads, pendants, teardrops and so on. I decided to use faceted teardrops in my design.

According my idea, the necklace should have been pretty light and elegant, to wear for any occasion, and I added Amethyst, Garnet, Peridot, Olivine and Yellow CZ Faceted Teardrop Pendants to the main chain made using amethyst faceted round beads, seed beads and peridot chips. I wish I have wider CZ pendants color range, but for now it's fine. Ahhhha... Next time I'll try to combine those teardrops with Russian leaves...

The first picture displays my finished necklace, which I haven't named yet, and the second one - its close-up. What about name? Any idea?

Disclosure. Being a reviewer of Artbeads.com products and a participant of its blogging program I received all CZ Faceted Teardrops free of charge. This post reflects my honest opinion; and Artbeads.com is not compensating me for my endorsement as it pertains to the products received and reviewed.

Flex Your Creativity: winners announced!

2009-12-05T13:19:00.005-05:00

December started with good news that came from Soft Flex Company, the company announced the winners of the Flex Your Creativity Beading Contest, and my Bridal Flowers Necklace won First Place and Grand Prize. My another piece, Pearl Fireworks Necklace won the Seventh Place. Thanks to all who voted for me! My warmest congratulations to all winners, finalists and participants! WoooooooHooooooooo!!!

Winners List

New life of old earrings

2009-11-20T14:31:00.004-05:00

Recently a friend of my friend has brought me a pair of old vintage earrings (Sterling silver, labradorite and pearls) and asked me to create an unusual piece of jewelry using those earrings.

Create a new pair of earrings using the old ones? Oh, no! I decided to keep the old design, and put the earrings together on a blank beadwoven bracelet. I picked up seed beads matching labradorite and pearls for the bracelet, and added a few seed bead branches with amethyst rounds, pearls and some gemstone chips. So, here we are!

Lady Winter Necklace

2009-11-11T19:52:00.006-05:00

Here is another Russian pendant, handpainted on a piece of black onyx and featuring a small part of the whole painting Winter, by Alfons Mucha.

And here is my another necklace featuring Russian pendants, its style completely differs from my Picasso's Dream Necklace. Not only shape, but technique and materials are different: I combined free-form and Russian leaves, as media I used seed and bugle beads, and a lot of Swarovski crystal pearls.

At last, here is a close-up of my lovely Lady! Maybe, too much gold, maybe I needed to add some silver color pearls, who knows, what would be better!

Tropical Blossom Necklace

2009-11-05T22:57:00.005-05:00

I had a dream - to create a necklace using mostly Swarovski crystals. Of course, with seed beads together! Artbeads.com declared October as their month of Swarovski, and I didn't want to loose such a great opportunity. They have over 5,000 different items from Swarovski including beads, pendants, rhinestones, buttons, chain and more. In other words, everything you need to design the most dazzling jewelry!

I received from Artbeads.com different Swarovski crystal beads (Margarita Bead Jet and Margarita Bead Siam of different size), rivolis (Rivoli Siam, Rivoli Padparadscha, Rivoli Black Diamond), and amazing Aquiline Pendants, added bicones I've already had, and started working.

I must confess, it was a pleasure to work with Swarovski! Though I'm not a fan of bright sparkling beads and elements, I can sometimes afford to work with such materials, right? The name was born easily: Tropical Blossom! I think, it's fine for my necklace.

My daughter as a model

2009-11-05T22:41:00.003-05:00

It can happen not very often when I make pictures of my jewelry on models. Here my daughter Ivanna is serving me as a model. At that time she was just back from the Burning Man Festival, she grabbed my necklace and put it on! I called that free-form necklace Southwestern Taste because of its color combination.

Burning Man website: www.burningman.com

Alexandria Festival of the Arts

2009-11-05T22:35:00.002-05:00

Annual Alexandria Festival of the Arts is voted one of the top 100 art festivals in the country by Sunshine Artist magazine. As usual, it took place in September.

More than $15 million in art was on display, and more than 200 juried artists have displayed and sold fine art ranging from paintings, sculpture, prints and photography to pottery, glass, jewelry and ceramics. This year we noticed less sculpture artworks, but much more jewelry of any kind. Anyway, festival made a great success!

Pictures: Festival of the Arts

Art Activated at the TFAC

2009-11-05T22:30:00.003-05:00

I had to post that at least a month ago, but better late, than never! A great event took place in September at the Torpedo Factory Art Center, where visual art came alive during the Alexandria Festival of the Arts. Artists demonstrated throughout the day pottery on the wheel, drawing, bubble glass making, beading, spinning, weaving, knitting, limestone carving, etching, and much more. Visitors could try their hand at different art techniques including clay throwing, sculpture, and fiber art at special "Try Me" stations.

Hands-on projects also included Champagne Cork Chairs workshop, Bubble Gum painting, Create Your Own Button workshop, Screen printing workshop, Mask Making workshop and so on. Lots of fun for both, adults and kids!

Pictures: Art Activated

"Flex Your Creativity" Beading Contest

2009-10-02T15:29:00.006-04:00

Poll: Choose the Winner!
There are two my items (one is below), contest is open to vote!

Bridal Flowers Necklace

Looking for colors

2009-09-13T21:34:00.009-04:00

Last year when I worked on my Mermaids Garden Necklace I selected an unusual color combination of copper and aquamarine to pale blue - to express an ocean theme, and I haven't expected that many people would like that palette. From time to time I play with different colors - I love it!

Looking back at the Mermaid's Garden, I wanted to try colors like those, but of other shades. I got from AuntiesBeads.com Bronze Swarovski crystal pearls, Caribbean Blue Opal Swarovski crystal bicones, and Metallic Indigo Iris Miyuki seed beads, this combination seemed to be very interesting for me!

I was eager to challenge and when I received my order, I immediately started beading. Oh, no, I wanted just to try my idea! Look at the picture, here is my new necklace. I don't know how you like it, but yesterday at the Art Activation in the Torpedo Factory Art Center (Alexandria, VA), where I demonstrated beading to public, my necklace attracted a lot of attention. I guess, partly because of colors. Now I'm thinking how to name the necklace... Any suggestions?

How is it on a model?

2009-08-24T22:06:00.004-04:00

I like the visitors in my studio who makes the photos with my jewelry on. As a rule, they ask my permission to do so, and I'm always glad to see them modeling my beadworks. Sometimes in my turn, I ask them to pose and the answers are positive. Here is a sample: Dorothy from Maryland modeling my Phoenix Firebird Necklace. How is it on Dorothy? I think, it's a nice view!

Russian Pendants

2009-08-18T21:01:00.008-04:00

The story with The Dream by Pablo Picasso will continue! Last week I bought seven more Russian pendants!

Birthday, by Marc Chagall

The Painter: To the Moon, by Marc Chagall

Judith, by Gustav Klimt

The Kiss, by Gustav Klimt

The Virgins, by Gustav Klimt

Winter, by Alfons Mucha

Renaissance - Mask Your Face

Picasso's Dream Necklace

2009-07-24T20:49:00.007-04:00

Not in a couple of days, but the necklace with the Russian pendant featuring The Dream by Picasso is finished! It was a pleasure to play with colors and texture. I decided not to round angles you can see in my previous post on the base of my necklace, because the pendant is rectangular and I wanted to keep the common shapes. I've tried to use the same colors as on the miniature, but without big bright spots, just to accent the beauty of the pendant. By the way, I used in my work seed beads I bought on sale at Artbeads.com. I hope people will like my new beadwork. Thank you, Artbeads.com!

Here is the finished necklace live, I mean here is how it looks on. It seems to be pretty, and my model looks great wearing the necklace. Top secret: this girl is also Russian!

Incorporating Art

2009-07-19T12:51:00.011-04:00

Once I've already written, that I added Artbeads.com to my list of on-line stores where I buy jewelry supplies. Surfing that website for some interesting things in June, I noticed the word "Russian". Hmmm... I wondered, what about Russia and Russians was there? I opened a page - OMG! Try to imagine: I found pendants replicated portions of famous paintings from artists such as Chagall, Mucha, Klimt, Botticelli, Matisse and Picasso, handpainted by Russian artisans! These Russian pendants feature just a small piece of the whole paintings, but in doing so, the essence of the artistry is captured!

For sure, my customers and I would love to wear a true piece of art with one of these gorgeous masterpieces, and I grabbed one pendant featuring The Dream by Picasso, first of all because I'm a fan of Picasso's talent. It doesn't mean I don't like the artworks of Chagall or Klimt, but The Dream reminds me of the traditional Russian folk art - Palekh lacquer miniatures.

The backing of the pendant is a piece of black onyx, and the pendant is drilled from top to bottom. It's great for a wide range of stringing opportunities but not for beadweaving. If we had those pendants drilled on top from side to side, it would add much more opportunities for beadworkers. Anyway, I found how I can incorporate a piece of art into my jewelry piece! I haven't finished my beadwork yet, it's in process, we'll see the result in a couple of days...

New York Fashion Show

2009-07-19T12:06:00.003-04:00

That's certainly a joke, I mean Fashion Show! Here is Paulina, my adorable and lovely granddaughter showcasing my beaded jewelry. On the first photo Paulina features Poppy Field Necklace.

On that photo Paulina displays Midsummer Night's Dream Necklace. What can I say? Though Paulina, my love and happiness, is a little bit more than 11 months here, she feels very comfortable with my beadwork on! Go, my lovely baby!

The First Colorworks Challenge

2009-07-13T17:24:00.006-04:00

The first Colorworks Challenge was held by Step by Step Beads Magazine. The orange-purple-green tertiary triad presents a challenge of bold and striking contrasts, and contest participants had to create a piece of bead jewelry with the predominant colors of that triad (any shades of those colors). Finalists were selected by Margie Deeb, Colorworks author, and the editors of Step by Step Beads. Today I received an email, that read,

Congratulations!

Your work was chosen by Margie Deeb as one of the top ten finalists in our first Colorworks contest! Though you did not win first place, your piece will be showcased in a special Colorworks gallery in the November/December 09 issue of Step by Step Beads. Thank you for submitting such outstanding work!

Best regards,
Leslie Rogalski
Editor in chief, Step by Step Beads

Leslie Rogalski meant my Lush Spring Blues necklace...
Good news is good news!

First videoclip on YouTube!

2009-07-05T22:03:00.003-04:00

My first videoclip on YouTube. Enjoy!

World of Beads VIII

2009-07-05T18:33:00.005-04:00

The exhibit World of Beads VIII: A 20 Year Retrospective held by
The Bead Society of Greater New York on June, 19-21, had a great success. This three-day juried exhibit featured the unique beadwork of The Bead Society of Greater New York (BSGNY) creative and talented members spanning the 20 years of the organization's existence.

Yoshi Marubashi, Leah Becker, Evelyn Letfuss, Nina Libin, Linda Rettich, Marsha Davis, Masami Sato, Ruth Oisteanu, I listed just a few from many artists whose artwork attracted common attention. All artists brought the excitement, passion and beauty of this timeless art form to the public. Beadwork demonstrations and free workshops were presented throughout the event, other activities included bead vendors, sale of bead books, raffles and a children's table. Congratulations and Bravo to all BSGNY members!

Pictures from the World of Beads VIII

2009 Bead Dreams. Christmas Eve

2009-06-09T21:19:00.003-04:00

Necklace Christmas Eve, the finalist of the 2009 Bead Dreams contest and exhibit. I made the base of the necklace using netting stitch of my own design, I used for that vintage Italian bugle beads and seed beads. All elements were made separately: golden three-dimensional flowers with red petals in the center, and golden fringes with red beads and Swarovski crystals. I decided not to create a special clasp for the necklace, I used two ribbons of matching gold and red colors to add some more festive accent.

Here is a closeup of Christmas Eve. Materials: Toho seed beads 11/0, Delica seed beads 11/0 and 15/0; vintage Italian bugle beads size 2, Swarovski crystals, pearls size 3 and 5, ribbons. Techniques: peyote, netting, coral, right angle weave stitches, embroidery.

That's my second Bead Dreams final in a row, I'm so excited and happy!

Convergence Exhibit - B&B Show

2009-06-08T13:14:00.002-04:00

Another video by Sara Hardin. This one is on the Convergence Exhibit, the International Society of Glass Beadmakers' juried exhibition project.

2009 Bead Dreams Blue Ribbons

2009-06-08T13:06:00.003-04:00

Sara Hardin from Phoenix, Arizona, has posted a video on 2009 Bead Dreams Blue Ribbons.

Congratulations to all winners!

I tried Artbeads.com

2009-05-03T21:27:00.008-04:00

I understand that jumping from one media to another, from one style to another, or even from one supplier to another is not in favor of my business, but I cannot sometimes resist if I see something unusual and interesting, and want to try new materials and beading supplies. Recently my attention was attracted by canvas on wood pendant from Artbeads.com. I found a lot of such pendants, but the red-almost-black seemed to me the best one.

Though I've never used such pendants I decided to play with that one, moreover I had in my trunk matching polymer clay beads (I made them a few years ago but had no idea where to use them) and bright red coral beads. Carmen! That's the name of my future necklace that came to me! I was a simple string, that I accented it with the narrow golden ribbon.

In a couple of days I continued my research, and created another version of Carmen: the same polymer clay and coral beads, and seed beads. I decided to let the strings go where they want, and it turned out to be a free-form necklace.

I guess, my first try of pendants from Artbeads.com is successful, it was great to play with colors and materials to focus the pendant! The only thing I don't like is that the silver-color bail doesn't match the pendant color palette, yellowish bail would be better I think.

Bead Dreams 2009 finalist!

2009-04-29T16:35:00.004-04:00

Again WoooHooooooo!

On April, 23rd I received a notification from B&B that my Christmas Eve Necklace made the final of Bead Dreams 2009 and will be exhibited at the Bead&Button Show that will take place on May 31 - June 7, Midwest Airlines Center, Milwaukee, WI.

This year in addition to the Bead Dreams and Convergence exhibition there will be two displays displays from Japan. The first one is an exhibit of 10-to-15 top award-winning pieces from the beadwork and jewelry contest held at the Hakone Open-Air Museum. The exhibit will include pieces that have won Awards of Encouragement.

Moreover, TOHO Beads and TOHO distributors are exhibiting a portion of the "Treasures of TOHO Emerging Artist Competition." The contest aims to cultivate new artists who produce artistic designs using TOHO beads. This is the first time a portion of the "Treasures of TOHO" will be showcased at the Bead&Button Show.

Don't miss Bead&Button Show, the largest jewelry and bead show in the world!

Mentioned in Washington Post

2009-03-21T15:37:00.004-04:00

WoooHooooooo!

In yesterday's weekend issue of Washington Post there is an article on my Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria, VA. Among a few artists listed there there is my name!

Raw Materials, Talent in Old Town Alexandria

Process pics. Midnight Flowers

2009-03-15T19:43:00.007-04:00

Once a friend of mine who is hooked on making dichroic glass gave me a few cabochon-like articles. The idea of my future creation came to me immediately when I took those beautiful pieces of glass sparkling with different colors. Far more precious than a handful of loose diamonds, I decided that it should have been something night, mysterious and enigmatic...

I added to dichroic glass cabochons seed beads, bugle beads, accent beads, Swarovski crystals, Czech crystals, faceted black onyx rounds, and almost black dyed freshwater pearls.

The most painful work was to bead around cabochons because their shape differed from the shape of regular cabochons with sharp edges. I applied on the necklace my lovely Russian leaves and three-dimensional flowers of different colors with crystals and pearls in the middle. I filled the space between flowers with coral-like branches, and the necklace seemed to be finished. My friends told me, "Great work!", but I felt not satisfied, and put my creature aside for a while.

Only in about a month I realized what else needed to be done! I added the third layers to the middle bottom flowers and covered a little bit cabochons with the coral branches, it was the last touch!

Midnight Flowers was submitted to the Fire Mountain Gems and Beads 2008 Beading Contest held by FMG (Seed Beads Category) and won Judge's Favorite Award. Here is the full slide show of creating my necklace:

Midnight Flowers

Beading mania by Patrizia Tager

2009-03-07T15:50:00.003-05:00

Interview with jewelry artist Patrizia Tager

Our guest today is incredibly talented bead artist from Israel Patrizia Tager (Triz), she was very kind and agreed to answer our questions. We believe that you'll be glad to know Patrizia and read her short story on her passion, the name of which is beading! Thank you, Patrizia!

1. Triz, where are you from and where do you live now?

I was born in Milan, Italy where I lived till I was twelve. My mother is French and my father is British, and when I was 12 my family moved "back" to England. After graduating from college at the age of 22, I decided to move to warmer climates, as I cannot stand cold and rainy weather, so I moved to Israel, where the sun shines eleven months of the year. I'm still in Israel today.

2. What is your education and occupation?

I graduated with a B.A. Hons in Fashion Design from the American College in London (renamed The American Intercontinental University, London). I studied photography for two years in Israel and then in my perpetual quest to find myself, I went on to study Social Policy and Criminal Justice. I currently work as a desktop publisher for a medico-legal publishing house as well as working on my own beadwork and teaching intermediate/advance bead embroidery workshops.

3. When did you start crafting and what was your first craft?

This is so difficult to answer! I've always, as far as I can remember, been doing one form of craft or another. This is mainly due to the wonderful nanny, Paola, that looked after my sisters and I when we were little. She was with us for many years and was incredibly talented and resourceful. We used to make hand puppets and create the most beautifully decorated puppet theatres all made out of cardboard boxes. She also taught me to knit and to crochet and, in fact, introduced me to my early experience with beadwork by showing me how to make a loom out of a shoe box and taught me to make loom-woven beaded bracelets. Coming from a completely artistically-challenged family, she was my artistic angel sent from above. She ncouraged, praised and inspired me.

4. How did you come to beading? What inspired you?

As I mentioned above, I was introduced to beading by our nanny Paola, however those days were long forgotten once I moved to London and it wasn't until about 3.5 years ago that I was reintroduced to this wonderful world of beads. When my son turned one and started attending day-care a couple of times per week, I found myself desperate to get out of the house for a few hours and do something creative. The local shopping center had a beading shop and I went in to enquire about taking some classes. I took four basic beading classes, where I learnt to make a beaded ball and a couple of other beginner's projects. I became completely and utterly hooked with this medium. It was as though I found myself, finally! The four classes weren't enough, I desperately wanted more, so I went out and bought every magazine and book I could find on beadweaving and for a year I spent all of my free time trying out different techniques. It became my true passion verging on obsession.

5. How did you learn making your beadart works?

During my "learning" year I researched the subject extensively, especially on the Internet and became familiar with some wonderful bead artists. I discovered a whole world that I did not know existed and became aware of the endless possibilities of creating with these tiny little beads. I applied my earlier knowledge of design to this new medium which led to the creation of my own original pieces.

6. How is main work associated with beading? Does it help you to bead?

Sadly my "real" job has no associations whatsoever with beading and in fact it is an encumbrance to my creative flow and designs, but it's a job and it pays the bills.

7. What are your favorite techniques and media? Why?

Frankly, I love all the techniques I have learnt so far. Some I may find easier to execute than others, but if I had to choose a favorite it has to be bead embroidery. I love the freedom it allows. Whenever I'm bead-embroidering I feel as though I'm painting with beads. I see the beads as my paint and the various sizes and finishes of the beads as my brushstrokes. I find this technique incredibly liberating.

8. Are there any bead artists you try to follow?

There are so many bead artists that I'm truly in awe of, my favorite by far is Sherry Serafini. I think her work is not just stunningly beautiful but also genius. Her attention to detail and her workmanship are superb !!! David K. Chatt's beaded sculpture and jewelry are out of this world! The Lone Beader's amazing beaded artworks always leave me inspired and amazed at her creativity, originality and execution of her gorgeous art!

9. Where do you find images for your beadwork?

Absolutely everywhere; I look at everything: nature, architecture, antiquities, fashion, fabrics, art, colors, and other bead artists. By far my greatest inspiration comes from my own memories and life experiences - e.g.: my latest finished pieces, Frozen Waters Cuff and Frozen Waters Earrings were inspired by my childhood memories of holidays in the Swiss mountains - the colors, the brightness, the reflections, how the incredibly clear blue skies reflected off the snow and the frozen lakes. Obviously the memories are idyllic rather than factual, as I haven't been to Switzerland in over 20 years nor have I seen snow in over 10, but from those memories I get snippets of inspirations which I then translate into my work.

10. What do you think is your greatest achievements in beading?

My greatest achievement is winning the last two EtsyBeadWeavers' challenges for my works Let My People Go and
Black Panther!!! I'm so grateful that people like my work enough to vote for it! I'm also proud of how far I've come using this medium in such a short space of time!

11. What do you plan to improve in the future?

There is so much I still want to learn, for example, I have never tried the Russian stitches and I love how they look, I just haven't got round to trying them out yet! I learn something new every time I create a new piece - new challenges arise with each new design, I always strive to make my next piece better than my previous one. I see my beadwork as a learning journey, much the same as life!

Thank you, Patrizia! We wish you best of luck and a great success!

Beaded jewelry by Patrizia Tager

About artist:

Patrizia Tager, Herzlia, Israel
E-mail address: patriziatager@hotmail.com
Blog: triz-beadingmania.blogspot.com
Etsy: Triz Designs

Process pics. Mermaid's Garden

2009-01-18T13:00:00.004-05:00

"Maybe it was a dream about summer? The bright, golden sun and rich clear-blue sky embraced me with their tender warmth," those were my muses on the creation of my lovely seed-bead necklace Mermaid’s Garden.

Probably for the first time I have tried to combine a blue color scheme with copper-lined seed beads. I felt that choosen materials will allow me to achieve at once the cool touch of the ocean with the warmth of a summer sun!

I have woven a base using netting stitch, and created a lot of leaves of two colors, my favorite components.

The finishing touches were created with freshwater pearls and aquamarine gemstone chips – perfect for a maritime theme.

Mermaid's Garden is 2008 First Place winner of the "Your Designs Rock!" Jewelry Design Contest held by Rings & Things magazine (Glass Category). Here is the full slide show of creating my necklace:

Mermaid's Garden

The Lone Beader. Beading as Contemporary Art

2008-11-14T13:48:00.003-05:00

If you make search in Wikipedia by the word "beader", it will suggest you a few definitions, one of them says, "A beader uses beads to create many kinds of decorative items." Don't try to find in encyclopedia who The Lone Beader is. To start, we will tell you, that The Lone Beader is an extraordinary bead embroidery artist. Would you like to know some more? OK, The Lone Beader tells you her story on beads, bead embroidery, and beading as contemporary art.

"I have always been involved in the arts ever since I can remember. During elementary school in Erie, PA, I loved both art and music class, but I had a strong preference for music. I learned how to play the viola and I was very active in music all through my childhood.

Music was my #1 priority, but I had other interests, as well. I loved coloring and painting. My younger sister and I were always doing something creative. I remember that we made a lot of beaded necklaces and collages, but I think we tried almost every kind of craft at least once. My mother was always telling me I should try drawing, but I never thought I could, so she showed me how to cross-stitch. I remember spending hours outside under a tree working on my needlecraft.

My father also influenced me in a much different way. He loved racing cars and flying airplanes, and was always taking me with him on his journeys. Because of him, I had great big dreams of becoming an astronaut, fighter pilot, or roller coaster engineer. But instead, I decided to study music in Boston.

During college, I began working in the theatre, setting up rock concerts for a living. While I have worked other jobs, this was the only one that has interested me enough to stick with for well over a decade - perhaps it is because this career's infrequent schedule has given me the opportunity to rediscover the arts.

It never occurred to me to pursue a visual art until about 6 years ago. One day, I walked into a bead shop in Boston, and when I saw all of the seed beads, I felt like I finally found what I had been searching for. So, I started reading books and magazines and teaching myself how to make complex jewelry designs in almost every technique. But, when I tried bead embroidery, I knew this was what I loved most.

The idea for my first bead painting came after I embroidered a 6" x 9" panel depicting a flock of flamingos. I needed a way to display the finished piece, so I stitched the beaded panel to a canvas and painted in the extended environment. It was a simple concept, but I really liked the result, so I sent in a photo to Bead & Button Magazine. They published Flamingo Moon in 2005. That publication eventually led to my first commission, which was an experience that helped me find my artistic path, and has driven me to follow it..."

Full story by The Lone Beader

Beading as Contemporary Art

About artist:

The Lone Beader, Massachusetts, USA
Official Website: www.thelonebeader.com
E-mail address: thelonebeader@gmail.com
Gallery Shop: thelonebeader.etsy.com
Boutique: cafepress.com/lbsboutique
Blog: blog.thelonebeader.com

Beaded jewelry by Jama Watts

2008-11-14T13:22:00.006-05:00

Jama Watts was born, raised and currently lives in Kentucky. She was introduced to art as most kids, in elementary school. "Getting to go to the art room in elementary school was always something special for me," Jama said. "I loved getting my hands dirty with clay, painting and drawing. But, since my dad was an engineer and I was good at math, I always thought I'd be an architect."

Watts took mostly construction, drafting and other classes in middle and high school, but during the summer of 1992 she began to focus on drama and the arts, and later Jama decided to study art in college. After graduating from college Jama has spent a few years working in jobs that had nothing to do with the arts. In 200 Jama had a life-changing moment: needing a creative outlet, she began stringing beads and making rosaries to pass time. She is a self-taught beader, learning through books, magazines and experience.

Shortly after her daughter, Amber, was born, Jama left her office job and opened a small art gallery and coffee bar in Lebanon. The gallery, These Precious Things, represents 30 central Kentucky artists, allowing Jama to spend "down time" making jewelry at her desk.

The ideas for her pieces come from a variety of sources. She has a slight addiction to beading magazines and books but most of her inspiration comes from a background in painting, sculpture and nature. She loves color and texture, which shows in her jewelry. Jama often begins a piece as a way to examine a new stitch or color palette then lets the piece tell her where it wants to go. Her favorite work is in freeform beading as she feels it allows her to express herself more freely.

Jama has come to think of her pieces as "wearable art" rather than "just jewelry," which she feels allows her greater creativity when designing and working on her pieces. Watts' work is also a reflection of what she's into or going through at the moment she makes the piece. Music, emotions and paintings are starting points for many pieces, as is the desire to test out a new stitch.

"I'm very ADD when it comes to my craft, learning new techniques constantly and playing with the results," she said. "I guess you could call it contemporary tradition! I do everything from pieces that look vintage to incorporating computer and watch parts into my pieces."

Watts has ventured into cold-connected metal work, wire wrapping and silver clay but always returns to the beads, elaborating on traditional designs and creating her own. Her work has been featured in many national and local magazines, media and Internet outlets. She also filmed a segment for HGTV's "That's Clever!" which is tentatively scheduled to air in February 2009. Jama is a winner of several awards for her pieces over the last few years, she is an active member of beading and art associations. She also enjoys teaching jewelry-making classes at the local community education center. Jama's work can be found in her own gallery These Precious Things in Lebanon, KY, as well as in several retail outlets throughout Kentucky.

An article by Jama Watts

Beaded jewelry by Jama Watts

About artist:

Jama Watts, Lebanon, Kentucky, USA
E-mail address: jamama@gmail.com
Website: www.jamawatts.com
Gallery: www.thesepreciousthings.com
Etsy: www.thesepreciousthings.etsy.com
Blog: www.jamawatts.blogspot.com

Celebrating Beads, the journey of... Pictures

2008-11-09T15:08:00.004-05:00

At last! A week ago I had a chance to go to the Bead Museum in Washington, DC and to see all winner items of the Celebrating Beads, the journey of... contest. I tried to make some pictures but it was pretty hard using my old camera.

All items were in cases, and the light in the room wasn't bright, so I had to use flash on my camera, that's why the pictures are of such quality... Anyway, my husband and I enjoyed watching all amazing works live! I'd like to congratulate the winners, the finalists and the participants of the Celebrating Beads contest, I know many of them, and to wish them all best of luck!

Slide show: Celebrating Beads Winner Items

Google for beaded jewelry!

2008-11-03T22:21:00.003-05:00

On October, 17th, I discovered that the Google search for "beaded jewelry" returned 2,340,000 websites with MyLovelyBeads.com on the first place. I could hardly believe that! I checked out the same search criteria next day, in a week, in two weeks, but my website is still on the first position. I'm pretty excited!

Celebrating Beads, the journey of... Bead Gala

2008-11-03T21:39:00.004-05:00

Celebrating Beads, the journey of... First Annual International Juried Jewelry Design Competition is over, bead artists from over 14 countries and 33 states participated in the contest. The culmination of the competition was The Passion for Beads Gala held at the Naval Heritage Memorial Center in Washington, DC on Saturday, September 20th, 2008. There I met one of my readers - The Lone Beader, and I was happy! We talked a lot and we are like old friends now!

The Lone Beader, an extraordinary bead embroidery artist from Boston, MA, and me

It was really exciting event, where the contest winners were announced, and the World Premier of Diana Friedberg's final documentary in her award winning series World on a String, Part V: A Passion for Beads took place. This documentary features bead makers and jewelry designers from around the world and was the perfect touch for that evening Celebrating Beads and the designers who make and use them.

Rafael Matias, California, USA, a guest artist from the documentary

I met many wonderful people at the Gala: four of contest jurors, editors from two national beading magazines, and a lot of contest participants. It was my first such an event, and I can say that the entire experience was necessary, fun, and interesting.

Slide show: The Passion for Beads Gala

First Place in 2008 Celebrating Beads, the jorney of... contest!

2008-09-21T15:07:00.004-04:00

WooooooooHoooooooo!

Last night at the Bead Gala in the US Navy Memorial and Naval Heritage Center in Washington, DC my necklace Mid Summer Night's Dream was announced as the First Place winner of the 2008 Celebrating Beads, the jorney of... International Juried Jewelry Design Competition (seed bead category)! I'm happy! :)

Fire Mountain Gems and Beads 2008 Beading Contest

2008-09-17T23:20:00.004-04:00

FMG 2008 Beading Contest winners were announced a couple of weeks ago. Not gold, not silver, not bronze, I got just Judge's Favorite Award for two necklaces (Midnight Flowers and Shahrazad), and Golden Rose Necklace made FMG final.

Here are the links to these items:

Midnight Flowers Necklace
Shahrazad Necklace
Golden Rose Necklace

Art Activated at the Torpedo Factory

2008-09-17T23:08:00.004-04:00

Visual art came alive at the Torpedo Factory during the Alexandria Festival of the Arts! On September, 13th, TFAC artists demonstrated pottery on the wheel, painting, enamel work, printmaking, and much more.

Guests got creative with the popular Champagne Cork Chairs Workshop and fiber art activities, while the Alexandria Archaeology Museum joined the fun with a history-inspired drawing activity. Storytelling and flute performances, art-inspired dance vignettes, and so on. It was a really exciting event!

Art Activated at the Torpedo Factory

Wirework jewelry by Carina Veling

2008-08-26T21:55:00.009-04:00

Interview with wirework artist Carina Veling

Carina Veling lives in a small village in the Venlo region, in the south of the Netherlands, and has been making jewelry and other art for much of her life. When she was 14 years old she began to make jewelry, and has since ventured into many materials and techniques. Some of the techniques that she has used are wire wrapping, chainmaille, beadweaving, stringing, wire crochet, netting, and polymer clay as well as many others. We have known Carina for a long time, found her jewelry adorable. and asked her for an interview. She was so kind that agreed to answer all our questions. Thank you, Carina!

1. Carina, how long have you been making jewelry?

Hard to say, when I was 14 years or so I made earrings for myself and friends of mine (I think I still have them now - I'm kidding). The earrings were made using ballpoint springs and seed beads. Furthermore, I have done different things in the creative fields, such as 3D greeting cards, pergamano greeting cards, and embroidery on greeting cards. Then I discovered embroidering with beads on greeting cards. A few years ago I discovered www.wigjig.com and I bought my first hobby jig (a green plastic thing), and I made a few necklaces, earrings and bracelets with it.

2. What or who inspires you for that?

In December 2004, I became a member of the B&B forum, my first beaders' community and I was amazed by the work of many others. My heroes at that time were MEW (Middle Earth Wire), Totemic (John Wik) and Gwen Fisher. Lately I'm more active on the Starving Artists and Jewelry Artists websites, where I have met some more my favorite artists, among them are: Zoya Gutina, Jacksmom, Kvorrie, RubyBee, etc. Of course you can also find me on a few Dutch forums where I've also got a few favorites: Blackcrow, Miranda, Ineke, Armande, and CarolinaG, to count just a few.

3. Are you a self taught jewelry maker or have you taken classes?

I have never taken any classes. I was inspired and encouraged to try what I'm doing now by the work of the other artists. In my country there have been little to no workshops or classes. Everything I wanted to learn I had to collect from the Internet. So far this has been fine; I design my jewelry trying to follow my friends' and other artists' advice, and mostly I succeed with the first tries. If not, I keep going until I am successful.

4. Have you already chosen the particular type of jewelry to make?

Well, even now, I change my preferences. Today I like stringing, tomorrow I might start making some beaded beads and so on. At this moment I have returned to chainmaille and wire wrapping.

5. What kind of techniques have you tried?

You may ask what I have not tried. Yet, I'll try to give you a short list of things that I have done: wire wrapping, chainmaille, beadweaving, stringing, wire crochet, netting, polymer clay, etc.

6. Which technique do you like best of all and why?

The best techniques I found are wire wrapping and chainmaille. I do not know why, probably because they are soothing and relaxing.

7. What are your favorite materials?

Gemstones, sterling silver, silverplated artistic wire, crystals, copper wire. I can work with whatever is available, even plastic or acrylic beads when they are nice.

8. Do you plan your work or don't you know the result in advance?

As a rule, I make a drawing or a sketch of my new project, but when I start creating a new piece sometimes it appears to be not feasible and I have to make minor adjustments. In some cases, I know in advance what I want to make, but very often it ends up completely different as what I had in my mind before, usually better. Sometimes it can happen that I just start and let the beads and wire guide me.

9. How much time does a new item take you?

I don't know, it depends on what I'm making, it can vary from 15 minutes to a few hours.

10. How do you find the themes for your creations?

I think the most I get inspired by the work and ideas of others, but I change the design so they are completely different at the end. Often, photographs in magazines or on the Internet can inspire me for my items. Sometimes I see something in a store (even in a hardware store) or I find something during cleanup that makes me think: "Yes, I could use that for my design." This is what happened the last time, when I found a box with tap rubbers, which are now included in my chainmaille necklace and earrings.

11. How would you describe your style and the signature of your jewelry?

I do not know whether I have a style, let alone a signature. I just make what comes to my head. If you have a name for that, feel free to let me know.

12. What do you like in jewelry trends?

Not much, frankly, I do not pay attention to the trends, I make what I like. The disadvantage of trends is that everyone makes jewelry of the same look and very soon it becomes boring.

13. What jewelry style is your favorite?

Romantic Goth and Victorian, but in a modern twist.

14. Jewelry of which modern artists do you like and why?

I'm not fond of modern jewelry and I don't know the names of the artists who make modern jewelry. But I do love the work of Raven Eve, mainly because of the style and because she is not afraid of using the materials she uses.

15. Do you participate in any jewelry design contests and exhibits?

Sometimes I do participate in contests, but more for fun and to see how I can be creative to compare to the other artists than to win. Exhibitions seem to be fun, unfortunately there are no opportunities in my region for that, or I have not looked for them well enough.

16. Do you sell your jewelry and where?

I've made just a few tries to sell my jewelry. I've sold my creations at a hairdressing sallon for a while, and actually I sold a couple of necklaces. My coworkers bought a few pairs of earrings and bracelets. Now I'm redesigning my website so that it would be more commercial and easier for my potential customers. The url will be the same as it is now.

17. Do your family and friends support your jewelry making passion?

My boyfriend (partner) thinks it takes too much space, but he helps me with the web design. Otherwise the things associated with my jewelry making will take much more time. My mother thinks my creations are absolutely fantastic and almost all the time when I come to see her she has my jewelry on. Even my daughter began to like and wear my jewelry!

18. What do you feel when jewelry making? Does it help you in your life?

Sometimes I'm very relaxed, and sometimes I get stressed out, but generally I enjoy the process. It still has an advantage, as long I'm busy with making jewelry I forget to snack. Disadvantage is that I forget that I have to eat or drink, and even worse, that my family would like to eat as well. It also helps me in real life, it makes my self image better and builds up my self-esteem.

19. Do you want to try something new? What do you plan for the future?

I would love to try making glass beads and/or make something with precious metal clay; I also want to try working with sheet metal. For the foreseeable future I am going to redesign my own website and do web design in collaboration with my partner. We would like to design and to develop affordable web shops, first of all, for bead hobbyists.

Thank you, Carina! We wish you best of luck and a great success!

Wirework jewelry by Carina Veling

About artist:

Carina Veling, Venlo region, the Netherlands
E-mail address: violetmoon.nl@gmail.com
Website: www.violetmoon.nl

Power of Beading Contest and Charity Fundraiser

2008-08-20T11:51:00.001-04:00

Instructions for beadwork artist Kerrie Slade's Awareness Ribbon Pins are currently available on the Beading Daily website. All money raised from the sale of the instructions through to September 30th will be donated to two international charities, The Wellness Community and the American Institute of Cancer Research.

There is also a contest running until September 12th to win one of two pins created and donated by Kerrie. The pink ribbon (breast cancer awareness) includes a 9ct gold stick pin and the teal ribbon (ovarian cancer awareness) includes a sterling silver stick pin.

Kerrie is donating her designer fee from Interweave Press to Cancer Research UK. Please see the Beading Daily website or Kerrie's blog for further details.

Beaded beads by Gwen Fisher

2008-07-19T22:58:00.009-04:00

Interview with beadwork artist Gwen Fisher

The name of Gwen Fisher (California, USA), a mathematician and a beaded bead designer, is well known as the name of one of the most creative artists. She inspired a lot of beaders with her three-dimensional designs. The questions for this interview were collected by me on a Russian beaders' forum, where I opened a special topic for that, and every visitor could leave his question to Gwen Fisher. I picked up 18 best questions, and Gwen was so kind that she agreed to answer all of them! Thank you, Gwen!

1. When and how did you start beading?

I started weaving beads the first time in my early twenties, but all I did was stringing, fringe, and daisy stitch. Eventually, I got bored and switched to painting, and then quilting. I really took up bead weaving 2003. There was a seed bead shop two blocks from my apartment, and the owner of the shop had a case full of beautiful beaded objects designed by many famous designers. I was captivated, and I wanted to learn how to make some of the pieces, especially the beaded beads. So, I bought a few beads, books and magazines, and I taught myself to weave beads.

2. Who were your teachers in beading? Who inspired you first?

I have never taken a beading or jewelry making class. I learned beading from books and studying photos from websites. My early inspiration came from Carol Wilcox Wells, Sharri Moroshok, Christine Prussing, and Takako Samejima.

3. What was your first beaded item? Do you know where it is now?

I don't remember what my first beaded item was, but my first beaded bead looks like a lumpy, lopsided raspberry made from brick stitch. It's in my bead box with all of my other ugly beaded beads.

4. What kind of beading technique have you tried? Why did you choose beaded beads?

I've tried almost all of the common off-loom bead stitches done with a needle and thread: peyote, brick, herringbone, and spiral stitches, to name a few. My bead box is full of little samples of these.

Beaded beads are my favorite projects for several reasons. First, they are little treasures that I can finish in less than a day. Second, discovering new beaded bead designs seemed like a natural and challenging application of the math I love. Since I had been an avid quilt artist for the decade before I started bead weaving, I had plenty of time to fiddle with two-dimensional ideas that I could make with flat fabric. The three-dimensional nature of beaded beads gave me a whole new realm of mathematical ideas to explore. To me, weaving a beaded bead feels like solving a puzzle, and then I have a piece of jewelry when I'm done. Finally, I find something magical about a sparkly bead cluster woven entirely out of beads.

5. What sort of beads do you prefer? How do you pick up beads sizes? Is there the best proportion?

I like to use a wide variety of beads in each of my creations. My favorite beads to use are gemstones, especially sapphire, tourmaline, cubic zirconia, and labradorite, but I don't much enjoy reaming the holes before I use them. Most of the beads I use are glass. As for seed beads, I use sizes 15/0, 11/0, and 8/0 in most of my designs. Smaller beads are too difficult, and larger seed beads are not regular enough for symmetric designs. I almost never use cylinder seed beads because their square profiles do not seem to work as well in my designs as rounded seed beads. For finishes, I like metallic and matte metallic best, along with gold luster. As for glass,I prefer druks and faceted crystals to fire polished beads. Lately, I have been trying to incorporate more drop beads and 2mm and 3mm Swarovski crystals into my work.

6. How much do selected beads define the shape and look of a finished bead?

I especially look for beads that are the same size and shape before I buy them. If I use uneven, irregular beads, a beaded bead will never look very symmetric. Sometimes, I make the same design with different shapes and sizes of beads. This requires changing the counts of the smallest beads to cover the thread neatly. Changing bead sizes can radically change the shape and look of the finished beaded bead. I enjoy experimenting with this.

7. Do you plan your work or don't you know the result in advance?

I usually have some rough sketch of a geometric object before I start beading, but sometimes I just design directly with the beads. When I have a plan, the plan is usually just for the first steps of the basic construction. I generally don't know what the finished object will actually look like. That is one of the things that make it so interesting and keeps me trying new things.

8. How much time does a new bead model take you?

If I am lucky, I can realize a new idea in three hours. If I am unlucky, it takes three months. Once I have an idea, it usually takes me a couple of days to work out a specific design I like. Then, it takes a two or three weeks of full time work to make samples, photograph, write, and illustrate the pattern. I have one design, the Infinity Dodecahedron, that I discovered 2005, but didn't start writing the pattern until September 2007. I just finished it in July 2008. Conversely, I have other designs, such as the Fairy Chrysalis, Flower Ring, and Three Drop Earrings for which I had design and pattern completed in under a month each.

9. Is it possible to improve one's ability to pick up the most appropriate color combination, to define the sizes of beads for a project or is it purely intuitive?

I pick my color combinations deliberately. When I was a quilter, I went to the library at least twice to look at the books on color theory. I flipped through every book they had, and checked out several to read at home. Even with all of this, I have come up with dozens and dozens of ugly color combinations. I found that finding pretty bead color combinations is more complicated than choosing fabric or mixing paint.

As for sizes, I like to use a wide variety, but at the same time end up with a beaded bead that is a good size for jewelry. If I know how many of the largest beads I will need before I start, this helps me decide what size they should be.

10. What do you like in beading trends?

I like people who do their own thing. I like seeing people learn a bunch of different jewelry techniques and then combine or modify them to make new designs that are their own.

11. Beadwork of which modern artists do you like and why?

Gosh, there are so many... Melanie Doerman and Erin Simonetti are both amazing. So are Marcia DeCoster, Cynthia Rutledge, Laura McCabe, Zoya Gutina, and David Chatt. I just learned about Jessica Beels, and I think her work is lovely. I like these artists because their work shows their own style, and they all pay close attention to details. They all have great craftsmanship in addition to developing new ideas with their art. Also, my beading business partner Florence Turnour constantly impresses me with all of the new designs she creates.

12. Are you going to write a book on beaded beads? If yes, when?

I haven't decided. I have thought about it several times, and have written at least three different tables of contents. I keep changing my mind about what I would put in a single bound book. I think if I do ever compile a book, it will have different chapters for different bead weaving techniques. It probably won't all be on beaded beads.

13. Do you participate in any beading contests and exhibits? If yes, where?

I entered one beading contest, and I didn't make the finals. Then, I decided that winning a contest is not that important to me. I have noticed that the pieces that seem to win are large with lots and lots of beads, which is not my style. I don't enjoy making art to appeal to judges of competitions. Also, some contests seem to be much more about promoting the sponsors of the contest than the artists who contribute. So I haven't entered any more contests. I would rather put my time and energy in to writing patterns.

I do exhibit my work occasionally. Trios Gallery, near San Diego, California sells my jewelry, and I do home parties every few months. I have exhibited my work several times at mathematics and math/art conferences such as those sponsored by the American Mathematics Society and Bridges.

14. How can you combine your main job and beadwork?

I am currently on leave from my position as Associate Professor of Mathematics at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. This gives me lots of time for beading. Before I was on leave, I used most of my free time for my art. Also, I found that if I focused my hobby on mathematical art, I could write papers and present them at meetings. That way, my hobby became part of my job. In fact, this was my original motivation for writing about my artwork.

15. Did you like mathematics since you were at school or did it come later?

I have always liked mathematics and spatial reasoning, and I have always been very good at both. My favorite books to read as a child were puzzle books. I entered college as a math major with an emphasis on teaching, and I never changed my focus.

16. What kind of hobby except mathematics and beading do you have?

I was obsessed with quilting for 10 years before I started weaving beads. I also dabbled in other needlecrafts including sewing, embroidery, cross stitch, silk ribbon embroidery, weaving, and crochet. In high school and college, I painted and drew very regularly, but I do all of these hobbies much less now than I bead. Other hobbies I have had in the past include cooking, growing orchids, calligraphy, and origami.

17. Do you like the tales of your colleague mathematician Lewis Carroll?

I have always been a big fan of Lewis Carroll. My favorite character of his invention is the Cheshire Cat. I have read Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass many times, and I even tried reading his book on Symbolic Logic once, but I didn't get too far.

18. Do your family and your coworkers support your beading passion?

My family is very supportive of my work. My mother and sister wear my jewelry every time I see them. I have also received much support for my art from the larger mathematics community. I gave formal talks on the symmetry of beaded beads at two math conferences, and they were very well attended.

Thank you, Gwen! We love your mathematical beadart and wish you best of luck!

Beaded beads by Gwen Fisher

Bat Country project by Gwen Fisher

About artist:

Gwen Fisher, Ph.D, California, USA
E-mail address: gwen(at)beadinfinitum(dot)com
Website: www.beadinfinitum.com

Studio 5. First day

2008-06-10T21:25:00.007-04:00

This spring I won 2008 Annual Jury for Torpedo Factory Artist and became a member of this well known in Washington Metropolitan Area (and not only) Artist Association. Since June I have shared Studio 5 at the Torpedo Factory Art Center ( Torpedo Factory ).

Nancy Reinke, an artist and printmaker, has been working in Studio 5 for about 30 years, and it looks like a museum. What a cozy place!

I've got not so much room for my jewelry display, but that is my first public-open place, and I feel comfortable here.

In the studio I can work and sell my jewelry, that is what I need.

I'm so impressed and happy! Seems, I love the whole world!

First day in Studio 5

2008 Bead Dreams. Pictures

2008-06-10T21:05:00.010-04:00

People say that the Bead & Button Show is the most popular bead show in the whole world. And they are right! Students and exhibiters from more than 30 countries came this year to the Midwest Airlines Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was a full week of beading, jewelry making, shopping, and talking about beads.

The main event of course was the Bead Dreams exhibit. Works of all finalists were on display in the show’s lobby area. The winners in six categories received award ribbons and the outstanding piece among category winners received a Beast in Show trophy

There were two additional displays this year. One was the Japanese exhibit which presented the top award-winning pieces from the beadwork and jewelry contest held in the Hakone Open-Air Museum. The other one was the Out of the Box exhibit of glass beads.

Bead Dreams 2008 pictures

Process Pics. Autumn Splendor

2008-05-16T20:39:00.010-04:00

I made the necklace Autumn Splendor last late fall, when Joan Jensen from TazWood Creations suggested me to try her wood cabochons in my designs. A burl is a rounded outgrowth on a tree trunk or branch. Burls yield a very peculiar and highly figured wood. Because the number of trees that produce burl wood is quite low, the wood is scarce. These hand turned by Joan Jensen cherry burl wood cabochons have subtle inlays of turquoise in the burl's natural void.

I was so amazed by these beautiful cabochons, that immediately started designing my "autumny" necklace.

Then I beaded around the cabochons...

...and after that blended two sizes of wooden round beads, six colors of seed beads in three different sizes, as well as bugle beads and dyed cultured pearls. A brass toggle clasp was the perfect closure to this beadwork.

Beautiful TazWood cabochons and Autumn Splendor are shown together in the current issue of Beadwork magazine. The necklace was a finalist in the Wearable Expressions 2008 international contest and was being exhibited by Wearable Expressions in California. Here is the slide show of creating my necklace, and closeups:

Autumn Splendor

Process pics. Poppy Field

2008-05-13T22:59:00.016-04:00

The story of the Poppy Field necklace began a few months ago. I wanted to create something springy/summery and bright, even hot. I had a dream to design a collection with beaded flowers, I love poppies and decided to start with beaded poppies. I didn't have the exact plan of my design, I was just thinking on my future creature, and started making poppy petals and putting them together. At that time I didn't have any idea how many of them I would need.

Then I created a lot of green leaves of different shades.

First of all, I decided to check out my color combinations and some design decisions on a bracelet. I woven a base from bugle beads using peyote stitch, and embroidered it with a poppy flower, leaves, small light green teardrop beads, and accent beads.

Next day the bracelet was sold out and a friend of mine asked me to create for her matching earrings and a small necklace with "poppy field" centerpiece, that I created keeping in my mind the bracelet design, just adding fringes made using coral technique.

I had almost all elements of my future necklace ready to put together, but I decided to add poppy buds, and I made them wrapping some of the petals. Here is the full slide show of creating my necklace:

Poppy Field

"Your Designs Rock!" 2008

2008-05-12T17:22:00.010-04:00

At the very end of April the winners of "Your Designs Rock!" 2008 Jewelry Design Contest were announced. I'm happy to tell you, that the second year in a row I won the First Place in Glass category (necklace "Mermaid's Garden").

Besides, my another necklace "Egyptian Nights" won Honorable Mention Award in Gemstones and Pearls category. Thank you, Rings and Things!