Long Time no Beads

by Staci Louise Smith

I know this blog has been vacant for sometime now.  Life gets in the way like that at times.  However, it has been calling me back. I miss blogging about my creative life.  I miss that interaction with everyone, because you know what?  We inspire each other!  

I am prepping for Bead Fest Philly again, and have been hitting the polymer clay after a bit of a hiatus.  I am both intimidated and excited.  This year I have some new work that mixes polymer clay with two part epoxy resin and crystals- I must say, I am loving these so much!  

Dragon Eye bead / polymer clay, epoxy resin, crystals, paint, other mixed media stuff

Due to life's complexities, I know I am not going to have the amount of beads I like to at Bead Fest this year.  I do know I will have enough.  I used to freak out and work 16 hours days prepping for this show making everything I know how to.  This year, I am focusing on making what my heart is telling me to, rather than what I think others would want to buy.  I am listening to my intuition.  I will have a table full of unique items for sale in addition to my beads, like I have in the past.  I will have my jewelry, ceramic offering bowls and other things.   

You can find all that event info here on my Facebook page.  Please follow it if you have not in the past.  It is the best place to keep up with where I will be and what is going on in my creative world.

I also recently finished converting y Gold Rush class I did for Craft Art EDU into a PDF file you can purchase in my shop.  I was so very sad to see Craft Art EDU disband, but I am thankful they gave us our classes.  The tutorial is an entire class in one!  You learn to form the polymer clay beads, do the faux gold, cure and paint them with a crackle to make them look like stone, and then it even gives complete instructions to make two different necklaces.  You can purchase that here if you are interested in learning some techniques.  The best part is that this class is so full of different techniques and tips, you can use them many different ways.  I really believe this class can take you on a creative journey to new places! 

Well guys, it feels good to be back!  I am hoping to also do some posts to highlight some of the wonderful tutorials we have on this blog.  Click the tutorial link above to see a list of all the wonderful tips and designs posted by various artists over the years.  

Fossils in Belle Armoire

I have not been hitting the magazine submissions very hard lately- but I was really happy to get this article in Belle Armoire's current issue.  I mean, Susan Lenart Kazmer is has the designer collection in it, how awesome is that?  I love her work....so free form and organic.  

So I was really happy to be in that particular issue (set/oct/november 2015 Fall issue)

So, on page 58-61 you can find my Free-Form Wire Prong Setting article!

It was a lot of fun to do.  They only showed the front of ONE of the pieces though, and I wanted to make sure readers could have a chance to see the fronts of all of them.  Granted, the back is very pretty with all the free form circles and stuff, but the front has the cool stones and fossils.

From left to right there is a crystal, a fossilized horse tooth, a druzy and a fossilized trilobite.  I just love these pieces!  It makes me ready to make more very soon with some of my new druzy cabs I have been hoarding.

Anyhow, go out and get a copy- because not only is Susan in there, and me, but also Cat Kerr, Marlene Quigley, just to name a few!

https://stampington.com/belle-armoire-jewelry

It never stops feeling good to see your work in print.  Everyone should give it a go- you never know!

Sugar Skull Charm Necklace

I have been wanting to do some posts like this for awhile, but like always, busy busy busy!  

I have a bunch of Sugar Skull focals in the shop, as well as some other focals similar to the sugar skulls, and I wanted to give you guys some idea of what you can do with them. 

http://www.stacilouiseoriginals.com/store

I had a few laid out on my desk, as I am prepping for a show this weekend, not sure what to do with them.  

At first I wanted to just add chain and a dangle and keep them super simple.  But it was too simple.............so I planned to add charms to the chain.  I wasn't sure how much to do charm wise, and was sort of thinking they needed chunky charms.

I hadn't finished figuring out that part, when Linda Landig posted a necklace she had made with one of my old bronze skulls, 

(you can purchase Linda's necklace here

http://lindalandig.indiemade.com/product/sugar-skull-necklace-brass-day-dead-pendant-orange-black-purple-sari-silk-0 )

and seeing her little dangles sealed the deal for me.  That is what my plain old necklace needed.  Just some simple dangles.  It really captures the Dia de los Muertos feel I think.

So I added my double dangly charms (flower beads by Lisa Peters Art- they were the perfect match!!!)

And I added my chain, and picked out charms to accent the colors in my skull, and voila!  I love the results!

(ceramic stars by Starry Road Studio)

So here are my tips when doing a charm style necklace- not quite a tutorial, but this should help if you tend to struggle with them.

1.  pick out way more stones and beads in a variety of sizes then you will use

2.  lay them out, spacing out larger beads, and filling in the spaces between them with smaller beads

3.  when you use a cable chain, like this one, only hang charms on EVERY OTHER LINK so they lay properly.  the links alternate directions and your charms won't hang right otherwise.  Also, be sure to keep the chain from turning.  I pick it up and make sure the chain is laying correctly so the charms are always added to the bottom of the link

4.  skip a few "hangable" links for each big piece.  I like to hold the piece up to my neck and look at it each time I add a bead to make sure they hang right

5.  Fill the links you skipped with tiny beads to create movement and fill the space without them bumping into the other beads causing them to lay inccorectly.

6.  Try to use beads of a consistent thickness.  if you use beads that are tooooo round they will stick out when you wear it and roll around.

And there you have it.  A simple necklace that is not too plain, not too much!  I haven't taken this one off yet and I cannot wait to design the others on my table.

Remember, you too can make some "charming" necklaces using the components in my shop.  Lots of sugar skulls left.  I love taking the form of a skull and making it pretty.  So fun!

http://www.stacilouiseoriginals.com/store

Sea Glass Drilling and Kits

Did you know that I have a free sea glass drilling tutorial on my website?  It even has a link to a video (sort of armature, seeing how my young daughter shot the film, still helpful though).

http://stacilouise.blogspot.com/2011/06/btw-drilling-sea-glass-tutorial.html

I love being able to drill my own sea glass, shells and stones.  It has opened a whole new world for me.

I am selling some kits of seaglass and drill bits at a discounted price on my facebook page this week.  

https://www.facebook.com/stacilouiseoriginals?ref=br_tf

To drill sea glass you will need:

a cordless dremel
diamond drill bits
pencil
cross lock pliers (you can hold it with your fingers too, some people prefer that)
collet to fit the bits (mine I sell use 1/16")
sea glass
water
a dish to drill in with water in it

The kit only has two diamond tip drill bits (the ones I use and love) and sea glass-jewelry quality, in a variety of sizes and shapes and colors.  The rest is up to you.  Each 2x3" bag is filled with pieces! They are usually $25 per bag, but will be only $15 each this week.  You don't get to pick which bag you get, but they are all great with nice pieces for your jewelry creations.

ALL SEA GLASS IS GENUINE AND JEWELRY GRADE

I am also selling supplemental bags - regularly $20 each- of just sea glass, no drill bits, and they will be only $15 each (plus shipping, details on facebook).  These are great prices for jewelry grade sea glass!!!  

The winter is my favorite time to drill- since I am indoors more, it is fun to pull out my summer treasures and create things with them.

Take advantage while you can!  Supplies are limited!

Look at the fun you can have with drilling your own glass!

Happy Days: Full and Exciting

There are some very exciting things going on around here.

First of all, I have enough people signed up for my class at Beadfest Philly in August, so it will not get canceled.  WE ARE ON!

There is still plenty of room too!  So if you want to sign up, or need details, you can find them here.

https://www.etouches.com/ehome/79000/StaciSmith

I have begun production for Beadfest, and I am just at the beginning stages of bead making.  I really wanted to try something new this year, so I added some cabs to my inventory.  I must say, I really love making them, and went for a very 3-d effect.  They have a lot of dimension to them.  My daughter said they looked like Mountains.  So I started calling them Mountain Cabs.  I also happened to be watching a documentary on the Incan People, and got to see some of their large mountain drawings- do it seemed fitting.

I sent one to Nikki Z of Love Root in hopes she would play around with it.

Well, she did just that, and I love what she did with it.

She calls it a whelk shell, and I agree, it definitely has that sea shell feel. I love the beach, so those shapes and forms definitely sneak into my work!

You can see what Nikki is up to on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/LoveRootArtisanJewelry

Or shop her wonderful designs on etsy

https://www.etsy.com/shop/LoveRoot

On Polymer Clay Daily, Margrit Bohmer was feature for her beads (her beads are soooo fun).  I didn't even realize she was using the technique from my tutorial that she bought.  I love how she married the new technique with her classic style.  Makes me happy to see so many people having fun with crackle glaze technique. 

https://www.etsy.com/listing/195139904/artisantribal-statement-earrings?ref=shop_home_active_19

https://www.etsy.com/listing/175876241/painting-polymer-tutorial-the-crackle

You know, other then that, I am just making beads, trying to have a summer social life with family, friends and the kids, and working on tutorials, submissions, blogs and paperwork.  That is all!  lol!

Thanks for popping in and seeing what's new in my world.  I will hopefully be putting new beads and jewelry in the shop next week!  so stay tuned..............



Polymer Clay Articles

I finally got around to writing submissions for magazines again.  I didn't do much this year at all.  However, the Summer issue of Belle Armoire Jewelry is soon to hit stands and I have two articles in there.

I had a lot of people ask me to do a tutorial on my translucent polymer earrings with wire embedded in them.  Well, that is one of the articles in there.

The other one is my Scratch the Surface Earrings, which shares how I make the scratch off beads everyone was asking about.

So there you have it, two polymer clay secrets in one magazine.

And of course, that is not all, its a packed magazine full of techniques and inspiration in all mediums, as always.

You can order it here from Stampington and Company.

http://stampington.com/whats-new-coming-soon/Belle-Armoire-Jewelry-Summer-2014

If you are interested in submitting to magazines, I did a post over at Love my Art Jewelry today with some tips and links to get you started.  You can check that out here.

http://www.lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com/2014/05/getting-published.html

Please feel free to discuss and share tips for submitting to magazines, or ask questions on LMAJ's facebook page.  

https://www.facebook.com/lovemyartjewelry

IT"S HERE!!!!! The Crackle Technique Tutorial

I am so excited to share this with you guys.  I finally launched my first Etsy tutorial.  It teaches how to make a crackle or faux ceramic technique on polymer clay using paints and a few products. 

I LOVE challenging myself to always make polymer clay look less and less like......well......polymer clay. 

And it feels really good to now share this information with you guys, so you can take it a run with it.  It is such a fun technique.

You can purchase it using the link below

https://www.etsy.com/listing/175876241/painting-polymer-tutorial-the-crackle?

 

I am so incredibly blessed to get to do what I love for a living.  Thanks to all of your for your endless support, encouragment, and Ooooo's and Ahhh's that make it all worth it !!!!!!
 

I hope you guys enjoy this and have a great time finding your voice in polymer with some new skills in your tool box.



Balled Head Pins Boot Camp

Over at Love my Art Jewelry we started a new challenge, no more Strut your Stuff, we are going hardcore with Boot Camp!  You can read all about it here.  Basically, we wanna teach you some new fundamental techniques, and then let you try it out and run with it, and then, have a blog hop at the end of it all.  This month we spent a lot of time working out the bugs, but its blog hop time.

 

You can read about Boot Camp here.

 

You can see my tutorial for balled head pins here.

 

You can enter your creation for the challenge and future challenges in flickr, here.

 

If you want to hop along you can enter by adding your blog by inlinkz here.  Remember to link your blog to ours (LMAJ) so your friends can hop along too!

 

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Here is what I made with the balled headpins technique.

 

I have used LONG balled head pins balled on both sides to create dangles, such as in my jellyfish earrings.

 

 

I have used them to create texture on pieces too.

 

 

 But for this challenge I wanted to do something new, so thought about using them as a connection.  Balling a headpin, dropping it through and balling the other side to connect two things together. 

 

I also happend to be making bronze clay beads, and I often like to layer them with sheet metal.  So here is what I came up with.  It is a trilobite fossil in bronze, with balled head pins to connect it to a nickle silver backing.

 

 

The bail on this piece is also a head pin, balled on one side, fed through a hole and balled again. 

 

So I hope you had fun with boot camp, and learned to make some headpins and found some new ways to use them in your jewelry making.

 

Remember to go to to Love my Art Jewlery to hop along and see what everyone did!

 

BTW ~ Inspiration and Dimension

Remember these cool shells and things?????

Well, they inspired these.

And that's whats on my beads table!  (check out the flickr group Bead Table Wednesday to see what other artists have on their table)  These are still in the patination process right now.  I cannot even wait to play with these in some jewelry designs!!!!
If you want to see how these flat copper discs.......................

Become these cool 3-D little charms.................................

.................then hop on over to Love my Art Jewelry for my tutorial of how to make them.

BTW~ Drilling Sea Glass Tutorial

This weekend was a wonderful holiday weekend.  It included a lot of picinics, as well as a day trip to the shore.  I really needed that trip.  I have a sea glass festival to prepare for, and it was just the inspiration I needed to work hard these next few weeks.  There is just something about standing where the land meets the sea.  A joining of forces, an endless ocean with wonders that abound.  The water was cold and we spent much of our time just beachcombing, which is our favorite family passtime anyway!

How could that not inspire you to get into your sea glass?

Since this Bead Table Wednesday I am just drilling sea glass, I decided to make a tutorial on it.  I have been wanting to share how I do it for awhile (I am sure there are many styles to it, but this is how I do it).  My daughter was my camera person, so please forgive any whispers or fingers you may see on the film, she is 6, and did the best she could.

So here is the bead table

And here is the box I need to fill with drilled sea glass so I can make enough jewelry.  I will probably fill it, use it all, and then fill it again to take with me for last minute stuff. 

OK.  To drill your own sea glass, you will need:
cordless rotary tool
diamond drill bits (I get mine on ebay from diamondcuttingtools)
glass or metal dish with water and a drop of dishsoap in it
pliers (or wrech) to hold the sea glass (please note they will get rusty, so designate a pair for just this)
shims to prevent marring or scratchin of the glass
sea glass

Ok- here are the video's, they are in two parts.  I hope it helps if you want to drill your own sea glass!
Part One

Part Two

There you go.  My bead table and a tutorial.  My first one too (as I am sure you can tell)!  I hope you enjoyed it.
Now I am taking a sea glass break to see what's on your bead table!  Bye!