A peek inside Australian Beading Magazine: My most recent column
Hi: I was taking some photos of the magazine I love to write for, Australian Beading Magazine, because it is hard to get over here. I figured if you were interested, you could hit on each photo in order to enlarge it and actually read what I wrote! Here is Margot Potter (http://www.margotpotter.com/) and her new book, Beyond the Bead! As well as a bit about her other new book, Exposed! Who has two new books at once? The one and only Margot! She is amazing! Look at the pretty project she did. I am thrilled we got the chance to feature her.
Above is Marsha Hedrick's (http://porcelainart.blogspot.com/) work and a short bio of her, with a brief interview. She is amazing. Her beautiful work has been famous for years. The Kewpies are, in actuality, her enchanting "Sunflower Girls", just so you know. I enjoyed working with them! I specifically planned a bubbly and cheery looking set fior the column. The necklace even has a sweet sterling clasp which works well, I think! And her other work--WOW!
Anne Mitchell was so fun to interview--I only wish it hadn't gotten cut short! However a picture is worth a thousand words and look at her gorgeous work! Check out the fact, as well, that she has a DVD coming up. http://www.annemitchell.net/
Of course I was lucky and got the scoop on resin from Green Girl Studios--who better? I was thrilled to get important and informed quality info on resin, as I am a newbie. Or a probie, as they call Sean Whatshisname of "NCIS" on TV, one of my fav shows. This is a part of my column I like a lot called "what's Jean up to now"? http://www.greengirlstudios.com/
AccesoriesSusan! (http://stores.channeladvisor.com/accessoriessusan/ ) I wrote to Australia and haven't gotten any copies yet for you, but try hitting on this photo--you will be able to enlarge it and maybe take a look! I am so honored to have had you in Our Beading World in December, my beloved Australian Beading Magazine's largest issue yet! That was quite something! Your store continually amazes me!
Thanks to everyone who agrees to participate in this super mag when I come asking for info on their art and their businesses and books and DVDs and --oh everything!
Katie's Beading BlogKatie's spreading the beady love with free shipping and a CRYSTALLIZED™ jet twist pendant with your purchase of the new book, Bead & Wire Jewelry Exposed, from her website. Offer ends Thursday, Feb. 19th.
Jewelry & BeadingUsing a bead frame, you can create a special necklace.
Earthenwood Studio ChroniclesMelanie is touched by the golden fingertips of creativity, in part two of her earworm inspiration journey.
Carmi's Art Life WorldCarmi recreates a vintage embroidered brooch using hand sewn linens.
BeadStyleMag.comA great new way to share our free earring project e-newsletters with your friends.
Art Bead SceneA kiss inspires the ABS monthly challenge.
About.com Jewelry MakingIs Etsy passe' for jewelry designers? Is it time to move on? Google seems to think so.
...what is that link up there?, you wonder. Well it appears to me to be it is the great news we have all been waiting for: a way to subscribe to Australian Beading Magazine!
I love this magazine, and truly enjoy writing for it. All of you who are waiting to be in it, if we shuffled you around, don't be concerned, I saw some of the future magazine copy and you are there. And if you aren't there yet, you will be!
If you possibly can, go check it out and you will see why it is worth it and what all the fuss is about. It is, and I have said this before, "The Vogue of beading magazines!" Wait, Wait! I meant, "It is the New Yorker of beading magazines!"
No hold on!!!! It has so much in it, I believe that it is The Wikipedia of beading magazines, with stunning photos, like possibly the glorious National Geographic of beading magazines! Oh...it's indescribably good. How is that???
jean
ps: if that link doesn't work, don't say I didn't try! I can be pretty hopeless with computers!
Carmi's Art/Life World Carmi creates a broach using old fashioned rug hooking techniques. Earthenwood Studio ChroniclesInspiration comes to Melanie in an unusual form... an earworm and musical artist that she dislikes.
Snap Out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!Jean is honored to have her jewelry design book, Links, by Jean Yates, get a jolly good review by a really cool beading magazine over in Great Britain!
Strands of Beads Melissa is inspired by dream catchers to create a spring necklace
A project by Stephanie which I discuss in my review here as you will see. I photo'd this from the book, shown above. Another photo'd by me as well, below.
Image of the book, here below:
Semiprecious Salvage
Creating Found-Art Jewelry
by
Stephanie Lee
What is "Found-Art Jewelry"? The author of this jewelry design book, Stephanie Lee, defines it as, "repurposing found objects into earthy and semi-refined pieces of jewelry". She further goes on to explain that the contrast between the new and the old combine to create "interest and intrigue". In her hands, this is the case.
I was delighted in the attractive presentation of this book and the elegant manner in which the author presents her appealing projects. For example, I wanted to jump, fearlessly!, into "Bird Nest Ring and Earrings". This is a completely clear way of demonstrating Stephanie's concept of the combination of earthy and semi-refined. You will understand what I mean when you view the bird nest ring, with its surdy hammered base of sterling, and the "nest" tenderly containing the teal colored wired pearl eggs. Accompanying it is the second project, the swinging sweet yet rustic bird nest earrings. These are also wired using sterling. Both projects utilize blackening solution to patina the copper which creates the bundled nests holding the eggs made of pearls.
If you take these projects apart, they are easy to do. It is great to have an author who shows you how, however, and also who truly makes things you want to bother to make! Another really pretty project which I liked as well, was her "A -Mighty - Wind" cuff. We must note here that the author has a love of Spinal Tap movies and a sly sense of humor, OR she doesn't, but either way it doesn't matter. Except to movie buffs like me! The project is great; very assertive yet balanced with some delicate aspects at the same time. You can see that the sweet tiny charms are meant to represent the sounds a wind chime would make: a bird, wired stones, a hammered charm made of brass which is stamped with XOX, all drawn together on a cuff made of a hammered and flattened sterling spoon stamped with the words "A Mighty Rushing Wind". You must anneal, you must drill, you must stamp and you must patina, yet it is all worth learning from this excellent teacher, if you like the look of hand made, really stunning jewelry.I am trying to explain by describing this project how thorough this book is, when you take a typical project apart step by step.
I would say that when you are done working with this book, you might want start all over and learn a new technique almost instantly. Other projects I liked of Stephanie's were her Encased-Stone ring, an assertive, old looking "power ring" (of LOTR times?) if I ever saw one. It has a fine, highly matrixed center stone of either green turquoise or possibly gaspeite(?--hard to say!)and you need to solder this piece. I also liked the Time-Capsule Ring. It is really gorgeous.
I thought the writing was very fine throughout Semiprecious Salvage. I enjoyed it. I would try this book if you are willing and open to a bit of hard work in the area of stone-cold connecting and blaze bonding(as the author put it). Every single project is pretty. Give it a try!
Margot Potter's fascinating and wonderful new book, Beyond the Bead, is ready for YOU to order and enjoy
Margot Potter in her latest profile photo, on her site, titled amusingly, "flower biter" haha!!! Very pretty pic, too! Let's face it--She's pretty and she's funny. That's a good combo!
VOILA!!! LOOK! Hooray!
This beautiful jewelry making and more mixed media techniques book, Beyond the Bead, is the most recent "oeuvre", or creation, of the fabulous Margot Potter! You can order it on Amazon.com through Margot's site!!! Here's the link to Margot's site!
Now the neat thing is you can also directly, directly, directly!!! head yourself over to Amazon.com to purchase her book, just by typing the name of it into Amazon's search spot, but then you'd miss the pure FUN of visiting Margot! And also some of her excellent and amazing crafty, educational blog entries as well.
I had the pleasure of working with Margot recently for my column for Australian Beading Magazine.
They will SO love her over there...the 5 of them, in that gigantic country... who haven't heard of her! She is very famous! She is so brainy and so ingenious. I cannot wait to review this book for you. I know that it will be a wonderful success, and will take us places we have never been!
Oh cool: my book, Links by Jean Yates ,is reviewed overseas and they LIKE me
My friend from Britain, Emma Ralph (Ejrbeads.co.uk), sent me this neat British mag--very pretty and cool! -- with a review of my book in it! I was thrilled to read that they liked it. As I took photos (no scanner here--DOH!) you are going to have to take my word for it. Actually, if you wish to, you can enlarge the photo on top and read the review, easily.The reviewer was right on target concerning what I want the readers to get from my book -- Inspiration. From everything around you.
I urge you to consider checking my book out if you haven't yet. It is a really fun way to get going and get thinking about directions you could go on when you are designing a piece of jewelry and you don't want it to turn out to be a cookie cutter look. Yay, Links! and thanks, Emma!
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