Showing posts with label artists. Show all posts

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Blue Crab Soup with Chilies!

That's my soup name!

Isn't that fun!?!

Have you had such an exotic soup? I have not, but I want to try it.

As I do all these savory soup recipes included in this book!

There's Ginger Peach Soup by Lori, Stone Soup by Malin, Autumn Harvest Soup by Barb, Savory Tomato Soup by Kerry, Summer Strawberry and Mint Soup by Brandi and so much more.

You'll be full for months!

Today is my celebration day for the week long blog hop. I am celebrating the release of this book for a few personal reasons;

Lori welcomed me into her blog circle with open, encouraging arms and she did not give up on me even though I became very uncommunicative while the preparations for publishing her book were underway.
I have met some of my best beading buddies through the bead soup blog parties.
There are some really good projects and know how in here...

Lori discusses bead soup beginnings and inspiration, using up left over beads, embellishing focals, referring to a color wheel and purchasing randomly (Gasp! But I plan everything out!!!). The projects are as varied as the designers are, but there is a lovely synchronicity to the flow of the book, which I enjoyed reading as much as I enjoy reading Lori's blog.

My own personal soup was sent in from Christine Damm, one of my most favorite polymer clay artist whose specialty of large donut focals and handmade beads seriously tempt my wallet every time I see them!

To have one of her silky, colorful sets in my hands that I could mix with beads is something I am very grateful for and I hope you enjoy the project I stepped out with it.

Now I am sure you are not missing out on the prizes and give-aways and I would very much like to offer a set of the lavender flower beads that Lori uses in the books cover project;

So please leave a comment and I will send out a set of 4 to the winner drawn on Sunday.

Here is the remainder of the blog hop so you can continue celebrating and entering chances to win!

Sharon Palac -- http://sharonsjewelrygarden.blogspot.com

Heather Powers -- http://www.humblebeads.blogspot.com

Erin Prais-Hintz -- http://treasures-found.blogspot.com

and for Monday, October 8th,

there will be a grand prize offer with a ton of goodies to enjoy!

Lori Anderson, www.PrettyThingsBlog.com

Much Love & Respect,

Shannon

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Bead Soup Book Blog Hop Week


(dear publishers, please send high res, larger pixel pictures of covers to better show off your books)

Yay!!!!

It's here!

Super delicious and really cleverly pulled together using recipe cards and fresh "ingredient" lists!

To celebrate the book release, there's going to be a ParrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrTyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyY!

All week long, there will be discounts, give-aways and prizes at the following blogs;

Lori Anderson -- http://www.PrettyThingsBlog.com

Rebecca Anderson -- http://www.songbeads.blogspot.com

Barbara Bechtel -- http://secondsurf.com/wordpress/

Tuesday, October 2nd

Lori Anderson -- www.PrettyThingsBlog.com

Kerry Bogert -- http://kabsconcepts.com/wp/

Melanie Brooks -- http://earthenwood-beads.blogspot.com

Jennifer Cameron -- http://glassaddictions.blogspot.com

Wednesday, October 3rd

Lori Anderson -- www.PrettyThingsBlog.com

Diane Cook -- www.rosa-josies.blogspot.com

Malin de Koning -- www.beadingbymalindekoning.blogspot.com

Thursday, October 4th

Lori Anderson -- www.PrettyThingsBlog.com

Cassie Donlen -- http://cassiedonlen.blogspot.com

Jeannie Dukic -- http://site.jkdjewelry.com/blog

Nan Emmett -- http://www.spiritrattles.blogspot.com/

Lyn Foley -- http://lynfoleyblog.com

Friday, October 5th

Lori Anderson -- www.PrettyThingsBlog.com

Brandi Hussey -- http://www.brandigirlblog.com

Cindy Wimmer -- www.SweetBeadStudio

Saturday, October 6th

Shannon LeVart - http://missficklemediacom.blogspot.com/

Joanna Matuszczyk -- http://filcowe.blogspot.com

Melissa Meman -- http://www.melissameman.blogspot.com/

Stefanie Teufel -- http://stefaniessammelsurium.blogspot.com/

Sunday, October 7th

Sharon Palac -- http://sharonsjewelrygarden.blogspot.com

Heather Powers -- http://www.humblebeads.blogspot.com

Erin Prais-Hintz -- http://treasures-found.blogspot.com

Monday, October 8th

There will be a grand prize offer with a ton of goodies to enjoy!

Lori Anderson, www.PrettyThingsBlog.com

So enjoy the book blog hop and may the odds of winning be ever in your favor.

Friday, June 22, 2012

Bohemian Style Jewelry

Welcome to my

Bohemian-Inspired Jewelry Blog Celebration Weekend Post!

I am excited to share with you a new publication ....

Interest has swayed to a looser time, a wild feeling, a step-out-of-your-corset-into-your-patch-work-skirt kinda mood.

And the jewelry to go with it?

Oh yes, I felt that mood swing.

Bohemian Inspired Jewelry

Lorelei Eurto and Erin Siegel

This book is F.U.N.

Imaginative. Textural, with materials that you can't stop fingering.

Several projects in this book have inspired a new twist in design for me and I am eager for it to get to you also.

Purchase a copy now and maybe by summer's end you could have 50 days worth of accessories to compliment your bohemian wardrobe!
I'm not even kidding, this book is packed with
50 different designs!

Here is my start;

I practiced lark's head knots, overhand knots and half hitch knots to complete these earrings;

Copper Antiquity Earrings by Erin Siegel
(design instructions in the book Bohemian Inspired Jewelry)
This led to lark's head knots with various pieces of metal I had laying around and left over pieces of waxed linen;

Rain Garden Necklace
A forged sterling frame features a patinated piece of copper metal clay and Czech glass bead fringe.

A Fools Urn Necklace
Just tell me you can estimate how much cording you would use for this piece,
that pre-measured, inside knowledge alone is worth the book.

Earrings inspired by Lorelei's design "Flying through Hoops" have been fun to mix up with the unique feature of using leather as hanging bales for special beads & links;

Cerise Squared Earrings
(design instructions in the book)

The next projects I'm going to tackle will be "Unfolding" by Maire Dodd (she uses linen to create "roots"!) and "Garden Graces" by Lorelei Eurto (Kimono Cord! How rock star is that!?!)
I hope you will join me in creating your own versions of the leather, ribbon and cord designs Erin and Lorelei have complied for us here.

Both the E-book (how much do you need instant gratification?) and the BEAUTIFUL (as in, every glorious printed page has a design element that I love) print publication are on sale right now;

So go here for your print edition;

Bohemian Inspired Jewelry Print Edition 2012

on sale for $13.77

and visit here for the immediate download;

Bohemian Inspired Jewelry E-Book

on sale for $10.77

Wait! Before you leave to buy and create with your hands, Erin and Lorelei have set up a way to win 2 necklaces featured in the book and a copy of the book by creating Polyvore style boards showing us how you would wear one of the necklaces!

(If you're unfamiliar with the Polyvore site, just think of it in the same way you made clipped magazine collages when you were younger, it's just online now.)

So please visit here to get involved in this fashionable challenge ;

POLYVORE CHALLENGE

Check out the rest of the celebration weekend by visiting these links;
Kicking it off: Beadingdaily.com
Meet the authors: Lorelei Eurto and Erin Segel
Say howdy to the book contributors: Denise Yezbak Moore, Mary Jane Dodd, Michelle Mach, and Tracy Statler
Then join us for the blog party with:

Amanda Davie - Articulations of Amanda Davie

Amy Freeland - Copper Diem

Andrew Thornton - The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton

Barbara Bechtel - Second Surf

Beth Hemmila - Hint Jewelry

Erin Prais-Hintz - Treasures Found: Inspiration is Everywhere

Gaea Cannaday - Gaea Handmade

Heather Powers - Art Bead Scene

Heather Trudeau - The Peacock Fairy

Kathleen Lange Klik - Modern Nature Studio

Keirsten Giles - Cerebral Dilettante

Kristie Roeder - Artisan Clay

Lori Anderson - Pretty Things
Margot Potter - Margot Potter: live handmade
Melanie Brooks - Earthenwood Studio
Pearl Blay - The Beading Gem's Journal
Rebecca Anderson - Song Beads
Rebekah Payne - TreeWingsStudio
Sally Russick - The Studio Sublime
Shannon Chomanczuk- For My Sweet Daughter
Shannon LeVart - Miss Fickle Media
Staci Smith - Staci Smith Jewelry
Stacie Florer - Soul to Substance
Susan Kennedy - Sue Beads

Thank you for visiting and I hope you are inspired this weekend, I'll be here, wearing my new earrings!

Shannon

Sunday, April 29, 2012

Discovering blogs...

I remember discovering blogs in 2004.

My daughter was not quite a year old, I was still nursing, sitting for hours each day, I surfed the internet for dead tree images and found her.....

L.K. Ludwig.

I soaked in her art, relating to the out of ordinary work she was creating. Stark images, not filled with sunlight, but bare branches and grey skies. The mix of techniques and unusual materials excited me. She had a free, no boundaries type of creating that allowed me to relax and enjoy the process of learning and experimenting.

She taught me how to journal my processes, balance my time with parenting and personal expression (I did not have the guts to call my work "art" yet, it was just what I needed to do to things.).

She shared her life, in deeply personal ways that drew me into her world and had me cheering her on.

I never commented, my words were always said more eloquently by others, but she was a part of my life.

And she was a great influence on what my hands created.

Learning from her about

Nina Bagley

and her work with transparencies, assemblages of items from nature, presented in ways that allowed me to focus on their raw beauty.

I grieved with Nina and her writing. I felt her words and used her wisdom to prepare myself for parenting older children, caring for aging parents and even finding love again.

I learned of copyright issues for artists through Nina and made changes in how I channeled inspiration into my "own thing".

Reading Nina's blog introduced me to

Susan Lenart Kazmer

And my jewelry has never been the same since.

Susan's rough unpolished industrial work gave me ways to think outside the box. Using assortments of odd materials to build personal talisman was a way to create without having to purchase main stream supplies.

While it would still be awhile before I could pay for a full metal bench, Susan's influence in found object jewelry kept me happily assembling until I could afford to invest in a Jewelry Technicians course that taught me metal basics.

These women and their willingness to share themselves, changed me.

I am so grateful and hope as time passes I can do the same for another girl. Perhaps sitting on the floor of an old bookstore as I type, flipping through used pages of some altered art publication and feeling something spark, grow and extend into.....

purpose.

Much Love & Respect,

Shannon

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Check Out Kathy Van Kleek's Urban Primitive Collection

Every once in awhile I come across something that so perfectly matches what is in my mind's eye,

I just want to quit.

To say;

"Yes. That is which my soul has been seeking for to express myself through self decoration with."

And then put it on my body, rid myself of clothing and go live as a hobo beach side somewhere.

Completely content with the collection of components collected beneath my neck.

Purchase Kathy Van Kleek's Urban Primitive Collection here;

Urban Primitive

Get inspired by this fasinating woman's mind through her blog here;

Kathy Van Kleek

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Judith B. Designs

I miss you already, Judy.

While heaven gets your beautiful spirit, earth is left with a huge void.
Thank you for your kindness, your generosity and your inspiration during your short time here.
I will NEVER forget you.
Love, peace and healing to your family while they grieve your passing.

Judith B. Designs

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Art Heart Bangle

A recent collaboration with Karen Totten of Starry Road Studio allowed me the opportunity to play with some of her copper patina heart beads. I was delighted to find that large hole bead slides easily onto heavy gauge wire that I could then design a hammered bangle around!

Tools & Materials
12" Ruler
Wood or steel bracelet mandrel
Flush cutter for 14 gauge wire
Jewelers file in medium rasp
Round nose pliers
Flat nose pliers
Steel bench block
Ball peen hammer
1 - 11" piece of pure copper wire in 14 gauge
1 - Copper Patina Heart Bead by Starry Road Studio
1 - 10" piece of 20 gauge copper wire

Optional for patina;
Ocean Blue Patina
Indigo Patina
Paint brush
Sealer

Step 1. Cut the 11" piece of 14 gauge pure copper wire and round the cut ends of wire with your jewelers file.

Step 2. Push the 11" piece of wire around the bracelet mandrel, at the 2.5" diameter section. Hammer the wire into bangle shape with the ball peen hammer, turning the bangle as you hammer to create a neat and tidy circle. Expect to have an over lap of about 2" each side at the ends of the wire. Remove the 14 gauge copper from the bracelet mandrel and hammer it on the sides of the wire against your bench block. This will help flatten the bangle and create a clean line on the wearers wrist.

Step 3. Start the bottom swirl of the bangle with the round nose pliers tip, forming the smallest loop you can at the right hand side, outwards, at end of the 14 gauge bangle. Switch to the flat nose pliers to add more swirl, clamping down on the tiny loop with the flat nose securely in your right hand while you push the wire down with your left hand, towards the side of the blades of the flat nose pliers. Stop when your bottom swirl is approximately 1/2" across and hammer the front of your swirl with your ball peen hammer against the bracelet mandrel for texture and strength.

Step 4. Slide the heart bead onto what is now the top wire of the bangle and push it back approximately 1.5" to give yourself room to form the top swirl embellishment. Once again, use the round nose pliers to form a tiny loop at the end of the wire, then switch to the flat nose pliers to continue the decorative swirl as described above.
Be careful with your flat nose pliers and ball peen hammer around the ceramic bead, keep it away from your metal working tools as you form your swirls and bangle. Once the swirl is to your liking, push the bead to other side of the bangle and hammer the front of it against the bracelet mandrel as you did the bottom swirl.

Step 5. Wire wrap the ceramic heart into its place with the 10" piece of 20 gauge copper wire. Push the heart bead up against the swirl embellishment. Mark 3" into the 10" piece of copper wire and wrap this 3" around the 14 gauge bangle, 3 to 4 times, tightening the wire against the 14 gauge base to hold the heart bead, facing forward, tight against the swirl. Push the remaining length of the wire behind the heart bead and cross over to the opposite side to begin wrapping this side of the heart. Wrap 2 to 3 times and stop.

Step 6. Pull your wire through the bangles bottom swirl, right where the base of the swirl begins, pull tight with your flat nose pliers and press the wire down across the top of the bottom swirl. Continue wrapping, going behind the swirls, up into the top swirl and around to the back 2 to 3 more times, pressing into place with the flat nose pliers at each wrap. Keep this wrapping tight as it holds the 2 hammered swirls together.

Step 7. Wrap the 20 gauge wire around the base of the 14 gauge bangle base on the outside of the double swirl embellishment and trim away any excess wire. Press the cut end into the bangle with your flat nose pliers and file the end smooth. Reshape your bangle against the thinner area of the mandrel with light blows, careful not to break the heart bead.

Step 8. I added a patina treatment of traditional ocean blue with a paint brush and then washed over it with dye oxide indigo to add a better contrast between the blue green of the ceramic heart bead. But this step is optional and the pure copper wire looks fantastic antiqued or polished and left bright.

I hope this project gives you a good idea for a more rustic theme on valentines heart jewelry!

Much Love & Respect,

Shannon

This free project was posted on Art Bead Scene Blog in Sept.2011

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Torch Fired Enamel Jewelry by Barbara Lewis

Welcome to my assigned book tour day for the new book by Barbara Lewis;

Torch Fired Enamel Jewelry!

Thank you for visiting!

I trust you are enjoying the rest of the blog tour from the following list of artists and taking advantage of the great odds in winning some of the cool prizes listed among the posts;

October 6, Mary Jane Dodd, www.mairedodd.blogspot.com

October 7, Gaea Cannaday, www.gaeabeads.blogspot.com

October 8, Linda Larsen, www.objectsandelements.typepad.com

October 10, Andrew Thornton, www.andrew-thornton.blogspot.com

October 11, Lori Plyler, www.waterstonejewelry.blogspot.com

October 12, Diane Cook, www.rosa-josies.blogspot.com

October 13, Lori Anderson, http://www.prettythingsblog.com

October 14, LeAnn Weih, www.summersstudio.blogspot.com

October 15, Jen Judd Velasquez, www.jenjuddrocks.blogspot.com

October 17, Melissa Meman, www.melissameman.blogspot.com

October 18, Lisa Crone, www.abeadaday.blogspot.com

October 19, Shannon LeVart, www.missficklemediacom.blogspot.com

October 20, Cindy Wimmer, www.sweetbeadstudio.com

October 21, Laura Twiford, www.souvenirsfromlife.blogspot.com

October 22, Erin Prais-Hintz, www.treasures-found.blogspot.com
October 24, Jennifer Cameron, www.glassaddictions.com

To thank you for following along, we will have a BONUS PRIZE at the end of the book tour! All of the entries will be included in the drawing for a kit containing all the elements of "Floral Cascade," one of the projects in the book. You'll receive everything you need to make the necklace, including the chain, jump rings, clasp, enamel beads, and head pins!

For a chance to win the Grand Prize - a Torch-Firing Kit (or $110 shopping experience atwww.paintingwithfireartwear.com) - please leave a REVIEW at Amazon.com by November 24.

And finally, my own special hoard of hammered copper that you can win by leaving a comment here at my blog post!

You will receive all the pieces shown, except for the flower. Barbara explain how the temperature needed (15oo degrees) to melt the enameling would most likely destroy the soldered bezel I attached to the front. But no worries! To make up for its absence I included a hammered crescent bangle.

Just think of all the colors you can add with enamels!

I have had a great time learning bits of info from Barbara about torch fired enameling from a few years back, but this book.... oh this book is meaty.

So very worth the wait!

There is tons of information here to keep you challenged for, I believe, months to come.

So leave 1 comment here for 1 chance to win these prizes.

Leave a 2nd comment if you posted about the virtual book tour on facebook and leave a 3rd comment if you tweet for even more chances.

Unfortunately, we have to restrict the giveaways to U.S. residents.

We will be drawing names soon and Barbara will announce them on her blog, which I will follow up with here on my mine.

Winners should contact Barbara with their name and address through her author website: www.torchfiredenameljewelry.com so that you can receive your prizes!

Thank you for helping spread the word about this fantastic new jewelry how-to book. Barb has worked very hard for us for the last year and a half making this information available to us.

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Too late for Summer,

too inappropriate for Fall and Winter, too early for Spring?

What do you do if you are sitting on a huge box of grungy, faintly-shabby-chic, patina-ted brass flowers?

This story goes back, but it's interesting and there are many facets.

It is hard to think in terms of 6 months in advance but that is as close as I can get to a retail calender.

The saffron daisy and blue rose were vintage stock flowers I sent Lorelei back in 2010(?) to play with and here's what she came up with.

Soaring.

Fantastic mix of color and emotion!

Well, of course, this piece makes the cover of Stringings' Summer 2011 issue;

But at that point I had no more flowers.

But I do now!

So as a thank you, I send a few more flowers to this talented lass and oh. my. gosh. Look what she came up with next;

Brilliant designer.
I used Lorelei's instructions in the summer issue for constructing the necklace focal piece and created this with my set.

I used the 6 Petal Mauve Flower and the 8 Petal Verdigris Flower along side a mix of softer colors and metals like brass filigree, ceramic beads by Gaea, ceramic beads by Starry Road Studios, recycled African glass from The Bead Chest .

Oh and an etched copper patina lampwork bead from Indian Creek Art Glass!
(oh my pretties, my lovely little pretties.)

The next set, and the last I set aside for myself, will be done up all wood, shell and tropical glam style.
Yep, it is never too late for flowers.
Thank you for the inspiration, Lorelei! I am sure I speak for several people whom you have inspired.
Lorelei's Blog.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Silver Parrot - one of my favorite......

writers, designers, fellow bead addicts and online friends;

Silver Parrot

My Glimmering Tropical Bird has nailed the warm, earthy mystery of navy blue and chestnut brown exactly as it was in my mind. Look at her use of the ceramic focal plaque, the blended hues, the contrast of cream and the included charming flutter of butterflies!

Oh, but she's funny, too.

Check out her blog as much as you can, she will make you laugh.