Happy New Year!

And now let us welcome the New Year Full of things that have never been. ~Rainer Maria Rilke

It's kind of odd how we mark one year into the next when in reality, it's just another day. Without clocks or calendars we would never know and probably wouldn't care. But in our busy lifestyles, we are constantly reminded of time. What do you dream of for the coming year? Your dreams can come true...write them down and create a plan. Follow your heart, do what you love and find your passion! I have been fortunate in my life to have found glass. I hope to bring you many new beads in the coming year. I plan new classes and shows, learning from my peers while finding inspiration in my constant love of nature, art, textiles and not to mention, Google images! Happy New Year!!

December ABS Challenge

Meant to post this sooner, but it is a busy month for everyone, I'm sure! Art Bead Scene Blog has a monthly challenge and the December one is a very nice palette to work with, very neutral. I love working with a neutral color palette like this, there are so many options, especially in gemstones. Lampwork beads also offer a wide variety of neutrals. Bead makers can enter this challenge also and win a months worth of free advertising! Just make a bead in the color challenge tones and enter on the Pinterest page. I hope to be blogging on a regular basis next year, so keep an eye out for lampwork and bead design tips and tricks as well as some of my own glass recipes and free tutorials.

Facebook Sale!

A quick blog this morning before I hop off to the dentist! I am having a Facebook sale on some beads I just listed in my Etsy shop. Be sure to Like my business page to get in on marked down NEW beads! For FB only! https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stone-Designs-Lampwork-Glass-Beads-and-Art-Jewelry/288413853646

Art Bead Scene

On a whim, I entered the monthly challenge for October from Art Bead Scene blog, one of the most popular bead blogs. The inspiration was a painting from Milton Avery. I made a bead for the challenge as they now have a "bead only" category as well as the jewelry category. You can view all the entries on their Pinterest board. http://www.pinterest.com/artbeadscene/jewelry-monthly-challenge-entries/ I love a challenge so this is the bead I made inspired by the painting. I entered my bead and received notice that I had won the random winning bead! I am excited to have won 2 months free advertising on one of the largest bead blogs. Thank you Art Bead Scene! Congratulations are in order too for all the entries and other winners in this challenge. November challenge painting is right up my alley...a gorgeous floral with soft lighting and botanical feel. I love it! We'll see how this one comes out...

Creative Bead Chat

Sharing a great opportunity for a free ad in the Facebook group, Creative Bead Chat. If you are not a member, it's a great place to chat about your latest projects, listings, shows, and any questions you have about making jewelry or want opinions about your jewelry or booth set up. Anything jewelry related! https://www.facebook.com/groups/CREATIVEBEADCHAT/?fref=nf

More Soup!

Since I didn't have time to finish everything before the reveal date for Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Blog Party, I'm adding to the post below...if you scroll down you'll see the finished designs for the party. I made a bracelet using the round sterling beads in the soup. I had originally made the lampwork glass disks to incorporate into the necklace but it just didn't work out like I wanted, so this bracelet was the result...(sold already too!)

The second necklace needed a pair of earrings and the copper triangles were perfect!

Meanwhile, I have some more hopping to do!

The Big Reveal!

Today is the day hundreds of jewelry makers reveal their creations for Lori Anderson's 8th annual Bead Soup Blog Party! It has been a pleasure for me to work with my Bead Soup partner, Melissa Muir of Kelsi's Closet Jewelbox She is a metalworker and does lots of reviews of new product lines. Check out her blog to see what she did with the soup I sent her... Below is a photo of the soup she sent me.Lots of pretty gemstones, sterling silver and some handmade components.

The beautiful handmade sterling silver pendant which I incorporated in my first necklace, and I also used the cute handmade "S" hook and eye clasp that she made in this design. I made a set of lampwork beads in cool colors of teal, dark blue and pale aqua, and used coordinating Swarovski crystals to tie it all together.

This is a 27" necklace and will be listed in my Etsy shop after the blog hop.

The coordinating earrings are made with the cute sterling silver flower beads and matching lampwork beads and crystals. I love these earrings!

The second necklace I designed using the oval copper piece and the gemstones. I textured the oval and ran it through my torch to give it a patina, then polished it with Renaissance wax. The lampwork beads I made are one of my favorite designs, with beautiful silver laden glass that really accents the gemstones. I made a copper clasp to finish off the piece. Time ran short for me so the earrings are still in the design phase!

Last but not least...I fell in love with the copper and silver components that Melissa made. So I made a pair of earrings for myself with my lampwork beads! I wear a lot of black and earth tones, so these will get a lot of wear.

I'd like to thank my partner, Melissa and our hostess with the mostest, Lori Anderson for another fun Bead Soup Blog Hop Party. Be sure to check out the other bloggers in this list.

Bead Soup!

I can't wait to get started on my jewelry with my Bead Soup from my partner Melissa Muir of Kelsi's Closet a very talented wire work and metal artist. Below is the Soup she sent me for Lori Anderson's 8th Annual Bead Soup Blog Party. (Thank you again Lori for all your hard work!)I can't wait to work with those copper pieces, which I think I will torch for a little patina and then hammer for texture.I'll probably make a special set of my lampwork beads to go with the beautiful silver pendant that Melissa made. Below is a photo of the Soup I sent her. The Blog Hop Party reveal day is May 3rd...so stay tuned!

Giveaway!

I'm almost at 500 Likes on my Facebook business page! To help me reach this goal, I'm having a giveaway! This beautiful scallop shell bead will be given to the 500th Like. So tell a friend and good luck! https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stone-Designs-Lampwork-Glass-Beads-and-Art-Jewelry/288413853646

Bead Soup!

The final list for the 8th annual Bead Soup Blog Party have been announced! My partner is Melissa Muir, a very talented metal smith. Here is her website http://www.melissamuir.com/ I look forward to working with her and can't wait to see everyone's designs! A big thank you to Lori Anderson and her family for putting this together through a lot of personal struggles. Have some pie Lori!

8th Annual Bead Soup Blog Party

It's that time again...Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Blog Hop Party! I can't wait to find out who my partner is this year. This will be my third party. I'd like to thank Lori for all she does for the beading community...especially since she has struggled with so many health issues. You can find out more about this fun bead swap party on her blog at http://lorianderson-beadsoupblogparty.blogspot.com/2014/02/a-few-things-to-mention-before-sign-ups.html Sorry...no eye candy today, Blogger won't let me upload a photo!

Happy New Year!

While engaging in a discussion on one of my Facebook groups, I learned about a new site called http://www.indiemade.com/ It is an artist website builder with a store, blog feature and galleries, with up to 17 pages if you like. There are several levels on the payment plan, but the good thing is, there are no extra fees or listing charges like Etsy, and some other sites. The other thing I like about it is, it looks like a professional website, not a store in another collective site like so many others. Also, there is a shopping cart! All you need to set up your own, is a PayPal account. I had fun designing my site too. It still needs a little work, but I think it looks pretty good so far and I've already had 2 sales! A couple tips I have to help you set up your site...add the Handbook to your Favorites so it's easy to access. I also opened two windows in my browser for my shop while designing and just refresh one to see how it looks when you make changes. It allows you to change the color of the font in several areas, the layout and design. Oh...and they have a 1 month free trial period, after that you are charged monthly, instead of yearly like Zibbet. In the meantime, I have been trying to stay warm in the studio, adding new listings of the beads I made over the holidays, in between all the holiday bustle. I'm so looking forward to some warm weather and Spring beads! http://stonedesignstudio.indiemade.com/