EBW Challenge Piece

My EBW challenge piece

I know I've shown pictures of this cuff before, but I finally got it listed on etsy, one day before this month's deadline.  I didn't want to miss out on this challenge since I had missed last month's deadline (I forgot that the deadline was the 5th).

This month's challenge is Gold and Silver.  I love this idea.  Just that perfect combination of two extremely classy colors.  I also love seeing all the beadwork made with these two colors, all those little tiny silver and gold beads just shimmer in the light.  Beautiful.  I know voting is going to be difficult this month, there are already so many beautiful entries.  You can search EBWC on etsy to find all the entries and don't forget to visit the EBW blog between August 9th and 15th to vote for your favorite piece. 

Here are a couple of my favorite entries (even though it's hard to pick).

This beautiful cuff, Silver Remake Beaded Cuff,  was created by Beads and Blooms and is just to die for.  I absolutelty love the silver mesh piece in the center of the cuff.  Just beautiful. 

Then I love this necklace, The Sunshine After the Rain, from The Crimson Moon.  It's has a simple yet spectacular feel to it. 

Both pieces are just a taste of some of the beauties that you can vote for this month.  Like I said before, it's going to be a tough decision this month. 

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And I've already started thinking about next month's challenge; BollyWood.  I have a clay cab I made that will just work perfectly, now to decide what I'm going to do and start working on that one.  :-) 

Time To Vote - EBW and BEM!!!

It's time for voting again, YAY!

First stop by the Beadweavers Emporium Blog to vote for this month's challenge. The theme was Beachcomber, and all 6 entries are quite beauties.

It's also time for the Etsy-Beadweavers November Voting. Stop by the Etsy-Beadweavers blog to vote for your favorite in the Beauty of the Flower. All 17 entries are lovely, so it's gonna be hard to pick just one.

GO AND VOTE!!!

It's that time again, time to vote for your favorite in the Etsy Beadweavers September Challenge. The challenge this month was Indian Summer Dream, and boy are there some fantastic entries this month. Please stop by the Etsy Beadweavers Blog to vote for your favorite. Voting is on the right hand side of the blog (don't forget to hit the vote button at the bottom). Thank you for voting!!!

Congrats to the Winner of the EBW Challenge!

Congrats to the winner of this month's EBW challenge. The theme this month was Hollywood Red Carpet.
This stunning necklace belongs to CieloDesign. What a beautiful entry. This necklace, called Suprastellar Red Carpet necklace , is absolutely a stunner. Congrats on the win.

And congrats to the runners up

Gladiator - jmackgems

Bollywood Glamour - SmadarsTreasure

Night of Stars - jodihorgan

Vera Similitude Walks the Red Carpet - HauteIceBeadwork

Queen Of Sheba Necklace - HannahRachel

To Liz.. - beadsbyvezsuzsi

Angelina Jolie Bracelet - triz

Josephine Baker Burlesque Wrist Cuff - gypsyeyesjewelry

The Red Carpet Bracelet for a Mom - alatvian


All the entries were so stunning it was hard to vote for just one. Great job everyone that entered. I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with for the next challenge.

Time to Vote for Your Fave!

It's that time again. Time to vote for your favorite entry in the Etsy Beadweaver's monthly challenge. This month's theme was Hollywood Red Carpet. And boy the members of EBW didn't disappoint. All 21 entries are completely stunning.

Please stop by the Etsy Beadweaver's Blog to vote for you favorite. Voting in on the right hand side of your screen (and don't forget to click vote after you make your selection). I know it's going to be a really hard discion this month.

Click on the links below to see each one fo the entries.

1. Diamonds and Gold II - beaglebeads

2. Buried Treasure OOAK - GoodQuillHunting

3. how to be a rock star beadwoven cuff - thebeadedlily

4. Amethyst Netted Necklace - glimmerstone

5. Black Tie - beadsandblooms

6. Queen Of Sheba Necklace - HannahRachel

7. Golden Brooch with Pearls - enchantedbeads

8. Bollywood Glamour - SmadarsTreasure

9. Sophia Loren's Green Garnet encrusted choker - crownrosegems

10. Ms. Monroe - Evandra

11. The Prince and the Showgirl - ThesePreciousThings

12. Josephine Baker Burlesque Wrist Cuff - gypsyeyesjewelry

13. Suprastellar Red Carpet necklace - CieloDesign

14. Angelina Jolie Bracelet - triz

15. To Liz.. - beadsbyvezsuzsi

16.Scarlett's bracelet - carmenesque

17. The Red Carpet Bracelet for a Mom - alatvian

18. Night of Stars - jodihorgan

19. Vera Similitude Walks the Red Carpet - HauteIceBeadwork

20. Gladiator - jmackgems

21. Cascade - njema

My February Challenge Piece

This month's Etsy Beadweaver's challenge theme was Tropical Holiday. What a wonderful thing to think about right now, especially with the winter we're having this year.

I decided to try something I had never ever tried before, because, well this is supposed to be a challenge. This was not only fun, but it was a learning experience which has spurred a bunch of ideas for the future.

I call this necklace Mayan Sun.

I decided to go with a whole rainbow of colors to represent all the colors of the tropics. I wanted to look at this necklace and think of the deep blue sea, bright flowers, and a warm breeze on my face.

I went with beaded end caps again, I love, love, love these. But I also decided to try a beaded toggle clasp. I really like this looks. I also finally tried my own soldered jump rings. This worked great and saved me so much money by buying my own sterling silver solder and jump rings.

I had bought these great marble beads a while back and have been trying to decide what to make with them. Well when the challenge theme was announced, I decided to try this with these great marble beads. And as I worked it really made me think of Mayan artifacts (I love stuff like that, I considered being a paleontologist). As I stitched away I thought of the pyramids emerging from the jungle.

I am so happy with how this turned out. I'll have it listed on etsy tomorrow. I hope other people like it too. ☺

*Update* Here is the link to this necklace - Mayan Sun.

Lots of New News!

Well the weeks is winding down. I only have a couple more days left of work, and then a wonderful 2 week vacation. Oh how nice that will be. I have a lot planned for those weeks. I have a few Christmas dinners, and a couple of parties, plus I think I am going to start working on my own website. I've been putting it off and putting it off, but I think it's time for me to step up and work on it. That should be interesting. And my mind is just overflowing with new ideas, I can't wait to have enough free time to just sit down and work. WooHoo.

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Next up is the winner of the December Etsy-Beadweaver's Street Team Challenge winner. A big congratulations to Karin of Gypsy Eyes Jewelry who won with her Queen of the Frozen Tundra necklace. It is truly a beautiful necklace.

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*UPDATE*
My Sea Goddess Necklace has been featured on the community page on 1000 Markets as a Staff Pick. Awesome.
Check it out here.

And finally I have a few new lampwork beads up on etsy. They are fun little focal beads. Click HERE to check that out.

I also have a new necklace up on 1000 markets. It's one of my favorite, favorite ones. It was really hard for me to put it up for sale, but J keeps telling me that I'll never make any money by hording everything I make for myself. LOL.

It really is lovely. I just went crazy during a pearl sale a few months back. I couldn't help myself, I bought every color I could get my little hands on. Problem is, I had never ever worked with pearls before and had no idea what to do with then. Well looking through my bead stash one day I discovered that the light green ones matched some glass beads I had, and this necklace was born.

It's NINE strands of tiny little transparent purple seed beads. I then used the freshwater pears and the glass beads for accents, but it need something more. I have some aluminum beads, that again, I had no idea what to do with, so I decided they would give a nice light weight sparkles to the necklace. And of course it's all topped off with a sterling silver toggle clasp.

I made this necklace a few months back, it's been to a couple shows with me, and everyone seems to love it. But I just wasn't able to get a decent picture of it, and I still don't feel these pictures do it much justice. It is much more vibrant in person.

You can check it out in my 1000 markets shop if you'd like.

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And one more picture of my sleeping cats. I just can't get over them sitting next to each other for a few hours without trying to kill each other.

Here they are sleeping. But don't let this picture fool you, they are not angles, not even close. They both can be such naughty little things, but we love them no matter what.

Etsy Beadweaver's December Challenge - VOTING TIME!!!

Voting for the Etsy Beadweaver's December challenge has begun. Yay! Visit the BLOG today to vote for your favorite entry.

This month's challenge was Snow Queen, and boy the beadweavers didn't disappoint this month. There are 31 beautiful entries, and as always it will be very difficult to choose just one; I know it was hard for me.

Here is a little sneak peak of all the entries. You can get an up close look at each entry by using the links below this collage of the entries. Definitely check all of them out.


1. mirka collar - thebeadedlily

2. Snow Queen Musical Box - enchanted beads

3. Winter's court necklace - AmethystRavenstar

4. A Royal Affair - beadsforever

5. Snow Blind - artzilla

6. Ice Crystals Holiday Bracelet - arosebyname

7. Snow Queen necklace - CieloDesign

8. Jadis , Beadwoven Cuff - RegalBeads

9. The Snow Queen's Dandelion - divina

10. Snow Queen Choker - njema

11. Frozen Waters - Cuff - triz

12. Queen of Ice and Snow Necklace - HannahRachel

13. Snowdrop - ErtheFae

14. Ice Dream - nemeton

15. Queen of the Frozen Tundra - gypsyeyesjewelry

16. Snow Queen Beaded Cuff - celestialfoundations

17. Snowflake - ArtfulAr

18. Yuki Onna - Japanese Snow Woman - SmadarsTreasure

19. Anastasia choker - MCDdesigns

20. For the White Witch of Narnia - ThesePreciousThings

21. Snowflake Fairy - BeadazzledofOregon

22. Snow Queen - cigarboxbeads

23. eSnow princess necklace - FleurDeIrk

24. Snow Queen Collar - LiciaBeads

25. Royal Crystal Necklace - SpringColors

26. Snowfall - beadsandblooms

27. Queen of the Snow - savoystudio

28. Snow Queen amulet bag - PFordCustomJewelry

29. Snow Queen Paisley Bracelet - myfairladyvt4

30. Victorian Icicles Necklace - FrancescasFancy

31. Snow Queen Icicle Cascade Necklace - Emarah

An Award!

Well I have been nominate twice for the Butterfly Award. I received this award from rkdsign88 and Unique You. Both really great artists with really great blogs, check them out today. Thank you both very much for this award!!!


I'm supposed to give this award to 10 of my favorite blogs, which is going to be difficult, so I'm going to think about it and post that later.

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And don't forget to head over to the Etsy Beadweavers Blog and vote for your favorite entry.

November Challenge!

The voting for the Etsy Beadweavers November Challenge is open. Go to the EBW BLOG to vote for your favorite entry. All 16 entries are stunning, so it's going to be hard to pick just one.

Below is a little sneak peak of all the entries and below that are the links to all of them. Check them all out and VOTE TODAY!
1. Catching A Dream Bracelet - myfairladyvt4

2. Florida Gators Orange and Blue Herringbone Bangle - njema

3. Beaded Ancestral Expressions Petroglyph Totem Cane - SalamanderHouse

4. hands against time cuff - thebeadedlily

5. Celtic North American Native - SilkenLariat

6. The Greek Key - BeadsAndI

7. Hungarian meets French - beaddiddy

8. DNA in Violet and Blue - Wide Beadwoven Peyote Cuff - time2cre8

9. ONE WORLD Bead Woven Embroidered Cuff Bracelet - caraway

10. Trail Mix - ThesePreciousThings

11. Roses and Pearls Necklace - SpringColors

12. Proud to be an American - dreambeadweaver

13. Let My People Go Collar - triz

14. The Hoshen - a Breastplate - beadshead

15. Plaid Pride Bracelet - FrancescasFancy

16. Patchwork Cuff - playnwithbeads

Two Winners, Oh My!!!

The winner, or should I say winners of the etsy beadweavers October challenge has been announced. There was a tie this month. YAY!

The two winners are:

Black Panther Necklace which can be found at Triz Designs

and

Gotcha - Beadwoven Cat and Mouse Bracelet at Smander's Treasure

Both entries are fantastic ladies!

And the runners up are:

2nd Animal passion necklace - FleurDeIrk

3rd Turtle Talisman - ErtheFae

4th (a second tie) Flight of the Great Blue Heron - beaddiddy and Petroglyph Cuff - HighDesertBeadscapes

5th barbary coast cuff - thebeadedlily

6th Where's The Orca Necklace - wMarlaine

7th The Mane Event Necklace - njema

8th A Feathered Affair - beadsandblooms

9th Safari Ric Rac Freeform Herringbone Bracelet - myfairladyvt4

10th Kiss of the Spider Woman Necklace - SpringColors

All the entries were absolutely stunning this month (as always). Fantastic job to everyone who entered, you always make it so difficult to choose.

Voting has begun for the October Challenge

Voting has begun!!!!

Check out all the great entries in this month's etsybeadweavers October challenge.

This month's theme was Animal Instincts, chosen by Julie of GemsbyJules who won the August challenge! This was a really fun theme, and as always EBW members have really out done themselves with all these fantastic entries.

You can vote by going to the EBW Team Blog. The voting panel is on the right side. All you have to do is pick your favorite. And don't forget to hit vote at the bottom of the list.

Here is the mosaic of all the entries for your viewing pleasure. Make sure to check out each entry and the talented artist's Etsy show by following the links below the picture.



1. Black Panther Necklace - triz

2. Flight of the Great Blue Heron - beaddiddy

3. barbary coast cuff - thebeadedlily

4. Just chasing my tail - Chrisbeads

5. A Feathered Affair - beadsandblooms

6. Animal passion necklace - FleurDeIrk

7. What Remains -Fossil Necklace - SalamanderHouse

8. Nautilis Fossil Cuff - vanishingpearl

9. Magpie Cuff - nemeton

10. Turtle Talisman - ErtheFae

11. The Mane Event Necklace - njema

12. Stripes of the Tiger Beaded Cuff - dreambeadweaver

13. Petroglyph Cuff - HighDesertBeadscapes

14. Safari Ric Rac Freeform Herringbone Bracelet - myfairladyvt4

15. Kiss of the Spider Woman Necklace - SpringColors

16. Where's The Orca Necklace - wMarlaine

17. Gotcha - Beadwoven Cat and Mouse Bracelet - SmadarsTreasure

18. Dragonfly necklace - PFordCustomJewelry

19. Fish Instinct Bracelet - enchantedbeads

Fantastic entries everyone. It's going to be hard to pick just one!!!

Vote Today!!!

I was so excited, and then...

I got my little beaded squares done for the Breast Cancer Awareness quilt that is auctioned off every year at the bead and button show. This is a fantastic project started by Jeanette Shanigan. You can read more about it at the Bead and Button Website It's a really good cause and the money raised goes to the Medical College of Wisconsin here in Milwaukee. And as some of you know, I work at MCW in the pathology research department. It's a really awesome cause. The Etsy-beadweavers, decided to try to get enough squares together to make a full quilt, so lots pitched in and helped. You can read a little bit more that here.

I was so excited, I couldn't wait to show them off. I got them completely done, after a bunch of headaches. You would think a couple little beaded squares would go by quickly, but I ran into so many problems. So I was not only happy to see the outcome, I was happy to be done.

So I got the camera out and went to take a couple of pictures and the screen was blank. Nothing! I reviewed some of the other pictures on the card and the screen worked fine, but it would not take any pictures. Well it would take a picture, they just all turned out black. So now I don't know what's wrong with our only remaining camera (some of you may also know that I broke our 6 month old SLR camera back in July, and it's sitting in a drawer waiting to be fixed). Boy I just have the best of luck with cameras. So I promise that as soon as I get a working camera again, I'll have pictures of my little squares up.

But just so I don't leave you without any eye candy. Here's a picture of one of my favorite necklaces. I used one of my favorite glasses, Cosmic Storm, to make the focal bead, and some really great silver lined Czech seed beads.

Enjoy and Have a Fantastic Weekend!!

EBW Challenge - Voting is Open for the September Challenge

Voting for the September Challenge is open!!!!

This month's challenge theme was Complementary Contradictions and was chosen by Smadar of Smadar's Treasures, the winner of the July EBW Challenge.

Voting will end on September 15th at midnight, so hurry up and go vote for your favorite entry at the Etsy-Beadweavers Blog

Please click on the links below to look at each individual entry.

1. Le Rouge et le Noir Freeform Bracelet - enchantedbeads

2. Pinstripes and Rhinestones Cuff Bracelet - cigarboxbeads

3. Tears of Joy - beadsandblooms

4. links cuff - thebeadedlily

5. No Shades of Gray Black and Silver Cuff - njema

6. Darkest Light - Magnesite/Iron Wild Horse Cabachon Bracelet - fashionsfrome

7. Lapis Lazuli Necklace and earring set - dreambeadweaver

8. Stargazer- Beadwoven Brooch - animadversion

9. Opposites Attract - Beaded Potholder - vanishingpearl

10. Roundabout - ThesePreciousThings

11. Free and Formed - OOAK - beaddiddy

12. Yin and Yang Peyote Bracelet- SmadarsTreasure

13. Bananarama Mask - Beadmatrix

14. Black and White - A Story in Color - adinahalperndesigns

15. Opposite Attraction, Beadwoven Cuff - RegalBeads

16. Fire and Ice - AmethystRavenstar

17. Dragon Eye Beaded Bracelet - Tresijas

18. Autumn Peyote Cubed Cuff - myfairladyvt4

19. Black and Silver Freeform Bracelet - wMarlaine

20. Pin Stipes and Flowers Bracelet - GrandmaMarilyns

21. Textural atmosphere - LiciaBeads

22. Circle Gets the Square - beaderjojo


I was not able to get an entry done for this month, but all the entries are just spectacular!!! Way to go beady people!!!

I Just Got A Squidoo Page

When I first heard about squidoo, I had no idea what that even meant. I mean what a weird word, what possibly could it be? Well I have been looking at some of the lenses, and decided it was pretty cool. So I created my first lens. (Lens are like your own personal web page about what ever you love; it can be anything.) It's just another way to help promote my store. I'm still working on it, I'm sure there is plenty I can do to make it way more interesting. Check it out.


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The new Etsy-Beadweavers Challenge Theme has been announced. I'm so excited, it's a good one.

Drum Roll Please..............

Animal Instinct

I told you it was a good one. Julie of GemsbyJules won the August challenge with a really beautiful cuff, so she got to choose the October theme. I can't wait to see what all the really talented artists come up with. Now I just need to think about my design!!!!!

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It's a miracle, they are actually sitting in the same window together. They are within a foot of each other and not trying to kill each other. We have had Toonces (the tiger stripe) for a little over a year now and Nacho still hates her. So when we see something like this, we have to document it, so when they are beating each other up in the basement, we can look back and remember the day when they got a long for a minute or two. And no they never hurt each other, Toonces thinks it's a game and Nacho thinks it's a battle to the death, but Nacho's such a scaredy-cat, nothing horrible would ever happen. She just growls and hisses when ever Toonces invades her personal space (or when anyone for that matter invades her space). Then they chase each other through the house at top speed until Toonces jumps on the cat tower (I guess that's goal) and Nacho (with a mohawk and huge poofed out tail) just looks turns around and finds a comfy place to sleep. I kinda thing that they both think they won respectively. Toonces thinks she outsmarted Nacho, and Nacho thinks she scared Toonces. Oh cats, they're always entertaining.

We Have a Winner

This month's Etsy-Beadweavers Challenge is over and a winner has been chosen.

This month's theme was art deco, and boy were there some beauties to pick from.

Here is the winner. Search Light Art Deco Bracelet - GemsbyJules What a great cuff. Congratulations on the win.

Here are the runners up

Lost Treasures - Art Deco- beadwoven set - BeadCatcher

Art Deco Collar - HighDesertBeadscapes

Latte at Hotel Mercedes - Hand Beaded Cuff - ThreeFatesDesign
Yay, I came in fourth. This was only my second entry, I'm so proud of my cuff.

Purple Graces - triz

A Salute To Art Deco - wMarlaine

Moss Agate Going Green Doily Bracelet - myfairladyvt4

Deco Lotus pin or pendant - beadmummy

Art Deco Cuff - Savoy Studio

A Trip to The Nile - Collar EBWC - SmadarsTreasure

Congratulations to everyone. Every entry was just fantastic. I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with for September!!!

August Challenge Voting - Etsy Beadweavers

Well it's that time again. Time to vote for the August Etsy-Beadweavers challenge. There were so many fantastic entries this month. This month's theme was ART DECO. One of my favorite design periods.

Here was my entry for this month. It was based on a beautiful stained glass window found in the Hotel Mercedes in Paris France. It's all hand beaded using tiny little Delica beads in two drop peyote stitch. I then sewed it to a nice soft leather cuff and cut the ends to match the curves of the design. It's all finished off with gold eyelets and a brown ribbon. I really love my creation for this month, I hope everyone else does too. You can see it in my etsy store. It's called Latte at Hotel Mercedes

You can vote at ETSY-BEADWEAVERS BLOG

*Here is a sneak peak of all the entries.*

1. Moss Agate Going Green Doily Bracelet - myfairladyvt4

2. Purple Graces - triz

3. WAVES OF SYMMETRY - caraway

4. Flaring Pinwheels Art Deco Beadwoven Necklace - njema

5. Geometric Brooch with Onyx and Carnelian Cabochons - enchantedbeads

6. Harlequin - beadsandblooms

7. Art Deco Earrings Clinkscales Arts

8. Bloodstone Style Moderne - euphoriamoondesigns

9. Grey Art Deco Marquee Cuff - AmethystRavenstar

10. Deco Lotus pin or pendant - beadmummy

11. Art Deco Collar - HighDesertBeadscapes

12. Black Glass and Teal Art Deco Necklace - PinkPoochDesigns

13. Embroidered Pendant on Herringbone Rope - vanishingpearl

14. Lost Treasures - Art Deco- beadwoven set - BeadCatcher

15. Art Deco Meets Goth - WickedOakDesigns

16. A Trip to The Nile - Collar EBWC - SmadarsTreasure

17. A Salute To Art Deco - wMarlaine

18. Inspired by Cartier - Chrisbeads

19. Latte at Hotel Mercedes - Hand Beaded Cuff - ThreeFatesDesign

20. Art Deco necklace - Orly's BeadsHead

21. Butterfly Garden Enamel Necklace - ThePreciousBeads

22. Beguiling Beadwoven Art Deco Miniature Oil Lamp - Salamander House

23. Windows to the Past - adinahalperndesigns's

24. Art Deco Cuff - Savoy Studio

25. Stars of the Sea Cuff Bracelet - arosebyname

26. Search Light Art Deco Bracelet - GemsbyJules

27. Art Deco Bracelet - clairecreations

28. Black and White Art Deco Necklace by Sooz - BoodlersBeads

29. Hamunaptra - thebeadedlily

Everyone did such a great job. You can go to the etsy beadweavers blog to vote for your favorite. Go to ETSY-BEADWEAVERS BLOG

GO VOTE TODAY!!!!!