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Click HERE to sign up and get your download.

Now go bead something.

Rusty Tools? No Problem!

I love this tip - mainly because my jewelry/glass/enamel studio is a little shed in the backyard. And, although it has some amenities (you can't live without AC in Houston in the summertime!), it can get a little humid in there sometimes - even with the kilns running. And, although all of my tools and beloved hammers are in boxes or drawers, I've found a few with the beginning of some rust on them.

So,when I found this tip from Fusion Beads, I knew I just had to try it.

They recommend you spray rusty areas of your tools with a lubricant like WD40. Let the lubricant soak in for a few minutes and then wipe away with a clean cloth. If the rust doesn't come right off, add more lubricant and scrub away stubborn spots with a kitchen scouring pad. Don’t be tempted to use sandpaper or a file! Harsh abrasives like these can permanently scratch the surface of a tool and the rough spots they create may mar your future jewelry projects.

If you prefer more natural cleaners, then it’s time to raid the kitchen! Pour a tablespoon of lemon juice into a bowl or cup and start mixing in pinches of baking soda until it’s the consistency of toothpaste. The lemon juice and baking soda will get excited and fizzy, so keep and eye on it to make sure your mixture doesn't overflow. Apply your paste to the rusty areas of your tools and let sit for a few minutes. Give those spots a hard scrub with a clean, dry cloth. If you have really stubborn rust, let your tool soak in lemon juice for 30-60 minutes and you’ll see the acid in the lemon juice lift off the rust! Give the tool a quick rinse to get off any remaining residue and dry it thoroughly before returning it to your tool kit.

The only thing I would add is that if you go the natural way and use lemon juice, after drying the tool I would give it a light spray of WD40 and wipe it down.

Now go bead something!

Seed Bead Chicks

It's almost Easter (and it came early this year), so if you are looking for some Easter decorations for your house or dinner table. Check these out:

Seed Bead Chicks by Preciosa Ornela

Preciosa Ornela is celebrating Spring with this cute Beaded Chick pattern made with Czech seed beads from the PRECIOSA Traditional Czech Beads brand. This is a relatively simple tutorial for creating spring chicks from seed beads and, of course, you can always change the color or size of seed beads according to what you want to make.

The focus of this project is the PRECIOSA rocaille with its distinctive yellow, white and metallic grey opaque colors while the beaks are made using the new Spike bead in the smallest size.

To get the pattern for these Beaded Seed Bead Chicks, visit the Preciosa Ornela website by clicking HERE.

Now go bead something.

Annual Gathering of the Guilds - April 27, 2013

Picture by the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft

Don’t forget, this year, Houston Bead Society will finally again be participating in the Gathering of the Guilds on Museum Day - Zone 2, April 27th, at the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft (HCCC). It’s been several years since we have joined with our fellow artists and craftsmen to let the public know about us and what we do.

The Museum Experience features four walk-able “zones” to help visitors navigate through the area and learn more about all 19 museums in a more personal way. Each zone will showcase a handful of museums at a time, complete with special programming, pedicabs in select zones and food trucks. The other museums in the District will be open even when their zone isn’t featured.

HBS volunteers will be doing beading demonstrations of their choice. We will also have a display of various types of beadwork created by some of its members. Other guilds will also have all day demonstrations.

For more information about Museum Day and the Gathering of the Guilds, including a list of who is participating, click HERE.

Crystallized Elevator

So what do you do when you have a couple or more thousands (possibly millions) of Swarovski crystals laying around? Well, if you're the Crystal Ninja you crystallized a lift (that's an elevator to us Americans).

Still from the Video

Check it out by clicking HERE.

Make a Split Ring Loop

Most of the time, a simple wrapped loop is fine for whatever you're creating. But, what to do when you are sure that a simple wrapped loop won't do? Fire Mountain Gems shows you an easy way to make a strong, split ring loop using wire or even a head or eyepin (if the length is long enough).

Fancy Split Ring Loop by Fire Mountain Gems

Click HERE to get the easy two step directions.

Now go bead something!

Bead It Forward Bead Quilt 2013

Last month, I posted pictures of the Bead It Forward Bead Quilt squares that HBS Members and the bead gang from Tiny Dog Seed Beads created. And, here is what Bead and Button staffers are doing with them and the hundreds of others they have received.

Picture by http://cs.jewelrymakingmagazines.com

This year, they are combining the bead squares with actual quilt squares! They will also be assembled into shadowboxes, picture frames, greeting cards, jewelry boxes and ornaments to be sold/auctioned off at the Annual Bead and Button Show held in June. The proceeds benefit breast cancer research.

I also had these latecomer squares from HBS Treasurer, Kim Butler:

And, this clever design by Kathleen Stauber that will form a sunflower when put together.

 

To learn more about the Bead It Forward Bead Quilt, click HERE.

 

Now, go bead something.

Eat Sushi - Make Earrings

Sushi Tray Earrings by Jessica at jthq.com

Have you seen those cute containers the store bought sushi comes in? They remind me of a quilting technique called "Sashiko." Anyway, I've always thought they had to be good for something else other than storage or recycling. And, I just found out there is. 

Jessica at JTHQ has come up with the brilliant idea to make this pair of Mod earrings out of them.

Not only are they super-cute, but they're also super-easy and super-economical (okay - cheap) and one of the best DIY recycle projects to make that I've seen.



My version of Sushi Tray Earrings

So, I pulled out one of my trays which just happened to have gold details instead of the white that Jessica had. The bonus was that my tray had embossed designs on it - so, they have some dimension too.

Really, it took longer for me to find my hole punches than it did to make the earrings. So, pull out those sushi trays (or other decorative trays), a large and small hole punch, some ear wires and jump rings and make some of these now to wear tonight - you know - to the sushi restaurant.

Click HERE to get all the how tos.

Now go bead something.

Do we really need an excuse to bead? Nah! But, is this little crystal necklace cute or what?! And, with its pretty hues of green and minimal design, it's the perfect little necklace to wear to a St. Patrick's day party (and, since you're wearing green, no one can pinch you).

I can see this in whatever color crystals you have leftover from another project - and who doesn't have 3 or 4 leftover crystal beads in various colors?



Forever Green Necklace
by Fusion Beads

This minimal design easily lends itself to other colors and types of beads - made with 4 mm sodalite or turquoise beads, it would look smashing. Yeah, yeah - sort of like this:

My version with 4mm
Turquoise beads

Or, if you want to get your funk on, how about this 80s inspired, neon design by Two Cheeky Monkeys?

Design by Two Cheeky Monkeys

And, then you have this version by Divya N of Jewels of Sayuri - she added charms.

By Divya N of Jewels of Sayuri

The instructions for the Forever Green Necklace is available at Fusion Beads. Click HERE to go get the instructions. The neon design by Two Cheeky Monkeys can be seen by clicking HERE. And, the design by Jewels of Sayuri can be found HERE.

Now, go bead something!

MARCH 2013 MEETING

By Lillian Skogsberg, HBS Vice President - Programs

Program:
Join Nancy Jones of Tiny Dog Seed Beads for a demonstration of Rick's Beading Loom. This unique, ergonomic loom works with any size bead and leaves only two warp threads to weave in. This loom makes bead weaving a lot easier than using other looms. If you're not into looming yet, you will be once you see this demonstration.

By the way, Nancy can order the loom for $50 plus tax and shipping. She and Peanut will also have some luscious colors of seed beads available to enhance your stash.

Gathering of the Guilds on
Museum Day - April 27, 2013:
Mark your calendar! Don’t forget, this year, Houston Bead Society will finally again be participating in the Gathering of the Guilds on Museum Day at the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft (HCCC). It’s been several years since we have joined with our fellow artists and craftsmen to let the public know about us and what HBS does. 

We will be doing demonstrations and still need a couple of volunteers for the 2 pm to 4 pm and the 4 pm to 6 pm shifts. All you have to do is smile, some beading and try to answer questions that may be asked. There will be at least 3 of us at each shift so we can support each other.

We will also need samples of various types of beadwork. Please bring with you, to the March meeting, any examples you may have that will inspire people to want to learn how to bead or, if they already do bead, perfect their skills. 

Pat will have signup sheets for the shifts and inventory sheets for your artwork. If you have any questions or want to volunteer for a shift, please feel free to contact Pat Powell by clicking HERE.
 
Parking:
Please remember to park in the uncovered spaces in the rear of the gated parking lot. Covered spaces are for residents of Bayou Manor only. After parking, walk back through either the pedestrian or vehicle gate and access the building through the main entrance. Please check in with the receptionist for an ID badge before proceeding to the auditorium.

Vendors:
Any current member can be a vendor at the monthly meetings. The cost is $10 for one 6' table, payable when the Treasurer, Tish Reed, comes by to collect, not once sales are generated. Vendors must provide their own table coverings and may arrive at 9:00 a.m. and sell until the President, Shirley Nowlin, announces that the meeting will begin. Vendors are expected to cover their tables at that time and may resume sales once the meeting is over. Everyone must vacate the auditorium no later than 12:30 p.m. If you would like to vend this month, please contact Lillian by clicking HERE or call her at 713‐557‐7329 no later than March 14.

Library:
The library will be open for checking out materials for current members only. And the monthly raffle will be underway until Shirley announces that meeting will start. Tickets are $0.50/each. If you would like to donate an item for the raffle, please bring it to the meeting and give it to Vicki Backer or Diane Mayes.

Membership:
For those beading friends who keep their membership current, we are very appreciative of your efforts. It allows you to attend monthly meetings and have the opportunity to participate in the monthly programs. Dues are $30 per year for an individual and $40 per year for a family membership (two persons living in the same household). Our Membership Coordinator, Kim Butler, can handle your renewal.

Bead Jar:
Don't forget to bring your unwanted beads, findings, components, stringing materials and any other bead related items to donate to the Bead Jar that will be raffled off at the show this year.

Tip of the Month

This month's tip comes from Patriks Studio and I think it is a simply simple and brilliant idea!

Patrik says that organizing your workbench can be a daunting task, especially when the project uses a lot of different gemstones. Instead of using triangular bead trays, he uses a plastic or porcelain artist's palette. Its compact design allows for easy transporting around your bench, plus the added bonus of keeping the gemstones organized.

Organizing your parts on an artist's palette by Patriks Studio 

I always have small, multiple parts (mostly rivets, mini screws, nuts) hanging around my workbench waiting to be used and most of you probably have tubes of beads and needles as you work on your project – well, isn’t this a great idea to keep them all corralled in one area?

Can’t wait to try this in my own studio.

Now go bead something – or go organize something.

Can Beads Buy Happiness?

What do you think?

From Rings N' Things.

Stay Focused

In a previous post, I wrote about what happens when you get in a creative block and how to work your way out it. Now, I found this really good article about how to stay focused on your goals.

Sometimes, especially when life gets a little hectic, I tend to lose sight of what I want to do and, sometimes, I even start to create a whole new set of goals that really have nothing to do with what I want to achieve. Like creative blocks, it happens.

Then, I read this article on the Art Biz Blog that has seven easy tips to help you stay focused. They are:

1. Know your priorities
2. Share your priorities with those close to you
3. Let it go
4. Practice a standard “rejection line”
5. Believe
6. Hang a sign on your door with the name of your studio or business
7. Ask yourself: “What If . . . ?”

This is a very simplified list - so for a lot more details on helping you stay focused on your goals, click HERE.

Now go bead something!

2013 Summer Bead Fling

Want to learn a new technique/project? Even if you're brand, spanking new to the Bead World, you'll want to jump in and register for Houston Bead Society's Summer Bead Fling 2013!

HBS VP - Lillian Skogsberg has scheduled two awesome teachers to teach some pretty cool projects this year.


The Natalie Necklace by Mary Lowe

Mary Lowe
The Natalie Necklace
June 22, 2013 - 9:00 to 4:00
HBS Members: $75.00/Others: $100.00
Kit: $35.00 (Paid to Instructor)

The Natalie Necklace is one of several signature pieces from the very talented Mary Lowe. This absolutely lovely wired necklace comprised of flowers, flower beads, pearls, leaves and more, really lends itself to as elegant or as casual a look as you want to make it depending on the beads you select.

From its beautiful trailing tendrils of wired pearls to the handmade focal flower (yep - Mary will show you all that and more), this necklace will have you hooked from beginning to end and will having you clamoring to make more.

The kit ($35.00) will include everything you need to make the necklace and Mary will even provide the tools you need to get started - can't get easier than that!

Shirley Nowlin
Fiber Necklace Workshop
June 23, 2013 - 9:00 am to Noon
HBS Members $55/$75.00 Others
Kit Price and Picture coming soon

All you have to do is look in any magazine to know that another huge trend is fibers! And, with all the fibers available today - it is no wonder. Join our very own HBS President, Shirley Nowlin for an introduction in using fibers and beads to make a gorgeous, braided fiber necklace. Explore a variety of suitable fibers and beads, color selection and techniques for unique closure designs. And, based on your choice of fibers (and I can tell you by my own experience, that Shirley has an incredible eye for color and selecting different fibers for her bundles - they are gorgeous!), each one will be unique.

Mary Lowe
Bronze Metal Clay Components
June 23, 2013 - 1:00 to 4:00
HBS Members $75.00/Others $100.00
Kit: $25.00 (Paid to instructor)

You have spent hours creating a gorgeous beaded (or metal) piece, why put a store made clasp on it? You don't have to if you learn how to make your own components in in this one-half day workshop.

Bronze Metal Clay Components
by Mary Lowe

Precious Metal Clay is all the rage right now, but getting started can be expensive and complicated. So, if you're not quite ready to invest your hard earned money in it until you try it - here's your chance. Students in Mary's half day workshop will learn how to make personalized components using - not silver or gold precious metal clay (way too expensive), but lovely bronze. Bronze clay is not only a lot less expensive than silver and gold, it is strong  (once fired) and so beautiful that many designers are using it exclusively.

The kit will include everything you need to make several components and Mary will even provide the tools you need to get started.

Learn to give your creations the complete hand made artisan look with your own components - sign up today.

Bronze components will be fired, finished and mailed to participants after the class.

Please join us for a fun weekend of beady fun! 

For more information or to sign up for the workshops contact: 

HBS Vice President - Lillian Skogsberg at lillian_skogsberg@earthlink.net 

or visit the Houston Bead Society website at: 

www.houstonbeadsociety.org and click on the workshops page.

Artist's Block - What Now?

If you've ever experienced an artist block, you know how frustrating it can be - you wonder if you will ever get your creative mojo back!

The Art Business Institute recommends doing these six easy, inexpensive things you get your creativity back and on track:

Study the masters (look at a large art book or visit a museum or library).

Meet with other artists to bounce your ideas off other creative people and get feedback.

Get visual online. Go on-line for inspiration - look at sites like Pinterest.

Recharge your batteries by taking a nature walk.

Get physical - go take a run or hit the gym. 

Observe. Take your camera or your sketchbook with you and find new interesting things to photograph or sketch. Then, write down your ideas. Or, just do it for fun.

For the complete list and more information, visit the Art Business Institute by clicking HERE.