The Blue Angels ROCK! May 18, 2009

I am fortunate enough to live in an area that has a large military base… the Marine Corp Air Station. And, with that, comes a few perks…

…like, for example the Blue Angels were here this weekend! We see them every 2 years here in our area, and Saturday did not disappoint!

We had amazingly good weather – and lucky Saturday was so good, because Sunday brought lightning and thunder – and grounded planes. About 100,000 people turned out to see the Angels do their thing and feel the rumble of jet noise in their chests!

Some people may not know this, but 2 years ago we had a terrible tragedy at the end of the last Blue Angels performance. One of the pilots went down, just a little bit from the base. It was very, very sad, and hit the area very hard.

I think that so many people showed up Saturday for the same reasons I did… not only that seeing the Blue Angels fly is just plain good free family entertainment, and not only because the weather was just go great… but also, I’m guessing, because they were here 2 years ago, and wanted to turn out to support the team and see things go well for them after having something so bad happen last time they were here.

Much to my great relief, things went beautifully, and I am so glad I went!

I have been inspired by the blue skies and the blue planes – and have some ideas swirling about how to commemorate this show with a nifty beaded bracelet… hmm… stay tuned! I will be happy to post a pattern, once I have one designed the way I want!

m

Ahhh, what a weekend! May 10, 2009

Gotta love living here – yesterday we hit into the mid 90′s!

Had a great girls day pool party at a friend’s home, and relaxed and enjoyed the flawless weather!
But back to the grindstone – gotta get some submittals completed, and soon, because once I have back surgery in a couple weeks, I will be laid up and not nearly as creative

Next to complete on my list is the “Tertiary Color Challenge” on Beadingdaily.com…  And, if you have not signed up for this, its a great little newlestter and lots of tips, tricks, techniques…contests too! I look forward to getting my weekly editorial by Jean Campbell – she’s got such a great conversational style and humor to boot!

Well, Happy Mother’s Day, Everyone! and happy beading…

Michelle

Still hammering out my website kinks, but it’s looking better! May 7, 2009

I spent a few hours today working on my website – (phew!) 
the plan is to show my work, provide links to magazine sites… and to be able to sell my patterns through downloadable content or sell my finished pieces outright.

I despise PayPal – my account got hacked last summer, and I just cant trust them with my money because it was  such a complete hassle to get everything resolved. So I am looking for suggestions for online payment processing that is reasonably priced… feel free to comment on this, anyone who has a suggestion for me!

so the website is coming along… It’ll get there eventually!

And a SUPER THANK YOU to everyone who emailed me about the Bead & Button project! I am glad I was able to get the info together all in one place for people And everyone’s comments and praises were SO nice!

Beaders are just the nicest people!

Wow! The Bead & Button responses are coming in! May 5, 2009

I am so thrilled to have had my bracelet project, “Pools of Light”,  published in Bead& Button magazine! If you have a copy of the June issue, you’ll find my project starting on page 78.

From the emails I have been receiving, many readers like the project, and I am getting many requests for the colors used in both the projects   So, as my fellow beaders have requested, here are the colors that were used.

Now,  bear in mind, the project has 2 versions because the Bead&Button editors remake all projects. They do this to test your directions, so that they can be sure that the project can be made by their readers. The Blue version (pictured in my last blog post) is the original that I submitted to them. You might notice some color difference between the picture I posted and what you can see in the magazine… The pic in the magazine seems to have more of a yellow cast in the lighting used to photograph the pieces, making my very blue bracelet appear a little more turquoise than it is.  

COLOR SCHEMES:

Blue Bracelet…

11/o Delica seed beads:
DB-905 Sparkling Aqua Lined Crystal
DB-375 Matte Metallic Light Aqua
DB-798 Matte Opaque Capri
DB-221 Gilt Lined White Opal

15/0 Miyuki Seed Beads:
15-1425 Blue Zircon
15-0001 Silver Lined Crystal

8/o Miyuki Seed Beads:
8-216M frosted transparent capri blue
8-91945 royal blue AB luster
8-413 baby blue

Fringe Drops (magatamas):
MA131F Clear flosted 3mm drop beads
MA2168 Blue luster AB 4mm drop beads

Swarovski Crystal Rivolis:
(1) 18mm Crystal AB
(2) 16mm Heliotrope
(2) 16mm Bermuda Blue

Yellow Bracelet:

Swarovski Crystal Rivolis:
(1) 18 mm light Colorado topaz
(2) 16 mm in each of 2 colors (silk, volcano)

Fringe Drops (magatamas):
4 mm (Czech glass, frosted light gray iris AB/matte black diamond)
3 mm (Miyuki DP-132FR, matte translucent light topaz AB)

80 seed beads in each of 4 colors:
to coordinate with the 110s and 150s …
(frosted matte metallic translucent gray iris, pale, yellow transparent AB, silver-lined frosted
yellow, transparent blue jean)

11/o Delica seed beads:
Miyuki DB-0882, matte opaque gray AB
Miyuki DB-0376, matte metallic steel blue luster
Miyuki DB-0852, matte cantaloupe AB
Miyuki DB-0058, marine blue luster crystal AB

•15/0 Miyuki Seed Beads:
Miyuki 15-152FR, matte translucent gray AB
Miyuki 15-1522, sparkle honey beige lined crystal

There you go! I hope everyone tries the new technique I introduced, called “pillowing”, even if you only try a pendant and not the whole bracelet. It’s a lot of fun, and a cool new technique to add to your skill set.

Also, I wanted to let everyone know that Bead & Button has a resource guide on their website for products used on the published pieces – here is a link to this month’s (June 2009) issue… Just click on the link and it should take you right to the .pdf file …

http://www.beadandbutton.com/bnb/Objects/PDF/june_2009_materials_list.pdf

Happy Beading!
Michelle

June’s Bead & Button is now available! May 1, 2009

 

I am very excited! The June issue of Bead & Button is now available – as a subscriber, my issue actually arrived yesterday in the mail…

Normally, I am completely stoked to receive my Bead & Button anyway. I sit down and go through it front to back, looking at all the projects and drooling over all the pretty things in it.

But this issue is special – because the first project I ever submitted to Bead & Button was accepted for publication, and is on page 78 of this issue!

It’s an extremely lush bracelet project with 5 swarovski rivolis encased in “pillows” of peyote stitch. The “pillowing” technique is one that I invented, to the very best of my knowledge, becaue in 20 years of beading, I have never seen anything quite like it It took 85 hours of work to complete, including design and rework time – but with completed instructions an intermediate to advanced beadwe can probably finish the project in 30-40 hours.

A pillow around the rivoli helps to give it dimension, to make it stand out more on  project than just a traditional bezel does. In terms of this particular project, the added dimension gives depth, and gives the impression that the stone has dropped into water and created a ripple around it. And the fringe in between each stone gives the feel of a “splash” in the water.

The inspiration for this project was the colors of the rivoli stones themselves… the deep blues of the heliotrope and bermuda colored stones reminded me of “deuterium” – heavy water pools at the bottom of the ocean whose properties defy that of water’s conventional physics, soaked and enriched with extra hydrogen molecules.

The thought of the depth got me thinking… “how can I give a look of depth in this piece?” And that’s how a new technique was born!

I hope you get a chance to check it out – and, keep on the lookout for more work from me along this line. I have since designing this project also designed another new technique that will allow a beader to build a “double” pillow of peyote as well – which makes for a beautiful beaded mandala project!

If you would like a purchase the pattern from me or have any questions on completing the Bead & Button project, please comment here or email me at mdgdesigns@yahoo.com!

Happy Beading!
michelle

Please allow me to introduce myself :) April 30, 2009

Hi! My name is Michelle, and I am a jewelry designer from Bluffton SC.
I live with my 2 dogs – a golden named Bailey and a mini daxi named Nolan – and with all my beads!

I’m starting this blog because I love to create jewelry and I love to teach – and, what better format to share tips & tricks, techniques, and instructions?

I am interested in both stringing and beadweaving, so this blog will be a mix of both techniques. And, if there is something that you would like to see featured, by all means, let me know what you would like me to include… I’ll be happy to do so!