Saturday, 27 April 2013

History Hop - sign ups open!

The History Hop has returned! I started this blog hop to inspire and challenge participants to reinvent jewelry from history. Last time, each of you chose an era from history and created (beautiful) jewelry that reflected the style as well as materials of the time.

This time, I'm adding a bit of geography to it. I've been researching native North American jewelry lately and thought it would be fun to add a regional aspect to the History Hop. We're still going to travel on our computers to bygone eras, but you will be able to choose a specific region or culture to draw from.

Your challenge is to choose one of the regions in history from the list below. Research it and create something that's inspired by and reflects the era. I'm hoping you'll be inspired by the time and style as well as the materials and methods used. You can choose as many as you like, but be sure to make at least one thing.

Here are the choices:

Egypt
Mesopotamia
Greece
Rome
Celts
Indus Valley Civilization
Merovingian
Reneissance
English Romanticism & Mourning Jewelry
Art Nouveau
Early Russian
China
Moche of Peru
Aztec
Mixtec
Native American
Māori (New Zealand)


The subjects link to websites I found relating to the periods and regions. If you need help finding more info, just ask! You might have to do a bit more searching, especially if you want to narrow it down to a specific tribe, etc.

To sign up: Post a comment here telling me what theme(s) you'd like and leave your email address (you can email me, if you prefer). I must have a way to contact you. I'll confirm you're in and add your choice and blog details to a final list. Sign ups close on May 18th.

Create a piece (or more!) and photograph it for the reveal. You might like to write a little about why you chose the region in history or what you learned during the hop.

Blog on the reveal date - June 1st. If you think you'll be busy on that day, you can schedule the blog to post ahead of time. If you need to know how, just ask!

I've made a blog hop button you can copy onto your blog. It's a painting by Gyula Tornai called The Jewellery Maker - appropriate, I thought!

On my sidebar you'll see this image with code below it. Copy the code and add it to an HTML widget on your blog. If you have any trouble with it, let me know.

The Jewellery Maker by Gyula Tornai. Source Wikimedia.





Participants so far:

Leah Curtis - Indus Valley - beadyeyedbunny.blogspot.co.uk
Laney Mead - Māori - laney-izzybeads.blogspot.co.uk
Becca - Art Nouveau - godsartistinresidence.blogspot.com
Melissa - English Romanticism and Mourning Jewelry - beadrecipes.wordpress.com
Tracy Stillman - Native American - tracystillmandesigns.com
Gerda - English Romanticism and Mourning Jewelry - gerdascraftsblog.blogspot.com
Liz E - Native North American - beadcontagion.blogspot.com
Ahowin - Māori (New Zealand)  - blog.ahowinjewelry.com 
Jasvanti - Indus Valley - jewelrybyjasvanti.blogspot.com
Lizzie - Art Nouveau - theneedtobead.blogspot.co.uk
Julia Hay - Merovingian - pandanimal.blogspot.co.uk
Dini - Celtic - angazabychanges.blogspot.nl
Caroline - Art Nouveau - blueberribeads.co.uk 
Charlie - Moche of Peru - clay-space.com/blog
Karin - China - maverickbeads.blogspot.com
Niky Sayers - Rome - silverniknats.blogspot.com
Marcia Dunne - Celctic and Mourning Jewelry - thealternativefoundry.blogspot.co.uk
anafiassa - Mesopotamia - anafiassa.blogspot.com
Kokopelli - Native American - kokopellidesign.blogspot.com
Christa - Native American - adventuresofwonebeadywoman.blogspot.com
Clair - Roman - obstinatepursuit.blogspot.co.uk
Susan Bowie - Native American - susanbowie.wordpress.com
Gloria Allen - English Romanticism - gloriaallendesigns.blogspot.com
Sheila Garrett - Early Russia - 4brownowl.blogspot.co.uk 


Friday, 26 April 2013

Finally seen it!

Yesterday I made my way into a WHSmiths to buy my copy of Bead magazine. I don't normally buy bead mags, but I had to this time. I finally got to see my first hard copy of my project published in a magazine.

It's been so exciting. It all started when Davida from Old Bicycle Shop asked me to make a display necklace for her new line of fluorescent beads. From there, I received a surprising email from the editor of Bead asking if I'd like to do a project. I've loved every minute of it!

I had never done something like this before, and I wasn't sure how detailed I should be. After a lot of hard work - from the editor of Bead, too - the project was finished. There's nothing like holding that glossy mag with your work in it.




You can find my Twisted Vines project in the 46th issue of Bead on page 76. The issue is packed with projects and inspiration. The project is advanced, and you'll need to already know some wire work techniques - wire wrapped loops, beaded chain, etc.

If you do decide to try it, Davida has put together a kit with all the beads I used. You can find it in her shop here.

I can't thank Davida enough for getting me started on this, and Chloe Menage of Bead for making my first magazine experience a pleasure!

Friday, 12 April 2013

BSBP7 Reveal!

It's here! The second reveal of the 7th Bead Soup Blog Party®, hosted by the talented Lori Anderson,  has finally arrived. If you're not already familiar with the BSBP, have a look at Lori's blog to find out more. It's a huge, international bead swap and design challenge.

I was lucky to be paired with Marcia Dunne of The Alternative Foundry. I've secretly admired Marcia's work on Etsy and was pleasantly surprised to be her partner in this challenge. I didn't even realise she was in the UK! It's a small world and an even smaller island.

Before we go any further,  I must say a BIG thank you to Marcia! The soup she sent was full of special beads. Thank you for widening my boundaries and introducing me to a few new, amazing bead artists.

Here's a recap of the wonderful soup I received from Marcia. She sent me two gorgeous clasps she made herself, three focals, and a medley of lampwork, Czech glass, leather, headpins she made, and many, many more beautiful beads.




How could you not be inspired by that? The creative gears started turning immediately, but I put off making my pieces right away. I was worried of wasting
the beautiful soup!

Eventually I did start. This was the first thing I made - a copper bracelet with the feather styled metallic beads, the blue nautilus beads, a large crystal, and one of the stamped copper 'Paris' charms Marcia made.




I made a simple clasp (compared to Marcia's!) for the closure and wire wrapped the beads in copper. I loved the flow and interesting mix of beads, so decided to keep it fairly simple.




Dangling from the clasp is the copper charm Marcia made.





The second piece I made was also a bracelet. I adore the clasps Marcia made for me. They're packed with detail and charm. I decided to use the white clasp with the orange butterfly ceramics she sent. I called this one "Fly Me to the Sun".


I added a ceramic bird bead by Gaea Handmade and speckled, etched spacers by Tan Grey. I think the lack of sunshine helped me make this! The mix of oranges with the soft whites and warm copper seemed perfect together.

I added a little more detail at the clasp with some sorbet orange Czech glass leaves. The little leaves reminded me of feathers, so I clustered them and wire wrapped tiny orange seed beads to the tops.




Like the soup Marcia sent me, the beads have lots of surprising details. Here's a picture of the back of Gaea's ceramic with a sweet little heart.




(Yes, there are LOTS of pictures in this blog!). Next up is something similar, but very different. I used the second clasp in another bracelet with earthy and subtle colors. Again, I used a bird in this bracelet. The adorable little birds is, unmistakably, by Caroline from BlueberriBeads. He's been sitting in my stash for a few months and really wanted to be in this bracelet. Doesn't he look happy in his thicket of gemstones? I called this one "In the Thicket".


I used more of Gaea's ceramic beads. They matched the riverstone and aventurine so perfectly, I couldn't resist. I made little gemstone flowers out of turquoise to match the green clasp.




Here's a view of the riverstone flower. The faceted gems sparkle beautifully, too.




And because you have to see his cute little face...







Finally, I had to use a focal. I was so, so torn between the three Marcia sent me. I actually have another necklace in the works, but I finished this one for the reveal. I used the feather focal by TheCraftyBead and made "Feather in the Clouds".


The focal has lovely, subtle colors, and I didn't want to overshadow it with a busy design or too much color. I focused on a palette inspired by the graduated glaze. I used sodalite gemstones, faceted crystals, and vintage glass beads.




The beads are wire wrapped in red brass, and I made a simple brass hook clasp for the closure.




The vintage, etched glass cushion beads were from Old Bicycle Shop. I love the softness they add. The cloud-like details on the sodalite are a nice surprise, too.

I hope you've enjoyed looking at my creations! Don't forget to visit my partner Marcia's blog to see what she made with the soup I sent her. That's all from me! Scroll down to find the full list of participants in the second reveal of the 7th Bead Soup Blog Party®!




Agata Grygiel
Ali McCarthy
Alice Craddick
Amy Severino
Ana Krepel
Andra Weber
Andrea Glick
Andrea Trank
Anitra Gordy Boyers



Annette Rivers
Anu Tuppurainen
April Grinaway
Audrey Bélanger
B.R.Kuhlman
Barbara Bechtel
Barbara Mason
Becky Pancake
Beti Horvath
Billi RS Rothove



Bobbie Rafferty
Brandi Burdick
Candida Castleberry
Carol Dillman
Carolyn Gebert
Carolyn Lawson
Caron Reid
Catherine King
Cathy Jakicic



Chandra Merod
Charlene Jacka
Cheri Reed
Cherrie Fick
Cherrie Warzocha
Cheryl Brown
Cheryl Dunham
Cheryl Foiles
Cheryl Gangle



Chris Eisenberg
Chris White
Christina Miles
Christine Hansen
Christine Murrow
Christine Stonefield
Cindy Ritchie
Clare Etheridge
Cory Tompkins



Cris Peacock
Cynthia Abner
Debbie Rasmussen
Debi Levine
Deborah Brooks
Deborah Read
Debra Behrends
Dorota Żerańska
Elaine Robitaille



Elsie Deliz-Fonseca
Emma Todd
Erin Guest
Evelyn Shelby
Evie and Beth McCord
Francy Inman
Ginger Bishop
Gloria Allen
Hajer Waheed



Hope Smitherman
Ilenia Ruzza
Ilona Hegedűs
Ine Vande Cappelle
Jackie Ryan
Janine Lucas
Jean Peter
Jean Wells
Jeanne Steck



Jelveh Jaferian Johnson
Jennifer Cabic
Jennifer Reno
Jennifer VanBenschoten
Jenny Davies-Reazor
Jenny Kyrlach
Jenny Robledo
Jessica Brower
Jill MacKay



JJ Jacobs
Jo-Ann Woolverton
Joanne Tinley
Johanna Rhodes Nash
Judy Robinson
Juli Cannon
Julia Gerlach
Julie Bowen
Julie Panusis



K Hutchinson
Karen Martinez
Karen Vincent
Karen Williams
Karin Slaton
Karyn Bonfiglio
Kat Douglas
Kate Dufour
Kate Mulligan



Kate Richbourg
Kathleen Gallant
Kathleen Lange Klik
Katie Nielsen-Nunez
Kay Bolton
Kayla Potega
Kelli Jacobson
Kelly Patterson
Kelly Ramstack



Kiersten Kern
Kim Sparks
Klaudete Koon
Klaudia Tóth
Krista French
Kristin Oppold
Kym Hunter
Lana Kinney
Laura Guenther



Lauren Fenty
Leah Curtis
Lennis Carrier
Linda Murphy
Lisa Johnson
Lori Anderson
Lupe Meter
Lynn Jobber
Mandi Effron



Marcia Dunne
Margareta Saari
Megan Milliken
Marie Covert
Mary Ellen Parker
Maryse Fritzsch-Thillens
Megan Milliken
Melissa Meman
Melissa Mesara



Michaela Pabeschitz
Michelle Tucker
Mimi Gardner
Mischelle Fanucchi
Monica Phillips
Mowse Doyle
Nancy Boylan
Nancy Dale
Pat Haight



Patina Queen
Patty Miller
Pia Kaven
Rebecca Anderson
Rose Johnson
Roxanne Blanc
Sarah Goode
Sarah Singer
Sarah Strover



Shalini Austin
Sherri Stokey
Sherry Baun
Sheryl Stephens
Silvia Sernicola
Solange Collin
Stacie Florer
Stacy Alderson
Stephanie Haussler



Stephanie LaRosa
Sue Burleigh
Susan Bowie
Susan Kelly
Susan of Libellula Jewelry
Susan Sheehan
Suzanne Fragiacomo
Tammi Sloan
Tammie Everly



Tania Hagen
Tania Spivey
Tanya Goodwin
Tanya Wiles
Tari Kahrs
Terry Carter
Theresa Buchle
Tiffany Smith
Tina Holden



Tracey Nanstad
Tracie Dean
Tracy Bell
Tracy Kruse
Veralynne Malone
Veronica Campos-Hallstrom



Facebook Participants


D’Arsie Manzella   
Claire Brannigan Hasemeier
Robin Showstack
Melanie Lemen Swope
Beccy Peterson
Kelli Nelson
Chris Schlicht
Shelley Cole-Kuduk