Thankyou...thankyou very much!

This afternoon I was visiting some of my favourite blogs, dropping my entrecards, when all of a sudden one of my creations was staring back at me! I was visiting the Art Zoo blog... when there it was my "Gypsy Bracelet" featured front and center! Wow...what a great surprise...Thankyou Art Zoo! There are some fabulous crafters and artisans featured daily on this blog. Check it out!

As well I have to thank Marylou (Time2cre8) and Jo (Unique You) for their wonderful suggestions, and inspiring me to organize my jewelry designing area earlier this week. I wanted it to look like a candy store with the beads being visible in containers, so that I could easily see all of my supplies. It was alot of work, but it looks great and I am now ready for the busy (hopefully!) season ahead. Thankyou ladies...your suggestions were greatly appreciated, and as promised here are the pics.

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Bead organizing

Today I have the daunting task of cleaning and organizing my beading studio. It seems that every few weeks I have to clean the growing clutter of beads and supplies off my desk. I always vow that when I am done that it will stay organized...but it NEVER lasts! I try putting off this chore for as long as I can, but eventually I go crazy as it becomes impossible to design anything due to the fact that I cannot FIND anything. I am trying to come up with some better bead storage solutions, but keep running into a brick wall. I have tried the plastic boxes with dividers for my semi precious stones, but find that they end up constantly open on my desk so that I can see what it is that I actually have. I end up with 3 or 4 of these boxes on my desk and then have no room to move! I also have my crystals into tiny plastic tubes, which sit on a flimsy wire shelf, which constantly fall down with the slightest movement of the table. I have supplies in boxes, baskets and drawers, but then I have to go looking to see what I have, because I forget when I cannot see everything. I am a very visual person, and I would love to have all my supplies and beads in glass jars on shelves..like in a candy store, so that I would be able to see everything easily. I would love to hear how other jewelry designers and crafters cope with this dilemma and what works for you.

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New Hot Rocks Jewelry Designs

While I was on vacation, at a local farmers market,I was lucky enough to meet two wonderful talented, lampwork artists who made some the most fabulous beads I have ever seen. Needless to say I purchased some of their artwork, and have incorporated these beads into my latest designs. This week I am featuring the pieces that I created using the lampwork beads of Canadian glass artist, Jane Perala.Among her designs, she creates the most spectacular beach themed beads, with tiny starfish and miniature sealife all made out of glass and incorporateed into the bead design. Also her shell beads are simply stunning, as you can see here on the pink necklace, where I have featured one of her beads. At the present time,my Etsy store is pretty much empty as my friend has taken all of my jewelry to her family reunion hoping to make some sales for me! I should have my shop restocked again in about a week, once I get my jewelry back from her. I will feature the second great lampwork artists' beads in a future post.... so stay tuned! I hope you enjoy these pieces, and if I should have them available for sale in my Etsy store soon!

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Newest Hot Designs!

Here are my two latest hot designs still fresh and sizzling ! Both these necklaces were quite time consuming and somewhat challenging. The gold colored necklace, is quite intricate, and certainly a head turner. I visualize this one being worn with that little black dress and heels, for a hot night on the town....very sexy indeed!! Hence I named this one "Wild Thing", a song made popular by a band named the Troggs...mmm not a very sexy sounding band tho. This one is available in my Etsy shop The second necklace is one that I am actually keeping for myself. I do not keep alot of what I make, mainly because I would be broke, I really need to sell these little creations! I love the chunkyness of this necklace, the thick sterling silver chain, and nice graphic lampwork beads, made by one of my favourite lampwork artists, Rebecca Werner. Also the Swarovski crystal discs give it a real nice sparkle. I called this one "Electrical Storm", a song by the band U2. ( Would Bono approve?)

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Vintage Venetian glass

On Saturday, I spent several hours cruising the Spring Antique Sale, in Calgary. It was a great show, and there were some really neat items, lots of cool vintage kitchen ware, books, furniture and of course jewelry! I found a very sweet Made in Japan vintage cheese dish, that looks like a piece of swiss cheese, with a darling little mouse peeking out the top. It will look great with my collection of vintage salt and pepper fruit and vegetable heads! But the find of the day was a string of vintage Venetian glass beads, probably from the 1950's, still as sparkly and shiny as ever. So look out for some new exciting pieces to be created with these little babies! I can't wait to incorporate them into something fresh and exciting.

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In the last couple of days I have received some new beads in the mail that I recently ordered, so today will be spent getting creative with my new little friends! I received some wonderful German vintage lucite flowers and leaves, as well as some fabulous artisan lampwork beads from Angela at Bedford Beadworks! I have been trying to get my hands on her beads for quite some time now, but as soon as she lists her beads for sale, they sell out in an instant! So just goes to show you how great her beads are. There are a few fantastic lampwork artisans that are like that...their beads have wings and just fly out of their shops! So it makes it really hard to get them. Anyhow, I am off to the studio to create some new designs with these ...and I will let you know the outcome later! Pin It

Bead addiction

Hello, my name is Susan, and I am addicted ….to beads! Bead collecting, vintage beads, bead buying, online bead sites, lampwork artists bead sites, you name it …I have a problem! For those of you who make jewelry, have you ever gone online to a bead store and you were just going to buy one or two things that you needed, because you really did need them, and then you get there, and you start checking out all the different categories. Well you decide if you are going to pay the shipping anyway, you might as well get a few extras, and before you know it your cart is overflowing with all kinds of goodies! I find vintage bead sites are the death of me! Those uncirculated 50 or 60 year old vintage Swarovski crystals are like candy, and I am the kid in the candy store. I just can’t get enough, and the photos always look sooo good! The lampwork artist sites are almost as bad…er good?! They are always such delicious works of art, I can hardly restrain myself! The only thing that saves me there is the fact that a lot of them sell out very quickly, so sometimes I miss out, and I save my money. Other times, I know that if I DON’T buy their luscious beads right away…then I will miss the opportunity to own them, and lets face it a lot of these artisan lampwork beads are one of a kind! Then they arrive in the mail, and its Christmas all over again. Such a thrill, oooh… they look even BETTER than they did on the computer screen! Such joy! Pin It

Venetian and Murano glass beads

As I mentioned last week, I will be doing a series on the different types of beads that I use in my jewelry designs. This week I am featuring fabulous Venetian and Murano glass beads! Venetian and Murano glass beads are gorgeous beads that are individually handmade by skilled artisans from the island of Murano, near Venice, Italy, using techniques that are several hundred years old. Murano glass blowers and lampworkers produce some of the most beautiful glass in the world. The technique of lampworking is used to make each Murano bead individually therefore no two beads are ever exactly alike! Glass rods are melted and the bead is formed around a metal mandrel, then cooled slowly, and removed from the rod, which leaves the hole for stringing the bead. These usually contain thin layers or flecks of precious metals such as .925 silver, 24K gold or white gold foil, submerged between layers of crystal clear glass, giving wonderful depth and a shimmering effect. Venetian glass beads are light weight, hollow, mouth blown beads that contain swirls or stripes of color. These beads come in many shapes and sizes. Beware of cheaper imitations, and remember you get what you pay for. These will take your breath away! I will have some of my designs featuring these beads, up in my Etsy store this week. Please check them out, the beads are stunning!

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Celebrate With Style

Well, today I am so excited, because I am featured in the Mothers Day boutique, in the new online magazine, Celebrate With Style! www.celebratewithstyle.com
It is a beautiful site, with fantastic information about fashion, food, party ideas, weddings, family, decor etc. check it out! Visit the Celebration Boutique, where you can shop for beautiful handcrafted items from some very talented people.

Next week I am going to start a series about the different elements that make up my jewelry. I will have some in depth information, on the different beads and materials that go into making my pieces , such as lampwork beads, silver, Swarovski crystlas, Venetian glass, and vintage beads. Have a wonderful weekend. I am off tomorrow to do some skiing. So until then...
Susan
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Mothers Day

As Mothers Day approaches, I am reminded of this little tidbit, that a friend of mine sent me a few years ago. As a parent, I can totally relate!! Enjoy!

If you are looking for unique handcrafted jewelry for Mothers Day , please check out my store;
www.hotrocksglassjewels.etsy.com

Mean Moms
Someday when my children are old enough to understand the logic that motivates a parent,
I will tell them, as my Mean Mom told me:
I loved you enough . . . to ask where you were going, with whom, and what time you would be home.
I loved you enough to be silent and let you discover that your new best friend was a creep.I loved you enough to stand over you for two hours while you cleaned your room, a job that should have taken 15 minutes.
I loved you enough to let you see anger, disappointment, and tears in my eyes.
Children must learn that their parents aren't perfect.
I loved you enough to let you assume the responsibility for your actions even when the penalties were so harsh they almost broke my heart.
But most of all, I loved you enough . . . to say NO when I knew you would hate me for it. Those were the most difficult battles of all. I'm glad I won them, because in the end you won, too. Someday when your children are old enough to understand the logic that motivates parents, you will tell them.
Was your Mom mean? I know mine was. We had the meanest mother in the whole world! While other kids ate candy for breakfast, we had to have cereal, eggs, and toast. When others had a Pepsi and a Twinkie for lunch, we had to eat sandwiches. And you can guess our mother fixed us a dinner that was different from what other kids had, too. Mother insisted on knowing where we were at all times. You'd think we were convicts in a prison.
She had to know who our friends were, and what we were doing with them. She insisted that if we said we would be gone for an hour,we would be gone for an hour or less. We were ashamed to admit it, but she had the nerve to break the Child Labor Laws by making us work.
We had to wash the dishes, make the beds, learn to cook, vacuum the floor, do laundry, empty the trash and all sorts of cruel jobs. I think she would lie awake at night thinking of more things for us to do. She always insisted on us telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
By the time we were teenagers, she could read our minds and had eyes in the back of her head.
Then, life was really tough! Because of our mother we missed out on lots of things other kids experienced.
None of us have ever been caught shoplifting, vandalizing others' property or ever arrested for any crime. It was all her fault. Now that we have left home, we are all educated, honest adults.
We are doing our best to be mean parents just like Mom was.
I think that is what's wrong with the world today.It just doesn't have enough mean moms!
Author Unknown




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