Bead Soup Revealed Tomorrow

There will be a delay in my posting as I have had to go out of town on family business ... sorry ;). Please check back tomorrow!

 Cheers,

  Stacy ;)

BTW - But on Thursday!!

Well I am a little late for BTW so here it is:

The first picture is of a custom piece I did as a surprise birthday gift from one sister in Ecuador to her sister in Ohio. It was such a sweet gesture of love since they will not be able to see each other for over a year. It made me feel really good to create the necklace.

The second is one of my Bottle Tags for an  order in progress and the third picture is my Bead Soup Mix that is due on Saturday and I am no where near done. I guess I better get movin!!

Until later ....

Cheers,

   Stacy

How To Drive Traffic to Your Sites

This is a repost from April of Eluna Jewelry. What a great way to drive sales and blog readers.

This wonderful idea was started by ChristieCottage and has already brought in sales and promotional opportunities to those involved.  Remember “A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds. Francis Bacon. ”  I saw that quote posted on Twitter and it seems to fit the idea, so let us create more opportunities to be seen.

The Twitter Tree will be hosted by a different shop each business day.

Monday: http://christiecottage.blogspot.com/
Tuesday: http://audreyscountrycrafts.blogspot.com/
Wednesday: http://elunajewelry-nc.blogspot.com/
Thursday: http://aneedleinthehaystack-debbie.blogspot.com/
Friday: http://sweetybird09.blogspot.com/

If you follow me on twitter - please let me know. I don't follow everyone back if I don't know who they are :)

The Twitter Tree Instructions:

You post the item(s) you tweeted for me along with your twitter account so I can follow you, and list 1-3 items (clickable links, Twitter Ready please) from any of your online shops that you would like for me to tweet for you. ( No "mature" items, please). Be sure the item is twitter ready. (Please include a description, not just the link and any #hashtags you would like to use.) 

You may list from multiple stores. However please respect other twitters and post no more than a total of three items. 

Some tweeters use applications like Tweetdeck. This application automatically shortens URLs, and has a difficult time distinguishing between hashtags and URLs when they are not properly spaced. Please place spaces between your URLs and hastags. Failure to do so may result in lower views as your tweets may get corrupted in the system.

Check back throughout the day to tweet the other items listed in the comments. To make life simpler for all those tweeting, please add the hashtag #bluebird to your links. This way it will be easier to re-tweet later in the day. Also if you add the #bluebird hashtag to your items, it will give you a random chance to be featured in the #bluebird daily twitter paper. 

By reaching out through our blog and twitter network, we hope to increase promotion for all our stores and hope to gain a new audience and possibly some sales. 

 
Hope you have a wonderful day and see you in tweetland.

http://elunajewelry-nc.blogspot.com/2011/02/twitter-tree-wednesday-2-23-2011.html

Here are the three items I posted today:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/67587421/sterling-silver-cast-discs-three-discs 

http://www.etsy.com/listing/60774211/charmed-series-run-like-a-girl-sterling

http://www.etsy.com/listing/59826754/charmed-series-sterling-insignia-stamps 

Thanks again to April for a great post! Don't forget to check back on Saturday for the big reveal of the Bead Soup Blog Hop. Until then ......

Cheers,

Stacy

Carol Bradley Designs - Blog Giveaway

The fabulous Carol Bradley is having a giveaway on her blog of one of her Twistie Bracelets. The sterling beads are very cool! I have admire her work for awhile. Go on over and take a look.

Cheers,
    Stacy

The Soup Is Simmering ......

I was SO excited to open my mailbox and see the package from my bead soup partner Tanya Floyd from Glass Migration. Look at the goodies that she sent, and the beautiful colors. The focal is made by Tanya and set with Swarovski crystals along with the round lampwork beads encased with sterling silver strands.

The big reveal is on February 26th so check back so you can see what I create. Also you will be able to hop to the other Bead Soup Participants blogs and check out what they made. Until next time .....

Cheers,
   Stacy

I am starting a new segment on Wednesday's and joining a wonderful group of talented artisians doing the same. When you have a chance you need to hop over and see their "Bead Table Wednesday" (you might already visit them regularly as I have often mentioned them), Lori Anderson of Pretty Things, Cindy Wimmer of Sweet Bead Studio, Heather Powers of Humble Beads, Lorelei Eurto, of Lorelei Eurto Jewelry.

Currently mine is messy, messy, messy as I am trying to play catch up from being back and forth to Charleston with my dad on top of my REAL job!

 

The rest of the groups BTW are nice a neat, mine is all over the place, but I know where everything is and that is what is important. 

I am working on some etched rolled pods to make pendants. My daughters bracelet that needs to be made larger. Some soldered trinkets to add to something! So I guess I better get going! Until next time ......

Cheers,

   Stacy

SSD Jewelry Art Show Debut

I want to share a little about a friend who had her art exhibit debut last night. She is a wonderful metal smith Melissa Lowery of SSD Jewelry. She has the best inspirational and positive quotes on a lot of her pieces along with etching a patinas.

Great leather cuffs

Wonderful Patina Cuffs

My Favorite Necklace

 Also, check out the wonderful photography of Leigh Moose of Side Yard Studios who shot the above photos of Melissa's work. 

Blog ... Blog ... Blog or Blah ... Blah ... Blah

I am so far off my mark this year it is crazy. I usually keep this blog to beading and show stuff, but decided this year to expand and include part of my life. The last six weeks have been a wild ride in our home and writing and blogging about it, I believe, will keep me a little more sane!

To start I want to share a very true quote that I saw on a blog that I read religiously Pretty Things by Lori Anderson. It is truly how I feel right now.

Since December 26th when I had to go to the emergency room for which turned out to be a severe bacteria infection that left me with a perforated eardrum, violently ill like nobody's business and the fact that I still cannot hear out of my right ear. Then, the end of December my mother-in-law passes away then my father is diagnosed w/ leukemia. Our family has checked off all the bad boxes for 2011! The doctor is still working on my ear issue, there seems to be nerve damage from the infection and there is a 70/30 chance that I will get it back. Good news, my dad is cancer free after his bone marrow biopsy last week. Whew, I feel better all ready!

Now onto bead and fun stuff .... here is a seek peak and what I sent my bead soup partner Tanya Floyd of Glass Migrations:


She is a great lampwork artist and ironically she lives only about 30 minutes away from me. I am excited to receive her beads (we both are delivering a bit late), and hope to meet up soon. She even offered to show me how to make lampwork beads!

Until later .... Stacy

Metal Stamp Giveaway

Lori Anderson of Pretty Things is giving away a very nice set of metal stamps from PJ Tool if you take a look and comment on her blog.

Lori is a wonderful lampwork artist, blogger and all round beading diva! She runs the Bean Soup Blog Hop that you see me writing and blogging about. The Bead Soup is a great opportunity for people to get out there with their blogs and swap beads with fellow bloggers.and to show what we can create with what other people send us.

Stay tuned as I will post this week what I will be sending to the person that I was matched up with.

Bead Soup Blog Party

It is that time of year again when Lori Anderson hosts her Bead Soup Blog Party. The rules are that you must have a blog and then you send her an email with all the pertinent info:

a) Your full name

b) Your blog address

c) Your shop address, if you have one

c) Are you willing to ship internationally, yes or no?

d)What best describes you -- sterling, pewter, plated, brass/copper?

I did this for the first time last year and it is the perfect exercise for the A-type like myself to get out of the box.

I highly recommend that you give it a try. It is great exposure for you and your blog. Think if it, if you have 75 people participating you will have that many people, plus more visiting your blog to see your soup ingredients and how it come out!

I can't wait! Stay tuned for my ingredients.

Well It's All Over for 2010 ..... Onto a New and Exciting 2011!!

A quick little picture of Sissy & Jack w/Santa (he came down from the North Pole just for this)!!


Well all of my shows are over and the last of my custom orders have been boxed up and will go in the mail tomorrow. Here are pictures of Tiffany and I at the Cary Academy Holiday Shoppe (it was spectacular) along w/ baby Rhyan who was a trooper to attend at four weeks old.


















The Sisterhood of the traveling Bead Box is ready to leave Cindy Wimmer's Sweet Bead Studio and a new recipient is going to picked on Wednesday December 15th. OH PLEASE let it be me!
The box needs some metals and metal stampings.

Here is more information about the Bead Box from Cindy's post:

For those of you that may be stopping and by and the “traveling bead box” is something foreign, I’d love to share with you a link to the original post! It was fun to go back and see how this traveling phenomenon all began. Beginning with a studio destash, Heather Powers set this creative Give Away in motion. Heather boxed up all sorts of beads and placed them in a small flat-rate box, ready to travel around the U.S. The box has grown and now warrants a medium flat rate box. When the Sister received the box, she simply selected beads and then replaced them with beads from her own stash that were of comparable value. I was happy to join the Sisterhood as the 11th bead box recipient. Here’s a look at where the box has been so far (thank you, Becky for compiling this):

1. ? The Founding Sister ? Heather Powers of Humble Beads- San Antonio, TX.

2. Mikki Ferrugiaro of MFD Beadwork Originals- UT.

3. Nancy Dale of NED Bead -Vermont.

4. Hanna Rosner of Good River Gallery- NM

5. Chris Neit of Good Quill Hunting-Maine

6. Sandy Spivey of Sandy’s Treasure- California

7. Katie Nelson of Katie’s Creations- TX

8. Kristie Roeder of Artisan Clay- PA

9. Lorelei Eurto of Lorelei Eurto Jewelry- New York State

10. Becky Caldwell of The Gritty Bird- North Carolina

11. Cindy Wimmer of sweet bead studio - Virginia

Here is a glimpse of the beads that I found I couldn’t live without:

I was happy to see there were still some Humblebeads left from Heather’s original give away. And oh, just look at the handmade beads and pendants! I chose some gorgeous polymer clay beads from Christine Damm, a one-of-a-kind pendant from Mary Harding, and some sweet Gritty Beads by Becky Caldwell.

There are many treasures awaiting you, should you be the next Sister of the Traveling Bead Box! Here is a peek of what is inside the box now…and I have more to add before it goes out!

You will find these gorgeous focals/pendants by Jangles, Artisan Clay and Gaea among others….

The giveaway: The entire box of goodies, NOW WELL over $400 worth of beads.

The stipulations: Must have an online forum to host the next giveaway. Must be living within the United States to enter and be willing to pay for shipping: $15.00 for flat rate priority mail billed via Paypal.

The rules: You’ll take what you want from the box, add in items of equal value from your own bead stash to replace the items you took and then do the same giveaway on your blog. We’ll keep the beads traveling for as long as we can.

To enter: Leave a comment below, be sure to include your email.

Bonus Entry: Blog, facebook or twitter about it to enter more than once. Leave another comment letting me know how you helped spread the word.

Deadline To Enter: Comments will be accepted until Wednesday, December 15th, at 6pm (eastern time).

UPDATE (by Becky Caldwell)

I wanted to quickly share why it is that artist who do have blogs, journals or facebooks cannot enter the give-away as this is being asked of me as well as commented on… This Give-away was started with the intention that the box would travel around the states and in order to do that the winners/sisters need to have some sort of online forum to host the give-away on instead of just passing it along to friends.

I hope that this is something understandable as it is not meant to leave any one out. We just want the box to travel as long as it can and to cross as many states as it can.

Those without blogs, journals, or facebook pages may consider using this idea to create a more local or private community traveling bead box of their very own….. :)

I do hope that everyone has a safe a healthy holiday!

Stacy :)

Finding Time to Homestead

I have been taking an e-course with an artist that I admire Stephanie Lee. The class is for five weeks and I have only been able to practice what I learned from week one. I have been chomping at the bit to do more, but alas life gets in the way. I have a huge 4 day show Cary Academy Holiday Shoppe starting Wednesday and I had one last Sunday, plus I have a job, husband and kids (go figure!). Hopefully I will get to it in a week or so.

In the mean time, I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and ate lots!

See you soon!

Cheers,
Stacy

My Friday Favorite ....

Today is a great day! I get to meet and have dinner tonight with Lorelei Eurto. She writes a blog that I read almost everyday Inside the Studio. She creates beautiful jewelry and often incorporates components from other designers. This was all put together by Cynthia Deis owner of Ornamentea, the best bead store in the world! Go check out the online store. Also joining us is Susan "Boo" Reynolds and Elaine Ray. Lorelei uses Elaine's ceramic beads a lot in her designs. Wouldn't you love to be a fly on the wall tonight!!

A few months ago Lorelei was making a custom piece and she asked me to make a stamped component for it ... I was so honored!

Well I need to get busy working so I can go to dinner tonight. If you are in Raleigh come visit me Sunday at the University Club's Holiday Shoppe 1-5 pm. Have a great day!

Learning How To Flood Solder

I am taking this great e-course from the wonderful Stephanie Lee. I have admired her work and style for quite a while. What I like the most is she uses materials that are readily available at your local hardware store.

We have learned how to flood metal with solder and add bezels. Here is the metal flooded with
the solder:

One of them I have stamped with an alphabet metal stamp. Stay tuned for the samples of these with the added bezels.

Sisterhood of the Traveling Beads!

You must check out Lorelei's blog about the traveling box of beads where people contribute to the loot. If you win, you take whatever beads you wish and replace with beads from your stash! The above picture is the box that she received along with a journal to add an entry if you so choose.

Here's what you need to know to play along:

The giveaway: The entire box of goodies, WELL over $200 worth of beads.

The stipulations: You'll pay for shipping: $15.00 for flat rate priority mail.

The rules: You'll take what you want from the box, add in items from your own bead stash to replace the items you took and do the same giveaway on your blog. We'll keep the beads traveling for as long as we can.

To enter: Leave a comment, be sure to include your email.

Bonus: Blog, facebook or twitter about it to enter more than once. Leave another comment letting me know how you helped spread the word.

Deadline: Comments will be accepted until Friday Nov 5th, at 5pm
[the box will then be shipped Monday Nov. 8 to the winner.]


The winner will then have 2 weeks to go through the box and pick out their items and contribute to the box, and then host their own giveaway.

All I ask is that each time it passes hands, the winner will email me when the next giveaway starts so I can enjoy the traveling and help promote your giveaway!

International bloggers: I'm sorry, but due to shipping only those in the U.S. can play along. But I'm suddenly feeling really bad for my non-U.S. blog readers. If you are outside the states leave a comment and I'll also draw one international winner for a bead grab bag from my own stash of beads.

Hop on over to her blog and check her out. You will be glad you did. Bonus for me .... I get to meet her when she comes to Raleigh in two weeks. I can't wait!

New Stuff

Well we are well on our way to the Holiday Season. Only 8 1/2 weeks until Christmas!! I can hardly believe it. Things have been busy around here, traveling to VA for a couple of shows last month and being the regular mom taxi from swimming to baseball every week.

I have managed to make a few new things for a couple of big shows I have coming in November and December. Take a look:

New Insignia Initial Charms

Sister Necklace

I would love to know what you think. Please leave a comment if you so choose.
Until next time ........

Pricing - Am I Doing This Right??

Jessi of Rosy Revolver had a call on her blog looking for input on how designers price their work. Though I am not at all in her league, I felt that I could contribute what I have learned over the last 4 years. As said before by others it is an evolving process everyday.

Always remember that your time is worth it!! Then it is onto all of your material costs (even the little stuff), design time, cost of putting it in your shop if you are on Etsy, packaging, show costs,etc.

Let me turn you on to a few others that can do this better justice than me and that have already contributed to Jessi's post Bella-Bijou Jewellry and Nova of Sweden.

Cheers!
Stacy

What a GIVEAWAY!!!

You must hop over to Denise Yezbak Moore's blog for this giveaway. It is the best bead stash ever!! Thanks Denise for your generosity. Pick me Pick me!!

Bead Soup - Revealed At Last

Well I will have to say this has to be the hardest challenge I have ever had. It was totally out of my comfort zone. But, I guess that was what a challenge is all about. I LOVE color and the pallet was black, white with a touch of brown.

Before:
I added some dyed red coral to give it a pop of color, along with a copper ring that I enameled.

I hope you all enjoy and I cannot wait to see the rest of the soups! My bead soup partner Patti reveals her piece on June 23rd. Here is the complete list of reveals:

.

Saturday, June 19th - blogs 1-13
1. Lori, Pretty Things
2. Lorelei, Lorelei1141
3. Norma, Moonlit Fantaseas
4. Beth, EB Bead and Metalworks
5. Katie, KatieBead
6. Kimberly, Bahama Dawn
7. Debbie, Prairie Emporium
8. Lisa, Joolz by Lisa
9. Kate, Tropical Blonde
10. Janet, Singing Woods
11. Julianna, Juls Beads
12. Erin, Treasures Found

.

Sunday, June 20th - blogs 14-26

14.Jen, Jen Judd Rocks

15. Kella, Me But a Little More In Depth (Thats Me)

16. Emanda, Artemisia Studio

17. Marie, Skye Jewels

18. Loretta, Designs By Loretta

19. Stacy, Sissy and Jack's

20. Joanna, Filcowe

21. Diane, Diane Hawkey

22. Marianna, Pretty Shiny Things

23. Anna, The Laughing Raven

24. Marcie, La Bella Joya

25. Lois, Que Onda Q'town?

26. Jayne, Mama's Got To Doodle

.

Monday, June 21st - blogs 27-36

27.Lisa, Alterity

28. Dale, Dales' Flights of Fancy

29. Melanie, Kookie Designs

30. Christine, A Hot Piece of Glass

31. Nancy, Beading From the Heart

32. Laurel, Rue's Daftique

33. Sandi, Do Be Do Bead Do

34. Nicki, Nicki's Reef

35. Virginie, ViviBijoux

36. Janeen, Wild Vanilla

.

Tuesday, June 22nd - blogs 37-47

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

.

Wednesday, June 23rd - blogs 48-59

48. Nan, Spirit Rattles

49. Amy, Copper Diem

50. Malin, Beading by Malin de Koning

51. Anne, Gardanne Glass Lampwork

52. Alice, Alice's Beads and Baubles

53. Barbara, Second Surf

54. Amanda, Articulations

55. Heather, Humble Beads

56. Melissa, Melissa Meman, Art, Life, Love

57. Kate, Organic Odysseys

58. Patti, PJ Clark Designs

59. Stefanie, Stefanie's Sammelsurium

.

Thursday, June 24th -- blogs 60-71

60. Carol, Carol Bradley Designs

61. Wanda, A Frayed of Fibers

62. Diana, Vintage Blue Studio

63. Marieke, Marieke's Blog

64. KJ, Silver Parrot

65. Maire, Maire Dodd

66. Shannon, Miss Fickle Media

67. Dana, Dana's Jewelry Designs

68. Charlene, The Bead Dreamer

69. Elisabeth, Beads for Busy Gals

70. Cathryn, Chile Cats

71. Missy, Melissa Rappaport

.

Friday, June 25th - blogs 72-84

72. Cindy, Cindy Dolezal Designs

73. Valerie, Hot Art

74. Courtney, Beads by Breul

75. Johanna, Fire Phoenix Creations

76. Shea, gr8findings

77. Julie, Pryce Designs

78. Jeannie, Jeannie's Blog

79. Patricia, Verre Design

80. Christa, Adventures of One Beady Woman

81. Heather, My Muse

82. Susan, Night Beader at Large

83. Sonja, Drachenei

84. Jennifer, Glass Addictions by Jennifer

.

Saturday, June 26th -- blogs 85-97

85. Melissa, One-Eared Pig Beads

86. Rebecca, 2SistersBeadwork

87. Karyn, Releases by Rufydoof

88. Denise, Bling on the Blog

89. Doris, Glaszwerg

90. Megan, Churchy & Her Sailor

91. Jo, Daisychain Designs

92. Jen, VanBeads Jewelry and Design

93. Kristie, Artisan Clay

94. Jess, Vintaj

95. Suzann, Beadphoria

96. Sharon, Sharon's Jewelry Garden

97. Michelle, bMichelle

Bead Soup Reveal - DELAYED

I am sorry to say if you have stopped by today to see what I created with the beads I was sent you will have to wait until tomorrow! I have been swamped with my regular job, my children are out of school and I just have not had any time.

Please accept my sincere apologies.