2012 Art Bead Earring Swap

These are the earrings I made for the 2012 Art Bead Earring Swap

I made these for Cheryl.  The ceramic hoops that have been stamped using my hand carved mold.
The middle beads have a crackle glaze sandwiched between two silver spacers and black beads.
They of course have sterling silver ear wires.  I hope she likes them!

 These are the earrings I made for Stephanie.  She said she liked bold colors!
They are ceramic loops that have  been pressed with my hand carved stamp.
The inside beads are one yellow bead and tiny clay bead caps at the top and bottom of the  bead.

Tragedy struck.  One of the earrings fell out of her ear and shattered.  :(
I promised Stephanie that I will start making her a new pair on Saturday (My Son and Bekkah are visiting me from Alaska and they will be leaving on Friday.

Here are the other Art Bead Earring Swap participants

Diana Ptaszynski     http://www.suburbangirlstudio.com

Jan Onipenco    http://moltenmayhem.typepad.com/

Patti Vanderbloemen        http://myaddictionshandcrafted.blogspot.com/

Mary Harding   http://www.maryhardingjewelrybeadblog.blogspot.com

Diane Hawkey    http://dianehawkey.blogspot.com/

Lesley Watt        http://www.thegossipinggoddess.blogspot.com

Jenny Davies Reazor      http://www.jdaviesreazor.com/blog

Melinda Orr      http://www.orrtec.blogspot.com

Cilla Watkins      http://www.tellyourgirlfriends.com

Stephanie Haussler       http://www.pixybugdesigns.blogspot.com

Sally Russick     http://www.thestudiosublime.com

Susan Kennedy       http://www.suebeads.blogspot.com

Amy Freeland  http://www.copperdiem.blogspot.com/

Marla James     http://marlasmudmoments.blogspot.com/

Pam Sears http://crazycreativecorner.blogspot.com/

Tania Spivey http://www.moobiegracedesigns.blogspot.com/

Kathleen Lange Klick http://www.modernnaturestudio.blogspot.com/

Lori Bowring Michaud  http://artfullyornamental.blogspot.com/

Erin Prais-Hintz  http://www.treasures-found.blogspot.com/

Gail Barnett http://www.atlastanewyearsresolution.blogspot.com/

Linda Landig  http://www.lindasbeadblog.com/

Sharleen Newland http://www.shaterraclaystudio.blogspot.com/

Dee Elgie  http://cherryobsidia.blogspot.co.uk/

Mary Shannon Hicks  http://uptwnsh-fallingintothesky.blogspot.com/

Lisa Johnson  http://whimsyswonders.blogspot.com/

Shelby Foxwell  http://sundownbeaddesigns.blogspot.com/

Keri Lee Sereika  http://www.pinklemonade.typepad.com/

Cheryl Brown    www.dragonflybeads.ca

Linda Younkman http://www.lindysdesigns.blogspot.com/

Kari Asbury http://hippiechickdesign.blogspot.com/

Fay Wolfenden http://www.torchfairy.blogspot.com/

Part Two - 2012 Art Bead Earring Swap Reveal

Cheryl's earrings had a far way to go to get here.  Cheryl is from Canada!  Hear earrings are glass beads that are a beautiful shade of blue with brown and copper swirls.  At the bottom are small crystal coordinating beads.  They are going to look fantastic with a linen outfit I have - they are just the right colors.

Cheryl also sent a surprise with my earrings.  A glass Angry Bird Bead.  Unfortunately it won't be around long - when my granddaughter sees it....bye bye angry bird!  She is going to love it! (He didn't exactly fit into the picture but part of him can be seen at the top of the picture)

I wish you lived closer - I would be waiting on your door step to learn how to make glass beads!

Thank you so much Cheryl - they are beautiful!

Here are the other Art Bead Earring Swap participants

Diana Ptaszynski     http://www.suburbangirlstudio.com

Jan Onipenco    http://moltenmayhem.typepad.com/

Patti Vanderbloemen        http://myaddictionshandcrafted.blogspot.com/

Mary Harding   http://www.maryhardingjewelrybeadblog.blogspot.com

Diane Hawkey    http://dianehawkey.blogspot.com/

Lesley Watt        http://www.thegossipinggoddess.blogspot.com

Jenny Davies Reazor      http://www.jdaviesreazor.com/blog

Melinda Orr      http://www.orrtec.blogspot.com

Cilla Watkins      http://www.tellyourgirlfriends.com

Stephanie Haussler       http://www.pixybugdesigns.blogspot.com

Sally Russick     http://www.thestudiosublime.com

Susan Kennedy       http://www.suebeads.blogspot.com

Amy Freeland  http://www.copperdiem.blogspot.com/

Marla James     http://marlasmudmoments.blogspot.com/

Pam Sears http://crazycreativecorner.blogspot.com/

Tania Spivey http://www.moobiegracedesigns.blogspot.com/

Kathleen Lange Klick http://www.modernnaturestudio.blogspot.com/

Lori Bowring Michaud  http://artfullyornamental.blogspot.com/

Erin Prais-Hintz  http://www.treasures-found.blogspot.com/

Gail Barnett http://www.atlastanewyearsresolution.blogspot.com/

Linda Landig  http://www.lindasbeadblog.com/

Sharleen Newland http://www.shaterraclaystudio.blogspot.com/

Dee Elgie  http://cherryobsidia.blogspot.co.uk/

Mary Shannon Hicks  http://uptwnsh-fallingintothesky.blogspot.com/

Lisa Johnson  http://whimsyswonders.blogspot.com/

Shelby Foxwell  http://sundownbeaddesigns.blogspot.com/

Keri Lee Sereika  http://www.pinklemonade.typepad.com/

Cheryl Brown    www.dragonflybeads.ca

Linda Younkman http://www.lindysdesigns.blogspot.com/

Kari Asbury http://hippiechickdesign.blogspot.com/

Fay Wolfenden http://www.torchfairy.blogspot.com/

Drum Roll.........2012 Art Bead Earring Swap Reveal!

I was so lucky to have as partners Cheryl Brown (Dragonfly Designs in Grande Prairie, Alberta) and Stephanie Haussler (Pixybug Designs, Lawrence, Nebraska).

I have already lost this post once trying to put multiple pictures on one posting.  I will do them ONE at a time.

I waited to open my earrings until they both arrived.  That was yesterday.  It was like Christmas!   I love...love....love all of my earrings!

The first pair of earrings that arrived were from Stephanie.  They are beautiful!  (I still want to hear the story behind the bees)  I don't know if I am correct in my interpretation but the top bead is marbleized (like a mini earth).  You didn't know it but turquoise is one of my most favorite colors!  In the middle is a bee and finally the flat bead at the bottom looks like it has a jar carved on it - no double to hold all that honey from the bee!

Thank you so much Stephanie!

Here are the other Art Bead Earring Swap participants

Diana Ptaszynski     http://www.suburbangirlstudio.com

Jan Onipenco    http://moltenmayhem.typepad.com/

Patti Vanderbloemen        http://myaddictionshandcrafted.blogspot.com/

Mary Harding   http://www.maryhardingjewelrybeadblog.blogspot.com

Diane Hawkey    http://dianehawkey.blogspot.com/

Lesley Watt        http://www.thegossipinggoddess.blogspot.com

Jenny Davies Reazor      http://www.jdaviesreazor.com/blog

Melinda Orr      http://www.orrtec.blogspot.com

Cilla Watkins      http://www.tellyourgirlfriends.com

Stephanie Haussler       http://www.pixybugdesigns.blogspot.com

Sally Russick     http://www.thestudiosublime.com

Susan Kennedy       http://www.suebeads.blogspot.com

Amy Freeland  http://www.copperdiem.blogspot.com/

Marla James     http://marlasmudmoments.blogspot.com/

Pam Sears http://crazycreativecorner.blogspot.com/

Tania Spivey http://www.moobiegracedesigns.blogspot.com/

Kathleen Lange Klick http://www.modernnaturestudio.blogspot.com/

Lori Bowring Michaud  http://artfullyornamental.blogspot.com/

Erin Prais-Hintz  http://www.treasures-found.blogspot.com/

Gail Barnett http://www.atlastanewyearsresolution.blogspot.com/

Linda Landig  http://www.lindasbeadblog.com/

Sharleen Newland http://www.shaterraclaystudio.blogspot.com/

Dee Elgie  http://cherryobsidia.blogspot.co.uk/

Mary Shannon Hicks  http://uptwnsh-fallingintothesky.blogspot.com/

Lisa Johnson  http://whimsyswonders.blogspot.com/

Shelby Foxwell  http://sundownbeaddesigns.blogspot.com/

Keri Lee Sereika  http://www.pinklemonade.typepad.com/

Cheryl Brown    www.dragonflybeads.ca

Linda Younkman http://www.lindysdesigns.blogspot.com/

Kari Asbury http://hippiechickdesign.blogspot.com/

Fay Wolfenden http://www.torchfairy.blogspot.com/

I went to the Bead Show in Overland Park yesterday in a monsoon! Have you ever hydroplaned across the highway? That was NOT fun! Spring is in full swing here. I have the herb plants and seeds are planted. I have my new herb markers ready to add to the pots! I have made several types and have them available at my Etsy Store

Let the creativity flow........................

Just opened the kiln and ...oh boy......I can feel a new necklace being born! I think I will use copper as an accent and perhaps some wonderful glass beads or???? I love the hunt to find just the right pieces. I have tons to upload to Etsy so I am going to have to put this on the back burner for a while and I really think this is going to be more of a fall design. I have to trim the bowl and mug - attach the handles to the mug and add the designs. Sure glad I have everything on wheels so I can spread out in my studio!

Play Day - It's cold outside!

I got up this morning with all intentions of posting to Etsy - but I got side tracked. I wanted to throw on the wheel. I have not thrown anything for ages! In the 70's I loved to throw but I hurt my wrist and that seemed to end my career as a potter. Years later I had surgery but never tried wheel work again. Amazing - I can still throw - Now I have a long way to go but centering was a breeze. Guess it is like riding a bicycle! Here is my first attempt. A baby mug and bowl...looks like a perfect match to my bibs...stay tuned.....

Firing Results

The kiln god was good to me. Lots of goodies lots of fish. Here is a new necklace I put together today. I hope you like it! Visit my Etsy site for new items that I will be adding this week.
www.etsy.com/shop/gailbarnett

Sorry about that - fat fingering put in the title but no content! Oops....anyway..

I think it is really Spring......I have found my first four leaf clover. The snakes and mosquitoes won't be far behind.

My little kiln is firing away as I type. I have lots of FISH and some new ideas....just cooking away. Let's hope the kiln god is smiling on me.

I will post

some pictures when I can open the kiln tomorrow afternoon.

Ah Spring!

My life in a crayon box .....

I admit it - I am hooked on bright colors. When I open the kiln and see a rainbow of color - I am happy.

Yesterday I finished the cords for these initial pendants. They will soon be listed on my Etsy site.
Etsy Store - My Studio On The Lake
http://www.etsy.com/shop/GailBarnett

Something new

The last time I was in New York I purchased some handmade paper. I have been on a "sun" kick lately so here is what I did with that paper. It is around 18" in diameter. I used ink, water color pencils and watercolor. It is still changing but I think it is almost there.

Gloomy Sunday

There is no sun today so it is going to be post...post .....post to my Etsy store. (Ok...so maybe I can sneak in a nap too) Heather came up on Friday with the kidlets to "encourage" me to photograph my new work for Etsy. She did ...... we did....so today I am doing the editing and will start posting later today.

Last night, at twilight, the fish were extremely active in the lake. It seems a little early for them to be jumping but then I have seen my first snake and the bugs seem to be making themselves visible. Dang. I think there will be a bumper crop of fish this year.
So in honor of "the fish". Here is one of my latest bead sets that I will be posting. Watch for it!

The latest creation!

I have been having lots of fun! (Isn't that what retirement is all about?) The other day I was looking through a stash of my handmade beads and decided to play with different color and texture combinations. After trying about eery combo I could come up I made my final selections.
I pounded copper for accent pieces - made the copper jump rings - searched my vintage glass bead collection for just the right accent beads . After I finalized the "look" I connected my beads to the copper chain. It is a fun necklace!
Let me know what you think - I love your feedback!