Kim Miles' Postcard Beads

Kim Miles writes:

"Hello Beadists!
Kim here, reporting LIVE from the Grand Canyon!
I've got my traveling studio up and running, and the first Travel Beads are available in my BeadShop!

Something NEW - Postcard Beads!
They're Troll-Style Beads, hand-stamped with the names of some of my favorite places as we travel.
Right now I have Grand Canyon Beads for you. I hope you'll enjoy collecting souvenirs from my travels!

You can also order actual postcards from the places I visit. Fun!

This week I'll enclose a free postcard from the Grand Canyon with every bead order!

Wish You Were Here! xo Kim"

Kim Miles ~ Traveling Beadist
Grand Canyon, Arizona
Website ~ http://kimmiles.com/
BeadShop ~ http://Kimmiles.bigcartel.com/
Blog ~ http://kimmiles-takingthelongwayhome.blogspot.com/
Facebook~ http://www.facebook.com/kimmiles.beadist?ref=profile

Beadblogger Sunday

A Bead A DayLisa’s “Swarovski Summer Picnic” project is progressing. The only thing missing are the crystally butterflies!!

About.com Jewelry MakingSchool's out for summer, but is it really? Nope, not when you can take one of these free jewelry making e-courses.

Art Bead Scene Art Bead Scene's monthly challenge painting for July is the Lascaux Cave Paintings. Get your stash of beads out in ivory, red and brown to match the color palette of these ancient drawings.

Beading ArtsWonderful wonderful wonderful new CopprClay! Cyndi is so excited about this new material that she can't stop playing with it!

Carmi's Art/Life WorldCarmi attempts to create a necklace after a resin pouring disaster.

Cindy Gimbrone aka Lampwork DivaCindy shows off some new chain and realizes one should never shop for jeans on her lunch hour.

Humblebeads Check out the 2009 Bead Cruise design contest winners!

Jean Campbell Ink: Eureka! Jean Campbell finished off her new LeTemps Necklace design which marries bling to grunge. Hurray!

Lorelei's Blog: Inside the Studio Lorelei has busted out of the studio and into the Museum of Art for a trunk show.

Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done! Jean reviews a different, colorful, and inspiring book called Glass, by Marlene Blessing and Jamie Hogsett

Strands of Beads Melissa talks about where to find reliable information on copyrights - the U.S. Copyright Office, of course!

The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton Challenging himself with a smaller scale, Andrew tackles doll jewelry. Check out five new designs with dolls in mind!

Rings and Things, Bead Fans

Russ, the Troll bead, from Rings and Things

Rings & Things - Bead Fans!

I received the above invitation from Russ the Troll bead yesterday! I said I would try to come to this most auspicious event at Rings & Things, and that I would invite you, my friends! Now please don't embarrass me by wearing lampshades on your heads, unless they are cool. tasteful lampshades. Yessiree, hats seem to be THE THING on my blog this week! You are invited!!! --and the deals are going to be great!

Russ, the Troll bead, thanks so much for including me -- I hate missing out on the fun!
jean

Use the Muse II, continued

Another doorknob used to represent pondering a conundrum of beauty. HMMMMMM. Ponder, ponder. Jim certainly hangs out in some upscale doorknob stores

--cell phone photo of doorknob 2 by Jim

All right. I have until July 18 to hand over the photos and the information on myself for Use the Muse II.

Use the Muse II, jean yates, continued...

I don't know. I will say this: I went to Scarlett's site and looked at the winners of the last Muse challenge and they were very beautiful. Thank heavens I had already finished mine. I would have freaked out. When you have completed something like this, it is done. I think that has to do with the fact that someone else chose the pieces which we all use in our final designs. That lifts the burden of going every which way with your creation --you have certain colors and other limitations within which you are working.

So I am done and ready when it is time to send the photos. I just need to make up some bio stuff about myself. Let's see. I have shrunk. I am around 5'2". Should I put that in?

"Recently, Jean Yates has shrunken a bunch." That sounds important! I think I shall put that in! Hmmm. I need to think about this some more! See you later--let me know if you have any ideas for my bio!

magical hat on Etsy

when I first saw this "micro-mini" hat, also available in larger sizes for real live people, I almost flipped my own lid! It was sitting on Etsy last night and there I was with NO excuse to buy it. ARGH! It haunts me still.it comes from:
candygears.etsy.com

[candygears creations]

here is what the shop has to say for itself:
candygears's Shop Announcement
This shop features my handmade creations, art and whims... Please enjoy my odd little world!
-------------------------------------
My Portfolio: candygears.com
My Flicker: flickr.com/photos/candygears
My Blog: candygears.livejournal.com



Wow! Handmade creations? Art and whims? This place is TOTALLY up my alley!
The price of this great tiny little steampunk hat is very reasonable, as well. Now I just need an excuse to purchase it! Is it my birthday yet? I wish it were! Happy Birthday to me, in July!

xox jean!

Beadblogger's Sunday

--photo from Jim's cell phone

A Bead A Day Do you love Swarovski Crystals? Inspired by talented jewelry designer, Lillian Chen, Lisa creates a Swarovski “sculpture” ring.

Art Bead SceneArt Bead Scene gets creative with the "Best of ABS."

Barbe Saint John - New Jewelry from Forgotten ArtifactsSometimes you need to have a jewelry makeover.

Beading ArtsCyndi reports on her experiences with firing and finishing CopprClay pieces. This stuff rocks!

Carmi's Art/Life WorldCarmi tries Ice Resin and upcycles a greeting card into a necklace.

Cindy Gimbrone aka Lampwork DivaCindy learns to make murrini and deals with mud.

Earthenwood Studio ChroniclesEven without a lot of time on her hands, Melanie finishes a clockwork themed bracelet using Swarovski faceted rings from ArtBeads.com

HumblebeadsBead & Button stash and Heather's inspired creations are highlighted today.

Jean CampbellJean gives a sneak peek of her next Beadwork magazine piece

Katie's Beading BlogCheck out Katie's wire-wrapped dragonfly!

Lorelei's Blog: Inside the StudioInstead of continuing on with the tried and true techniques of jewelry design, Lorelei is finally ready to take the leap and try something new.

Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!Jean gets her cool stash from Use the Muse II, and muses about it

Strands of BeadsMelissa wants to know what outrageous materials are in your beading stash?

The Writing and Art of Andrew ThorntonStop by and say hello to Andrew in Charlotte, NC this weekend. Check out his new designs and some delicious new metal clay coins!

Fourth of July

My dolls, in honor of today, with red, white, and blue hair, all blue eyes, and white dresses for the 4th of July party they were invited to. I had no idea I had that many frilly white dresses!

MEANWHILE: Jim, who is NOT a vegetarian anymore, went to help his brother do something and stopped on the way back for a 4th of July Bar B Q. He doesn't seem to mind he is eating alone and tole me tales of a family whose child dropped his ice cream cone and needed a redo. Jim showed him the Ketchup in his own shirt and said to him something like, "Look, I have this ketchup in my shirt! Don't feel bad! Your dad is getting you another cone, upside down this time!" <--you figure out what that means...The kid, who was pretty little, said, "I have CHEESE on my shirt!" enthusiastically. hahah so here is where Jim had lunch

and here, below, IS Jim's lunch! Happy 4th! Whoo hoo!

Before the family left, Jim went to his car and got out a new American flag and gave it to the family with the little kid. He said to them, "When somebody drops ice cream on the 4th of July, they get an American flag!"

Yay, Jim!

Hope YOU are having a fun day!

jean