THE EXCITEMENT HEIGHTHENS....

My good friend, LOUISA MEECE (Beaded Extravagance) has recently entered one of her fabulous beadweaving neck creations in the Fire Mountain Gems and Beads annual conpetition and just this week she was notified that her "gem" has been accepted into the second judging.

"I finally heard from FMG! Martian Queen's Necklace has been accepted into the second round of judging. Now I have to pack her up and ship her out your way. I'm a little nervous about that seeing as it is my most expensive piece but I'll be sure to insure it. It's just that it's not replaceable and I'd hate to lose it! It was one of those necklaces that I didn't like in the beginning but I went with my gut and finished her off and fell in love! I've decided that I'm going to make a cuff and a pair of earrings to match and sell them as a set- if I can. I've found that when I make a set with a very expensive necklace customers are willing to buy the less expensive parts of the set... I guess to have a part of it or something.

P.S. Well, I'm off to research Locks of Love. I made a drastic change yesterday and had 16 inches of my hair cut off! My husband isn't too happy with my decision, but I just had to get rid of all that hair! My daughter says I look like a 'young mom' now! LOL! It feels so much cooler and healthier!"

You GO GIRL! We are all so behind you ~ wish we could all vote for that fabulous piece!

See Louisa's crreations at: http://www.beadedextravagance.etsy.com.




NOTE: Double click on photo for close-up view.

Included In: MY SHOPPING CONNECTION

What's On My Beading Board Today?

He's just wonderful!!
I was browsing the web one day, came across "Amee Runs With Scissors". OK, now if you came across that as a name for a shop, wouldn't you check it out? Of course, so I did. Amee does some fabulous multi-media work but this old gal fell absolutely in love with her lions.




Alas, I couldn't locate an actual outlet shop for her so I contacted her and asked if she ever made these fellas for sale. Well, no, she hadn't...so I pleaded (and I'm really good at that) and Amee agreed, making me 4 lions with the most fabulous, individual personalities you ever saw. I couldn't wait to get started on one...but other work got in the way. Finally last night I poured the accompanying beads onto my beadboard and began.

Follow this guy as we proceed together to a finished piece. I'm thinking he needs to be called "It's A Bad Hair Day". What do you think?

Find Amee at: http://www.ameerunswithscissors.com/home



NOTE: Double click on photo for close-up view.

TEXAS BEAUTY!

This is a photo sent to me from a wonderful

customer wearing her "Rainbow" custom designed

necklace. I have a feeling she has a closet full of

these great, colorful blouses (Mexican? Indian?)

like I do! She is a gem to work with due to the fact

that she loves jewelry and has a real sense of what

she likes, what she wants and of design. Thankx to you!

NOTE: Double click on photo for close-up view.

"FROGGY WENT 'A COURTIN'!"

This was a darling (1" X 1-1/2") soldered picture pendant made

with lead-free 'silvergleem solder', the only solder with real silver

which shows in the extra, added glimmer and shine. The pendant is

made from a vintage postcard of "Dancing Frogs" and on the reverse

side (which you can wear as well) is the saying: "too much stress

will make you croak." My cousin sent me this from Ohio.

It's a very high quality, hand-painted piece. I made a simple

yet elegant Ndebele rope pulling the colors from the pendant -

little touches of red match Froggie's jacket and the apple-green

pulls from the frog's under throat. This dude is charming Miss Froggy;

yes he is!

Two necklaces in one!

Price: $145.00

Status: Available

NOTE: Double click on photo for close-up view.

WHAT'S SLID OFF MY BEADING BOARD TODAY?

"Rainbow Symphony"

(custom order)

This colorful necklace is a custom request that I've been working on for a while now -

the going is slow since I had another major hand reconstruction just 2 weeks

ago and am tucked back into a full arm and hand cast for the next 2 months!

The buyer had already purchased a salmon choker in the same style and she

wanted one with more color in it. I hope this meets her expectations! It's been

a bit of a challenge but the doctor left 4 fingers outside the cast this time so I was

able to barely figure out how to grasp the end of the string between index and middle

fingers. Hardest part is threading the needle and getting each piece actually started

and worked so that I have something to hang onto! Ah, challenges...

1-26-09: I sent this photo to the buyer in Texas and this was her return reply.

"Hi Dini, How are you? First let me just say - OH MY GOD - what a fabulous necklace!

I wish you could hear the amazement in my expression! The necklace looks stunning....

I just love the colors! What a great piece! And you did this with your hand in a cast??!!!!!

I am blown away..... " Whew, me thinks!!

She promised to have her hubby take a photo of her wearing it when it arrives.

NOTE: Double click on photo for close-up view.

Cleopatra Was Here

Networking DOES work! Team play DOES work! And this is a wonderful example of how....

I finished a necklace today using one of Jan Geisen's fabulous pendants. It excited the "bajezzus" out of me when I first bought it from her: the colors, the shapes, I couldn't wait to get started on it! When I got it finished, I posted it in my Etsy shop. Then I sent Jan a photo so she could see the end-product, (http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=19283902) as I always try to do. And the following ensued....

Email from Jan: (view Jan's multi-talented shop at: http://www.jangeisen.com)

Hi Dini.

That turned out real nice. I think it was the appropriate piece for you to incorporate in your work at this time.. Hopefully there is some truth to the myth associated with the symbol. It is the Eye of Horus, but I prefer to call it by its earlier name Udjat (eye). It is the symbol for health, healing and completeness.

I also have written a couple of blog entries about our collaborations. Check it out: http://jangeisen.blogspot.com/ Now, just FYI, you might check out Jan's site ~ exposure and marketing works...but it does take communication and a little bit of extra time and teamwork!

I encourage all of you, if you're doing a collaboration with any other artist, to give them just a bit of space on your page - surely the favor will be reciprocated and everyone wins!

NOTE: Double click on photo for close-up view.

BRACELET COLLECTION

These are a few samples of various beadwoven,

bead-sculptured bracelets that are available

in our Etsy Shop.

CLICK: http://www.beadazzledoforegon.etsy.com/

to enter shop.

"SNOWFLAKE FAIRY"

DECEMBER ETSY BEADWEAVER'S TEAM CHALLENGE:

Well, here I go...entering my first entry in the Etsy Beadweaver's December Monthly Beadweaving Challenge. The subject of the challenge is: Snow Queen. Beadazzled is a proud new member of this creative, beadweaving group. You can view some of the fabulous beadwork from our group members at: http://etsy-beadweavers.blogspot.com/.

Thinking about the challenge spurred me on to using the wonderful mono-colors of winter. Being originally from Ohio (many decades ago), I do miss that gorgeous first snow - though don't miss shoveling the driveway! There is a laciness about those flakes as they wind their way through the trees and down to the ground. As kids, we used to try to catch the flakes on our tongues.

VOTE! (between Dec. 9-15th) I invite you to go to the Beadweavers blog site and vote on your favorite beaded creation that has entered this challenge. It's always such fun to see what other artists can create around the same theme!

AND ALWAYS SEARCH: for the tags EBW TEAM for unique beautiful beaded creations and EBWC for our monthly challenge entries in your Etsy searches. See you there!

NOTE: Double click on photo for close-up view.

WHAT'S ON MY BEADING BOARD TODAY?

Well I've been coveting this fabulous raku piece made by MAKUstudios (http://www.makustudio.blogspot.com/) for quite a while and now it's finally a part of a whole. Been working on this all weekend. Raku is a wonderful high-fire ceramic; rustic in nature and to me, just yummy. I almost feel like it's been excavated out of a hidden city in some mystical location.

NOTE: Double click on photo for close-up view.

"CONTEMPORARY MIX"

Great metal focal piece compliments your necklace ~ dress it up or down.

Price: $145.00

Status: Available

Item: 599-08

NOTE: Double click on photo for close-up view.