Beading Arts

  We've got the #1, hands down, most amazing and generous readers here at Beading Arts!  I asked for your best piece of advice, and you responded with some great thoughts!  Thank you all.   Saturday Sequins said... My answer is also related to bead embroidery, and it's a lot like yours: take your time! The neater your stitches are, the nicer they look -- and also, the sturdier! The slower you go, especially at first, the more likely you are to make tidy little stitches and keep your spacing right. My other advice is to play and experiment. A lot. :) Pat Gray said... Copy the masters - find a piece you like and try to recreate at least a part of it. This used to be the method used to study art, and I've found it's a great way to learn or improve my skills, or to just get out of a rut. By the way, I am NOT advocating the theft of the designs of others and/or representing them as your own. When you're done, rip the pieces apart a...

Since we are focusing on business and technical advice and education this month, it seemed really appropriate to post this question from my friend Val .  Val has a site called Journey into Art , and she asked for our help:   If you could give one piece of advice that helped you out the most when you first started, what would that be? My answer, in relationship to bead embroidery: Pay attention to all the little details and don't crowd your beads! So what about all of you?  What is YOUR best piece of advice for new beaders or jewelry-makers?   Share your comment here or in an email if you'd like to share an image too!  Send your reply and attachment to cyndi @ mazeltovjewelry.com (remove the spaces), and please put advice in the subject line! Technorati Tags: bead embroidery , handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

I'm making some more of my fabric stuffed hearts, but this year, I'm going to add beads! Here are the instructions for them , on my mixed media art blog. So what are you making? You can either post your answer here in the comments, or even better, send me an email with your a list of what you're making, a link to your site or blog, and a picture of your work if you can...even if it's in process! Send it to cyndi @ mazeltovjewelry.com (remove the spaces), and put Gifts in the subject line. NOTE: I just changed my mind, and it's all June's fault! Update, 12/3/10, 1:20 pm I just saw June's post on A Creative Dream , and now I'm making fabric trees instead! Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Do you pay attention to trends and follow fashion? How much? To what extent do you allow trends to shape your work? I happen to pay attention is a very general way. I'm actually much more interested in seasonal color palettes than I am in exact styles of clothing and jewelry that's being shown, but I don't rule out allowing current fashion to inspire some of my work. Mostly, that's the way it seems to work: it's not really that I design pieces to suit the current trends or to slavishly follow what others are showing, but I do allow the current styles and colors to suggest ideas to me. I don't want to be foolish about what I make, because I do want it to appeal to SOMEONE. But not necessarily to everyone. If earrings are all short one season, I'll make some like that, but I'll probably also make some that are long for the folks who like them long and who don't care what fashion says ;-) Here are some longer earrings I made for myself bac...

  Miami Early in the summer, I got to go out junking with my favorite cousin.  My biggest score for the trip was a jar full of  brightly colored (mostly plastic) buttons.  If you are going to work with plastic, it needs to be BRIGHT, or else hey, why bother?  :-)  I also bought the vintage enameled pin since it had the right colors to match some of the more gaudy buttons.  I rarely work in true yellow and orange, so this piece was a challenge.  What do you think of the name?  Is it too obvious? We can use the new Beading Arts Community page to discuss this.  You can post your own favorite find there and directly upload a picture of what you found or what you made with it (or simply leave a link to where we can see it).  Leave a link to your site or blog, of course, because I'm sure you've got more goodies that we'll want to ooooh and aaaaah over too ;-) If you don't want to post your picture there, you can just send me an emai...

A couple of years ago, I asked this question of my readers at a different blog. Did you use your own name?  An image that has always intrigued you?  Your initials?  Was it hard to decide, or are you still trying to decide?  Why did you decide on the name you settled on? Do you have any regrets? I have to be honest with you about this: if I had it all to do over, I might just have used my own name rather than "doing business as" names!  But it's too late for me now :-) Let's use the new Beading Arts Community page and discuss this.  You can post your own story there and directly upload a picture of your piece (or simply leave a link to where we can see it).  I'm very excited about this new feature and am hoping that some more of you will help me to try it out.  Leave a link to your site or blog, of course, because I'm sure you've got more goodies that we'll want to ooooh and aaaaah over too ;-) If you don't want to post your picture there,...

The answers are in, and the results are spectacular!  It's never too late for you to join in if you'd like...just visit the Beading Arts Forum and post your picture and links. I Lay in the Tidal Pool by Casey Sharpe  Collar necklace with lapis by Maria Nyberg Red Poppies by Heather Pyle   Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Gaea Emerging Last year, the Question of the Month that got the most enthusiastic response was this one: What's the best thing you've made so far this summer? So, anybody want to play show and tell again? Wire work, seed beads, lampwork, fused glass, polymer clay, metal or metal clay...we love it all here, and we get enthusiastic about seeing all of it! So come on, don't be shy. And I've got a brand new way for you to share your favorite pieces with each other!  I set up a Beading Arts Community page where you can directly upload a picture of your piece or simply leave a link to where we can see it!  I'm very excited about this new feature and am hoping that some of you will help me to try it out.  Leave a link to your site or blog, of course, because I'm sure you've got more goodies that we'll want to ooooh and aaaaah over too ;-) If you don't want to post your picture there, you can just send me an email with an image of your favorite summe...

Without seeing or knowing you, how do you think other people perceive you solely from your work?  Do you think it's an accurate reflection?  Or do you tend to make pieces that speak more to an alter-ego or to someone else's personality?  Since I don't like repeating designs very much, someone would probably have to conclude that I'm scattered or easily bored.  On the other hand, when they examine the detail and workmanship on one of my big bead embroidered necklaces, I would hope that they see my patience and self-control.  Unfortunately, both may be an illusion!  Just because I have patience for beadwork doesn't mean it translates into the rest of my life! Inquiring minds want to know about you too!  You can either leave a comment here, or better yet, email me your answer along with an image of your work that illustrates the point you want to make!  cyndi @ mazeltovjewelry.com (remove the spaces) Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry ...

It's reassessment time for me!  Time to look back at the goals I set back in January and to decide which ones to chew on this summer :-)  Want to join me in planning? So far this year, I have taken a class and acquired a light box for photography.  I've been working on improving my jewelry photos, making a piece each month for the Bead Journal Project , and I've been continuing on my quest for a good balance between making and writing.  It's all been going pretty well. Oops, I forgot about this goal: Work on a book proposal. If you follow along here regularly, you already know that I've written and released the first chapter of an e-book that has been in my mind for forever: Every Bead Has a Story .  So what happened to the book proposal?  I guess that has gone by the wayside.  Here's the thing...I don't want to end up becoming a slave to my goals, so I allow myself to rethink them as the year progresses.  That doesn't mean that I ignor...

I always wonder about what artists other jewelry makers find to be inspiring.  Although I am inspired by the work of dozens of other jewelry artists, I try not to copy their style.  One of the best ways for me to avoid that is to fill my head with the beautiful and challenging works of art of people who work in different media!  So I ask you: What designers or artists have had the most influence on you?  You're welcome to point to the jewelry artists that you love, if you like, but please feel free to share with us about artists who don't work with beads or other typical jewelry making materials!  You can leave your comment here, or email me at cyndi @ mazeltovjewelry.com (remove the spaces) if you'd like to share a piece of your work that is a good example of being inspired by another. My favorite brain break is to visit art museums of any type!  Like many people, I find painters to be extremely inspiring, and I've used several pieces over the years ...

Even though I mostly just like to stay home, my all-time favorite place that we've ever gone is Italy, and I'd go back there in a heartbeat! How about you?  What would be your dream vacation if money and time were no obstacle?  Do you have any pictures you'd like to share from a favorite destination? Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Once a couple of months have passed by, I find I need to revisit my (often ambitious) list of business and personal goals for the year and ask myself the Question of the Month: Which new year's resolutions am I actually going to keep? So I'll ask you too: Which of your resolutions and goals seem to be the most likely to be kept this year? Maybe you've already managed to cross a bunch off your list already and you're all set to add the next batch. Or maybe your list has gone the way of most of the lists that start out with "Exercise more and eat less". For me, I've managed to start on three out of five: ***1. Take another class this year in something… anything. *** 2. Get a light tent or light box and learn to make my photography better. 3. Work on a book proposal. *** 4. Schedule a better balance between making and writing. 5. Eat better, exercise more, get more sleep…oops! Don’t know how that one slipped in there! I've got a light te...