A Fish Tale... - Treasury

I had such a bad migraine yesterday, that once I managed to grab this treasury, I went straight to bed... I didn't have the energy to post before now... a good night sleep, some pain killers, a bit of tiger balm... and I feel much better!!!

So here is my treasury for the week end:
http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=30787

Go visit, check these fishy items, leave a comment... but hurry this treasury ends on Sunday 2nd November.

I've been working on the next EtsyBeadWeavers' challenge... every day I thought I would finish it, and I probably could have yesterday, had it not been for my migraine ruining 1/2 of the day!!! :-) I hope to finish it by today and post it hopefully by Sunday... so come back and take a look... The theme for EBW's November Challenge is Ancestral Expressions - I'm in the process of designing an Egyptian inspired collar, which is something I've always wanted to try and make and have finally had a bit of time to do so!!! :-)  Come back to see my first attempt at beadweaving a collar and read all about how it's connected to November's challenge theme Ancestral Expressions.

Wishing everyone a wonderful, peaceful, happy weekend!!!! :-)

Green... with envy! - Treasury

 

 

 

Managed to grab a treasury!!!! yeahhh! :-)  I'm quickly posting this, as I really need to go to bed! :-)

This treasury expires on Thursday 30th October - go check it out!!! :-)

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=17644

Wishing everyone on my side of the world.... good night!!! :-)

BAO Items of the Week

So many things I want from this week's Bead Art Original Items of the Week!!!

My item this week is the Cream and Pearl Pendant - purchase and pay for this item between now and the 2nd November and receive 10% off + FREE shipping!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please visit the BAO blog to see all the offers available on these gorgeous items for this week only-
http://beadartoriginals.blogspot.com/2008/10/bao-items-of-week-oct-27-nov-2.html

Turquoise Delight Cuff

Yeahhh!!! I cleaned the table!!!! :-) it took me exactly 4 hours!!!! so no beading today... but at least now I have some room to bead!!! :-)

As promised here is Turquoise Delight Cuff - I was inspired to do this after having finished the Sherry Serafini necklace that I posted earlier.  As it happens, turquoise and bronze is one of my favourite colour combinations.... and seeing that I had loads of turquoise beads left over it was a given that I would make something with them... and here is that something! :-)

In my mind I knew exactly how I wanted it to turn out, but it took me a while to get the result I was looking for.  First I tried to bead embroider the cuff part... but that didn't look right...  then I tried a different version of that ... and although I really like how it looks and I will probably make something else with it (eventually).... it just didn't work!!! the cuff part just didn't want to curve and I didn't have a suitable clasp nor could I think of how to make one... so discarded that idea.... then I tried to weave a peyote band to attach to the centrepiece.... even worse!!!

 

 

But that gave me the idea, which I did use, to peyote stitch a band in the bronze Japanese seed beads and to attach it to to ultrasuede, sandwiching a brass cuff in between the beading and the ultrasuede to give it substance. Finally something I knew would work!!! It took about a week of working it all out but I got there in the end!!! :-)

Why am a telling you this? to show you what goes into designing a piece and how upsetting and annoying it is to have someone copy your design without a second thought to how much work it took to get there!!!

Nicole Campanella, over at Beadwright, is still taking in comments regarding bead ethics... pop over there and leave your tuppence worth! ;-)
http://beadwright.blogspot.com/2008/10/what-is-beadwork-ethics-do-you-know.html

I'm really pleased with how it turned out!!! It looks amazing on!!!! I might have to make a similar one for myself, seeing that this is my favourite colour combination and I actually don't have a bracelet in these colours. :-)
Till the next time.... happy beading!!!

What a mess!!!

 

 

I finished my new Sherry Serafini inspired cuff that I spoke about a couple of posts ago... but you will have to come back tomorrow to check it out, as I'm too tired to post and write about it now... but here is what my, believe it or not, dining table looked like just before I finished it... I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry... I know I'll cry tomorrow, because I really, really need to clear it all up and put all the beads back to where they belong, or I will not be able to find them when I start my next piece... and come on... let's face it... can hardly find the table! :-)  for now it's bed time! :-) goodnight! :-)

Not just for Halloween!!! - Treasury

 

Here is my treasury for the week... and yes, yet again it's on treasury west, but as I was proved wrong last week... seeing that my last treasury west actually made it to the Front Page.... this time I don't mind :-)

So much purple, orange and black all over the place for Halloween, but why should it be only for the holiday... look at these great finds, I would wear them/use them any time of the year... Love this colour combo and not a pumpkin or ghost in sight!!! :-)

Go check it out before Tuesday 28th October:  
http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=30227

Hope you are all having a super weekend!!!

School of Everything

I just received an e-mail from one of the founders of a new site called School of Everything, which is a community dedicated to teaching and learning... what a great idea.... of course I signed up!!! :-)

 

Here is part of the e-mail I received, which explains it much better than I ever could:

"We're a web site where teachers in any subject, anywhere in the world, can advertise for free and find new students.

We've been described as 'MySpace for teachers' and 'eBay for knowledge' ( but the way I like to explain it is that if Etsy is a space where people can sell their creations, School of Everything is all about learning - or teaching - the skills you need to create. We launched in September 2008 and already have teachers offering classes in thousands of subjects.

Beading is one of the top searches on School of Everything - there are so many people out there who want to learn to make beautiful things but are looking for a teacher to support them. "

Sounds great to me... so, as I said... I signed up!!! :-) go check it out... let me know what you think... they have an Arts & Crafts section: http://schoolofeverything.com/category/artscrafts

 

Bead Ethics

The funniest thing happened to me a few weeks ago... well not funny ha ha... I mean funny=strange.... I went to my local shopping centre with my son, because I promised him a present :-), wearing my Black and Pearl Pendant (which is the project I taught for a class a few months ago) and I was accosted by a woman. ... All exited she started telling me that I must have learnt how to make the necklace in the same place where she did :-) well I was taken a bit back!!!! understatement of the year!!! :-) seems that one of the students that came to my class is the owner of a bead shop that is part of a larger chain of shops here in Israel.... and seems that she is teaching my class.... hmmm... my first instincts were to give this nice woman in the toy shop my card and feebly explain that it was my design.... I've never felt such a mixed bag of emotions... on one hand I was upset that after having spoken in the class that the design belonged to me but they could go ahead and teach the technique, which here happens to be bead-embroidery, and having printed the instructions with the appropriate copyright statement, that still someone who has a successful business would feel it ok to go ahead and teach the class without even giving me credit!!! The other half of me felt quite chuffed at the idea that people were actually signing up for my class, even though none of the earnings are going to me :-) Well, I was so confused about these mixed emotions that it took me a week to even mention it to my friends, or actually anyone.... one of the first people I told is my dear friend Nicole Campanella, who wrote back saying that lately she has received so many similar e-mails from other beaders that she decided to write a series on her blog about it. Her first post is What is Beadwork Ethics - Do you know? She is asking people for their opinions/thoughts on bead ethics... I feel really strongly about this matter, I felt just as strongly about it even before my little incident.... so please if you have an opinion on the matter let Nicole know by leaving a comment on her blog: http://beadwright.blogspot.com/2008/10/what-is-beadwork-ethics-do-you-know.html

A Black Tie Affair - Treasury

And finally I got a treasury... even though it's Treasury West and for some reason these don't seem to get as many views as the ones on the main treasury.... but I have been waiting for too long!!! and enough is enough!!! I want to bead!!! :-)

Here is my treasury for the week - it will expire Thursday 23rd October - go check it out!!! :-)

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=29714

BAO Items of the Week!!! Check these out!!!

Here are this week's BeadArtOriginals Items of the Week - another gorgeous collection!!! visit the BAO blog and see what specials offers are on these beauties!!!

My Item of the Week is my favourite pair of earrings!!! these look so gorgeous and elegant on!!!! 

Black and Pearl Blossom Earrings:

Purchase and pay for these earrings between now and 26th October and receive 5 % off + FREE shipping to anywhere in the world! :-)

Visit the BAO and see more!!!
http://beadartoriginals.blogspot.com/

I finished it!!! Sherry Serafini necklace

Oh I'm so annoyed!!!! I've just stayed up an extra hour and a half waiting for the bloody treasury to open up!!!! and arghhhhhhh!!! it got stuck, and then I couldn't get into it again.... and now the treasury is full again!!!! argggghhhhhhhhhhh!!!!! the treasuries frustrate me a LOT!!!! :-)

So I cannot post my beautiful treasury... but I finally finished the Sherry Serafini piece "A Mermaid's Attire" I've been working on for... hmmmm....  what feels like a century!!!! :-) but was probably about a month, or maybe just a bit less... :-) (see previous post )

and here it is:

I really learnt so much making this, even though I really, REALLY do not like following instructions... which is probably why it took me soooo long to finish it!!!! but having said that... I thoroughly enjoyed making it!!!!! and yes... not right now, but I would love to buy another project, especially a Serafini one!!!! Some of you may have been following my blog since the beginning and may already know how crazy I am about her work.... and after making this piece, my love for her work has grown tenfold!!!!! To get a glimpse into her amazing work and technique was such a treat for me!!!!  The next best thing after attending one of her classes, which I would love to do!!! but am unable to for at least a few years!!!

I can't even begin to tell you how many mistakes/changes I made... but I really tried to stay as true to the piece as possible... and I think for my first attempt I did it justice... if I were to make another one (which I'm not!!! :-D) I'm sure I would not make most of the mistakes that I made, in terms of following the pattern backwards, missing rows, different sized beads and then filling all the gaps, that I'm sure were not supposed to be there, with extra beads.  But I am pleased with the outcome... I LOVE the piece!!!.... and best of all it's all mine!!!! and this is probably (and sadly) as close as  I will ever get to one of  Sherry Serafini amazing works of art!!! :-)  I already wore it this morning to my cousin's baby's Brit Milah... so what if I was a bit overdressed with it on!!!!  :-) I rarely go out at night, so I wore it for a breakfast thing! :-) and it felt and looked amazing!!!!!!!!  I really want to make a cuff using some of the new techniques I learnt making this necklace... so stay tuned! :-)

This is a very happy me (happy because I get to wear this gorgeous work of art, even if it is around the flat wearing my pyjamas :-D).  If you want to see what the actual piece looks like as it was intended to be by the artist, please click on "A Mermaid's Attire by Sherry Serafini" - I think I did ok :-) the one thing I'm sorry about is that I didn't have and couldn't find the large turquoise drops the pattern required.... but if you haven't seen the original you wouldn't really know that it was supposed to have them... but I still wish I used /had them :-)

Come back and see what cuff I'm going to make to complement this piece!!!

Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend and happy beading!!! :-)

EBW Animal Instinct Challenge - Smadar and I won!!!!

Yeahhhh!!!!! I won something!!!!! :-)  I have never won anything, so I'm super thrilled at winning this month's EtsyBeadWeavers ' challenge!!!!!  The race was very close and in fact Smadar's Treasure Gotcha - Beadwoven Cat and Mouse Bracelet also received the same amount of votes as my Black Panther Necklace did and therefore is in joint 1st place!!! I'm honoured that my piece stands next to hers!!! I love Smadar's work!!!

Here are our winning pieces:

Joint 1st place - Gotcha - Beadwoven Cat and Mouse Bracelet  by Smadar's Treasure

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joint 1st place - Black Panther Necklace by Triz Designs (you can also see the bracelet and earrings that I created inspired by this month's EBW challenge and this necklace by clicking on the pictures below)

 

A HUGE thank you to all of you who voted for Black Panther Necklace!!!!! I really, really appreciate it!!!! you have no idea how much!!!! :-D I won something!!! Yeahhhhh!!!!! :-)

and in 2nd place.....  believe it or not.... another fellow Israeli!!! top 3 designs and all 3 by Israelis!!! Must be something in the water... such a tiny country with so many talented beaders... who would have thought!!! :-D

Animal Passion Necklace by Fleur de Irk

 

 

To see the top 10 qualifiers, please visit:

http://etsy-beadweavers.blogspot.com/2008/10/and-october-challenge-winner-is.html

I've been tagged.... twice!!! :-)

As the title says... I've been tagged twice!!! quite scary at first because I wasn't sure what it meant! :-) So I checked out my 2 taggers' blogs - Carol Dean of SandFibers and Alessandra of Ixela

Here are the rules:
1. Link to your tagger and list these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blog.
4. Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

1. I woke up this morning to an amazing colour sky... sort of greyish-yellow... very weird but nice... and surely it started to rain!!!! first real rain of the year!!!  I love summer rain when the weather is warm, which it still is here.... and I hate the rain when it's cold... I just hate the cold!!! Even in the summer in Israel where temperatures are easily close to 30 degrees centigrade indoors, I sleep with a duvet because I'm always, always cold!!!! and as much as this country REALLY NEEDS rain... this thunderstorm saddens me as it marks the beginning of winter and the cold!!! :-)
2. I was born in Italy, my mother is French, my father English - I speak Italian but the Italian of a 12 year old, which is when I left :-) I speak French with a heavy Italian/English accent (it's horrible) - I speak English with a very confused London accent and although I have lived in Israel for the past (almost) 19 years, my Hebrew is unequivocally  and embarrassingly worse than terrible, and I would do almost anything not to have to speak it!!! :-)
3. I wanted to be an architect but studied fashion design instead - I studied law for 2 years but never had any intentions of being a lawyer :-)  (I eventually got a diploma in Social Policy and Criminal Justice)
4. I used to do a lot of sports before I had my son and before I found beading :-)  I studied Karate, on and off, for 10 years and in between the offs I managed to earn a blue belt - had to stop at 5 months pregnant :-) but am hoping to go back to it one day, regardless of how old I may be then :-)
5. I voluntarily stopped driving for 2 years because I became too stressed every time I got into traffic and near stupid drivers, so I decided to eliminate this stress from my life.  I did start driving again about 5 years ago but if I have the choice of a 30 minute walk over 10 minutes stuck in traffic and then 10 looking for parking, I prefer and always choose walking :-)
6. I have 20 tattoos - 9 butterflies, a water lily, a Chinese dragon, a Japanese Koi,  a scarab, 2 Native American designs of a thunderbird and a bear claw, an Aztec armband and a few abstract and flowery tattoos :-) There's still room for more! :-)
7. I truly believe that everything, good and bad, happens for a reason.... even if I can't see the reason and I sometimes forget that!!!

and here are the cyber-friends I'm tagging ( I hope they can forgive me :-D):

1. Nicole Campanella - Beadwright
2. Smadar - Smadar's Treasure
3. Marlaine - Beadalicious
4. Deabbie - Debbie Gootter Designs
5. Staci - Pink Pooch Designs
6. Kerrie - Kerrie Slade
7. Linda - Thinking Out Loud

for the love of.... black and pink - treasury

I managed to grab yet another treasury... I'm on a roll!!! :-)

Please go check out this beauty! :-)

This treasury expires Friday 17th October: http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=29126

Last day to vote for the EtsyBeadweavers' Animal Instinct Challenge - Vote for your favourite!!!

BAO Items of the Week + Snow White Treasury

 

Here are this week's BAO items of the week - visit the BAO blog and find out what specials are being offered on these gorgeous items!!! http://beadartoriginals.blogspot.com/

My item for this week is: Passion Flower Earrings

Purchase and pay for these earrings between now and 19th October and receive 5% off + free shipping to anywhere in the world!!!  :-)

 

It's been a really busy morning, and it's only 8.20 am!!! :-) I'm trying to get as much done as possible, before even showering or getting dressed, because my son is home from kindergarten for the next 10 days or so, for Succot (the current Jewish festival!) and we have lots of things to do together!!! However, I managed to grab a treasury this morning!!!! yeah!!!!! and not only a treasury, but a 3 day one!!!! double yeahhhh!!! :-) and here it is:

 

 

 

Please visit this treasury between now and 15th October to check out these gorgeous Etsy finds!!!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=14657

It's a colourful world!!!! - Treasury

I was in a very colourful mood last night!!! Maybe due to the joy I felt at finally being able to drink and eat after 25 hours without!!!! Another Yom Kippur over!!! :-) The fasting wasn't so bad, but the no drinking... now that's my killer!!!! I drink a LOT of water daily and 25 hours without is what I dread each year!!! :-) but I have survived and to mark this event, here is my treasury for the weekend!!! wishing everyone a wonderful weekend!!!

Go check out these great colourful items I found! This treasury ends Sunday 12th October:
 http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=28573

I love the amazing diversity of products that you can find on Etsy!!! It was just about a year ago I heard of Etsy, and I have to say I'm so glad, I met so many lovely, talented, generous people on it, whose lives would probably not have ever crossed paths with mine if it wasn't for Etsy, as well as being able to expand the exposure of my work to the world and not being confined to my little country! :-)  I only found out about blogs when I started chatting to other EBW members - It's been  a really positive experience all around and one that I hope continues! :-)

Please don't forget, voting for the Animal Instinct Challenge is taking place at the EBW's Blog - Please go visit and vote for your favourite!!! :-) http://etsy-beadweavers.blogspot.com/

Animal Instincts - EBW October Challenge

The EtsyBeadWeavers (EBW) challenge for October is Animal Instincts!!! I Love this theme!!!! My entry for this challenge is entry # 1 - Black Panther Necklace

Please go and visit the EtsyBeadWeavers' Blog between 9th-15th October and vote for your favourite piece from a selection of amazing beadwork!!!!

BAO Items of the Week

Here are this week's BAO Items of the week!!!!
My Item of the Week is the Triple Twist Bracelet - purchase and pay for this item between now and 12th October and receive 10% off + free shipping!!! :-)

Check out all the BAO items for this week by going to:
http://beadartoriginals.blogspot.com/2008/10/bao-items-of-week-oct-6-12.htmland see what special are offered on these items during this week!!!

into the night - treasury

 

 

I've been having trouble sleeping lately.... well... I've never been a good sleeper, but lately am averaging 3-4 hours per night!!! and I need more!!!! :-) So while I was up at some ungodly hour.... I put this treasury together - obviously inspired by my insomnia! :-)

Go check it out! this treasury expires Tuesday 7th October

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=27983

Bead Art Originals Trunk Show

  The BAO are having a trunk show!!!!!
Please visit http://www.etsy.com/virtual_labs.php and go to the Etsy Treehouse on Thursday 9th October - for more details please subscribe to the BAO Newsletter and keep up-to-date on BAO's latest happenings!!! click on the banner below to subscribe:

                            

This will be you opportunity to find out more about this wonderful group of very talented artists and to view some of the amazing pieces the team has to offer!!!! and here is a sample of this work!!! Stop by at the Trunk Show and meet some of these wonderful artists!!! Each picture is the work of one member - to see more of each member click on the pictures and you will be forwarded to their shops where you will be able to see their full collections. You will not be disappointed!!! Look at this amazing and diverse collection of work from the BAO team!!!!