Bead Soup Party Day #4

Here is another set of Lisi's beautiful lampwork beads made into earrings. There are a dozen such lovelies in my Etsy Shop. Please take a moment to take a look around.

June 22th

37. Filomena, Pink Velvet Bird
38. Lyn, Lyn Foley
39. Tari, Pearl and Pebble
40. Rebecca, Song Beads
41. Regina, Regina's Writings
42. Nancy, The Rabbit Muse
43. Whitney, Whitney Lassini
44. Maria, Garden Path Beads
45. Michelle, Life in the Bead Lane
46. Ann, My Critical Eye
47. Lisa, Lucid Moon Studio
(and now we are half-way through the Bead Soup participants -- more to come!)

Also, if you have not already, sign up for my Birthday Giveaway {HERE}. It is going on all week, so come back at the end of the party to see who won.

Lisi's Orphans -- Give them a good home

I recently posted about Lisi's Lampwork Beads and the 80 orphans I adopted. I used seven in two commissions and decided that the rest should go out into the world as Noah intended: two-by-two, (or as Earrings).I have nineteen (19!) pairs of earrings I am about to post in my Etsy shop Artemisia's Studio. It would probably be a good idea to give me until tomorrow to finish posting.
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These really are really yummy.
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The Lampwork beads are nearly identical ("nearly" is why they are orphans) and measure approx. 8.5mm x 12mm on 1/16" mandrels. They are topped with a crystal and silver roundel, a faceted color crystal to match the bead, a daisy spacer and another tiny crystal for just perfect touch of bling. The lever-back earring findings are silver-plated, but can be changed out for other kinds of ear-wires.

Sneak Peek at the Bead Soup Swap

My Bead Soup Swap partner is Heather Pyle. She posted yesterday what she is sending me (sly snicker, hands rubbing in glee).

This is what I am sending her:

Heather is a polymer clay artist and she loves working in color. She is also an art quilter like me. She commented that she loves to incorporate lampwork glass into her pieces ("hint, hint") so I have included three from Lisi, right in the middle there. The rest of the beads are amethyst, dyed fossil beads, dyed Freshwater pearls, some cloisonne, one of my hand-made clasps, and the focal is carved stone in the shape of two fish.

I hope Heather likes what I have sent to her. I am looking forward to seeing what all the other participants do with all the beady goodness that will be revealed the week beginning June 19th. Stay tuned!

Also, The LandArt Bracelet Challenge is still on -- Send me your photos of bracelets inspired byRichard Shilling's Land Art. See this post for more information.

Commission Finished!

I heard from my friend last night and she told me she really like the third design on the first photo, so that is what I finished this morning with the birds singing outside my open door. The piece just seemed to flow from my hands. I love it when that groove sort of happens, don't you?

And don't you just love the way Lisi's Lampwork Beads play with the pearls and rose and cherry quartz?

I probably should have waited until this afternoon to photograph the finished bracelet -- strong shadows and all, but I really wanted to move on with my day (so much to do!)

I have been a bit of a slacker -- I have not posted my Bead Soup Swap yet. I will post a teaser this afternoon, once it is in the mail.

Finished Pieces (and One Work in Progress)

After talking to my friend who has commissioned me to make two pieces for high school graduates, this is the first to be finished. It is for a lovely redhead with a distinctive style.

Here it is on my "old lady" neck . . .

and here it is on a backdrop.

Notice the handmade clasp? (I made it!)

And this is a work in progress: a bracelet for another graduate for the same friend.

What is your favorite version?

And here is a pair of earrings that are just gorgeous in person. They do not photograph well because there is a swirl of color that moves all aound each bead -- perfectly matched!

More photos and projects as I finish them.

Comments are ALWAYS welcome.

Now I get it!

Almost as soon as I had posted the previous post about these gorgeous beads I purchased from Lisi, I had 8 (eight!) comments about the beady goodness -- more than any of the previous recent posts. So I suppose I know what you want to see here:

bead p*rn!

(made famous by Kelly Morgan from Silver Parrot)

The photo above represents the 10 out of 80 beads incorporated into jewelry already, most commissions from friends. Tomorrow, I will post some photos of beads I recently purchased from Brazos Collection. I will be going back this week because they just got in a HUGE shipment from their suppliers!

Score!

With the sales I had over the last week and an honorarium from judging an art show, I made a significant purchase (well, significant for me).

Look at these lovely orphans from Art by Lisi Lampwork Beads. I see lots of beautiful earrings in my future! (80 beautiful beads -- I promise to take good care of them and find them good homes.) Keep a look out in my Etsy shop: www.ArtemisiaStudio.Etsy.com