Alice in Beadland Introduction

I met a new beading buddy on Wednesday! 

Her name is Alice and she originally hails from

The Czech Republic. 

She emailed these photos. 

(I enjoy seeing what others create as they are so inspirational)

I asked her permission to show you this lovely jewelry. 

Each one is so very beautiful, filled with such love and

wonderful details. 

You know I adore bead embroidery

so I had to share these with you.

 She has a little girl but sneaks in beading whenever she can. 

(Like me, she usually looks up at the clock and it's 3:00AM...lol)

I love meeting every person who comes into the shop! 

Some people leave a lasting impression upon me.

  Alice is one of those. 

We both are struggling with the same problems....

how do we market our products?....

where does one go to advertise?.....

(Etsy has over one million jewelry ads listed.....)

I have things on ArtFire but have only had two viewers...

now what is that all about?.....

I believe it is an over abundance of talented artists that NEED/MUST get their beautiful pieces sold. 

(We have to sell our pieces so we can buy more beads so we can continue to create our passion.)  When I make a piece I put my heart and soul into making it the very best quality that I can.  When a piece finds a new home I have such mixed emotions.  I miss the piece like a child away from home but then I think about the person who wears the piece and how proud I am that I am giving someone a precious part of myself and a little pleasure to brighten their day.

Does anyone out there have any ideas for us? 

We are more than willing to listen to any suggestions....?????

Look at this one! 

Beautiful colors and lovely artwork.

Who wouldn't be proud to wear this on their wrist?

How can we get our work

"out there"

so that we can continue on? 

Any ideas?

I would LOVE to hear from you,

Blessings to all,

Sharon

I have been VERY busy beading!

FIRST OFF!

I found a bead store going out of business! 
Whooops! 

 Big mistake. 

 I put off going until the last day it was open....

my hubby told me to take my credit card....

BIGGER MISTAKE!

(When hubby okays it and even gives me the credit card, ya' know

I am NOT going to come home empty handed!)

Okay, I know I have gone pink nuts! 

I found this beautiful antique rose metallic galvanized bead. 

 (I can not show or tell you how lovely this bead is.) 

It is SOOOOO Victorian and so ME! 

This necklace is done with a right angle weave with four size 11's/three rows wide and

a tiny size 15 light gold bead in between each bead. 

Pearls just had to be added! 

It just fell together just like it was always "supposed to be made" into something this beautiful.

NEXT

Actually this bracelet was the first thing I made. 

I started with a metal ear ring and added pearls with the size 15 tiny gold bead. 

The "flower" just needed more punch so I began to add leaves from a rosey gold delica. 

You can see the larger veins that I made with tiny gold beads but I actually added veins with several darker shades when I originally made the leaves but they just did not show up as good as I would like.  So I topped it off with the size 15 lighter bead.  I then added pearls and Swarvoski crystals to the center of the bracelet, then added another four rows to complete the base form. 

What do you think?  It is so very comfortable and unique.

NEXT

Again I used the same beautiful pink galvanized beads!  This bracelet is made with a larger  twisted "bugle" bead and accented with the

pink bead on the sides and a peyote in the center. 

Then I began to add a variety of sizes, shapes and colors of pearls and crystals

until I was satisfied with the shape of the "flower" cluster. 

LASTLY!

I told you I had been busy beading!

One more piece to show you.....

For quite a while, I have had this pin bar that wanted my attention.

(I am a jewelry collector of sorts...lol) 

The pin has a lovely tiny china rose in the center. 

From the center bar I hung this gentle cameo.  I did a bead embroidery around the cameo. 

Did you notice that the side with the curtain is a different color and

texture of bead than the right hand side?  

I used a stunning stone like multi colored pink finish bead for the right side and a

soft matte rose on the left where the curtain hangs. 

Now I have a broach to wear or sell that is unique and very pretty/feminine.

(This is the only piece I have made recently that I did not use that galvanized pink. ....)

Well, that is it for now. 

I'm tired so I am headed for bed.

Tomorrow I will try to get a post to you about the Easter Basket Swap that I participated in.

Blessings to all,

Sharon

Beading & Surfing, Beading & collecting new friends!

Valentines Day

is just around the corner so I am busy sharing the love. 

I have been having such a wonderful time finding new and old friends on the HUGE giveaway blogs.

 In between surfing all of the wonderful blogs on

the Magic Carpet Ride http://awhimsicalbohemian.typepad.com/a_whimsical_bohemian/one-world-one-heart.html

I have been beading a little!

(These hearts are NOT part of the giveaway!!!)

I just wanted to share with you what I have been up to besides meeting so many wonderful people on my excursions.  I have added numerous wonderful new blogs to my blog roll,

(afterall that is the purpose of the Magic Carpet Ride) 

I have visited over

858 blogs

 (yes, I have visited each and every single one, so far!)

since January 25th!

  I have even had time to put a few beads together!   

"How", you ask???

Well, I have often said I don't sleep well at night so what better way to spend ones time than getting to know

women/men from around the world. 

 Have you seen some of the great giveaways? 
I personally have received over 300 bloggers stopping by and signing up for my beaded bracelet.  It is so overwhelming and WONDERFUL to have 300 people drop by and leave you a note!  Then to be a "nice girl" I went to their blogs and
thanked them for stopping by. 

Yes, I think I have stopped by every single one of the 300 that took the time to leave a comment. 

I thank each and everyone for your sweet comments on my jewelry, just in case I missed a few. 
It is truly wonderful to meet so many nice people who are talented, creative, and blog their ideas for me to be inspired by!

(Aunties Beads donated most of the beads for this project from

Aunties Beads.com. 

Don't you love that name?  It is a wonderful sight to find every style and type of bead that one would want to use.  They gave me the beads with no strings attached but I wanted to give them the credit for such lovely textures and colors.  I will post more about this delightful store after the big giveaways are completed. In the meantime be sure to stop by the

button on my right hand side bar icon.

  "Thank you, Clint, for your assistance in getting my beautiful beads for me.")

Valentines Hearts!

So what do you think? 

Are the hearts going to say

 "I love You!!!"

to family and friends?

I have never made a beaded embroidery heart before this one. 

So I Googled for a heart template. 

(I sorta got carried away with the size but it

definately catches the eye!)

The larger Valentine is to be hung on a neck piece or a chain which is mainly pinks with touches of a deep burgundy and silver!  It  measures 3inches by 2inches.  It has a large Swarvoski crystal surrounded by a gorgeous pink Swarvoski AB rose colored bicone. 

I love it! 

(I wore it out last night to supper and had numerous

women ask me where I got it.)

The second one is a broach with a pin on the back side and I tried to make it have strong red accents with silver.  It is one and one half inches by one inch.  Again, there is a heart shaped Swarvoski crystal in a ruby red that is surrounded with beautiful red Swarvoski crystals.  The left side has two rows of Czech fire polished beads separated by a tiny silver bead.  One of the things I like about it is the bugle beads that radiate out from the focal bead.  Then I ended it with antique crystals hanging from the bottom.  Each piece is backed with beautiful bright red leather!

Please be sure to stop by the post just before this one to see what I am giving away on Feb. 15th!  I will be using the random number generator to pick the winner. 

Please leave a note on that post to enter my giveaway. 

I would love to have each one win something

but it is just not possible. 

Be sure to see all of the wonderful blogs who are participating.

Blessings to each and everyone of you on this cold, icy, rainy evening in Georgia.  I hope you are staying warm and enjoyed seeing my newest creations.

Sharon

Bead Embroidery

Bead Embroidery

I have had this gorgeous Swarvoski 22mm square stone for several months.  (It is 1/2 of a pair of large earrings I purchased at a local antique store.) 

I had been looking for a way to "show case" its beauty.  

I began to bead around it and embelish the tiny beading around the main stone.

  I then added the round Swarvoski 10mm to the top that just happened to be the same color.  

(This is one of those "do as you go" projects.) 

The colors of the stones are absolutely gorgeous!

As you can see, there are alot of brilliant emerald purples, pinks and

delicious greens in the focal stones. 

(Bead embroidery is my way of relaxing while I am beading.) 

There are unlimited resources of designs and patterns in embroidery. 

The center piece is exactly 3 inches long by 1 and 3/4 inches wide.

I attached a Celini Spiral chain, using the same beads that I used in the center piece.   The total length of the necklace is exactly 20 inches.  I really like the way it turned out. 

Now I just need to find someone who will love it as much as I do!

(I am sorry, I had failed to mention that ArtBeads has supplied me with some of the beads for this project.  They have been very helpful in supplying me with my gorgeous bead collection!)

http://www.artbeads.com/

Beaded Wreath

This was a project that I finished while beading with Tammy over Christmas. 

 I started with an ordinary 2 inch metal ring (a key ring would work).  Because I was just "playing around" I had asked my son to strip some copper wiring that he had in the garage.  (I used the same principal as the sweet birds nests that I had done in the summer.)  I cut the braided wire into four inch lengths and tied them around the ring.  Then I un-twisted the wire and wound it around the end of my needle nose pliers.  I added a bead here and there...not too many...not to sparse. 

Well, this is as far as I got but it turned out pretty neat. 

What do you think? 

It might need a bow or something before next Christmas.  In the mean time, I am hoping that it will develop a patina so that it is not so shiny.  I have the chemical that smells like rotten eggs (liver of sulfur) but I am going to wait to see what happens between now and December. 

I will have to say that it took a long long time to make but it had a theraputic sense about it. 

Maybe I will make one out of rosey pinks, sunshine yellows, and

robins egg blues (to similate flowers) for spring? 

"So many projects so little time."

Georgia Get Together

Yes, girls, I am working on ideas for our

Georgia Bloggers Spring Fling.

(I even got an email from Kelley, in Florida,

who wants to come!!) 

Everyone is welcome, no matter where you live.

I am still needing an idea of how many to expect???

Do you have any ideas for a day of fun and festivities 

to make it a delightful spring day??

Thank you so much for stopping in!  I really do appreciate everyone being so kind and when they leave a comment makes it such a blessing.  It certainly "makes my day"!!!!

Sharon

Now for the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC)

I am a reviewer of products for Artbeads.com. I received the seed beads above free of charge. I have used and reviewed this product and my statements are an honest description. I receive no compensation from Artbeads.com for my endorsement as it pertains to the product above.

Another Creation (or two)

This week has truly been a blessing! After last week, about anything would be appreciated! When I got burned I could not wear a bra or a blouse so had to stick to bathing suit tops (strapless). It was NOT a pretty sight to behold. Because of the painful back I had to keep busy. I started to embroider. (I find this technique so relaxing and therapeutic.) I bought this lovely beveled crystal at an antique store and was just itching to make something with it. I started with the Ravoli in the center and began to build around the beautiful stone. I had a pre-conceived pattern of garnets that were rough cut flat and round. Then I filled in the empty spots with size 11 & size 15 tiny beads. It took me over, (way over) 80 hours to complete the front of the bracelet. I added a mauve ultra suede backing and stitched the two panels together with a bead called a delica. Tonight I FINALLY finished it! Praise the Lord for patience and perseverance. (I heard a quote recently that describes my feelings...."I am SO OVER THAT"!!!) I think it turned out lovely? (I have seen these on Etsy for $250.00-$350.00 and I DO understand why they charge such a high price!)
Next I just wanted to do something easier on my brain. Meslissa figured out the pattern & came over to teach me how to do this herringbone snake design. (I call it a snake because it truly feels like snake skin.) I made mine four beads wider then Melissa's but it was a pleasure to make. It is made with triangle colbalt blue beads and I added clear silver beads for an accent. Then when I got to the center I added Czech glass beads that just "happened" to be the same color. I closed it with a lovely rectangular button.
I wanted to show you how much wider and how much more work there is in the cuff as opposed to the "fun" snake design. This one is so comfortable and will be great with blue jeans or casual wear.
Oh, yes, I wanted to tell you that I sold the Guardian Angel necklace to a lovely lady just down the road from me! I sent it out with a lot of regret but I am so glad that it is going to a good home. She is a lovely Christian lady & will appreciate all of the work involved. (I have told you that I get very attached to my pieces.)
God bless each and everyone of my bloggy friends. I love each one of you. If you have time would you please leave me a comment whether or not you like my newest creations? I bead just to hear from each one of you!
Sharon

Red Cab/sorry but it is SOLD

To everyone who found out that the Cabochon is for sale and commented about it, Thank YOU for your wonderful thoughts! Yes, it is for sale. I think a fair price would be $35.00. It includes a chain/gold in color that is 28 inches long. It can be taken off the chain and put onto a neck ring or a choker chain for a totally different look. If you are interested in it you may email me for further information: saf47@yahoo.com. (Be sure to reference my blog anytime you email me) (My sis just called and she is going to buy it! Sorry to everyone else but family connections have there priority listings)

The question was also asked: "Do I do custom work?" Yes, I will be glad to make any of my jewelry in the colors of your choice. (Of course, depending upon the availability of a certain color range but most every color is available with some research.) I happen to make my creations in colors I like so that if they are not sold I can always use it myself.

Another question: Do I have an Etsy shop? No, I don't, sorry, but I have not learned how to do that yet. I "PLAN" on learning how very quickly but all of this computer work keeps me away from beading...ha ha ha Once my hubby is back to normal I will promise you that I will put Etsy first priority on my list!

(Someday soon, I want to make a slide show and photograph all of my work so that you will be able to get an over all view of each piece. )

As you can tell, I am really attached to Vintage/Victorian styles. That is what I lean toward most often. However, I am not adverse to making other designs that I am not currently using. If you have a picture of something that you really love, I can tell you IF I can reproduce a facsimile of it. I can tell you, up front, approximately what the cost would be and how long it would take to make it.

Again, ladies, thank you for your inquiring about this piece and I will look forward to hearing from you soon.

Bless each one tonight...Sharon