Where is Everyone? The Desperate ABS Neighborhood

While retrieving her newspaper from the front porch, The Desperate Editor notices a unusual quiet in the neighborhood. Seems that either they're all sleeping in or have gone on a vacation before Labor Day. Guess she has to go out into the Bead Blogging World for her fill of today's gossip....

Art Bead Scene
Thinking about selling your jewelry and craft items? Get the scoop on opening an Etsy Shop.

Bead Style Magazine Goes Back to School
Check out BeadStyle's new Beading Parties, free projects, and links to friends

Carmi's Art/Life World
Carmi uses ribbon to really embellish resin pendants.

Jewelry & Beading
A spiraling peyote stitch tube using beads of different sizes creates a beautiful centerpiece.

Katie's Beading Blog
Take a peek at the latest additions to Katie's bead stash, including: "vegetable ivory," Venetian glass, raku pottery and more!

Naughty Secretary Club
You could win one of the amazing door prizes being given away at Jen’s book release party without even walking through any doors!

Strands of Beads
Melissa finds Very Useful Items at American Science & Surplus

Have you heard any good dirt in the beading world? We'd love for you to share!

Gossiped...errr...reported by Cindy Gimbrone, Desperate Neighborhood snoop and glass beadmaker.

Studio Saturday-Sunny Side Up!

Welcome to Studio Saturday! Each week one of our contributors gives you a sneak peek into their studio, creative process or inspirations. We ask a related question of our readers and hope you'll leave comments! As an incentive we offer a free prize each week to bribe you to use that keyboard. The following week we choose a random winner.This week's winner is suzann wilson ! Please send your postal address to the ABS Suggestion Box to receive your Pinwheel Flower Pendant from Jennifer at Jangles.

My last Studio Saturday was at the end of May. I was preparing and showing at 2 major events. I have also been recovering from surgery. I am doing great and nearly back to normal. What ever normal is!


Above is the Needle Minder that had shown in my last Studio Saturday post in the greenware stage.
They are now glazed and the colors turned out great. Brighter than my photo shows (I'm battling with my digital camera). The needle minder is two sided with earth magnets embedded in each clay side. They are used by stitchers on either side of the canvas, quilt, etc. These keep track of your pins and needles so they don't end up on the floor or on your chair.
Depending on your mood you can have have the three dimensional sun looking up at you or the sun/moon glowingly staring at you. Of course these can be make as buttons with a shank back or loop(s) on top for a pendant. These are not listed on my website yet but email me if you would like to order.

"Blue Moon", "Moondance", "Don't let the Sun Go Down on Me"...

My question for today's Studio Saturday is:

What Sun or Moon Song is your favorite or inspires you?

There is always a song playing in my head when I'm working. Sometimes it helps me get through the day while I'm working.

One random commenter will win the Three Dimensional Sun shown above on the left as shank back button. It would look great on your handmade bag or new winter coat!

The Bead Scoop: Blue Buddha Boutique

Jump rings are elevated to a new level at the Blue Buddha Boutique. Blue Buddha's jump rings come in a variety of metals, colors, diameters and wire gauges. You can go classic metal in sterling, copper, brass and steel or punch it up a bit with color mixes such as the Persian Rug and Earth Mixes.


Now maybe you're inspired to design with jump rings. Try chain maille. Blue Buddha Boutique offers well-written, easy to learn free tutorials that enticed me to try my hand at mail.

Written by Cindy Gimbrone, new chain maille addict and glass beadmaker.