Seward Show Saturday

You can find us this Saturday at the Seward Young Women's Holiday Craft Fair!  Get a great start on your holiday shopping with loads of handmade items, enough for 2 buildings!  You can find more info on their website, Seward Holiday Craft Fair or their Facebook  page.

On other fronts, look at these beautiful creations from Deb Brooks, (From the Heart Creations), using Chris's glass cabochons!

This piece was sold before Deb even finished it!  She was putting it together and the gal saw it and bought it to wear with this sweater!  Wow, that is the way to sell jewelry!

Here are the pendants after Deb created them from PMC and set the cabochons in the bezel settings.

Here is the other piece after a bit of bead stringing magic!  This one is my favorite of the two!  I love the designs Deb creates around whatever she is creating.  Her nature designs are so beautiful!





I was up until 2am designing for the show tomorrow, so no photos yet!  However, I hope to take them after we get the tables set up.  This is our last "away" show for the season, we have a couple events at the Historic Hastings Old Middle School in the 2nd Floor Studio and we are selling at the Prairie Winds Art Center in Grand Island during the Holiday Showcase. 

New Designs, This Month's Shows

Wow, look...another month in between posts!  Good grief!  There was a time when I posted several times per week!  Now it seems that all I post about is jewelry and shows!  Well, this post will be no different!  Here is the scoop!

TV Stars!

Chris and I spent time near Kearney yesterday at the NTV Studio!  We were interviewed on Good Life (the morning show).  We showed our newest creations and talked about our design process working together. Here is the link to watch the show!
segment one
segment two

New Designs!

Fan Favorites jewelry!  Polymer swirl beads by Lisa

 

 New beads!  Love that fancy display plate, don't you?!

 

 New Skullie pendant with hair!

 Show Schedule!

Tomorrow and Sunday we will be hosting the 1st Annual Autumn Open House at the 2nd Floor Studio in Hastings.  The show is located at 505 N. Hastings in Suite 206 (Historic Hastings Old Middle School).

 

For more info : 1st Annual Autumn Open House at the 2nd Floor Studio

Next week on Saturday we will be in Lincoln for the Lincoln Bead Bazaar.  More details on that event can be found here:

Lincoln Bead Bazaar

Hope you can visit with us at one of our shows!

Bead Mecca Here We Come...Much to the Cat's Disappointment.

Our cat Luna, looks a bit sad here.  I have just informed her she can not fly with me to Tucson.  Poor, pitiful kitty cat.  Yeah Me!

"But PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE Mom, I promise to be a good kitty while I hide in your suitcase"!
"No, Luna you can't go!  Julie said no cats are allowed on this bead buying trip!  There has to be more room for BEADS, so NO CATS."

"Oh, bother!  I will just not leave your suitcase!  It is going to be cold and snowy here and though I love to snuggle with Dad and Mina, I want to go with you on your adventure".  Poor sad, Kitty.  I love you, but you must stay home.

Ok, if you are a pet owner, especially a cat owner, I am sure you pack the suitcase, unpack the cat, pack the suitcase, unpack the cat, etc. etc. repeat, repeat, repeat.  My suitcase has been out for about a week, slowly accumulating my possessions to fly off to Tucson on a bead buying extravaganza with my boss; Julie, her daughter; Jacie, Mary Powell, and Deb Brooks!  In that time, Luna and I have repeated this ritual on a daily basis.  She is so adorable, she was purring the whole time we were doing our photo shoot this morning!  But, I am leaving and she is not!  We head off to Omaha tomorrow afternoon and fly out before the cats even get out of bed on Wednesday!  We have to be at the airport around 5 am and we will be in Tucson shopping for beads around lunchtime!  Whoot!  Whoot! On, Friday night we will play with polymer clay at the Friday night party with Christi Friesen and Deb and I are going to take a class on Saturday with Christi Friesen, learning to use Art Concrete and polymer clay!  In between we will be Julie's little worker bead bees, hunting for all sorts of goodies to bring back for the store in Hastings and to add to our own bead hordes!  Watch here for updates from my Guest Blogger, Chris (also my very favoritist guy in the whole world)!

2013 Final Show This Saturday!!

This Saturday, we will have our final show for 2013 (though you can still shop our products at Graham Gallery in Hastings, NE) at the Old Hastings Middle School in Hastings.  Our friends, Frank & Deb Brooks and Chris & I will be hosting an Art Open House in Frank & Deb's studio space.  Artists (in addition to the host artists) participating in our Open House are:

Nancy Fairbanks, ceramic artist

New Santa design from Nancy's Studio

Karen Kohtz

Jeremy Hansen, Glass Artist

Tammy Sorensen,  pencil and pastel artist

Spring Studio Open House This Saturday!

We are working with Deb & Frank Brooks, From the Heart Creations, to host a Spring Open House this Saturday at their studio in the Historic Old Hastings Middle School!  Please stop by if you are in the area or road trip out to Hastings if you aren't!  There are many things happening this weekend in the area, so we hope to see you!

Here are the basic details, the "refreshments" are actually being CATERED by Michelle Brooks, Truly Scrumptious Bakery, and she will have goodies for sale that you can take home to enjoy at your leisure!

Here are a few of the artist items available for sale!  We have added several others to the list including a Batik Artist and more baked goodies (breads, homemade jellies, cookies)! 
Artists Participating Are:
Frank & Deb Brooks, From the Heart Creations, PMC jewelry designs and Silverware jewelry
Chris & Stephanie Haussler, Pixybug Designs, Lampwork glass marbles, beads, and jewelry
Barb Dedrickson, Somethin' Country, home decor and pine needle baskets
Leslie Lemke, Treasures Made for You, primitive decor designs
Kris Brakenhoff, Fine Art Batik, hand dyed batik art
Karen Kohtz, Karen K Studio, Raku Pottery & Gifts
Michelle Brooks, Truly Scrumptious Bakery, gourmet desserts
We sure would love to have you stop by for a visit!  Happy weekend, the rest of the week will be spent preparing for the open house!!

7th Bead Soup Blog Hop Reveal!!!

Today is the day!  So let's get right to it shall we?!  Here is what I sent my partner Tari Kahrs (Pearl and Pebble):

 

And this is what I sent my other partner, Deb Brooks:

Chris made the focal beads and accents for each Soup mix and I picked out beads and stuff from my stash to round out their selections.  I can't wait to see what Tari and Deb design with their goodies!

This is what I received from Tari.  She sent me a bunch of artist beads, a handmade bronze clay toggle clasp, Czech glass rings, and Sari silk ribbon.  All of the beads were very neutral colors, which I don't normally work with, so that was part of my design challenge. 

And this is what I created:

I practiced a new wire working technique with the pendant and matching spacers.  I started with 18g wire, which I shaped and then wrapped 28g wire to add the fine detail to the wrap.  I added a carnelian bead from my messy work table to add a pop of color to the design.  Once I was happy with the pendant design, I faced a real design challenge.  I couldn't get the piece to hang as I wanted it to.  So, I adapted.  The pendant hangs at a slight angle and the bee looks like it is flying. 

I used more of the 18g wire and made squiggles which I wrapped the Sari silk around.  Once the silk was attached, I wired some accent beads and charms to the pieces.  The one side has the gray-blue ceramic spacers and the other side has faceted smoky quartz rounds from my stash.  I added the Czech glass blue flower and the Vintaj leaf dangle as accents.  The squiggles are connected to textured large link chain with wire wrapped dangles, one featuring the lampwork nuggets Tari sent and the other an agate with the Czech glass rings from the soup mix also.  I then used my bronze clay toggle clasp to finish the necklace.

Next came the earrings!  On the right, the long stamped tiles were perfect for earrings and all I added were the large Swarovski Turmaline colored bicones and the bright pop of color with the Sari silk from my stash.  The earrings on the left are just rings I cut from the necklace chain as I was sizing it for the piece and I used some 24g wire to do a messy wrap and added antique brass spacers and the Czech glass rings from my Soup mix.

What collection is complete without a bracelet? 

I used another piece of the textured chain for the main part of the bracelet and added a couple rows of mixed beads (mostly swept from my table debris), antique brass spacers, the lampwork nuggets, Czech glass rings, and a bit of the Sari silk from my bead mix.  It attaches to the chain with a large lobster clasp.

Here is an overview of all the pieces:

Very natural and rustic.  The silk adds a nice feminine touch and texture to the pieces.  I am very happy with the designs, even if I did fight with the necklace a bit.

So on to Deb's Soup Mix.  I have to admit to the fact that Deb and I are very good friends.  There was a bit of an issue with her beads arriving from her partner, so we paired up since we were both involved with the Soup Party and close enough to get the beads to each other without mailing them.  Deb knows how obsessed I am with the Lord of the Rings series and The Hobbit.  That is what she focused my Bead Soup Mix around.  So here we go:

Creative gal that she is, she made stickers with the characters on them for each of my packages.  The beads in the packages coordinated with the characters, she is so clever!  I also got a lovely treasure chest that all of the beads were tucked into.

First came Galadriel's bracelet and earrings.  This was one of those pieces that is completed in your head before you ever set down to work with the beads.  That doesn't happen for me very often, but it is wonderful when it does!  Deb gave me the gorgeous blue quartz carved leaves and the Jelly Pins for the earrings.  She also created the the fabulous leaf clasp I used on the bracelet (which looks so much like the leaf brooches that the Hobbits had in the Lord of the Rings).  I purchased the silver leaf charm chain (which I used sparingly, yikes that stuff is expensive) and wire wrapped the leaves to rings and then added the charm chain to the rings.  I have sometimes linked the beads together directly, but by connecting them to the rings instead, it improves the flow of the bracelet and comfort when wearing it.  On the earrings, I used a couple of coordinating Jelly Pins and attached a jump ring with extra leaf charms that were cut from the charm chain when I made my bracelet (waste not, and all that).  They add a lovely bit of movement to the earrings.

Next came Thorin's Shield necklace:

 

When Deb gave me my Soup mix, I had the idea to flow with the character profiles for the designs I created.  I hunted around for something that said "Dwarves" to me.  I found this lovely embossed wooden pendant from Artbeads and it serendipitously has oak leaves and acorns on it.  Now if you haven't seen The Hobbit, the leader of the Dwarves is named Thorin Oakenshield.  Cool, huh!  I added the pendant to copper double ring chain and wire wrapped a variety of beads from my Bead Soup Mix (green jade, gorgeous quartz daggers, and Red Creek Jasper) and other odds and ends from my stash (fossilized coral and bead caps for the acorns, Vintaj copper leaves, green kyanite and some goldstone).  The piece lays beautifully and feeds my need to make charm designs!  I also made a very cool pair of earrings to match the necklace, using Red Creek Jasper and links of chain, which I connected around the bead so it is "chained".  We didn't get very good pictures of those, as the weather turned ugly this week and we couldn't take the photos outside as we normally do.  Here is an artsy, dramatic version of the necklace (Chris was playing with a flashlight and our new camera):

The next piece I designed was The Hobbit's Garden.  I took a PMC class with Deb (she is a certified PMC teacher) in January and really wanted to make a fairy door.  I have long admired the fairy door designs by Maria Grimes (Garden Path Beads), but the task was beyond my skills.  So Deb, being the sneaky, wonderful gal that she is, finished the door for my Bead Soup focal.  

Isn't it gorgeous!  Looks like Bilbo could walk out of it at any time!  The back side is even embellished with a lavender cubic zirconia!  So I had to make a spectacular necklace to go with the pendant.  Deb had given me a strand of amethyst chips in my Soup mix and I added tiny lavender Chinese crystals, Bali silver spacers, rose peach and lavender Swarovski crystal pearls, bright green Czech glass lentils (which I think look like leaves), and attached it to chain to complete the necklace.  Ironically, the chain I used for the necklace is a wonderful embossed thick rolo chain that Deb bought for me on a recent trip she took!

I used a hammered Tierracast toggle for the closure but I will replace it with a lobster clasp as it causes the pendant to hang slightly off center.  I really love how this piece came together and have since made a pair of matching earrings with pieces of the amethyst and more pearls and crystals.  Here is an overview of all the Hobbit inspired designs:

You can see the "chained" earrings here along with the beautiful treasure chest that all my goodies came in!  I had such a wonderful time working with Tari and Deb and can not wait to see what each of them have designed.  Thank you also goes out to Lori Anderson, without whom none of this fun would happen!  Now you can go blog hopping and visit all of the other participants of the 2nd reveal and the 1st reveal from two weeks ago!  Go on you know you want to!

Here are the links!

Agata Grygiel	http://inny-pamietnik.blogspot.com/
Ali McCarthy	www.northwoodscreativestudio.blogspot.com
Alice Craddick	http://www.alicesbeadsandbaubles.blogspot.com/
Amy Severino	www.amybeads.blogspot.com
Ana Krepel	http://catspajamas-dogstuxedos.blogspot.com/
Andra Weber	www.andrasjoyfuljourney.blogspot.com
Andrea Glick	http://zenithjade.blogspot.com/
Andrea Trank	www.heavenlanecreations.com
Anitra Gordy Boyers	www.LeeLuCreations.blogspot.com
Annette Rivers	http://mamaowlsmess.blogspot.com/
Anu Tuppurainen	http://koti-ilta.blogspot.fi/
April Grinaway	http://brooklynbeadgoddess.blogspot.com/
Audrey Bélanger	http://esperianterra.blogspot.ca/
B.R.Kuhlman	http://www.mixedmayhemstudios.com
Barbara Bechtel	http://secondsurf.com
Barbara Mason	www.Adorninglyyours.com
Becky Pancake	www.beckypancakebeaddesigns.blogspot.com
Beti Horvath	www.stringingfool.blogspot.com
Billi RS Rothove	http://www.billi-rs-rothove.blogspot.com
Bobbie Rafferty	www.beadsong.blogspot.com
Brandi Burdick	http://www.tofallorstumbleupon.com/
Candida Castleberry	http://spunsugarbeadworks.blogspot.com/
Carol Dillman	http://dillmansdallies.blogspot.com/
Carolyn Gebert	http://kookykardinal.blogspot.com/
Carolyn Lawson	www.carolynscreationswa.blogspot.com
Caron Reid	http://www.caronmichelle.blogspot.com.au/
Catherine King	www.Catherines-Musings.blogspot.com
Cathy Jakicic	http://bds.jewelrymakingmagazines.com/
Chandra Merod	www.junipergoods.blogspot.com
Charlene Jacka	http://clay-space.com/blog
Cheri Reed	www.creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com
Cherrie Fick	www.designsinthelight.co
Cherrie Warzocha	http://colorsofshae.blogspot.com/
Cheryl Brown	www.dragonflybeads.ca/category/blog
Cheryl Dunham	www.Renaissance-jewelry.blogspot.com
Cheryl Foiles	www.getyourbeadon.com
Cheryl Gangle	www.RockCandyJewelryDesign.blogspot.com
Chris Eisenberg	www.wanderware.blogspot.com
Chris White	http://dzeyenrstudio.blogspot.com/
Christina Miles	http://wingsnscales.blogspot.com/
Christine Hansen	http://intuitivesparks.blogspot.com
Christine Murrow	www.charisdesignsjewelry.blogspot.com
Christine Stonefield	www.sweetgirldesign.blogspot.com
Cindy Ritchie	http://mooseriverglass.blogspot.com
Clare Etheridge	www.catseatdogs.com
Cory Tompkins	www.tealwaterdesigns.blogspot.com
Cris Peacock	http://crispart.blogspot.com/
Cynthia Abner	http://createdtreasures.blogspot.com/
Debbie Rasmussen	http://kepirasmussen.blogspot.ca/
Debi Levine	http://oneheartsblog.blogspot.co.il/
Deborah Brooks	http://www.fromtheheartcreations.blogspot.com/
Deborah Read	www.deborahreadcom.blogspot.com
Debra Behrends	http://www.hopefuljourneys.blogspot.com/
Dorota Żerańska	www.gdymamczas.blogspot.com
Elaine Robitaille	http://www.tooaquarius.com
Elsie Deliz-Fonseca	http://www.ladelizchica.blogspot.com/
Emma Todd	www.apolymerpenchant.com
Erin Guest	http://www.renlish.com
Evelyn Shelby	http://raindropcreationsbyevelyn.blogspot.com/
Evie and Beth McCord	http://www.ebbeadandmetalworks.blogspot.com
Francy Inman	http://www.8secondstudio.blogspot.com/
Ginger Bishop	www.lilmummylikes.blogspot.com
Gloria Allen	http://gloriaallendesigns.blogspot.com
Hajer Waheed	http://mybeadedworld.wordpress.com/
Hope Smitherman	http://CraftyHope.blogspot.com
Ilenia Ruzza	http://ile1974.blogspot.it/
Ilona Hegedűs	http://ilkabeads.blogspot.com
Ine Vande Cappelle	http://jewelsbyine.blogspot.com
Jackie Ryan	http://kydojewellery.blogspot.co.uk/
Janine Lucas	http://www.esfera.me/travel/blog/travel-stories
Jean Peter	http://jeanpdesigns.blogspot.com/
Jean Wells	http://jeanawells.blogspot.com/
Jeanne Steck	http://gemsbyjeannemarie.blogspot.com/
Jelveh Jaferian Johnson	www.jelvehdesigns.blogspot.com
Jennifer Cabic	www.jennifercabic.blogspot.com
Jennifer Reno	http://jenrenjewelry.blogspot.com
Jennifer VanBenschoten	http://www.vanbeads.blogspot.com
Jenny Davies-Reazor	www.jdaviesreazor.com/blog
Jenny Kyrlach	http://anafiassa.blogspot.com/
Jenny Robledo	http://peppasdream.blogspot.com/
Jessica Brower	http://ifcreations.blogspot.com
Jill MacKay	www.jillmackay.com
JJ Jacobs	www.comingabstractions.blogspot.com
Jo-Ann Woolverton	www.itsabeadifulcreation.blogspot.ca
Joanne Tinley	http://www.daisychaindesignsjewellery.blogspot.com/
Johanna Rhodes Nash	http://firephoenixcreations.blogspot.co.uk/
Judy Robinson	http://woodbeads.wordpress.com
Juli Cannon	www.beadnik.net
Julia Gerlach	www.beadandbutton.com/beadbuzz
Julie Bowen	http://blog.autochthonous-evolved.com
Julie Panusis	http://catsmeowco.blogspot.com
K Hutchinson	http://jumbledhutch.wordpress.com
Karen Martinez	http://fairiesmarket.blogspot.com/
Karen Vincent	www.swallowtailjewellery.blogspot.com
Karen Williams	http://www.baublicious.blogspot.com/
Karin Slaton	www.backstorybeads.blogspot.com
Karyn Bonfiglio	http://plussizebangles.com/blog
Kat Douglas	www.Washoekat.blogspot.com
Kate Dufour	http://mixfolios.wordpress.com/
Kate Mulligan	http://mulliganstewjewelry.blogspot.com/
Kate Richbourg	www.katerichbourg.com
Kathleen Gallant	http://partnersincharms.blogspot.com
Kathleen Lange Klik	http://ModernNatureStudio.blogspot.com
Katie Nielsen-Nunez	www.Vikingcraft.blogspot.com
Kay Bolton	http://www.toodlesandbinks.blogspot.com
Kayla Potega	http://www.teejewelry.blogspot.com
Kelli Jacobson	http://www.CreativeMoonJewelryAndThings.com
Kelly Patterson	http://travelingsideshow.blogspot.com
Kelly Ramstack	http://adventureswithkelly.blogspot.com
Kiersten Kern	http://myglassbeadlife.blogspot.com/
Kim Sparks	http://beadabunch.blogspot.com/
Klaudete Koon	http://klaudetekoon.blogspot.com/
Klaudia Tóth	http://www.klaudiabizsu.hu/
Krista French	http://expressyourfaith.webs.com/apps/blog/
Kristin Oppold	http://www.yayjewelry.blogspot.com
Kym Hunter	http://kymhunterdesigns.blogspot.com/
Lana Kinney	http://somethinguniquebylana.blogspot.ca
Laura Guenther	www.blueantiquities.blogspot.com
Lauren Fenty	http://laurenbeads.blogspot.com/
Leah Curtis	http://beadyeyedbunny.blogspot.co.uk/
Lennis Carrier	www.windbent.wordpress.com
Linda Murphy	www.bonitabead.blogspot.com
Lisa Johnson	http://whimsyswonders.blogspot.com/
Lori Anderson	www.prettythingsblog.com
Lupe Meter	http://gesmpccorner.blogspot.com/
Lynn Jobber	http://thecreativeklutz.blogspot.co.uk/
Mandi Effron	http://craft-o-licious.blogspot.com/
Marcia Dunne	www.thealternativefoundry.blogspot.com
Margareta Saari	http://magsinhelmet.blogspot.fi/
Marianne Baxter	www.simplyseablimejewelry.blogspot.com
Marie Covert	http://thistledown-and-swaddlings.blogspot.com/
Mary Ellen Parker	www.beetreebyme.blogspot.com
Maryse Fritzsch-Thillens	http://www.glassbeadart.blogspot.com
Megan Milliken	www.maemaemills.blogspot.com
Melissa Meman	http://melissameman.blogspot.com
Melissa Mesara	http://one-earedpig.blogspot.com/
Michaela Pabeschitz	http://der-lamardebonita.blogspot.co.at/
Michelle Tucker	http://michellescreativemusings.blogspot.com/
Mimi Gardner	www.OtherCuriosities.blogspot.com
Mischelle Fanucchi	http://micheladasmusings.blogspot.com/
Monica Phillips	http://www.monicaglassandjewelry.com/blog
Mowse Doyle	http://mowsemadethis.blogspot.com/
Nancy Boylan	www.snazzydoodle.blogspot.com
Nancy Dale	www.nedbeads.blogspot.com
Pat Haight	http://wigglebuttblog.blogspot.com/
Patina Queen	www.patinaqueenstudio.blogspot.com
Patty Miller	http://cabaribeads.blogspot.com/
Pia Kaven	http://piakaven.blogspot.com
Rebecca Anderson	http://songbeads.blogspot.com
Rose Johnson	http://swtrosethorn.blogspot.com
Roxanne Blanc	http://strikesmyfancy-2013.blogspot.com/
Sarah Goode	www.pookledo.blogspot.com
Sarah Singer	http://singingsongsofsixpence.blogspot.co.uk
Sarah Strover	http://beaupepys.blogspot.com
Shalini Austin	http://jewellery-by-shalini.blogspot.co.uk/
Sherri Stokey	www.KnotJustMacrame.com
Sherry Baun	http://www.unicornsjewels.blogspot.com
Sheryl Stephens	http://www.babblebead.blogspot.com
Silvia Sernicola	http://pipa-the-latest.blogspot.it/
Solange Collin	http://www.blog.ahowinjewelry.com
Stacie Florer	http://www.soultosubstance.com
Stacy Alderson	http://iridalsattic.blogspot.co.uk
Stephanie Haussler	www.pixybugdesigns.blogspot.com
Stephanie LaRosa	www.stringaholic.blogspot.com
Sue Burleigh	http://sagebreezes.blogspot.com/
Susan Bowie	http://susanbowie.wordpress.com/
Susan Kelly	http://midlifegreaterexpectations.blogspot.com
Susan of Libellula Jewelry	www.libellulajewelry.com
Susan Sheehan	http://susanasheehan.blogspot.com/
Suzanne Fragiacomo	www.glassymom.blogspot.com
Tammi Sloan	www.mybrownwren.blogspot.com
Tammie Everly	http://ttedesigns.blogspot.com
Tania Hagen	http://pelimadesign.blogspot.co.nz/
Tania Spivey	www.moobiegracedesigns.blogspot.com
Tanya Goodwin	www.pixiloo.blogspot.com
Tanya Wiles	http://studioblog.tenebroushollow.com
Tari Kahrs	http://pearlandpebble.blogspot.com/
Terry Carter	http://tappingflamingo.blogspot.com/
Theresa Buchle	http://www.bead-mused.blogspot.com
Tiffany Smith	http://southerngalsdesign.blogspot.com
Tina Holden	http://beadcomber.blogspot.com
Tracey Nanstad	http://abeadifulmess.blogspot.com/
Tracie Dean	http://homeofthepurskey.blogspot.com
Tracy Bell	www.CopperGlassAndRecycledTrash.blogspot.com
Tracy Kruse	http://goldkissesart.blogspot.com/
Veralynne Malone	www.veradesigns.blogspot.com
Veronica Campos-Hallstrom	http://www.clubcreativestudio.wordpress.com