Two Random Bits

First - a shout out to Marcie at La Bella Joya, who posted a tutorial week before last on how to make banners for your blog/etsy shop.  Although I am not a Picasa user (one of those we didn't get along at first, so I quit using it irrational kinda deals), her post inspired me to figure out how to do it using a new computer (just converted to a Mac) and unfamiliar software.  I think I overheard Greg say to Michael, "Mommy's kinda obsessed right now...she'll get what you need after dinner."  ANYWAY...check out the post here and get to it.  And what do you think of the new banner?  I think the script needs to be bigger/brighter, but now that I have done it once, I hope to change it up more often.


Second - the fine folks at ABS have posted a round up of all the January ABS challenge entries.  There are so many cool ones to check out, and lots of familiar names, like Erin and Jen V. Click on the banner to head on over there.

Have a great week everyone!

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I Heart You!

I was very lucky to get paired up with Linda of Bella Bead Jewelry for a Holiday Bead Swap.  Linda is a lampworker and I got two amazing heart beads in the stash of goodness she sent me:



So I made these two fun necklaces:


(large green seed beads, turquoise glass tear drop beads, simple silver jump ring, clasp not pictured 'cause I haven't put one on yet - will probably go the simple lobster clasp route)


(blue acrylic links found on sale at Michael's, wire wrapped links of turquoise rounds and peachy orange tic-tac shaped resin beads, hand made hook clasp)

This one I entered in the Happy Mango Beads "Bead My Valentine" contest.  Find out all about it here.

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Margie and Me - River and Village

Marcie at La Bella Joya really picked some wonderful colors this month - rich warm colors that sure chase away the winter blues.  The first palette was chosen from Margie's wonderful book, inspired by the Amazon river:


I had a small collection of mud colored beads - my "marker beads" from my lampwork class, that I thought would look cool for this project.  I used a large agate (?) bead for the focal (I loved the "muddy" stripe), and rose gold copper wire because I am obsessed by wire wrapping lately.  I wanted to use an earthier color green with the brown beads - but nothing I had fit on the wire except for these dark green ones.


The second palette was chosen by Marcie herself and I loooooooooved it - turquoise and coral are a favorite color combo of mine.  Here is the inspiration photo, taken by JBFmx.


I already had coral beads that were dying to be used, and got the turquoise rounds in my Christmas booty.  The ceramic charm was a surprise extra from Iktomi on Etsy.  Her shop is filled with delicious ceramic sculptures, but she also makes incredible beads!  As you can see, the wire wrapping obsession continues with this two strand bracelet...


(That's Emma's saxophone "homework" in the background :-))



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The Merrily Morphing Muse

Ever start with one idea, and it comes out a bit different at the end?  Me too!  All the time! I call it the morphing muse.  So this was my initial idea - really just a project to use 2 wire wrapped chocolate Swarovski pearls I ended up not using in this project.  For an idea on scale - the turquoise beads are probably 2 inches long.


It came out much, much longer in execution - definitely opera length - but I like it.



I added jump rings between the links to give it the feel of more heft without being heavy, and added two turquoise rounds to the bead at the end to give it a more finished look.  

I started the project by wire wrapping all of the large beads, but had three left over.  If I had used them in the "main" necklace it would have been too crazy long.  I tried a bracelet, but the large beads just didn't fit a wrist very well.  As I was playing a smaller version of the necklace took shape:


I would definitely wear the second one, but the first one is way outside of my normal fashion "box." I might challenge myself to wear it though, if only to prove to myself that I can pull it off :-)



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BTW = Bead Table Wednesday

I made an effort to actually complete the projects on my table.  It's not like I have a deadline, but if I had the creative spark to arrange the beads in a necklace-like shape, I should at least follow through.

What helps?  Football games.  Seriously.  I have a small travel bead board that I pile with stuff and take downstairs and work on stuff while we watch very important football games.  You can see it's blue handle in the middle.  Football watching is not something we do much in the fall - too much going on outside and frankly, both our local team, and my husband's life-long favorite team, ahem, didn't exactly have exciting seasons.  So...progress...but it still looks like semi-organized chaos:


Doesn't really look too bad, until I show you the entire picture:


See the stuff stacked on my chair, on my laptop (yep there is a computer in there), and blocking my printer?  Not looking so great.  It's enough to make the three dudes on the wall look away.  Thankfully they don't, instead they share knowing smiles (the pictures are my Grandfather, Father and Brother).

Be sure to check out all of this week's entries for BTW on Flickr!

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Time for a Sale

You will see tomorrow that my desk is crowded with stuff that needs to go into my shop, but some of the stuff in my shop is getting dusty.  They need new homes, where I am sure they will be loved.  And I'll make it even easier for you two ways:  20% off and free shipping!  Just use the coupon code SHOPSWEEP to get your discount in the Beads for Busy Gals store.

Here are some great finds, orphans really, that need to be adopted and loved....


Green Quartz, Blue Art Glass and Stone Bead Necklace

Little Bit Naughty Red Velvet and Black Chain Necklace

Orange Glass Art Bead Bracelet

Copper and Green Crystal Earrings

Badlands Lampwork Glass Bead Necklace and Earrings
(and yes, that is a JulsBead that is the focal)

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I'm Gonna Fly Necklace

I got my hands on some awesomeness from Floridity on Cyber Monday and have been playing with one of the pendants for a couple weeks.  I had it mostly done last week, and finally finished it Sunday!

Lately I can't seem to stop wire wrapping everything.  I am coveting a larger array of wire colors and a couple spools of chain, but am trying to use what I have, especially since I want to save my pennies to do more lampworking.  I played with a lot of things, and settled on using a dark teal stone and two faceted glass beads on one side.  I had two large chocolate Swarovski pearls I wanted to use, but they seemed too glossy for what I was aiming at.  I tried all kinds of combos, and finally pulled out the odd brown with patina-like splotched glass lady bug beads that I have had for ages.  They worked well with my Lorelei Michael's Challenge necklace, and they fit the bill for this necklace too.  I decided to wire wrap the lady bugs with large loops so that they would form a chain:


I was on a roll so used the beads and more of the wire to make the clasp, using a larger gauge for the toggle bar:


This was close but not quite...the loop part of the toggle dwarfed the toggle bar, and my husband thought the toggle bar looked sharp.  I made another loop with less beads and hammered the ends of the toggle bar a bit more.  


And here is how it all looks together...





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Yay! Bead Soup Ingredients Arrived!

I have been paired with the wonderful Linda for Bead Soup III and received the most wonderful package of beady goodness.  Take a look...


All kinds of greens and teals - yum!  The focal Linda said comes from a pair of artists in her home state of Washington who run a gallery called Off Center Productions.  I love how the top is folded over to make the bail.  This is just a mere sampling of the goodies Linda sent me - she really was tremendously generous! The mind is already spinning with ideas!

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Lampwork Results - Finally!

You wouldn't think that it would take me a week to get back to a place that's only 25 minutes away - by DC standards that is "in the neighborhood" - but it's not in the same direction as any other typical Auld Bus stop, and this short week was exactly as all short weeks - ugly payback for the extra day added to last weekend.  Ugly is probably too strong a word, maybe.

ANYWAY...after the sleep deprived girls left Emma's birthday slumber party, after breakfast got cleaned up, after Pinewood Derby was complete (Michael got "Best in Show" for his den - he is sooooo excited), I left everyone taking restorative naps and headed south to the Workhouse Art Center to pick up my goodies.  The little brown beads are our "marker" beads since a couple of us were making beads at the same time and using the same kiln.  I need to clean them up and of course, I am dying to put one into a necklace of some sort to wear, in an oh so humble, Uh-Huh-I-Made-That, way.  There is so much more to learn, and I can't wait!

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Do You Margie?

With all the Bead Soup madness and birthday cake making, I have been remiss in pointing out that the most excellent Marcie of La Bella Joya is hosting another great Margie and Me challenge.  Marcie offers two palettes to be enjoyed - the first from Margie of the Amazon River, and the second from Marcie herself, from a town she knows in Mexico (picture from JBFmx).




I love them both - the rich greens of the Amazon and the turquoise and coral of Mexico. It's not too late to join - sneak peaks are this Saturday, and final reveals are next Saturday, January 29th.  There will be a slumber party at my house on Friday, so I know I will have all kinds of time Friday night, waiting, waiting, waiting for the giggling to settle down for the night.  My baby girl (who is almost as tall as I am) will be turning 11!


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Bead Table Wednesday



My bead table looks, seriously, sadly, exactly the same as last Wednesday.  And this is the project for today...a certain almost 11 year old's birthday cake.  So I thought I would share that, and more importantly, the recipe.

My "helpful" assistant.

This is a double recipe, to become ice-skate-shaped since that's
 what we'll be doing for the birthday party.

Decorating supplies at the ready.

Here is the recipe - it is a NO FAIL made from scratch chocolate cake that I have used as a sheet cake, cupcakes, and layer cake.  It is impossible to mess up and always tasty.  If you have basic baking supplies and a cold cup of coffee you can make this for those last minute, oops-I-forgot-I-promised-to-bring-in-cupcakes-tomorrow emergencies.  The only caveat is that it's moist and therefore crumby, so can be hard to frost if you want crumb free perfection. 

Grandma Simpson's No Fail Chocolate Cake

2 Eggs
1 Cup Oil
1 Cup Milk
1 Cup Cold Coffee
2 Cups Sugar
2/3 Cup Cocoa
2 Cups Flour
2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
2 Teaspoons Vanilla

Mix together until well blended.  Pour into lightly greased pan.  Bake at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for one hour or until a cake tester, when inserted, comes out clean.  (Obviously cupcakes will cook faster)

Enjoy!

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Got Your Soup Partner? Time to Do Some Homework!

First, a brief update:  Day two of my lampwork class was awsomely awesome (times 100). I don't have any beads to show you 'cause we left them all in the kiln.  I should be able to pick them up mid week.  We started with a review, and then we got to play all day, with Lisa making helpful corrections or us asking questions.  The Glasshouse at Workhouse Art Center has torch nights on Thursdays for a mere $10 an hour, and if you buy 10 hours it's only $80.  And they have a student supply store next door to the torch room.  Guess you'll know where to find me on the next few Thursday nights.  It couldn't be a better situation - a chance to practice lampworking with an expert on site before making the leap into some serious equipment investment.  Maybe if I get good enough I can convince the family that we really don't need a guest room, instead we need a lampworking studio :-)

In other great weekend news, I received Lori's e-mail with the name of my Bead Soup Blog Party partner...the lovely Linda!  She has a wonderful blog, Linda's Bead Blog and Meanderings, you should check it out.  She also posted an entry in this month's Art Bead Scene Challenge that was really quite cool:


To get ready for the wonderfulness that is the Bead Soup Blog Party you should do some homework and check out all the folks that are playing along.  There are so many great folks taking part - already I have found some awesome new blogs - but it will take me a couple runs at it to make it through the entire list.  Find the whole she-bang on Lori's blog here.

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Busy But in a Good Way!

Work and family has been a bit busy this week.  Had some pictures to post but could not. stay. awake. Friday night, and today I spent all day doing something totally awesome (more on that in a moment).

First...I made some progress on a necklace that has been mentally designed and needed to be for real.  You know what I mean, don't you?  You see something so clearly you have to make it.  Now.  Good thing wire and beads travel well to basketball practice:


I had an all day database class on Thursday so you know this wasn't the only idea I doodled in my notebook.  Oh if the Air Force only knew how many jewelry doodles are happening while I am taking "notes" at a meeting.  This is laid out but not strung/wire wrapped:


Will the large dangles be cool or annoying to wear?  We'll see.  But enough about that - the best part of my weekend was that I spent the day MAKING LAMPWORK BEADS!!!  

My awesomely awesome husband gave me an "everything you need to do lampwork" gift certificate for our anniversary.  He even almost bought a kiln and then realized that he was getting into a bit more than he was ready for.  I immediately asked Lori and Kerry what to do and they both said take a class first, and then decide what equipment you want/need after getting your feet wet.  

I did a little google research and found Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton, Virginia, just south of DC and about 30 minutes from my house.  It just so happened that they had a two day class this weekend and there were open seats.  Kind of last minute but it actually fit with our weekend schedule, and unlike other glass classes I found, this one specifically was oriented towards making beads.  

Turns out when I got there that there were really only 2 other students, and the teacher was Lisa St Martin.  She's been working in glass since she apprenticed in Corning, New York in the 70s.  She's been making beads since the 80s.  She's a founding member of the International Society of Glass Beadmakers.  She's the 2010 recipient of their Hall of Flame award.  Wow.  I could not have asked for a better introduction to lamp working.  Here is what I made today - and I get to go back tomorrow and learn more - yippeee!








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Bead Table Wednesday


Heather over at Humblebeads has started a feature called BTW - Bead Table Wednesday.  No cleaning, no straightening - just take a quick snap of what's in the middle of your beading table and post it in the BTW flickr group.  I wanted to share last Wednesday but blogger wasn't cooperating.  It will be interesting to me to see what changes (or if I notice changes) from week to week.  So here is this week...


I have been pushing beads around that awesome focal by Floridity.  The right combo is in there somewhere! Two things makes this focal awesome - it's brown and turquoise - a combo I love so much it makes up the BFBG logo and - "fly" - Air Force - need I say more?  You have to check out Juls post from yesterday - she's another gal that likes brown and turquoise and the pieces she made are stunning.

I never noticed how my silver piggy bank looks over what I am doing until pointed out to me by the wonderful Erin.  It was given to me by a family we are still very close to at my baptism, I think, and even as a young child my parents let me keep it in my room.  How it survived my childhood and many, many moves I have no idea, but there he sits...watching. In a nice way :-)

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Cane Glass Shout Out

A couple weeks ago I was contacted via Etsy Convo by Sandy of Bead Peddler.  On top of running her online bead supply company, she also writes and edits Beading Times, a monthly beading ezine.  Sandy asked if she could use one of my necklaces in her January column on cane glass beads.  Of course!  Her column includes some really nifty designs - you should check it out here.

Thanks Sandy - I appreciate the opportunity!

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The First Ever BFBG Tutorial

I came up with an easy earring wire solution, and decided to challenge myself to write it up as a brief tutorial.  The pictures aren't intended to be followed exactly - I am right handed so had to hold the camera in my right hand and hold my pliers with my left, but hopefully, you will get the idea.  First, some background...

I bought a dress for Christmas Eve and made jewelry to go with it (naturally) however I didn't have earring wires that worked, and didn't have wire in the right shade to make my own.  I zipped into a local bead store assuming that they would have exactly what I was looking for, and you know what happens when you think that : - ).  Dang.  I definitely didn't have time to order something, and not wearing the ensemble was not an option.  But my eyes caught these head pins that were the right shade - maybe I could use the wire part to make the earring wires I needed.  The head pins I bought were about 2 3/4 inches long:


First I used round nosed pliers to make a small "U" right above the end of the head pin.


Then I used wrap and tap pliers (although a pen or pencil will work just as well) to make a larger "U" to shape the fish hook style ear wire.  You could also make it rounder for a french style ear wire - ooh la la!


Next I hammered the large "U" lightly on both sides to work harden it.  The head pin was made of thinner wire than I would normally use for earring wires, so this step is important.


Clip off the end at whatever length you prefer.


I usually "flare" the end of my earring wires, and hammer it a little also.  Once you add your dangle, pinch the small "U" to secure the dangle.


And this is how they came out.  I've worn them a couple times and they are very comfortable and hold the dangle no problem.


So critique time...could you follow my instructions?  Do you need more specific details?  Do the pictures help or hamper?  Thanks!

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