September 28, 2009

Blog Worthy!

My very dear friend Erin Prais-Hintz sent me the link to her blog today that featured this incredible necklace that she created. She titled it "The Only Bird in Town."

Erin had purchased a grab bag from my Etsy shop earlier this year and it had a few one-of-a-kind beads including this purple and green 6-hole spacer bead. Visit Erin's blog to read about the inspiration and see more of her work.

I wasn't going to blog today, but Erin's creation had to be shared!

September 26, 2009

You Want More?


What a boring post below! You wanted more than a commercial for your weekend inspiration, right? Well, I squeezed in a photo session today, which wasn't easy because I am insane with getting the last bit of beads ready for the next trunk show. But I find I do this weird procrastination thing where I suddenly just HAVE to work on something else when I'm bored with production! Hence, photos and new beads.
I love what I wrote for this listing: Hope hatches, twigs become a home, we learn to fly...that kind of sums up my life. Aren't these cuffs the bomb? Can I say that, da' bomb? I'm ridiculous, I know. (yep, the Queen of Dorkiness still reigns.) I will have to make more someday soon and work them into a design.
And finally these beads have been floating around, just waiting to bust out on the scene. They are a leafy, fall inspired series like my Spring and Winter branch beads.
Hopefully that is a better batch of eye candy! I won't blog again until Tuesday. There is too much to do. See you in a few days.

Who Loves Free Beads?

Who doesn't?

Etsy Shop Weekend Sale: Free snow owl bead with any purchase of $20 or more!
Sale ends Sunday at midnight, no special code needed. Orders will ship out on Monday.
Everything in my Etsy shop is in stock and ready to go!

September 24, 2009

Harvest Time

Sometimes when you are toiling away making jewelry for the magazines, it's a little like planting seeds. You know it will be months before you see the fruit of your labor and your work in print.

Today was harvest day my friends! Bead Trends sent my advanced copy for their October issue. I'm the featured designer and have 12 pages and 11 projects! They did such a beautiful job of the photography, I just keep looking at over and over again. What a joy.

I'm happy to say that I incorporated beads from some of my favorite beadmakers and will highlight them in a future blog post. I just had to share, I'm too excited tonight!

Above is my Harvest bead, one of the many in the magazine.

September 19, 2009

I'm still standin'

Yeah, yeah, yeah...
I know that was a terrible impression of Elton John. I should have pulled out my sparkly star-shaped glasses. Oh well, next time. Until that day, here are some shiny things for you to enjoy!


Etched copper, branch beads, mixed with some sterling silver. Those leaf cuff bracelets rock my world. I love them and had to make one just for me! I did a little low heat treatment to change the color of the copper to look like fall leaves. Me and metal, we are getting tight.

And I wasn't planning to make earrings with a statement, but somehow they just happened. After I made the house with the xo, the ribbon just seemed like the right thing to add. I might call them, "Come Home" or "Bring them Home". I could see them for people with loved ones in the armed services or for a breast cancer survivor, although I would probably add pink cherry blossom beads to the bottom. Houses are one of my favorite symbols, more on that later. So many meanings into such a tiny pair of earrings. Back to the bead cave for me. Happy Creating!

September 14, 2009

Humblebeads Across America

My beads are feeling like a rolling stone, they have rambling ways, they have their bags packed and are leaving on a jet plane. Where the heck are they going?

Sept. 24 27 - Portland, OR - BeadFest. Stop by Bello Modo's booth and say to hi to Pam while you check out her awesome stash of Humblebeads.

Sept. 25-29 - Raleigh, NC - Oramentea Trunk Show. I have some limited editions beads, lots of fall inspired creations and my favorite Humblebeads that will be featured at the shop. (That's their awesome banner above!)

Oct. 3 -4 - Galena, IL - Galena Beads Trunk Show. Humblebeads and Vintaj brass are like peanut butter and jelly or more like chocolate and cherries! Some things just go together. I will have limited edition pendants featuring etched Vintaj bezels, lots of branch beads and other signature Humblebeads visiting Jess and the girls for the weekend.

Gee, now I just need to do a show in the south and I'd have the 4 corners of the country covered in Humblebeads! Better get back to the beadmaking.

September 9, 2009

Jazz Trance

My early days were filled with selling my jewelry at shows and I seem to have come full circle because this weekend I am selling my jewelry at a small show. My friend Stella invited me to have a booth at a Jazz festival in Schertz, TX this weekend. There are only a few artists selling work: ceramics, photography, woodwork, wirework and jewelry. It's from 2 - 8pm.

Usually I wouldn't do a first year show or one where the art is not the main event, but a pile of jewelry that is growing out of control has me saying yes. We'll see, if nothing else it will be nice to sit in the park, listen to Jazz music and hang out with artists for the day.

My only prep work is putting earrings unto cards and slipping on a few price tags. I can handle that. It should be fun! If you are in the San Antonio/Austin/Hill Country area stop by for some tunes and to say hi.



September 8, 2009

Beadwork Interview

Hello dear readers!

So, officially the new Beadwork is now on the newsstands. Within the pages you'll run across an interview with someone who seems awfully familiar. Oh yeah, that would be me. Marlene Blessing interviewed me early this summer and I'm thrilled to see it in print.

It is strange though to see the history of how Humblebeads came to be, spelled out in such a succinct chronicle of events. It doesn't seem like it happened so easily. There is so much of progression that isn't a highlight. The day to day muddle of not quite knowing which path to take. Working and adjusting plans as we went along. Unexpected doors that opened and some that closed. Some days I feel tossed by the wind, others I am the captain at the helm commanding the sea. I guess that is just life. Sometimes you end up in a great place and you can't really say for sure how you got so lucky!

This little guy is the star of the article.

September 7, 2009

Fly Away Little Ones

What the hey Heather? We've already seen these birds a million times, why you bloggin' on them today? Well my chickies, they are in fact new. Tiny and new, about 1/2 the size of a regular Humblebead bird. Pint size, you might say. And if you are small, there is safety in numbers, so they are sold in pairs. Bird earrings anyone?

Check out more of my latest creations on the Art Bead Scene.

I'm off to enjoy blueberry pancakes, a trip to Barnes & Noble and a day of metal etching with Jess. Oh boy!!!

September 4, 2009

Are you ready to humble?


Okay, that title is so dorky. But hey, that's how I role, dork-a-licious Ms. Powers! Where have I been? Locked away in my studio, creating all sorts of new and wondrous things. Some things I can share with you, others are top secret. But you know what isn't a secret? That Candie Cooper's new book is utterly amazing!

And I'm not just saying that because the most awesome bracelet ever made with a Humblebead is featured in the pages! No my friends, it's awesomeness lies within it's ability to make me want to grab my tools and get crackin' immediately on at least half the projects in the book. You must pick this one up, I promise you won't be disappointed.
Okay, now the clever tie in to my title, check out Andrew's blog for the first ever Humblebeads throw-down! I love it.