Sue Beads

Today is the day for the Art Jewelry Elements Component of the Month Reveal!  This month, the lovely and talented Melissa Meman provided us with amazing pendants that she made; we had a choice of pendants, AND whether we wanted them with holes punched already or not.  I chose not, because I wasn't quite sure what I was going to do.  This is the pendant I chose.  When I received it, I knew what I wanted to do and punched the holes myself!  I had some discs already made from Bead Fest, and knew I wanted to make the pendant using those.  I also knew I wanted it to be a long necklace that had dangles as well! I used Indonesian glass beads I already had and "titanium hematite" beads I picked up from Bead Fest to make the dangles. As you'll notice, it's not quite finished!  I did not have any olive green Indonesian glass in my stash, so had to order it!  It's on it's way, hopefully soon, so I can finish the necklace. When I do...

Today I'll show you some things I purchased for myself.  I have a bag somewhere with a few more things, but can't find it at the moment!  The first beads are from Holy and Pure Gemstone.  I've purchased from them in Monroeville Pa (here) before and like their beads.  In this case, I was inspire by Jenny Davies-Reazor and was looking for some stones to go with this focal bead I made. Two Buddha charms from Hands of the Hills.  Really love these!  No idea what I'm going to do with them, but I just had to have them! Something called titanium hematite from a vendor that I can't recall now.  Wish I would have gotten a card from them. So many vendors don't give cards in their bags, nor do they give receipts.  Kind of annoying... I'll probably have another wrap up update tomorrow for you!

Each year at Bead Fest, Diana Ptaszynski hosts a swap; she pairs us up and we bring 5-7 art beads to swap with our partner.  It's a face-to-face event on the Saturday of Bead Fest and always very entertaining and fun!  Diana also asks people to contribute to a giveaway, and many people win pretty things. Here are the beads that my partner, Marsha Neal Minutella gave to me!  Not only is Marsha one of the most generous people I have ever met (she actually brings us all chocolate bars to keep our energy up!), she is crazy busy with children, a master gardener, AND she keeps making these crazy wonderful beads! The ones on the left are her new beads, watercolor styled bead caps.  Can't wait to start using them!  As I mentioned Diana also hosts a little giveaway and I was the lucky winner of this gorgeous pendant and linen cord from Mary Welsh Hubbard!  Mary and her two girls are a hoot and some of the nicest people I have ever met!  Thi...

I'm just going to jump right in and give you the eye candy post now!  These are all beads that I traded with various creative women at Bead Fest - one of the best parts!  Click on the photos to see them bigger! A trio of beads from Jenny Davies-Reazor .  She makes yummy ceramics and I love being her neighbor at Bead Fest!  Gorgeous amulet from Diana Ptaszynski - these are new for her and so popular one even got stolen from her table!   Metal and polymer lovlies from Staci Klinger Smith - can't wait to make something with that owl!  I wanted to get one of her gigantor hearts, but I didn't... Amazing goodies from Mary at White Clover Kiln!   Her ceramics are so colorful they just make me happy looking at them! Finally some fantastic raku from Amy Mealey of Xaz Bead Company .  She just gets the most amazing raku colors and I'm a sucker for hearts!  She is too genergous, as well! I'm so thrilled with all of the beads, I a...

If I had enough time, I'd be listing some of these in etsy - it's just that every single minute is taken by either making beads for Bead Fest, or getting my daughter ready for college!  She moves in on the 19th!  It's so hard to believe.  Anyways, here's a photo of some metallic disc beads I made which will make their preview at Bead Fest - Booth #463 - come see me! Pretty, rustic, oil-slick colors!  Hope you stop by and say hi!

I met Alenka (Pepita Handmade) through an earring swap.  She makes some really great polymer clay creations.  She was having her year blogoversary and asked for participants to create something with a random component she would send. She didn't even know what she sent each participant, so the reveal was a surprise to hear too!  I received this bracelet bar: Now, I had several ideas of what to make for the big reveal!  However, I did not have the right materials to make what was in my head.  And then when I decided to make something with parts I did have, it just didn't turn out the way I wanted.  I made this bracelet, so that I would have something for the reveal: I used three different kinds of antiqued copper chain, and an antiqued copper clasp that mimicked the lines of the bracelet bar. However, this is not what I wanted to make.  I have an idea, and hopefully after Bead Fest I will be able to make what I really wanted to make.  I...

I just wanted to give you another sneak peek at what you'll be seeing in my Bead Fest Philly Booth ((Aug. 23-25 SHOP - I'm in Booth 463)!!!!! I've been making some fritty cabochons, so if you're taking a bead weaving class or participating in Sally Russick's cab challenge, you may want to pick one of these up!  As I only have two cab mandrels, supplies will be limited!