washed up Diva Joan, is spectacular in this. Just for fun

my necklace in the book~~

I was very, very proud to participate in this lovely and insightful book by Jean Campbell, all about Steampunk and how it has played a part in fashion, jewelry design, architecture and other aspects of our aesthetic lives since, it seems, forever. You may see or sense its major influences particularly in Victorian times.

Little did I know that when my two oldest children sat entranced in front of Disney's version of Jules Verne's "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" for the fiftieth time (way back when VCRS were brand new and you rented your movies from stores) that I would be a part of a fantastic voyage of my own, working on a project for Jean which has turned out to be one of my proudest creations. Thank you, Kate McKinnon (http://www.katemckinnon.com/) for your focal, and thank you, Melanie of Earthenwood Studio (http://www.earthenwoodstudio.com/) for your fantastical contributions of the fine silver focal (Kate) and the porcelain beads (Melanie)! You always rise to whatever occasion or challenge is laid before you both!

jean

I have some super books to review for you all but I need a wittle west. A Litt-le REST. Pardon me.

And in my dreams

I am fifteen

And in my dreams

I am a beauty queen

This reverie

should go on and on

it's lots of fun

I wish it had just begun

but I know it will end

in an hour or two

and I will be forced to acknowledge... I

GREW.

jean at 58.

oh phhoooeey!

A Bead A DayThere is still plenty of time to make some New Year's Eve jewelry! Lisa shares an eye catching bracelet using velvety hearts and chandelier-like egyptian crystals.

About.com Jewelry MakingYellow facted CZ fan pendants become gorgeous earrings with just a little chain.

Art Bead Scene It's the ABS annual 12 days of Christmas free projects. Twelve days of last minute holiday gifts!

Barbe Saint John - New Jewelry from Forgotten ArtifactsEco-Friendly Gift Wrap.

Beading ArtsSweet, simple, and silly! Make a barrette that will delight a young girl in your life.

Carmi's Art/Life WorldCarmi makes huge resin baubles from an ice tray.

Cindy Gimbrone aka Lampwork DivaCindy shares her favorite things this week. You might be surprised to find out what they are!

Earthenwood Studio ChroniclesMelanie makes a chunky, funky necklace with some unusual wooden chain and findings

Jean CampbellJean shares a free sparkly necklace project, just in time to whip up for your New Year's Evening wear

Lorelei's Blog: Inside the StudioLorelei goes back in time to remind fellow Etsy sellers about Heart-o-Matic!

Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!Jean offers a project called Supercool which features a great focal by Dustin Tabor!

Strands of BeadsMelissa shares some whimsical lampwork artistry by Debi Cogwell.

The Writing and Art of Andrew ThorntonUsing a drilled resin piece from Lynn Davis and some filigree, Andrew creates a necklace paying homage to the faeryworld sanctuaries.

photo and ornament from little and big k on Etsy!

I had the smallest room in the house: painted a cheery yellow, with white trim. It was appropriate for a sewing room, or a trunk room. I didn't mind--I liked it!-- except for one thing: I was so far away from everyone else, and from the bathroom, it would occasionally spook me and I would race back to my bed at night, imagining that if I got under the covers before the flushing noise abated, I would be protected from harm. From the witch who lived in the toilet. Thank heavens for the hall light and my night light. Fie on my wild imagination.
When Christmas approached every year, I would begin my own private celebration very quietly. No one in the family knew about it, in fact. Even as I happily joined in the group Christmas card openings and the preparations for the wrapping of presents, with every roll of ribbon and every piece of wrapping paper spread over the dining room table for weeks, upstairs in my little room I was benignly desecrating the carved molding of my closet by taping my collection of advent calendars up on it. I loved my advent calendars. I would get one from somebody every year, always hoping for the biggest, glitteriest kind, with the best drawings inside, and the final day's door triple the size of all the others, with a beautiful nativity scene I could gasp in awe at behind it.
Every year, from year one, I persisted in saving my advent calendars. Gently folding the doors back in their original positions, I would stack my calendars in a pile and put them on the shelf in my closet.
I did this for around ten years, maybe less, maybe more, being careful not to get much scotch tape on the door (a sin in our house!) which held the calendars for the month. It was a ritual I enjoyed more than I can express. It was different than the enjoyment I got out of annoying my mother and sister when we would put tinsel on the tree. They would put each piece on one by one, while I would hurl large clumps of it from a distance like handfuls of spaghetti in the general direction of the entire tree as they yelled at me. This was a family tradition I really enjoyed too.

I don't know where my advent calendars went when I grew up, but that was no trouble because I would just buy them for myself every year and, eventually for my own kids. I also had my own tree to throw decorations at, and I always have been known to have a very Merry Christmas. Hoping you all are having one, too!

jean

This is a free project of mine which was in the magazine Simply Beads--I just found it online!

It has pearls and turquoise and sterling cubes and a fantastic focal by Dustin Tabor. He is one of the best! So was the magazine Simply Beads, darn it. Iwish it was still around! The good news is you can go here: http://newsletters.drgnetwork.com/ and subscribe for free to an online newsletter they offer every three weeks! I think you should give it a try. It is FUN!

Free Project: Supercool
Design by Jean Yates
Earthy-looking natural turquoise, great colored brown pearls and fine silver Thai cube accent beads set off Dustin Tabor's spectacular pendant. A varied stringing pattern on each side makes a simple design more interesting without detracting from the focal element.
Materials
Lampwork pendant with loop
Graduated strand of 4-10mm turquoise heishi beads
24 (5.5-6mm) rich brown potato pearls
28 (5 x 5 x 5mm) sterling silver cube beads
4 (.019) 3mm sterling silver crimp tubes
5mm sterling silver soldered jump ring
9.5 x 19mm sterling silver swivel lobster-claw clasp
27 inches .019-inch-diameter nylon-coated flexible beading wire
Chain-nose pliers
Wire nippers
Tape
Finished Size19 inches (including clasp)
Project notes: String larger heishi beads close to pendant; string smaller heishi beads toward ends of necklace. Use tape to secure end of wire not being strung.
Instructions
1)
String a silver cube, pendant and a silver cube, centering them on wire.
2)
String the following on left side of pendant: six heishi beads, silver cube, pearl, silver cube, nine heishi beads, silver cube, three pearls, silver cube, six heishi beads, silver cube, pearl, silver cube, nine heishi beads, silver cube, three pearls, silver cube, six heishi beads, silver cube, pearl, silver cube, nine heishi beads, silver cube, three pearls, silver cube, four heishi beads, silver cube, heishi bead, crimp tube, heishi bead, crimp tube and soldered ring.
3)
String the following on right side of pendant: three heishi beads, silver cube, three pearls, silver cube, nine heishi beads, silver cube, pearl, silver cube, nine heishi beads, silver cube, three pearls, silver cube, six heishi beads, silver cube, pearl, silver cube, nine heishi beads, silver cube, three pearls, silver cube, five heishi beads, silver cube, pearl, silver cube, six heishi beads, silver cube, two crimp tubes and clasp.

4)
Hold up necklace and check to see if sides are even, not including the clasp. Adjust as needed.
5)
Insert wire tail on right end back through both crimp tubes; use crimp pliers to flatten crimp tubes. Trim excess wire. Repeat on opposite side.
Sources: Lampwork pendant from Dustin Tabor; heishi beads from Dakota Stones; pearls from Nina Designs; crimp beads from Via Murano.

A Bead A DayLisa shares a special gift she received from a friend, SHRINKY DINK earrings!! Still a great product after all these years!!

About.com Jewelry MakingSparkle plenty with this endless knotted red crystal necklace project!

Art Bead Scene It's the last ABS monthly challenge of 2009. Are you running out of ideas and inspiration? ABS has just the antidote!

Beading ArtsIf you can string stone nuggets onto wire, and if you can crochet a simple chain stitch, then you can make this pretty necklace.

Carmi's Art/Life WorldOne shrunk sweater equals felted beaded mits for me!

Cindy Gimbrone aka Lampwork DivaCindy explains why she chose Lee Krasner's painting "Untitled" for this month's Art Bead Scene Challenge.

Lorelei's Blog: Inside the StudioLorelei tested out some cool chain from Rings and Things.

Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!Would you like to investgate a lyrical book which explores all areas of your imagination and challenges your creativity? Try Lisa Crone's!

Strands of BeadsMelissa shares a cute find - sterling silver elephant clasps.

The Writing and Art of Andrew ThorntonThinking deep thoughts, Andrew offers up a sumptuous bracelet and adds a new bronze charm to his shop

Lisa Crone's book: A Bead in Time and a partial shot of the back of her book, below~

A Bead in Time, by Lisa Crone

What a wonderful collection of unusual jewelry projects by a woman who greets life with her arms open!

Ah! The "Dandelion" bracelet...a cuff like seed beaded swash of yellow and green grassy color I would love to wear every day!

And ooo! The "Festive Package" earrings, whuich could make perfect gifts for friends, teachers, or YOU!, to get you in the mood for the holiday season!

Or how about "Niagara Falls"? A lovely icy pour of beads for your wrist?

Lisa Crone has created a very large collection of beautiful projects, each of which demonstrates her talents in so many different ways. She has used stringing, wire wrapping, peyote stitch, memory wire, and a number of other techniques to show you how you can get inspired and create your own, wonderful jewelry pieces.

Her first chapter is called "Metro Mixes" and is full of sophisticated, stylish and never seen before jewelry pieces designed by Lisa in colorways which really make you think about what you are creating. I enjoyed that chapter particularly! Say "Frank Lloyd Wright" to me and my head swivels all the way around in delight, so Lisa had me at hello with that project!

Chapter Two is called "Outdoor Ideas" and you will fall for any of the projects which are nature related which are introduced here. The cover project is in this chapter and is truly lovely.

Chapter Three, "Life's Pleasures" really gets down to what makes us love life as humans. Admittedly, it is initially a surprise to see a project called "Hug a Dolphin", but once you realize that Lisa got the chance to do just that, and you take a look at the delightful ocean spray of silvery pearls she has used to express her memory of the sweet delight of that experience, you will understand.

The final chapter is chapter four, "Funky Finds". It rounds out the flavors the author has offered by investigating all sorts of styles and colors previously touched upon in her book. The necklace in this chapter which I really enjoyed was the "Gnome Chain" necklace, as Jim and I love gnomes. You will love it too, I bet, even if you never noticed a gnome before as you have gone along your merry way. It is truly cheering to be alive!, Lisa seems to say.

If you do not feel lifted up by Lisa Crone, and she doesn't touch you in in some deep way, human to human, I would be very surprised. I believe that is a subconscious intention of hers: to give to her readers something to think about and to hold in their hearts the way they hold this book in their hands. A very thoughtful designer, she enjoys what she does to the ultimate degree, yet is not overly dramatic, just perfectly balanced. I give this book an A+! Thank you Lisa, for a wonderful and different jewelry design book!

Beadbloggers Sunday!

A Bead A DayIf you find yourself in need of a quick holiday gift, don't overlook memory wire! With this simple design, you can make one for all your friends.

About.com Jewelry MakingThinking of making some beaded ornament covers? Then you'll need to know the size bulb to use too.

Art Bead Scene It's the first day of Art Bead Scene's annual Twelve Days of Free Projects!

Barbe Saint JohnBarbe gets all steamy over the new Steampunk Style book!

Beading ArtsCyndi shares a new tutorial featuring one of Earthenwood Studio's fabulous new pendants!

Carmi's Art/Life WorldCarmi wonders if anyone else is working on Spring.

Cindy Gimbrone aka Lampwork DivaInspired by Grandma's necklace, Cindy creates an edgey look with CZ's.

Earthenwwod Studio ChroniclesMelanie shows a sneak peek of a pair of earrings she made for the upcoming book Steampunk Style by Jean Campbell

Jean CampbellJean shares 3 easy tips for making holiday gift production a little less stressful.

Lorelei's Blog: Inside the StudioLorelei is saying Thank you and Merry Christmas by giving away a gift certificate to artbeads.com!

Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!When you check out this ornament kit which is available for you to make, it will REALLY put you in the spirit!

The Writing and Art of Andrew ThorntonEach representing a different spectrum of lampwork glass, Andrew shares the new additions to his bead collection from two different artists.

UrbanMaille's new Florentine Ornament kit, found at UrbanMaille, see "kit" link below!

http://urbanmaille.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=173

You can choose from many metals which they will offer you to construct the lacy decoration on the Christmas ball, or you can just get the instructions from them. It is all very flexible! If you like, you can order all the headpins, wire, crystal drops and rings from UM ...everything but the glass ball which forms the base in the color you want, which you can find anywhere!
I would like to start with a blue, continue with a silvery with pink accents the following year, add a gold with silver accents and just keep going until I felt like giving one away. Five or ten years from now! :)

The neatest part is you can remove it from from the ball when it gets tarnished and tumble it shiny once more!

The other neat part is that if you have any imagination, this certainly encourages it within all of us!!! You will be able to use this pattern for stunning necklaces, not just stunning ornaments. Go for it!

jean

neat! neat! neat!

Here is Jean Campbell, who can leave her hat on, OR take it off, she is STILL that brainy and smart...

and she is pretty too.

Jean gave me the Superior Scribbler Award ( how has she seen my dreadful lefthanded writing???) and it is like a dweam come twue, in a sense, as half of my days are spent WRITING now. I am getting together a portfolio (or whatever it might be called), possibly a chronicle, of my crazy crazy life. Ha ha ha! Then I will have to title it. This will take me a year in and of itself.
There will be jewelry in it. My family will be in it!!! The year when it was 1961 and Debbie McTigue and I learned the Twist and drank gingerale at midnight, and wrote 1961 over and over again and held it upside down and it was still 1961!!! yes--that year will be in there, although you have heard me tell it all before!!!
--and you were entranced. or was that boredom. At any rate, you were polite! Except for this anonymous person who is rich as heck. He should go away. Yes, I am starting to erase him.

So, what, you may ask, is this great award?

And what do I do now? other that become effusive and happy, which I am being?

Here is what it is:

Jean wrote:

Hi Friends-

Sig Wynne-Evans gave my blog a Superior Scribbler Award...I've in turn passed it on to each of you:


I wanted you to know that I do really enjoy your writing, and I figure a little kudos now and then ain't a bad thing!

xo
Jean

I am so proud. I now must choose five people and write their names here, and then notify them.

I was really happy when I got this, and I believe it should be deserved by people who work hard at their writing. As what's his name in the great cartoon Pogo said, "Sometimes I just thinks and sits, and sometimes I just sits."

Thank you, Jean, for the je ne sais quoi oomph you gave my day!

Here are my nominees, who should pass it on! :

Kim Miles http://kimmiles-takingthelongwayhome.blogspot.com/

Michelle Mach http://michellemach.com/blog/

Naomi Fujimoto http://cooljewelsnaomi.blogspot.com/

Melissa J. Lee http://www.strandsofbeads.blogspot.com/

and June Houck http://simplyelegantpapercrafts.blogspot.com/

great writers and life observers all.

jean!

Only 19 more days til the BIG DAY!~~

Keep up with all the news, right here!



About.com JewelrymakingGive a beaded jewelry gift that gives twice.


Art Bead Scene Be Inspired! Think about creating jewelry that tells a story.


Barbe Saint JohnArtbeads Crystalized Elements!


Carmi's Art/Life WorldCarmi is selling jewelery in a show for the first time and is trying not to "jinx" her favorites!


Cindy Gimbrone aka Lampwork DivaMeet the newest addition to the Through the Looking Glass Nugget Charm Family - Alice Blue!


Jean CampbellJean discusses how Steampunk jewelry design fits into a larger "Poetic Couture"

Jewelry & BeadingCyndi is sharing a series of Gift Guides for handmade jewelry lovers!


Lorelei's Blog: Inside the StudioTaking ya back to the Open House 2008! Now stay tuned for pics for Open House 2009 on Dec. 5!


Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!The ever breathtaking beadmaker Kim Miles pulls out all the stops for the Holidays and gift giving. But that is not all! If you have the "secret word" on the secret day" every week, you get a fab discount!

I love Kim, and when she creates a piece of torched glass like this, with hand riveted ends and all sorts of magical sparkles inside, in celebration of the holidays to come, I just have to show you all!

She also has specials all this month if you are a recipient of her weekly emails with special checkout words on them--you get a percentage off if you are sure to type in the

word of the month! Be there or be square!

If I had a choice between a high end gold and silver fancy schmancy punch em out Fifth Avenue jewelry store or this fantastic bauble, which reminds me of a London production I saw at age thirteen of Midsummer Night's Dream which involved a lot of bubbles and pure beauty and flights of imagination such as I had never seen before, I would go for this! Jim, are you listening? :)

Happy Holidays, everyone--check out Kim's shop here...especially on Fridays! http://kimmiles.bigcartel.com/