Lorelei Eurto's Blog, page 40

Innovative Bead Expo

Decided to drive down to Syracuse today to check out the Innovative Bead Expo. I was pleasantly surprised at the variety for a smaller show.  It has been a few years since I've gone to this one. Got to say Hi to my friend Anne at Gardanne Beads, and picked out some pretty glass and enameled pieces from her booth.
I love chatting with Anne about business and it's also so nice to catch up on the non-business stuff too. I definitely wish she lived closer!



Also picked up some strands-

Some green opal. Metallic Cats Eye and Blue kyanite



A few strands of this awesome matte finish Hematite, and some Yellow jasper- great shape



Some jade rondelles and these pretty faceted stone rounds which I have no idea what they are. any suggestions?



Stocked up on some interesting new Seed beads shapes from Twisted Sistah Beads and Fiber



Snagged a few new shapes from Marsha Neal Studio at the D7 Booth....


Met some new artists too such as Ren Farsnworth of Designs in Glass....



and pjBeads where I found some adorable lamp work earring pairs.


Gosh,  I just love bead shows.

New Listings on Etsy

 On Etsy

Sponsor Feature: Judith Johnston Beads

Happy Thursday! 

Well. I'm headed back to work this morning. I was lucky enough to get a little part time gig at the Wellin Museum at Hamilton College helping them with their collections database.  I'll be there twice  a week and will no doubt have some trouble getting back into the swing of my business/ + job. But I know you'll bare with me right!?  I think it will be a good opportunity to be around some art again, and I love the local museums in this area. The Wellin is actually a brand spankin new museum that was just built on the campus at Hamilton. It's a lovely building and I am excited to get the grand tour today. As with any change, I'm a little nervous but I'm sure it will go well.






For today I wanted to share with you some fabulous beads by a new ad sponsor. Meet Judith Johnston. She runs a nice little bead shop over at Etsy and you should check that out when you have some time.

Judith creates lamp work beads and also creates jewelry with her beads. The best of both worlds, I'd say! She sent me a few earring pairs, and I was able to play around with 2 pair yesterday.







This first set are lovely green and coral lentils with such detail and depth. I wire wrapped them with some copper wire and some coral rounds.



She also sent me this set of silvered Plum beads, that I wire wrapped with some glass rings, and ribbed lamp work rounds from Gardanne Beads.  I love the colors in this pair, the photo doesn't do them justice at all.


You'll see Judith's ad over in the side bar with the sponsor ads. Keep checking in for new work and enjoy your beads if you get any, which I think you should, because they are fantastic.

Judith Johnston Beads

Have you met Linn Warme

Wanted to introduce you to a new friend, Linn Warme. Lin is a popular blogger, and runs 2 really great blogs that showcase Etsy items. Check them out, The Very Best of Etsy, and Etsy Finds: The Best Finds on Etsy.

She also has her own Etsy shop where she sells some amazing and whimsical art and jewelry both inspired by nature. Here are some of my favorites that are available right now...


Flying Love Birds




Pink Sunflower Stud Earrings



Purple Christmas Rose Flower Brooch


Animal Symmetry Brooch

Handmade Wire Findings Winner is....

CONGRATULATIONS  KATHY (Artful Accents)


Please contact me with your mailing address!

Thank you all for your comments this week!

I know you'll definitely benefit from this book and if you haven't ordered it yet, put it on your wish list for sure!

It's only $15.08 on Amazon!

Book Review and Giveaway: Handcrafted Wire Findings

Good Monday Morning! 
Thanks for stopping by today.  I am doing another GREAT Book review and giveaway! It's a really bad hair day and I keep mucking up the video so today will be an old fashion no video blog post. Sorry.
Today I am talking about Handcrafted Wire Findings by my friends Jane Dickerson and Denise Peck. Superheroes in the bead world especially at Interweave Press, these ladies have teamed up on a fabulous technique filled book on creating your very own jewelry components using wire. 
Other jewelry technique books lightly cover wire techniques in the front section but this new book is an extensive collection of basic, intermediate and advanced techniques. 
If you have ever been frustrated with wire this book is a wonderful addition to your arsenal of how-to books because it offers very detailed instructions on various styles of ear wires, clasps, and links. I love the step by step photographs the most because as a very visual person, seeing it taught this way helps me wrap my head around the technique. 
Although they use Silver wire in this book, you can adapt other metal wire for most of the projects, such as copper steel and brass.  Learning to create your own findings will transform your jewelry designs from average to over the top and most importantly one of a kind. 
The only thing I was disappointed with is that there aren't any finished jewelry projects using the findings. There is a small gallery section at the back of the book. However this would not deter me from buying it.
For just $22.95 this bible is worth every penny and will ensure that you are never without that one special component again, as you'll have the knowledge and power to create whatever you need, as a moments notice!
I am giving away one copy to a random winner - go ahead and leave a comment on this post and I will choose the winner tomorrow morning around 9am eastern standard time.
Pass the love along and share on your favorite social media and leave a comment for each share for extra entries!!
Good luck to all!

My Latest Publications

You can see my designs in some recent magazine publications out on shelves now, such as,

Bead Design StudioApril 2014 issueThey published a great tutorial on a beautiful necklace design that I created using Nunn Design components.




                                    
Bead Style magazineMay 2014
I wrote an article for this issue about the Dos and Don't's of Jewelry Photography AND wrote a great tutorial on crafting an art bead multi strand bracelet.








Jewelry AffaireSpring 2014
I wrote a tutorial on a Chunky wood beaded necklace that features a cool Anne Choi Bead!

I could use your help

It was a really good start to the first day back in the studio after a short hiatus. This was the first bracelet I crafted. Had almost the whole thing together, and had to take it all apart. I really really REALLY hate doing things twice, but the leather rivet  was upside down and the flower was right side up. Didn't realize it of course, until the whole thing was knotted. Not only that but I realized I had forgotten to tie overhand knots on one side of one of the red Glass ovals. This was before I decided to use the pewter spacers between each of the oval beads. At the start, I was going to leave it as just linen cording. I am glad I changed my mind.


As soon as I pulled out that Scattered Light flower from my stash that has literally been hidden away for several YEARS, I knew I was going to regret it. But after that long, you sometimes just HAVE to pull out that ONE GREAT COMPONENT because it's the only thing that will work for a design.

The glass ovals have 2 holes, that line up perfectly with the links on the back of the flower. There can't be a more perfect component out there, or can there be??


As soon as it was all together, I got that feeling. You know the feeling, don't you? That tingle in your gut that tells you, Yep, you done good. I just knew this was a successful design. I was confident with it. Thrilled with it really.  And I immediately wanted to make more of them.

But that DAMNED flower. This was the only one I had.  And so I decided to keep this one. And see if I can hunt down either another flower component like this one. Or something that would be comparable and work in the same way.


Here is a photo of the backside of the flower. The loops are at the top and bottom and cord goes through them horizontally. This is key for this design.

I need your help! If you could help me find a component, preferably something Floral that has these 2 links on the backside, lined up in this same way to accommodate the cording, I would be able to recreate this design again.  I know so many great and talented metal clay artists out there, is this something you could create for me??

Keep your eyes peeled, and holler if you find something!

1000 Beads WINNER is...

C o n G r a T u l A t i O n s  
goes to ......................

BARB FERNALD!!

Woo hoo!!

Thank you all so much for commenting! I am hoping to bring more great books like this to you in the future!!

Barb, please email me your address!

Book Review and Giveaway: 1000 Beads

1000 Beads
Larkcrafts.com
420 pages
Color photos on every page
Juror- Kristina Logan

I forgot to mention in the video that this collection was handpicked by juror Kristina Logan, and she did a phenomenal job I tell ya.

Leave a comment, Winner will be picked tomorrow around 4pm est.
Lark will ship the book to the winner directly!

Good luck to all!