Aftermath from the Bead and Button Show

Everyone is way ahead of me!

They've posted and shown what their shopping cruise netted at the Bead and Button Show.

Well, I'm finally home,

and

I finally took pictures, so 

HERE

WE

GO!

I decided that this year, I would treat myself to a bit of  Jennifer Jangles,

Aren't these beads fun?

I can hardly wait to get to work on them!

 

 

These flower discs were made by Susan Sheehan.

Aren't they pretty?

These will make fun earrings or a bracelet!

They will be fun!

 

 Isn't this bird cute?

It was made by Amy Walman-Smith.

I thought he was so cute!

Wow!

My Holly Cooper bead!

Love it!

Trade Beads!

From Left to Right

Darcy York,

Amy Singleton Kuczewski

Sharon Driscoll.

Cool, huh?

 

 

Look at this sweet bag from Lori Anderson!  

Lori hosted a get together for those of us who had participated in her previous Bead Soup Blog hops.

It was fun!

Look at the wonderful goodies in the bag!!

Thank you, Lori!

We had a mini bead soup trade.

We all put our "soups" in a basket.  Lori walked around the room with all the "soups" in a basket,

and we got to choose our "soups" from the basket held above our heads.

This is what I received!

Love it!!!

Coming soon!

Classes!

They were fun, too!

Trade Beads Are Ready

Y

Throughout world history, trade beads have been a part of many cultures from the African trade beads, also known as slave beads, to the Native Americans in the United States.  Wasn't the island of Manhattan bought for beads? 

Since I'm headed off to the Bead and Button show soon, I decided that it was time to get ready, this time, and have beads to trade for a change. 

I can't tell you how many times I've been given beads, and I've had none with which to reciprocate.

This year, it will be different.  I have trade beads!!! Yes!  Now, I just have to remember to pack them!!!  Cross your fingers and toes.  I have them right next to my suitcase.  I hope I don't forget and leave them home!!!

Yikes!!!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! The Necklace is Finished and We Have our Winners!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!
Wear some green to feel good!

 Part 2!

The necklace is finished!!

Now, realizing that this is a heavy necklace and that I want to make a coordinating

bracelet and earrings,

I need suggestions!

Here's the necklace, and it looks great on!

I wore it all afternoon today!

So, what do you think?

It looks better on than in the photo.

Now, I need to make some earrings and a bracelet.

I'm drawing a blank on these.

Any suggestions?

NOW,

drum roll, please,

we have our Winners!

Cabs #1: Trina!  I'll be in Touch!

Cabs # 2:  Shirley  I'll be in touch!

Necklace:  Tammy!  I'll be in touch.

Congratulations!
I'll get these out in the mail to you next week!
Thank you for participating!
PS:  I tried to post the random number generator, but I couldn't figure out how to do it,
Again.
Sorry!

It's Time to Start Thinking About the Jewelry I'm Going to Wear to the Bead and Button Show.

You can tell that spring is almost here!

The urge to get started on jewelry to wear to the Bead And Button Show is in the air!

I can just smell the fresh air of jewelry design floating around my house.

Although it's still a work in progress,

I have started one piece of jewelry based on a tutorial written by Lori Peterson from 

Lori and Kim on Etsy.

These two ladies make and sell fun, colorful murrini to use when making lampwork beads.

The beads are called Candy Jacks.

I had made a few and strung them on a chain.

Whenever I wore my Candy Jacks, people would literally ask me to take my necklace off and let them fondle the beads.

The Ah-ha moment came when I realized a necklace made with Candy Jacks would be fun to wear!

This is the necklace that people like to touch.

I started to make a few each time I torched.  I made between 6 and 10 a day.

The pile adds up quickly.

I've started to string them now.  The necklace isn't finished by a long shot, but visions of earrings and a bracelet to match are dancing in my head.  I might need some help with ideas for earrings.  This necklace is starting to get heavy.  Earrings can't be that heavy!

If you have any ideas for coordinating earrings, let me know.

Anyway, I'm still making Candy Jacks, and I probably will be making them for a while.

So, wish me luck!

I'll show the progress as I go.

About This Time of Year

In June of 2010,

I took a lampworking class from 

Sara Sally LaGrand

at the Bead and Button Show in Milwaukee.

I learned how to make her glass corsage and glass necklace!

I think,

more than any other glass class I have taken,

this class has impacted me the most.

About this time of year,

I feel the need to make more pods, leaves, craters, headpins

to put together a small sculpture or necklace.

Last year,

these are the corsages I made.

 

This year, the urge to make struck earlier.

I'm still working with all those shorts I showed you earlier.

I am amazed at how many beads I am getting from them!

Included are the beads you'll see next.

I'm making a lot of pods, leaves, flowers and craters.

No matter how many I make,

I have found I need many, many more.

So,

here we go.

I'm making some wire pieces, like this wire nest and wire pod to add to the sculpture this year.

I'm still not sure if I'll work with dark annealed wire or copper.

Maybe, both?

I'm not sure.

I have a lot more craters made, but I took these pictures a few days ago, so

I haven't gotten them photographed yet.

These leaves will be fun to use!

Here are some headpins!  I think I'll make more of these!

Here are some pods and a flower.

More pods!

A flower and a pod.

Some leftovers from another project.

When I'm finished, these all might or might not go into my project.

About the only thing I know right now is that I am going to add more wire to whatever I made.

What do you think,

copper or dark annealed wire?

Last Thoughts from the Bead and Button Show

This was the bag from the Bead and Button Show this year. Even though it looks blue, it was really purple!



































The classes were great!
I love my corsage!




















I love my new necklace!!


















The shopping was great! These are recycled saris. They are torn strips of fabric that are sewn together by Indian women to make a living.

I can hardly wait for next year!

Look What Came in the Mail the Other Day!

My beads from Jennifer (Jangles) Heynen's class at the Bead and Button Show!

Jennifer, I don't think I'll be much competition for you in the art of ceramic beads, but thank you for the outstanding class!


I still have some clay and glaze, so I had better get in gear and practice this new craft. Maybe, someday, then, I'll come get closer to your level of design and skill!

If you have a chance to take a class from Jennifer, you will not regret it. Thanks, again,
Jennifer.

Maggie Roschyk - Blogging for the Bead and Button

I met Maggie Roschyk at the Bead and Button Show. Where else? Maggie and I manned the ISGB (International Society of Glass Beadmakers) table for 3 hours. We gave out information about the ISGB. We helped those who wanted to join the ISGB. We gave directions. I think you get the picture. More than that, I learned a lot about the passion of an awesome seed beader. In addition to being an avid seed beader, Maggie is also the blogger for the Bead and Button Magazine. Maggie's column is called: "Maggie's Musings." It's a great column, so be sure to check it out. There is a lot of interesting and helpful information in Maggie's column.



However, more importantly than her column, I wanted to show you some of Maggie's outstanding seed bead work. Maggie is one of those talented artists who makes the difficult look easy. Just wait until you see her work!

This year, the ISGB and the Bead and Button Magazine, co sponsored "Convergence," a meeting of minds and talent using glass beads. Maggie and Kristen Frantzen Orr entered "Tidal Pools Reflecting Prometheus." I remember looking at this piece of amazing wearable art and thinking, "This really does look like tidal pools." I didn't know Maggie at the time. This work of art is truly amazing! Kristen made the glass beads, and Maggie wove the seed beads in this magnificent piece. Take a look.


















My photo does not do this piece of wearable art justice. It's lovely. I only wish I had been able to count all the seed beads in this necklace. Wow! And it really does look like tide pools.

Just as amazing is this sign:



















In my wildest dreams, I could never do this! Can you imagine how many hours and seed beads there are in this sign. Amazing! Thanks, Maggie for letting me show your work! It is truly amazing!

One Last Look at Some of the Masters at Work

I just have to take you back to the Bead and Button Show one last time. I was so impressed watching these gentlemen work at the flame off, I wanted to give you one last look.













MilonTownsend


















Doug Remschneider



















Thought not at work in this photo, Louis Wilson.


















Rashan Jones making a stunning candy dish. It was amazing to watch these gentelmen work!