Galleries, Competitions & Submissions, Oh My!

I've been busy, busy, busy lately getting things ready for the gallery and I'm heading down this afternoon with all the displays, packaging and, of course, the jewelry. Finding boxes for the larger necklaces was almost impossible locally and in the end I had to get creative with some gift boxes I found.....until I can get the display boxes from online here...thank goodness for online shopping.

After getting all excited about designing a non-wearable for an upcoming competition I re-read the rules and realised that the entry had to be wearable....best laid plans....grrr! So, I went back to my original idea of doing something spectacular based on my 'Gothic Urchin Wings' piece.

I've been playing with colors, and there are such a lot to choose from! I love the Swarovski rivolis that make up the center of the wings. On this green one I added 3mm Swarovski pearls in Light Green. I can't get the 3mm pearls at my almost local bead store so again I thank heaven for online shopping and Artbeads they get me out of many a design dilemma when I just need one or two things and can't bring myself to have to pay shipping and handling fees that are more than the beads themselves....Artbeads.com have FREE shipping...a no-brainer for me. Thank you Artbeads! I'm still a little unsure of the colors I want to work in but I am favoring all the coppery tones with a dark base.

I'm still getting projects ready for submission to the magazines and I'm busy making the pieces I'll wear for the photoshoot for the local glossy magazine later this month. In fact, my friend and student, Suzanne, and I took our bead boards to the local Starbucks yesterday for a morning of coffee, chatting and beading. I love Suzanne, she always makes me laugh and she's as hooked into bead weaving as I am. So, we sat and beaded. She was making some simple spiral earrings to match the necklace she made after taking my class last week...as usual her work is gorgeous.

I worked on the choker for the photoshoot....I'm now a third of the way through one side of the netted ruffle. It's a slow process but worth it, whether I'll feel as kindly about it when I've finished both ruffles for the choker plus both cuffs we'll see.

We raised a bit of interest as people kept stopping by our table to see what we were doing. I think we may have created a new beader as Susan who was vacationing with her husband was trying to figure out how she could dump her hubby to take my evening class...lol! She didn't make it to class but apparently they are relocating here so she may be a future student.

This morning I had a fabulous surprise when doing my blog reading rounds. I stopped by Marcia DeCoster's blog and there was my 'Chocolate Box Landscape'. I had sent her a picture of it yesterday when I was reminded that I had learned to do layered right angle weave from her 'Disco Squares' bracelet that was featured in Beadwork magazine April/May 2009. I'm so totally honored. As anyone who reads my blog or takes my classes knows Marcia is one of my heroes, I don't think there's a single design of hers I don't like....and that's saying something! She's definitely a major influence and inspiration for me. Thank you Marcia! One day I hope to take a class with her....right now I'd have to win the lottery (you have to live in a state that has a lottery) to be able to it but I am working hard to get my beading business to yield more.