Lorelei's Blog: Inside the StudioCheck out the beads and goodies Lorelei bought on her recent trip to London, England.
Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done.Jean reviews Big and Bold, a really pretty book of jewelry designs culled from BeadStyle Magazine.
Strands of BeadsMelissa shows off her new "Twilight" choker made with Swarovski crystal from Artbeads.com
The Writing and Art of Andrew ThorntonThe pace is picking up for Andrew and his BIG SALE. Check out where he'll be next and celebrate his birthday with a special 15% off promotional code!
A Bead A DayIf you are "mousing" all day and still want to wear a bracelet, memory wire rubber tubing is a simple and comfortable option.
Art Bead SceneKeep misplacing your ruler? Get one for free!
Barbe Saint John - New Jewelry from Forgotten Artifacts29 Days of Giving starts with a Japanese book giveaway.
Beading ArtsSo, what to do with all those left over seed beads...?
Carmi's Art/Life WorldCarmi discovers Free Trade Kazuri beads from Kenya.
Cindy GimbroneCindy imagines a movie and writes a script.
Earthenwood Studio Chronicles Melanie congratulates Jean Cambell and shares the beautiful piece she made for Beadwork Magazine using an Earthenwood face stone

This gorgeous book, with the gorgeous cover, above, is intended to teach people from beginners on up how to create lovely, eye catching, jewelry pieces. All of the designs originally came from different copies of BeadStyle Magazine. If you started reading the magazine recently you will be anxious to view some of the tutorials and projects you may have missed, as it is an excellent top notch designer magazine.
By chance, I started my career learning from BeadStyle, and waiting anxiously for BeadStyle, to come in the mail, and although I like to tease them in emails, they all know I love them. Whenever I get a project into BeadStyle it makes me very happy!

Here is an excerpt from the book: it is my design however I only made the one on the left (denim blue) and then they duplicated it to make the pistachio one on the right. They also made one which is multi colored and really pretty. It looks like Fiestaware. Melanie of Earthenwood Studio made the beads used: double drilled porcelain. Go to her store and be dazzled by her imagination.
To me, she pretty much started the craze for steampunk and knows everything about it.

The good thing about Big and Bold is that it displays large (in some way or form) and pretty jewelry which you can make for all sorts of tastes and price points. If you like it, you CAN make it. You will NOT get confused. You will get hooked, instead. You will enjoy yourself. I assure you there will be something in this book which you will want to make. I saw an amethyst briolette bracelet which I love. I want to make it at first glance!

size nine blue moonstone ring, one of the many beautiful things in Andrew's store

My friend Andrew Thornton has some exciting news for us all! I got this in my email today from him:





Hey there!
I hope this finds you well and I apologize if you've received this more than once.
I'm in a state of transition, in more than one way. I'm about to move and would like to lighten my load. I have so much stuff and need to find new homes for a lot of my dragon's horde. Thusly I'm having a BIG SALE in my new online shop. The funds will help strike a blow to the evil debt monster, pay for the impending move, and on some of the items will go towards charity.
http://andrewthornton.bigcartel.com/products
If you could pass this along to anyone who you think might be interested, I'd be most grateful! Any blog, Facebook, Twitter or other social networking love would just make my day. I'll be posting all kinds of stuff from vintage Avon bottles, to art beads, finished jewelry, collages, handmade fabric-covered sketchbooks, beads, baubles, and MORE. I'll be adding stuff daily!
Your support would be much appreciated. If you send me an email back with a link and your address, I'll be sure to reward you handsomely with a goodie bag full of surprises.
(Oh and if anyone's interested in a free Lexmark printer/scanner in the New York area, send me a message and arrange for pick up and it's yours!)
Simplicity Always,
Andrew

A Bead A Day Bead-wiring vs. bead-weaving...which do you prefer?
Art Bead SceneArt Bead Scene shows off her top art bead picks for this month's Kandinsky Challenge.
Barbe Saint John - New Jewelry from Forgotten ArtifactsBarbe goes crazy over a Mixed Metals book.
Carmi's Art/Life WorldCarmis creates a necklace using canvas and leather.
Cindy Gimbrone aka Lampwork DivaCindy makes more Through the Looking Glass Nuggets Charms that match perfectly with Frost Links.
Earthenwood Studio ChroniclesMelanie shares her uncertainty about a new dragonfly pendant design.
Jewelry & BeadingWhy wouldn't we talk about fashion on a jewelry and beadwork blog?
Lorelei's Blog: Inside the StudioBead cones can be used in more way than one and Lorelei shows an example!
The Writing and Art of Andrew ThorntonArt Bead Scene's September prompt is Kandinsky's Improvisation No. 23. Andrew shares the piece he created in response to the painting. Check it out!

please ignore the electra aspect of this 60's sitcom. !!! I put it the youtube part up and was too lazy to take it down!


Why would I lie to you when I have so many interesting stories to tell about my childhood. Please assume I am telling the truth when I choose to write about what it was like to be me as a kid.
First: because we grew up on the water, we were comfortable around it always. My farther, who was a devout snorkeler, and could hold his breath longer than anyone else anyone in my town knew, took over at teaching us to swim when the Muirs left off.
Yes we were initially taught by
the Muirs. As was my mother, when she was a child. They were old, VERY tan, and wore white pants (in his case) and white skirt (in her case) below. On top they wore something which was a color somewhere between black and navy, and they each had matching white hats. HE was OK and smiled, but she was scary as heck. Naturally, SHE taught the girls, in the Olympic size pool we all went to at the Lawrence Beach Club. First we were taught to the side of the pool, on benches. She would focus on making paddle positions of our hands and have us time our paddling. Later lessons involved getting in the pool and putting a donkey harness of canvas around your tummy. She would hold a long white painted wood pole attached by a rope to the harness and the kid who was unable at that point to swim would practice kicking as she yelled "KICK! KICK!" --She would have taught us the position for our faces so that we could take a breath properly, too. It was Dickensian.
jean's Dickensian Lawrence Beach Club memories.

Anyway, my dad made up for all that by teaching us the fun side of swimming--in the actual OCEAN! and how to go through a wave and, and how to handle a rip tide. He was very cautious but he was not uncool. He would just carefully explain and make sure we understood.
My mother would be sitting under an umbrella, doing a craft (she did everything but make jewelry hahaha) or reading, showing off her fantastic legs and wearing one of those demented hats they wore in the fifties. They were really cheap and didn't like to eat at the food places at the club so we were stuck eating tiny sandwiches wrapped in wax paper and an orange, with milk in a thermos. We each had a hard boiled egg as well and the salt we put on them was wrapped in a packet made of wax paper too. Watching my mother carefully unfold the packet was fascinating. As with everything she did, it was perfect to see and almost as gripping as a Hitchcock movie.
In fact, once my parents, me and my two oldest kids, who were very little had landed back at Kennedy Airport and at the time if you had landed the ventilation went off However, the doors wouldn't open.
For three hours. My father began reading magazines, I began my now permanent fear of being enclosed in places (slightly different than a fear of flying) and my mother placidly entertained my two little boys by folding origami swan after origami swan. For some reason, at some time, she had gotten a book and taken it upon herself to learn this skill. Oh! Thank you, mom.

When I started this entry I was thinking about one thing...and boy did I go off on a tangent. Next time I shall go back to why my dad was such an avid swimmer, even though born in Nebraska, and how he had an older brother who was a ranked rodeo rider who had wanted to have the nickname "Buck"...That guy was a real cowboy! Their sis on the other hand was a dainty little 6'1" multilingual beautiful voiced charmer.

By the way: back to the beach: have you seen Kim Miles' http://kimmiles.bigcartel.com/ beach bubble necklaces? SIGH! Are they stunning and so worth every penny!

Happy Annyiversary to Jim and Kate, celebrating their first anniversary today! it seems like only a moment ago we were dancing in NYC! It was a great night!

Here are the beadblogger links:

The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton Matcha green tea from Matcha Source defeats the doldrums and inspires Andrew to create a new bracelet!
A Bead A DayDesign ideas wanted!! If you have an extra minute, please stop by to see if you can help Lisa out with a suggestion for her co-worker's designer Italian pendant.
Art Bead SceneArt Bead Scene's September Challenge is Kandinsky's Improvisation No. 23.
Carmi's Art/Life WorldCarmi uses chessboard crystals to create a floor for her ballerina necklace.
Cindy Gimbrone aka Lampwork DivaCindy's obsession with bronze metal clay continues. She shows off her new Art Nouveau floral charms.
Earthenwood Studio ChroniclesMelanie shares a sparkly crystal and brass pendant that she unearthed while cleaning her studio.
Jean CampbellJean reviews the new Crystallized Swarovski Elements #5328 bicone.
Jewelry & BeadingCyndi has finished another CopprClay necklace and wants to share the instructions!
Lorelei's Blog: Inside the StudioLorelei is having fun using lots of Lynn Davis components in her designs this week!
Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!Jean comes across her "Digg it" necklace--far out! She's like an archaeologist!

Digg-it by Jean Yates

If you were to go to the Simply Beads online website, edited by supergreat Barb Switzer who is an amazing jewelry designer (really good!!! and with a new book out!) --and here is how to get to it:

http://www.freepatterns.com/content/content.html?content_cat_id=360&type_id=N&month=4&year=2009 you would see the pattern above, called "Digg-it" (oooo those crazy beatnik Neanderthals!), by me, as well as a cool design by Margot Potter and one by Candie Cooper, all lovely and all connected by the components and Ice Resin you can get at Susan Lenart Kazmer's and Linda Larsen's mind expanding shop, www.objectsandelements.com/ It is so surprising to discover yourself online unexpectedly.

In the middle there, interspersed with brass bullet shapes, in pale green, is Roman glass. This is a color I love! I was really happy to be able to add to the design by bumping it up with this.

Simply Beads website is so good! You really should remind yourself to check it out on a monthly basis! Who knows what you will dig up??? !!!

Lorelei's Blog: Inside the Studio While in Philadelphia for Bead Fest, Lorelei met up with Andrew Thornton and he gave her some presents!
Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!Jean reviews Contemporary Copper Jewelry by the wonderful Sharilyn Miller.
The Writing and Art of Andrew ThorntonAndrew and Diana Ptaszynski of Vintage Blue Studio have a throw down! See how Andrew uses Heather Powers of Humble Beads' Polymer Bird-Head Pendant!
Cindy Gimbrone aka Lampwork DivaCindy brings some color to her new bronze floral medallions.
Jean CampbellJean's got a cool job--check out what she's been working on!
Jewelry & BeadingCyndi shares another CopprClay project, which includes making your own mold!
A Bead A DayDo you have some favorite beads that bring you joy? Lisa is using "inspirational sliders" to make gifts for friends and would love to hear about your joyful beads!
Art Bead SceneWondering how big 20mm really is? Here's a handy size chart to keep by your computer. It'll help you out!
Barbe Saint John - New Jewelry from Forgotten ArtifactsTool talk-this time it's hole punching pliers and wire cutters.
Carmi's Art/Life WorldCarmi shows off her unexpected bead finds from a store in Little Portugal.

Artbeads wrote me about their latest exciting sale: ...and it makes me think: "What a perfect time of year to get back to beading, if you have taken some time off to dig in the garden and grow the vegetables your family is having for lunch, or you have just been just lying around on the beach reading, or possibly you have been seriously working and beading is your hobby and it is time to get back to it?" As Duchess of Artbeads said to me: I have some big news to pass along that I’m sure you and your blog readers would want to know. Today, Artbeads.com launched our biggest sale ever for the Labor Day weekend with a 20% Off coupon that’s good on everything! This is the largest discount I have ever seen on our entire selection of beads and jewelry supplies. The only catch is there is a $60 minimum with the coupon and you have to sign up for our email newsletter to get the coupon code.

If your readers are not already on our newsletter, this would be a great time sign up and then pick up something special for themselves, a special gift they’re planning for Christmas or just to stock up on essentials. Please feel free to share this wonderful news with your readers and friends in any way you can – your blog, Facebook, Twitter.

Your readers can sign up for Artbeads.com newsletter here: (sign up! it is a great newsletter!)http://artbeads.ed4.net/profile/signup.cfm

Also, I should mention that the sale is only through next Tuesday at 9am so time is of the essence. I wish you all a fantastic Labor Day Weekend!

Thanks, Duchess, bearer of supergreat news!

jean

This is Cherise, my PD Peony (BECAUSE HER HAIR IS PINK, SEE???), attired in charmant pink accoutrements by Dolly Molly (look at that gorgeous bow, too -- for free!) via Etsy. This girl who made the dress, now a dear friend of mine, and Kim Miles, also a dear friend of mine, are two of the kindest, most giving doll lovers I know. I am sitting in a chilly room tonight with a warm blanket around my shoulders, made by Kim, for me and Robert! The little doll dress arrived last week in a STUNNING BOX, all wood inlaid, from Dolly Molly. Incidentally, now she has a blog! www.DollyMolly.typepad.com/ to check out! It's great! You must see it!

People. I am so lucky! I don't know why I get this sort of luck... but I will tell tell you this: some people discuss karma, some talk about the golden rule...I don't think often about those things but if I ever can open my heart, something goes though, or comes though. I look up at the stars and I feel better about our life.

Thank you, other people, for allowing us to to have a wonderful complicated, worthwhile, "I am so glad I know you " kind of life! It makes it all good, for me and for Jim, both!