Blog Update    Monday, March 27, 2017

Head on over to the blog at http://www.humblebeads.blopspot.com for updates. 

My Facebook Humblebeads VIP Party group is where you'll see the newest beads and exclusive trunk shows. 

And to see more behind the scenes make sure you follow me on Instagram at @humblebeads.

One Bead, 5 Ways!    Monday, July 4, 2016

Book Launch Party    Wednesday, June 22, 2016

 

Today I'm celebrating the release of book #3: the Bead-Making Lab. This book is stuffed to the corners with fun projects featuring all different ways and materials to use to make your own beads. In fact, 52 bead-making projects are included along with lots of tips, beadmaker insights and interviews and jewelry for inspiration. 

 

I go to play with polymer clay, paper clay, upcycled paper, resin, shrink plastic, felt, ribbons, rope, leather, stones, beach glass, wood, wire and more! The projects are geared towards beginners and anyone crafty or wishing they were crafty can jump right in and start making their own beads. 

 

 

So what's a party with gifts? 

 

I have a signed copy of my book to giveaway. 

 

To enter share my book on Pinterest, Twitter or Goodreads and leave a comment below. 

 

 

Here is the link to the book on Amazon: http://amzn.to/28QXI2i

 

And on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26246215-bead-making-lab

 

 

I'll pick one random comment on Friday at 10am EST. Make sure I can reach you if you win!

 

You can also enter to win a copy on my Instagram account: http://www.instagram.com/humblebeads

 

And I have several giveaways going on today in my Humblebeads VIP Group on Facebook.

 

 

Just a few of the bead projects in the book!

 

Each chapter has jewelry design examples featuring the beads!

Wire abacus, wire next beads, paper clay birds and driftwood beads are all found in the book.

 

 Learn how to drill seaglass and beach rocks. And discover how to make faux sea glass with resin.

 

 

Love being green? I have quite a few projects that upcycle paper into beads and pendants. Little book pendants and paper beads from magazines give you a boho-look and give you lots of options for recycling your summer beach reads! 

 

Using some of the simplest materials, like cardboard, newspaper and Mod Podge I created these trendy color block pendants. Shrink plastic and Sharpie markers were the start of these doodle charms.

 

Oh, you can get so fancy with shrink plastic.

 

Love a good faux finish - here I created faux enamel with wire and embossing powder, You'll have to read the book to get the secret ingredient to complete this project! 

 

I dived into all sorts of fibers for the book projects and had fun with felt like these embroidered beads that make the cutest earrings! 

 

The jewelry projects aren't in the book, it's all about the beads - but I know you want some inspiration on how to use those beauties once you make them! 

 

Here are two videos with a few tips:

 

View on Flipagram

View on Flipagram

Win a Free Space in My Next Online Workshop!    Sunday, June 19, 2016

Win a free space in my next online workshop!

Bead Class Sale!    Friday, June 17, 2016

I've opened registration for my popular beadmaking classes for the next few days and have a special offer just for you!
 

 

100 Days of Beads Challenge    Wednesday, June 15, 2016

I decided to challenge myself to make a new bead everyday for the 100 days. I love a good creative challenge to keep me on my toes. 

I've had this tiger lily idea in my sketchbook for a few weeks and wanted to see it come to life. I may revisit it again soon.

Tiger lilies are my favorite flowers. I love to see them growing wild along old country roads.

I created these pendants last week, lilies have been in my mind! 

Bead & Button Events and New Bead Preview    Wednesday, June 8, 2016

Hello! I have been quite the busy bee over the past few months. Since April I've shared my skills with the Baltimore Bead Society, sailed the Caribbean on the Bead Cruise, moved into a new home and then spent four awesome days teaching with the Great Lakes Beadworkers Guild and in the middle of all of that my latest book was launched into the world.
 

The bead-making awesomeness contained in the book is going to fill your days with inspiration and creativity. 52 bead-making projects using clay, plastic, wire, paper stone, wood and fiber. I had the best time creating the beads and exploring all these different materials and ways to make a bead. You could try a new one each week for entire year! The Bead-Making Lab can be found in your local book shop or online at Amazon. (affiliate link.) I am going to host an official party for the book on June 22nd with free projects, giveaways and more! 

Whirlwind? Why yes it has been. The move was unexpected and has quite turned my life upside down. But box by box, it's being put back together as we settle into our sweet little home near the shores of Lake Michigan. Thankfully the move was just down the road. But a move is a move - are they ever easy?
 

With the Bead Cruise in May and a full teaching schedule I had made the decision last year not to have a booth a Bead & Button. I confess, it was one that I went back and forth wishing I could do it all. I will miss visiting with all my customers and sharing new work in person. But I am going to be at the show, shopping, doing demos and signing books. And while my head knows it's not show time, my hands have not got the message and I have just uploaded lots of new beads to my Etsy shop.
 

Bead & Button Events

In between my shopping adventures you can find me on the show floor this weekend doing a few demos and signing books!

 Vintaj Willow Metal Sketch Demo 
Booth 921 (Vintaj) 

Friday 3:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Saturday 2:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Stop by the amazing Vintaj booth to shop, visit and catch my demo featuring the Willow Metal Sketch using Vintaj metal blanks featured in my book Beautiful Elements.

Book Signing and Wrapped Silk Bead Demo
Booth 401 (Kalmbach Books)
Saturday 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.

I'll be signing copies of Beautiful Elements in the Kalmbach book on Saturday. Along with signing books I'll demo how to create the silk wrapped beads from the book. I have free silk bead kits for the first 20 participants.

Three Image Resources for Jewelry Designers and Beadmakers    Monday, April 11, 2016

Inspiration Kits!    Thursday, April 7, 2016

This is the Art Bead Scene's inspiration for the April Monthly Challenge. It's an amazing painting by Helen Frankenthaler titled Jacob's Ladder. I love this color palette so much!

I pulled together some inspiration kits with beads that reflect the painting. You can find them in my Humblebeads VIP Party group here.

Beautiful Elements Book-Along Winners    Thursday, March 31, 2016

The second place winner is Melanie Swope. Congrats to Melanie who has won a $50 gift certificate to Humblebeads.com. She was inspired by the wire wreaths in the book and used them as connectors on her necklace, which happens to feature a Humblebeads Sparrow Pendant! 

 

Next up are a few who played along and I wanted to share their work. 

 

 

I featured Kathy Lindemer  on an early post but here we see her completed necklace featuring her acorn headpins, oak leaf pendant and wire wreaths.

 

My friend Mary Harding had fun creating wire wreaths as part of her chain for this necklace that features a copper leaf from the book and one her amazing copper toggle and one of her ceramic beads.

Mary also had fun putting her spin on the oak leaf connector in the book with a metal texture. OH, Mary, this is speaking my language.

Mary also used one her wire wreaths in this gorgeous wrapped bracelet that was featured on the Art Bead Scene this week. Love it!

Sarajo Wentling, who excels at earring production - whipped up these cuties for another challenge but happened to use a technique in the book to create the dotted texture. 

 

 

Have you ordered your copy of Beautiful Elements yet?