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!

Merry Christmas!!!

Here's to wishing you all love and blessings during this holiday season from BeadJewelryShopgirl! Thank you for all your suppport and encouragement.

At the Women's Museum

It began to look a lot like Christmas last December 4-5, showing off my wearable art at The National Museum of Women in the Arts holiday gift show. Showing my work in the same building housing the works of great female artists like Mary Cassatt, Georgia O'Keeffe, Frieda Kahlo is quiet a heady experience for me. I also met 2 fellow Etsy CREST gals, Bella Luna Designs and Cavanaugh Craft.

Now I have to prepare for the American Craft Council Show in February 2008 which is an even bigger show. I was accepted to be part of their New Wave Artist Exhibit (15 artists were chosen out of 90 applications). This is totally unexpected as I entered an application last minute. I thought I could rest after the museum show but it looks like I'll be beading like mad from now till February.

Happy Beading!

Celebrate the Season with Bead Jewelry by Shopgirl!

National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, DC is the only museum in the world dedicated exclusively to recognizing the contributions of women artists. I’m proud to announce that I am one of the selected artists to participate in their annual holiday gift show featuring talented women artists and designers. The show is juried meaning artists apply and show their work which is reviewed by the Museum Committee. If you happen to be in the area, please drop by. There’s lots of things to buy to get your holiday shopping started!

Tis The Season Starting!

Holiday Season has started. I've already had a couple of shows with good results - more of my jewelry have found new homes and here are a few of my favorites that are now adorning their happy new owners.African Opal Cube necklace with sterling silver beads and toggle clasp

Mother of pearl chips with glass beads

Chaos Freeform beaded pendant

This necklace is one of my early works. Copper delicas with glass beads.

Freeform Peyote with wire frame bracelet

Sophisticated Squares Bracelet (Step By Step Beads magazine Nov/Dec 2007).
I made several of these and they all sold!

Dragon's Lair Freeform Peyote Bracelet

My entry for the October Etsy Beadweavers Challenge "A Study in Monochrome"

Amazing Talent!

October's Etsy Beadweavers challenge entries are all in and it's amazing what artistry can bring to a simple theme "Study in Monochrome." Monochromatic pieces are usually boring but not to these jewelry artists and here is the evidence!

Don't miss out on voting for your favorite piece. Visit the EBW blog to vote.

Reflections Competition by EJA artists

It seems the 2 street teams I belong to are both in competition mode. This time Eclectic Jewelry Artisans (www.EclecticJewelryArtisans.com) is holding a competition with theme "Reflecting." Entries are being posted as we speak and voting will begin tomorrow. Of course, I entered my piece for the competition. Check out all the entries in our TeamEJA etsy store, after you've picked your favorite, go to www.EclecticJewelryArtisans.com to vote by click on Mailing List and enter who you vote for in the note. And by the way, when you vote, you will be entered into our free giveaway drawing!!! How much fun is that!

A New Home!

Yesterday, I was at the Ballston Arts + Crafts Art Market (the last one for the year-sniff, sniff). It was a good day, a bit chilly but people were still out for a walk shopping for handmade goodies. I was happy that quite a few of my pieces found a new home with ladies who fell in love with them. Several of my buyers simply put on the jewelry, not bothering to have me wrap it up for them! I was happy to see them smiling :)

My Newest Babies

I've been toying around with triangles in my latest jewelry designs. Pendants, earrings, bracelets and now these rings. You say it's a diamond pattern but really what is a diamond but 2 triangles put together?

Once More In Print!

Step By Step Beads is a bead jewelry-making magazine from Interweave Press, in publication since Spring 2003. The magazine is published bi-monthly and features 12-20 bead jewelry projects per issue.

The November/December issue of the magazine will hit newsstands on October 9 and my bracelet design is featured in this issue!

I was asked by the editor to write a tutorial for my Embellished Square Stitch Bracelet and it is finally published! The editor chose this bracelet for the article and I wrote a tutorial showing how to create the bracelet. I actually had to create another one, writing down my instructions, taking pictures for the illustrations, revise, edit, edit again and finally mailed off my article and samples to the magazine.

And to think this is my SECOND national publication to be in this year! (In case you missed the first one, see my August post for Belle Armoire magazine where I was also mentioned in a collaborative project with a group of jewelry artists.)

Bead Heaven!

Give a group of talented beaders, like those in the Etsy Beadweavers, a creative theme and you come up with as many variations you can imagine! Each and everyone of these beaded creations took hours to create with so much love and talent! My thanks for my friend, SandFibers, who prepared this collage featuring all these beaded creations.