Sunday, January 31, 2010
Friday, January 29, 2010
Funny Friday and Fabulous Links
| The Colbert Report | Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c | |||
| Stephen's Driving Tips via Twitter Service | ||||
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A Bead A Day
Is it too early to "think spring" or will that make it get here faster? Lisa used her Soft Flex Trios in an attempt to hurry spring along.
About.com Jewelry Making
Are you ready to load up on some Valentine's jewelry tutorials? Are you even making jewelry for this holiday?
Art Bead Scene
Meet the pretty girl with lots of brains plus a whole lotta soul!
Carmi's Art/Life World
After a week at CHA Carmi chooses the sweater surgery necklace as her favorite event.
Cindy Gimbrone aka Lampwork Diva
Instead of biting her fingernails down to the nub, Cindy makes Grunge Beads!
Earthenwood Studio Chronicles
Melanie looks to the skies for the inspiration for some new cloud carvings
Jean Campbell
Jean met up with two very cool artists this week: Gorgeous wool designs (including wool beads!); wonderful women.
Jewelry & Beading
Cyndi is so happy that the third year of the Bead Journal Project has started. This year, she's making a bead embroidered bracelet for each month of the project.
Snap Out of It Jean! There's Beading to be Done!
book review by jean: here's a cool title, harking back to the 60s...Crunchy Granola Charm eBook by Yvette Doss !
Strands of Beads
Melissa creates a new necklace design using cute heart beads from Rings & Things
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
A Drop of Sunshine....
Lately, I'm into very long necklaces with just a crystal or a few charms. When I went to NYC at Thanksgiving, I made sure I hit as many bead shops as possible. That's where I found a set of deep red faceted crystal drops. I love red, it's my favorite color, so I had to buy them.
Color symbolism varies from culture to culture. Popular U.S. culture probably would interpret red to represent blood. the bleeding heart would be a perfect place for a vampire inspired necklace.
But if we're talking about me, Cindy and not when I'm in a bad mood or feeling insecure, I'd prefer to interpret red as representing the sun. When I wear this around my neck it means I'm wearing a drop of sunshine.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Flowers are Tethered Butterflies
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Sunday Photo: Hearts for Haiti
Hearts for Haiti
This is an Etsy collective of donated items from hundreds of Etsy shops to raise money to rebuild Haiti. 100% of the proceeds from this shop (minus Etsy fees and Paypal fees) go directly to DoctorsWithoutBorders (http://doctorswithoutborders.org ). This shop has permission to use the DoctorsWithoutBorders name and a separate bank account and Paypal account have been opened to maintain the integrity of this shop.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Funny Friday and Fabulous Links!
see more Lolcats and funny pictures
About.com Jewelry Making
Catch up on the latest jewelry related podcasts. Tammy found some excellent ones for you to listen to.
Art Bead Scene
Do You Rock? Here's your chance to show others that you do!
Carmi's Art/Life World
Carmi has an easy idea to thank a sponsor.
Cindy Gimbrone aka Lampwork Diva
An Emily Dickinson poem describes Cindy's newest piece of jewelry.
Jewelry & Beading
How do you feel about using inexpensive materials in your designs? Chime in and let your voice be heard!
Snap Out of It Jean! There's Beading to be Done!
Want to know what rubber duckies and Autism Awareness jewelry have to do with each other? Check Jean's site out!
Strands of Beads
Melissa shows off a new earring design made from beautiful cubic zirconia from Artbeads.com
The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton
Andrew shares the new additions to his bead stash - goodies from Cindy Gimbrone, Diane Hawkey, and Nancy Schindler.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Grunge Beads
Last week, looking for beads to make rather than biting my fingernails down to the nub, I took out my stash of polymer clay. I worked up a batch of faux ivory with my hands mostly because I couldn't find my pasta machine (TBC keeps trying to organize me, problem is, I never know where he puts things!) I intended to work on some prototypes based on drawings I'd made for pmc. I made some prototypes but then started making other kinds - just to experiment.
I kept thinking about the "inchies" I bought. They are a "grunge style" Alice in Wonderland set. I printed them, grunged up the back with alcohol inks and stamps, added a layer of Diamond Glaze and pounded eyelets into them. I like the slightly dirty/dark look and who cares how much ink I got on my hands?
Somewhere in the back of my mind was the grungle style. I wanted a lots of color but not bright color. I wanted the worn but not antique look - more akin to the Chinese ink and wash painting with a dark, deeply colored worn look seen below.
(Photo courtesy of Wikipedia)
So I went to the local art supplies store and bought some India Ink. Rubbed it on to the beads and rubbed off the excess. I wet sanded with fine grit sand paper to give the worn appearance. Like your favorite t-shirt or jeans that you really should throw out but they're so comfortable, you just can't!
Grunge beads! What do you think?
I kept thinking about the "inchies" I bought. They are a "grunge style" Alice in Wonderland set. I printed them, grunged up the back with alcohol inks and stamps, added a layer of Diamond Glaze and pounded eyelets into them. I like the slightly dirty/dark look and who cares how much ink I got on my hands?
Somewhere in the back of my mind was the grungle style. I wanted a lots of color but not bright color. I wanted the worn but not antique look - more akin to the Chinese ink and wash painting with a dark, deeply colored worn look seen below.
(Photo courtesy of Wikipedia)
So I went to the local art supplies store and bought some India Ink. Rubbed it on to the beads and rubbed off the excess. I wet sanded with fine grit sand paper to give the worn appearance. Like your favorite t-shirt or jeans that you really should throw out but they're so comfortable, you just can't!
Grunge beads! What do you think?
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
My Valentine to Rings n Things
Dear Rings n Things,
Thank you for the awesome lampwork hearts, red and black crystals and black filigree you sent me! I mean they were so cool! I made a sweet necklace with them after I read this totally inspiring poem by Destiny Avaritia:
I heart the way you look at me
I heart the way you smile
I heart the way you walk by me
Every once in a while
So I was thinkin' it'd be a totally cool necklace if I added in gunmetal chain, a lobster clasp and jumprings I bought from you last year. Oh I can't forget to add in my disclosure of material connection too so the government doesn't get mad and junk. I had a hard time taking a good photo with my phone so I used my regular camera. I can't wait to show it to my friends, don't you think it's sweet?
Have a kickin' Valentine's Day!
xoxox
Cindy
Thank you for the awesome lampwork hearts, red and black crystals and black filigree you sent me! I mean they were so cool! I made a sweet necklace with them after I read this totally inspiring poem by Destiny Avaritia:
I heart the way you look at me
I heart the way you smile
I heart the way you walk by me
Every once in a while
So I was thinkin' it'd be a totally cool necklace if I added in gunmetal chain, a lobster clasp and jumprings I bought from you last year. Oh I can't forget to add in my disclosure of material connection too so the government doesn't get mad and junk. I had a hard time taking a good photo with my phone so I used my regular camera. I can't wait to show it to my friends, don't you think it's sweet?
Have a kickin' Valentine's Day!
xoxox
Cindy
Monday, January 18, 2010
Rivet, Rivet!
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Friday, January 15, 2010
Funny Friday and Fabulous Links!
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| News of the Weird - Mark McGwire, Game Change & Sarah Palin | ||||
| ||||
About.com Jewelry MakingTammy has developed a quick link list to help you find the jewelry info you need.
Art Bead Scene
January's Art Bead Scene Challenge is a snowy landscape with a solitary magpie painted by Monet.
Carmi's Art/Life World
Carmi has a special Paris post on photographing jewelry.
Cindy Gimbrone aka Lampwork Diva
Rewind: Cindy's Art Noveau inspired Stile Floreal bronze clay pendants.
Jean Campbell
Oh, geez. Jean's tooting her horn again about her new book, Steampunk Style Jewelry...
Jewelry & Beading
Cyndi wants to know, wanna be facebook friends?
Katie's Beading Blog
See pix of Katie's workshop offerings for the Bead & Button Show in June. Registration opened this week and classes are already filling up!
Strands of Beads
Melissa has a fun time exchanging bead stashes with a friend to create a new bracelet.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
If you give a beadmaker a medium....
...she'll make beads! I don't know if you know the children's book, If You give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Joffe Numeroff but if you are, you'll get the joke.
The reason I played with the title of the children's book is because I'm frozen out of my studio. It's unheated as I've complained about for years now but we won't be remodeling it soon. I need to make beads, I need to use my hands and when I'm frozen out, I start to bite my nails as a substitute. When that happens, I troll around my office for what I can do at the coffee table and I found it, my stash of poly clay.
I know normally, we don't refer to a "stash" of any medium but it applies here. I add to it every so often and don't make much with it. But lately, I've been drawing out some ideas for the bronze clay and thought I'd try to work them out in polymer first.
Sometimes, I just want to get my hands into a medium as opposed to working the medium with tools like with glass. I love glass but you can't touch it to work it. There's something very satisfying about manipulating the polymer with your hands.
I played with the ideas I have drawn out and technique as well - things like do I prefer to insert an eyepin or do I prefer to make a beadhole? I cured my experiments and snapped a quick photo to post.
Making these prototypes by getting my hands into the work, satisfied my need to create beads. Guess cold weather isn't all bad, huh?
The reason I played with the title of the children's book is because I'm frozen out of my studio. It's unheated as I've complained about for years now but we won't be remodeling it soon. I need to make beads, I need to use my hands and when I'm frozen out, I start to bite my nails as a substitute. When that happens, I troll around my office for what I can do at the coffee table and I found it, my stash of poly clay.
I know normally, we don't refer to a "stash" of any medium but it applies here. I add to it every so often and don't make much with it. But lately, I've been drawing out some ideas for the bronze clay and thought I'd try to work them out in polymer first.
Sometimes, I just want to get my hands into a medium as opposed to working the medium with tools like with glass. I love glass but you can't touch it to work it. There's something very satisfying about manipulating the polymer with your hands.
I played with the ideas I have drawn out and technique as well - things like do I prefer to insert an eyepin or do I prefer to make a beadhole? I cured my experiments and snapped a quick photo to post.
Making these prototypes by getting my hands into the work, satisfied my need to create beads. Guess cold weather isn't all bad, huh?
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Minding the Business: KISS!
Ok, I try to organize and write lists but my lists are soooooo long, it's overwhelming. I give up.
My New Year's resolution is to KISS - you know- "Keep It Simple Stupid!" (Ouch! I'm sounding a bit down on myself. Maybe I should re-read Ang's terrific post on thinking positively?)
Wait, I can't take any time right now to pump up a sagging ego, I've got a business to run and I need to focus (and maybe a brush to take care of that hair!)
My New Year's goal is to KISS as much as possible. So a few days ago when I was using the internet as a way to avoid getting down to KISS, I found Beth Hemmila's post on Planning Ahead a stripped down, not too complicated way to plan my beadmaking calendar.
Hey, maybe even *I* can do that!
KISS, Cindy, KISS!
Monday, January 11, 2010
Hiding Myself Within....
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Saturday, January 09, 2010
3rd Giveaway Winner and Thank you!
The winner of the 3rd giveaway is Cindy! (Lovely name if I do say so myself! LOL!) Cindy, send me an email to cindygimbrone@yahoo.com and I'll send you the hearts along with the silverlake beads! An email will serve as a nice reminder so I don't forget!
Thank you so much for coming to the sale. I appreciate comments and purchases! The sale continues until 7pm. I'll be lowering the prices so you may want to take one last look before you shut off the computer!
Here I am signing "THANK YOU" in American Sign Language!
Shhhh! A secret I'm only sharing with you!
If you're reading the blog today - thank you! And to put my money where my mouth is, as of 4pm EST, I'm LOWERING the prices on all of the clearance items! From 4-7pm EST, each item will be rock bottom. Geez I'm beginning to sound like one of the tv guys hawking cars! But I really don't want these beads hanging around here anymore.
After 7pm EST today - they're gone gone gone!
So go take a look after 4pm EST - it's gonna feel like stealing! (but you won't be :-)
Winner of 2nd giveaway and 3rd Giveaway
Lori Anderson!
Send me an email, Lori at cindygimbrone@yahoo.com and I'll send out your resin cabs!
Giveaway #3 is in honor of Valentine's Day - a set of hearts. The white heart has dichroic glass encased in it and is decorated with 23K gold.
Give me feedback on the clearance/seconds sale - should I hold it once or twice a year? Leave me feedback and you'll be entered to win the hearts!
I Tried Candy
I'm putting up a set of prototype beads inspired by the movie Marie Antoinette. Watch the excerpt below to see the food - the strawberry desserts look divine!
Inspired, I set about to make some cute cupcakes and little bears in cupcakes. I made a few and then never went any further. So I'm offering them up on the Clearance page for a song! (arr arr - get it? a song!
Inspired, I set about to make some cute cupcakes and little bears in cupcakes. I made a few and then never went any further. So I'm offering them up on the Clearance page for a song! (arr arr - get it? a song!
Added two more items and more to come....
Giveaway 1 winner and Giveaway 2 for mixed media
People must be out enjoying the sun or doing their regular Saturday errands which means all the more for Emanda who wins the first giveaway! YAY! More for Emanda! Send me an email at cindygimbrone@yahoo.com Emanda so I can send you the beads!
Not to ignore my mixed media, stamping colleagues - my next giveaway is a very large set of resin watch parts cabochons made by moi.
How might you use these resin cabs? Leave me a comment and you could win them!
Not to ignore my mixed media, stamping colleagues - my next giveaway is a very large set of resin watch parts cabochons made by moi.
How might you use these resin cabs? Leave me a comment and you could win them!
First Giveaway
The blue glass used to make the flowers is periwinkle - it's one of my favorite glass colors to work with. When working the glass in the flame, it turns a lovely pink color - sometimes I wish it could stay pink! But I don't feel I'm settling for this lovely shade of blue!
Have you made a new Year's resolution? Have you followed through so far or have you already fallen off the wagon? Leave a comment and you could win this set of lovely beads.
Welcome! Super Saturday Sales!
Welcome to the Super Saturday Sales! Thanks for taking time out on your busy Saturday to stop by!
I've already started my Clearance/Seconds Sale which will run until 7 pm tonight.
I'll be live online from now until 4pm EST. I'll have some surprises and giveaways going on for the next 3 hours.
Don't forget to check out the sales I'm having at the bleeding heart and my Art Fire shop.
But I've said SALES - so take a look around at my beady and jewelry making colleagues who are also having a sale!
Sale items available at the Earthenwood Shop on Etsy
Sale items available at Andrew Thornton's Big Cartel Shop.
My colleagues are online now too! So check out their shops for great deals!
I'll post my first giveaway in a few moments. Stay tuned!
I've already started my Clearance/Seconds Sale which will run until 7 pm tonight.
I'll be live online from now until 4pm EST. I'll have some surprises and giveaways going on for the next 3 hours.
Don't forget to check out the sales I'm having at the bleeding heart and my Art Fire shop.
But I've said SALES - so take a look around at my beady and jewelry making colleagues who are also having a sale!
Sale items available at the Earthenwood Shop on Etsy
Sale items available at Andrew Thornton's Big Cartel Shop.
My colleagues are online now too! So check out their shops for great deals!
I'll post my first giveaway in a few moments. Stay tuned!
Customer Service: Trouble Ordering?
An international customer sent me an email saying she's having trouble ordering. If this is you too, you can order by sending me an email at:
cindygimbrone@yahoo.com
or via AIM/ichat
Screen name: cindybeadmaker
Tell me what you'd like to order and I'll send you an invoice via Paypal. If you don't use paypal, you can still order. I'll send you an invoice.
Keep your questions coming! I'm online and ready to work with you!
Customer Service: Looking for Art Fire? Etsy?
If you're looking for the Art Fire and Etsy shops, just look to the left of your computer screen for the shop "windows." The windows are clickable - just click on the shop you'd like to visit.
Customer Service: Thanks for the feedback! Gliche fixed!
A couple of my early bird customers have sent me an email to alert me to a gliche in my shopping cart. Customers were being double charged for shipping. I'm happy to say I've corrected the gliche and refunded everyone's overcharge.
For those of you with AIM, my screen name is cindybeadmaker. Feel free to aim me!
For those of you with AIM, my screen name is cindybeadmaker. Feel free to aim me!
Customer Service: I'm online today!
I'll be online today - so my customer service line is open! If you send an email to my yahoo address, I can take care of any questions you have or gliches that come up.
Feel free to email me at: cindygimbrone@yahoo.com
Clearance and Second Sale Event!
Sale starts now! You can go to my website and start buying if you up!
I'll be adding (if I can) throughout the day
I'll be LIVE ONLINE from 1pm -4pm today!
Friday, January 08, 2010
Sale and Links
More beads from the Clearance/Seconds Sale that starts at 6:30 am (EST) on my website tomorrow morning. You can window shop, but you can't buy until then!
Check out what the Bead Peeps are up to....
A Bead A Day
If you are looking for some unique findings to use in your valentine jewelry (or Twilight jewelry), Lisa uses some interesting domed filligree pieces to house a bright red mysterious bead.
About.com Jewelry Making
Artfire, Zibbet, Etsy, which of these is the right selling venue for your jewelry?
Art Bead Scene
ABS Rewind: Art Bead Scene isn't just about art beads, it's about artist made buttons too!
Carmi's Art/Life World
Demon Monkeys appear in Carmi's projects this week.
Cindy Gimbrone aka Lampwork Diva
Cindy's made a New Year's resolution to clean out the studio with a January clearance sale!
Earthenwood Studio Chronicles
Melanie starts the new year with a new source of inspiration... a project she calls Song Lore.
Jean Campbell
Jean is sharing stories and images this week about her stops in CA. Monterey brought the most creative inspiration of all.
Jewelry & Beading
Cyndi has started a new series, called "What would you do" to discuss some of the sticky dilemmas we face in jewelry making.
Lorelei's Blog: Inside the Studio
Looking for just the right clasp? Lorelei reviews a few from Artbeads.com.
Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!
Jean meets a cool new friend who offers us a great jewelry teaching site!
Strands of Beads
Melissa is the author of Softflex Company's Spotlight On...Article for January 2010
The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton
A luminous Golden Cloud Series Basha Bead inspires Andrew to create a bracelet ready to take flight!
Check out what the Bead Peeps are up to....
A Bead A Day
If you are looking for some unique findings to use in your valentine jewelry (or Twilight jewelry), Lisa uses some interesting domed filligree pieces to house a bright red mysterious bead.
About.com Jewelry Making
Artfire, Zibbet, Etsy, which of these is the right selling venue for your jewelry?
Art Bead Scene
ABS Rewind: Art Bead Scene isn't just about art beads, it's about artist made buttons too!
Carmi's Art/Life World
Demon Monkeys appear in Carmi's projects this week.
Cindy Gimbrone aka Lampwork Diva
Cindy's made a New Year's resolution to clean out the studio with a January clearance sale!
Earthenwood Studio Chronicles
Melanie starts the new year with a new source of inspiration... a project she calls Song Lore.
Jean Campbell
Jean is sharing stories and images this week about her stops in CA. Monterey brought the most creative inspiration of all.
Jewelry & Beading
Cyndi has started a new series, called "What would you do" to discuss some of the sticky dilemmas we face in jewelry making.
Lorelei's Blog: Inside the Studio
Looking for just the right clasp? Lorelei reviews a few from Artbeads.com.
Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!
Jean meets a cool new friend who offers us a great jewelry teaching site!
Strands of Beads
Melissa is the author of Softflex Company's Spotlight On...Article for January 2010
The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton
A luminous Golden Cloud Series Basha Bead inspires Andrew to create a bracelet ready to take flight!
Thursday, January 07, 2010
Can't work fast enough - Underestimate or Overestimate?
I'm working as fast as I can to put up all of the beads I want to clear out of my studio. I can't work fast enough! I may have to sacrifice the pretty descriptions so I can get on my site. Here's how the process works:
1. lay out all the trays of beads I have
2. re-organize into color or theme groups
3. place each group into a bag
4. set up for photos
5. take 4-6 photos of each bag
6. upload pictures to computer
7. choose 2-3 good pictures of each set of beads
8. upload pictures to web
9. organize and describe each and list on website
Yesterday's goal was to list 8 sets, I ended up listing 4.
Maybe this is TMI (too much information) but I felt I wanted to explain the sparseness of the descriptions. Here are a few of the beads I posted yesterday. I'm selling them cheap, cheap, cheap! They are ready to go to good homes :-)
I always underestimate how long something takes to do - what about you? Do you underestimate or overestimate?
1. lay out all the trays of beads I have
2. re-organize into color or theme groups
3. place each group into a bag
4. set up for photos
5. take 4-6 photos of each bag
6. upload pictures to computer
7. choose 2-3 good pictures of each set of beads
8. upload pictures to web
9. organize and describe each and list on website
Yesterday's goal was to list 8 sets, I ended up listing 4.
Maybe this is TMI (too much information) but I felt I wanted to explain the sparseness of the descriptions. Here are a few of the beads I posted yesterday. I'm selling them cheap, cheap, cheap! They are ready to go to good homes :-)
I always underestimate how long something takes to do - what about you? Do you underestimate or overestimate?
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
How the Seconds Sale came about...
Some you might be wondering, why a seconds sale? What is a second?
A second is an art bead that may have a pattern slightly off, dots not exactly centered, unplanned color blending, beadhole flush rather than dimpled, proportions slightly off, etc. They have what I consider slight flaws. Other seconds are prototype beads - new designs that weren't quite there yet.
When I host an open studio, the visitors often want to buy my seconds. I think they're flawed but many of my bead buyers do not. So, the seconds sale was born.
Monday, January 04, 2010
Unpredictable Coral and Sale Preview
Due to weather, I had to call off my shift as a video relay interpreter (VI) yesterday. I took advantage of the time to continue to organize for the clearance/seconds sale on Saturday.
I've got so many handmade beads, I've decided to organize and sell the majority of them by color. Here are a few small bead sets I had left over from shows. They're matched up for earring pairs.
The Orange/Coral glass color is varied and striated as you can see from the pictures of the glass rods below. When you make beads from the same glass rod, the beads will sometimes be slightly different in color. I like that, makes someone look twice and adds to the richness.
See what I mean? Love the coral, it ranges from pinky to orangey - very unpredictable! Do you have a material you work with that you consider unpredictable?
I've got so many handmade beads, I've decided to organize and sell the majority of them by color. Here are a few small bead sets I had left over from shows. They're matched up for earring pairs.
The Orange/Coral glass color is varied and striated as you can see from the pictures of the glass rods below. When you make beads from the same glass rod, the beads will sometimes be slightly different in color. I like that, makes someone look twice and adds to the richness.
See what I mean? Love the coral, it ranges from pinky to orangey - very unpredictable! Do you have a material you work with that you consider unpredictable?
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