Sparkle for New Years

Need some sparkle on New Years? Then my starry nights series is for you!
All have been  SOLD

Cleaning Frenzy

This week is all about cleaning up and organizing my studio. With all the shows I did the last few months I would grab things, dump things, create piles and rummage thru shelves. Boy what a disaster I have now! I have started with the 2 closets - almost done. That led to a photo/negative project which is nearing its end. Then the shelves and work tables. Last on the list is to take an empty hand vac and collect all the beads that have accumulated on the floor. By next week it should feel like a new place! Then my work can start anew. 

My studio pre-disaster status! 

Miniature Masterpieces

These porcelain art beads have been so popular! I started with 20 beads and as of this past weekend I only have 4 left. The beads are designed by Kenneth Chen, a landscape architect and jewelry designer from Princeton, New Jersey. Each bead is a masterpiece, painted and decorated by hand with vibrant colors with 24K gold or platinum glaze and fired at temperatures of over 1000 degrees. To direct the focus to the art bead I select a mix of seed beads for the necklace that highlight each art beads colors.

All have been  SOLD

2nd Chance Sale

We heard from many folks who could not make it last weekend to the Holiday Art Show & Sale because of the crazy rain and flooding. So, we decided to do it again this coming Saturday!! Same time 11-4 and same place - my home.

No spinning demo, herbed oils or pottery this time, but there will be Beadware jewelry, Noelle Morris photography and Eastern Wind Glass items. And just added - Dawn LaGrave with her amazing 3-D kaleidoscope paper art!!

A perfect time to pick up those last gifts on your list!!

5 artists, food and holiday cheer!

There is still time this weekend to stop into Beadware's Holiday Sale. Sunday there will be spinning demo's all day with Frances and Mona - the Dizzy Spinners!  Here are pictures of all the wonderful jewelry, photography, clay, glass and oils you will find to complete your holiday shopping list.  Link to Slide Show

Beadware Holiday Art Show and Sale

And speaking of my sale here are some pictures of what you will find at my sale this weekend: Holiday Art Show and Sale

I have done shows out of my home since 2001 for folks on my mailing list. They are so fun! This weekend's event features 5 artist and their wares. Jewelry, glass, clay, photography and herbed olive oils.  There will be a spinning demo all day Sunday - the fleece will be flying!

If you did not get your invitation then you are not on my mailing list - contact me to get on the list.

Shop Local

Besides shopping at my holiday sale this weekend (shameless self promotion!) here is a great article about supporting your local businesses from the newspaper here in Kitsap County, Wa.

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2010/dec/08/jaime-forsyth-how-we-can-support-local/

Recycle & Remake

This weekend I was telling a customer about how a necklace came to be - it started out as something much different that a friend gave me. My friend had asked me to make her a bracelet out of a necklace that she never wore and then keep the left overs. I have done this several times. It is fun! Here are a few examples.

This plain strand of amber became.....

earrings, and

with the addition of my customers turquoise chunks, a gorgeous choker, and

 

a bracelet, and 

a choker accented by chocolate jasper with a handcrafted clasp.

A strand of rose quartz and a strand of rich red bead became an assortment of bracelets.

A strand of hand carved bone beads became a lariat with yellow chalcedony, earrings and a jasper bracelet. 

This magnesite necklace became.....

earrings, a bracelet and two necklaces combining magnesite, bronze pearls, copper and magic jasper.

Victorian Christmas

This week you can find Beadware at the Victorian Christmas show at the Puyallup Fairgrounds and Event Center. Booth #262 in the Expo Hall. There is a lot to see and do there that will put you in the holiday spirit!

Tuquoise and Pearls

I really like the combination of pearls and turquoise. I featured the necklace in an earlier post. Here are earrings and bracelets. The bracelet on the right sold today before I could get it listed, but the other is still available.

All have been  SOLD

Winter Pearls

I recently saw a necklace similar to this in style on Oprah! I am ahead of the trends as it is a style I have been making for a number of years. This version combines shades of gray and blue dyed freshwater pearls with and pearlized seed beads and clear Czech crystals. The accents and clasp are silver plated. Very elegant!
All have been  SOLD

Working by Candlelight

Being without power for a few days kept me off the computer so I spent my time beading. My studio is the smallest room in the house and I discovered with enough candles I could actually increase the temperature to something tolerable. With cats nestled in a down blanket and a fleece pillow and the dog in a sweater, I set to work. Here are some results.....

All have been  SOLD

 Fire and Ice - moonstones and garnet red glass

Blue Chalcedony, moonstones and sapphire blue seed beads.

Jasper with amber, topaz, gold, and brown seed beads

29 inches of amber seed beads with topaz and gold crystals and small snakeskin jasper rounds with a snakeskin jasper pendant

First Art Gallery!

Today I put my first ever item in an art gallery!! While at the Holiday Food & Gift Fair last weekend the gallery owner came into my booth and loved my bead art pins. I stopped in the gallery today and she selected 12 pins to put on display. One sold before I left the gallery.  Old Town Custom Framing & Gallery is located in old town Silverdale.  Besides being a custom frame shop there is a very nice selection of local art. Paintings, photography, potter, glass, jewelry and textiles. Be sure to stop in if you are in the area.Youc an also check them out on Facebook.

Red and Green

For the holidays I decided to make a few items in red and green. A variety of crystal tassel earrings and some of my great pins. The pins always bring a smile to my customers faces. Everyone sees something different in them and many folks offer new names. One I especially liked.... Party on a Pin!

These earrings come in several different combinations of red and green with silver or gold 

and also some that are red and clear crystals.

A party on a pin!!!

Paper Panache

My friend Dawn has some new items for the holidays. My pictures do not do her artwork justice, but you can check them out in person this weekend at the Bremerton Food and Gift Show. Also be sure to stop in to my Beadware booth and say hello. I think both Dawn and I will be on the second floor.

Ornaments

Art Cards

Night Lights

Sunday Pearls

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Hearts Desire

Turquoise never goes out of style!

Rainy Day Fun

My project of yesterday and today brings a smile to a dreary day....Bead Art Pins! I made 20 total including a few holiday versions. Fun, fun fun!!!! All have been  SOLD

Indoor Booths

Each show I am doing this fall has a different booth shape and requirements for decorating. To make set up easier on myself (and my helpers!) I first start with graph paper - sketch out the shape of the booth, then use paper tables and arrange them in a way that allows for good traffic flow and gives me good display space. Next I move out to the garage and do a dry run based on my sketch. I set up the tables and shutters. Next I put out some of the jewelry so I have a good idea of where things will go and I add some of the decorations (sand dollars, shells, lamps, etc.)

My first booth was 6 x 12 feet, in the North Kitsap High School Gym. Being without my tent felt weird - very exposed! But the arrangement worked really well. As usual, I received many compliments on my displays. I think doing them is so much fun!

 The left side. My pay station is on the lower table so I can stand behind the display and greet folks as they walk by. I added a table lamp to give the display a warm, friendly  feeling. The shutters are held up with wooden stands and weights that I draped some black fabric over. Next time I might drape some fabric from the string that runs under the shutters to hide the electrical cords.

The right side. My tubs are hidden under the table in the corner. I left ample room (about 4 feet) for folks to easily enter the booth. It also allowed several folks to be in the booth at one time.

 The woman next door let me hang a cloth on her lattice panels to provide a clean back drop for my hanging necklaces and earring racks. The necklace hanger is usually suspended from the center of my tent. I found some great stands at Michels to allow me to use the hanger on a table top.
 

 
All buttoned up for the night. I have never left my merchandise in my display over nite - and I would not at an outdoor show. But we only had 30 mins to leave the site, not enough to pack anything up. Everyone said to just cover things with sheets. We used some binder clips to fasten the edges together making it a little harder to get at things under the sheets. False sense of security? It sure was nice to show up the next morning, remove the sheets and be ready to sell in less than 20 minutes!

Four Legged Booth Helper

When my booth is at the Fremont Sunday Market you may have the opportunity to meet my 4-legged furry booth helper - Lola! She belongs to my sister and often joins us in the booth. She loves to lie under the center table with her legs daintily crossed watching people and dogs go by. She is extremely friendly so be sure to stop in and say hello!

Sundays Work

I love amethyst and anything purple. I have had these 3 stones since last spring and finally had time to make them into beautiful pendants. I am so busy getting ready for upcoming shows that I have not had much time to load items into my online store, but please feel free to let me know if you see something posted here on my blog that would like more information on or you wish to purchase.

All have been  SOLD

(The one on the right has sold)