May 31, 2015

Bead Bundle Destash

Just a little heads up about my destash event that's happening in an hour.

I cleaned out my bead boxes this weekend as I'm busy filling them up with new beads for Bead & Button this week. 

The bundles will go live at 6pm EST. I have 20 bundles ready to go. Save $20-$50 off the retail prices! 

Sale ends tonight at midnight EST and they will all ship out tomorrow. 

See you at 6pm at www.humblebeads.com! 





May 27, 2015

May Halcraft Pretty Palette Challenge

I'm excited today to take part in Halcraft's Pretty Palette challenge hosted by the super talented Erin Prais-Hintz. Erin found this awesome Scandinavian print, those foxes and leaves really called to me! 

Erin sent me a package of beads she picked for this month's palette. I could use any of the beads and add in my own. So let's jump in and see what transpired!

My first creation I honed in on the the graphic leaves in the inspiration. I really loved the black petal beads from Halcraft, in fact I had a strand in my bead stash already. I paired them up with the gold matte Czech glass and just a splash of the red with the Czech glass coin beads.

Being Mrs. Art Bead Scene, I had to add in a few artisan beads. I grabbed this beautiful fiddlehead pendant from Kylie Parry and matched them up with my Humblebeads branch disk beads in copper.

For my next creation I was inspired by the print to create a bead just for the challenge. I created this tiny fox running in a birch forest. My Halcraft beads the jet petals, dyed bamboo coral sticks, the red Czech glass coins and the matte gold beads. 

My final design I played with an asymmetrical pattern with the petals, gold matte beads, the red Czech coin in a brighter hue. The focal is one of my new faux sgraffito style beads. The copper branch beads pulls in some of the reddish hues from the palette.

Stop on over to the Halcraft blog today to see what Erin and the other participants created. Thank you Erin for the inspiration!

May 17, 2015

Art of Awareness Blog Hop

Welcome, today I'm taking part in a blog hop hosted by Lori Anderson and Heather Millican of Swoondimples that is about raising awareness for causes that we want to support.

Based on the ribbon awareness campaign, beadmaker Heather Millian of Swoondimples created bean beads for us with our cause color and a word or two that we requested. When I saw the little "be." beads in Heather's shop, I knew those were the ones that I wanted for this hop.

For my cause I'm supporting mental health awareness with the color green and depression in particular.

It's difficult to watch someone I love struggle with a depression that causes them to not function or makes them feel completely hopeless. I can't fathom them not feeling worthy of friends or love or that they feel so much despair that death seems like a better choice.

Depression is terrible. It's not just the blues or feeling sad. It steals people from us, not only having them withdraw and change but depression is a disease that can sometimes be fatal. Think about that, someone struggling from this disease is at risk of dying if they don't get help. And even then, in a flash of a moment and a lapse in judgment, they could be gone. And that breaks my heart and keeps me awake sometimes.

There is help for depression, although it's a long road to recovery and may be an illness that is managed rather than cured. Start here if you think you are suffering from depression or worried about a loved one.

Here are 7 great ways you can support and help someone suffering from depression.  Click here for more ways to support a loved one.

If you know someone suffering from mental illness, of any kind, treat them with respect, kindness and caring. Let them know that they are important to you. Spend time with them, even if it's difficult. Don't expect them to snap out of it, if they could they would do it in a heartbeat! And keep in mind that just because someone has a mental illness doesn't mean that aren't intelligent, brilliant and amazing.

For my awareness pieces I created two bracelets. I love the "be." bead. Be. period. What an important idea for someone with depression. Not be happy or be hopeful. Just be, as in live. No matter what, just be because when depression has swallowed someone whole, survival is all that required while they fight their way back.

Just be here, with us, with those that love you.

And we'll be here for you, ready to love you and see you through.

Here is the list of those participating in the blog hop:

Lori
Heather
Anderson
Millican
CandidaCastleberrywww.spunsugarbeadworks.blogspot.com
mischelleandradehttps://micheladasmusings.blogspot.com
PaigeMaximhttp://delightfullittlegems.blogspot.com/
Laurie Vyselaar www.lefthandjewelry.wordpress.com
MarybethRichhttp://forestofjewels.blogspot.com/
AlicePetersonwww.alice-dreaming.blogspot.com
KimDworakhttp://www.cianciblue.blogspot.com/
AudreyBĂ©langerhttp://esperianterra.blogspot.ca/
Karenmitchellwww.overthemoon-design.com
JoanWilliamswww.lilrubyjewelry.com
JeanWellsJean A. Wells
AnnSchroederwww.beadlove.wordpress.com
GailAccinellifacebook.com/oregonmadejewelry
TaniaSpiveywww.moobiegracedesigns.blogspot.com
Mallory Hoffmanhttp://rosebud101-fortheloveofbeads.blogspot.com/
Mary KMcGrawmkaymac.blogspot.com
ShaiWilliamswww.shaihasramblings.com/
BethEmerystoriesbyindigoheart.blogspot.com
CatieDomanhttp://drcatie.blogspot.com
LoreleiEurtoHttp://lorelei1141.blogspot.com
LeeKoopmanwww.stregajewellry.wordpress.com
TammyAdamswww.paisleylizard.com/blog/
KatieNelsonhttps://www.facebook.com/katiebead
PattyMillerhttp://pattymillerbeads.blogspot.com
ChrisEisenbergwww.wanderware.blogspot.com
CassiPaslickhttp://badatbeingmom.blogspot.com/
CharleeGriffithhttps://www.facebook.com/charlee.griffith
KelliNelsonwww.afamilyaffarekelli.blogspot.com
CatherineKinghttp://catherines-musings.blogspot.com
MelissaTrudingerbeadrecipes.wordpress.com
SusanBowiehttps://susanbowie.wordpress.com
JenniferJustmanwww.soulsfiredesigns.blogspot.com/
CassiPaslickhttp://badatbeingmom.blogspot.com/
KHutchinsonhttp://jumbledhutch.wordpress.com
VeralynneMalonewww.veradesigns.blogspot.com
Evie and BethMcCordhttp://ebbeadandmetalworks.blogspot.com/
MihaelaGeorgescuhttp://michellemaya2005.wordpress.com
RebeccaAndersonWww.songbeads.blogspot.com
Charlene Jackawww.clay-space.com
KimStevenswww.pickingpoppies.blogspot.com
SusanMcClellandMistheword12.wordpress.com


GinaHockettwww.freestyleelements.blogspot.com
MonaArnottbijouxgemsjoy.blogspot.ca
SandiVolpewww.sandivolpe.com
AndreaGlickhttp://zenithjade.blogspot.com/
JanineLucashttp://www.esfera.me/travel/blog/travel-stories
LoriBowring Michaudwww.artfullyornamental.blogspot.com
ChristieMurrowWww.charisdesignsjewelry.blogspot.com
B.R.Kuhlmanwww.mixedmayhemstudios.com
LupeMeterwww.gesmpccorner.blogspot.com
LucyBejaranowww.lucybejaranojewelry.blogspot.com/
StephaniePerrywww.mustardbeadbystephanieperry.blogspot.com
ElisabethAuldwww.beadsforbusygals.com
CarolynLawsonwww.carolynscreationswa.blogspot.com
HeatherPowerswww.humblebeads.blogspot.com
KatieHackerwww.katiehacker.blogspot.com
KepiRasmussenwww.kepirasmussen.blogspot.ca 
Gail Vanderster-Zwangwww.angelmoose.blogspot.com
ElizabethHodgeshttp://thewhisperingseas.blogspot.com/

May 15, 2015

Upcoming Events

 I'm hosting my annual spring beadmaking workshop here in South Haven tomorrow. 12 of us will gather for an amazing day of beadmaking. Above are the kits for the class, they make me want to create!

 I worked up a few new samples of the faux sgraffito style of beads, this bee skep is a fav.

I will also be making a limited number of these for Bead & Button. That is just a few weeks away. Yikes! I'll be in booth 1208 this year, right across from Green Girl Studios, so make plans to stop by and see me.

Also in the works this month will be my next online beadmaking course. I'll have samples and details at the end of next week. Be on the lookout, it's going to be an amazing polymer clay class.

Fall retreat info will be out in June, after the show. Did I mention I'm in the middle of writing a book too? (My third book!) I have lost my marbles, or they have all turned to beads. Either way, I don't know if I'm coming or going right now.

Okay, back to work for me. Happy Creating!

May 11, 2015

Sea Inspired Beads

Home...my home is Lake Michigan. As one of the Great Lakes it really does seem more like the sea. Minus the salt water. The beaches are not crystal clear but rather stormy shades of dark blue and foamy greens. 

This is my happy place, where my soul calls home. Life has had some challenges lately and some heartbreak, so it's no wonder my muse has wandered back to a source of comfort. 

Here are my latest creations:






You can read more about the inspirations behind these pieces on the Art Bead Scene.

My new pendants can be found on my website at Humblebeads.com.

The etched farfalles glass beads are from Stinky Dog Beads. You'll want tons of these!

The lampwork beads are from Sea of Glass at www.mjrbeads.com