Bead Cruise 2013

 www.beadcruise.com

I'm preparing for a trip of a lifetime aboard a luxury cruise liner! Boy, I have dreamed of this since I first heard it even existed. Yep, I'm going on the Bead Cruise 2013 hosted by our fearless leader in the bead community, the gracious, Heather Powers. I jumped at the chance to be apart of her Bead Cruise. Perfect combination of a little bit of business with a whole LOT of pleasure. Plus, it's amazing opportunity for me to do something I have never done before. It's my very first cruise ever and really this will be my first trip outside the US, besides Canada. Geesh, I'm 35. I think it's about time I saw the world a little! I had to rush and get my passport for the first time, too and everything. Well, I got my passport in plenty of time and I'm ready to get away on this cruise!

Did I tell you my word for the year is EXPAND? Well, it is and apparently, I'm kickin' it off with a whole lot of 'expanding my horizons' in a very literal kind of sense! Cozumel, Grand Cayman Island and Jamaica, here I come. I'm so excited and so looking forward to this incredible adventure. Since I don't know if I'll ever get to go on a trip like this again, I went all out and signed up for the shore excursions at the three ports of call. Mayan ruins in Cozumel, snorkeling at Sting Ray City in Grand Cayman Island and a Reggae beach party in Jamaica. Hoo Whoo! Ya Mon. I feel so Irie!...Sorry...A little Jamaican talk for ya. ;)

Not only will this be a vacation trip of a lifetime, but I will also be teaching my Bohemian Knotted Earrings Class as well! Go here to see the classes. In the coming weeks, I will be getting all my beady goodness ready. I'm making kits for my class and extras to sell. I'll be bringing my other jewelry kits and also my tutorial for the Macrame Flower Bracelet, some of my favorite supplies, materials and tools such as Irish waxed linen cord, Macrame boards and knotting tweezers. And of course, a few copies of my book, Bohemian-Inspired Jewelry: 50 Designs Using Leather, Ribbon and Cord.

 Bohemian Knotted Earring Kits 

available for purchase in my Etsy Shop

Whether you are taking my Bohemian Knotted Earring class on the Bead Cruise or not, you can purchase a kit for the earrings in my Etsy shop! The kits included all the materials you need to make the three earring styles, Sun, Fringe and Chandelier. The kits come in Solid Copper for $30 OR you can upgrade to Sterling Silver for $40. All metal components are handmade by Shannon Levart of Miss Fickle Media. If you can't make it to one of my classes this year, you can purchase my Bohemian Knotted Earrings PDF tutorial in my shop for the instruction on how to make the earrings.





Not only am I teaching a class, but I'll have the opportunity to take two of the classes offered on the cruise. Ronna Weltman's Go Organic With Polymer Clay and Kerry Bogert's Sweet Tweeter class. I'm very excited for both of these classes! I'm thrilled to have the time to connect and learn from these two amazing artists, authors and instructors.This is a rare opportunity because most times when you are teaching at an event, you won't have the chance to take any classes yourself or even just chatting with the other instructors.

Can't wait to meet all those aboard Bead Cruise 2013. Many will be new to me. I'm looking forward to seeing my bead friends and fellow instructors, Heather Powers, Beverly Herman and Kerry Bogert, again. I'm also looking forward to meeting instructors, Tracy Stanley and Ronna Weltman for the first time. Bon Voyage!

Wellness Words Jewelry Challenge

My friend, Tracy Statler, is hosting a new jewelry-making challenge over on her blog, Make Bracelets! The challenge is called, Inspire Change: Wellness Words Jewelry. The idea is to choose a positive word, phrase or mantra that you want to incorporate into your life and create a piece of jewelry around it. I love this idea and I love the trend of inspirational jewelry that hold meaningful messages. Tracy calls it "healthy" jewelry and I couldn't agree more! The messages in the jewelry helps us to be mindful. When we are mindful, we are more self-aware. When we are self-aware, we are in alignment with our true self. When we are in alignment with ourselves, we are in a state of well-being. So, yes. Healthy is very appropriate.

Many folks choose a word at the beginning of the new year to use as a guide, a mantra to help them achieve a goal, a dream or positive change in their lives for the coming year. I have not intentionally committed to doing this in the past. This year, however, a word and a phrase chose me. I wasn't particularly seeking out a word, but when this thought came to mind, it resonated with me.

My word is:

EXPAND

as in

 'Expand Your Horizons'

I'm excited to see what this means for me, where it will take me and what it holds for the future. I know one thing already, I WILL be literally 'expanding my horizons' on the Bead Cruise 2013! Yeah! (More on that coming soon!)

Hope on over to Tracy's blog for all the details and to sign up for the challenge. Sign-ups close January 20th, so hurry! The jewelry reveal date is February 2nd. See you then!

Studio Saturday on ABS

Yoga-Inspired Jewelry and Works-in-Progress in the Studio

Join me over on the Art Bead Scene blog for my latest Studio Saturday post. I posed some interesting questions and food for thought for all my fellow co-creators! :)

Silver Branches Bracelet Tutorial

Happy, Beady New Year! 

I'm sharing my first jewelry tutorial of the year. Silver Branches Bracelet is my Ornamentea.com designer contribution for January. I love the natural, organic feel of this piece. The design is inspired by elegant bare branches covered with sparkling snow. So fitting since there is many inches of snow outside my window right now. A wonderful wearable tribute to the Winter season and beyond.

Wishing everyone a happy, healthy and creative 2013!

Ingredients

- 1 strand of charlotte silver-coated size 8 seed beads
- 1 antique pewter twig toggle set
- 5 yards of walnut brown Irish waxed linen cord

Tools

- Ruler
- Scissors

1. Cut the linen cord into four 40 inch pieces. Use all 4 cords to string the bar half of the toggle clasp. String the bar to the center of the cords. Fold the cords in half; form an overhand knot with all the cords together as shown.

 2. Use one cord to string 3 seed beads. Measure about ½ inch from the previous knot and form an overhand knot, capturing the 3 seed beads as shown. Repeat 10 times down the length of the cord. Repeat entire step for the remaining 7 cords.

3. Bring all 8 cords tighter and form an overhand knot as shown. Separate the cords in half. Use 4 cords to string the ring half of the clasp as shown. Tie all the cords together with a square knot as shown. Trim ends to ¼".

Handmade Gifts For Him

Paracord Survival Bracelets

I wanted to share with you a few of the gifts I made for the guys this holiday. Now, I don't usually make them anything. Let's face it. It's kinda tough to make a guy a gift he might actually want, use or need. I don't know about you, but the boys in my life are a tough crowd. I like to make things. I like to give handmade gifts. I make jewelry, so the ladies in my life are all too easy, but the men are...well, not so easy. Until now, that is. Enter the Paracord Survival Bracelet. Hallelujah! Yep, I made those babies up there with a little help from this Etsy shop and this tutorial. I'm pretty excited about it. Finally, an accessory the guys might actually wear. What is Paracord, you ask? It's a parachute cord that is very strong and lightweight. The cord can hold up to 550 pounds and can be used for all sorts of outdoor activities and survival situations in the wilderness. It's long been used by military personnel and adventurer, outdoorsy types. The macrame-style bracelet allows one to carry several feet of this useful cord on their person at all times. If the cord is needed, simply take the bracelet apart to use it. These are all the rage right now and I'm on the bandwagon. A guy's accessory that's rough and rugged, multi-fuctional, looks cool, AND I can MAKE IT. Umm...Yes, Please!!! Oh, and they aren't just for the guys, either. I would totally sport one of these, too. Hopefully, for fashion reasons only.

 Dark Chocolate Pistachio Bark

Next up, dark chocolate pistachio bark with sea salt. YUM. This one's another all-around gift. Everyone on my list is getting some, but my guy inspired the idea. Josh LOVES pistachios and he loves dark chocolate. Put the two together and this is what you get. Super duper easy to make and package up to give. Who doesn't love an edible gift? And besides, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, anyways. Right? ;)

What are you giving the guys on your list this year? Are you giving handmade?

Rhinestone Leather Wrap Tutorial

I'm really excited to share my latest tutorial for Ornamentea.com! The Rhinestone Leather Wrap is my design for December. This is a great versatile piece that can be worn multiple ways. First, it can wrap 5 times around the wrist. Second, it can be worn as a long necklace and third, it can be worn as a double strand necklace. It's red and sparkly and perfect for the holiday season. A perfect accessory to wear to a party. There's still time to order supplies and this project whips up quickly. Click the photos or the link above to be taken to the free project on the Ornamentea website.

Rhinestone Leather Wrap

Erin Siegel

Ingredients:

24 Swarovski crystal dangles

1 yard of red 3/16” deerskinleather lace

2 brass fold-over ends

33 brass 5mm jump rings

1 brass 9mm spring clasp

Tools:

Scissors

Ruler

Pen

Chain nose pliers

Hole punch

1: Insert the leather lace into one fold over end and close with chain nose pliers. Attach the spring clasp to the fold over end as shown.

2: Lay the leather lace on the ruler. Use the pen to mark the center of the leather ¾” from the end of the fold over end. Mark the remaining leather every 1 ½”. Punch holes through all the marked places in the leather as shown.

3: Use 1 jump ring to string 1 crystal dangle and attach it to one hole in the leather lace as shown. Repeat 22 more times.

4: Trim the leather lace ¾” from the end. Insert the leather into one fold over end and close. Link 9 jump rings together to create a chain extender. Attach one end to the fold over end and attach the last crystal dangle to the other end as shown.

Resources: All materials and supplies from www.ornamentea.com

The Year In Jewelry 2012

The Year in Jewelry 2012

A collection of my favorite designs for each month of the year. The majority of these I have offered as online tutorials or free projects throughout the year. Enjoy the links!

January

Vintage Seed Bead Leather Bracelet

February

Sweet Slide Bracelet

March

Suddenly Spring Bracelet

April

Butterfly Bohemian Earrings

May

Wrapped, Stacked and Layered Bracelets

June

Gypsy Ways Necklace

July

Bohemian Knotted Earrings

August

Macrame Flower Bracelet

September

Knotted Friendship Bracelets

October

Crystal Blossom Necklace and Earrings

November

Bodhi Day Necklace

December

Fringy Pearls and Leather Earrings