Sue Beads

Yay, I finally got my peanut beads! WhimBeads!

I guess I was feeling purple, because I have some purple beads to offer you in the SueBeads etsy store in a few!

I purchased the book Handcrafted Wire Findings by Denise Peck and Jane Dickerson, and I am so glad I did! I have a big show coming up in October (Delmont Apple N Arts Festival) and hopefully a smaller I Made It Market one at the end of August, and I am having so much fun making ear wires and clasps! Here's a photo of a pile of copper and sterling ear wires I made, waiting for me to get them into the tumbler! Sometimes all you need is time!

A few weeks ago, I picked five people to participate in a challenge I had been wanting to do for a while! I made some enameled flower charms and I wanted to see how people would use them, and also give you some ideas for their use! I made earrings with mine - they were quick and easy and cute and fun! I sent each participant 10 charms in a single color at random. Take a look at what they made with the charms by following their links below!

Courtney Breul
Kim Dworak
Lorelei Eurto
Pam Ferrari
Mary Harding

As you know, I am part of Kristi Roeder's Artisan Clay Design Team (check out her blog to see what everyone else on her design team made this month)! On the last Friday of every month, we reveal our creations made with a component that she sends us! This month, we got to pick from a variety of smoke-fired pendants she made. I chose a brown and ivory donut. I made myself a bail from some brass wire I got from Patina Queen - I'm pretty pleased with myself. I purchased that new book Handcrafted Wire Findings and am really happy I did - I am a visual learner and it's really helped me think out the process of making earring wires and bails and what-have-you! I strung lots and lots of seed beads in neutral colors. I used brass chain from Fusion Beads. I would have added one more strand of small seed beads (like 11mm) in a muted ivory color if I would have had them - I did not. I would have had to run out to JoAnn's or Michael's and I doubt they would have had wh…

This month's Art Bead Scene Challenge is the painting Ophelia by Odilon Redon. These are certainly some unusual, though beautiful, color pairings! I made these chunky disc beads with this painting in mind, and you can find them in my SueBeads etsy store. There's still time to make your entry for the challenge!

Here's what's on my bead table today - and could be on yours! I am listing these in my SueBeads etsy store, and then will be making more of the white round ones for myself! I love them! I was enjoying my white lampwork enamel yesterday!

BluebirdHeaven on etsy.

This is a photo of my sweetie's new doggie, Harper. We picked her up in January and she's a hoot! I used picnik to alter the color and round the edges. I love picnik!

Perfect for bracelets!

SueBeads etsy store!

Check out Andrew's giveaway - it's amazing!

I just listed a bunch of pairs in my SueBeads etsy store, as well as a cool ocean-like focal! I'll be adding more things later today or tomorrow!

This past weekend went so fast! We spent it redoing my wall by the pool. It was falling down in some places. Whenever we had a big rain, it would let a stream of water, mud and mulch into the pool and sometimes it was a right mess! On Sunday we went to Ligonier Country Inn for a great brunch. It was very nice. There's never enough time in the day or weekend to do all the things I want to do! I'm back at making beads for an order and for my show in October. There's still 10% off on my web site (SueBeads.com) until I get it all fixed up!

Brenda, of purdyposie on etsy (AND lives in Pittsburgh), sent me some photos of jewelry she made using some of my lampwork beads! I wanted to share them with you, I think they are great!

I went to call my daughter for dinner on Wednesday night, and when I walked past the dining room, I saw a baby robin on the outside windowsill. It let me get pretty close to get a photo! Then it flapped it's wings and fell off! Pretty funny!

I listed some beads today in the SueBeads etsy store - I had a rotten migraine yesterday so I didn't really get much done! I have that migraine hangover today, but I can at least function. Hopefully more beady things this week!

Lorelei Eurto posted a photo of Joan Miller'sporcelain beads on facebook, and when I saw them, I had to make some in glass. The colors are so pretty. I used reichenbach glass for the pink/tangerine colored ones, and pea green with pink enamel for the other one. On the green one, I used baking soda to get the matte, pitted look, which is pretty cool! Not exactly the same, but an interpretation!

I just listed three of what I consider to be pretty cool focals in the SueBeads etsy store! Check them out!

There are some new beads in the SueBeads etsy shop, and more to come later today. I have to finish up some bead orders from my website (you can get 10% off orders at my website by following the link to the right) and clean my pool! Let me know if you want any of these reserved for you!