October Monthly Challenge Recap

October brings with it a change in the weather, and a definite burst of color. I fell in love with this art glass lamp, how about you? Such a beautiful color palette, with the warm golden and deep russet and the cool touches of lavender and plum. I am sure that this lamp must be quite the sight all lit up!

I have been itching to do a new Symbol Bead in the series (I have two others… Frida’s Triumph and Tide Pool Treasures). And I needed to come up with something for an exciting new art exhibit called "The Art of the Bead" at Allegory Gallery (check it out!). This seemed like the perfect opportunity to slay those two birds with one {polymer clay} stone, so to speak. I created a mold of a Victorian dragonfly metal stamping and wanted to mimic the coloration of the lamp with the leaves at the bottom. I don’t normally go for a shiny finish on anything, but since the inspiration is a glass lamp, I thought a gloss finish would be appropriate. I call this Symbol Bead On Gossamer Wings.

Dragonflies and butterflies were all the rage in Art Nouveau stylings. Their fantasy colors and intricate wing patterns fascinated the Art Nouveau artists, as well as their stylized curving lines that hinted at the gracefulness of the art of this period. Dragonflies are a transformative symbol, delicate and graceful, yet powerful. They just skim the surface where they alight leaving a trail of happiness wherever they land. Using dragonflies and butterflies are sure to bring happiness to those who wear your jewelry designs!

Now let's see what everyone else did....

And time to add your links to the challenge. Post your blog links here to be entered to win prizes!

Support Your Local Bead Store Heroes

(Beads to Live By)

There is nothing easy about opening a bead store. It takes bravery, lots of determination, knowledge, passion and the ability to create a community that will support your business.

The best bead stores offer much more than beads. They teach classes, host special events and are always finding ways to inspire their local creatives. They provide inspiration in bead form and it's quite a bit of magic!

(Trunk Show Goodies)

I live in an area that is bead store poor. To go to my favorite bead shop I have to travel 2 hours way to the other side of Michigan! Even though it's a trek for us, we do manage to go visit several times a year. I'm fortunate enough to have made friends with the bead store owner and we've paired up for a few classes and trunk shows.

The shop is Beads to Live By owned by Cassandra Spicer. Cassandra knows the value of offering classes to her students to keep them busy with new projects. She listens to her customers requests, that's how we met! Every time I've been in the store she has helped students in the design process and with their projects. She is quick to share simple techniques on the fly and offers lots of encouragement.

(Holiday Workshop)

My next trunk show at Beads to Live By will be on November 19th. It will be a holiday themed trunk show with lots of new work and I'll be teaching a fun wire class. If you are on the east side of Michigan make plans to join us!

(Andrew Thornton)

My next bead store heroes aren't a local shop for me, but if you know Andrew and William you can't help but feel like Allegory Gallery is part of our community too!

Allegory Gallery is a bead shop in a very small tourist town that brings in nationally known instructors and attracts visitors from far and wide. They also operate an online version of their store on Etsy to help supplement their off season times. Allegory Gallery is a unique bead shop and gallery space, they offer a beautifully curated collection of beads supporting artists and makers!

They are another bead store that has created a space that brings out the best in their local customers offering weekly events, classes and even a book/jewelry club! I've been able to visit and teach at Allegory Gallery twice and both times I've wanted to spend hours pouring over their treasures and visiting with the staff.

(Andrew's Ceramic Pendants)

Andrew and William are in the middle of a huge crowd-funding project to expand their inventory and they are offering lots of amazing ways to pledge support.

It's been less than a week and they have met 35% of their goal but to reach the 65% they really need our help.

Support starts at just $8 for a pendant and Andrew's ceramic pendants are some of my favorites, they are quite captivating in their coloring and subject matter. There are events, publications, jewelry and other pendants available too.

(My Allegory Gallery Haul!)

So I'm asking three things of you today to support your local bead store heroes.

1. Visit a local bead shop at least once a month - more if they are closer. Make the trek if you are able. If there are no bead stores anywhere, find a local shop online to support! Tell your local bead store owner how much you appreciate them.

2. Check out Allegory Gallery's Crowdfunding offerings and treat yo'self!!!

3. Share Allegory Gallery's Crowdfunding page on your Facebook or Twitter account today.

Inside the Studio with Mary Harding Jewelry

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 will leave  comments!  As an incentive, we offer a PRIZE each week to encourage you to use that keyboard and tell us what you think.

At the next Inside the Studio post a WINNER is chosen at random from all eligible entries.
Here are the results from the last Inside the Studio post.

Congratulations to Laura Souder Studio You are the winner of a $20.00 gift certificate from MaryHardingJewelry.  Please contact Mary to claim your prize.
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       Now you can see how these turned out.  Visit Artisans Create Together Trunk Show                                  going on all day today Oct. 28, 2016

Welcome to Inside My Studio this Week.  Thank you all for your  heart felt comments on my last Inside the Studio post and for welcoming me back. I see a common theme in your replies that we all share a very strong need to create.  How wonderful that is.  Since I broke my ankle, I have a great respect for our ability to be resilient in times of change and mishap.  I find that very reassuring and I see that all of you would manage just fine too.  Thanks so for taking the time to share your thoughts and stories with me.
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