CALL FOR ARTISTS AND CRAFTERS!

The DC Craft Mafia is pleased to announce a call to Artists and Crafters for its annual craft fair, The UnUsual Suspects Holiday Arts & Crafts Festival, to be held November 1, 2008. Deadline for applications is September 28, 2008. The event will be held at The Anastasi Room at the Bethesda Fire House, Battery Lane, Bethesda, MD. Applications can be downloaded from the DC Craft Mafia website: http://www.dccraftmafia.com/application.php.

Over 50 vendors will be chosen to feature a wide selection of handcrafted gifts in all price ranges, from bath and body care items, glass art and home decor, fine art and photography, clothing and handbags, toys, paper goods, accessories and artisan jewelry.

The DC Craft Mafia (DCCM) is a group of diverse independent artists in the DC, MD and VA area who endeavor to bring craftiness to the nation's capital. For more information on the event and DCCM, visit www.dccraftmafia.com.

Launch of Bead Art Originals!

It's always exciting when a group of artists from different disciplines decide to band together with the common goal of creating wonderful art. The latest group in the Etsy world is Bead Art Originals. Bead Art Originals consists of a select group of independent artisans, including creators of art beads and creators of beadwoven art. Our focus is on the business and artistic growth of our members. Visit their web site and blog to learn more about this talented group!

15 minutes of fame, part 2

15 minutes of fame, part 2
Originally uploaded by BeadJewelryShopgirl

Twice in this month alone, I've made it to the etsy front page! And I have to thank Carol Dean aka SandFibers who created the Treasury List that landed in the front page last June 18, 2008.

Lovely beaded creations were featured in this TL featuring etsy beadweavers street team creations!

15 Minutes of Fame

15 minutes of fame
Originally uploaded by BeadJewelryShopgirl

Thanks to the Treasury prowess of co-etsy seller, wmarlaine of rainy lane, I managed to be featured in etsy front page!

After over a year and a half in etsy, this is my first (known) appearance on the front page! Thanks to quick screenshooting abilities among my etsybeadweaver peeps, someone actually recorded the moment. Otherwise, I'd be totally clueless! The historic event happened June 5, 2008 in the morning.

My First Book!

After almost a year from the time I was invited to submit pictures of my jewelry, it's here at last! My jewelry is featured in a new publication titled: 1000 Jewelry Inspirations, Beads, Baubles, Dangles, and Chains by Quarry Books: www.quarrybooks.com/description.asp?isbn=1592534139

I've had my work featured in web sites, blogs, magazines and to have it in a book just makes me feel I've come full circle. In addition, twenty-two of my jewelry are featured in this book putting me in the top 3 spot as contributors for the book. The book is definitely sweet eye candy for the jewelry lover with over 300 pages of all types of jewelry from about 190 designers. I feel so honored to be among such great jewelry artists!

Can I keep this, please?

All too often it happens. You work on a piece and end up wanting to keep it for yourself! I'm doomed on this unless someone out there knocks me to my senses. Can you blame me? The design is Laura McCabe's (for the few who don't recognize her work). I did use vintage swarovski crystals that cost me an arm and a leg (well, almost). Take a close look at the crystal next to the toggle bar - it clearly reflects the beading right in the middle of the stone! So cool! And those 24K gold charlottes are so teeny, tiny pretty!

Can I keep this or give someone a chance?

Work in Progress

My mental fog has been lifted and I'm working away and I thought I'd show you this pendant as the work progresses. Should I stop here or keep going? I have visions of working further, adding more rings, spiral rope, embellishments, etc., etc, etc... or go minimalist and do a simple beaded necklace.

Stymied!

It's been slow going for me creative-wise these past months. I feel like I've been in somewhat of a mental fog. I've so many ideas and projects crammed in my head but I can't find the drive to jump start production.

What the heck? I've been busy building a web site, testing new photo equipment, photographing jewelry I've not listed in my etsy store - just doing everything except creating more jewelry!!! Someone throw me some inspiration!

Raindrops keep falling on my head...But that ain't stopping me from taking this photo!

So it's a miserable day in the neighborhood with clouds overhead, no sun and buckets of rain all day long. I've been wanting to shoot these crystals with not a window of opportunity. Lo and behold, the sun decides to stop slacking for 30 minutes, I quickly set up to shoot this photo.

It's not the best but is the closest to capturing the beauty of vintage swarovski crystals. For more details on each stone, visit my flickr page and look at my notes on each crystal. It's raining cats and dogs again, but the sun shines in these stones!

First Valerie and now Laura McCabe!

Last week, I went to the Smithsonian Craft Show with the sole purpose of meeting Laura McCabe and seeing her creations first hand (Yes, I'm starting to feel like a groupie). I had my copy of her book, of course, and a crown jewel I had made from one of her bead kits. Laura absolutely rocks! The most down-to-earth kind of a person, we spoke about beadweaving, which she likes to refer to as "stitching" or "stitched." She explains, "For the lay person, it's easier to understand. Weaving makes them think of fabric."

We talked about vintage swarovski crystals. I had admitted that I had bought a stash from an ebay seller who claimed it was vintage and I didn't have an inkling if it was truly vintage or not. I described to her the packaging, that is was 4670 and I think the color was Seal. She goes, "Yeah, that's the grayish-blue color you got." Right, she's got not just the codes memorized but know the colors as well! Well, she gave me more details and it turns out I did get the real deal. She even said she should probably have more information on vintage crystals in her web site. "Or maybe in your next book?" I chimed in!

I felt like I could talk to her the whole day and she wouldn't have minded but she had an endless stream of visitors admiring her jewelry. Rock on, Laura!

Starting the New Year with BEADS!

So my fellow beaders at Etsy Beadweavers have decided to start 2008 with another beading challenge. This challenge is simply focused on the theme of "RED." Pictured here are entries from these talented ladies who share this obsession of needle-weaving tiny beads, one by one, to create exquisite works of art.

As always, the public gets to vote on their favorite! So don't miss out on picking your favorite. Go to ETSY Beadweavers' blog and VOTE!