A Farewell to Winter

Even though my last fall and winter were very busy with the development of my new permanent studio in the Torpedo Factory Art Center (Alexandria, VA), I couldn't miss this season and not to create another winter piece. I didn't have enough time to design something like Lone Snowflake Necklace:



that made the First place in Ice Queen Challenge held by Bead Mavens, and idea to create a smaller necklace came to me. So, I went to Artbeads.com...


Then I narrowed my search to pendants... Good choice! But I had to go further, and my search for pendant crystals gave me the result I was in need of.


I decided, just two sorts of beads: TOHO 11/0 clear transparent and TOHO 15/0 black. In addition to that, amazing coral-like Coral Crystal pendants by Swarovski I found out on Artbeads.com became a perfect match to "coral brunches" woven using seed beads.



What about focal? I continued my search and discovered on the site a beautiful Flat Baroque Pendant Crystal by Swarovski, that looked like a flower, frozen in ice! Done! I believe you can guess the name of the necklace: Flower, Frozen in Ice.

Disclosure. Being a reviewer of Artbeads.com products and a participant of its blogging program I received Swarovski crystal pendants free of charge. This post reflects my honest opinion; and Artbeads.com is not compensating me for my endorsement as it pertains to the products received and reviewed.

Keep going reading Perlen Poesie!

This month the new issue of Perlen Poesie, Number 8, is out! I love it, what about you? In that issue:


• Bead-Pop-Art. Suzanne Golden: Large beads in bold colors - Suzanne creates pure eye-catchers. Read about this artist and admire her fabulous designs;

• Weben mit Rahmen. Gisela Hoffmann: One of the few German artists who is very successful in her range but not well known. Meet this outstanding loom and off-loom bead artist and create her loomwork bag "Hana-Bi";

• New outfits for beads. Refinements & Finishes: Beads do not only convince because of shape and color but also because of further finishes. Selected beads and their special definitions;

• Beadwork-Engineer. Martina Nagele: She plans everything precisely before she starts working; this is the way she works. The results speak for themselves!

• And of course 14 new incredible instructions!

The magazine is published in Germany by Beaders Best Verlag Company, you can subscribe it. If you live in the USA, you can directly or via Internet buy single issues of the magazine at the Beads by Blanche bead shop.

Subscribe to Perlen Poesie magazine
Buy Perlen Poesie magazine in the USA

Fashion Colorworks 2011. Meet the sponsor: Beads Unlimited

Beads Unlimited aka The Brighton Bead Shop at 25.

It's hard to believe that it's 25 years since Beads Unlimited aka The Brighton Bead Shop opened its doors for the first time. On that first icy Brighton day in March 1986, notable for it's three-inch snowfall, the shop was sparsely populated and less than fifty pounds was taken. A quarter of a century on and Beads Unlimited is now a highly successful, stately, silver haired lady and an essential part of the beading community.

To celebrate their Silver Jubilee, Beads Unlimited is running bucketloads of competitions, give-aways and charity events throughout the year. One of the most important parts of their Jubilee year is their charity pledge. Beads Unlimited aim to raise £10,000 for the RNLI. The Royal National Lifeboat Institution is run solely by volunteers across the UK and the Republic of Ireland. They provide 24-hour lifeboats and seasonal lifeguards dedicated to saving lives at sea.

To help reach their target, The Brighton Bead Shop will be hosting a ton of in-store events and some of the staff will be competing in various sports fundraisers including a Brighton pier to pier swim! Beads Unlimited also launched their charity bead in January 2011. You can purchase this special bead for a suggested donation, when you check out at Beads Unlimited. If you would like to help Beads Unlimited reach their £10,000 for the RNLI target please visit www.virginmoneygiving.com/BeadsUnlimited. For full details and all information on what's happening now and what's to come, please visit www.beadbarmy.com and www.beadsunlimited.co.uk.

Fashion Colorworks 2011 Beading Contest Rules

Fashion Colorworks 2011 is on its way!

The first International Fashion Colorworks 2010 Beading Contest was a resounding success for all its participants: the contestants, the sponsors, the judges, and the bead lovers. 83 participants from 20 countries submitted 132 entries (click here) !!!

Now the second International Fashion Colorworks 2011 Beading Contest is on its way! This year beadworkers are suggested to submit their artworks in three categories: Seed Bead Jewelry, Finished Jewelry, and Beaded Objects and Accessories. Entries in each category should be made in one of the three color combinations made up from Pantone Color Institute fashion colors for spring 2011:

First color combination:
Russet (CMYK: 44-67-76-9; RGB: 92614C)
Coral Rose (CMYK: 0-63-86-0; RGB: F47D39)
Blue Curacao (CMYK: 63-0-22-0; RGB: 4AC3CC)

Second color combination:
Lavender (CMYK: 33-32-0-0; RGB: A9A6D2)
Peapod (CMYK: 56-0-51-0; RGB: 71C59B)
Silver Cloud (CMYK: 25-19-23-0; RGB: C0C0BB)

Third color combination:
Regatta (CMYK: 73-28-0-0; RGB: 3397D3)
Silver Peony (CMYK: 3-13-15-0; RGB: F4DDD0)
Beewax (CMYK: 0-30-78-0; RGB: FDBA51)

The official contest rules are here:

http://www.mylovelybeads.com/contest/

Looking for inspiration? Perlen Poesie

If you are looking for an additional source of inspiration, you have to pay attention at the 2-year-old European bead magazine: Perlen Poesie. You are always supposed to read beading world news, you can learn beading techniques and of course take excellent instructions from international artists.


On December 10, 2010, the new issue of Perlen Poesie will be out! In that issue:

• Anna E. Draeger: A portrait of the popular artist and Swarovski Ambassador;

• Perlen Poesie visited seven bead artists from France;

• The workshops of the First Bead Art Fair on 20-21 August, 2011, in Hamburg, Germany;

• 16 wonderful projects from well-known bead designers: Anna Draeger, Zoya Gutina, Claudia Steens, Melissa Grakowsky, Peter Sewell, Sabine Lippert, Carol Dean Sharpe, Claudia Cattaneo, Birgit Bergemann and some more (yes, I'm in it, too!);

• And more, and more, and more!


The magazine is published in Germany by Beaders Best Verlag company, but everybody can subscribe it. If you live in the USA, you can directly or via Internet buy single issues of the magazine at the Beads by Blanche bead shop.

Subscribe to Perlen Poesie magazine
Buy Perlen Poesie magazine in the USA

Indian summer at the door!

It's already autumn outside... the grass is getting yellow... the leaves turn to red, brown and yellow... Some people can say, the nature is dying, I say it's falling asleep, and it makes us enjoy with its fantastic, cheerful and festive colors - Indian summer at the door!


When the sun rises, autumn colors flash out showing fall beauty, and water drops after night rain sparkle like diamonds! I like this season, and once I've already created the Autumn Splendor Necklace. This year the spring was pretty long and cold - but the fall is warm and beautiful, that's why I returned to the autumn theme.


Remembering my Tropical Blossom Necklace, I decided to use Swarovski pendants again, and that brought me to Artbeads.com. My husband said, "Good choice!" I have no idea what he meant, whether Artbeads.com or beautiful pendants they sell. In general, it doesn't matter, I found out what I was looking for.


I received red magma, olivine, light topaz, and copper Swarovski crystal pendants, and bought silk ribbons of bright autumn colors at the closest craft shop. Appropriate Czech glass teardrop and leaf accent beads, and TOHO 15/0 yellow and green seed beads should have been good much to my staff.


I wrapped up memory wire blank necklace and used it as the base of my piece, and embellished it with Czech beads; then I wound it with bead strings and made fringes with crystal pendants. The last touch was the brass leaf closure. The necklace could be named Autumn Wreath, but I call it Indian Summer, because Indian summer is outside!

Disclosure. Being a reviewer of Artbeads.com products and a participant of its blogging program I received Swarovski crystal pendants free of charge. This post reflects my honest opinion; and Artbeads.com is not compensating me for my endorsement as it pertains to the products received and reviewed.

Fashion Colorworks 2011. Call for sponsors

The International Fashion Colorworks 2010 Beading Contest was a resounding success for all its participants: the contestants, the sponsors, the judges, and the bead lovers!

Our sponsors got great positive exposure, broadened their reach and name recognition, and increased their good will perception in the beading community. All of our 2010 sponsors have already committed to participation at an even higher level in the 2011 Contest. They say,

Artbeads.com: We would be more than happy to sponsor next years contest. We really enjoyed working with you and it was wonderful to see all the inspiring designs from all of the talented and amazing participants.

Beads Direct UK: We would love to sponsor again. Let us know when you have any more details.

Soft Flex Company: We'd love to participate again. Please count us in for 2011.

We're growing. When the Contest starts again on the 1st of December, 2010, in addition to Seed Bead category, it will be expanded to include two new categories of work: Finished Jewelry and Beaded Objects and Accessories. This expansion opens up additional new sponsorship opportunities for companies wishing to reach beaders and bead lovers worldwide.

Please contact us at info@mylovelybeads.com as soon as possible to reserve your sponsorship slot!