Piggies

Now and then, I just like to do something that is pure fun.  These little piggies are so fun to doodle on, although these paints are not exactly my favorites to work with.

Poor piggie on the left got dropped and shattered in a zillion pieces

   

I was also given some pheasant feathers and am busily coming up with ideas for using them.  I love them with copper so I think there will be some combining of these two elements.  Might add in some of the soft deer lace as well...but I never know until it's finished.

The Close to Home Event is happily moving along.  Still just an event for the holidays, but such great stuff to be found.  This fish bowl quilted wall hanging/lap quilt is adorable with it's fun design and the fact that the quilting has been done by hand...gorgeous.  Every day it seems like there is something new to see and my wish list just keeps growing and growing.

Okay back to feathers and copper...will hopefully have pictures soon.

It's an Online Life and Yet...so Real.

Who would have thought when I decided to sell beads online that I would get so much more than a market?   I sold my first bead online in December of 2007.  I've sold more beads since then, but even better is the friendships that have been created.  These people encourage, inspire, challenge, listen, advise and sometimes even push or scold each other when necessary.  They check on you when you go missing for a day or two and if for some reason you just blow up and embarrass yourself, they shrug it off and welcome you back with open arms.

I think one of my "oldest" online friends is Deb.  Although younger than me, she was the one that told me my pictures were awful.  But with that also came the offer of help and beginning of a friendship that I think will stand the test of time and distance between here and Hong Kong.

Mexican Fire Opal

She's generous with her knowledge and skills and has some of the yummiest gems and even more gorgeous pieces of jewelry.   Right now she has a sale going on in her gems shop  CrysallisGems  but you should also wander into her CrysallisCreations  shop and see what she does with gems and wire and pretty pieces of glass.




Haven't done any beads lately, but have to admit this set in my Etsy shop are some of my favorites...

Bronze with circles  Handmade SRA Lampwork Bead Set 1288

I Ordered More Glass

Eeeps! As if I really needed any more glass, but when I saw this bead done by my friend, Trish, from SunDaisyGlass ,I was hooked. She's got an Etsy shop and an Artfire shop, and you might want to check out her pretties.

But back to the story...I saw this bead and the glass intrigued me beyond words. The colors are amazing and the glass is still fairly new. It is Gaffer glass which is a company based in New Zealand. Don't you think it is just an amazing glass? I'm now waiting for new glass...eeps.


I've also been playing lately. I am so not someone who makes sculptural glass. It's not something I find very easy and it's not even something I enjoy most of the time. I think it's just the silliness of spring, but I've just been playing with little critters.

And of course, some that are flowers...

Artisan Beaders...Orion Designs

Vicki of Orion Designs is one of those talented people that truly intrigues me. She has a sense of vintage with an edge...at least that is how it makes me feel. And isn't that how art is? Each of us can see and feel something not quite like the rest?

The name of this piece always makes me smile, but the piece is one of her mixed medias that I love. Here's the listing and Vicki's description...

Bend Over -- Way Over

Isn't this a great vintage image? Is she dancing or just showing off?

The image is preserved under an acrylic panel that is riveted to a piece of patinated copper. Hanging from the bottom is a collection of aqua and copper beads that coordinate so well with the patina and the woman's dress. There are aqua beads about 2" up along the copper chain on one side and a whimsical charm on the other. You will notice 2 different styles of copper chain, both of which have been oxidized for a vintage look. They were then hand polished. The necklace ends with a simple hook clasp that I fabricated from copper wire.

She's got a fun blog. From her beautiful artisan jewelry to her handmade cards to her peeks into her Alaskan home and her kitchen, I leave her blog or her shop with whispers that inspire me.

So check out the shop and the blog...

And if you want to some wonderful tips from Vicki, she's been adding some to the Artisan Beaders blog on Technique Tuesdays.

Artisan Beader...Catie's Blue

I'd like to introduce you to another Artisan Beader, Brandi. Her shop, Catie's Blue is full of Jewelry Inspired by Color! Her work keeps evolving and she is meticulous when it comes to the detail.

I love this piece from her Etsy shop...

"The Meganne Necklace features dozens of hand faceted garnets clustered along the center. Each rest on a handmade fine silver headpin and each are wrapped carefully in a cluster. These top a kyanite briolette that has been encircled over and over with sterling silver wire, and drops down approximately 1.5 inches (40mm)."

Here are some of the places that you can find her
Business Name: Catie's Blue
Tagline: Jewelry Inspired by Color!
Website: www.catiesblue.com
Etsy Shop: www.catiesblue.etsy.com
Blog: http://brandi-girl.blogspot.com
I use the following most often: lampwork, borosilicate lampwork, sterling silver, fine silver, gemstones, with some handmade components (like headpins and beadcaps)

Artisan Beaders

Every week, a group of talented, funny and supportive people meet in the Etsy chat rooms. We are the Artisan Beaders and I have to admit that I often feel like a fish out of water around them.

Over the next few weeks, I am going to introduce you to some of them~enjoy.

First up is Patty of Broken Teepee Designs

She calls it Waterfall and describes it like this:

The river runs blue
until it hits the edge.
A waterfall of beautiful changing color!

The Big Sky Collection - luxurious, higher end gemstones in artisan jewelry you will enjoy wearing for a lifetime.

And as much as I swoon when I look at her fabulous jewelry pieces, I get the happiest feeling every time I stop in at her blog to see what good gossip Priscilla has about Patty and her wonderful handmade soap.

Go wander Patty's shops and blogs...it's ever so much fun.

Artisan Jewelry - http://www.brokenteepeedesigns.com
destash - http://www.destashables.etsy.com
goat soap - http://www.gethappygoatsoap.com
Blog - www.brokenteepee.blogspot.com
destash - http://www.destashables.etsy.com
goat soap - http://www.gethappygoatsoap.com
Wise words of Pricilla http://www.pricillaspeaks.blogspot.com

Sizing up Beads...

One of the comments was a question about if I had beads with 2.5mm holes. I had to look at my handy little chart to see where that fit in the mandrel range.

I'm not sure if this is just a United States thing, but why can't everything be consistent? I buy glass rods that are approx 5-7mm in diameter but 13 inches in length.
We give you the sizes of the beads like this....15x17mm but give you the hole size by telling you the mandrel is 5/64".
Widget Supply sent me a business card with my order. It's become dog-eared with use because on the back it has the inch and millimeter equivalent chart.

In making beads you will find these to be some of the common mandrel sizes.
1/16" 1.588mm
5/64" 1.9844mm
3/32" 2.381mm
1/8" 3.175mm
5/32" 3.969mm
3/16" 4.762mm
The mandrels are coated with a bead release which makes the hole size bigger, but how much bigger depends on how thick the coat of bead release is.

So to answer the question, I would say that if you are looking for beads with a hole size of 2.5mm you should look for beads made on 3/32" mandrel. Beads made one at a time by hand will always have variances from bead to bead, but that is the beauty of handmade lampwork beads...