Bead Table Wednesday - Art Bead Scene Challenge & Goal Setting for 2017

Today on my Bead Table Wednesday I shared my three creations for the Art Bead Scene's December Challenge. Here is one of the three panels for the stained glass window by Marc Chagall that was our inspiration. One of my goals for 2017 is to create jewelry for each Art Bead Scene challenge - won't you join me? 

My necklace featured long linear qualities like the stained glass window. The pewter stick with 'Chagall-like' designs is by Green Girl Studio. The enamel bird by Gardanne Beads. Hollow lampwork bead by Stephanie Ann Studios and bumpy lampwork by Sea of Glass and one of my polymer clay disks.

My first asymmetrical earrings! Birds by Gardanne, widsom charm by Green Girl Studios.

This piece was also inspired by the challenge but was gifted to my younger sister. Maple leaf by Gardanne Beads, round ceramic by White Clover Kiln, Humblebeads disk and lampwork disk by Julie Miller. Clasp by Anna Bronze. Unfortunately the focal bead was by a Michigan artist that has retired.

I also made these feather earrings from headpins by Artisticaos. Which became a few project on the Art Bead Scene here.

New Year's Goal Resources:

My Shining New Year Planner by Leonie Dawson

I highly recommend the biz ebook. It may look artsy-fartsy but it's a really a sneaky business plan for creative that makes you want to fill in the fun workbook while you dream of the possibilities for 2017.

Ways a Virtual Assistant (VA) can help your business in 2017. 

Where to find a VA - Fiverr or Upwork (formerly Odesk). I've found VA's through both of these sites. 

Join me on Friday to wish a farewell to 2016 in beady style! It's a Bead Bash - there will be giveaways, free projects, inspiration for 2017 and lots and lots of beads. 

I will have bead bundles at 30-40% and new beads to share. 

Join my Humblebeads VIP Party Group so you don't miss the fun. See you at 2pm EST for this end of the year bead party! 

Bead Table Wednesday - Memory Wire and Bead Spinner Bracelets

Today on my Bead Table Wednesday live chat, I shared how to make these fun and simple bracelets using memory wire and a bead spinner. You can watch the video below and scrolled down to the links of resources that were mentioned.

I recommend checking out your local bead store first and shopping local if you can. Lima Beads and Fusion Beads also carry most of these supplies and they are owned by women, so support them above large box stores!

Tools*:
Bead Spinner
Extra Large Memory Wire
Xuron Track Cutters
Lindstrom Pliers
(*Amazon affiliate links)

Peanut Seed Beads:
Whim Beads
Fusion Beads

Metal Seed Beads - size 11/0 is what I use.

Charms:
Humblebeads or Humblebeads on Etsy
Gardanne
Green Girl Studios

 

 

Bead Table Wednesday

Hello! I wanted to share a few things on the blog here. 

If you follow me on Facebook you may have noticed I'm hosting a live video chat each Wednesday for Bead Table Wednesday. I share what's on my bead table, design ideas and biz tips. It's super informal - just me chatting away. Be sure to like my Humblebeads Facebook page so you can watch next week's video! 

You can watch today's video here. 

A few links from today's video:

Candie Cooper

festive Forest Online Workshop

Art Bead Scene

Ornament Blog Hop

Art beads featured today: 

Humblebeads on Etsy

Allegory Gallery

Gardanne Beads

Green Girl Studio

White Clover Kiln

Vintage Meadow Artwork - this Etsy seller has a small selection

Seed Beads:

Fusion Beads

Art Beads

Whim Beads

Lima Beads

 

On the video I share how to enter to win this bead bundle. Winner will be drawn tomorrow and announced on my Facebook Humblebeads page at 12pm EST. 

 

The winner from the early bird registration for my Festive Forest Online Workshop is Jennifer Reagles! Congrats Jen you won a $30 Humblebeads.com gift certificate for a future purchase.

The workshop starts on Friday - sign up and join in the fun! (It's a self-paced course to watch on your schedule.) 

Festive Forest Jewelry Online Workshop

Hey little elves! Looking for a fun holiday project to make as gifts or for yourself? I've got you covered with my new Festive Forest Workshop. Learn how to create wire frames and ways to embellish them with a mix of seed beads. I have all sorts of tips and tricks to make these projects a breeze for you. 

In the class you'll learn to make the tree and leaf pins and pendant variations for both. Create these sweet earrings and versatile beaded beads to bling up any project!

The class starts December 2nd. You'll get lifetime access to the videos and workbook. Work at your own pace and schedule. 

Who should take this class?

• Someone looking to make a bunch of holiday gifts in hurry!
• A crafty gal wanting to try a new festive project.
• A new jewelry-maker who wants to learn some basic wire techniques. 
• A seasoned jewelry designer looking for a new tricks to add to her design repertoire. 
• Anyone who loves to play with color and beads!
• A mom with pre-teens or teens who would like to do a family craft together. (They can make gifts for all their friends!)
• A Christmas nut who wants to wear that tree pin, like right now! 
• A busy creative who wants to take a class but needs to fit it into her schedule. (Create in your jammies! I won't judge.)
• A creative maker on a budget! The class is offered at a very special holiday price of only $25. 

Bonus Giveaway 

Sign up today to be entered to win a $30 Humblebeads.com Gift Certificate for a future purchase. The winner be announced here tomorrow at 12pm. View class details and sign up today!

Bead Table Wednesday

Join me tomorrow on my Humblebeaeds Facebook page for a live video chat with tips on creating your own custom bead mixes for projects. We start at 2pm, make sure you like my page and join on Wednesday at 2pm for Bead Table Wednesday. 

Inspired by Nature Retreat Review

I feel like I blinked my eyes and it went from August to October in seconds. I hosted my annual Inspired by Nature Retreat in South Haven, MI this weekend and had such an amazing time. I can't thank my students enough for making the event such a joyful and relaxing event. I worked hard to make it a special weekend for them! 

I love to package up the gift bags and kits into special fall packaging to set the mood. The folders for our retreat had the illustration and quote above. 

The gift bags had ceramic pendants from Firefly Design Studio, Gardanne Beads and Humblebeads. I gifted a few extras like sari ribbon, waxed linen and Vintaj leaves. (Photo by Loralee Kolton) 

 
We started our weekend with the Forest Fascinations Button workshop by making molds, beads and painting with Swellagent. My students searched outside the retreat center for inspiring nature finds to incorporate into their molds. This set was created by Sarajo Wentling and was one of her first experiences with polymer clay. I think I created polymer clay addict!

Lin Standke was a fast study, as a long time retreat student she always stretches and puts her spin on the projects. Before the end of the our evening Lin was sporting a pair of earrings made with her Forest Fascinations components. 

We woke up early the next day for a hearty breakfast and jumped into making more beads. This time I shared how to create marbled faux fossils. 

Student work by Loralee Kolton.

Student work by Beverly Herman - my mom! She is a seed bead artist so she enjoyed getting out of her comfort zone with metal and clay. I'm so proud of her!

Sarajo and Loralee showing off their creations. You can read about Sarajo's adventure on her blog.

We took a field trip to a small beach on the shores of Lake Michigan to collect beach stones and enjoy the beautiful weather.

This is my happy place! I can still hear the waves, so peaceful and relaxing.

Working hard and playing hard! Our friends relaxed, filled the cabin with laughter and created up a storm!

Our thoroughly inspired group wearing their jewelry on the last day of our retreat. 

On the Sunday we created adjustable wire bangles that everyone got to wear home!

My online retreat is has also began and I'd love to have you join us! Sign up here. 

This time of year my brain is on fire with inspiration, filled with the colors and textures surrounding me! These are some of the beads I created for the retreat and will have them in my Facebook group Friday morning. 

Scholarship Winner

I'm having trouble uploading images so this is going to a very plain post with good news for one lucky winner!

Thank you to everyone that entered. I wish you all could join us. I am working on a new holiday workshop for November that is budget-friendly.

And if you haven't had a chance to pick up my Bead-making Lab book, it's packed with 52 ideas to make your own beads.

And now for the winner:

Congratulations to Therese!

Therese look out for an email with more details.

Happy Creating everyone!!!

Fall Online Retreat and Scholarship

I'm super excited about offering my first online retreat next month! My annual Inspired by Nature Fall Retreat is my favorite event, hands-down. It's such a fun, creative time with a wonderful group of women and in the most beautiful autumn location. It has become so popular that it sold out this year in two days.

That led me to offer this year's course online after the live event. And I've made it my goal to capture the magic of my favorite event for this year's online course. Space is limited.

The Online Retreat includes:

Three classes that are debuting at my live fall retreat! These exclusive classes will be presented in recorded videos and step-by-step instructions with photos to follow along. 

All class materials will go live October 19th. You'll have lifetime access to the class and can go at your own pace. 

Three one-hour live video chats using Facebook's Live Chat. You'll be able to access the videos anytime after the events if you can't make it for the live events. You'll be able to interact with me while I'm live on video! I'll be sharing fun tips, ideas and inspirations.

Printable Retreat Workbook - print off the workbook to fill out and use as your guide for your at-home retreat. 

Private Facebook Group - connect with your fellow retreat participants and share your progress in the group just for our retreat. 

For complete details and to register for the retreat click here.  

Online Retreat Scholarship

I'm giving away one registration for the retreat to someone who is in financial need. 

To Enter: 

1. You must have a financial need and not be able to afford the class. I'll leave what qualifies as need up to you, you know your circumstance better than anyone. This is on the honor system, you don't need to share any details or show anything to qualify to enter. 

2. You have until September 30th to leave a comment below to enter. I will draw one random comment using Random.org to pick the winner on October 1st. 

3. Make sure I can easily contact you via email to notify you if you win. 

Please share this post if you know anyone who would like to sign up for the retreat or if you know someone who would like to enter for the scholarship. 

One Bead, 5 Ways!

I spent the day working on my beads in this very classic Humblebeads design. A friend recently asked me to revisit the bead in new patterns and so I jumped all over it! 

This bracelet features my Van Gogh Oleander 6-Hole Spacer Bead.  I modified a bracelet design I did for BeadStyle magazine many years ago.  This updated version pairs chain, metallic beads and faceted stones.  The chains were attached using 20 gauge wire. 

Hint: start with the chains and then add the beads. 

On 3 1/2" of wire I created a loop 1 1/2" from the bottom.  Open the loop and slide on the chain, close the loop and wrap to create a messy wrap.  Slide through the bead and repeat on the other side.

For the beads I cut 1 1/4" lengths of memory wire, strung it through the bead and taped one side so the wire was centered.  I added beads on one side, created a loop with the memory wire to close and repeated the pattern on the other side.

You can see on the back I used 20 gauge wire and 4mm fire polished glass beads to create spacers to stabilize the bracelet. The key to this design is mixing sizes and textures to create interest. 

This bracelet is so much fun to wear, whips up quickly and brings the party to your wrist! 

This is the original bracelet I created for BeadStyle magazine.  You can find the directions online here.  

And check out this amazing necklace by Erin Prais-Hintz of Tesori Trovati.  Erin always thinks outside the box and turned this spacer on it's side.  

Great minds think alike! Designer Lorelei Eurto also turned my Van Gogh Starry Night spacer bead sideways to create a beautiful focal with a copper pendant.  This design was also featured in BeadStyle magazine way back in 2009.  It still sparkles five years later, truly a classic!

Gloria Ewing totally knocked my socks off with her Starry Night design cleverly featuring my 6-hole Spacer on the side of the necklace.  I love this!

Erin, Lorelei and Gloria's necklace are under their copyright, so I'm showing them for inspirational purposes only.  But I'm sure they will get you thinking differently about this bead.  

Feel free to create either cuff bracelet design - but beware: when you wear them you will get showered with compliments!  

You can find my new cuff beads in Etsy shop and use code SUMMER25 for 25% off your order - last night of my summer sale! 

Book Launch Party

Today I'm celebrating the release of book #3: the Bead-Making Lab. This book is stuffed to the corners with fun projects featuring all different ways and materials to use to make your own beads. In fact, 52 bead-making projects are included along with lots of tips, beadmaker insights and interviews and jewelry for inspiration. 

I go to play with polymer clay, paper clay, upcycled paper, resin, shrink plastic, felt, ribbons, rope, leather, stones, beach glass, wood, wire and more! The projects are geared towards beginners and anyone crafty or wishing they were crafty can jump right in and start making their own beads. 

So what's a party with gifts? 

I have a signed copy of my book to giveaway. 

To enter share my book on Pinterest, Twitter or Goodreads and leave a comment below. 

Here is the link to the book on Amazon: http://amzn.to/28QXI2i

And on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26246215-bead-making-lab

I'll pick one random comment on Friday at 10am EST. Make sure I can reach you if you win!

You can also enter to win a copy on my Instagram account: http://www.instagram.com/humblebeads

And I have several giveaways going on today in my Humblebeads VIP Group on Facebook.

Just a few of the bead projects in the book!

Each chapter has jewelry design examples featuring the beads!

Wire abacus, wire next beads, paper clay birds and driftwood beads are all found in the book.

 Learn how to drill seaglass and beach rocks. And discover how to make faux sea glass with resin.

Love being green? I have quite a few projects that upcycle paper into beads and pendants. Little book pendants and paper beads from magazines give you a boho-look and give you lots of options for recycling your summer beach reads! 

Using some of the simplest materials, like cardboard, newspaper and Mod Podge I created these trendy color block pendants. Shrink plastic and Sharpie markers were the start of these doodle charms.

Oh, you can get so fancy with shrink plastic.

Love a good faux finish - here I created faux enamel with wire and embossing powder, You'll have to read the book to get the secret ingredient to complete this project! 

I dived into all sorts of fibers for the book projects and had fun with felt like these embroidered beads that make the cutest earrings! 

The jewelry projects aren't in the book, it's all about the beads - but I know you want some inspiration on how to use those beauties once you make them! 

Here are two videos with a few tips:

View on Flipagram

View on Flipagram