BOOK REVIEW! - Easy Beading Vol. 9

 Easy Beading - Vol. 9 

by Kalmbach Publishers

This is a fabulous hard cover book! Of course, I love books and Kalmbach is a really good publisher. So what's not to like!

The book is a compilation of projects from Bead Style magazines; which are never out-of-date! So if you missed an issue or didn't see as many as you wanted - like me - this book is for you! 

I love that Cathy Jakicic, the editor of Bead Style Magazine, organized the book by materials. So if you have a favorite or if you'd like to try something new, you can jump right in! Each chapter is color coded and the color is noted at the bottom of each page! So easy to use! :)

• Gemstones
• Crystals
• Metal & Chain
• Glass, Ceramic, & Pearls
• Mixed Media

 There are so many wonderful projects that it's really hard to pick favorites. Each project is crammed full of Notes, Ideas, Alternate Ideas, Suggestions, and more. There is also a long list of Supplies for each including materials & tools. I love that Shopping Notes are given in many projects to help us find particular products for that project. So whether you are a beginning beader or a more experienced one, the creative ideas will FLOW!

Gemstones - 9 projects in 21 pages

Two of my favorite projects in this section:

"A Beader's Prerogative" is a multi-strand necklace with a very interesting clasp that allows for removing or adding strands for versatility! Lovely!

"All Dressed in White" is a gorgeous necklace that can double as a purse handle! I really have to try this because my phone cover doubles as purse with a chain handle. I'm going to make it a "necklace" instead of the plain chain. How cool is that!!!! AND there are instructions for matching earrings! Twice the BLING!

Crystals - 10 projects in 25 pages

Crystals are the new "diamond" and come in so many shapes these day!

"Palette Play" is a combination of crystals and subtle gemstones in another multi-strand necklace, two bracelets, and two pairs of earrings. They can be worn together as one set or as separate sets. 

"Crystal Lattice Bracelet" is for those of us who like to seed bead. It's has a very delicate appearance. The instructions are easy to follow even for the beginner. Bonus earrings to match!

"A Necklace for a New Year" would be gorgeous made out of gold & crystals or silver & crystals. It is definitely a STATEMENT piece. There are instructions for matching earrings, too!

Mixed Media - 29 projects in 67 pages

My absolute FAVORITE section! There are crystals, lucite, metal, leather, chain, fabric, wire, bezels, and so much more!

"Flared Flower Earrings" are a delicate pairing of crystals and lucite that dangle beautifully!

"Exploring Patterns & Rhythms" brings jewelry to music. WHAT? It's a definite play on metaphors. Three single strands that perfectly harmonize in color & beads which can be worn separately or together. Earrings can be made to match.

"Rhapsody in (Faux) Rivets" stacks metal and glass on bead bars for a stylish necklace & earring set. I would add a bracelet to this set and incorporate buttons. This is one of my favorite projects! 

"Pick a Cherry Blossom Bracelet" embellishes rings by wire wrapping lucite flowers and crystals.  There are instructions for earrings as well. These designs remind me of Spring! Beautiful!

Pearls - 13 projects in 35 pages

Beautiful creations to wear day or night!

"Petals & Pearls" is a bracelet of seed beads around rice pearls. I want to try this with a variety of shape & color combinations. This is a great project for beginners to create something of beauty.

"Ombre Impression" is a triple strand necklace, bracelet, and earring SET! I love sets AND this one is beautiful!

 Metal and Chain - 22 projects in 53 pages

This section features "the imagination" to combine metal, chain, beads, string, wire, shell, crystals, and more. There are so many projects to wet the beading appetite!

 

"Mad for Metals"  is a mixture of metal and chain with a vintage-meets-modern idea in a necklace, bracelet, and earring set. Fabulous!

"String Art" has made a come back! Two ideas for earrings of thread wrapped around wire. Memories of the late 1970's and early 1980's!

"Filigree Leaf Drops" can be made into earrings, pendants, or charms.

"Sport Some Sparkle" creates links made from chain wrapped with flower-shaped margarita crystals. These can be linked together to make unique, personalized sets of jewelry.

Glass and Ceramic - 6 projects in 17 pages

Last but not least is this chapter of combining glass & ceramic to make attractive "statement" pieces!

"Telegraph Your Style" wire wraps pieces of glass combined with pearls and chain. Insulator chards of glass are used which often look like pieces of sea glass. 

"Shades of the Shoreline" strings Venetian glass in a bright palette of blues and greens. This inspired my imagination to think of other lovely color combinations. 

I hope you enjoy this book as much as I have! 

Many thanks to Kalmbach for publishing it!

 

 

I'm A Choosy Chick - Are You?

Rita with Toltec Jewels is definitely a "Jewel"! She sent out Sue Beads wonderful chicklets. Of course during all the traveling this summer & interruptions, I put my chicklet in a SAFE place & LOST it! I bet nobody is familiar with that scenario, are you?!!?

Anyway after days of searching & cleaning & going through piles, I found the cute little bugger; excuse me, CHICKLET; in with a pile of mail, fancy that!

Inadvertently I signed up for three blog hops to post on  the same day. Normally that wouldn't be a problem but we also went out of town on this weekend for business in Houston, TX . So I've been trying to write the posts at the hotel & their internet is SO SLOW. Therefore, I apologize Rita for posting on Sunday instead of Saturday. At midnight last night I just couldn't wait for the internet to work any longer.

Here is part of the collection that intertwines with the Haberdashery Blog Hop. You will have to look at that post to see the whole collection. Yes, I made a whole SET!

Now off to see the other wonderful DESIGNS everyone has created. THANK  YOU  RITA for hosting this wonderful challenge.  Click here to see the other designers!

Haberdashery Blog Hop

This blog hop really excited me when I ran across it! Why? Because it's being hosted by Melissa Trudinger of Bead Recipes from Australia!  In October, my husband & I are going to Australia & New Zealand; first as delegates for a religious convention & then 6 more weeks for our anniversary!  We are so excited!!!!! It will be another trip of a life time! But that is another post NOT THIS ONE!

SO......... Melissa invited us to use fabric, buttons, ribbon, etc... to create something of a HABERDASHERY - haby for short.  Since, I have a habit of collecting, as I think many of us do....., leftover pieces of things, broken jewelry items, odds & ends, buttons, etc... this was going to be a FUN challenge!  She has even created a Pinterest Board.

THANK  YOU  MELISSA  for hosting & the excitingly interesting Pinterest Board! I just love adjectives!

One of my odds & ends is the lovely little CHICKLET from Sue Beads for the Chicklet Design Challenge hosted by Rita of Toltec Jewels

This was the first creation in my design. I started it well over a year ago for something to do with buttons. As you can see it is DIFFERENT! So while I was looking at this focal, ideas began popping for the Chicklet Design Challenge. So the necklace came next that incorporated the two hops together.

 Of course, I love sets! So earrings & a bracelet came next ......

In all the pieces, if you really look, you can see beads of various kinds; african paper, african trading, ceramic, glass, coral, etc...; buttons of all varieties & ages; odds & ends from various broken & found things (I love to recycle or as Rita calls it "Upcycle") Thanks Rita, I love that word!!!!! I even think on my bracelet I have another "found" bead from Sue Beads.

I hope you enjoy my Eclectic wonderings & creations!

Now off to the Haberdashery - want to join me! Click here for the "Hopping List"!

Summer Carnival Blog Hop !

 It's been a busy busy busy ........ summer! Where did the time go?  When Lisa sent me the beads months ago I had all kinds of plans for them. Well you know the adage - Best laid plans of mice and men - that's me this summer. Lots of plans and Lots of interferences!

Beads I had to work with. I think most of these came from Znetshows.com which has a wonderful selection of beads including this sea glass at very reasonable prices.

                                                     I love sets soooo......

I wanted to match an anklet I had made last year to make a complete set. These beads were perfect!

This is the anklet I made last summer for the Summer Elements Blog Hop by Rita with Toltec Jewels.   I wore it when my husband & I went on our first solo couple vacation for our anniversary to Cabo San Lucas. BLAST!!!

Not a great picture. Definitely need a new one. But I'm in Houston, TX & the anklet is in New Braunfels (at home), soooooo.... This will have to do!

Thank you Lisa for putting on this wonderful blog hop! I will be creating more items with the rest of the beads at a later date. I have some fantastic ideas for those lovely blue crystals!

Now I'm off to take a wonderful carnival ride! Join me by clicking here - CARNIVAL RIDE!

The Ocean Blog Hop --- 2nd Reveal!

To kick off the summer, I joined in the Ocean Blog Hop. Lisa Lodge of A Grateful Artist is our wonderful Hostess! Thank you Lisa for hosting!

Here's the beads I received. 

This hop was fun because I love walking on the beach & collecting shells & sea glass, swimming & scuba diving in the ocean.
I've seen so many beautiful beaded items lately that other creative artists have done, I was inspired.

Playing with the beads 

Sewing the "islands" together

Ocean Blog Hop June 14^th Reveal:

Your hostess:  Lisa Lodge, A Grateful Artist

Carolyn Lawson, Carolyn's Creations

Ev Shelby, Raindrop Creations

Toltec  Jewels, Jewel School Friends (Posting Later)

Karla Morgan, Texas Pepper Jams

Ema Kilroy, Ema K Designs

Candida Elkins Castleberry, Spun Sugar Beadworks

Catherine Yvonne King, Catherine's Musings

Melissa Trudinger, Bead Recipes (Posting Sunday)

Shaiha Williams, Shaiha's Ramblings

Chris Eisenberg, Wanderware (Posting Sunday)

Eleanor Burian Moore, The Charmed Life

Kay Thomerson, Kayz Kreationz
Jill Bradley, Chat 2 Jill
Rebecca Ednie, Eclectic Endeavours 

Waxed Linen Jewelry Blog Hop

"What comes around, goes around!" Or is it "What goes around, comes back around!"

Wax Linen was very popular back in the 60's & 70's.

&&&&

It is making a come back! :))))

Thank you  Diana Ptasnyski of Suburban Girl Studio  for putting on this wonderful blog hop! It has been a walk down memory lane for me. I haven't used waxed linen since the early 70's when I took a jewelry making class as a freshman in high school. I even found some of my old waxed linen, clay beads, & jewelry from then!

For this project, though, I used new linen in 4 colors & paper beads from Africa in a macrame bracelet. Added in are a few silver beads left over from several remade projects for my sister-in-law & niece.

I'm off to Blog Hop --- Care to join me!

Diana Ptaszynski - Our Hostess!
Kelsy Vincent
Susan Kennedy
Linda Landig
Kashmira Patel
Jenny Davies-Reazor
Vanessa Gilkes
Sandy Huntress
Kay Thomerson
Sarajo Wentling
Kari Asbury
Rebecca Anderson
Melissa Trudinger
Ann Schroeder
Shai Williams
Blanca Medina
Cheryl Brown
Johana Nunez Rivera
Lori Bowring Michaud
Kelly Morgan
Barbara Bechtel
Kristen Stevens
Heather Boardman
Janet Bocciardi
Kathy Lindemer
Lesley Watt
Susan Kolovson
Jayne Capps
Michelle McCarthy
Cynthia Deis Enter to win a kit from Ornamentea!
Karla Morgan -  You are here!
Erin Siegel
Becky Pancake
Kelly Hosford Patterson
Sharyl McMillian-Nelson
Inge von Roos
Carolyn Lawson
Linda Younkman
Sandi Volpe
Toltec Jewels
Michelle Mach
Jen Cameron
Dorothy Winchell
Darlene Mansue

Yeehaw! Wahoo!

I'm jumping for joy! 

Google put my blogs I follow back! 

Probably they were never totally gone but they weren't there for several days.

But now they are back!!!!!

OH NUTS!!!

Have you ever gone to read your blogs you follow &&&&&& google decides to "update" & deletes all of them!

The only good thing about this is ... I'm blog hopping for the BSPB & so maybe I will be able to find them all again or at least some of them.

What a mess!!! 

WOOHOO!!! BEAD SOUP PARTY BLOG REVEAL !!!!

Many thanks to Lori Anderson of Pretty Things for putting on this fantastic blog hop! 

Kathy Lindemer of Bay Moon Designs is my wonderful partner. She sent me a fabulous montage of beads including jasper, hand dyed silk from Marsha Neal Studio, sead beads, crystals, and two wonderful focals - a Vintaj brass disc she stamped & inked and another called an ancient pathways ceramic from Pajego Art House.

Yay, SUCCESS !!!  Have you ever felt like kissing your computer!!!!  It has only taken me three days to figure out how to get these pictures from Picasa to this blog!!! 

I added a few items from my stash ------

And then the creating began ------ Of course, I like SETS!

 

 Then idea number two popped into my head ------   SET #2

 

Lastly for the moment -------     The beginning of   SET #3 -----

 I've completed the necklace but am still working on completing the bracelet & a pair of earrings.

However, it didn't stop me from wearing the last piece today at our religious meeting. Not only did we enjoy our event but I got so many complements on the necklace! Thank you Kathy for the fabulous & wonderful variety of beads!

In addition, I still have a small bead soup to work with later & another focal for ????!!!!!! time will tell :)))

Now that this is finished, I'm off to check out other creations!!!! Happy hopping ..........

Thanks again Lori for hosting this exciting world wide blog hop!!!!

Click here for list of participants!

THE COLOR OF DREAMS BLOG HOP

The saying goes: "Time seems to fly by when you're having fun!"  Lately it flies whether I'm having fun or not.  Not so long ago; February to be exact - MY HOW TIME FLIES! -  Rita with Toltec Jewels put out an invitation to join in this "dreamy" blog hop. Kindly she mailed all 50 participants a beautiful "jewel" ; an orphan/ooak bead created by artist Patricia Handschuh of The Color of Dreams Boutique.

MY BEAUTIFUL "JEWEL"!

I have so many dreams; past, present, and hopefully future, fulfilled and yet to be fulfilled! However, this bead made me think of a blend of dreams in the present tense. See how the flowers overlap!

Most of us long for the "time" to spend quality time with our spouse, children, and parents. But we are so busy with "Life", our quality time together seems very limited and we "dream" of more time together! 

Recently I retired after 40+ years! I can now spend quality time with my mother, who is now widowed. I see her in the daisy! Then there is the rose which reminds me of my loving husband. We get to spend every day together either making jams, salts, & salsas for a new growing business venture we started as a hobby several years ago, sharing in a variety of volunteer projects, working on our house or yard, or just "resting" and planning trips together. (I know I said I retired, but there's retired and then there's RETIRED!) Lastly, I see my daughter in the the 1/2 rose. Her life is full with her husband but still connected with us. Truly a blend of  "dreams" now realities!

Many "dreams" are attached!

I enameled the "dreams" in a variety of colors to match my "jewel".  I now have time to create jewelry and explore my artistic dreams!

THE FINISHED PRODUCT OF "DREAMS" NOW HERE!

Some dreams "bling" and others are more concrete. Some are bold & bright while others are faint and presently indistinct! 

Whatever your dreams, Keep dreaming! Our dreams help us forge through life's challenges!

I believe if we dream, we can achieve and succeed!

Thank you Rita for hosting this wonderful blog hop and for sending out those lovely little "jewels"!

Thank you Patricia for creating them!

Now I'm off to blog hop and see what others are dreaming! 

Come on, join me:

Honorary Artist: Patricia Handschuh
Patricia's blog:            The Color of Dreams        
Patricias Etsy:             The Color of Dreams
Hostess: TJ                Jewel School Friends
Kay Thomerson           KayzKreationz
Audrey Belanger          Toki No Hourousha
Alicia Marinache          All the Pretty Things
Terry Carter                TappingFlamingo
Lori Schneider             Bead Addict
Jenny Kyrlach             Wonder and Whimsy
Asri Wahyuingsih         Asri's Beadwork
Dini Bruinsma              Angaza by Changes
Karla Morgan              Texas Pepper Jams
Debbie Rasmussen        A Little of This, A Little of That
Veralynne Malone          Designed by Vera
Kathy Stemke               Vintage Memories Jewelry Design
Mowse Doyle               Mowse Made This
Heather Richter             Desert Jewelry Designs
Lori Poppe                   Adventures in Creativity with LorilliJean
Jayne Capps                Mama's Got To Doodle
Andrea Glick                Zenith Jade Creations
Kathleen Breeding         99 Bottles of Beads on the Wall
Becky Pancake             Becky Pancake Bead Designs
Karin Martinez              Fairies Market
Miranda Ackerley          Mirandack
Penny Houghton           Smelly Nelly
Carolyn Lawson           Carolyn's Creations
Chris Eisenberg            Wanderware
Christie Murrow          Charis Designs Jewelry
Monique Urquhart        A Half-Baked Notion
Eve Shelby                  Raindrop Creations Jewelry by Evelyn
Cryss Thain                 Here Bead Dragons
Jasvanti Patel               Jewelry By Jasvanti
Nan Smith                   NanMade Handmade Jewelry
Sue Kennedy               SueBeads
Jean Yates                   Snap Out of It, Jean! There's Beading to be Done!
Debbie Rogers             Debbies Treasures
Marybeth Rich             A Few Words From Within the Pines
Shirley Moore              Beads and Bread
Shaia Williams             Shaiha's Ramblings
Kathy Lindemer           Bay Moon Design
Linda Anderson           From the Bead Board
Judy Turner               Silver Rains
Gloria Allen                Gloria Allen Designs
Regina Wood              Ginas-Design
Robin Reed                Artistry HCBD
Mary Goovars            MLH Jewelry Designs
Marlene Cupo             Amazing Designs
CJ Bauschka              4 His Glory Creations
Robin Showstack        The Crazy Bead Hoarder
Cynthia O'Toole          Sparkles and Sweets
Jael Thorp                 Jael's Art Jewels
Renetha Stanziano      Lamplight Crafts