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Saturday, June 30, 2012

Studio Saturday: Humblebeads

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 weeks winner is GreyCatGlass. Congratulations! You have won an urchin bead from Heather Powers.  Send Heather an email with your address and she will get them right out to you.
Welcome back to the Humblebeads Studio.

Well today I'm feeling a little obessed with retro camping style thanks to seeing Moonrise Kingdom yesterday. Think of how many kids are introduced to beads during camp each year.  I did my share of stringing wooden beads on cord, braiding friendship bracelets and all manner of leather crafts during camp visits.

Suzy & Sam from Wes Anderson's new movie - Moonrise Kindgom 

I mean, just look at the color palette in this scene: green, khaki, orange, yellow, pink, teal and red.  I'm so loving the fun, playful and retro vibe and feel totally inspired.  I would love to create some camp-inspired charms from some of my sketches.

Or some jewelry using my woodland-inspired beads pictured above.  From acorns and squirrels, to birch log beads, to owls and mushroom charms I have plenty of woodland punch.  Now to add in a few camp themed charms, wood beads and cord and it's instant camp themed pendants - fun and funky for summer!

Pine Trees: OnionBagel. Binoculars: OverstockOutlet. Compass: IngredientsForLovely. Wood Beads: JuanitasCrafters.  Yellow Faceted Wood Beads: LikeBeads8.  Retro Painted Wood Beads: ByRobertaSupplies. Yellow Suede: Nature Beads.  Brown Leather Cord: SkullSupply. Blue Waxed Cotton Cord: Nature Beads.

This week's question: what book or movie has inspired a jewelry creation?  
Share a link with a photo if it's online - I'd love to see it!  
One lucky winner will snag a Birch Log bead shown in the first photo.

P.S. Use discount code HappyCamper for 10% off at Humblebeads.etsy.com from now until Monday, 7/2.  

Friday, June 29, 2012

June Monthly Blog Tour


Nighthawks is one of the most iconic images of the 20th century. The brightly lit interior glowing like a beacon on a dark night, the three diners who each seem very much alone even while sitting together so closely, and the strong linear lines and striking colors of rust, green, cream, brown and mustard yellow are so iconic. I love how Edward Hopper chose to focus on seemingly mundane scenes and how his art seems to tell a story. And the perspective of the wraparound window is very intriguing, making me want to know what is just around the corner.




The woman in the picture is missing something. So says Sharyl of Sharyl's Jewelry Garden and what she set out to create is the missing piece (above). She used a fresh summery palette that complements the painting so well. I can see the woman in the red sundress donning this on her way out on the town!

Angela Lund-Logan interpreted the scene with her Nighthawks earrings with wire criss-crossing like the paths of these characters intersecting at this street corner, and the vibrant green glass handmade beads echo the lines in the window. A very lovely design incoporating her own handmade enameled ear wires too!

Reading about the thought process of an artist is so interesting. The way you pull together the disparate elements littering your studio space that were waiting for just the right moment to shine is so darned cool! Bee Tree by m.e. always has amazing stories of her process. I love the way she balanced the masculine and the feminine in this necklace and how it really tells the story of the painting with every bead choice.

 These poppies look like they would rustle in the breeze and smell glorious! Miss Emma Todd of A Polymer Penchant (above) created these beauties as a piece for that beautiful woman in the red dress to wear on her "One Hot Date."

Tracy Stillman created earrings from the deep color palette of this painting. She gravitated to the dark colors of green throughout as well as the clever little embossed rectangles that catch the light and remind me of the windows looking in.

Ghie Malig of Trinket Tales is a new name to me on the Art Bead Scene. She crafted a very layered and meaningful cuff bracelet entirely by hand. I am always amazed at what can be made from polymer clay. You must check it out!


Kirsi from Finland tells us that when you are in love everything seems very black and white. She envisions that this ravishing beauty should be wearing a necklace like this featuring a lovely ceramic heart (above).

Miss Cece Cormier of The Beading Yogini created an intricate multistrand bracelet in honor of her sister using the color palette from Miss Brandi as a jumping off point. Astounding design!

Everything from the tops of the stools, the oblong shape of the building and even the long crooked nose of the patron are all represented in this beautiful necklace by Pam of KlassyJoolz. The color palette is rich and classy.


I am always excited to see what happens when someone tries their hand at making the beads and components they need to use for the challenge. That is exactly what Lynda Carson of Fresh Baked Designs did. She made a very beautiful faux cinnabar pendant and charm for the necklace and earrings that she envisions the lady in red should be wearing. If you want to see her process, she gives a great tutorial!

The negative space created by the wraparound window in the diner is so intriguing to me. Fulgorine took that concept and mixed it with another artist inspireation - Frida Kahlo - and a very moving and raw personal experience and created an inventive focal that gives you the same voyeuristic effect. It may seem that the open windows are empty but I hope that the fact that these seemingly lost souls have found one another in this diner gives me hope that the emptiness won't last for long.

Rocky of The Claying Mommy created an entire garden of polymer clay flowers in the palette of the inspiration painting. These rich and earthy blooms look like they would be right at home on the lady in red.

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Thank you for taking the time to submit your designs to the Art Bead Scene. We so enjoy seeing what the jumping off point does for your creative sparks! Looking forward to next month!

Thursday, June 28, 2012

White Hot Summer Bead Theme



leaf pendant charm SHABBY wh...
$3.85
wood buttons... set of 9 BIR...
$9.98
WHITE - 4 x vintage style me...
$3.40
Birch Logs Focal Bead
$12.00
Bird in Cage and Branches Ha...
$7.50
A Sparrow's Egg
$8.00
Old Lace White - 16mm Patina...
$13.00
Snow Bird bead Ceramic handm...
$14.00
Two Brass Dragonfly Charms -...
$3.50
assorted ivory white lace st...
$2.50
Antique Dogwood Blossom Pend...
$12.00
Natural undyed sari silk rib...
$19.50
6 Feet White Glint Chain (WC...
$6.00
Set of three chapped white h...
$7.00
SWOOPING bird charm, shabby...
$13.75
Calling All Angels Feather P...
$14.00

 

Is it hot enough for you?  I love the look of crisp summer whites when the tempatures are soaring.  

I'm thinking fluffy dandelions, feathers, queen's anne lace, white picket fences, sheets on a clothes line, delicate bird eggs, flower petals, birch tree forests, pieces of aged lace and jars of white buttons.  All images from my childhood summers and now they are seeping into my summer jewelry designs. 

Here is a fun collection of pendants and beads in subtle shades of white and cream, pairing my art beads with some of my favorite Etsy picks.

I love the idea of adding in ribbon, lace or chain in shabby chic hues to bring in some texture to your designs.  Gather together pearls, light blue lace agate, quartz and white milk glass to create monochromatic pieces.   

When the temperatures rise, do you lighten up your jewelry styles?  

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Coral Flower Adjustable Necklace - Free Project



This simple, casual cord necklace is perfect for easy, breezy Summer. It whips up quick with just a few knotted beads and a sliding knot at the back. The adjustable closure is a versatile feature and also makes the project inexpensive to make!

 Materials
6 coral 8mm large-hole Swarovski pearls
14 gold size 6 seed beads
1 coral 30mm ceramic flower pendant
48" of dark brown 1mm waxed cotton cord

Tools
scissors
ruler


Finished size: adjustable

1: Cut 12" of cord and set aside.
2: Fold the longer cord in half and form a lark's head knot onto the pendant's loop.
3: Use one cord to string 3 seed beads; form an overhand knot. String 1 coral pearl; form an overhand knot. Repeat two more times. Repeat entire step for the other side of the necklace.
4: Use the 12" cord from step 1 to form a sliding adjustable knot. To create this knot, follow the step by step instructions from my previous tutorial found here.

Resources:
Ceramic flower pendant: Suburban Girl Beads. Cotton cord: Macrame Super Store. Seed beads: Shipwreck Beads. Coral pearls: Fire Mountain Gems.


Erin Siegel is a jewelry designer, beading instructor and co-author of the jewelry book, Bohemian-Inspired Jewelry: 50 Designs Using Leather, Ribbon and Cords. To find out more, visit her blog, Erin Siegel Jewelry

Monday, June 25, 2012

Designer of the Week: Beading Yogini

 Each week the Art Bead Scene features a Designer of the Week. 
One of our editors picks her favorite from the Monthly Challenge entries.
This week's featured designer is Cece Cormier from the Beading Yogini
Here is what ABS editor Heather Powers said about her design:
"Who could resist the wonderful cornucopia of of textures in Cece's macrame bracelet.  I love that she picked on of the color palette's as the jumping point for her design.  I like the mix of the fiber with the small seeds and chain, it offers a wonderful texture.  Her focal departs from this month's inspiration as her bracelet did double duty as a gift.  The front of the bracelet is a great cobmination of metal of glass flowers which is a nice play in contrast to the soft and flowing fiber section of the bracelet."
Just a few days left to enter our challenge, it's time to pull out those beads and see where this month's inspiration takes you!

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Link Library with Melanie

 Hey, it's me!  In my booth at the Bead & Button Show, with the lovely Erin Siegel in the background.  I am showing this picture to point out my booth banner behind us on the background.  Booth banners are a great, inexpensive way to bring a little extra attention to your art fair or bead booth.  Heather wrote a post for Art Bead Scene about banners (along with some other great show tips).  
 Click here to read her post from our archives.

And here are some of the things that our beady friends are up to this week: 


A Bead A Day
If you are looking for an EASY hemp cord project, Lisa is sharing one that requires no special skills!

About.com Jewelry Making
Summer time means time to get organized for many of us jewelry designers. Read about how some of us get organize and consider sharing your own tips as well.

Art Bead Scene
Erin Siegel shares a free project using silk ribbons to highlight a handmade ceramic pendant

Beading Arts
Brass wire, lace fabric, beads, and buttons all combine in one fabulous mixed media necklace!

Carmi's Art/Life World
Resin, bezels and Christmas imagery! Is it too soon to start projects for December?

Resin Crafts!
This week Resin Crafts focused on the launch of new components by Nunn Design. If you review the week you'll also find an amazing give-a-way!

Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!
Jean reviews Katie Hacker's great new book, LiveWire Jewelry!  

Melanie Brooks is the ceramic beadmaker behind Earthenwood Studio, who blogs from her Metro Detroit, Michigan home.

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Studio Saturday - Humblebeads

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 weeks winner is Aileen Clarke CraftsCongratulations! You have won a pair of earrings from Rebecca Anderson.  Send Rebecca an email with your address and she will get them right out to you.
 
Welcome to the Humblebeads Studio today.
 
Last night I had a nightmare that summer was over and I hadn't spent one day enjoying it.  Hello subconscious - trying to tell me something!  I have been reading The Fire Starter Sessions by Danielle LaPorte and thinking about what I want my life to look like and how I can tweak my business so that I have more time to enjoy the things that feed my soul. 

Before I moved from Texas to Michigan there were certain things I missed about my Michigan summers and they would work their way into my beads.  Now that I am here I find that I need to slow down and enjoy them.  Like fireflies - you never saw them in Texas and now the fields around my house light up with these magical creatures.  I need to spend a few nights outside stargazing and enjoying those fireflies as things twinkle above our heads and around our feet instead of working away on beads and blogs into the wee hours of the night.

The second thing I love about summer are tiger lilies - my favorite flowers.  They grow like weeds around here.  They are along the highways, at the edge of forests and in all their glory in well pruned gardens.  Digging in the dirt and enjoying the farmer's markets are another thing on my summer bucket list.

And then there is the beach.  We live an hour away from Lake Michigan.  I love the feel of sand under my feet and the sound of the waves splashing the shore.  In fact, that is where I am the most happiest in the whole world.  

So what does this have to do with today's Studio Saturday?  I just want to remind you guys to enjoy those small moments while you are chasing your beady dreams.  Maybe for some of you beads are an escape from work and everyday stress.  But if you work in the world of beads or as a business owner of any kind, it can be hard to find the balance where you are enjoying your life while forging out a career.

I'm off today to enjoy the farmer's market, walk around the small tourist shops of my hometown and I will not head home until I watch the sunset on Lake Michigan.  Sometimes you just need to take a day for yourself.

How do you stop to smell the roses and find balance between work and family and doing things that feed your soul?  I'm all ears!  Leave a comment and we'll pick one commenter to win an urchin bead shown above.

You can find all sorts of summer-inspired beads in my Etsy shop today.