BSBP: What I Love Most

Our fearless leader, Lori Anderson, posed the question "Why/how did you become a jewelry designer and what do you like best about it?" Well, I answered the first half of the question but completely left out the second half!

There are quite a few different things I love about being a jewelry designer.

There's the pretty things I make. I thoroughly enjoy making pretty things.

There's the fact that I get to actually make pretty things. That's pretty awesome. Making things brings me happiness.

Then... there's my customers.

I don't consider myself a successful Etsy seller, but in the last year, I've sold more and made more jewelry than any time before. And I love my customers. Custom orders make me giddy. Questions about my work get me excited. And then the feedback... oh the feedback.

Knowing that someone loves a piece as much as I loved making it... that's joy. I make these things with my own two hands. My heart goes with each piece and a part of me is expressed in every little thing I make... even my $6 bracelets.

And when someone tells me how much they like it... or that it was the perfect gift for their friend... my heart soars. I am so thankful to these wonderful people who take time out of their day to tell an artist they like the work he/she is doing.

We all need to hear that, sometimes.

Oh. At the risk of contradicting yesterday's post... there's also the beads.

I. Love. Beads. Shopping for them. Holding them. Sketching them. Thinking about making them. Dreaming about my own bead store. Oh yes. Beads are another reason why I make jewelry. ^_^

What do you love most about what you do?

BSBP: Why I Became a Jewelry Designer

Lori Anderson, the lovely lady behind the Bead Soup Blog Party, emailed us recently with an interesting idea: Tell why I became a jewelry designer. I scratched my head... Have I already told you how I decided to become a jewelry designer? I'm pretty sure I haven't... because, really, I kind of stumbled onto it accidentally.

I was working at Borders when I started designing jewelry. Right around the time I had to drop out of LCAD, I felt like I couldn't do any art. I had failed to complete art school because I was lacking funds and therefore, I had failed as an artist. I drifted around quite a bit. Threw myself into working at Borders... Oh, I still sketched, but I couldn't complete a real "piece."

Enter Beadwork magazine. I was putting magazines away and this one just caught my eye. Gorgeous designs in beautiful colors. My brain went "OH! It's just thread and beads! I can do that."

From a 2010 blog post. I couldn't make the seed beads hold the rivoli in place.

Epic. Fail.

I can't tell you how many incomplete projects I STILL have sitting in a plastic box from 2009. Oh, they started out pretty enough but maybe I couldn't find exactly the right size seed bead and then it threw the whole project out of whack. Or the tension was wrong. Or the needle(s) broke. Whatever the reason, I just couldn't do bead weaving.

But. Then.

I found... wire.

My first piece published in Jewelry Affaire

And I never looked back. I think my love for seed beads stems from the fact that I so desperately wanted to be a beadweaver. I tried so hard but just couldn't do it. So I wrap them up instead. And they come in so many beautiful colors and sizes! I love that they add such detail to pieces... they're tiny gems!

I've added leather and cord to my list of tools I love and now I'm learning to play with metal. It's such an awesome learning process and I don't think I'll ever stop growing, learning, making mistakes... HAVING FUN!

Jewelry gives me an opportunity to express myself. To add some beauty to our world. And I find myself loving it like I never thought I would. I can actually FINISH pieces, which I used to struggle with when I was just drawing and painting. I even finish paintings now...

Something about making pretty things just makes me happy. And that's ultimately why I do what I do. To bring smiles and happiness to my life and to the lives of those who like my jewelry.

So why did you become a jewelry designer?

And, soup's on! Dig in!

I had this post ready to go yesterday but noooo... it wasn't there when I went to look this about... oh... 15 minutes ago. Oh Blogger, you are so fickle. I am reposting this now and will have to hop tomorrow! First day of my new job today! WOOT! 

The wonderful Lori Anderson has put together this Bead Soup Party and I was one of the lucky few chosen to participate. Love you, Lori!!!

Here are the beads my partner, Kathy, sent me. Don't you just love those bronze pieces and that stone?! And the round piece on the right? From her button collection. AND Czech glass beads!? Love.

Here's what I came up with:

I've been trying to make my pieces more interesting and has presented with a lovely opportunity to play with a new material: wire mesh tubular ribbon. I love how the stones look in the ribbon.

Added some Czech glass beads and a lucite flower. I am absolutely head over heels for that moon pendant.

And of course, I couldn't get away without some wire wrapping...

I used copper wire and some seed beads to make the frame. That stone is such a wonderful shape and sits on top of the frame so beautifully.

I used some silk sari ribbon I bought many many moons ago. Knotted and used a wood bead as a clasp. Simple, but pretty. And it feels great on my wrist.

That ribbon makes me ridiculously giddy. Though, I learned that just because the scraps are sewn end to end doesn't mean it's the most secure binding. SO. When you yank, sometimes, it will come apart. Do try not to scream out obscenities in the middle of the night if this happens to you. :P

I had such big plans for my lovely beads, but was hit with a nasty cold on Sunday. I haven't done much making and creating since then. My bed and I were good friends this week. Here's what I was left with:

As you can see, I started to work on a few different pieces, but never finished. Hopefully, I'll have a second companion post with those pieces sometime next week.

I don't normally work with this color pallet. Oh, I always want to but when I go out and buy beads for myself, they usually end up being purples or pinks... copper wire... sometimes, shiny brass. Thank you, Kathy, for sending me such lovely beads and giving me the opportunity to work outside my comfort zone.

Check out Kathy's blog here.

And hop on over to Lori's blog for a list of all the bead soup players.

Soup's On!

My bead soup arrived last week! And look! It's just YUMMY! I'm in love with that stone. And the pressed Czech beads? YAY!

I've never worked with mesh wire ribbon. I'm excited and am sketching out oodles of designs.

So in love with this focal.

My partner, Kathy, received her soup as well! I went a bit overboard with the beads. I remember going through my stash and pulling out things I thought she'd like... a bead or two here or there and then it became a PILE. I did try to slim it down a bit but but but... I just couldn't! Lol. I know. Terrible.

I can't wait to see what she comes up with :D

Away We Go

 

My bead soup has left California and is making it's journey all the way to Delaware to the lovely Kathy Lindemer. Miss Pretty Things Lori Anderson told me not to worry about what my partner might like and to pick out what *I* think is awesome and that's what I did! I may have over-done it but I wanted to make sure my partner has plenty of beads to play with.

The big reveal is March 3rd and I cannot wait to see what Kathy comes up with! Go on over to the Bead Soup Party site and check out all the participants! 200 blogs! Lots of reading material... and you have no idea how happy that makes me :)

My Lovely Bead Soup Partner

The 5th Bead Soup Blog Party is upon us! YAAAAAAAAAAAY! *dances*

This is my second bead soup and I am partnered with the lovely Kathy Lindemer. You can check out her blog here. Aaaand check out her Etsy shop here.

I've been sneaking around her shop trying to see if I can get an idea as to what she might like from my bead stash... here are some of my faves:

After checking out Kathy's shop, I think I have quite a good idea of what beads will be making the journey over to Kathy's bead table. Kathy lives all the way over in Delaware and my beads must travel over from California so I must get on the ball and ship out the pretties!

Excited!!!!

Bead Soup REVEAL!!!

Here's the necklace I made with the bead soup mix Regina sent me. I don't do too many asymmetrical designs but I was pushing the beads around my table, waiting for the muse to speak to me, and she just up and smacked me on the head when these were pushed in this order. Even got the clasp on the front- something I've seen others do but not something I've done myself.

I absolutely ADORE this owl.

I also made a bracelet with the beads left over. Waxed linen cord, freshwater pearls, Czech glass beads, an oval green jasper, and one rainforest jasper round beads. Braided together. I've never thought of using a STONE as a clasp for these bracelets I make. I love the way it looks and feels on my wrist.

Much as I wanted to use the wonderful Katiedid component Regina sent me, I could not find the time... or the rest of my beads and tools in the mountain of boxes at my new place. Hopefully, I can make something with it soon.

I feel so blessed to have been a part of this wonderful party. It gave me something to look forward to in all the sadness and stress that consumed my life the past few weeks.

Be sure to check out Regina's blog and the rest of the Bead Soup Party participants' blogs as well.

A full list can be found here!

Beady Soup

Here are the goodies I got from my wonderful Bead Soup partner, Regina Santerre. LOVE the owl she sent me from Firefly Design Studio. Regina also sent me some beautiful stone beads, freshwater pearls, and Czech glass rounds. I don't work in green too often and I don't know why. I love the color. And I'm so glad Regina sent me such wonderful greens.

AND check out that clasp. LOVE IT!

Regina also included these goodies. I've never played with Katiedids but have always loved what I've seen done with them.

This is my first Bead Soup Party. I'm so glad I finally have the time to post the beauties I was sent and so glad I had time to put something together for tomorrow's reveal.

Come back tomorrow and check out what I've made. And be sure to check out Regina's blog and the rest of the Bead Soup Party participants. A full list can be found here.

Soupy Soupy Soup

AAHH... a day off. *happy sigh* Sent off my bead soup today! So excited to be a part of Bead Soup Blog Party. My lovely partner is Regina Santerre! Check out her lovely blog here. Can't wait to see what beautiful creation will come from her hands.

SIDE NOTE: My nephew turned 2 months old yesterday! Haven't been to see him in a few weeks. Stole this picture from my sister-in-law's Facebook page.

I just died from cuteness. Cute baby. Cute cake. Gahh!

Happy Monday, all!