Friday, February 14, 2014

Jewelry Stringing Magazine Spring 2014

I'm extremely excited to share the cover of the Spring 2014 issue of Jewelry Stringing magazine with you! It's a proud, proud moment for me to see my necklace on the cover of my favorite beading magazine. I'm honored to have my piece featured in this way. So few are chosen for this coveted spot. I feel very fortunate. I can't quite describe how much this means to me. I have dreamed of this. I have visualized my jewelry on the cover many times and thought of what a wonderful feeling it would be. I feel so happy and over-joyed to reach this goal. It just goes to show what you can accomplish when you put your mind to it. Dreams really do come true!

However, I do not think about the cover of the magazine while I make my jewelry for submission. I create what inspires me at the moment. I always create pieces that reflect my own interests and style even when working within the parameters of a magazine's guidelines. Some of you might remember that I wrote an article last September, for the Art Bead Scene about submitting jewelry designs FOR THIS VERY ISSUE! I wrote the article while I was in the process of creating my jewelry pieces for the submission process. Read that post here, if you missed it or for a refresher.

My goal was to offer helpful information for aspiring designers to submit jewelry to the magazine and also encourage participation in contributing designs to publications in general. I took a BIG risk writing and publishing that post before submitting the finished jewelry and again, took another gamble that a piece would even be accepted and then published! I created and submitted 4 pieces for this publication. Two out of those four were accepted for further consideration. I sure am grateful that those two designs were indeed accepted and published in the magazine. I would have felt pretty silly and foolish writing an advice article about successfully creating jewelry for publication and then not getting any pieces accepted to the magazine myself. That would have been slightly embarrassing, but that is the chance I took! I felt inspired to be open and put myself out there. My intention was simply to share my creative process and maybe inspire someone else to give publishing a shot. I hoped I'd get at least one project published in the issue. I never in a million years expected one of my designs to make the cover!

Since I shared a sneak peek at the designs I was working on in my submissions post from last September, I thought it would be fun to reveal all 4 of the necklaces I created and submitted to the magazine for the Spring 2014 issue, even the pieces that were not accepted. So, here it goes.

Necklace submitted to the "Soft Jewelry" theme for Spring 2014:
"World Beat"

Necklace submitted to the "Spring Green" theme for Spring 2014:
"Hemlock Forest"

Necklace submitted to the "Monochromatic" theme for Spring 2014:
"Stormy Winds"

Necklace submitted to the "Bead Soup" theme for Spring 2014:
"Globe-Trotter"

Now, here are my two designs in Jewelry Stringing magazine as published!:
World Beat
Necklace and Bracelet in the "Strike a Cord" section
 
Globe-trotter
Necklace and Bracelet in the "Bead Soup" section
Seed beads from ShipWreckBeads.com and a handmade ceramic bead set by artist, Keith O'Connor.

Pick up your copy of this issue on newsstands now or download the digital version. Happy beading to all and if you are so inclined, happy submitting to magazines as well. 
 
Oh, and Happy Valentine's Day!!! I hope you are doing something you love today and spending time with whom you love as well. Much love to you all.

15 comments:

  1. Such pretty designs, Erin.. and congrats on making the cover of the magazine.. Your work inspires me..

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  2. Congrats Erin! You must be so excited to see your piece on the cover! But so well deserved - that is a beautiful piece and with a matching bracelet! Really beautiful. But then all four pieces are.... I really love that Stormy Winds one and completely surprised that didn't make it? That is such a great design - LOVE it

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  3. WOOHOO! Hearty congratulations to one of my all-time favorite designers! It is an incredible honor to be selected for that coveted spot on the cover of a publication. I agree with you... it is all about the choices you make. You don't set out to get that spot, you set out to make what you love, what suits your style. The fact that it catches their eye is a bonus! I love everything you create. It always feels both classic and fresh at the same time. I am totally smitten with that Stormy Winds piece. I can't believe it wasn't accepted. I will have to get a copy of this issue (I really should just renew my subscription already!) so I can sit with a cuppa and hang out with my friends! I am doing a happy dance for you, Miss Erin! Enjoy the day! Erin (the other ;-)

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  4. The Globe Trotter set is gorgeous! I love this kind of seedbead mix and made several pieces with it.

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  5. Huge congratulations! Truly a milestone in your jewelry making journey and I'm so happy for you!

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  6. Stormy Winds is my favorite! Wondering why they didn't choose that one...and my guess is because Stringing magazine picks mostly simple designs that newbies can make? That one looked a wee bit complicated, but so so so gorgeous!

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  7. Congratulations! Beautiful work...

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  8. Congrats! That necklace totally deserves the front page.

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  9. Well deserved cover, Erin! Love the Stormy Winds. So glad you gave us a peek.

    Lynda

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  10. Congratulations on "winning" the coveted cover on Stringing magazine. All your designs are quite lovely whether they were chosen for publication or not. I always like the easy and inspiring projects in Stringing. I totally have enough magazines to occupy me til the end of time, but I may have to pick up that issue. Or, better yet, download a digital copy!...And, use some of my 6/0 seed beads in a multi-strand bracelet or necklace.

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  11. Congratulations Erin! Your cover necklace is so perfect (so is the matching bracelet!). I truly love all the pieces but that one and the gray one, Stormy Winds, are my favorite! I have a 'ba-zillion' seed beads and always cringe at stringing them (I don't have a bead spinner) and so when I see designs like yours with strands upon strands of those pretty, tiny little beads, it always makes my heart flutter. You definitely have a way of putting designs together that are eye-catching, completely wearable and super stylish and cool and the advice you give to everyone about the industry is invaluable. Thank you for always sharing your experiences (and your jewelry!) with all of us.

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  12. YAY for you Erin!! What a gorgeous cover photo, your necklace just jumps off the page, I bet it will be one of their big sellers. I love to see someone get back when they give to others so freely...you deserve it!

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  13. Congratulations!!!! You do such beautiful work! So happy for you!

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  14. Congratulations Erin!
    Love that cover necklace and your photo with the bracelet - the buttons, seed beads and Keith's beads ~ some of my favorite colors. You have such a way of making cord come alive. Time to pull out my waxed linen and play....
    Look forward to getting the magazine and reading more.

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  15. I am so thrilled for you! I have followed your progress since buying your book last year, just **love** the book, and enjoy your blog to see what new beading mischief you are up to. I live in a very remote area of Canada, can't get to a bead store very often but still a girl can dream, right? Can't wait to go check out the magazine online.... Happy beading!

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