Sue Beads

We're in Hilton Head - no photos yet. Maybe tomorrow! Friends stopping by tonight, then Kurama japanese steakhouse!

I got some new Thompson Enamel colors today so after I made beads, cleaned up, made dinner (ok, ordered pizza!) and whatever else I did, I went downstairs to try them out. I'm going to Hilton Head for a week so I will have torch withdrawal, so I just had to try them! Here they are, very earthy!

I just listed some more enamel head pins in the SueBeads etsy store !

Just heard on the news, for the first time in over 30 years, more peopled moved TO Pittsburgh than OUT OF Pittsburgh last year! How about THAT???

This one was sort of an experiment. I remember Melissa Lee made a pendant with a chinese fortune cookie fortune, with glass and she soldered it together, I believe. Or she made a silver pendant and inserted it, can't quite remember the details. But ever since then, I've been saving my really good fortunes. I decided to see if they would work in a collage pendant. It worked out ok, but it seems the paper is a bit too thin to go through the heating process. Oh well, a learning experience. I still like it, but think I'll try and come up with something else!

Ok, I finally got some photos taken after I made part of a bead order today! Of course, I neglected my kids all day, but... I will list more later on, after dinner, but for now, check out the SueBeads etsy store for some enamel beads if you want them!

The other day, I was reading Andrew Thornton's blog , and he mentioned that someone made a pendant out of a collage he had made. I remembered I had been the lucky recipient of a collage by Andrew when I purchased an Anne Choi heart from his destash sale. I thought, hmmmm, I made that heart collage for the Art Bead Scene challenge with punched out washi paper, I'm sure Andrew's art would look great in one of the heart pendants. Last night I punched out the heart, and glued and then mod-podged it in place. I wanted to wait overnight, so the glue would dry all the way and produce no bubbles. This morning I glazed it with Amazing Glaze and, tada! A beautiful pendant! I hope Andrew likes it!

Here are the enamel beads I made the other day - now I just have to divide them and photograph them! What do you like in enamel beads - sets, pairs, color coordinated? Thanks everyone for all the nice comments about my daughter and myself! They are much needed and much appreciated! It is hard to be vigilant about her concussion, mostly mentally! While it doesn't seem like a big deal from the outside, I know this can affect her for the rest of her life! Thank you so much for your concern!

I haven't posted or made beads for a few days now - on Thursday afternoon the trainer at my daughter's school called. She got hit in the head with a softball and they thought she was showing signs of a concussion. They told me to watch her carefully. I thought with her symptoms I should take her to the doc - so on Friday that's what I did and she does have a concussion. Watch her for other signs, but no exercise for a week...she doesn't like that at all!!! But she'll be ok. Today, I think I'll finally get around to some enamel beads and more head pins, and maybe some lampwork beads as well. Depends on how I feel later - I am very tired. I myself am going through a little medical issue (girl stuff) but need to have surgery coming up soon. I'm ok, but it's on my mind a lot and it also makes me pretty tired! Hopefully we'll all be back to normal here in April. I'll post later when I have some enamel beads up!

I have been very patiently waiting for my beads from Barbara Lewis so I can make some more enameled beads and they came today! I'm like a 3 year old waiting for a cookie! Also, I ordered the bunny bead for my daughter's best friend's birthday gift and the sakura flower for me from LeAnn of Summer's Studio! Don't you love getting packages in the mail???? I'm so happy!

I made some enameled head pins last night, and had a great time! I listed a set in my SueBeads etsy store. They were made on 20 gauge copper wire. These ones measure 2 inches. I made some more this morning that measure approx. 2 1/2 inches. These ones would look great paired with ceramic beads, or lampwork! I had no idea what to charge for them, so they are 20 for $4.00 right now. If anyone has a better idea, I am open to suggestions! Or, if you want more, or less, or whatever, let me know what your opinion is! I have thrown them, banged them and squeezed them and the enamel does not break off!

Here's a photo collage (borrowed) from Jen Judd's blog . She used beads I made and sent to her in the bead swap to make these very cool earrings! The first is a set of enameled beads I made (learned from the lovely Barbara Lewis!) and the second pair of earrings was made using beads from a recycled wine bottle!

The engineer is in Germany, in Essen, giving an invited talk. He sent me some photos from Dusseldorf, including this one. I assume it must be on a bank! Dies Marchen Wird Wohl Niemals Wahr. Das Leben Lehrt Sei Klug Und Spar. This fairytale will probably never come true. Life teaches you to be smart and save.

This month's Art Bead Scene challenge is based on Van Gogh's Almond Blossom painting. It's a beautiful painting! I created the necklace below based on that painting. I made some blue swirly beads, and found some vintage german glass flowers. I created the collage heart pendant with washi paper and small glass marbles in blue and silver. The clasp is from Rocki's Supplies on etsy. The branch connector is from Fusion Beads. I like it - I think I may actually wear it, too!

I just listed some more enameled beads in the SueBeads shop. I am having too much fun making these!

Here's some more beads, plus another enamel set. They are fun to make!

I just listed some beads in the SueBeads etsy store , plus I'm going to take some photos and list some enameled beads later! WooHoo! Edited to add: A set of enamel beads is now available in the etsy store!

Joan Tucker, of Off Center Productions , really rocks too! She had a giveaway on her blog and I entered, and I won! That was my lucky/unlucky day, the day I won a cake at Shop 'N Save and the day I fell down the steps and got some deep bruises. This is what she sent me! Wasn't I lucky that day?!?!?!!?

Jen Judd was my matchbox bead swap partner (thanks to Lori Anderson for arranging this little swap), and I have to say, she really rocks! The box she sent me was oh so cute! Flowers everywhere! She sent me a KEY for all the beads she sent - they are amazing and different, just like her! I have to say this girl is an over-achiever! I will be making some enameled beads today, and will be sending her some!

This weekend, I made my way to Reston Virginia (a four hour drive) to take a class, sponsored by Jeanette Blix and Cindy Wimmer, called Bead Enameling with Barbara Lewis. I'm sure most of you are familiar with her work. It was great! The engineer and I had a pleasant drive down, and a dinner at our hotel before we watched a crazy movie, The Long Kiss Goodnight. It's like an old Mr. and Mrs. Smith, with humor! I had my class on Saturday from 10-4 and my arm literally hurts. Here's some photos of what I made. The people in the class were wonderful, I only burned my shirt and my arm once, I met some nice people and some bloggy people. Jeanette and Cindy are planning some more classes and their web site is going to be called ArtBliss - I'll make sure to let you know when they get it up and running!

I just listed some new beads in the SueBeads etsy store - take a look!

Who is going to the class on Saturday in Reston with Barbara Lewis? I am!!! I am bringing some beads to trade if anyone is interested!

The word of the year that I picked (remember Erin's post?) was learning . I bought some wool from The Rainbow Room on etsy, because I want to learn how to make felted beads. I just love these colors. I'm also going to learn how to make some different kinds of beaded beads as well. And I feel bad for whoever had to cancel, but I get to go to Barbara Lewis' (Painting with Fire) enameled bead class on Saturday in Virginia. This is the rat (a.k.a. gerbil) eating a carrot. Even though I think it looks like a chipmunk sometimes it is cute. This is the only snowman my daughter made for me out of all that snow we got, and it was just the other night and the snow is packing down more and more but we still have lots. The snowman collapsed and melted away already! I bought this owl from LeAnn at SummersStudio on etsy. She keeps making these great things, and I keep having to buy them and then hold them and stare at them.

Some days are great, others are not. The other day, my daughter and I were in the grocery store and the bakers were playing a game. Stand on a number; if they pick your number, you win a cake. Guess what? I won! Then, when I got home, I found that I had won a blog giveaway (which I will show you when it arrives)! Wow - I should play the lottery, I thought. BAM - going down the stairs in my socks, I fell - I have huge deep bruises on my arm and my backside! Really hurts. Then I got to participate in an ultrasound, and my son is having some anxiety. Life goes on, the birds keep singing. Thankfully spring is a mere 19 days away! St. Patrick's Day is not very far away, as well. I have some nice green beads in the SueBeads etsy store, and on my web site! Check them out if you like to make themed jewelry!