Where have I been?

Hello, It has been way too long since I have posted.  We started the process of moving late last year and we have successfully done so now, if you don't count the boxes I need to unpack or the art that needs to be hung....OR you get the idea.

I have bowls full of beads that I finally photographed yesterday and I will be posting them as soon as I can. 

Also I have had some lovely designs sent to me by customers, and if you sent me some photos and I have not posted them then please re-send and I will post soon.

Here are some great bracelets made by Susan Dorado with Blue Licorice using some of my cuff pottery beads.  Her shop on Etsy has lots of cute designs.  I appreciate her sharing these photos with me.

Aromatherapy bead used on this design

This image shows the back of the bead where you can add essential oils

I really like the double strand that she has used in this design

This is the Elli bead in copper brown with the whimsy design

Add caption

This one has such an earthy feel to it and it is accented with a cut Karma bead

This design was made by Anna Brasher, it is a unique mix of leather and peals and one of my pendant cross beads.

A sneak peek of some beads I will list soon.  These have a nature theme to them.

Dandelion pendant bead

Great earthy feel of land and water

This one reminds me of the Japanese wave paintings

Introducing Belle

Belle is a new shape in my line of pottery cuff beads.  Why Belle? Much like a Southern Belle, this shape of pottery cuff bead is beautiful, with a flirtatious curve to hug your wrist.  She is also flamboyant in size much like the Southern Belles' hooped skirts and wide brimmed hats.  The bead is approx. 1 inch by 2 and 1/2 inches.  Available in many colors and textures. 

Aqua Fresca

Purple

Blueberry

TuTu Tango

Tamale Red

This design is by MagpieARTicles on Etsy, she used a 3 piece set for the pendant designs below. and added accent beads and antique brass chain.  Send me photos of what you create using my beads and I will post them on an upcoming blog. 

Ready for Fall

The weather finally dropped to the 70's here in Texas, wow Fall is on the way. In the spirit of Fall I have new designs that bring on the feel of the crisp air and the changes of seasons.  I have been having fun enjoying combining glazes to create Fall inspired combinations. Here are some of the new combinations.  I will have all posted in the shop soon.

Caribbean and Copper

Copper Brown and Autumn

Aqua and Tutu Tango

 This Boho inspired set includes a pottery cuff bead and a coordinating pendant bead.  The acorn cuff was made by making a mold of an real acorn from the oak trees in my yard.

A wonderful acorn in this fall design

         And more sets with a pottery cuff focal bead and a pendant bead.

Stormy Blue and Tidal Pool Green

Mocha Mint and Espresso

Black Ice and Bright Tamale Red

 

Mirror Blue and Autumn

 A feel of earth and sky above and just the earth below.

Espresso and Rare Earth Brown

A set of 4 pottery beads in a mix of matte and gloss black and a touch of red

The black and red set is a combination of matte and gloss black and red.  It is almost like a volcanic eruption, and the colors mix is gorgeous and earthy.  This would make a great set with metal or thread woven amongst the holes.  See most blog post below for a sample of this design in a combination of blues and greens.  I have more that I will be adding soon, I hope you enjoy seeing the new designs.  

I also want to share some photos of finished pieces that were sent to me by customers.  I love seeing the kids (my beads) all grown up. LOL ...I hope you enjoy seeing these lovely designs below.

What a great honor

What fun to be in a national magazine.  I am honored to be in the February 2013 Bead Trends Magazine.  Last year I submitted a interchangeable bracelet design using 3 of my beads and 3 cords or chains to have up to 18 different variety's of a bracelet. These are super easy to make just basically adding a few jump rings to the end of one of my curved bracelet beads.  You can use either leather or chain with a lobster claw on each end, then just wrap the cord or chain around your wrist.  The fun part is once you have made the leather cord or chain with lobster claw ends you can mix and match them with my pottery beads and have endless combinations, especially if you layer the cord and chain.

Bead Trends February 2013

Here is a Rodeo cuff, a Elli Bead and a Carmine Bead

The tutorial is in the magazine

 

This is one of the photos I submitted to the magazine.

 

Here is a sample of the rhinestone chain and leather being layered with the rodeo bead. I wear this one all the time and always get lots of smiles and compliments on the bracelet.

 

This is one of my Carmine beads with mixed metal accents, I put a hole in the bead before firing and then I add the accent beads with tiny micro stainless steel screws and secure them with a tiny micro nut.

This is my steampunk cuff that was also in the February 2031 Bead Trends Magazine

Bead Trends also accepted this steampunk design I made for the February 2013 issue.  This fun steampunk cuff was made out of a pair of my kids recycled blue jeans, you can either buckle the bracelet on or zip it on, as I used the existing buttons and added the zipper to it as an accent.  The bead is one of my lavish steampunk beads and I added 2 layers of gears.  The chain is a piece of recycled ball chain. I just got the cuff back from Bead Trends and I am looking forward to wearing it soon with jeans.  The following images are ones that I took and submitted to the magazine, I thought you might find it interesting to see what I took vs how the magazine photographed the piece.

This image shows the layers of gears well and you can see how I linked the ball chain into the gears.

I have had my beads published before but this was the first time I had sent in the designs.  Lucky me as I flipped thru the magazine I came across this great piece by Molly Alexander she made this great necklace and the little blue bird house bead is one that I made.  Thanks Molly for giving me credit.  Molly has been published many times, she is a talented artist.  Molly has a great blog if you want to visit her there.

Design by Molly Alexander, the bird house bead is one of mine.

  

 Another great design was featured in the February 2013 Bead and Button by Beth Moser, I love what Beth does with the tiny beads and beautiful designs.  I just do not do well with such tiny beads, but I admire people that do.  The rings are available in my shop if you want to pick up February's Bead & Button magazine and gives these lovely rings a try.

These beautiful rings are the work of Beth Moser as see in Bead and Button Feb. 2013

Art Washes Away from the Soul the Dust of Everyday Life

Art and being creative have always been a part of me.  It is what feeds my soul, gives me peace, an escape.  I cannot imagine not creating, something....beads, beautiful baked goods, sewing.  My hands and mind moving in harmony together or sitting idle waiting for inspiration or even being given an excuse to ponder to dream or to just wonder.  I am not alone when it comes to art as there are many of you who feel the same.  I made cuff beads with the quote from Picasso; Art Washes Away from the Soul the Dust of Everyday Life.   Cindy Cima Edwards made a fantastic piece using one of my beads and was kind enough to give me credit for my bead.  Cindy's design is featured in the November 2012 Bead Trends Magazine.  There are step by step directions in the magazine.  She really made a great bracelet with warm browns and golden tones. I love how she took a metal cone finding and flattened it for the detail on the side of the cuff bead.  This would make a perfect gift for yourself or a friend. Now go create :)

Cindy Cima Edwards design with my Art Washes Cuff Bead

The November 2012 Issue of Bead Trends

In Copper Brown

In a green tea glaze too

As seen in Bead Trends Magazine

 

 

Once again I am so excited that I have beads in a popular bead magazine.  I love Bead Trends Magazine, it is one of my favorite magazines.  It is so full of beautiful designs, I have a stack of them and always enjoy looking at the photos and being inspired.  The best thing about the magazine is that in the back they list the resources for the pieces featured.  Lucky me... one of my customers Shannon Chomanczuk, had several of her pieces included in the July, 2012 issue.  Two of them featured my pottery beads. Shannon has a great eye for design, and you can see her lovely pieces in her shop For My Sweet Daughter or follow her on her blog . 
This is the beautiful piece Shannon created with my focal bead.  I love the rich colors.  I have this bead in many colors and textures in my Etsy shop, and they are curved to hug your wrist.

She also created this fun necklace with beads and leather, my little copper link was used as part of the clasp.  I adore turquoise, browns and coppers together.  Shannon made a stunning focal Fleur de Lis by etching copper. The fun multi-strand porcelain bar is by Round Rabbit Extra and the glass lampwork bead is by Nollys folly.

The photo above shows some of my copper links that Shannon used in her design.  Congrats and thanks again Shannon for giving me credit for the pottery beads used in your wonderful designs.