Vintaj VIP Subscription Box

Tags

Green Girl Studios, Heather Powers, Humblebeads, Swarovski, Vintaj

I decided to get myself the Vintaj VIP monthly subscription box. I had thought about it for a while, but hadn’t done it. You can get a good look at what type of things you will be getting because Heather Powers does an unboxing video and project every month on her Humblebeads Facebook page. That is what finally convinced me to get the box. I really wanted the box shown in the most recent video. I love the components and especially the gorgeous Swarovski. Also, they had a deal for half price the first month, so I took advantage of that.

The kits include finished design ideas for inspiration. Heather Powers makes something different in her video, so that gives you additional inspiration if you’d like.

Each box has beads, filigree, metal and special elements like something from Green Girl Studios and Swarovski.

Here are pictures of each of the packages closer.

Beads and cabochons. I especially love the two pairs of set glass in the front. They will look wonderful in an Apoxie Sculpt project.

Metal components. Vintaj has all types of finishes, which I love. They show great mixed metal projects. I like all finishes. I’ve turned over one in a couple of the pairs to show the textured side and smoother side. You could use them either way.

Green Girl Studios charm. It says Guardian Angel on the back.

Vintaj filigree. I’ve always wanted to work more with filigree. I buy it, but I often don’t know what to do with it. I’ve purchased a couple of Vintaj technique books, so those will be helpful, as will the kit inspiration sheets.

I don’t often make projects designed by other people, but I really loved the idea presented for the Swarovski piece on the Vintaj design ideas card, so I did make that with kit items and a vintage chain I had. Even the back is beautiful with the mirror finish on the crystal and the design on the filigree.

I think I will really enjoy these Vintaj boxes! There is still a lot of stuff to get through this year until there are more forms of support available (visiting family and friends in person, etc.) so I am continuing to find ways to engage in extra self-care.

Hearts to You

Tags

Andrew Thornton: Project Destash, Famous Vintage Bead Hoard Liquidation Destash, Heather Powers, Luciana Lavin, Vintaj

I’m on vacation, so I went up to my studio just to see what happened. Maybe I would clean, maybe I’d work on a project for an upcoming challenge, maybe…. And then I saw a red glass heart bead I’d gotten a while ago from Andrew Thornton: Project Destash.

I had wire wrapped it with a tiny turquoise Czech glass bead. I can’t even remember the project, but I didn’t end up making it. But I loved how the dark red looked with the turquoise color, so that sent me down a path. I didn’t have a headpin of the right type, so I used wire. Since that gave me the option for an eye pin, I decided to add a small tassel with some chain in the dark red that was on my table.

I played around with that a bit and was using a turquoise bead that had been part of packaging with a necklace I bought from Luciana Lavin. Check out her work. It’s gorgeous! She had also included a tiny little seed beaded tag perfect to use at the bottom of my tassel!

The metal rectangle is a vintage piece I got from Famous Vintage Bead Hoard Liquidation Destash. I got a bag of them. I’m not sure what they are. They are curved and have two spiky bits on each side that I cut off and then flattened the piece. It doesn’t look perfectly smooth on one side, but it has been filed to smoothness. I would not have bought such a thing because I wouldn’t have known what to do with it except that I saw something similar in this Heather Powers video. When the pandemic began, Vintaj gave away kits called Rise and Design. There was a piece included that Heather cut, flattened and used to beautiful effect in a bracelet. I have that kit and planned to make a similar bracelet (still might) but the best type of tutorial not only shows you how to do something, but also inspires you to take the technique and make it your own.

I considered a variety of turquoise colored beads for the strand. These won because I wanted to cover the crimps where it connects with the metal piece with a large hole bead. I used seed beads that matched the metal piece as spacers. I think it turned out very well and was a fun piece to work on.

Beautiful Elements by Heather Powers

Tags

Beautiful Elements: Creative Components to Personalize Your Jewelry, Dakota Stones, Erin Prais-Hintz, Heather Powers, Inviciti

I finally got Heather Powers‘ book Beautiful Elements: Creative Components to Personalize Your Jewelry. It’s a very exciting book, and I’ve barely delved into it. I’ve made a tour through all the projects, and each one is something I would like to (and will) do, but the first thing I did wasn’t even making my own components. It was one of the jewelry projects shown using a component from the book.

Necklace by Heather Powers from her book Beautiful Elements

The book shows how to make the leaf toggle/focal (it’s easier than you might think!) But I couldn’t wait to make this necklace. I saw those center drilled stick beads and thought of some center drilled African turquoise sticks I got at a bead show some years ago. I picked them up while hovering in the Dakota Stones booth waiting for someone else to put down some gorgeous apatite rough nuggets so I could buy them (she did and I did). I liked the turquoise, but it was an unusual shape for me. Here was an inspiration for how to use it!

I wanted a focal that made a statement like this leaf. I decided to look in my stash of treasures by Erin Prais-Hintz that I’ve been hoarding. I suspected I’d find something perfect, and some of them should see the light! I was rewarded with with this amazing pendant.

Erin always packages things really beautifully and includes information like the name of the piece, which was on the card this was attached to. I very carefully saved it so I would have it for this blog post. That was weeks ago, and now I can’t find it (until, I’m sure, I push the publish button on this post!) Anywho, I believe this is patina mixed with resin, and it is just gorgeous. There are little touches of pink, and I used this  bead my sister’s girlfriend gave me that is the exact right color. I love that. (Thanks, Lisa!)I also loved using the three Czech glass petal beads that echo the shape of the pendant. The pewter clasp, by Inviciti, has a similar shape too.

I am so pleased with this necklace and that I’ve got some experience using a bead shape that I had trouble with before. That will help open up my designs. Look for more projects from this book in the future.

Floppy Goodness?

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Cynthia Thornton, Heather Powers, Helen Backhouse

The question mark in the title of this post is for two reasons. One because I don’t know that anyone reading this blog could determine the goodness of the parts or whole of the necklace because it is difficult to photograph. It is floppy, long and the bottom metal piece of the pendant is dark compared to the other parts and the polymer bead is very shiny. Two, I feel as though I should like it more than I currently do. I’ll have to wear it and live with it for a while before I decide if “goodness” describes it. I do love all the parts. 

The pendant consists of a a metal drop by Helen Backhouse, turquoise, rustic metal and a polymer clay bead by Cynthia Thornton. I have several of these polymer beads Cynthia made. They are gorgeous. I had gotten them out to consider them for another project that didn’t come together. But seeing the turquoise and ruby swirls in the bead made me pull out my turquoise and ruby beads. I intended to use more of the turquoise beads, but the thing was so heavy after those top two turquoise beads, I decided to add chain. I put some wire-wrapped small turquoise chips to fancy up the chain.

I really love all the elements. I’ll get a chance to wear it this week and also get some family opinions on it in person to see if it needs anything. I have been trying to analyze jewelry that I like to see what I like in it that I sometimes feel is missing from my pieces. After thing about that, I added the wire wrapped seed beads between the metal and turquoise in the pendant because the connection looked skimpy and added the turquoise dangles.

I feel like I am ready and can go to the next step in my jewelry making by being a little more intentional with my designs rather than going for the immediate gratification of getting something done quickly. I also have started to make some of my own components – just beginner ones like ear wires and clasps. After the last online class I took from Heather Powers, I signed up for another one. (I still have one necklace to finish from the first class that involves my nemesis, wire wrapping.)   I want to do like I did last time and take a few days off to focus on the class. That allows me to enjoy it more.

Gemstones!

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Heather Powers, Sondra's Estate Beads Destash Depot

I got this great carved moonstone pendant from Sondra’s Estate Beads Destash Depot and wanted to make a long necklace that would fit over my head without a clasp, my current favorite style.

I considered using some special glass beads, but couldn’t find just the right ones, so gemstones won out. I used moonstone cubes and citrine nuggets. I used dark red seed beads to make the gemstones pop. 

So pretty! I love gemstones, especially in the nugget shape of the citrine. Rough, yet elegant. My studio is such a mess, it is difficult to get anything done. I need to clean before I can really focus on the projects I am trying to finish. (I brought this down to the living room to work on.) I have one more necklace from my last Heather Powers class and then I’m going to finish gathering materials for the next class. Exciting!

Finishing Some WIPs and Class Projects

Tags

Allegory Gallery, Famous Vintage Bead Hoard Liquidation Destash, Fluttering Wings Summer Camp, Heather Powers, Suzanne Branca

Hello! Weekends are too short. I know I’m not telling you anything you don’t know. But there is so much to do and not enough time, including creative time! I am going to try to fit more of that into my weekdays. I did it in January when following Bead in the New Year with Allegory Gallery. I have more jewelry related things going on now, so I am not keeping up with the current prompts as well, but they will be there for me when I am ready.

For this weekend, I wanted to get some works in progress done. I wrote earlier about a wonderful online class I took from Heather Powers in early August. My beads did not cure fully in their first bake. An oven thermometer showed how much my oven 1) lies and 2) varies over the course of a bake. So it took me three bakes to get them fully cured. With that done, I was able to finish the earrings and necklace that used them.

The jewelry and bead designs are Heather’s. I etched and finished the metal and made the beads, ear wires and finished jewelry with her instructions. I am so excited to be able to add my own handmade components to my jewelry! It will be fun when I can design my own beads. I need more instruction first, but I am starting to have ideas. 

This set is also from Heather’s class. I had the etched metals and earrings finished, but was stalling on making the sari silk, wire and seed bead connectors. It was much easier than I thought. I might turn the one around because I must have all the seed beads on the back now that I look at the photo, but I’m pleased in general. I loved the etching lesson. I have bought copper to do more, as well as sterling silver wire to continue making my own ear wires.

I finished one other work-in-progress: a bracelet. I got some vintage filigrees from Suzanne Branca’s Famous Vintage Bead Hoard Liquidation Destash and had bent one for a bracelet focal. I finally made the bracelet by adding a couple types of beaded chain and a lovely Swarovski crystal dangle.

It always feels good to get things done. Only 9,999 more to go!

Heather Powers’ Fluttering Wings Summer Camp

Tags

Heather Powers, Humblebeads

I have wanted to learn to work with polymer clay for some time, but like many things, I put it off. Then I saw what looked like a wonderful opportunity: the Fluttering Wings Summer Camp with Heather Powers of Humblebeads. I already knew Heather was a good teacher; I had seen many of her free Bead Table Wednesday video tutorials. Here is a bracelet I love that I made based on one of them.

I was excited that not only did the summer camp include some polymer clay projects but also a metal etching lesson and some finished jewelry projects using what we made. The course is set up in three distinct parts, so I took three days off of work. I thought it would be too easy to put it off and say I would do it “later” if I didn’t. I was so glad I did. I found that the online format is great for me. There are written and video instructions that I could read/watch the day before and then get right into a project the next morning. I’m a morning person; it’s easy to lose my get up and go by the afternoon if I’m not already into it. I can go back and watch/read things as many times as necessary. I have lifetime access to the materials to try them again and again or use them as the springboard for other projects. There was also a Facebook group where we could share with others and ask questions. Although this is no longer available, there were a limited number of kits containing many of the course materials. I would highly recommend getting that if you ever take a course where that is an option. It was so helpful and beautifully organized.

My things turned out pretty well. (Although I have to bake my beads again because I didn’t use an oven thermometer.) When something didn’t go as planned, I was able to figure out why and knew how to fix it or re-do it based on the excellent course information and/or answers from Heather. Here are some of the beads in process.

Here are some practice ear wires and bezel pendants – one finished (blue) and one that needs a repair, rebake and finishing. The kit included sterling wire for finished earrings, but Heather even included some copper wire for practice. I made a couple of charms from scrap because I wanted to see how easy (or not) it was to embed wire in polymer. (It was easy.) 

Here are a couple of finished pieces using the etching. The earrings are a class project. I love the ear wires! 

The necklace is something extra I made.

I haven’t finished the rest of the jewelry projects yet because I got sick as things were winding down and decided to take it easy. I’m still recovering and will get to those projects when I am able. At the end of the course, Heather did a video showing even more great jewelry projects using the components (or versions thereof) that we made. A great bonus!

I have kind of a bad attitude toward learning new things. I’m always worried they won’t work out, I’ll feel like it’s all been a waste, and I won’t want to keep trying. I think I can change that outlook now. My mom and I have been doing resin experiments and on the whole, they have been turning out. When they don’t, I can figure out why and even want to try again. The same can be said of my work for these lessons. Everything was so much more doable and worked out so much better than I could have imagined. I loved it, and it was an incredibly positive experience. I am planning to take more of Heather’s online classes and have even looked at other polymer tutorials I bought and never used. It’s an exciting new way to explore my creativity.

Allegory Gallery July 2019 Design Prompts

Tags

A Grain of Sand, Allegory Gallery, Allegory Gallery Design Challenges, Artists for Animals Auction, Classic Elements, Cynthia Thornton, Fluttering Wings Summer Camp, Heather Powers, Humblebeads, Jesse James Beads, Patti Vanderbloemen, Vintaj

Allegory Gallery started my 2019 off right by having daily prompts in the month of January. I felt so creative and made some wonderful pieces. I was happy to see that they started weekly prompts in July. Here is what I made.

Week One – Make Earrings

These tensha beads from Jesse James Beads wanted to be earrings, so I wrapped them onto the ends of sections of vintage chain from A Grain of Sand – and done! These are shoulder dusters for sure. They will be available later in an Artists for Animals auction.

Week Two – Make Something Using Czech Glass

I had this wonderful kitty pendant from Classic Elements that I mixed with some beautiful Czech glass gifted to me by Patti Vanderbloemen and horn beads from Allegory Gallery. The coloration makes me happy.

Week Three – Use Gemstones

I had filled this Cynthia Thornton bezel with resin and glitter opals. I used it with peridot and green kyanite nuggets from Allegory Gallery. This feels very luxe to me.

Week Four – Make a Boho Design

This necklace was prompted by the Allegory Gallery Challenge and inspired by a wonderful necklace by Vintaj. I still want to get their component and make another one!

Week Five – Make Something Inspired by Nature

I just took the Fluttering Wings Summer Camp online workshop from Heather Powers of Humblebeads. It was the best experience! I found that things that had seemed way beyond my skill level weren’t! The online format was perfect for me. I often don’t have the energy or attention span to learn about something and then do it in the same day. I was able to read the instructions and watch videos one day and actually do the making the next day. The polymer bead in this necklace is something I made in class (from a butterfly wing cane). I framed it with a couple of vintage crystals and knotted it with beads from a vintage necklace and Czech glass flowers.

William and Andrew of Allegory Gallery intend to continue these challenges. I am in! If you would like to check out what people make, you can visit the Allegory Gallery Design Challenges Facebook page.

Jewelry Summer Camp and Preparing for Fall

Tags

Artists for Animals Auction, Fluttering Wings Summer Camp, Ginger Davis Allman, Heather Powers, Heather Powers Art, Humblebeads, Miss Fickle Media, The Blue Bottle Tree, The Muse

Whenever I feel inspired to work on things for the Artists for Animals Auction, I go for it. I don’t like doing things at the last minute, so it feels good to have some items ready. The next auction is in the fall sometime, and I’ve already made three – possibly four – sets of earrings.

First up, pink cornflake pearl earrings. 

I fell in love with these pink cornflake pearl earring dangles when I saw them in the Miss Fickle Media shop. I’ve been trying to use them ever since, and have never made anything work quite right. I think I’ve finally found their design.

Next are olive citrine earrings.

I love long kidney wires. I think they are so elegant. One beautiful bead hanging there, and your earrings are made. Here are two views: one that shows the citrine better and one that shows the beautiful handmade balled headpins. I’ve been hoarding those for a long time. Love these!

My third pair is made with beautiful, large coin pearls.

The second photo is so you get a better look at the finding they are on. I really love these large coin pearls and therefore these earrings.

I recently read an article by Ginger Davis Allman of The Blue Bottle Tree. She was saying that it is a myth that people with sensitive pierced ears can use surgical steel, sterling silver and other metals. She recommended niobium as what works. I used to feel naked without earrings. Then my ears became sensitive and no metal worked – including sterling silver and 14 KT gold. I thought that meant there was no hope, and I haven’t worn earrings in years. I don’t remember trying niobium at that time, even though I know about them now. So I’m going to order a few pair and see if I can wear them. How great that would be!

I got that tip from Ginger’s The Muse newsletter. It’s a thrice weekly email newsletter that has great short bits and tricks, so it’s easy to read but always really valuable. I recommend it!

The reason I said possibly four pair of earrings is that I’m not sure how much I like these. I love the reverse painted scruffy cat on these beads. However, they are large hole and so swing around on the wire a bit. I put some seed beads inside, but it’s always hard to get the exact right size to keep beads steady. Maybe it’s not a problem. Scruffy cat has a cute backside too! I show them both here.

The other part of this post is an exciting creative and educational opportunity I’ve gifted myself. Heather Powers of Humblebeads is offering a wonderful online course called Fluttering Wings Summer Camp. The learning includes techniques in polymer clay, copper etching and metal work, silk ribbon beads, ear wires, and finished jewelry tutorials. I’ve taken three days off work to use it as a little creative staycation for myself and make sure I get things done. However, it’s an online class you’ll get lifetime access to, so you can do it any time. If you are able, check it out. I think it is going to be a lot of fun and teach me some great techniques.

 

 

Creative Weekend

Tags

Bead Table Wednesday, Beads to Blooms, Diane Hawkey, Heather Powers, Loralee Kolton, Miss Fickle Media, Sarah Moran, Yvonne Irvin-Faus, Z-Beads

I did more creating this weekend. Some I’ll show here; others are still in process and/or in preparation for my next resin pour. I’m really loving resin.

First is also an in progress piece. I got this large vintage cuff from Beads to Blooms Destash. The owner also has an etsy store, but I’m always looking for the one off pieces. I used some Vintaj marble patina on the design part. I need to clean it up and relief it back some more. I might also paint some colors on the design and then relief those back. I love the ’70s look it has so far with the size and the bright metal. 

I also made a couple more simple bead-on-chain necklaces. The first uses one of my precious Sarah Moran beads from z-beads. I own exactly one strand of her beads, and this was a little mini-me bead that was included, so I felt ok using it. There is a little ring of tiny green dots, and I used that color chartreuse enamel chain that I got from Yvonne Irvin-Faus for a simple necklace. I love how the pink and blue look with the green. I’m such a fan of unusual color combinations. 

A second simple chain necklace uses a Diane Hawkey word bead. 

It is a somewhat rustic bead, and what could be considered a harsh word, so I liked the idea of putting it on this elegant chain. The textured chain is black without color on the higher parts. That makes the metal sparkle. I finished it with a Miss Fickle Media clasp. I feel like this word is ripe for reclamation. It’s used against women any time someone wants to let us know we aren’t “acceptable” in some way. I sometimes hear women use it to empower themselves, giving themselves permission to be assertive, to have an opinion, to speak up, to not back down. I often say I can be perceived as rude to someone else or I can be rude to myself. I have no desire to be rude to myself. If that makes someone think I am or call me a bitch, I’ll take that as a compliment. So I have this necklace to reclaim that word for myself.

Last, I finally finished something that has been languishing on my bead table since my first resin experiments at the end of last year. I made a wonderful pendant I really loved. However, it was already kind of heavy, and no matter what beads I put with it, it seemed even heavier, both in visual and physical weight. A necklace the fabulous Loralee Kolton showed today on Facebook had a kind of fancy way to knot it on leather cord from a Bead Table Wednesday tutorial by Heather Powers. I realized that would be the perfect way to finish my resin pendant. 

The connection is called the cat’s paw knot, and it’s just a little nicer and fancier than my regular lark’s head knot, so I will be using this again. I really love how this pendant looks on simple leather cord, nothing to distract from the pendant, which has enough going on.

I’ll be showing the other things I was working on in the weeks to come as they are finished. I am happy to be doing more things that are multiple steps. It feels like the next step in creativity to make or alter some of the components I’m using in my jewelry.