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Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Announcing ArtBliss Workshops 2012!

 
Join Us for ArtBliss Weekend - September 21st - 23rd

I'm super excited to tell you I will be teaching at ArtBliss Workshops this year! I can't express how flattered I was when ArtBliss creators, Cindy Wimmer and Jeanette Blix invited me to their event. To be there along side artists and instructors like Kerry Bogert, Diane Cook, Christine Damm, Stacie Florer and Beth Taylor is an honor and a privilege. The ArtBliss retreat will be taking place in the Washington, D.C. area Friday - Sunday, September 21st-23rd, 2012. Visit www.artblissworkshops.com for all the details and to registrar for classes.

Speaking of the classes, here's what I'll be teaching there:
  Macrame Flower Bracelet - $60
Date: Saturday, September 22nd
Time: 6:00pm- 9:00pm (Evening Workshop)
Instructor: Erin Siegel
Level: All
Kit Fee: $15 (includes all materials needed to make one bracelet)
Class Description:
Macrame is once again popular for jewelry! Learn classic macrame techniques to make this unique flower motif bracelet. Knotting techniques covered in class will include: Lark's head knot, square knot, overhand knot and slip knot. Using Irish waxed linen cord, you will learn how to tie colorful gemstone rounds and accent beads into a pretty flower pattern. Color choices for beads will include: red, orange, green, turquoise and blue. You will also learn how to connect your cord to a metal clasp using a slip knot. Finish your bracelet off with an adjustable chain extender and wire-wrapped bead dangles. Variations of the design made in class will also be shown and discussed, so you will be able to expand on what you've learned.

Tool List: Students should bring the following tools to class:
ruler
scissors
macrame board and T-pin or office clipboard
round nose pliers
pair of chain nose pliers
wire cutters

 Click Here to Registrar

 

 Meet & Greet Reception Friday night!

In addition to the classes offered, there are also some exciting events planned throughout the weekend. First up, the Meet & Greet/Author Signing on Friday night. At the meet and greet reception, you will get a chance to mingle with all the other ArtBliss attendees, including the class instructors. I will be there demonstrating some macrame knotting techniques and I will have some jewelry, kits and supplies for sale as well. Come meet me and we'll socialize over good food and drink!

 
Also, Kerry Bogert and I will have copies of our new books there that evening. Kerry will be signing copies of her new book, Rustic Wrappings and I will be signing copies of the book I wrote with Lorelei Eurto called, Bohemian-Inspired Jewelry.

 

 Bead Swap Social Saturday night!

Then, on Saturday evening, there will be a bead swap social. Bring your destash beads, swap and go home with a new stash.
 Picture from ArtBliss Workshops website. Click here to go to the Bead Swap page.

 Giveaway Alert!

 Pop on over to Cindy Wimmer's blog, today. She's hosting a great giveaway to celebrate the opening and kick-off of ArtBliss this year. There will be 4 chances to win a tote bag filled with jewelry-making goodies! Visit Cindy's blog for all the details and to enter.

 Hope to see you at ArtBliss 2012! 

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Monday, April 23, 2012

She's 18 Months

My Nora girl is 18 months old. Oh, how the time has gone so fast. 1 and a half years...really? How did that happen? She's getting so big, I can't even carry her around for any length of time. She's a talker, not a walker. Oh, how she can chatter up a storm! And she sings and dances, too! She loves her big stuffed bear, kitty, bunny and a monkey named Ta, ALL her books and her Daddy, too.
 Here's some recent pictures of my little cutie pie with her daddy. She's the spitting image of him. When I look in her eyes, I see him looking back at me! It's pretty amazing. The sweater Nora is wearing was hand-knit by her Grammy Siegel. It's got cupcake buttons!
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Saturday, April 21, 2012

Wrapped, Stacked & Layered Bracelet Challenge

Welcome to the Wrapped, Stacked and Layered Bracelet Challenge hosted by Tracy Statler. This is such a fun idea. So chic and on trend! I just love it when fashion trends and handmade jewelry mix together. You can certainly count on Tracy to deliver stylish jewelry and ideas. I had a blast making my bracelets and putting them together. I played around with  several different combinations of my handmade bracelets. Ultimately, I decided on this collection of 5 here. You can view a few of my alternative bracelet stacks on my Flickr page.

I created all 5 of the bracelets shown here. The two on each end are adjustable slide knot bracelets. I made them with waxed cotton cord, cornerless metal cubes and ceramic rounds by artist Elaine Ray. You can find my FREE TUTORIAL on how to make them on the Art Bead Scene blog right here.

The three bracelets in the middle, are made with my favorite stringing material, Irish waxed linen cord and metal cornerless cubes in copper, silver and brass...these beads are other favorite! I used colorful waxed linen cord in purple, orange and fuchsia. The purple and orange linen bracelets were both created using a macrame square knot. The fuchsia bracelet is simply braided.

 I love the colorful combination in my bracelet ensemble. I'm seeing lots of bright, bold colors for clothes this Spring/Summer season. I love putting outfits together with my jewelry and since the bracelet trend is all about fashion and style, I thought I'd put together something fun to wear with my bracelets. I'm all set for Summer!
 color-block dress, wedge sandals

I hope you enjoyed my bracelet collection and outfit. Now, hop around and get an eyeful of arm candy from this list of participants:
You are here! erinsiegeljewelry.blogspot.com
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Friday, April 20, 2012

Enter Bead Star 2012!


The Bead Star contest consists of the following 7 categories: 
CERAMICS: Designs created using predominantly ceramic beads.

CRYSTALS: Designs created using predominantly crystal beads.

GLASS: Designs created using predominantly pressed-glass, fire-polished glass, sea glass, lampworked glass, and/or any other type of glass bead.

METALS: Designs created using predominantly metal beads, components, and/or wire. Metal can be of any type or mixed.

PEARLS: Designs created using predominantly pearls of any shape, color, type, etc. Faux pearls (including crystal and glass pearls), shell, and mother-of-pearl can be used in your entry.

PLASTICS: Designs created using predominantly plastics. (Polymer clay is accepted.)

STONES: Designs created using predominantly stones of any type.

Entrants may submit 1 design per category. One winner will be selected from the finalists in each category by tallying the votes cast by members of the Beading Daily community. The winner in each category will receive $250 in prizes from the sponsor of their category. The winner of each category will be publicly announced in Jewelry Stringing magazine, available on newsstands in mid-December 2012.

I actually got it together enough to enter my jewelry this year. In past years, this competition always seemed to be at an off time for me, but this year, I've entered a design in all 7 of the categories. That is some type of record for me. Mind you, I entered all bracelets and earrings. No necklaces. But hey, at least it's better than nothing, right? COME on! Join me and enter your pieces. Let's make it a nice, fun and friendly competition. I want to see some entries, people! I have to say, the amount of entries is lookin' a little sad, right now on the Beading Daily website. :( You've got a week left, so get a crackin'. The entry period ends on Friday, April 27th. Looking forward to seeing everyone's designs! 

Did you enter?
Let me know if you did or if you didn't, why not?
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Thursday, April 19, 2012

Art Bead Swap at Bead Fest!

I had a fabulous time this past weekend at Bead Fest Spring! Check out my special post for the Art Bead Scene blog to find out more about the happenings at the show...
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Saturday, April 14, 2012

Flap Your Wings


Judith B. Glende was a phenomenal jewelry designer and she befriended many in the beading blog community. Since Judy touched many of our lives in some way, Moobie Grace Designs is hosting a blog hop tribute in memory of her. I was first introduced to Judy through a blog-hosted, handmade earring exchange two years ago. She was my exchange partner. Ever since then, I've been captivated by her design work. We met over earrings, so I thought I'd make another pair in honor of her now. Judy loved to incorporate butterflies and other winged creatures in her jewelry designs. Inspired by the "Flap Your Wings" theme, I created these earrings:

Butterfly Bohemian Earrings
Fun and flirty earrings perfect for Spring and Summer! Colorful waxed linen cord in plum, fuchsia, and orange tie amethyst gemstone rounds to artisan copper links by Miss Fickle Media. Copper butterfly charms dangle from the centers. 

These beauties can be purchased in my Etsy Shop.
 *All proceeds from the sale of these earrings will be donated to the Melanoma Research Fund at Massachusetts General Hospital in memory of Judith B. Glende.*

Butterfly Inspiration Design Board
Butterfly wing top: Forever 21
Purple suede flats: Nine West
Butterfly Bohemian earrings: Erin Siegel Jewelry

I hope you enjoyed my design tribute to Judy and thank you for stopping by. Please join the hop and visit these other fine artists participating in this tribute!

Our Gracious Host: Moobie Grace Designs

1. Tania Spivey
2. Lori Anderson
3. Kashmira Patel
4. Gail Accinelli
5. Rebecca Anderson
6. Rebekah Payne 
7. Amanda Doyle Tibbetts 
8. Kim Ballor 
9. Rochelle Brisson 
10. Sandra McGriff 
11. Lana Kinney 
12. Kym Hunter 
13.  Terri Wlaschin 
14.  Ginger Bishop
15.  Shannon Chomanczuk 
16.  Kelli Jacobson
17.  Patricia Gasparino
18.  Deana Hager
19.  Erin Siegel -You are here!
20.  Deborah Wenske Brooks
21.  Lynne Bowland
22.  Alicia Marinache
23.  Pam Ferrari
24.  Shirley Jones Moore
25.  Joanne Tinley
26.  Shanti Johnson
27.  Lorelei Eurto
28.  Antiquity Travelers
29.  Shelly Joyce
30.  Marlene Cupo
31.  Dee Torcherer Elgie

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Thursday, April 12, 2012

Off to Bead Fest!

Bead Fest Philly 2011 
Picture taken by Andrew Thornton.

I'm leaving tomorrow for Bead Fest Spring in Philadelphia this weekend. Are you going??? It will be a much needed getaway girls weekend with some wonderful beady friends. I'm looking forward to seeing some familiar faces I met last year, as well as some new friends, too! I will be promoting my new book with Lorelei, called Bohemian-Inspired Jewelry. Our publisher, Interweave Press, sent us some cute postcards to hand out at the show.

I will also be running a "test class" to help me prepare for my Bohemian Knotted Earrings Workshop coming up at the next Bead Fest in August. I'm so glad that some of the ladies going to the Spring show were willing to participate and voluteer their time. This test class will allow me to practice my teaching skills and gain some more experience teaching these particular techniques. I'm looking forward to the feedback from my volunteer students!

Oh, and there may be some bead shopping thrown in there somewhere, too. ;) It's funny, the beads are certainly secondary to socializing with other bead enthusiasts! For me, the people are definitely the main attraction for the event. How about you? What's your favorite part about attending a bead show? The people? The classes? The beads? Do tell and I hope to see you there!  
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Friday, April 6, 2012

Bohemian-Inspired Jewelry e-book!!!


Hello friends, I have some really super-duper EXCITING news! We just received word that our book, Bohemian-Inspired Jewelry: 50 Designs Using Leather, Ribbon and Cords is now available as an e-book version at Interweave.com!!! This was a total surprise! Yes, that's right, you can download it this very instant and be making jewelry projects from it over the weekend. If you just can not wait another month for the print version to become available, click here to download your digital copy now. I hope you can't wait, because I'm so anxious for you all to see it! Please let us know what you think, Lorelei and I are dying for some feedback from the beading community.

If do happen to download the e-book and you have questions about any of the content or techniques presented, please feel free to email me about it. I'm more than happy to help you if you need it now that the book content is readily available. Thank you for all your support for this project and I hope you do enjoy it immensely!
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Thursday, April 5, 2012

Irish Waxed Linen Cord


I'm honored to be a guest contributor on the Love My Art Jewelry blog, today. Stop on over to read my guest post all about my favorite jewelry-making material, Irish waxed linen cord!
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Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Asymmetry Made Easy

Ah, asymmetrical jewelry. You LOVE the look, but maybe designing this way just doesn't come naturally. You struggle. You feel discombobulated. You are not alone. Many designers feel this way. I used to feel like this, too. My brain automatically goes for symmetry, but guess what? You CAN learn to design asymmetrical jewelry. It just takes practice. The more you do it, the easier it gets. I'm sure you didn't perfect your wire-wrapping skills in a day. It's the same thing with this. The good news is you can train yourself to design asymmetrically!


Enter: Lorelei Eurto. A master at her craft that no one can deny. My dear friend and co-author has just come out with a new e-book. Asymmetry Made Easy. In this design guide, Lorelei covers classic jewelry design concepts such as size, texture, color and designing in threes, but she also talks about never-before-covered topics like transitioning between elements in a design. Lorelei also shares a visual example of how you can lay out a beaded necklace design in a symmetrical pattern and easily change it into an asymmetrical one. This is particularly helpful to those of us that automatically think symmetrically.

But wait! There's more. I haven't even gotten to the best part of this e-book. The best part is Lorelei's innovative design diagrams. I'm very impressed with these diagrams because they are concrete tools that you can apply to your jewelry designs over and over again. No more guess work!

Order your copy of Asymmetry Made Easy today.
With this handy guide, you will be creating successful asymmetrical jewelry designs EVERY time.
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