Bead Soup 6 Shaked and Stirred~~

can't believe that it took me 30 minutes to pick out a selection for my Bead Soup  Christie  partner in crime, but when I wanted to blog about it, add the BSB logo and suddenly it's 4 hours later and my blog is revamped as well.

Don't know if I like it as well or better or if I just have issues with change.   All this started because I discovered my web page was sold after I "failed" to renew it early enough and they sold my domain name supposedly to someone else, but they are unable to tell me who..   Such is life in the slow lane I suppose..

So here's to new directions  and new tries.   Maybe what I need to do is start taking some classes to learn how to do it my self (hahaha like I have time for another hobby)  I don't know,  when Chantal did my website set up as a gift, I was amazed that someone could look into my head and see what I wanted and made it appear on screen for me.

I have talked to a couple other people about websites and design and none of them have been able to do that.  I guess I need to try and find someone else who can reach in and snatch a new site out of me...


BUT on a HIGH note..  I got my ETSY link to work, now to figure out how to change what it shows...
I got my Bead Soup Partner's baubles all together and ready to go out...  :)  2 steps ahead of where I was yesterday right??

Let's Get This Party STARTED!!

I got my partner for the FAB   new game I am going to play.  It's based upon "let's pretend I am a REAL blogger and do jewelry for more than just being able to say "I am an ARTIST" right now!!

My party partner is Christi Murrow at http://www.charisdesignsjewelry.blogspot.com/


My particular party consists of   Hostess, Lori Anderson, Pretty Things

Alice Peterson, Alice Dreaming

Alison Sachs, Beads by Earthtones

Amanda Dittloff, Passion Smashin'

Andra Marasteanu, Bijoux de Monanage

Angie Szlovak, SweetBeads

Anitra Gordy, Leelu Creations

Ann Sherwood, Ann's Blog

Arlene Dean, A Glass Bash

Audrey Belanger, Dreams of an Absolution

Barb Solem, Vivi Magoo Presents

Barbara Blaszczyk, laboratorim Flory

Becky Pancake, Becky Pancake Bead Designs

Bianca Odenthal, Zydies Glasperlen 

Birgit Klughardt, GitesBeads 

Bobbie Rafferty, Beadsong Jewelry

 Bonnie Coursolle,  Jasper Gems
Cece Cormier, The Beading Yogini
Charlene Jacka, Clay Space
Cheryl Foiles, Get Your Bead On
Christie Murrow, Charis Designs Jewelry

Christina Miles, Wings n Scales
Christina Stofmeel, Feng Beads
Christine Stonefield, Sweet Girl Design
Cindy Cima Edwards, Live to Design
Claire Smith, Embergrass Jewelry
Cynthia Riggs, Cynth's Blog
Dana Fowler, Trunk Full of Treasure
Dawn Pierro, Turtle Moon Designs
Dee Elgie, Cherry Obsidia
Donetta Farrington, Simply Gorgeous


Dot Lewallwn, Speedie Beadie
Elizabeth Bunn, Elizabeth's Beads
Eva Kovacs, Ewa gyongyos vilaga!
Evelyn Duberry, Sheba Makeda
Fay Wolfenden, Torch Fairy
Fen Li, Bead Flora Jewels
Gail Zwang, Angel Moose Enterprises
Geneva Collins, Torque Story
Grace Dorsey, Fan of the Flame
Gretchen Nation,  Art Food Lodging

Hannah Annear, Quirky Hannah
Heather Goldsmith, As I Bead It
Heather Otto, The Craft Hopper
Heidi Kingman, My Bead Therapy
Hope Smitherman, Crafty Hope
Isolina Perez, Isolina Perez
Jacqueline Keller, CreARTelier
Jane Haag, Did You Make Something Today?
Janeen Sorensen, Wild Vanilla Designs
Jean Peter, Jean P. Designs


Jennifer Judd, Jen Judd Rocks
Jennifer L Justman, Soul's Fire Designs
Joanna Matuszczyk, Bizuteria z filcu
Joanne Brown, Jo's Jewels
Joanne Lockwood, Jo Bunkum
Joyce Becker, Joyce's Joyful Gems
Judy Riley, Three Red Beads
Karen Mitchell, Over the Moon Design
Karen Williams, Baublicious
Karin von Hoeren, Creative Ideen

Karla Morgan, Texas Pepper Jams
Kashmira Patel, Sadafule .. always in bloom!
Kate Richbourg, We Can Make That at Home
Kathleen Lange Klik, Modern Nature Studio
Katrin Lembke, AllesPerle
Kathy Combs, Torched in Texas
Kathy Lindemer, Bay Moon Design
Kay Thomerson, Kayz Kreationz
Kelley Fogle, My Life, One Bead at at Time
Kelly Hosford Patterson, Traveling Side Show

Klaudette Koon, Only Road
Lara Lutrick, Lampwork Beads by Larra
Laura Guenther, Blue Antiquities
Lilik Kristiani, Soul of My Embodiment
Linda Younkman, Lindy's Designs
Lisa Chapman, Beach Cat Beads
Loretta Carstensen, Designs by Loretta
Lori Bergmann, Lori Bergmann Design
Lupe Meter, Gem's PC Corner
Lynn Davis, LLYYNN

Malin de Koning, Beading by Malin
Mandi Effron, Craft-o-licious
Mandy Williamson, Mimi's Beading
Margot Potter, The Impatient Crafter
Maria Rosa Sharrow, Willow Street Shops
Marianne Baxter, Simply Seablime Jewelry
Marina Dobrynina, Savon Feutre
Marjolen Trewavas, Room for Change
Marelene Cupo, Amazing Designs
Marsha Neal, Marsha Neal Studio

Marta Kaczerowska, uhuhu
Mary Govaars, MLH Jewelry Designs
Melissa Trudinger, Bead Recipes
Menka Gupta, Menka's Jewelry Blog
Michelle Burnett, Reverie and Revival
Miko Wiropati, Uniquely Yunikua
Milla Hope,  LB Creative Arts and Crafts
Mimi Gardner, Other Curiosities
Miranda Ackerley, MirandackArts
Natalie McKenna, grubbi

Noemi Baena, fuego, metal, y color
Pam Ferrari, Ferrari Originals
Pam Sears, Crazy Creative Corner
Penny Neville, Copper Penny
Rachel Baron, R. Baron Designs
Rachel Myers, Rockabead Jewelry
Rana Wilson, Definitive Designs by R. Wilson
Rebecca Anderson, Song Beads
Rebecca Sirevaag, Becca's Place
Riki Schumacher, Riki Jewelry

Rose Binoya, Ahtee's Blog
Rossana De Gaspari, Rdegas Blog
Sally Anderson, Wild Sally Road
Sandi James, Do Be Do Bead Do
Sandi Volpe, Sandi Volpe
Sandra Wollberg, City of Brass Stories
Sarah Small, blog by salla
Shai Williams, Shaiha's Ramblings
Shawn Mills, Shawn Marie Designs with Bent Wire
Sheila Davis, Stone Designs by Sheila

Sheryl Stephens, Babble Bead
Shiraz Biggie, Secret Song Designs
Solange Collin,  Ahowin Handcrafted Jewelry
Stephanie Dixon, The Dixon Chick
Susan Kennedy, Sue Beads
Susan Sheehan, Strands of Thought
Suzann Sladcik Wilson, Beadphoria
Sweet Freedom, Sweet Freedom Designs
Tabatha Dinger, Modernly Created
Tania Hagen, Pelima Jewellery Design

Tanya Boden, Fusion Muse
Terry Carter, Tapping Flamingo
Tracy Stillman, Tracy Stillman Designs

Bead Soup Blog Party 6

So I did it.  I joined Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Blog Party  !!!!!
I got myself a partner  Christie Murrow
NOW I have to try and come up with what to send her to play with~

 While I contemplate what goodies I can send out... I thought I'd leave you with some idea's of what I have been up to jewelry wise of late!!

 The Fairy Ring was a delicate bit that just fell together with some stuff  I already had when I got this HUGE copper ring from my friend Marcy Bell (http://www.etsy.com/shop/followtheredbrickrd) whom I took a soldering class with a bit ago.  I will make myself post on this later..  I can't believe all the fun things I have done recently and not told you all about!!     Those are lucite flowers and leaves with some lovely Amethyst rounds, a Swarovski butterfly and some left over copper chain..  Bet she thought I'd never do anything with it....

The Fairy Ring

 This lovely hunk of love is some huge fluorite chunks, hill tribe chain a silver bead cap and a wonderful bubbly bead from Leila Carras (http://www.etsy.com/shop/Maebeads) whom I get most my amazingly awesome beads from..  There's a second better look at the big bead on the end.  I keep looking at this piece and I want to add something to the bottom but don't know what yet.. 

Le  Chunky

Close Up of Le Chunky

So that's stuff made..  Leila and I went to a Gemstone show in Seattle in March and I came home with a few new interesting things 

Iolite (I think they were) and some sort of aqua agate I am sure it was

lucite

Amazing Carved Lotus's  in Coral

Carved Jade balls that looks like woven Ribbon

Topaz ( for a project with Marcy Bell)

Behind, Ahead, Learning, Changing.. HAPPY BIRTHDAY ME

I need rest!!

So for my birthday in February I got to go down to McMinnville and visit my Face Book friend Marcy Bell who makes some of the most amazing jewelry as you'll see on her Etsy or you can see Marcy Bell on her Facebook page.  Any how..   As I was saying.  I got to go down there for a few days and she worked me to death just look at how she wore me out!!

Soup was on the menu

The Ametrin Ring on the Left Marcy made!

My First Ring!

Second using a stamp on it

Spinner Ring AMAZING

As you can see we had a great time.  I was amazed at how much easier it was to do than I thought,  yet how much time had to go into the prepping of each piece!  I can't wait to see what I get to make hopefully in a couple months when I go back down to play.   She's supposed to teach me how to make something like these stacker rings she has on (well that's my plan) using those topazes I bought at the last gem show I went to.   Either way it was a great time with a new friend that got me some amazing new skills!!

Karma What Comes Around

Have you ever picked up something that you just had  to have. You pick it up and just can't get your hand to let the heck go of?? Well this summer I went to the Frantz Glass Bash in Shelton, WA held by Frantz Art Glass (Lampworking supplies and such..) Any how.. I love to go up there and look and talk and talk and talk with the different artists I know.   One of whom is Kimberly  who does these amazing sea horse beads and I have been drooling and craving one for years now. Their just not in my price range. BUT this year I said I am going to get one of them one way or another.. While picking up and putting down and drooling over them my fingers grazed this funky thing. I was like what in the world?? Kim doesn't do Goddesses.... but sure enough there was this goddess bead in funky green/bronze tones with the most amazing copper details added. We joked and I felt it and it kept rolling around in my hand. I set it down, well I tried to set it down.. Someone asked to look at it and I was like sure! Here you go, but I wouldn't let go..
    I though what in the world? I don't wear these colors even give the darn thing over will ya!! Kim was going to check something out so being nice I said I'd babysit the booth and kept playing with it. It ended up in my pocket and I just kept playing with her. It was like she had become a touch stone!! Didn't end up with a sea horse.. Ended up with a goddess named Karma after she reminded me I couldn't just leave with her..
    For 3 months looked at that bead and looked at what I had.  I hated everything nothing looked right. Suddenly I found this peice of ribbon. The colors just made her pop!! Step one down. Step two was realizing these little garnets I had fit that color scheme perfectly but were much too small. Wandering though Integrity Pearls on line I suddenly realized that I had to have these funky shaped pearls in a bronze tone. It was done right?? I mean what as left. Twist two strands of beads and a piece of ribbon and voila!!
I hated it.. It just didn't look right!! I took it to several friends and they all thought it looked great. Finally I found one that said REMOVE the ribbon!! 
She was DONE! DONE and DONE!! (Thanks Jo!!)

                                      So here you all go!! Arlene has COMPLETED a PROJECT!!

How's it working for you

I can say for sure that I haven't been doing much of anything the last couple months for some reason. I have been "planning" things. You know hunting, gathering, looking, thinking... Setting aside cause something wasn't quite "right" on it still??

Here's some pretty inspirational work for you to drool over though http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=36498593

and for those that like their stuff "already" done

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=36059846

It's funny how this started out pretty good then sort of went down hill on the regular posting huh?? Well I guess that there is always next year. LOL I do think though that it's time to have a BIG old Sale on GLASS. I mean there's just sooooo much of it and I think I might be running out of time....

Are you alone out there???

Ok there's so many people I saw and talked to and learned so many interesting things from this weekend, I just don't know where to start. It's like a huge fuzzy screened T.V. in my head. I hope that by tomorrow everything will be clearer so I can start focusing in on what needs to be done and what I want to do in correspondance with what I learned this weekend.

The biggest thing I learned this weekend?? No matter what you think, if you look a round a little bit there are people JUST LIKE YOU out there wondering if their the only ones that think the way you do, act the way you do or just plain are like memebers of a family you think you have lost along the way of life.

Tomorrow starts a brand new week with brand new goals. Make the up, list them out and see where you end up on Sunday next week. Maybe that's the best way to do it.

Don (my husband) thought he found a way to finally get a lot more house work out of me. I cleaned the kitchen up, cleaned the laundry room (our only door into the house right now) and the frontroom up a bit Friday. WHY cause we might have had company... Hmm Will it work??

Advertising anyone??

Tomorrow I get to go get some bricks and 4 inch pipe in order to create a storage area for my metal. WOO HOO that means it won't be all over the shop floor still too!! I might even be able to sneak in a can of paint to finish painting the walls. I am thinking as to if I could sneak in 2 can's of paint in order to start on the cabinet's when I get to it too (instead of putting it off till I can get paint sort of thing...)

I am really trying little by little to have things together and ready to open up the shop to classes Oct 1st. I figure by then the kids should all be in school, settled into a schedule so people will feel like they have the time to do it. I sure hope this isn't a pipe dream that never works out.

Once I am sure I can open doors October 1, it's all about making sure I have class outlines, class descriptions, supplies and all those things ready. Then it's update the webpage with current available classes and start figuring out where and how to advertise.

Last spring I have out 6 classes to be auctioned off or raffled off ( I think they were raffled before we in WA decided Raffles were gambling) and people were really excited and receptive.. How about NONE of them have followed through and used them. I had one of the ladies call and ask when she had to use it by, but haven't heard from her and that was like 6 months ago. Is that a common thing?? Why offer them up if no one follows through?? What are ways to do advertising that doesn't break your budget and are actually effective? I have watched my Mom do things that not one person has responded to so it's obviouse it was a waste of money.. I don't want to do the same. I guess it's off to the internet in a little bit to see if I do a search and find out any good tips..

How about you?? Are you maximizing your advertising dollars??

Don'tcha Wish Your Torch Was Hot Like Mine??

I saw my friend Holly post a new bead on Facebook.

Aren't the stringer contol on this amazing. I have 2 of her little bitty beads that people look at and the common comment is HOLY !!! how can she do that?? and it's on a Hot Head too. So she qualifies for the G-Force song quote "Dontcha wish your torch was hot like mine??"

You can check her out here

http://www.hollycooper.com/AvailableWork

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=7282428

or even

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5268008

for further examples of her amazing work and if you like it don't put of getting it cause a lot of it's gone before you can click and pick....

People who drift for a reason

I have this lady I met several years ago.. We chatted a lot. She helped me get focus'd a bit at times etc..

You have people who drift into your life and make a major impact then because their job is done for whatever be the reason you suddenly realize you haven't spoken to them in ages. You still think about them a lot, just for one reason or another you haven't talked... But when you do talk to them again usually it's juts like the converstation picked back up after an hours drop rather than months..

I love to make friends I am always sad when I realize I have lost one. Recently though I have started to wonder if their really lost, or if its more like they had a brief brush with your life and created a new view, outlook or even perspective on their way to another point in their life.

I LOVE Teri's jewelry it always seems so cheerful and it suites her personality..

See more at http://www.terisallwasser.com/

I'm a picture saver how about you??

How many of you save pictures of stuff you like. You don't plan on recreating it, copying it or anything. You just feel good sometimes looking at it, or the color's grab you and say something special??

I do this all the time. I am sure that it's not legal in every sense of the word copy write, but I admit to doing it where as I am sure other's do not. I always save with the picture or try to at least who I downloaded the picture from so that I can refer back to them if I wanted to ask questions or something and at times I have..

Here's a prime example. I have always, always wanted one of JMC Art Glass's bracelets. I think she's stopped doing them though and what a pity and loss to the community... If I hadn't saved a photo some of my inspiration or what ever you want to call it would have been lost. I occasionally because I see the photo troll through eBay to see if she's put anything else back up.

I have been here http://www.glassartists.org/Gal3767_JMC_Glass_Art_Jewelry.asp

but I can't find anything showing she's done recent work. Which is sad. It's just goes to show that all that lovely art would be lost if I hadn't kept it. Do you think that's a good justification to keep such things?? LOL

I hope that mayhe this shows that there is another side of people keeping your photo's and NOT using them illegally to advertise their work, copy detail for detail your work to sell on their own, and all those other sleezy actions that can happen due to it. One of the reasons I love the ability to blog now is that if I find people's work I like and I show you all here??? Now I have a photo link to it and the weblink to contact them via again..

I am wondering though due to a converstaion I recently saw, how artists feel about their work being linked to or what ever in blogs. Do they all think any advertising is good advertisting and are they flattered to no end that something of theirs, so tickled someone else that they felt the need to share it with anyone who might look??

It's been a while now..

can't believe how time flies...

Did get some work in the shop clean up and out area done. WOO HOO!! Got great idea sneaking up on me about how to contend with my stained glass metal problem. Like where to put it and how. Watch for further updated photos..

Did discover that paint dries up after a year with a plastic bag on it for a lid so have to go to wall world for another batch of yellow paint.. Damn it. This time at least it's not a self mixed color so it will have a lid!! Just need a bit of purple too to finish off the cabinet's. That's looking like I might get one or two done this summer too. Gee's it would be awesome huh to finally be able to say. . CREATE CLEAN CONTAINED..

so speaking of a while..

Here's Misty Shwiyyat's rings just getting ready to be release again.

http://www.mistymade.com/playswithfirerings.html

had to do the BIG picture cause Misty's rings so deserve it.. Something about them just is soothing and yet stimulating at the same time!! She always seems to sell out before those that want one end up with one.. Guess that's about the best compliment around no??

Bead Show Tacoma

Last weekend?? went to this bead show put on by the bead factory. It was amazing the lampworked beads I got to touch and feel. Beautiful stones and all that fun stuff..

One of the more fun stops I had was...

http://www.santame.com/

There are some stunning peices in her booth... Not to mention she was wearing these totally HURKING big beautiful necklaces, being this tiny woman and they didn't deminish her at all. Amazingly her personality totally supports the jewerly she makes!! :) Love it and was totally entranced by her... LOL

Great things found by forgetting the Dog's food

I found on sale this fantastic little white wine called Ancient Mariner's Asian Pear wine.

SOOO yummy it's sweet and tart at the same time just like Asian pear's. Can you imagine that?? Makes me want to try some of their other wines now too..

http://westportwines.com/wines.html

How lucky for me that I forgot the dog food while camping. Hope good things come to you by accident this week. I am off to Texas and who know's how or when I'll get to post. I hope often, but I am not tooo big of a dreamer. LOL



I'll have a play day or two while I am down there if I am lucky, but I'll get to see Don's family and relax in that fantastic HOT HOT HOT weather. Please, please PLEASE don't let it be raining my lungs just couldn't handle it this time I don't think. LOL

Texas here we come ready or not

so was shopping at Ace the other day with my friend Jane. As she's checking out I see this BRIGHT yellow container and I think what in the world??? It's got a monkey on it with bright red BUTT CHEEKS!!

Being me I had to pick it up of course... Of course that led to having to buy some. Ever heard of Anti Monkey Butt powder?? Me neither. But it's pretty cool stuff and I see on line you can even get it in "girly girl" AMB powder too. LOL Well in case anyone cares, it's to help prevent chaffing while your sweating. I'll let you all know if it works. If you use it or have used it tell me whatcha think.!!

http://www.antimonkeybutt.com/index.php?src=directory&view=AMB_Products&category=Products

Tango Cat Gems

There's wire wrapping and then there's WIRE WRAPPING. :) I love this bracelet and am pretty happy to drool over most of what



http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=24383671&show_panel=true



She's got posted on Etsy!! Beautiful huh??

Ew ew and EWWWWWWWWWWW

Ok I did this kiln project. It was an experiement.. Well it wasn't really MINE, but a student who wanted to try something. We can't figure out why part of the glass melted at 1450 and yet there are CLEARLY peices still not melted in. How wack a doodle is that??? We even held that 1450 for like an hour I think it was.. I mean not even the little purple dohiggy's melted down..

Here you go cause I know your dying to see it..

Silver and the sliver of truth

hmmm.. I love how these silver art clay flowers turned out!! I haven't gotten them polished as well as I would like. They have some really deep crevices and I can't get the brush into them. What to do... what to do?? Hmm...

These were so easy to make. If I hadn't forgotten to make hanger dealio bobs for the back they'd be all set for some jewelry.

One tiger lilly, a carnation and a rose (upper back) now to figure out how to make some backing's for them or something hmm... There are 2 rose buds waiting for me to buff and polish up too.. I am really excited at the detail the molds I used were..

What molds did I use did you ask??? Hmm.. Lets see if anyone asks....

ok can't sleep so I'll show you some roses I have

their not blooming yet, these are last years beauties but I am ready to see and smell roses even if their behind on THEIR schedule!!

If you know their names you can tell me. I only know the Yellow one is a David Austin, The bi colored is a Rosa Mundi and that's all she wrote..

I LOVE old rose. I am putting them in as I can afford to get them. It's hard to find some of them though, I really miss the website uncommon roses.

Someone told me that there were other's that were as good. Will have to go look

Elephant in the room

I keep thinking of it that way. My sister found out she's got Thyroid Cancer that's moving around into other areas. It upsets me to no end. I mean she's got her life all together, it's so organized and doing the right thing... If anyone in the family got it why wasn't it me? 2 reason I should have gotten it. 1. I have already had just about everything else go wrong health wise and it wouldn't mess things up any more then they already are and 2. I at least have health insurance. Their in that lovely bracket where self employed they make too much to qualify for any assistance but too poor to make insurance payments and all, especially when they really don't have a lot of health issues.

So I have been collection odds and ends of some beads to make her a bracelet in Thyroid survival colors. It highlights the three thyroid cancer awareness colors: blue, pink/purple, and teal. Thyroid cancer survivor Cherie LC selected these colors more than five years ago as part of her volunteer contributions to ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association. She noted that blue represents the throat energy center, purple/pink represents spiritual influences in healing, and teal is a healing color.

I really am praying that they get it all and life goes back to being "normal" or at least close to it.