Art Bead Scene Blog Winners Announced

Winners have been announced for the December 2014 Art Bead Scene blog monthly challenge! Congratulations go out to Sharyl McMillian-Nelson for her beautiful necklace that won a $50.00 gift certificate to my shop towards lampwork beads. You can view her beautiful necklace on the blog. Other winners are announced in the blog and you too could win beads or advertising for your business if you are a bead maker. If you would like to view all the entries, visit the Pinterest page that Art Bead Scene has. Meanwhile, here's some eye candy for you!

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!