Enamel

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My Elements, Yvonne Irvin-Faus

I love all of Yvonne Irvin-Faus’ creations.  Not just her jewelry, but the variety of handmade components she sells through her My Elements brand.  I love how she is always offering new things and fell in love with her swirly, colorful enamel shapes called Ethereals.

I followed Yvonne’s lead (she always provides inspiration pictures for her wares) and created a simple but eye-catching necklace with her various shapes.  I didn’t even pick these all out at the same time or necessarily to go with each other, but I do really like lime and turquoise.  I love how it looks like splashes of refreshing color.

Bits and Bobs Giveaway

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Andrew Thornton, giveaway, My Elements, Shipwreck Dandy Supply

I was supposed to be cleaning my studio, and I got the idea to do a little “studio sweep” type giveaway.  I’ve purchased such grab bags from My Elements, Shipwreck Dandy Supply and Andrew Thornton, among others, I’m sure.  I do love my random, surprise, leftover bits!  It helped a little on the cleaning, but more importantly, I get to have a giveaway! Should you choose to enter, here is a glimpse of what you will receive that got swept up off my bead table.

You can see some of what is in the bags, but I will tell you that there are some findings, some bead pairs, and a variety of fiber bits.  There are also random beads (and some groups) including glass, wood, plastic, and gemstone.  There are two strands of beads, a couple of buttons, and even a couple of art beads. Those weren’t technically on my bead table, they were under it in a box of things I was meaning to take apart. I haven’t done it, so I decided those beads need to be re-homed too. I didn’t include those in the picture because they kept peeking their little heads out.  I want them to be a surprise; they are pretty good.

If you are an equal opportunity bead lover like I am who likes bits and bobs and is able to use random beads (I regularly use them right off my bead table in my designs) then you will be happy with this giveaway.

Entering is super easy to ease us into the new year.  Just leave a comment on this post telling me a favorite something – a book, a food, a bead artist, a movie, a cleaning tip – just anything you love and want to share.

The giveaway is open internationally and will end on Saturday, January 7th at Noon Central Time.  Please make sure I have a way to contact you.  I’ll announce the winner, chosen at random, at some point later that afternoon.

Have fun and good luck to all!

Allegory Gallery Design Challenge Reveal: Autumn Fire

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Allegory Gallery, Andrew Thornton, Art Bead Scene, Artisan Clay, Autumn Fire Design Challenge, Erin Siegel, Lorelei Eurto, My Elements, Passion for Paper Beads, Yvonne Irvin-Faus

Today is the reveal for the Allegory Gallery Design Challenge – Autumn Fire edition. Challenge kits are put together by artist Andrew Thornton and consist of a variety of fun beads along with one or more Mystery Components hand made by Andrew.  Here is a picture of the kit.

Look at it!  Such delicious colors, a double strand of chip beads in case I decide to make something long and luxurious, browns, umbers, oranges, yellows!  I love it. And then there is the Mystery Component.

I’ve managed to capture a little bit of the sparkly vibrance of these blowing leaves. It really represents my favorite kind of autumn day.

First up, I made a necklace with some of the strand of chip beads and some of the tubes from the kit. This reveal, I thought I’d try showing one of my sketches with the piece it became.

I didn’t know where to find (or maybe I don’t even have) the multicolor fall toned spacers I was thinking of, but I had these apple green seed beads on my table, so I used those. The seed beads that came with the kit were slightly bigger, plus, I’ll be honest, I love the color, so I’m sort of hoarding them.

I added some great paper beads I got from Passion for Paper Beads on etsy a couple years ago. I like that beads wait around until they find a project that is right for them. Then I added three cool beads from the kit at the back of the necklace just for fun. I’m very pleased with this.

Then I made a couple pairs of earrings.  First with these tabs I loved from the kit and immediately decided to make into earrings. The shape reminds me of Elaine Ray’s beads for some reason.  (She’s retired from bead making now.)

Then I decided to make some earrings with more of the chips and two of the faceted yellow beads which I love! When I was sketching, I had noted wanting to use some pop, like sparkle or color, between the chips. So I used some of the sequins from the kit!

I really think these turned out pretty and fun. I moved on to another necklace. I was inspired by this fiber necklace on Pinterest.  I had a variety of ideas, but decided to use the Mystery Component with a variety of beads from the kit and three vintage plastic discs, a bi-colored old wooden round and a textured yellow ceramic bead by Kristie of Artisan Clay.

Next I decided to make a bracelet with some of the chunky plastic beads.  I am very inspired by Lorelei Eurto’s jewelry, and I was looking at this bracelet in particular. If you visit the blog post it is from, you can see she used a premium mix from Allegory Gallery, similar to the Luxury Blends that are included in challenge kits!

I used three of the juicy orange marbled plastic beads from the kit along with an orange, turquoise and olive bead by Yvonne Irvin-Faus of My Elements on one side.  On the other side, I used beads from the kit, my stash and more goodies from the My Elements shop.

Then I wanted to make something completely different – a bookmark!  I’ve wanted to make one since I saw them on Erin Siegel’s blog. She did a tutorial of the bookmark using art beads on Art Bead Scene.  This was a really fun one.

This was a very, very fun kit and challenge! Thank you William, Andrew and Allegory Gallery! If you’d like to see more creations from this kit, please visit the Allegory Gallery Design Challenge Facebook page to see what other participants made.

A Perfect Match

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Autochthonous Evolved, Julie Schmidt Bowen, My Elements, Yvonne Irvin-Faus

Sometimes things just come together perfectly.  I was so thrilled with how this necklace came together that I submitted it to a magazine.  I never heard anything one way or the other, so I’m going to show it here now because it’s too cool not to share with the world (or at least the people reading my blog!)

I got a beautiful lampwork focal by Julie Schmidt Bowen of Autochthonous Evolved.  Like most things, I put it in my stash so it could wait for its project to come along.  And it did!  I then bought separately, not thinking about the glass focal, a group of beautiful acrylic MyElements components by Yvonne Irvin-Faus. I realized they were such a fabulous match!

I still can’t get over how much they match; it’s like they were made for each other.  I added some dangles and a bead I got from My Elements.

I alternated some turquoise enamel components to bring out that little swirl in the lampwork focal, and finished it all off with some black chain from My Elements. Sometimes things come together so easily, and that’s really fun.

Allegory Gallery Mystery Challenge 2 Reveal

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Allegory Gallery Design Challenge, Andrew Thornton, Mary Harding, My Elements, Mystery Challenge 2, William Jones, Yvonne Irvin-Faus

Today is the reveal for the Allegory Gallery Mystery Challenge 2! I’m sorry I don’t have a picture of the kit.  I can’t even borrow one from the Allegory Gallery blog because it is a mystery kit – no picture. I forgot to take one, and the materials are all mixed with other stuff on my table now.  However, you can tell from this picture that the color theme is yellow and blue.  Yellow is a favorite of mine, but blue is a bit of a struggle.  But not that much because I ended up making three necklaces!

The first is probably my favorite. It was difficult to get a decent picture, so you’ll have to trust me that it is super cute. I’ve already worn it twice. I love how it turned out.

I used part of the strand of lapis rectangles from the kit and separated them with tiny brass drops. I finished the necklace with these cool vintage ball chain connectors and a beautiful Mary Harding clasp.  This necklace is great on its own or layered.

This next necklace uses the Mystery Component that Andrew Thornton made and a gorgeous vintage yellow glass bead from the kit. I finished the necklace with some azure agate and metal spacers.

Last, but not least, I used a variety of beads from the kit and my stash to make chain bits to go along with a couple of chain bits I already had. I used a pendant by Yvonne Irvin-Faus from My Elements as the focal.

Thank you to Andrew Thornton and William Jones of Allegory Gallery.  These challenges are always fun and feature beautiful kits.  Visit the Facebook page to see what other people made.  Someone might have even remembered to take a picture of the kit!

Mom’s Knotted Beads

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My Elements, YUMMEEz, Yvonne Irvin-Faus

Over a year ago, my mom bought a necklace at an antiques store made of gorgeous faceted amber glass beads.  Love!  She wanted to restring it, but nothing she tried suited her.  So I suggested knotting it, and then I held her beads hostage.  At first I thought it would be nice to knot on silk, but I find silk difficult to work with.  Then I thought about waxed linen but worried the bead holes wouldn’t be big enough.  Well, this weekend, I finally checked.  Regular 4-ply waxed linen was slightly too small and the beads were able to slip over the knots.  However, I had some burnt orange linen in 5-ply – perfect!

I decided to bring the project down and do it in the living room.  My bead table has gotten to quite a state (again) so the living room floor was a much better choice.  The cat liked it at first because she thought each time I made a knot and the cord flipped toward her, that it was time to play.

After I explained the cord was not for her, she deigned to stay with me, but went to sleep.  It didn’t take long to knot this necklace, and I feel a bit silly for stalling so long.  But I have only recently become pretty confident in my knotting.  It’s one thing to make things for myself, but it is more stressful to make for others. Even now, I forgot not to knot the last bead on each side so I could reserve that for the closing knot.  I opened them, but it’s never the same, and the knot is bigger than I’d like.  It’s fine for me, but I’m going to emphasize to my mom that I will be happy to restring.  (Mom, I’m happy to restring!)

Then, as long as I was in knotting mode, I decided to break out some Czech glass and a YUMMEEz focal by Yvonne Irvin-Faus of My Elements and knot something colorful for myself.

It was fun to use so many of my beautiful beads, although I never end up making necklaces like the ones I admire because I use too many different elements.  I still love it and can always make something toned down another time.

Allegory Gallery Mystery Challenge Reveal

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Allegory Gallery, Andrew Thornton, Candie Cooper, Humblebeads, My Elements, Mystery Challenge Reveal, Necklaceology, Patricia Healey, WoolyWire

Allegory Gallery hosts fun challenges with kits curated by artist Andrew Thornton that they sell through their store.  I love these challenges.  The kits are filled to the brim with beautiful materials, and I love to stretch my creativity by working with materials, colors and themes someone else has chosen.  Here is a picture of my kit (minus a few things I’d already used!)

In addition to the kit, Andrew includes a handmade Mystery Component he makes himself!

Usually the Mystery Component is the only thing we haven’t seen prior to getting the kit.  However, in this case, the entire kit was a surprise.  I love this kit!  Orange is a favorite color of mine, and since the Spirit Walk challenge, I’ve been wondering why I don’t use more purple since it is so pretty.  These colors are fabulous together!

The very first thing I made is a pair of earrings.  There were two frame beads meant for it, and I’ve never been much good with frame beads, so I thought it was a good way to start the challenge.  All the beads in these earrings are from the kit.  I just added the findings.

Next I used the Mystery Component because it is fabulous!  I love the gradations of color, the swirly design and the long oval shape.  I used a silver bead with a swirly design above it as part of the pendant.  Then I used rounds from the kit and a few from my stash to made a double wire wrapped strand on one side and a beaded strand on the other.

Next I wanted to use some of the plastic beads.  I love the lightweight nature of plastic.  I used beads from the kit and beads from my stash, including some fun things from My Elements and some WoolyWire at the bottom.  This is a great, colorful necklace to wear with a white t-shirt and jeans.

I also made a bracelet.  I really wanted to use some of the purple and fuchsia disk beads.  I love them.  I add some beads from my stash, including a Humblebeads feather coin (it’s a dragonfly on the other side) and a Patricia Healey clasp.

I thought I was done after the bracelet, but then I was looking at the book Necklaceology by Candie Cooper.  It includes a necklace called vanuatu that uses silk cord like the orange one included in the kit, so I was inspired to make another necklace.  I added some other colors of silk cord that I have along with dangles made from beads in the kit and my stash.

I had been hoping to use the flowers in the kit, and this allowed me to.

I had so much fun with this kit.  Thanks Andrew and William for another great Allegory Gallery challenge.  Visit the Facebook page to see what others have made with their kits and thanks for visiting.

Hidden Cove Challenge Reveal

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Allegory Gallery, Andrew Thornton, Earrings Everyday, Erin Prais-Hintz, Hidden Cove Challenge, Miss Fickle Media, My Elements

Allegory Gallery hosts challenges with beautiful and inspiring kits curated by artist Andrew Thornton.  Today is the reveal for the Hidden Cove Challenge. Here is a picture of the kit from the blog post because I never remember any more to take my own.

There are so many beads I love in this kit! I used some of them, but I didn’t get to use the three wooden half rounds.  They are gorgeous and certain to be bound for a special project.  My first idea was to use the Mystery Component, a beautiful mermaid pendant handmade by Andrew, with lots of dangling blue beads to look like water, but nothing I tried in that vein worked out.  Instead, I used one of the beads I loved, the Czech glass square, to highlight the pendant along with chain from My Elements in that same bright, beautiful turquoise.

I feel I’ve almost got the look I was going for anyway with the way Andrew’s mermaid is floating up toward that blue.

Next, I used some fabulous sea glass beads. They didn’t seem like glass to me. Were they really faux glass made from polymer? They are absolutely beautiful and have a wonderful texture.  I built a little cairn with them.  I don’t think I knew that word before seeing the image and explanation of it on Erin Prais-Hintz’s Treasures Found blog post a few years ago. I love that image of the stacked stones and the fact that it means something, whether to mark a memory, site or parts of one’s life.

I used a few of the dangles I had originally thought of for the Mystery Component and put it on the wonderful cotton cord.  I wanted to show this full picture because I used a favorite swirl clasp from Miss Fickle Media. I wanted to also show a better close up of the pendant.

I also wanted to use the fabulous large vintage acrylic bead. I found a vintage pendant bar in my stash that I thought would help highlight it nicely.  I added a few more favorite beads from the kit as dangles and some vintage chain.

And last but not least, there were two blue organic rounds that seem like polymer that I loved and decided to make a rare pair of earrings with them.  A challenge over on Earrings Everyday got me making earrings again, so I might as well continue. I also used up the last two dangles I had already made.  I hate to waste a headpin!

I feel like the theme of this challenge influenced the style – simple for warm weather fun by the water.  I still have so many wonderful beads left to use in the future!  Thanks you Andrew and William of Allegory Gallery for another great challenge.  Visit the Facebook page to see what other people made with their kits.

Fun Charm Necklace

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My Elements

I think anyone who reads this blog with any regularity can see that I’m an equal opportunity bead lover. I pretty much like all styles, colors and materials.  I recently ordered some fun things from My Elements.  The things in this shop have always appealed to me; they are so colorful and fun.

The original design I tried was not working out.  Lucky me, Yvonne, the owner of the shop, had sent me this large black and white striped bead along with my order.  Thanks, Yvonne!  I decided to use it to make a fun charm necklace with my materials instead of my original design. As I made it, it reminded me of the plastic charm necklaces popular with kids in the 1980s. My little sister had one. When I wore it today, someone at work made the same observation.

The chain, rubber O rings, colored jump rings, white trixies, and large and small striped beads are from My Elements. This necklace is super long – over 30 inches. I really like long necklaces lately, especially if they have a pendant or other bits and bobs I can play with during the day.  I look forward to more pieces made with things from the My Elements shop.  I love many styles – bohemian, vintage, sophisticated, classic, simple, earthy. I also love things that have an element of youthful fun to make me smile.

When I Like the Beads Better Than the Jewelry

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Australian Art Beads, Ceramic Art Bead Market, Melissa Gabelle, My Elements, The Clay Hen, Yvonne Irvin-Faus

Does this happen to you? I buy this gorgeous strand of beads, and then I cut it apart and it’s never the same.  I can’t make the parts as beautiful as the whole. So lately I’ve been thinking that maybe sometimes I can design with beads together the way I first saw them but add a little something so I do feel like I’ve designed the piece.  I feel like I’ve managed that with this necklace.

I bought a beautiful grouping of beads from Melissa Gabelle of The Clay Hen.  In addition to her etsy shop in that last link, she also sells on Facebook in Ceramic Art Bead Market and Australian Art Beads.  I loved them so much just how they looked in the picture online, I started thinking about how I could use them that way, but still feel like I’d designed something.  And it came to me – chain!

But not just any old single strand of chain.  I knew I could find colored chain that would go perfectly with Melissa’s beads in Yvonne Irvin-Faus‘ shop My Elements. I love the selection of colored chain in that shop!  Color makes me happy, and I’m so glad I was able to design something fun, yet keep Melissa’s beautiful beads all together just as pretty as they were in the picture when I first saw them.

This is also the first time I’ve used wire guards.  I’ll see how I like them.  I didn’t have the right size crimp covers, so those are still to come.

Do you ever feel like beads look their best on the strand?  If so, how have you dealt with that as a designer?