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

New Online Workshop

It's time for another polymer clay bootcamp! This bootcamp is all about focusing on learning to make and design canes. Each week you'll learn new canes and clever ways to use them to make beads. 

There are two parts to this workshop:

• Beadmaking - with step by step videos and instructions to make all the beads pictured here.

• Designing Canes and Finding Your Voice - this part of the workshop is optional. It's full of creative exercises to help you discover your own unique voice in polymer clay and help you design original canes. 

 

The class will cover four weeks of skill-building cane classes.

• Learn 10 new canes with step-by-step videos and tutorials
• Learn how to design your own canes
• Delve into my creative process for finding inspiration and making beads
• Advanced optional skill builders to discover your voice in polymer clay
• Start to develop your own designs and styles for beads
• Tips for creating bead series/collection

There will be a dedicated Facebook group for this class, a private classroom with downloads, videos and worksheets. And don't forget lifetime access to all class materials. Beginners are welcome! 

Early Bird Registration is open until August 20th.  Only 30 spaces are available for this class.

Click here for all the details and registration!

From Sketch to Bead

Most my beads start out as a sketch, doodled in one of my many sketchbooks.  I keep them all over the house - one by my computer, a few in the living room, one in my bedroom, you never know when inspiration will strike!  It also helps to sketch down an idea when you are busy so that you can revisit it later.  After I have a page of sketches I pick the ones I think are working and hand carve polymer clay molds.

Here I snapped photos with my Ipod as I worked on these.  The first step is painting.  Yes, I recycle scrap paper and use them when making beads!

I bake my paint into the clay and go through the process several times with various colors and coats.

When the beads are finished baking I antique each one with acrylic paint and sand them.  They are then coated with a wax finish to protect the paint.

Here are my two favorites.  Do you see them in the sketch?  I'm in love with navy blue at the moment.  Can not get enough of it.

The robin is inspired by my childhood in Michigan.  You could always tell it was spring when the Daffodils started to bloom and you spotted a robin in the yard.  I'm longing for both home and the green that comes with the new season.

Bittersweet Tales

My dear friend Erin asked me to work on a special collaboration for a jewelry series she is creating.  She is asking beadmakers to create beads based on the paintings in the gallery that shows her work.  For me she picked an artist who creates the most amazing paintings on metal.  I love them. The artist is Ann Singsass.  You can see the inspiration painting here.  

I really love the color combination and floral design. I can't wait to see what Erin creates with them.  I've been wanting to add some beads in a fall inspired color scheme and these just what I needed.  They are limited edition series for now.

I love working with jewelry designers to create something so personal and amazing.  You guys always have the best ideas!

Welcome?

Or at least to a place that is as hot as h-e-double hockey sticks. I don't even watch for the weather anymore, I know it's going to be 100 degrees. From what seems the time we get up until bedtime. My poor lawn, brown she be. We are counting down the days until our trip home to Michigan where it's green and lush and I hear in the 80s!!! (That photo is actually from Hell, Grand Cayman. A real place and guess what? They sell ice cold bottled water in Hell, who knew.)

I have new beads to show, unfortunately I also have a pile of orders to get out the door. So new work will be up on Monday. I'm off to finish beads and package orders. I'm trying to beat the clock today so we can all run off to the pool. Want to see what goes into making my William Morris beads? I blogged about the Anatomy of a Bead on my polymer clay blog.

Have a great weekend!

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