Bei Mondi

Snow and a Show

2010-11-27T12:37:00.000-05:00

I woke up this morning to the first snow! No big deal, just a few flurries but it was so pretty. I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I'm guessing quite a few of you are busy this weekend putting up your Christmas trees and lots of decorations with sparkle and shine. I hope all of you are enjoying the time with friends and family :)

I Made It! Market for the Holidays

Its time for another show! This one is filled to the rim with Pittsburgh's best homemade artists. It will be two days with different artists each day (we all like variety). I'll be there on Dec. 4th which is next Saturday. There's so much left to do before then, I hope I can get my act together. If you're in the area, come by and check out all the one-of-a-kind items. I hope to see you there!

Autumn Sunset

2010-10-05T09:31:00.000-04:00

A series of sunset pictures taken a few days ago. These were all from the same night. Love the sunsets in autumn!

And here's some of my enameled beads from Art Bliss. These are addicting so expect to see plenty more in the future. And I hope to have photos of my rolling mill pieces on my next post.

Happy Tuesday :)

My Bags Are Packed. I'm Ready to Go...

2010-09-23T21:50:00.000-04:00

I'm all packed up and ready to go to Art Bliss. Can you hear my screams of joy through the computer? Quite a few of my beading buddies are all a buzz about this weekend. Good times with great people. I hope to see you there.

My two partners in crime are Shelby Foxwell from Sundown Bead Designs and Sue Kennedy from Sue Beads. I am blessed to spend my time with such lovely ladies. Please check out their work when you have a chance. You won't be disappointed!

And now for a few pieces I've made for my mom and big sis.

My sister requested a necklace made with some gorgeous amazonite stones I acquired recently. I love these stones! Lots of character and great color.

Unfortunately, my picture really didn't do this stone justice. Some stones just have to be seen in person I guess. This is quite simple but that's the type of jewelry my sis prefers.

But I felt like the necklace was just too easy to make so I had to try something else with the same colors. Yeah, I've been making these bracelets a lot lately. I really like their bulkiness and weight. Plus, hammering the copper washers really relieves a lot of stress ;)

My mom on the other hand likes things a little more funky and crazy. She was admiring some copper face beads in my stash when I saw her last. She just loved their cute expressions and asked if I could put something together in peaches and orange. I added in the seashell and beach stone since she's a beach lover.

This guy reminds me of a wise old owl with a mustache :)

And this one reminds me of a scrawny looking scarecrow trying his best to keep away those pesky crows in the garden.

Ok, that's it for me. I wish you all the best weekend and safe travels to my friends visiting Art Bliss :)

The Four Letter Word - Fall

2010-09-15T01:01:00.000-04:00

This little critter is just trying to get his work done. He doesn't have time for that horrible four letter word. Oh, you know which word I'm talking about. The one that makes all the leaves turn golden yellow and crimson red. And the same word that produces a gust of that icy cold air that takes your breath away and turns the tip of your nose a soft shade of pink. Yes, the same one that makes dusk happen much earlier than those longer, hot days before it.

Is this a word of terror and dread? Or one of happiness and glee?

Of course it depends on how you look at it. Yes, winter is right around the corner but...

...the crabapples that have fallen off my tree have painted the lawn a warm shade of orange. What a sweet smell!

...who can resist jumping into a big pile of freshly raked leaves? What a great crunch sound they make!

And...

...the stars are so much brighter in that cold sky. And we all need a good star sometimes to wish on.

Its here whether we like it or not so "go with the flow". Let Autumn be a friend of yours during the next few months. Bundle up and sip hot cider. Enjoy beautiful foliage with its many warm colors. Sit back and take in all this glorious season has to offer.

And a few autumn inspired pieces to keep that warm feeling going!

Crab Agate / Ocean Jasper Copper Bracelet

Amazonite / Aquamarine Copper Bracelet

Ocean Jasper Copper Leaf Bracelet

Impression Jasper / Ocean Jasper Copper Twist Bracelet

Crab Agate / Aquamarine / Ocean Jasper Copper Bracelet

Do You Know This Stone?

2010-09-09T09:28:00.000-04:00

Hm, I think I need some help. I bought this stone a long time ago and I can't remember what the name is or even where I bought it. I know that it is a real stone and not man made. It has areas of purple, yellow/gold, and some light green. Any thoughts? It was a perfect match for the gold brass and purple amethyst stones I added here.

Enlightenment Lotus Snake Skin Agate Bracelet

Wishbone Labradorite Sterling Necklace

Happy Buddha Ocean Jasper Necklace

Sunset Turquoise Sterling Necklace

These items are being listed today. I'm moving in slow motion since the weather has been wonderful here :)

20% SALE in the shop!

2010-09-08T08:07:00.000-04:00

Just a quick note to say EVERYTHING is on sale at the Bei Mondi Etsy shop! 20% off sale is going on now until September 14th and I'll be adding new items all week. Please keep in mind the prices listed on Etsy are the original prices so you'll be getting 20% off these prices. To get your discount simply buy as usual and the discount will be refunded through Paypal after checkout. Happy shopping :)

New Pieces for the Urban Gypsy

2010-09-07T11:06:00.000-04:00

Here are some new pieces for the Urban Gypsy in the Polish Hill district of Pittsburgh!

Reticulated Quartz Sterling Dangles

Organic Turquoise Sterling Earrings

Ocean Jasper, Rose Quartz, and Pearl Necklace

Wire Wrapped Turquoise Sterling Hoops

Smoky Quartz, Opal, and Pearl Dangles

Mystic Quartz Angel Wing Necklace

Tanzanite, Hessonite, and Pearl Dangles

Sparkling Amethyst Sterling Dangles

And here is my second zentangle creation. These are getting quite addicting! Love seeing what materializes as the pen hits the paper.

Zentangle

2010-09-02T12:08:00.000-04:00

Do you like to doodle? Have you heard of Zentangle?

My first Zentangle

This art form is actually meditation. The repetition of patterns is supposed to help you go into a calming, destress zone.

No eraser allowed here. Just like with life, if you screw up you learn to incorporate those little mistakes into something meaningful.

There aren't many rules here either. Wanna draw something upside down? Go for it. Wanna add in a flower or maybe a bird? Go for it. Wanna do an endless swirl mimicking Suessville? Do it!!!

Here's a cute video on this interesting artform. Give it a try!

When You're Given Lemons Make Lemonade

2010-09-01T09:46:00.000-04:00

Ok, ok. So the last craft show was far from a success. But it was actually a great day to sit back, listen to live music, and meet other artists. I was able to see how the craft show thing works and what makes or breaks a good booth.

Mental note: Black table cloth with bad lighting = Bad idea

You live and you learn, right? Gotta move forward and be positive! And I did snatch some wonderful handmade goodies while I was there :)

So now I have oodles of new pieces to show off!

Fossil Coral Lava Rock Twisted Copper Bracelet

Ocean Jasper Howlite Copper Twisted Bracelet

Ocean Jasper Sterling Silver Copper Wrapped Necklace

Warm Peach / Olive Green Jasper Twisted Copper Bracelet

African Opal and Lava Stone Copper Twisted Bracelet

All of these are in the Bei Mondi Etsy shop right now and I'll be adding more later today.

And, September has officially begun which means the countdown starts for Art Bliss! Have you checked it out? Some really great classes are being held there. Cindy from Sweet Bead Studios and Jeanette from Fundametals.net are the gurus behind the event. And my roomie once again is Shelby from Sundown Bead Designs. You couldn't be in better company!!! These girls are amazing artists with amazing personalities :) I'm checking off the days on my calendar. Only 23 days left!

Busy, Busy, Busy

2010-08-23T14:01:00.000-04:00

Here's where I'll be this Sunday, August 29th. Come by and say hello!

For more info. check out www.CraftsN'At.org

Bead Porn

2010-07-03T17:54:00.000-04:00

You can see the big smile on my face, can't you? Lots of natural beauties here. Can't wait to put these into some cool designs. Only one problem, that last photo is of a 70mm pendant. Not sure what to do with a stone that size but it was too marvelous to pass up.

Enjoy your 4th of July weekend!

Finally...

2010-06-29T22:39:00.001-04:00

I finally have new pieces to put in my shop. I've been in the process of working on these for about 5 weeks now. Needless to say, I've been distracted but I'm trying to get things back in order and dedicate more time to creating.

here we go...

Hessonite Garnet Sterling Chandelier Earrings

Please Take My Heart Gemstone and Lampwork Bracelet

Solar Quartz Sterling Silver Necklace

Honey and Apples Lampwork Gemstone Bracelet

Fields of Lavender Lampwork Gemstone Bracelet

I'll be putting these into the Bei Mondi Etsy shop hopefully by tomorrow. Oh, and I hope to have pictures soon of the new hobby I've become obsessed with. Very excited!!

Finishing Things Up

2010-06-28T14:35:00.000-04:00

Lauren has been busy, busy, busy finishing up the school year. We are finally done with recitals, concerts, and working on having some fun. I just wanted to show off what this kid has accomplished in the past few weeks.

Recital for String Camp. She's in the middle of the photo.

Orchestra Concert

Yeah, she's the one behind the microphone stand. Not the greatest picture unfortunately.

Dance recital for Hip-Hop and Jazz

I am so proud of all she has accomplished this year and we are ready for lots of craziness this summer!

A Day for Dad :)

2010-06-20T00:53:00.000-04:00

Oh, Dad. You are one crazy guy.

I will forever be searching for a person who is more optimistic than you. The glass is always half full and you can do whatever you put your mind to and more.

Although you will be hitting 80 next month, you have the heart and soul of a teenager. And could you please bottle up some of that energy for me? I guess that pot of coffee a day is working for ya ;)

Who else would literally give you the shirt off their back? You'd give the shirt, shoes, hat, without a second thought. Need some cash to go with that? No problem.

You might be a bit accident prone (falling from the attic floor to the garage below...breaking ribs while going uphill on the riding lawnmower on wet leaves...) but its no accident how much you love and care for your family.

One of my favorite memories from my childhood is the silly songs you use to sing to me and big sis Brandy. "all I need to make me happy is two little girls to call me pappy...". And who can forget when you accidentally drove off and left mom while we were trick-or-treating. hehe.

Father, grandfather, great grandfather...you are all of these wrapped into one. You are such a special person to so many people and I a so lucky to call you "Dad".

I love you, Dad!

Come on Summer!

2010-06-02T10:46:00.000-04:00

Just staying busy around here. School is almost over for the kiddo, recitals are finishing up, and summer is coming quick. It will all go by in a blur if we don't try to slow it down a bit. I look forward to the "girl" time this summer trying new crafts and exploring the Pittsburgh area with my "mini me" in tow.

And my garden is out in full force. Its difficult to keep my mind on making jewelry when I just want to be outside playing in the sunshine and smelling all the lovely flowers. I almost need some days of rain just to get things done inside. Maybe I should do a little rain dance. Nah...the neighbors would think I'm crazy.

Ok, so I've at least squeezed in a project or two for a friend.

Botswana Agate with seed pearls

Labradorite with sterling silver

Is it any wonder why I love this stone? Look at that blue!

My sweet friends, enjoy the sunshine! :)

The Urban Gypsy

2010-05-28T10:06:00.000-04:00

Just wanted to let you know about a great little shop in the Polish Hill area of Pittsburgh. The Urban Gypsy is filled with handcrafted gems most of which are by locals. Take a look and it won't take long before you understand why this shop is so unique.

This is Paulette the owner. A better name for her might be "Mrs. Social Butterfly". She loves her shop and it shows. She hand picks all the items that make up the Urban Gypsy from the creative art to the antique furniture to the fresh flowers on display each day. Just look at that smile on her face! And yes everyone, she really is as nice as she looks :)

Now take a look around.

Wow! What a place! And take a look at this church just across the street. Such a interesting little community!

And as you might have guessed, Bei Mondi is now being sold in the Urban Gypsy. Here's a peek of some new items!

And for a complete list of items being sold at this location please check here - Bei Mondi at Urban Gypsy.

If you are in the Pittsburgh area please come and visit Mrs. Paulette's smiling face at the Urban Gypsy!

Newbies for GalleriE CHIZ

2010-05-22T22:02:00.000-04:00

A few new bracelets for GalleriE CHIZ in Shadyside!

I Love Ya, Mom!

2010-05-13T11:14:00.000-04:00

Yes, Mother's Day is done but I haven't had a chance to talk about this great person I call "mom". Ok, you know all the important stuff like she gave birth to me, she took care of me for 18 years, she made me chicken soup when I was sick.... Blah, blah, blah. But that doesn't really tell you who she is.

Gram is her name, or at least it became that about 13 or so years ago when she became a grandma. But don't you dare call her "grandma", that's totally forbidden. I'm guessing she thinks "Gram" sounds more sophisticated and less... well, old. hehe

Here's a few interesting facts you should know about this fantastic lady!

Green thumb like you wouldn't believe. If it can grow, she can make it grow bigger and more beautiful than before. Its no problem for her to start whole plants from small snippets of the original. We worked together at a greenhouse that sold native plants when I was in high school. Unfortunately, I didn't get all the "mad" skills that she has. :(
Wonderful cook! Southern style, of course. My favorite growing up was fried potatoes and Mom always gave me one piece of raw potato to munch on while they cooked.
Interior designer extraordinaire. Along with being a fantastic seamstress. Her house is always perfect and she always knows what colors/textures go well together. Once again these skills were not inherited :(
She likes to sneak in the kitchen late at night to drink a glass of buttermilk with cornbread. There's also some talk about her eatting tomato and mayo sandwiches when she was growing up??? Yeah, I don't understand it either but like I said, she's a southern gal.
She hates to be tickled. Hates! She will hurt you if you even try. And her signature move is to twist the skin on the backside your arm. Ouch!
She is meticulous about her teeth. She brushes and flosses after every meal. Although, she's had her share of dental work and those chompers in the front aren't real (shh, don't tell!)
When I was a teenager, my mom and I were very close, something that's almost unheard of in today's society. We spent lots of time shopping together along with working together. And it is no surprise that she was also my maid-of-honor went I got married. There's no one else I'd rather have by my side on my big day than her.
And the last great thing about my mom is that she's not just a mom but also a great friend! We both hate to talk on the phone but sometimes we can sit for hours and chat about anything and everything. And when we do get to see each other (which isn't often enough) one of the highlights of the trip is always "Coffee and Conversation" which is exactly what the name implies.

Here's Mom's Gram's Mother's Day presents! Hope she likes them!

I just want to say thank you to Gram for being the great person that you are each and every day.

I love you, Mom!

GalleriE CHIZ

2010-05-10T17:51:00.000-04:00

We've started selling at GalleriE CHIZ in the Shadyside area of Pittsburgh! What an interesting place with such a broad range of art! Creations such as the usual paintings and sculptures to gorgeous handmade books to "off the wall" artistic brassieres. This gallery really has a little bit of everything.

Friday night they had their opening reception for the"Character Studies: Costumed & Articulated" featuring Dennis Bergevin. Each sculpture captures the character from well known operas. Their clothing looked like something out of a movie with every inch adorned with the smallest details. The hair for each piece looked to be real and was artistically crafted for each individual character's persona. And my favorite were the faces on these pieces. These were sculpted out of red clay which created a darker appearance and gave them an almost haunting look. Incredible! Please check out the photos on the website to see these amazing works of art.

That, of course, was only the highlight. Ellen Chisdes, the gallery's owner, has such an eclectic array of pieces that make your eyes dance with joy! Bright colors and different textures for major eye candy. Even the bathroom was decorated!! And take a look at the entrance to her gallery. Wow!

And here are the Bei Mondi pieces currently offered at GalleriE CHIZ!

New Website

2010-04-27T09:04:00.005-04:00

Bei Mondi Jewelry has a new look! Please check us out and let us know what you think of the changes.

www.BeiMondi.com

New Pretties in the Shop

2010-04-25T12:49:00.000-04:00

New Creations for the Etsy Bei Mondi shop!

Moonstone Copper/Silver Free Form Necklace

Striking Blue Kyanite Slab Dangle Earrings

Copper Creativeness Lampwork Bracelet

Chaos Bracelet #2

Bamboo Agate Dangle Earrings

Ocean Jasper Keishi Pearl Necklace

Moonstone Copper/Silver Free Form Necklace

Some of these haven't made it into the shop just yet but should be there shortly. I hope all my friends are having a wonderful weekend with their families this wonderful Sunday!

Mini Etsy Entrepreneur

2010-04-23T15:42:00.000-04:00

Each year Lauren goes with my husband for "Take Your Kid to Work Day". This use to be lots of fun for her when she was younger exploring what dad does all day sitting in front of that computer. Dad is a software engineer who works in a big glass building. Pretty impressive to a small kid but Lauren has been there year after year and was hoping for something a little different this year. When I worked in the laboratory I was envious of my husband's "kid day" and would have loved to show her what I did all day. Unfortunately, kids aren't allowed in a lab with toxic chemicals and expensive glassware (go figure!) so I never got that chance.

So, this year things were a little different. I'm now working from home being my own boss and it was time to enlighten her on what I do. Little did she know what all was involved with this little business mom called her job. My husband thought it was a great idea to open her mind to the thought of being an entrepreneur one day. She can be anything she wants so why not, right?

We discussed emailing, Twitter, blogs, and Facebook and the importance of networking with other artists. Then we talked about creating a website and how the Etsy shop works and all the cool features. Next we decided it was project time. I gave her some supplies and told her I had a client (grandma) who wanted a specific design and it was her job to create it for her. She made a wonderful necklace that she then took photos of. She then wrote up a description, name, and a price. We then listed the item on Etsy so she could she her hard work in action. She then packaged up the necklace along with addressing the envelope and sealing it with a nice ribbon and handwritten note. We were then off to the post office.

We later itemized all the pieces she had used and she estimated the time spent on making the piece. We found out her price was a bit less than what it was supposed to be and she came up with ways to bring the price down.

I hope the experience helped her learn to understand what small business owners responsibilities are and maybe she might want to try it for real one day. But, of course, when dad asked, "What did you learn today?" her response was, "I learned how to make a necklace and shop on Etsy." Oh well, maybe I didn't rub off on her exactly the way I had hoped but I think she did learn something :)

Here's the necklace she created for grandma all on her own! Oh, and these are the pictures she took too!

Karma Fairy Necklace

Have a wonderful weekend!

Old News?

2010-04-20T16:34:00.002-04:00

Several months ago I was contacted by Christen Olivarez of Stampington & Company. She had seen some of my work on my Flickr account and wanted to feature it in the Belle Armoire Jewelry Spring issue. I had never been published in a magazine before and so was extremely excited at the opportunity. I had hoped to get just one of my pieces in the issue but to my surprise they featured FOUR in the magazine! My jaw hit the floor when I saw how gorgeous the pictures were.

Inspiration Copper Lampwork Bracelet

Believe Copper Lampwork Bracelet

Robin's Rendition of Joy Necklace and Hardware Bracelet

Taking pictures of a magazine was a challenge so please excuse the sloppy photos. So, "What's Yet to Come?" Who knows. More publications in the future? I hope. New techniques and surprises? Of course ;)

A Walk Through My Yard

2010-04-18T13:21:00.000-04:00

We'll call this a Silent Sunday. Enjoy the walk!

Pink Bleeding Hearts

Purple Hyacinths

Crabapple Tree in Bloom

Lauren Hanging in the Crabapple Tree

Grape Vines in Bloom

Apple Tree in Bloom

Dutchman's Breeches

Kiddo in the Crabapple Blooms

Daffodil

Happy Sunday to you!

BeadFest Wire 2010

2010-04-16T09:31:00.000-04:00

BeadFest Wire this past weekend was a BLAST! I had so much fun. Can't even communicate into words. I was lucky enough to nab a spot in Debora Mauser's Wild Woman Bangle class. This class was full and even had a waiting list. I can totally see why.

Let me first start off by saying that Debra is one heck of a gal. She is so lively, witty, and funny. She's a southern gal like myself so I guess that's why I loved her sense of humor and spirit. And she had no problem teaching a full class and seemed to really enjoy doing it. She's definitely part of what made this class so much fun.

The kits that came in the class rocked! These were stuffed with beads made of silver and copper, silver and brass bolts, and lots of twisted and straight wire. My eyes gleamed when I saw this stash. Debora gave us some instruction on how to make handmade twisted wire, kuchi beads, and showed us a demo on how to make the finished bracelet. I can't believe she made one in like 15 minutes while she was answering numerous questions. "Go, Debora!" Debora also stressed the fact that anything goes with these. There is no right or wrong in your design, just be crazy and wild.

So, here's my "Wild Woman" creation ...

Not bad if I do say so myself. Truthfully, I've worn this bracelet every day since I made it in the class. And it's actually not as heavy as it looks and I tend to forget that I have it on. So, now I'm a mad woman looking into my stash to see what more I can create. These are definitely addicting!

Another great part of this trip was meeting some wonderful artist friends for the first time!

(Stole this picture from Cindy. Starting from the upper left we have Leslie (me), Kerry, Cindy, Shelby, and at the bottom left Lori and Jeanette.)

This is a great group of gals! Each one was extremely nice and great fun to talk, shop, and enjoy dinner with. "Thanks, girls!" I think the people at the restaurant thought we were nuts for taking so many pictures but that's ok, we are all a little nuts!

Shelby from Sundown Beads was my roomie and we stayed up past midnight chatting and laughing like old friends. I loved "picking her brain" about her amazing wire creations. I was even lucky enough to get a Sundown Beads original as a gift from her. I'm one lucky girl!

Oh, and I almost forgot, the goodies I bought. Well, truthfully, I didn't buy that much since I bought so many gemstones the week before but I did see a few I had to have.

Let's see, starting from the top left we've got numerous silver and copper beads, some crazy lace agate, silver charms from Hip Chick, oodles of pearls, more crazy lace in chunk form, some dainty silver chain, and finishing off with turquoise.

And my favorite purchase was...

White coral branches and solar quartz. So pretty!

So, before I thought I would try BeadFest Wire and skip BeadFest in August. But now I see that's not an option. This show is supposed to be much smaller than the August show and there was so much to offer. I can see that another 4.5 hour drive is in my future. It's well worth it for all the fun BeadFest has to offer.

And the Winner Is...

2010-04-12T20:51:00.000-04:00

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max:

Result:

18Powered by RANDOM.ORG

The Random Number Generator pulled out #18 which is..Pam from Cool Jewelry Design! Congrats, Pam! I'll be sending the bracelet and the April issue of Bead Trends to you shortly. Thanks so much for everyone who blogged, tweeted, Facebooked, and commented. You gals are great!

Giveaway Extended Till Tonight

2010-04-12T09:27:00.000-04:00

Hey guys! I've got lots to share with you about my trip to BeadFest Wire but that will have to come a little later. I just wanted to put in a quick reminder that my giveaway for the Punalu'u Black Sand bracelet is ending today. I'll be extending it until tonight in case you haven't signed up yet. Here's the original post and PLEASE leave a separate comment for each way you entered the giveaway. These comments will be put into the random number generator and a winner will be announced around 8pm eastern time tonight. Forgot what you can win? Here's a picture.

Punalu'u Black Sand bracelet

April issue of Bead Trends

Also, the giveaway on Indie Pretty's blog for the Honey Bee necklace is ending tonight as well. That is a separate giveaway so please visit Ashley's blog to enter. Enjoy your Monday morning!

CAUTION - EXTREME GEMS

2010-04-08T10:08:00.000-04:00

I've been drooling over so many gems lately. I think it's my new porn. hehe Don't get me wrong, my favorites are stones with lots of earthy, rustic character. But every girl loves sparkly topaz and sapphires, right? So, I was faced with a dilemma. There are so many businesses to buy from and who is going to give me the "best bang for the buck"? I've been stalking this company from India for a few months carefully watching their feedback and marveling over each and every gem they have to offer. My problem was that I'd never ordered anything from India and I, as most of you might be, was wondering if it would end up as a good move or just a horrible mess.

Here's the thing, a good portion of the gems that you see started up in Jaipur, India. This is known as the "Pink City" and they export gems to countries all over the world. Google Jaipur and you'll see what I mean. Sounds like a good enough reason to check it out. But, wouldn't I have to wait a decade or two to actually get my gems? I mean, India is so far away.

Well, you never know until you try, right? So I took the plunge and did it. And after less than a week I got my purchase!!!

*Warning - If you are on a bead/gem diet please look away!*

Crystal quartz stars, pink amethyst, and rose quartz

Rainbow moonstones and blue mystic quartz

Hessonite garnet and smokey quartz drops

Beer quartz and black rutilated quartz

Mystic pearl quartz, rose quartz, black spinel, rhodolite garnet, green amethyst, blue topaz, and hessonite garnet

Now even though I had them in less than a week and all of my order seemed to have shipped perfectly, I was still on guard. I checked each gem extremely close to find any imperfections. The only problem I found was that one of the crystal quartz was faceted more than the other and since I am using these on two separate projects it really didn't matter to me anyway.

In fact, this order was better than I had hoped for. It's hard to portray the real sparkle and flair for a stone through the lens of a camera unless you are a professional. Each and every one of them is just stunning in the sunlight.

And now I have to do these beauties justice with some stellar creations although I kinda want to hoard them. I just keep gazing at them like new found love. I'm sure my hubby is laughing at me when I'm not looking.

So, if you are facing the dilemma of ordering from out of the USA please give it a try. If you are worried just try placing a smaller order at first. Although, the way to really save money is on bulk since the shipping fees can be pretty expensive.

Well, that's it for me this week. I'm off to BeadFest Wire tomorrow to meet with some blogging buddies and have fun! Don't forget there are two giveaways for Bei Mondi pieces that are ending on April 12th. Here is the one on the Bei Mondi blog and here's the one on Indie Pretty's blog. Have a great weekend!!!

Honey Bee Giveaway

2010-04-06T09:36:00.000-04:00

Here's a chance to win the sweetest honey bee necklace made by ME!

This piece is being given away by the Indie Pretty blog during their giveaway week. Just follow the link and get yourself signed up. The winner will be announced at Indie Pretty on Monday, April12th at 8pm.

And while you're there, take a look at this blog. Ashley is amazing! Not only is her blog interesting and oh so beautiful but check out her Etsy shop too. She makes the cutest stationary. I really like the Paper Cut States of Michigan. Very unique!

And here's a few more newer pieces at Bei Mondi that you might not have seen!

Summer Berries Lampwork Swarovski Bracelet

Sea Breeze Lampwork Moonstone Earrings

Drops of Jupiter Lampwork Swarovski Earrings

The sun is shining and waiting for me to go outside and play. Enjoy your day sweet friends!

BeadFest Wire - Here I Come!

2010-04-05T11:13:00.000-04:00

Oh yes, the time is upon us for...

How do I put into words how happy I am? Ecstatic, joyful, stoked... You can use whichever one you choose I suppose. I'll be making my way over to King of Prussia, PA on Friday morning where I'll meet Shelby Foxwell from Sun Down Beads, Cindy Wimmer from Sweetbead Studios, Lori Anderson from Pretty Things, and Jeanette from Fundametals. Have you seen these girls work? Something they all have in common is amazing wire work, and I do mean A-MAZ-ING!! Miss Shelby will be my roomie for the weekend. Hope she can deal with my snoring :) And I'm signed up for the Wild Woman Bangles class with Debra Mauser on Saturday. Just look at what I'll be making.

So much twisted lovely wire. I'm drooling just looking at it! Did I mention how excited I am?? Ok, I need to control myself. "Get a grip, Leslie!"

And here's some newbies in the Bei Mondi shop!

Wings of an Angel Pearl Blue Topaz Earrings

Striking Satire Swarovski Sterling Necklace

Ocean Jasper Wire Wrapped Necklace

Botswana Agate Pearl Bracelet

One more week left to sign up for the giveaway! You can find the original post here for a Bead Trends April issue along with my piece featured in the magazine.

Happy Monday to you! :)

Custom Orders

2010-03-31T09:38:00.000-04:00

Starting a business is not an easy task but it's not without rewards too. The ability to create as you please and get compensated for your creations is extraordinary. I'm not just talking about compensation in monetary terms either. The feeling of knowing someone likes what your doing and shows that by repeat business. That's the feeling of satisfaction like, "hey, someone gets what I'm trying to do here."

I really enjoy doing custom orders. Why? Each one is a challenge. Challenges can be a good or a bad thing but it's one that keeps you reaching for new ideas. Usually people are looking for something they've imagined but just can't seem to find. When you create their ideas into reality that is a satisfying feat.

Here's some special orders that I completed recently.

And I just had to include this photo of some bridal jewelry I did almost a year ago. I love this picture of the bride and her sister goofing around.

I am so excited because I'm finally taking a lampworking class on Easter Sunday. I've had all the pieces to get started for over a year now but I've hesitated because...well, I don't want to burn the house down. Wish me luck!

And have you signed up for the giveaway yet? I'm having a giveaway on April 12th for my Punalu'u Black Sand bracelet featured in the April issue of Bead Trends. I'll be offering this bracelet along with the April issue of the magazine so sign up. Just tweet, blog, or facebook about the giveaway and come back to the original post to sign up. Please leave a comment stating how you "spread the word" and followers get extra chances to win. Make sure to leave a separate comment for each way you entered for the random number generator ;)

There's wonderful sunshine today so I must leave you now to take advantage of the good lighting for photos. Have a great Wednesday!

Second Publication and Giveaway

2010-03-29T09:56:00.001-04:00

Second publication? What happened to the first? Well, as some of you already know I was featured in Belle Armoire Jewelry's spring 2010 issue. This was actually what I've been waiting for to have the giveaway but, unfortunately, I still haven't received my pieces back from the magazine yet. So, we'll change things up a bit.

I was also featured in the April issue of Bead Trends for my Punalu'u Black Sand bracelet. And I did receive the piece back from this publication so this will be our new giveaway prize along with the April issue of the magazine! And here it is...

This piece is made with a large piece of Itasy Jasper, two Hill Tribe curved tubes, a few Swarovski crystals, and finished off with a silver charm from Mamacita Beadworks. These pictures aren't the best so if you want to see this piece taken by a professional check out page 36 of Bead Trends April issue.

So, we'll do the usual giveaway stuff. Blog, tweet, or Facebook about the giveaway or become a follower of the Bei Mondi blog, twitter page, or Facebook page to enter the giveaway. If you're already a follower just let me know for an extra chance to win. I'll randomly draw a winner on April the 12th so check back to see if you've won!

We Love You, D.C.!

2010-03-18T10:34:00.000-04:00

We took a nice short but sweet trip to Washington, D.C. this past weekend for Lauren's birthday. We tried our best to get in as many sights as we could running from one location to the next. It wasn't easy in the rain but we had our umbrellas and we braved the yucky weather.

We got there on Friday afternoon and first hit the war memorials and Lincoln's Memorial.

Next stop was the Reflection Pond without any water :( and the Washington Monument.

Saturday was filled with the Smithsonian Natural History Museum and the American History Museum. Notice Lauren posing with Dorothy's red slippers.

On Sunday we hit the Air and Space Museum, the National Gallery of Art, and the Smithsonian Castle.

We then finished off our trip with a walk through Bethesda, MD and look what I found.

I'm guessing the kiddo had a great time because she asked if we could move there. :) Although, I think one of the major highlights for her was the indoor pool at the hotel. Silly girl!

Keep an eye out for the giveaway. I know you girls have been so patient. It's coming soon!

Hello Tuesday!

2010-03-09T10:17:00.001-05:00

Good morning! Today is Lauren's 10th birthday so lots of wrapping and decorating are happening. She actually hit the double digits! She's requested no party this year :( Is she too old now for parties? Well, we are surprising her with a trip this weekend. I hope she's not too old for that.

I promised a giveaway, didn't I? It will happen hopefully soon. There is something I'm waiting on. Some of you know what I'm talking about ;) So, I patiently wait by the mailbox daily. The mailman probably thinks I have a crush on him the way I've been so excited to see him everyday. He is kinda cute but don't tell the hubby that. hehe

Ok, well while we wait I will show off a few more items that went into the Bei Mondi Etsy shop this week. Here we go!

Celia's Chandelier Moonstone Quartz Earrings

Twists and Turns Copper Earrings

Water Cascade Aquamarine Moonstone Earrings

Wine With Your Cheese Swarovski Earrings

I'm off to make the birthday cake. German chocolate is the requested flavor which happens to be my favorite too. Hope you gals enjoy this fabulous Tuesday and gets lots of jewelry making done!

Simple Silver Pieces

2010-03-03T09:37:00.000-05:00

I've got some simple silver pieces in the Bei Mondi Etsy shop today. The first one is made with Miss Sue's lampwork from Sue Beads. There really isn't much I needed to do to these since the lampwork is stunning enough on its own so I just added a swirl of silver to seal the deal.

Dots of Silver Lampwork Sterling Earrings

And this is one of the more simple necklaces made with charms. It has a silver disk holding onto a laughing buddha, a chunk of moonstone, and a "breathe" tag. Reminding us to slow down and take a deep breath with life gets a bit too crazy.

Breathe Moonstone Buddha Necklace

Still trying to get back into the swing of blogging. I hope you gals have a nice warm, sunny day!

Copper Creations

2010-03-01T11:10:00.000-05:00

Yes, I've been neglecting Blogger lately. :( I do have a few new pieces to show off and these are in copper (my fav).

Copper, copper, copper with Norma Brink lampwork and a few Swarovski thrown in for added color. Can't decide if I like that wire wrapped piece in the middle or not but for now it stays.

I had the "Love is the Key" pewter piece from Green Girl Studios that I was dying to play with. I added some leftover lampwork from the Bead Swap Party and some others I had lying around with, once again, Swarovski crystals.

I'm working on a giveaway that I hope to be blogging about shortly so stay tuned for that and enjoy your Monday! :)

Parti di Sole

2010-02-12T15:43:00.003-05:00

Hello Blogging Buddies! Happy Friday to you!

I'm still making my way around to all the blogs from the Bead Soup Party. 80 is a large number and it takes time to give each the time it deserves. I'd once again like to say a huge thank you to Lori Anderson who created the "soup" and all the excitement. Bravo, Lori! It was a big hit!

I'm trying to get back to a normal schedule but it's a bit hard with a kiddo home all week and wanting to play game after game. Its great sometimes spending unexpected time with her but how much Disney channel can one girl take? I will be glad when things get back to normal hopefully next week after some of the 20 or so inches of snow we've gotten has melted.

Alright so here's some other creations.

Up and Away Swarovski Necklace

Live, Laugh, Love Sterling Ribbon Necklace

Heart with Wings Snowflake Obsidian Necklace

Sand Dollar Ocean Jasper Necklace

Keepers of the Sea Labradorite Necklace

Ocean's Dream Ocean Jasper Bracelet

Swirl Whirl Citrine Sterling Necklace

And I have some other news as well. I am opening up a supply shop on Etsy. I love charms and trinkets so I'd like to focus on these. I also have a never ending supply of stash beads that I need to get rid of. My new shop is called "Parti di Sole" or Pieces of Sunshine. Nothing there yet if you look on Etsy. Give me some time as I am still trying to add my new pieces to the Bei Mondi site.

Bead Soup Party Piece

2010-02-10T09:10:00.001-05:00

And here it is...

I'm not actually completely done. I still hope to oxidize this piece and polish it with steel wool but I ran out of time. The dragonfly clasp is actually to the side on this piece which is something new for me. I also added a Green Girl Studios pewter bird bead to add a bit more silver tone. The chain is made with copper (of course, the metal I love!) and all the beads are from my Bead Soup Party stash except for the bird bead. Lots of loops and twisting metal amongst some gorgeous lampwork, jasper, and citrine beads.

I just want to say a HUGE thank you to my Bead Soup Party partener in crime, Julie at RockerJewlz. She gave me such a gorgeous array of beads to work with so I was very lucky.

And here's the list of participants so go check out some more Bead Soup and see what everyone created.

Let the Party Begin!!!

1. Lori, Pretty Things

2. Mallory, For the Love of Beads

3. Terri, Blooming Ideas

4. Cindy, Sweet Bead Studio

5. Lorelei, Lorelei's Blog: Inside the Studio

6. Kerry, Kabs Creative Concepts

7. Erin, Treasures Found

8. Jeannette, Jeannette Blix Wire and Metal Jewelry

9. Adrienne, Adrienne Designs

10. Nan, Spirit Rattles

11. Laurel, Rue's Daftique

12. Nancy, Beading From the Heart

13. Mary, MK's Creative Musings

14. Cassie, The Glass Beadle

15. Dot, Winchell Clayworks

16. Sharon, Sharon's Jewelry Garden

17. Lisa, Lo and Behold

18. Norma, Bead Dreams and Moonlit Fantaseas

19. Judith, Judith B.

20. Debbie, Prairie Emporium

21. Maria, Garden Path Beads

22. Susan, Kaplan Creations Jewelry and Glass Design

23. Melissa, Melissa Meman: Art, Love, Life

24. Marianna, Pretty Shiny Things

25. Lisa, Joolz by Lisa

26. Cristi, 2 If By Sea

27. Sandra, Marbella Jewelry Design

28. Maria, Greene Earth Originals

29. Barbara, Jewelry of Distinction

30. Leslie, Bei Mondi

31. Loretta, Designs by Loretta

32. Linda, Bella Bead Jewelry

33. Kathie, The Bead Cult

34. Patty, Plays With Fire

35. Nicki, Nicki's Reef

36. Anne Marie, Heart's Desire

37. Mary, Mary Harding Jewelry

38. Jayne, Mama's Got to Doodle

39. Emanda, Artemesia's Studio

40. Whitney, Whitney Lassini

41. Marcie, La Bella Joya

42. Suzann, Beadphoria

43. Jen, Jen Judd Rocks

44. Julie, Credit River Art Glass

45. Janiece, J Birds Garden

46. Kate, Organic Odysseys

47. Laurie, The Mermaid Tale

48. Michelle, My Crazy Crafty Adventure

49. Sue, Sue Beads

50. Janeen, Janeen 365

51. Nancy, The Rabbit Muse

52. Kristie, Artisan Clay

53. Regina, Regina's Writings

54. Tari, Pearl and Pebble

55. Lyn, Lyn Foley

56. Beth, Sunshine Daydreamz

57. Cathryn, Chile Cats

58. Emma, Fred Bean's Nook

59. Connie, Cetta Cheese Chatter

60. Juli, Jul's Beads

61. Julie, RockerJewlz

62. Libby, LibbyLeu and Glass Too

63. Melanie, Earthenwood Studio Chronicles

64. Katie, My Life and My Beads

65. Zuleykha, Zuleykha's Polymer Clay

66. Rekella, Me But a Little More in Depth

67. Ricki, What's New at Ricki Voges Design

68. Lisa, Lucid Moon Studio

69. Jo, Daisychain Jewellery

70. Lynette, Rock Hill Designs

71. Lynne, Island Girl's Insights

72. Chas, One Woman's Haven

73. Chas, One Woman's Haven

74. Ruthie, Rose Works Jewelry

75. Elizabeth, Turquoise Sky

76. Maire, Maire Dodd

77. Janet, Singing Woods

78. Eileen, Dorset Hill Beads

79. Julie, Miss Kitten's Jewels

80. Joann, Jo's Jewels

81. Patti, PJ Clark Designs

82. Mel, Kookie Designs

83. Erin, Every Heart Crafts

84. Dale, Flights of Fancy

85. Dee, Runako Designs

Have fun venturing around to all the lovely creations! :)

Where are you?

2010-02-09T11:11:00.000-05:00

Did you fall off the face of the earth or what? Well, not exactly. My time has really been sucked into the show that didn't happen. Yep, it was canceled. Why? I guess 21 inches of snow got in the way. We were expecting maybe 10 and we got way more. In this case, more is NOT better. So, the show was canceled, school has been closed for two days, and I don't think I'll be able to dig my car until next month. Crazy!

So, I did make lots of pretties for the show which I will now put on the website and the Bei Mondi Etsy shop but I have the chore of taking pictures of all of them. As you know, sometimes taking pictures and writing descriptions can take longer than making the piece itself.

I've also been playing around some on Etsy and finally got a Treasury in Etsy Treasury West. Here's the photo and I'll leave the link if you want to check it out on Etsy.

So, now I am back to the grind. Miss you girls and hope to get caught up soon. New pictures coming! Hugs!

How Time Flies!

2010-02-03T09:29:00.002-05:00

Man, how time flies. Has it really been over a week since I last posted on the blog? You know what I'm busy doing, right?

It's actually pretty funny cause I have no clue what I'm doing. I'm winging it for sure. My table set up is coming together finally after cutting and sewing 24 feet of fabric. Oh, and Wal-mart, not the best customer service. They accidentally cut me 3 yards rather than 8 and it took my like 2 hours to get it resolved. I guess that's what I get for being cheap! I'll try to take a few pictures at the show so you gals can see how it all came together.

Here's a little preview of what you will see if you come to the show on Saturday and also in the Bei Mondi shop.

Well, I can't write for too long. There is still so much to do and I'm starting to get nervous now. Yikes! You girls enjoy your Wednesday and stay warm!

More Eye Candy

2010-01-25T13:37:00.001-05:00

Lampwork in blues and greens wire wrapped in sterling silver with fresh water pearls

And I promised more simplistic styles, right? Rough cut amethyst on sterling silver chain.

Both in Bei Mondi shop shortly!

Can't Wait!

2010-01-24T11:31:00.000-05:00

The Beading Gem has a great post about this upcoming classic revisited along with some intriguing jewelry creations!

Necklace Frame Display Tutorial

2010-01-23T15:44:00.000-05:00

I've been looking for a tutorial on how to make an interesting necklace display. I didn't quite find what I was looking for on the internet so it was time to take measures into my own hands. I knew I wanted to use an idea using a frame but how would I add hooks to hold the necklaces? Hm...so this is my tutorial on how to make an inexpensive necklace display.

First go out to Micheals or JoAnne's and buy an 11 X 14 wood frame ($15). Make sure it is wood because you'll be hammering into it later. Also pick up some pins to use as your hooks. I bought these corsage pins ($1.50) because I liked the shiny metal ends.

Now cut the pins to about an 1 1/4 inch long with wire cutters and mark about an inch or so on the inside edge of your frame to hammer these into. I don't need to tell you at this point that you should have already taken the glass and back out of the frame, right?

After placing your marks on the inside of the frame, take a pin and lightly hammer it into place with a rubber hammer. Make sure to put the pin in the middle of the wood. If you put the pin in to far to the edge it might split your wood. If this happens you can always use some glue for repairs.

Hammer each pin into the wood approximately 1/4 inch deep leaving a portion of 3/4 inch remaining. Oh, and keep your pins straight. If they start getting all wiggly on you just take them out and straighten them.

Now bend the pin over towards the front of the frame with your finger or pliers. Come on, bring out those muscles. You can do it!

After you've finished hammering in and bending all the pins, add a backboard piece ($2 each) made for frames that can be found in the framing section of the craft store. Now add the back of the frame to secure it.

The background pieces come already cut to fit the frame and in a huge selection of colors and textures. Here's a few I bought.

Khaki brown color with a suede texture - good for copper pieces.

Rich gray color for blues or blacks

White with a tissue paper type effect - great for anything!

Now take your finished piece and set it on a frame display ($12) like the one shown in the picture and you are ready to rock and roll! I originally made this to display my simple necklace designs and hopefully bring them up to the eye in an appealing presentation. But I added bracelets in these pictures as well to show it can be used for either.

All the jewelry shown can be found at the Bei Mondi website. Happy crafting!

More Goodies to Show Off

2010-01-22T12:03:00.000-05:00

More goodies for the Bei Mondi shop and the I Made It! Mine show in February.

Lampwork from Java Bead and Norma Brink with lots of Bali silver. This one has the color changing Swarovski crystals that go from soft pink to gray to light green which are all colors that compliment the bracelet.

Amber onyx rounds with lots of oxidized copper

More lampwork with Swarovski crystals. Are you seeing a pattern here? I guess it's what I love to do. Mostly blues in this one with just a touch of purple.

Ok, I'm spending the day with the kiddo and working on some artsy stuff. I hope to have a little tutorial for you by tomorrow. You girls enjoy your Friday!

What I've Been Doing

2010-01-21T10:24:00.000-05:00

I'm back at it again. A sampling of the pieces I've made recently for the Bei Mondi shop.

Green garnets (my birthstone) and mutilated copper heart with oxidized copper

Amethyst and lampwork glass from Blue Seraphim with oxidized copper

Hill Tribe turtle, lampwork glass from Norma Brink, and Swarovski crystals with oxidized sterling silver

New jade, aqua terra jasper, lampwork glass from Blue Seraphim, and copper beads with oxidized copper

I'm still having issues with the new camera as you can see. :(

I really appreciate everyone's advice on shows and the table set up. You gals have some great ideas and I will try to use all the suggestions that I've gotten. I've been looking towards future shows that require a picture of the table set up so if I can get myself in gear I'll try to take some pictures soon.

And I thought I'd leave you girls with some music today. I can't get this song out of my head. You know what they say, "The best way to get a song out of your head is to get it stuck in someone else's." I hope it works. ;) Plus, Barbara Lewis needs some new music to listen to besides Owl City. hehe

Holy Moly! I'm a Lucky Girl!

2010-01-20T10:37:00.000-05:00

Look what I got yesterday!

Wow! I am so lucky! Julie Vallejo from Rocker Jewlz is my Bead Soup Party exchange person and just look what she sent me. Gorgeous lampwork from Payton Jett, beautiful bright citrine, apple jasper, and a sweet dragonfly clasp. How did she know I like dragonflies? She really outdid herself and I can't wait to get started on a fabulous piece with these beauties. Thanks so much, Julie!

And take a look at what she has in her shop. These cupcake goodies are fabulous and perfect for Valentine's Day.

Please check out her blog and shop for the sweetest little creations!

Ok, now I know I promised pictures today so here's two of the pieces I made for the Bei Mondi shop.

Satin silk ribbon in a soft lavender with biwa pearl wire wrapped in center. A few Swarovski crystals on the side for sparkle and held together with silver cones and a hand forged clasp.

Simple earrings with Sue Beads lampwork and swirls of sterling. Love the colors in these beads. Oh, and I believe Sue is having a sale on lampwork heart beads right now. Check it out!

Yeah, I know you gals were hoping for more and there is a lot more but I'm in the process of polishing about six bracelets, earrings, and a necklace. I hope I'll have fingertips left after all of this polishing with steel wool. And now I have a Bead Soup Party piece to create on top of that which I am super excited about. There's lots to do so I'd better split. Hope you gals have a great day! :)

"Where Have You Been?"

2010-01-18T22:49:00.000-05:00

Where have I been? I certainly haven't been blogging lately or even checking others blogs. Do you ever get into that funk where you're not in the mood to blog? It takes an effort, doesn't it? I really do miss everyone but every time I dedicate time to blogging I get sidetracked with something else. And what am I getting sidetracked with? Well...here it is!

I Made It! Mine

This will be my first show. I'm super excited but super nervous. There is so much to do and I am clueless on what I'm doing. Luckily, some of my blogging buddies have given me suggestions on set up. Thanks, Shelby and Judy! I would love advice from anyone on what to do and what not to do.

Along with that, I've actually had more sales on my website and Etsy. Not huge numbers, of course, but it's something. I'm also working on a few special orders which are always loads of fun.

I've been working on several pieces recently that I hope to oxidize tomorrow and take pictures of so you girls can see. I'm still playing with ideas on how to present these during my show. I would love to see anyone's pictures of tables for shows in the past. Please just email me or leave a message here.

Ok, that's it for me. Good night girls!

Changing Things Up a Bit

2010-01-11T10:41:00.000-05:00

As I stated at the end of the year, I want to change things a bit for Bei Mondi. I am hoping to go with a more simplistic style. When I first got excited about beading it was because of the gemstones. I'm not talking about the fancy stuff, just a simple jasper or agate. These stones hold more interest to me than the AAA grade sapphire or a huge crystal clear diamond. They show character. They show nature's real beauty. I want to do work that highlights that beauty within the stone and doesn't take too much away from it.

I also have a love for charms. They add that little message or certain features to a piece. If I want you to feel a certain way when you look at a necklace with a single stone attached I could add the word "Spicy" or maybe go in the opposite direction with a calming lotus charm. These both capture very different emotions without overdoing anything. Simplistic!

So, here is the start of some new pieces that I hope will gain some attention.

Kawarimono's Pond Moonstone Necklace

Siren Song Opal Necklace

Oh, I still love my copper and I still love to experiment with wire. Here's obvious attempts at that.

My Heart is In Knots For You Copper Necklace

Hot Mess Wire Cuff

My new camera and I are having a love/hate relationship right now. The white balance is all off so more experimenting is needed on my part before great pictures are made. I'm still making my way through the very thick manual.

Oh, and it looks like my partner in crime for the Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Party is Julie Vallejo. She has a blog by the name of Rocker Jewlz. Wow! What a name! I can't wait to learn more about her and to swap out some goodies.

Happy Monday Beading friends!

Nashville

2010-01-05T09:44:00.000-05:00

It's been exactly two weeks since my last blog post. The holidays are a blur but I have a few pictures to remember the excitement by. Nashville was the highlight, of course. We had a wonderful time with the in-laws and a house of 13! Unfortunately, I have some photos on my little click and shoot camera and the rest are on my new camera. I have yet to figure out how to take them off though. Here are some of the highlights.

First off, this isn't my best picture. I mean, what is the deal with that hair? It looks like birds made a nest on that thing. Anyway, I was so happy to meet a blogging friend while on my trip. Do you recognize her? That's Judy from Judith B Designs. She lives in the Nashville area so this was the perfect time for us to get together for lunch to discuss beading. It was like meeting someone for the first time that you swore you must have known in another life. She is so easy going and a hoot! We kept talking, and talking, and talking. I think the waiters were so happy to see us finally leave. :)

And you can't visit Nashville without riding horses, right? Here's Lauren on Miss Katie. Lauren has learned so much from my mother and sister-in-law that she can hop on and just ride. She was even trotting on the horses which was a bit scary for me at first. And she even mucked stalls while we were there!

And here I am once again with the hair from hell. Thank goodness I got a haircut when I got back. I had to try the horseback riding for myself. It looked like too much fun. Luckily all the horses were very calm and didn't mind that I hadn't a clue what I was doing. I know everyone was trying not to laugh when I tried to get my big butt on and off the horse.

Ok, now on to the bragging. Just have to show you some of the great tools I got for Christmas. The biggest and best is my new camera. It's a Nikon D5000 and has 12 megapixels! I've been working on the thick manual and I hope to be taking jewelry pictures very soon. My other two favorites are a micro torch and a Fretz embossing hammer. I hope to put these to good use in 2010.

It's Almost Time for the Big Day

2009-12-22T10:26:00.000-05:00

Am I the only one away from blogland recently? I've been bad, really bad. I hope you gals will forgive my absence. I think you all understand and are going through exactly the same thing. So much to do in so little time. I finally finished up my jewelry projects for gifts. I can't show you anything yet. You never know who might be watching.

Oh, and I need to show you a picture of Lauren's Narnia bracelet.

This is how she will receive it on Christmas but it is far from finished. I decided it would be a nice adventure for me to have the bracelet along with the charms purchased and then we could work together to finish the piece in whichever way she chooses. We need some color so I might suggest some gemstones in Narnian colors. The charms are big so it will be interesting to see how it fits on her small wrist.

Along with the Christmas hustle and bustle, we are planning a trip to the in-laws. They live in Nashville so I'm hoping I'll get a chance to meet my blogging buddy Judy from Judith B Designs. This girl is a hoot! I just hope things work out during this busy time where we can hang out for "girl time".

Well, that's it for me. I want to wish everyone a wonderful, family filled, stress-free Christmas! I'll leave you girls with a picture of our roads with the snow and Lauren with her miniature sized snowman.

Hope For Etsians!

2009-12-17T12:12:00.000-05:00

There's hope for us Etsy ladies out there! Check out this article in the New York Times.

I'm So Crafty

2009-12-16T15:38:00.000-05:00

Here's a few chuckles for today!

Frenchie Friendliness

2009-12-16T10:41:00.000-05:00

I was treated to such a nice surprise recently. A package from my friend Esther in France! For those of you who don't know Esther let me tell you a little bit about her. To start, she's amazing in every craft she tries! Yes, I really mean this. She really has incredible talent that shines through in everything she touches. If you don't believe me just take a look at her blog Mes illusions baroques. Secondly, her sincerity will really surprise you. Her heart is huge and she is always giving encouragement to others and even the occasional gift. ;) And last but not least, not only is she beautiful inside, she is stunning on the outside as well. I've seen pictures of her with her jewelry and it definitely shouts French beauty.

Here is the lovely gift that she created.

What wonderful sparkle these earrings have and I love blue! How did she know? My daughter was amazed by the gift just as I was and suggested using the card Esther created as a book mark so I can think of her every time I use it. What a wonderful idea! The card is beautiful with its vintage angel having red glitter on her lips and crown. So sweet!

Thanks so much, Esther! I'm so happy to have friends like you and all my other blogging buddies!

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree

2009-12-15T13:01:00.001-05:00

Wow, where is the time going? It was just Halloween, right? This time of year really passes by in a blur. It's a shame we can't extend it through January and February when there's nothing to do and the weather is so miserable. I promise I'll have another jewelry exchange in those nasty winter months to keep us all entertained.

And it's typical of me to wait until the last minute to order all my supplies for family gifts. I'm doing more simplistic pieces for everyone with the same theme. I don't want to give too much away in case they are reading this. I can't wait to show you girls the finished product after the holidays. How are your gifts coming along? Are any of you creating gifts this year?

I've also been doing a lot of thinking about changing my style or look of the the pieces I sell. After the first of the year I would like to go with a more simplistic modern look and may be a lot more in silver. I will still be using copper quite often but mostly for the pieces I make for myself or family. I still love copper and it won't be taken out completely. This will give me the flexibility to hopefully make some creative pieces without worrying about the cost of time involved and what it might take to sell a piece. I guess copper would turn into my hobby metal and silver would be for resale. We'll see how it goes!

I finally took a picture of the tree. We went overboard with the tree decorations this year. We even have a boxer ornament. My fur babies did their best to stay still while I snapped a few shots. Nothing like a nice bone to intice them to sit in front of the tree for me.

And we made Christmas cookies last week. I was on sugar overload that day with all the icing and sprinkles. We stuck a few in the freezer to stay fresh for Santa. Hope he likes them.

Lauren looks half asleep in this picture. She's probably coming down from a big sugar high while she stuffs more goodies into her mouth.

I wish you girls the best on your Christmas shopping. Hopefully none of you will get too stressed out. It is a crazy time of year. :)

Check Out This Wire Work

2009-12-10T09:32:00.000-05:00

I was looking through my usual blogs this morning and happened upon Joslin Jewels post. I've never been a fan of pyrite. For some reason it has always looked cheap to me like it's trying to be gold or something ;) . I was blown away when I saw her earrings made with pyrite and black spinel. What an amazing combination!

This girl knows how to do such creative wire work. And that's not all! Take a look at this.

I can't even begin to guess how in the world she made this or even came up with the idea that she could. Bravo! And the colors are so perfect for paisley, right? Keep up the great work, Joslin! We can't wait to see what else you come up with.

Blown Away By Charms

2009-12-09T11:11:00.000-05:00

As you may know, several of us blogging buddies are part of a charm exchange group. The most recent one I participated in was for the Words, Words, Words swap and look at the beauties I received in the mail.

Did Christmas come early? Santa thought I needed a little "pick me up" and he sure did deliver with this package. So much great talent here! It's hard to choose a favorite. And Erin from Tesori Trovati s really "knocked this one out of the park" with her packaging. Way to go girl! Most of the charms are too large for a charm bracelet so maybe I can think of a creative way to incorporate them into an eclectic necklace of sorts. Hm, I'll have to ponder on that for a while.

And I just have to show you a recent Etsy purchase. These are from Black Dog Studio and just look at these cute pictures and sayings.

I asked them to make the one in the left hand corner especially for my sister. This is one of her favorite sayings. Please pardon the bad language. The rest are for in-laws, music teacher, and my mom which we like to tease and call her the cat lady even though she only has 2 cats. These will probably be used as tags on the outside of the gifts and they can use them on a keychain or necklace if they like.

Happy Wednesday to you!

Pity Party Train has left town

2009-12-08T14:45:00.000-05:00

Hey gals! No negativity and self pity today. I'm dusting myself off and getting down to business. You girls have set me straight and I thank you for it. Seriously though, I appreciate all of your kind words and advice. I'm so glad we can all help each other out when it's needed. You girls ROCK!

Did you know there is only 16 days left until Christmas? I hope you're on track with your gift buying and merriment. I've seen lots of beautiful trees on everyone's blogs and such creative decorations. Does anyone celebrate Chanukkah or Kwanzaa? Let's see those decorations too. We've got our tree and decorations up so I'll try to take a picture soon.

And speaking of Christmas, I finally saw the animated "Christmas Carol" in 3D. I really enjoyed it although it is a very dark movie. The story was the same as the original but this one was quite spooky. The little kid sitting behind me in the theater kept saying, "Daddy, this is scary." A bit different for a Christmas movie but the message was there. And the 3D effects were great. I felt like the snow was actually coming down on my head.

I'll wrap this up with what I've been working on. Here goes!

Oh yes, if you are a Sharilyn Miller fan then you recognize this bracelet. Which, by the way, she has a new book out that Mary Jane and I are totally stoked about. Although I could never do wirework like the Queen (she is the best), this bracelet is just for me and serves as more wirework practice. I wanted something lightweight (used 16 gauge rather than 14) with that beautiful copper glow to it. This definitely fits my personality and we all need to give ourselves something every now and then, right?

Trying to get creative with the use of copper with lampwork beads. This is Norma Brink's lampwork once again and the details are amazing. I didn't have any copper headpins so I made my own with a little swirl at the end. Oh, and look at the light bulb clasp. I learned how to make that from Miss Cindy at Sweet Bead Studios. The tutorial was in the recent Easy Wire magazine. Thanks, Cindy!

More Norma Brink lampwork with sterling silver beads and wire this time. I didn't oxidize this piece. I like the bright silver with these colors. I tried to bring out the purple and greens in the lampwork with all the Swarovski. I hope I didn't over do it.

And last but not least is a sweet little pair of lampwork and sterling silver swirly earrings. Do you recognize these beads? These are from the wonderful Miss Sue from Sue Beads. Love the tiny silver specks trailing around each bead. Oh, and I do believe Sue is having another sale. She's had a different sale like every couple of days. If you need lampwork check her out.

Bah, Humbug!

2009-12-07T10:38:00.000-05:00

Let's face it, we've all had those days when you just don't want to be bothered and you are completely annoyed at everything. I realized this morning while driving my kid to school that I must be having one of those days. I guess it's a sign when you see kids in the hallway and you just want to ask them, "What are you looking at?" and when you are complaining that your kid closed the car door too hard when you did it exactly the same way. Or when you get annoyed with the lady who is in a hurry in the car behind you and you purposely decide to go as slow as you can so she can have an awful day too. I promise, I'm not a horrible person and I usually don't act like scrooge but I'm entitled to one day every now and then, right?

On a happier note, my trip to the Pittsburgh Glass Center was a blast. Several artists set up booths to sell their glass art. We also watched a group make a huge glass Christmas stocking that took about 2 1/2 hours to create with the help of five people. These guys reminded me of a doctor doing surgery. They all seemed to work so well together and could anticipate each other's next move. Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of the completed piece since they only held it up for like 15 seconds and I didn't have my camera ready and they said it would take about 14 hours for it to cool enough to show. Darn!

The only bad experience in the whole trip was when I was leaving. I was meeting a group there but I also decided to take Lauren along. Well, it wasn't in the best area of town. And as you might expect, someone came up and asked us for money as we were leaving. As adults I think most of us are familiar with this and even though it is an uncomfortable situation we learn to deal with it. For Lauren this was the first time. Even though the man didn't seem to mean us any harm, it was dark and I think she could sense that I was a little on edge. On the drive home I didn't notice right away how quiet she was being because I was focusing on driving in the craziness of downtown. Once I got on the highway I looked in the back seat to find her with this horrible look of fear on her face. When I asked her if she was ok she busted out crying. Poor thing!

I have some new items to list soon but I still need to take photos. I feel like I've really been dragging my feet lately. I'm having a tough time selling although I've tried different ideas to bring in more sales. If anyone has constructive critism they could offer me I would love the advice. Don't worry, I don't get my feelings hurt that easily and I'm very open to suggestions. You gals have been down this road and you know what works.

I also need advice on another subject. I'm asking for tools and books for Christmas and I'd like to know what tools you use the most and why. I am definitely interested in metal/wire working tools but I don't know which ones I would get the most use out of and which ones are really worth the money. I love your suggestions! :)

Ok, I'll do my best to change my attitude today. Maybe a little piece of chocolate will help. Or maybe a whole box of chocolate. ;) I hope you enjoy the day!

Pretty Cool!

2009-12-04T13:47:00.002-05:00

What a Lovely Friday!

2009-12-04T13:36:00.000-05:00

What a beautiful Friday! The clouds look like cotton candy and the sun is shining bright. I might grab my sneakers and head to the park. I've really been MIA on the blogging scene lately. I hope you girls forgive me. I just finished up a project for my aunt-in-law. Simple silver necklaces with a few birthstones for Christmas gifts she's giving away. I hope they are well recieived. My favorite is the Sacred Heart with the citrine stones. After I oxidized and polished the piece it really came to life. I love the halo around the head.

I'll be taking a trip to the Pittsburgh Glass Center tonight for the Hot Jam. This is a free event where you can watch the master glass artists at work. I've thought of taking classes there so this might be what finally pushes me to go ahead with it. Sue from Sue Beads and I were talking over lunch a few weeks ago and she said this is where she learned how to make her stunning glass beads. Her little gems are so gorgeous and I think she's running a sale right now. I'll show off some earrings I made with her beads a little later. Here's the link to her Etsy shop.

We hope to make the Christmas Carol movie this weekend. We went to the theater last weekend and they were sold out. What a bummer!

Ok, that's it for me. Enjoy yourselves and put up those holiday decorations if you haven't already! Oh, and I'd love to see pictures of everyone's decorations to get us in the festive mood. :)

Star Wars in Concert

2009-12-01T11:06:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to share with you a clip and picture from our trip to "Star Wars in Concert". This featured clips from all the Star Wars movies with an orchestra playing all of the background music. I thought this would be a nice treat for Lauren since she is in the school orchestra playing the cello. Please excuse the quality of the video. This was made with my little snap and shoot camera.

The Thanksgiving feast was great except for one major problem. I ruined the turkey. Yes, ruined! It was way over cooked (so I thought) and dry. And when we finished dinner I started cutting up the turkey to find out that the whole bottom portion was still not done. Ugh! I told the hubby he can cook the turkey next year.

I hope my blogging buddies will forgive my absence the past week. With the holiday and deadlines to meet for projects, I just haven't had the time. I hope to get caught up today.

Big Cyber Monday Sale!

2009-11-30T03:01:00.000-05:00

I have several items in the Bei Mondi shop marked 20% off for Cyber Monday. That's a sweet discount to grab a unique handcrafted item for the holidays. Here's a peek of a few items up for grabs.

My Etsy shop is on vacation today and these items can only be purchased through the Bei Mondi shop. And there is free shipping on all items!

Bunny Commerical!

2009-11-28T13:10:00.000-05:00

Watch this video if you love bunnies!

Words, Words, Words and Cyber Monday Sale!

2009-11-28T10:33:00.000-05:00

I'm going through blogging withdrawals. I need to blog but I have another busy day planned. First, painting pottery. Miss Lauren will be painting a Christmas present for me with my husband's help and vice versa. Then we're off to see "The Christmas Carol" in 3D. I'm so excited about this movie. I'm a sucker for Christmas flicks.

I thought I'd show you gals what I've been working on lately. I'm sure you've heard me and others talk about the Charmsters group. We all make charms for a specific theme and swap them. It's always such a surprise to see what will be in your package when it arrives. So the swap I am currently working on is called "Words, words, words!" And here's my charms.

These charms were first metal etched and then I used a torch to add some color. I used some oil on them before the torch and it made a tie dye effect. They are a bit hard to capture in the photo if the light is not just right. I then had my assistant (Lauren) cut out newspaper that we folded into envelope shapes (gotta keep with that word theme). I like the way each one is unique and they all have an old look to them. Hope the group likes them!

I also wanted to tell everyone that I'll be having a big Cyber Monday Sale! I'm taking 20% off half the items in the Bei Mondi shop. There will be lots of goodies to choose from and if there is something you've had your eye on please let me know so I can make sure to add it to the list.

I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving and a killer Black Friday! Enjoy your weekend!

TGI...T???

2009-11-24T10:20:00.000-05:00

I almost wrote TGIF! It really feels like Friday. This is Lauren's last day of school until after the holiday so it is her Friday. I hope to do some girl things tomorrow and the Monday after Thanksgiving to take advantage of the extra days she has off. We might go paint pottery again or maybe Monster Golf or try something new for a change. Money is tight so even watching a movie at home while playing games sounds good.

Anyone traveling for the holidays? I wish you safe travels if you are. I miss my family so much but, unfortunately, traveling is not on the agenda for us on Thanksgiving. Instead, we'll be making the usual feast for only three. The hubby has turned into a real foodie recently. He can't get enough of Food Network so he's decided to put a spin on all my old favorites for the holiday. At first I was a little annoyed, this is my day to shine, right? But if he shows an interest in it and is willing to help out, then why not? "Sure, I'll go along with pancetta in my stuffing. Whatever you want, honey. Just don't burn the house down." I told him the turkey was off limits though. I gotta draw the line some where.

Well, I feel quite guilty. Here's the deal. I signed up for this craft exchange quite a while back and I still haven't blogged about it. I guess other things have gotten in the way but there's really no excuses. I received two amazing gifts that I can't believe I haven't blogged about before now. The first one is from Bonnie Fisher from Explorations of Color. This is a mixed media piece that is simply brilliant. I've never seen mixed media up close before, I've only seen pictures on the internet. I know, how lame am I? This piece is so beautiful! I don't know how good my picture taking skills are to see the fine details so I'll tell you a little bit of what I see. The lady pops out a bit, she's actually kinda floating above the piece and her dress has been painted yellow. And there is very faint type beyond the painted background that I can't quite make out. The lines at the bottom of the page are actually sewn on! How cool, she sewed on cardboard. Oh, I just can't say enough about her artwork. I've never dabbled in mixed media before but she has me intrigued for sure. If you have the time please send some blog love her way. Thanks, Bonnie!

And the other art I recieved were these sweet little apple earrings. These were made by Lynette from Every Day Jewelry. They are simply darling apples made of clay!!! How did she make these? While looking at her blog I noticed she has an Etsy shop where she sells these. Check it out! These would be perfect to make a pair of earrings out of for a teacher's gift. Thanks, Lynette!

Here is my art exchange gift that I made for Diana Frey. I wanted to make her a unique little flip book on Pittsburgh. Sometimes ideas work out better in our head them the real deal! It ended up looking rather childish but I decided that I would send it anyway but include another gift as well. So, I added in these earrings I made with some metal etched pieces, freshwater pearls, and Swarovski crystals. If you follow Diana's blog you'd know that she has great style and a real flair for decorating. I was very nervous about sending this to her.

Ok, I am off to finish up some metal etching. Enjoy your ~~Friday~~ Tuesday! ;)

Vintage Sheet Music Necklace Tutorial

2009-11-23T00:30:00.005-05:00

I entered into the Totally Tutorials Exchange Program recently. For those of you not familiar with the program, here's how it works. A supply seller sends items to a recipient willing to write a tutorial using the items. This offers free exposure for the supplier showing techniques on using their product. And the individual writing the tutorial gets free stuff! I decided to try out this program for my friends at Tanith's Odds and Ends.

First off I want to say that you really need to check out their Etsy shop. They have some really unique stuff like sheet music and dictionary pages from the 1930's that would be great for mixed media projects. My favorites are the paper beads and the felt wool beads. I'll be showing off some of their sheet music paper beads in this tutorial. So here goes!

Here's the materials.

23 - 5 inch sections of copper wire
3 - paper music note beads (from Tanith's Odds and Ends)
19 - black czech beads in various sizes
1 - large black czech bead for focal
1 - Copper clasp

I used copper wire that was oxidized in liver of sulfur. These were cut into 5 inch sections prior to dipping. You can use any type of metal but if you decide you'd like a patina on your metal you must oxidize the metal prior to making the necklace.

To create a wrapped loop first start by placing the bead in the center of the wire. Then make a right angle right above where the bead is sitting.

Slide the bead off and then bend the wire over the pliers to create a loop.

Finish by overlapping the wire to close the loop.

Next, grab the loop end with a pair of flat nose pliers with your left hand. With another set of pliers in your right hand, grab the tail of the wire.

Wrap the tail end of the wire around the straight portion of the wire several times. You can have these wraps tight and straight or go for a crazy look like I've done.

Now add your first paper bead and create another wrapped wire loop on the opposite end.

Connect another piece of wire to one of the wrapped ends of your bead creating another loop at the end of this wire. Add another paper bead. Repeat until you have three paper beads connected together.

Now start connecting the black beads in the same way by creating wrapped loops. I added five beads on one side and two on the other.

Next, create a large wrapped loop on the end for your focal bead. Add your focal bead and twist your wire to make a spiral holding the bead in place.

Create the other side of the necklace by wire wrapping eleven more black beads together.

Add a clasp to the end of your piece.

Here is your end piece.

Now you can use steel wool to polish up the wire and remove any tool marks. This will create light and dark areas to your copper adding depth to the metal. Voila, you're done!

Beady Goodness for Winners!

2009-11-20T16:46:00.000-05:00

Beady Goodness for the winners of the Thanksgiving Treasures Game Giveaway! These will go into the mail shortly.

Each kit will be different but all include a ceramic art bead or button, various gemstones, buttons, seedbeads, and czech glass. Congrats again to the winners! Have a great weekend!

Day Five of Artist Showcase

2009-11-20T08:56:00.000-05:00

TGIF! Hooray! I think we'll be hitting the Arts and Crafts Show this weekend in Monroeville. I'm hoping it will be better than that horrible food show. Yuck! I also need to go buy a turkey. Did you guys know Thanksgiving is only in 5 days? Yikes. I don't even think that's long enough for a turkey to defrost to cook it. We aren't having any family over for Thanksgiving so it will just be the three of us but I still make tons of food. Why? I guess to keep my little family happy. :) Anyone traveling during the holidays?

Ok, so it's the last day of the Thanksgiving Treasures Earring Exchange. How sad!

Julie is a farmgirl with a vintage touch! My favorite creation of hers is the cuff bracelets and she even has one in her shop that says "farmgirl" on it. How cute! "Julie, I will take your Vitamin C advice. It is a crazy time of the year." Please check out her blog when you have the time at Prairie Thistle.

"Shelby requested red, copper, short, and not too heavy.... I love working with all of these! I made the earrings by cutting out tiny leaf shapes out of copper to keep the weight light, then hammered them for texture. I added a faceted red coral bead that looked like a berry and a small rice pearl to join the metal with the faceted coral bead, it seemed like the perfect transition piece. I then connected the copper, pearl, and coral combination to sterling silver leverback earrings that are lightweight and comfortable to wear all day... I opted for simple, lightweight and comfortable. A little earthy, with just a bit of red sparkle for the upcoming Holiday Season, enjoy Shelby!"

And last in the exchange is ME from the Bei Mondi blog! I made earrings for Erin Prais-Hintz. That was tough since this girl has been in like every beading magazine there is with amazing designs. She asked for mixed metals and she likes the color plum. I think I nailed both of those. But those of us who follow her blog know that her husband is the "Bee Whisperer". So, I had to include a bee sitting on a hammered flower. Hope you like them, Erin!

It's so sad. The exchange is over. I will try to have another exchange in Febuary for bracelets. If you are interested just let me know. I might have only 20 people in this exchange so I can keep up with all the pictures and descriptions. Be looking for more info on that at the first of the year.

I hope to show off my tutorial in the next day of so for anyone who is interested. It was a pain but it's done. Now, go out and have some fun this weekend!

Bringing Back Memories

2009-11-19T13:33:00.000-05:00

One year for Christmas my sister and I got a 45. For those of you that are younger than I am, that's a record. I was probably only nine or ten. Even though most people were using tape players at that time, our family had a record player that worked so there wasn't much need in buying anything new. So my sister and I got this record of Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson. Fourty-fives only hold two songs. I think one song was "The Man" and the other was "Say Say Say". We played the heck out of that record! Back then there wasn't much to choose from and this was probably the best record we had. Well, I must have heard "Say Say Say" recently because it's stuck in my head (along with "Santa Baby" for some strange reason). And everytime I hear it the memories of being a kid during Christmas time follow. Isn't Christmas great when you're a kid? The whole month of December is a delight from the decorations to the presents. Oh, and the tree! How wonderful with all those lights. I remember I use to just sit next to the tree and I'd be in awe of it's size and beauty. And the smell! We always had a live tree and that pine smell takes me back. So, I've decided to share the song with all of you. It's a great video too that kinda tells a story. Enjoy!

Day Four of Artist Showcase

2009-11-19T09:46:00.000-05:00

I am in a funk. It could be the glorious weather today (it's raining). Plus, I need to do a tutorial that's due in a few days that I've been putting off. I've never done one before and I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed by it. Ugh!

Anyway, I just wanted to remind everyone that today is the beginning of sign ups for BeadFest Wire in King of Prussia. I'd love to meet you there if you are going. I'll be taking "Wild Woman Bangles" by Debora Mauser #2153 and I'd love friends to go shopping with.

Let's get going with day four of my blogging buddies creations.

The first artist today is Renate of Stregata and she lives in Germany. I always enjoying look at her flea market finds. They are so interesting. Totally different than what you'd find in the US. She even found a hedgehog once in her yard. So now whenever I think of her I think, "Hedgehog Whisperer". Sorry, Renate. I hope you don't take offense to that. For those of you living in the US, I'm sure you remember the movie "The Horse Whisperer".

"I have had a fascination with jewelry for a very long time – I love to look at vintage and ancient pieces at the museum. In my metal work, I prefer a somewhat imperfect look; a little rustic or primitive perhaps. Currently, I am having a love affair with copper. Beads of all kinds are another passion, be it glass or gemstone.

For the exchange, I chose to combine etched bronze sheet - shaped into cones, with copper and beads of faceted turquoise (these have been colour enhanced) and matte teal glass beads. I love the archaic feel of these and the teal combined with the patinated copper/bronze. Hopefully, my exchange partner, Jeanette, will also love them."

Up next is Lisa from Lucid Moon. Lisa is getting married very soon or maybe she already did. Can't remember! So wish this newlywed your best.

Veronique wrote that she likes long earrings, prefers copper, earth tones and has sensitive ears. I used niobium earwires which are hypo-allergenic and also a copper tone. Then I used oxidized copper wire to wire wrap vintage pearl buttons of my late grandmother's, copper washers that I etched with a floral pattern, mossy agate teardrops and Swarovski crystals. I made them pretty long since she said she liked long earrings, but I was afraid they might be too long. However, Veronique said they are not, and she likes the length. I also included some fun extra goodies for her to possibly use in future jewelry designs. I noticed that she seems to like vintage things, and mixed media components, so I kept that in mind when choosing some
extras to send to her.

Cindy Wimmer from Sweet Bead Studio is next. Cindy is one of the first artists I started blogging with. She has a very big heart and mad wire working skills!

"I wanted to create something to celebrate the season, so I chose autumn colors. I knew Esther liked crystal with the AB finish so I chose a large, 8mm Swarovski crystal AB for the center. I hammered the sterling silver wire a bit to create a frame with a coiled top section. I made my own earwires...and I had to make a few before I was happy that the two matched up well enough! I had fun coiling the wire and stretching out the coils as I went, adding a few Swarovski crystals here and there for a random look. I oxidized the earrings as we all know Esther loves a good patina! Then I polished the earrings and was all finished!"

Last on the list today is Erin Prais-Hintz of Tesori Trovati. Erin has very inspirational chats with her bloggers about the daily grind of life on her blog with fun photos.

"When I got the word about LeAnn Weih of Summer's Studio as my secret earring match I was so very nervous. She makes the most gorgeous components! I am not sure how I could compare. But I knew i wanted to make her something that could be dressed up or down. Her color choices were blues and green, especially with brown and that made it easy! She wanted longer earrings. So I used some antique copper chain and picked out some lovely peacock blue-green faceted pearls (I love the way the facets make them so translucent, like little stained glass windows). I also used my favorite Montana sapphire tabac bicone crystals on some longer kidney shaped ear wires. This was a really fun treat to participate in, and I thank Leslie for connecting all of us!"

We should be finishing up probably tomorrow with the rest of the artists. And if the sun is shining where you're at could you please send some my way. :(

Pins Make Me Happy

2009-11-19T00:34:00.001-05:00

Oh yeah, the crazy pin lady is at it again! They are just so easy and each one has it's own unique style. They don't have to be a certain length like bracelets and you can add as much or as little as you please. And use just about anything to pin them on. It doesn't have to be a scarf. At least no one knows you used curtains or a blanket in photos. :)

So yes, here is more. I do have to say that the last set I made sold quick so hopefully I will have the same luck with some of these. Except for the music notes of course, those I made just for fun.

Day Three of Artist Showcase

2009-11-18T09:34:00.000-05:00

We're on to day three of the artists in the Thanksgiving Treasures earring exchange.

The first artist today is Sharon Palac of Sharon's Jewelry Garden. Talented artist in wire and also beautiful clay creations. Sharon made these gorgeous earrings and a necklace to match for Barbara Lewis. The colors and swirls are intoxicating! Here's what she had to say about her creation.

"I know she likes rustic, so that's what I aimed for. I made the beads from polymer clay and oxidized the copper."

Our next artist lives in France making her intriguing pieces. Her name is Véronique of Narrative Jewelry. My favorite are her metal etchings which you will see in her creation for Lorelei. I just love the French script on these.

"I had been very proud to create something for Loreleï, but it put some pressure on me too. I decided after a lots of hesitations to make something with etched copper, as i read in one of her post that she would like to try it. As she asked for teal, i just put little beads of turquoise, all wrapped in oxydized copper wire. Except the beads, all is handmade."

Next up is Judy from Judith B Designs. And guess who she made her lovely earrings for? Me! And I have to say they are my favorite. They go with everything and are perfect for my style. Thanks, Judy! Here's what she had to say about her creation.

"I was so thrilled when I saw your name as the one to receive my earrings...I felt like I was making them for a friend and not a stranger. The beads are Picasso glass beads, I just love the colors of them and bought them especially for you. I found the beads in a little bead shop in Nashville ( I have since ordered some similar ones from ArtBeads.com)"

And the final artist today is Lorelei from Lorelei's Blog: Inside the Studio. I remember when I first started beading and looking in all the various beading magazines. I kept seeing the same name over and over. It was Lorelei's name. Who was this Lorelei? I started following her blog and found out why she's in all those magazines. Amazing artist with a big heart!

"I drew Sharon Palac's name in the earring exchange. Sharon asked for silver, longish earrings in a teal and brown color combination. I used some lovely ceramic glazed beads in a sage blue green and brown finish. I knew Sharon would like them. I hammered some little fine silver swirls and dangled them below each of the lentil beads and attached a wire wrapped faceted silvery glass bead to add a little bling. The earring wires are silver. I had such a fun time going through Sharon's blog and trying to figure out what she might like, so I could move in a certain direction. Sharon has bought jewelry from me before and I tried to play off her previous purchases too."

I hope you've enjoyed reading about the artist's inspiration for their pieces. Please stop back tomorrow for even more!