Photo from Simply Beads online : My design , 2006 "Time Flies" for Simply Beads Magazine, with instructions offered online as well
Somehow I missed an interview which I had with Barb Switzer Jan. 21! Geesh!

Barb is the Editor of Simply Beads online, and we basically discussed where inspiration comes from. I really enjoyed Barb's questions, and if you follow this link http://www.freepatterns.com/content/content.html?content_id=935
you will get to see the interview. I was very proud that she chose me! She is a super terrific person and a great teacher--check out the many places she is scheduled to teach whenever you get a chance! You are bound to learn something from Barb!

Thanks!

jean

Please do let me know if the link doesn't work!

Now as it happens, I have the pleasure and freedom of writing a column for Australian Beading Magazine.

I have put a LOT of people into it--pretty much from the jewelry or beading arena, in some form or another. I really like writing about people, and discovering what is special about them. I try to view them from all sorts of angles. I like to cover people who specialize in different materials or who make jewelry or beads in unique ways. That actually delights me!

Another thing I do for Australian Beading Magazine, which is upon request by my editor, Kelly, is my little pride and joy. I, reporter Jean, get to put some of my Blythe dolls wearing my handmade jewelry into each issue. How I got to do this is a mystery to me--basically my editor is just plain nice to me! It is so fun!

The doll above is Sherry Darling wearing some earrings which I made especially for the maiden issue (Dec. 08) which contained Blythes--not sure how many issues it has been since the inception of "Our Beading World", which I used to write, originally with a partner, Lisa Kan.

Congratulations to Lisa: she is one of four top Bead Artists for Beadwork for the upcoming year. Jamie Hogsett!!!: Congratulations and lots of love to you, my dear friend, and to Jean Campbell too!, and to the fourth Beadwork Artist of the year, as well.

We may all go our separate ways but I am thrilled for all of you!

Sherry Darling just said that SHE is too!

jean

THE RUSE w/ Jared Lee

FREE SHOW

THIS TUESDAY JANUARY 27th @ GREEN DOOR

1439 Ivar Ave. Los Angeles, CA

notes from my son Jim's band:

"This is a really cool venue so come at 9pm, ready just to sit back and listen to JARED LEE who will start playing around 9:15 with THE RUSE to follow right after. We are working on trying to bring our live show to as many places as we can this year but we need your help.

If you don't have our new CD 'Midnight In The City' yet, please go get one at Amazon, iTunes or Cdbaby.com.

They make great gifts too :)

Lots of Love,J,J,M & J

WWW.MYSPACE.COM/RUSEMUSIC

http://www.rusemusic.com/

In other Ruse world news, our drummer Jason just released a new solo record.

Go check it out at www.myspace.com/heartour

About.com Jewelry Making How are your 2009 jewelry resolutions going so far? Are you staying focused? Take this quick poll and see the results tabulated so far.

.Art Bead Scene Have a few art bead pieces you'd like to enter in a contest? ABS has a list of the current competitions accepting entries.

Carmi's Art/Life World Carmi makes a fun denim ribbon corsage in under 30 minutes!

Carter Seibels for Divali Glass JewelryA double dose of Divali Glass Jewelry: The Winter Sale starts on Saturday! And Carter is now selling her loose beads on Bead Trust.

Jennifer Jangles BlogJennifer shows off her new packaging for some of her beads.

Jewelry & Beading Jamee Jones shares her gorgeous Hawaii-inspired jewelry!

Snap Out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!Jean flips for a jewelry book inspired by the Impressionists!

Strands of BeadsMelissa gets inspired by a quote from Pascal.

The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton Andrew talks about and shares a little bit about his obsession with opalescent glass. Get a sneak-peek at his horde!

Book Review by Jean:
Beadwork Inspired by Art
Impressionist
jewelry and accessories by Jean Campbell and Judith Durant

To begin, I went to Wikipedia and investigated many of the things which this beautiful book, which uses beads to translate paintings into jewelry, explained about Impressionist painting and Impressionism.

From Wikipedia 10:52 a.m. ET Jan 22, 2009
"Impressionism was a 19th-century art movement that began as a loose association of Paris-based artists exhibiting their art publicly in the 1860s. The name of the movement is derived from the title of a Claude Monet work, Impression, Sunrise (Impression, soleil levant), which provoked the critic Louis Leroy to coin the term in a satiric review published in Le Charivari.
Characteristics of Impressionist painting include visible brush strokes, open composition, emphasis on light in its changing qualities (often accentuating the effects of the passage of time), ordinary subject matter, the inclusion of movement as a crucial element of human perception and experience, and unusual visual angles.
The emergence of Impressionism in the visual arts was soon followed by analogous movements in other media which became known as Impressionist music and Impressionist literature.
Impressionism also describes art created in this style, but outside of the late 19th century time period.

Radicals in their time, early Impressionists broke the rules of academic painting. They began by giving colours, freely brushed, primacy over line, drawing inspiration from the work of painters such as Eugène Delacroix. They also took the act of painting out of the studio and into the world. Previously, still lifes and portraits as well as landscapes had usually been painted indoors.[1] The Impressionists found that they could capture the momentary and transient effects of sunlight by painting en plein air. Painting realistic scenes of modern life, they emphasized vivid overall effects rather than details. They used short, "broken" brush strokes of pure and unmixed colour, not smoothly blended, as was customary, in order to achieve the effect of intense colour vibration."

Now I am going to tell you something. I have many loves, and Impressionism is one of them. Those people who say "I don't know much about art but I know what I like!" usually, these days, DO recognize and like/love Impressionism. We cleave to it emotionally, from way inside. I could be talking through my hat. However this is something I believe and I think the prices paid by collectors for many of the Impressionists' paintings, when they appear, rarely, at the top auction houses, bear me out.
I was therefore VERY open to this book written by two top jewelry editors and authors, and to view their jewelry. Jean Campbell and Judith Durant have done something super fascinating: they have interpreted specific paintings by specific artists, each one explained first and then reinterpreted in beads and thread. This book,
Beadwork Inspired by Art
Impressionist
jewelry and accessories,
is, to put it simply, breathtaking both in concept and in execution. I love this book.
I think if you examine the cover you will see why I like this book so much. It is the "Landscape bracelet", after Vincent Van Gogh's Landscape with Carriage and Train. How amazingly did the authors interpret this painting by Van Gogh! They essentially nailed it! I feel as if each one of the paintings which they chose has been equally as well defined and at times taken and brought to its essence. Successfully and movingly, frankly.

The authors begin by explaining why they chose to write this book and offer this homage to Impressionism. As a beader I deeply understand the desire to work with color, and then to challenge oneself by going beyond that to garner inspiration from painting or other artistic avenues. They discuss this and offer a list of Impressionist painters. They discuss their methods, what to expect, and then get on to the projects. Are they beautiful? Yes, they are! I strongly recommend this book. I believe there is not a single piece in this unique jewelry design book by Jean Campbell and Judith Durant which doesn't hit the nail on the head, grab the reader's attention, and, amazingly, encourage the reader to grasp more from the painting as well as the piece of jewelry inspired by it.

Projects from this book, which also offers a cool woven piece, which I loved and wish to point out were:
"The Banana Plantation Necklace", after a painting by Pierre August Renoir, which has mindblowing colors and an exuberance of branch fringe with a matching focal bead, all in the colors of the painting...greens, oranges, blues, topazes,--You are sooo there! It is great!
"Mango Woman Pendant", after a painting by Paul Gauguin, "Woman with a Mango", which has a spare and lovely circlet of gold for the neckpiece, and a seed beaded spiral focal of a fabulous inky blue, finished with gold and a mango colored Swarovski briolette drop, with a matching drop at the back as well. This has the use of space which delights me as a designer.
"The Dancers in Blue Earrings", inspired by Degas' painting "Two Dancers in Blue" -- sweet blue seed bead earrings with Swarovski rounds which just flounce and enchant completely!

You owe it to yourself to get this book. If you are transported by the Impressionists, as I am, or just like really intelligent and really artistically creative projects, I believe you will find this book amazing.

Those of you who know me know that "historically" (the history of jean) I worship Abraham Lincoln. My second favorite national leader, for many personal reasons, is Harry Truman. Abraham Lincoln is my favorite because he is my favorite. Period! Harry Truman is my favorite because of his sweet devotion to his family and his quotability.

There will be some hard decisions made here. People who can't stand the heat SHOULD stay out of the kitchen.

I am so very interested and so very overwhelmed by the importance of this particular inauguration. As someone on TV said...only 45 years ago the African Americans in many states (in all states?I am not sure) didn't have the vote.

My grandparents, on my father's side, lived in Washington and we visited them every year. The African Americans were bellhops when I was a little kid. They were called Negroes by us. When we visited my grandparents, it seemed as if they were not allowed to talk to us as we bounced merrily around like balls in a pinball machine in the lobby of the apartment hotel my grandparents lived in. I didn't understand this -- this was different from the ways things worked at home -- but I had eyes, and could see perfectly well at age three and age four.

Then later I attended an Inauguration, because I had a relative in a Cabinet position. I went because I was an adult at that point, and wanted to go to the balls and get dressed up and go see the party. And bounce around some more (non judgementally). Admittedly, I was a brainless wonder at that time but harmless. Then again, I deserved to have some fun. This is just plain true. And fun it was! That time, at my older age, at my fancy hotel, the fabulous tap dancer and actor Gregory Hines and his coterie were all staying at the same place. I watched him go out the door of the hotel to attend his Inaugural ball or two, attired in a hairdo complete with amazingly impressive dreadlocks, and a huge and long silver fur coat. He and his group looked great. Glamour!

Still, then, there were maybe delineations between races. It just was less the case between people in the acting biz; I am guessing now. I also saw, at that Inauguration (don't laugh) David Hasselhof (sp?) and Pierce Brosnan, and NO they were not together. They were sitting at the same table with their wives of the time and we were all at a NBC brunch. Nah, I wasn't at their table. What would I have said, "David, how is Knightrider?" "Pierce, you are OK in Remington Steele, I hear; but I don't watch TV! Oh duh!"

I have pics of them, with me posing jerkily, arms crossed and leaning over. Ahahah. I had a white crocheted sweater from Talbots (with puffy shoulders--it was that time period!) and a white and brown polka dot puffy linen skirt (linen. huh???) with a pair of wine colored leather boots my Mom had bought me, with terrific stiletto heels. Shoes were my LIFE. How much did I love those shoes?!!! I have no idea if this was in fashion for a brunch in freezing cold January but I didn't have the dough to spend on spare Inaugural clothes. I was just lucky to be related to some nice people who were willing to drag me places. I had on pink tourmaline stud earrings which I LOVED, and some costume earrings in matte faux gold by Monet which had a Deco flair. I had hot pink nails! Loved them!

I saw my picture in a magazine later in one of the dressier outfits I brought for evening parties we went to, accompanied by my relative in office. That was fun to see.

As always I had chopped off my hair at some point the month before the whole thing but I looked very HAPPY to be exactly where I was. I was beaming. Of course I have lost that magazine but I remember the happiness with an immediacy which is crystal clear...

Fred Willard brought a dozen eggs to that NBC brunch thing. For those of you who are not a hundred years old like me, he was the weatherman before Al Roker. He made my mother laugh like a schoolgirl, she was so dazzled to be chatted up by him.

The news people at that brunch, like Jane Pauley and Tom Brokaw, tried to be cool but I , jean the carefree, didn't have to! I was the ONLY ONE who had brought 8 disposible cameras. I forced everyone to allow me to get my picture with as many of the people you see in TV and movies and stuff as possible. I am certain they thought I was a total idiot but I did not care! I saw that it was my moment and I wanted to enjoy it.

When I heard Ray Charles sing "America the Beautiful" close up at a night gala it was so great.

You know, when I was a kid, I fantasized that we would all wear togas so you couldn't judge people by their Lacostes and Louis Vuittons, and their weight--I had a weight problem as a kid!!! Togas would have been great! -- and things would be all dreamy, and there would be no hate.

I am praying now that this gentleman, who has today specifically chosen to lay his hand on Abraham Lincoln's bible to be sworn in, will open to miracles--miracles! You can't receive miracles unless you believe in them.

I believe in that bible of Abraham Lincoln's. I am glad today.

I am, also, so pleased to be able to watch this on TV. I worry about the people freezing in the cold. I am so happy they are there, if they choose to be, however. Let's let choice play a much bigger part in our lives as American citizens from now on.

jean

About.com Jewelry Making Jazz up a necklace with a unique focal point or add it to a simple chain for an instant necklace. Pendants have lots of possibilities, and Tammy has some projects to get you started making them.

Art Bead Scene Do you have a book inside you but not sure you could work with an editor? Consider self publishing. Take a look at the lovely results from one beadmaker who did!

Barbe Saint John - New Jewelry from Forgotten ArtifactsBarbe reviews Junk to Jewelry & Vintage Redux books

Bead & Button MagazineAnn Dee, editor of Bead&Button Magazine, invites beaders to enter the Bead Dreams competition.

Carmi's Art/Life World Carmi stuffs some yo yos to make a fabulously light necklace!

Carter Seibels for Divali Glass JewelryCarter looks back at Divali Glass Jewelry designs come and gone, and sees the similarities in her creative style over time.

Jennifer Jangles BlogJennifer shows off what's new for Valentine's Day at Jangles.

Jewelry & Beading Stamping and beads? The best of both worlds!

Katie's Beading Blog Beads, Baubles & Jewels is back for its fifth year. This week Katie shares what's coming up in the new season. Check it out!

Strands of BeadsGive your found-object jewelry a new twist by using cute Japanese trinkets.

One thing I have never consciously thought about until recently is the ways in which my kids inspire me. I just became aware that they do, in both free floating and specific ways, and decided to write about it.
Obviously having all sorts of kids, from older and literary, and older and musical, as well as (in both cases) good at sports, to medium aged (you figure it out! OH to me it is a person who isn't quite 19!), following his own path in life and never wavering nor caring what others think, to younger ...my two disabled kids who are always trying like anything to BE, here in this world, with other, more regular people...I just suddenly felt compelled to say that it gives me a lot to think about as far as how they push me to want to be better, as a person.
What is that famous Jack Nicholson quote? From that movie I loved, with Helen Hunt and Greg Kinnear. "You make me want to be a better person." The movie was called As Good as It Gets.

Funny thing is, one of our children with autism is struggling with obsessive compulsive behavior now, and this added fight he must deal with is part of the reason I am mulling over what my children mean to me in terms of inspiration. It is so hard to BE him I imagine, and he is so intelligent, I believe. The appearance of this is relatively new, and possibly might go away when his most recent physical illness recedes (he has been on antibiotics, we think for a sinus infection) , but we must help him help himself until he feels better. OCD runs in the family, as well. One relative was diagnosed with it around twenty years ago. A fight to triumph over something like this is hard to watch but I AM proud. That is right! I am proud of him as he struggles with yet another complication. He doesn't deserve to have it so hard, yet he plows on, just like his brothers. This is a lesson to me.

I am never going to be the kind of person who looks at her kids and is inspired by my expectations of who they "should" be.
Why?

Not because of what they turned out to be after they were born...No. The answer lies in my own childhood.

I did not want to be judged by our local neighborhood standards, and I have not changed since then.

Yes, I am thrilled and proud when my more traditionally accomplished kids do something cool, but I am more thrilled and proud when they do something kind. That sort of compassion is what makes me want to be a better person. That is why I think Jim is so great, as well.
And as for the littler guys, when they get through the day...the way they TRY, at home or at school, lifts me up.

I am the luckiest person in the world. The best thing about it is, I know it.

REAL KEY RING, ABOVE

COULD EASILY BECOME A KEY RING OR CHAIN , DIRECTLY ABOVE, WITH ADDITION OF SPLIT RING AND HEART SHAPED KEY RING TO FANCY IT UP EVEN MORE...

So at the top is my key ring, in real life, photographed just the other day. It came from a visit to Graceland -- one of my kids sent it to me...he had gone there with me and another of my sons, a few years earlier, and he got to go again. The second visti he picked it up for me, knowing I would like it. I do! It shakes rattles and rolls...when you pull that white circle of plastic up by the door lock! And I think it is supposed to represent Elvis's pink caddy.

Below it is something I made for flickr, because I got "tagged" (yes they do that there, too!), and it is a charm which could easily be made into a key chain. I made it to symbolize myself, because you were supposed to write 16 things about yourself. I like hearts, I like bows, and there is a rose quartz briolette and a cross component on there as well. I told the truth about myself when I wrote the 16 things about myself, absolutely. but if you had to ask me...the bumped up, shaky, rattly, rolly key chain on the top looks a lot more like the real me than the pristine and charming heart on the bottom.

Oh, and pardon the door scratches, dogs do that when they want to come in! :)

jean

as an extra treat we have a visit from Margot Potter, who wants to let you all know about what she is up to these days! Thanks to Andrew Thornton for writing up this snippet on Margot's cool news:
Known by many names, The Impatient Beader™, The Impatient Blogger™, The Impatient Crafter™, The Sparktastic Fantastic Queen herself, Margot Potter, is looking to fill her Swarovski class in Tucson and at CHA. Why not treat yourself to a class with this recognized author and crafter? She's truly one of the most entertaining people I know and she'll be giving out lots of free swag in her classes. CLICK HERE to find out more. So, do yourself a favor – take a class with Margot. She'll treat you right.

Now, here are our usual links!

About.com Jewelry Making Since many of us are trying to get our jewelry studios organized this year, Tammy collected some excellent ideas to help out jewelry designers and crafters of all kinds.

Art Bead Scene Art Bead Scene's January Challenge is Inspired by Irises. Enter a piece of jewelry and win free beads.

Art Jewelry magazine Jill's teaching at a retreat; check out the information.

Carmi's Canvas Flower Bracelet Carmi has a short demo using the new Sticky Back canvas. Carter Seibels for Divali Glass Jewelry Carter looks forward to the exciting year ahead and shares some photos from her time away from beads.

Jennifer Jangles Blog Gather some New Years inspiration from the Jangles Blog.

Jewelry & Beading Cyndi is hosting an educational blitz this month, and she's wondering if you know of classes she should add to the list.

Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done! Book Review from Jean: Add some sparkle to your New Year with Crystal Chic, a super pretty book by Debbi Simon

Strands of Beads Looking for new shopping opportunities? Melissa suggests visiting your local rock shop!

The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton Andrew creates a buying guide of skull related beads and pendants.

Diddle diddle dumpling, my son John
on shoe off and one shoe on...

Of course these rhymes, some of which date back to plague times, usually have multiple meanings, none of which are obvious to us, in these modern times. This one probably meant: Oh who knows? It could have meant that John was caught in a circumstance with a comely babe and only had one shoe on, because he was in the midst of disrobing. Or, of course, it could have meant that John had the plague, just like everyone else had (reference: "Ring around the Rosey" a definite plague nursery rhyme, as you all know, and maybe you remember where you were when you found out!).

So why do I have all these shoes lined up on the stair of level one of my "splanch"? Which I thought was a ski chalet, because of the sloped roof over the front door, when I bought it in 1976.

I will tell you why. These are ALL my shoes which I have worn this past year and ONLY ONE has a match. That is correct. I have managed, in this rather small house, to lose the matching shoe to all my shoes but ONE. This makes me crazy.

This means that I have to feed the cat wearing the green Birkenskock and the silver and white Birkenstock, and they are both for my left foot. Didn't somebody make a movie about that? I am sure I cried when I saw it. Daniel Day Lewis is an excellent actor. I do not believe he had Birkenstock issues in that movie but he definitely had a lot of pluck. It takes pluck for me to feed the cat in two left Birkenstocks, with my ambulatory problems which I have anyway, but cats must be fed and I, jean, am the one to do the job!

OK so now you know that the Birkenstocks are missing their matches. The party shoe, which I wore to my kid's wedding is the purpley colored t strap on the end. I like that shoe a LOT, and and now that I am missing the other, I like it doubly. Heck! I don't think anyone else is getting married in the near future and Jim and I are not planning to renew our vows any time soon, although if we got to to Oahu like Obama, who has a hangout there, we might consider it. That would be awesome and of course impossible, but fun to think about. if I were in Oahu with Jim, I doubt I would wear shoes at all, however...
The leopard shoe is not a shoe. It is a slipper. I got it from Jim for our anniversary last year. It is nice and really hard to walk around it without falling over. I do it anyway, for LOVE. I suppose you know what I mean. The sacrifices we make. Risking our lives and limbs, for love, daily. This shoe, what with only one, in particular, is like an obstacle course built onto your foot. That's quite an image but it's the truth! I flip and flop crazily in my one leopard slipper. Sigh.

Now: I have one pair of shoes shown on the steps which I do, in fact, have two of. Thank the Lord it is actually the one I regularly need when I go out, for all my fascinating visits to schools, doctors, and stuff like that. I also use this pair (I only have one in the pic, as I said, but I do have two, or did when I began writing this. I hope I still do) when I take photos outside. I love doing that (taking photos) so it is great to have matching shoes to do it in. The shoe I am talking about is the one on the far left as you face the pic, and it actually sports a set of cool rubber and metal traction thingies attached to it. I bought these so I could walk the dog in icky weather, but they are useful in any icy situation, and also for kicking people, in case I might wish to do that. I saw them on QVC and the salespeople demonstrated how well they worked by dancing around on a block of ice. I haven't tried them for this, but I shall keep you updated. It's fairly idiotic to view ice dancing upon a small square ice block but who knows, I might just want to do it if someone calls us up and tells us we are going to get to renew our vows in Ohahu, with Obama in attendance.

So that is the shoe pic story; have a good Sat.

!!! jean

Book Review: Crystal Chic, Custom jewelry with dazzling details, by Debbi Simon

Just a glance at the cover of this new jewelry design book by author Debbi Simon and you can see the effervescence and energy with which she has addressed the concepts behind and the creating of myriads of new styles of crystal jewelry, using "Crystalized Swarovski Elements", those stunning beauties believed by many designers to be the nonpareil of elegant faceted glass beads for so many years now.

I know that when I first started making jewelry, the one thing which was usually a part of every piece which I designed was one or more (hopefully more!) gloriously flashing, perfectly cut and colored, gem-like Swarovski beads. In the industry, they stand alone, highly prized for their beauty, whether you are admiring the newest shapes and colors of the year, or the heady vintage beads, still in their printed packages, which are carried by specialty stores, which you can spend hours looking through online. Watch out--you'll get hooked!

This great book is a celebration of all things Swarovski, because we are at a terrific design point where many options are open to us creatively and these beads rise to meet the challenge. Swarovski Elements, in the skillful hands of a designer like Debbi Simon, can play a great part in the brand new, edgy trends which people are loving (including stamped bracelets, paveed metal pieces, work with polymer clay and resin, and fantastic fibers). Included as well is the other trend which is still going strong: the great affection for vintage styles in jewelry which are evinced in brass filigree, for example.

I liked the arrangement of the book. The introduction was followed by a concise list of materials used in the book, and then the fun began! The filigree section was first and I was really impressed by the inventiveness of Debbi Simon: she designed things which I had not ever pictured in my head before, such as a necklace called "Checkmate" which made use of Chessboard Swarovski Crystals in a moody Silver Shade. Moving on to the second section, Metal, I was particularly impressed by the assertiveness and sumptuous attitude of the "No-Hassel Tassel" which is a key chain adorned with Crystals which any princess would be proud to carry her keys on. This one would make a good gift too...I would expect it would be received with much delight and frankly it does not look hard to make. It is just well designed, by Debbi!

People are really into fibers right now as part of the mixed media movement, and one really artistic and striking necklace I found quite touching to look at, as if it were a piece of art, was :"Sands of Time". All of the sources for these pieces are listed so do not think that they cannot be made just because they appear to be "one of a kind". I really like that about this book. I noted as well that in that section, the designer has chosen my favorite "family" metal charm and component company, http://www.greengirlstudios.com/ and had designed an adorable "Pink Elephant" necklace with one of their charms, and pinkish colored Light Amethyst crystals. I would make and wear that in a heartbeat! With the hot pink cord, it is truly charming!

The Polymer Clay section has some amazing designs, my favorite being "Gem of a Specimen". One thing which is always thought out is WHY the Swarovski Crystals enhance each design, and it is clearly shown here that the artist really knows what she is doing, when she utilizes crystals in this beautiful polymer clay flower piece. It is so pretty!

In the Resin section I found a lovely bangle bracelet with a paisley patten called "All Jewelled" which was just stunning, as well. There are so many things in this book you will want to try!

The book winds up with Fun Stuff and it is fun to see some things which are quite fabulous like the Clam'ourous earrings . Those are flat out beautiful! The designer even plays around with Legos and makes some fun cuff links.

There there is a lovely gallery, finishing with the suggestion that after viewing it, you just let loose and play.

I assure you you will want to do just that after selecting this book for your jewelry library. It has variety, it is elegant yet fun, it has drama and impact, and it is just a great book!

--Jean Yates

About.com Jewelry Making
Tammy Takes a look in her jewelry box and picks out her top 10 jewelry projects for 2008.
Art Bead Scene
ABS Editor, Cindy Gimbrone, shares her favorite post from 2008, Junk Envy!
Carmi's Art/Life World
Carmi makes some felt bundles for rings!
Jewelry & Beading
Cyndi is wondering what the best advice you ever received is.
Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!
When beadist Kim Miles comes up with some new ideas, they are always fantastic! Check these out!
The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton
Inspired by Edgar Allan Poe's famous poem, The Raven, Andrew creates a shopping guide to raven and crow-themed beads and pendants.

We mean you no harm.-- it's just that after watching the entire Twilight Zone marathon yesterday, we wish to bring you messages of hope for the new year, your 2009. We call it "blahchybloocuuchi" in our native language. Let us share the fruits of wisdom and love with each other this year; may this year be a life changing year full of wonder and creativity goodness, for all. We sure could use a good 2009!

Peace, Love and Happiness...