...from Nancy, Sherwood, Teddy, Sydney and NikitaBean...

Merry Christmas and Season's Greetings from our home to yours....

      May you all have peace and joy.

Atlantis Cuff

I think I owe everyone an apology for being so remiss in blogging... things have been really overwhelming this year and if I haven't been posting as often, it's because I'm up to my neck.  I would list a few of the things that have kept me so buried, but I think then I'd be too exhausted to write about my  new cuff and tutorial.

I looooove freeform beadwork.  Not just making it, but looking at it, seeing what other artists have done with it, and feeling it in my hands.  Freeform is just so playful, and inherently unconscious, and ...well...freeing.  I love the No Rules approach, and the fact that you canNOT make mistakes... there aren't any!

I've been playing with it for ages (and it does feel like playing - no work here!) and experimenting with combining it with other stitches and techniques; this is where Reflections and Mistress were born.  I started out this time with a huge pile of bead soup that I threw together when I was feeling uninspired.  I wanted to just mix up some beads to see if it could lift me out of my funk, and it did.  Once I had mixed them happily in a pile, I found that I had stashed away some lovely focal bits that would go with it... and Atlantis happened.  As I began my first row of freeform peyote, it occurred to me that I hadn't seen a tutorial in awhile about freeform, or freeform combined with other techniques, and that it would be fun to make one geared toward helping others find their own joy in freeform while also showing how I did my thing.

Last night, I finally finished the cuff, and the tutorial at the same time.  It's a very different tutorial than my usual; it isn't step by step at all, but more of a guide on how to combine the different stitches, and how I went about making this one cuff in particular.  It's more chatty than my usual professional tone, and I think that makes it more accessible.  The premise is to inspire and to help someone make the combinations themselves in ways that please them, rather than simply making my cuff themselves.

It starts out with a little basic freeform tutorial that combines peyote and right angle weave, proceeds through the cuff planning and process of embroidering focals, bezeling stones and weaving it all together, and then ends with a gallery of pieces I have made with notes on how I combined different things in their creation.

If you're interested in it, you can find a copy of it here in my Etsy shop, and a few of my favorite freeform artists (Cynthia Newcomer Daniel, Linda Roberts and Laura Zeiner) have given some tips in there, too - which I am very grateful for.

And, because they're included in the gallery (among others), here's a picture of Reflections....

and one of Mistress...

both of which were created using the same techniques as those I outlined in the tutorial.  Happy beading, everyone - and peace during this seasonal rush, too.

Newsish, Pay it Forward and a Book Review

Good Saturday, all!  I hope everyone is having a gorgeous Columbus Day Weekend here in the States, and a wonderful Thanksgiving in Canada, and a lovely regular Saturday everywhere else!

I've been busy embroidering with my beads... and not, surprisingly, on a piece of jewelry.  A group that I am a part of on Facebook, Operation Tackle That Bead Stash (don't you love that name??), is hosting a round robin for a piece of bead embroidery 6" x 6" and my first attempt to put something together for it was a little too much; many of the participants are in the UK and elsewhere, and the dichroic cabochons that I chose for focals were just too heavy, in hindsight, to be mailing around, especially as we aren't paying the shipping costs for our own piece's stops along their way back to us.  So I put together another square, this time with smaller, polymer clay cabochons, to take its place.  I'm left with my all-set-up square with cabs glued down... could I resist?  Ha!  Noooo... so I'm embroidering this one by myself.   I have been having so much fun and it's very freeing to be able to put anything anywhere without worry that it must conform in some way to a person's neck or wrists.   I am, of course, also feeling mega guilty that I'm not producing tutorials or jewelry for sale, but I think I need the break.  I'm realllllllly looking forward to when I receive the next person's square to work on, though - what a challenge to work with their colors and their design!!  I can't wait!

I made a beaded rock before this project. :)  I present Froggy Rock:

Froggy Front 

Froggy Butt

I was gifted with a pair of gorgeous polymer clay cabochons, as well, from my friend Mary Marshall.  I started working on them immediately because they were just so inspiring to me.  I made these earrings up, and although they seem HUGE to me, my friend Mary really liked them... and she's a wonderful friend too, so her cabs are going to go home to her.  :)

Dancer Earrings

On to the Pay It Forward part now...  I entered in to win something handmade from a wonderful blogger I follow, with the stipulation that I then must make something handmade for three other people.  You have to make the things within 365 days, and they must be handmade, and each person who enters to win your item must agree to the same.  So if you decide to enter mine, you have to keep in mind that you also will need to make three somethings which are handmade and mail them on to the people who win your giveaway, and so on.  :)  It does not have to be jewelry, it can be anything from a handmade greeting card to an ornament or a handmade art bead.  I'm not saying ahead of time what I'll make, but if you enter in, I will make you something; it may or may not be jewelry.  The first three people who leave a comment here saying they would like to participate will be my three 'winners.'

This weekend, I want to do a short review of Sonoko Nozue's Japanese Beadwork.

I honestly think this is a lovely book, and she has some fabulous projects in it, and uses stitches that aren't often focused on these days.  For example, I am tempted to go back to doing something with Chevron Chain after seeing her projects, because there are several that look scrumptious!!   Her Midnight Necklace is made with chevron, and it's gorgeous and lush looking.  

Her Cheerful Midafternoon necklace is based on Zulu stitch, and although she has placed it in a chapter titled "Casual" I think it is anything but; how elegant is this!  Fit for a princess.

The Crystal Rose Necklace is stunning, and unfortunately beyond my reach, as try as I might, I just can't get the hang of bead crochet.  (I REALLY want to, though, so that must count somewhere.)

I highly recommend this book for those of you who want to branch out and try some new stitches out in some really elegant jewelry.  Although the diagrams are a bit different, and the steps are laid out in a way I haven't seen before, I think the patterns are easy to follow and the results are glorious.  I truly haven't decided if I should do a giveaway, or keep it for myself... but I'll let you know soon!!   :)  Leave me a comment so I can see how many of you would like a giveaway  on it, and I'll muse on it some more.

That's it for now, but next blog post I have some fabulous Blogger Awards to hand out, possibly a book giveaway, and hopefully something concrete on the embroidery to show you.  Off to BEAD!!!!

(Disclaimer; I was given this book to review by Lark, and these are my honest opinons, I am not paid for this nor do I receive any compensation save the book itself.)

Winner of the Super Special Giveaway!!

Sorry for the very long wait, I've been battling some sort of bug this week.  But here I am, and I have a winner for the very special signed copy of Jill Wiseman's Beautiful Beaded Ropes, and my two tutorials, Bollywood and Juliet!!

Congratulations to Dot Lewallen, whom the random number generator really likes today!  Dot has a lovely blog (SpeedieBeadie), and she makes fabulous beady goodness - I can't wait to see what she makes.  Dot, I hope you have a wonderful day today, and I will get your book in the mail, and headed Jill's way, by this Friday.  Thanks to everyone who entered, and everyone who reads my blog and supports my bead addiction!!

Today, I'm bead embroidering up some earrings, and trying to settle my stomach.  I hope everyone has a fabulous Wednesday!

Super Special Giveaway and New Tutorial (s)

Wow, my friends are so right!  Apparently I need to blog more often, as I always have a gazillion things saved up to talk about all at once, lol!  I'm going to restrain myself and only share two of them this time... and hopefully post again in the next week (don't faint, please).

I am thrilled and honored (and VERY LATE in saying so) to have two of my pieces published in Jill Wiseman's gorgeous book, Beautiful Beaded Ropes.  Horn of Ammon and Colorplay V. II were lucky enough to be featured in Jill's gallery pages, and I am just so excited! If you haven't seen this book around yet, you should run to your nearest book shop and check it out instantly.  Her projects are insanely beautiful, and she has made them in such a way that you can easily customize each piece to suit, making them either every-day wearable, or ramped up and super sparkly!  I have a favorite, of course... being the nut I am for right angle weave, I am in love with her Heirloom Necklace.  It's fab-u-lous!!!!  Here is a picture of it, in all its glory - isn't it wonderful??

My second favorite, which is actually tied for first with the Heirloom Necklace, is Falling For you... I have many, many lamp worked beads, and some of them must have this treatment!  (I bet you have a few too!!)  And this one is one of the ones that I feel you can customize the most, because you could have insane amounts of fringe (who, me?) with really elaborate focal beads or you could have it as she's made it with with smaller focals and reasonable fringe, elegant and ready to wear anywhere.

I also have a new tutorial in my shop this week, Bollywood Bracelet, which I hope everyone likes.  It includes instructions on making a matching pendant and earrings as well as the bracelet, and it would look fabulous as a choker style necklace, too - I am making one for a very special friend of mine, who helped to test the tutorial, and also helped me with ideas on the clasp for the bracelet.  The second photo is of the choker in progress...   This is the second new one, actually, as I never blogged about the release of my Juliet tutorial, which is also available in my shop.

So my Super Special giveaway is this:  I am going to send my copy of Jill's book TO JILL, who will sign it with flourishes (I'm sure), and then Jill will mail the autographed copy to the winner! I am also going to give away copies of the Juliet Necklace tutorial and the Bollywood Bracelet tutorial to the winner, so you get three in one!  The giveaway will be open to entries until Saturday of this week at noon, and all you need to do is leave me a comment on this post, AND go and leave a 'Like' over at Amazon, on Jill's book listing.  Easy!  The winner will be picked with a random number generator this time, Teddy's on break.  ;)

New Tutorial, BOTBS and Published Again - TWICE!

Wow, what a week!!!!!  I am just joyful all the way around!  First, I wanted to share that I have a new tutorial available in my Etsy shop - it's called Calliope, and you can make three separate and distinct bracelets from it; Spiked Calliope, Chaton Calliope or a mixture of the two.  I had a ton of fun making these up, and I really hope that everyone likes it and wants to make one of their own!  It was a challenge to write it up, because I wrote it in sections so that it would be easier to follow along when making each kind of bracelet.  Here is the link, if you'd like to make one, too!!

I made it through to Round Two of the Battle of the Beadsmith, and it must have been by the skin of my teeth, as I was up against the lovely Mouna Marini of France - here is her gorgeous creation, Premonitions.

I love her piece to death and am very honored to have been partnered with her.  Please stop by Mouna's shop Beads of Aquarius, to see more of her gorgeous work, and possibly pick up a gorgeous piece of jewelry for yourself while you're there (I would LOVE a pair of her new earrings, myself)!!

In case you haven't seen it, here is my entry named Reflections.  It is made with a small amount of bead embroidery, a lot of free form peyote, and a great deal of fringe.

In Round 2 I have been paired with my enormously talented friend Helena Tang Lim... gulp!!!!  This is her stunning entry, Eye of the Beholder.  I adore this necklace!!!!!!!!!!!!

To see more of Helena's exquisite work, visit her website here.

I am BEYOND excited that 500 Jewelry is now out and about.  My husband has five photo credits in the book, and I have a piece in there, too!!  It's an incredible and hugely inspiring book, and I am just so thrilled to have been included!  I urge you to run to the nearest bookstore (or scoot over to your favorite online bookstore) and grab yourself a copy - you will never again be lacking for inspiration.

Regency, published in Showcase 500 Beaded Jewelry

And!!  The Beadsmith has featured my Twisted Herringbone bracelet in their new Superduo ads!!  It has been published in Bead Magazine so far, and I was floored that it was on the very back of the front page, woooooo!!!!!!  My fabulous friend Jo sent me a copy from the UK, and I am just so grateful to Jo and my other friend, Donna, who brought it to my attention - I never would have seen it, otherwise!  :)  If you'd like to make one, you can use Twin beads or Superduos, and I have a mini-tutorial which I published here on my blog in April.

Happy beading, my friends, and have a wonderful weekend!

SALE today and tomorrow only!!

I am having my first ever BOGO sale!!  Buy one get one free for today and tomorrow only, good on all of my tutorials in my Etsy shop!  Just leave a note with your order as to your second selection, and both will ship at the same time.  :)  Click HERE to check 'em out! :)

I'm also hard at work on a NEW tutorial, stay tuned for details this week!

Sale will end at 8:00 PM EST July 21st, and this offer is not good on jewelry items.