Featured Artists (and other stuff)

Filed under: Handmade Jewelry, Uncategorized

It’s been hectic around here to say the least. I mentioned to my friend Lisa Atchison just last night how I haven’t had any time to work on many of my planned designs, especially since the wedding. I feel like nothing has slowed down yet. That is probably because my son, who will be 10 months (ALREADY!) on the 10th of October is running me all over the place. I’m desperately trying to potty train my 3 year old daughter, and thankfully that is going A LOT better these days, nevertheless, it’s still hard work and it’s keeping me busy along with the rest of life’s daily activities.

OK. Enough about that. Almost a year ago I started a “Featured Artist” program where I featured 5-7 pieces of any guest artist who wanted to participate. I even created a special section in my store called Guest Jewelers & Merchants to display only their items. All that was required along with a Biography is that they send pictures of a specific size, a description for each item, and the price for which they wanted to sell it. I agreed to post the items in the store for a period of one year, free of charge. (Disclaimer: The price on the items has to be slightly adjusted to the nearest dollar so that the artist can receive the asking price, because all new customers on my site receive a 10% discount.) I posted this offer on LinkedIn and received a very positive response. This is not done so that I could directly profit from the sale of their items. This is beneficial to both my site and the Guest Artist as it offers the artist exposure, and me new content perhaps in areas that I do not dabble

For example, although I own a kiln and silver art clay, I have yet to post any of the pieces that I have made. Instead, I leave that to the experts. This piece made by Jennifer Dewey is one of my all-time favorites. It is a handmade sterling silver baby’s rattle. It is highly polished and features a freshwater pearl filled rosette (the pearl is symbolic of purity and innocence), musically rotating upon the sterling teething ring. You can click on the photo to see its full description in the store.

Although my Father is a talented artist, I am not (not in the drawing and painting sense of the word anyway). So, another unique artist I featured back in June is Barbara Yalof. Most of her artwork depicts people or animals rather than designs. What her artwork and jewelry do have in common is knowledge of color theory and a playfulness with color and line. What I love most about Barbara’s work is that it is affordable to just about EVERYONE, and that is difficult to find when you are dealing with quality handmade items of any kind.

This Original Art and Hand Painted Jewelry is the work of Barbara Yalof who graduated Temple U./Tyler School of Art and resides in Narberth, PA. In the past, Barbara’s jewelry has been sold by artist’s rep to boutiques and stores, including the shops of The Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Guggenheim Museum. Her one-of-a-kind jewelry was awarded “Best Fashion Jewelry in Philadelphia”, and was given a solo trunk show at Macy’s Manhattan.

After 8 years in business, Barbara took a hiatus from her jewelry and took this time to concentrate on parenthood and other interests. She went back to school to study computer graphics, and took time to paint and draw again. Barbara’s paintings and prints can be seen on her website: www.barbarayalof.com .

When things quieted down at home, she realized just how much she missed creating tiny works of art. Armed with a heightened interest in colors and how they interact, Barbara is back creating the earrings, pins, bracelets, and necklaces that are once again on the market. Hours fly by, pieces are moved around and paired up with other pieces; a lot of thought goes into the production of each of these one-of-a-kind miniature works of art. Barbara currently teaches Color Theory at Harcum College in Bryn Mawr, PA.

If you or anyone you know might be interested in becoming a Featured Guest Artist on my site, please E-mail me with your request and we’ll get you set up right away! I will be posting some new items next week, and I am hoping to get the collection finished on which I started working months ago. It’s really something special and it’s unfortunate that it has taken me this long to complete. I look forward to sharing my new designs with you.

Tags: Brooch, hand painted, handmade gifts, Handmade Jewelry, jewelry, Matisse, paintings, Pin, sterling silver

Upcoming Wedding

Filed under: Glass Beads, Handmade Jewelry, Uncategorized

Well, I haven’t written too much and I haven’t had a ton of time to even make a lot of new pieces. I am getting married on August 1st, and there is still so much to do that I feel like it’s never going to get finished in time. I’ll post a separate blog on that fiasco later!

I did make this bracelet and called it “Something Blue”. I thought that I might wear it on my own wedding day. I still might, I am not sure. Nevertheless the bracelet is beautiful, and I think anyone would be happy to own it. It is made of the same great quality materials that I always use; Swarovski Crystal and Freshwater pearls along with Bali and Sterling silvers. Keep in mind that this bracelet, should you want one for yourself, can be customized with any color pearl, and various colors of crystal in these graphite and butterfly shapes.

I did have some time a few weeks ago to complete some new pieces with beads that I had waiting to be used. The photographs aren’t the best, as I have procrastinated on purchasing a really good lighting system. I don’t seem to be very good at juggling being a mommy of 2, a wife-to-be, a poker player, and jewelry maker all at the same time. I’ll get it together one of these days. It’s a goal of mine! Anyway here is a piece from the “Breakfast at Bella’s” collection that I had started. In this collection I used handmade glass beads from Laurie Whitney of Mermaid Glass. Here is one of the newer pieces. It is a Cupcake and Doughnut set and it’s accented with Swarovski crystal bicone beads and sterling silver. The chain was cut and assembled by me so the length is completely customizable.

The next piece is something I just love, although the picture surely own reflect it’s beauty. This I call the “Grand Slam”. It is a very solid sterling silver rolo bracelet with toggle clasp, and on it several delicious charms accented in sterling silver and Hill Tribes silver dangle delicately, and just tempt your taste buds! You’ll find a complete breakfast of bacon and eggs along with a short stack of syrup smothered pancakes.

Tags: cupcake, doughnut, earrings, Glass Beads, Hill Tribes Silver, Necklace, sterling silver, swar

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Filed under: Glass Beads, Handmade Jewelry, Holiday Jewelry

Well it’s been an interesting 2 weeks to say the least. My Tungsten lights blew out so I have no adequate light in which to photograph my jewelry until the new lights arrive. We had a wind storm that blew out the electric so we had to take ourselves, along with our 2 children (one is 2 years old and the other is 2 months old) to the Country Buffet for dinner the other night. Two pieces of the aluminum on one of the roof peaks blew off in that storm so now we have to replace the the aluminum on all THREE peaks so that it matches. The material isn’t much but the labor is where they get you, obviously.

I did have a few good things happen too, though. I bought a new camera so hopefully that will aid in better pictures for the future. Today was a first for me. Some of you might be able to sympathize with my plight, but probably not. I created several pieces of jewelry with a 2 month old napping in an upright position on my lap. At this very moment I am typing my blog with one finger and the wrong hand because I am feeding him with the other! Listen…you gotta do what you gotta do.

I have a new collection of handmade bracelets that I will be adding to continuously. I call it the “Breakfast at Bella’s” collection. These bracelets are all handmade sterling silver and they feature handmade glass charms made by Laurie of Mermaid Glass. She has my business for life. I LOVE these bracelets and the beads. I used sterling findings and Hill Tribes silver charms throughout the design, and each one is different. There is more breakfast to be served so keep your eyes peeled for new additions!

Also these Swarovski Crystal heart earrings were supposed to be for Valentine’s Day, but again, camera and lighting issues prevented me from listing them sooner. Anyway, they are great to wear anytime obviously and they are now listed in the store.

We have introduced 5 new Guest Artists for the month of February. They are in no particular order: Alexsandra Gifford - aka Wild Pearly. Alexsandra makes the most amazing handbags I have ever seen. They are creative and vibrant, and you definitely need to check them out. They are all OOAK items and I promise you won’t be disappointed. Here is an example of her work…

Next we have Connie Loyet of “Riverbed” creations. Here is another great artist who brings us unique gemstone and mineral pendants. Some of her beautiful creations are personally mined! Below is just an example of Connie’s work. Please click on the photo to view the item in the store as well as her other four offerings for a total of five showcased items!

Megan Huffaker of Tesoro Bella Jewelry is a 36-year-old stay-at-home mother with a Bachelor of Science degree with an emphasis in Genetics. Megan is joined in design, creation, and distribution by her sisters Becky, Katie, and Chris, by her nieces Kathryn (Kat) and Maddeline, by her parents Jay and Rosie, and by her close friend Kari. Please see a glimpse of what Megan has to offer below. Click on the picture to be taken to the store and explore some of Megan’s other wonderful creations!

Next is Manda Link of Manda Panda Creations. Her jewelry is as unique as her name. I know that you will just love her pieces. Below is my personal favorite from Manda’s submitted collection. Please click the photo to be taken to that item in the store, or just visit the store to view six more of Manda’s creations!

Jewelry Fetish is a relatively young business that grew out of three women’s passions for custom made pieces. Those women are Teresa Ellens, Stephanie Ponius, and Jocelyn Walker. Please see just one of the many creations that they have to offer. Click on the photo to be taken to this item in the store and read more about it, or add it to your collection before someone else does!

Tags: earrings, handcrafted jewelry, Handmade Beaded Jewelry, handmade gifts, handmade glass beads, Holiday gifts, Holiday jewelry, sterling silver

Boro Bead Bonanza!

Filed under: Glass Beads, Handmade Jewelry

Here are a few new items using some handmade boro beads that I happen to have in stock. The first two items are made using handmade “Journey” boro beads from Beau’s Beads. I used Hill Tribes pure silver throughout most of the bracelet with the exception of the Swarovski crystals and the Bali bead caps that accent them.

Each boro bead is flanked with handmade Hill Tribes silver beads caps and is then separated by Hill Tribes decorative spacers. The flower tube bead that are used in the “band” portion of the bracelet are also handmade Hill Tribes silver as well as the round toggle that terminates the bracelet. The citrine colored Swarovski crystals nicely accent the yellow color in the glass boro bead. This bracelet measures 7″ in length. Another of its kind can be made as long as the boro bead is still available.

Also available is this matching boro ring. The band is handmade sterling silver form McDuck Creations and features a round topper. This particular ring is a size 7. Please contact me for available sizes.

The last addtion is another boro bead ring, which also features a handmade band from McDuck Creations. This is a sterling silver hammered band with a conical topper. This ring however is decorated with a boro bead in rich, deep colors made by one of my most favorite glass artists, Lisa Atchison of Touch Of Glass Designs. This ring is also a size 7 and due to the fact that there is only one of these beads at this time, this ring is the only one of its kind.

Tags: boro bead ring, boro beads, glass bead ring, Glass Beads, handmade glass beads, Handmade Jewelry, sterling silver, sterling silver ring

New Items and Artists for January!!!

Filed under: Handmade Jewelry, Holiday Jewelry

What an exciting December we have had here! If you’ve been keeping up with the new Isabella’s Beads Blog Page then you know that we have just given birth to our second child, John P. D’Agostino, IV. He was born on December 10, 2008 and we are so blessed to have him in our lives along with our daughter Isabella Rose. Also last month we introduced a section of the site called the “Guest Jewelers” section, and it is where I feature the works of other talented artists that I have met in this industry.

We showcased the works of three very talented artists last month and we have more for you this month! The artists that I would like to present to you for January are Debbie Jennings of “Deb’s Beaded Treasures”, and Kim Grassing of “LexieJewel”.

Debbie Jennings writes: “I started Debs Beaded Treasures in 2005 as a means to share my love of creating jewelry with everyone.  I especially like making “wearable art statement pieces”, and love the compliments my customers receive when wearing them.  I have a studio in my home that I couldn’t live without.  It is a creative environment that is very inspirational, where I spend many hours of enjoyment, creating special pieces for you (and a few for me, of course!). It takes a bit more of an “eye for design” to sell craft work in the vast ocean of talented artists in today’s market, so I am always learning new things.”

Here is an example of Debbie’s work. You can click on the photo to be taken to the item in the store. Also, to see all of the items in our Guest Jeweler’s Section click here!

Kim Writes: “A walk on the wild side…. or a stroll in the park! That’s how I describe my line of jewelry.  Each unique creation by LexieJewel is designed and handcrafted by me, Kimberley Grasing. All of my designs are original, and I strive to be innovative, cutting edge, and sometimes over the top.  I have been creating beaded jewelry for the past 5 years and have recently added FIRE (soldering!) to my repertoire…. and I haven’t seen the light of day since!! Yes, my acetylene torch is my new best friend! Working with metals has allowed me to reach into my inner depths of creativity to unleash designs and pieces fully infused with passion, heart and soul. I hope you enjoy all that LexieJewel has to offer!”

This Molton Rock necklace one is one my favorite pieces from Kim…

Well, February is quickly approaching and with that so is Valentines Day! I have some nice designs for Women and Children that you’ll definitely want to see. This Swarovski Crystal heart pendant doesn’t need a special occasion to be worn.

Also available and new this past month is this lovely Sterling Silver CZ double Heart ring.

Or how about this delicately adorable Sterling silver pave heart dangle ring for your daughter or even yourself!

These are just a few of the wonderful items that are available for this coming Valentine’s Day holiday. Please be sure to check out the Themed Jewelry section of the site for more ideas. And remember, if you have something specific in mind we can work together to create the perfect custom design! E-mail me for custom orders.

Tags: Glass Beads, handcrafted jewelry, handmade gifts, Handmade Jewelry, semi precious gemstones, sterling silver, valentine's day gifts

Wonder Woman, I am not…

Filed under: Events, Handmade Jewelry

Well, I thought that I would be able to be more like my favorite super hero, Wonder Woman, and handle having a newborn son, celebrating Christmas with our large family, traveling to Connecticut for a week, and maintaining the web site all while still taking care of my fiancee and our 2 year old daughter, Isabella Rose. I was wrong, and I suck. I’m sorry.

OK. So I am a little behind with posting some new items and introducing new guest jewelers for January (and putting out my monthly newsletter to registered users) but it will get done, I PROMISE!!! Actually I tried to put out the Newsletter at the end of December, but my server is having a small glitch and my developer is working on that at this time. I hope to have it resolved shortly. It seems that having the site Search Engine Optimized created some small glitches here and there and they are being corrected. Sorry for the delays!

While January seems to be flying by, I do have 4 new guest jewelers lined up which I will introduce in a separate blog tomorrow after listing their items in the Guest Jewelers section of the site. I thank you for your patience and understanding and I promise all of you it will be worth the wait to see what these talented artists have to offer.

Tags: Glass Beads, handcrafted jewelry, Handmade Beaded Jewelry, sterling silver

Guest Jewelers

Filed under: Handmade Jewelry, Holiday Jewelry

I would like to tell you about a section of the site that has been in progress for a while now. It is the “Guest Jewelers” section, and it is where I feature the works of other talented artists that I have met in this industry. I am starting December off with a bang, and I am going to introduce you to three new artists. The first artist that I am proud to present to you is Janice Kuhm of Darkmere Designs.

Janice says: “I formed Darkmere Designs in 2000 selling my designs in the Medieval Recreation and Renaissance markets. In 2004 I received an award for my work in wire knitting and chains. Art has always been in my life from music to jewelry. I have been involved in some form of art since I was a child. After receiving a diploma from Brooks College in Fashion Merchandising, I worked in administration at several different companies before going back to college to earn my Bachelors Degree in Business. At that time I was becoming active in medieval recreation and took a class in wire jewelry. I enjoyed the class so much I started taking more classes through a local craft shop, including soldering, fabricating, weaving and chains.

My designs currently focus on wire work, including chain making, knitting and weaving. I work mostly in Sterling Silver and 14kt Gold-filled, although I would eventually like to work in other metals as well.”

Here are some examples of Janice’s work.

These items will be available for sale for a limited time so if you see something that catches your eye, please don’t hesitate to make your purchase. There has been a lot of interest on the part of various artists to participate in this venture, so hopefully I will be featuring new artists every month.

Our second featured artist for the month is Rachael Swiss. Rachael writes, “I have been making jewelry since I was a child. I have been working in the jewelry business as a designer and merchandiser for private companies since 2003 and my work with them (mostly gold, silver, diamonds, and other stones) can be found all over in major department stores throughout the united states. I believe that jewelry is a form of expression and should be worn to bring out the beauty in one’s self.”

And, last but not least is Sophia Waddell. Sophia Clark Waddell has immersed herself in both the performing and fine arts since birth - her latest creation is Art Intervention. Having made jewelry and taken photographs for as long as she can remember, Sophia is excited about helping customers bring handcrafted, personalized, and functional pieces of art into their every day lives.

Sophia is happy to work with you and your imagination to create the perfect piece of jewelry, or capture that special moment in time and space.

I love having the opportunity to showcase the various styles of each of these artists. All of these items, and much more will be available in my store for you to purchase starting on December 1st in the Guest Jewelers section, so don’t forget to check them out!

The most recent additions to my store have been of the Sterling silver and CZ rings and anklets, along with Millefiori and Millecreli earrings and rings. You can purchase these items separately or as a set, and purchasing them as a set will afford you a discounted price.

Onyx and Sterling pendant

We’ve added a few new pendants and gemstone rings as well to both the Men and Women’s Collections.

Onyx and Sterling ring

Stay tuned in the next few days for more items from our featured artists. Make sure you look in our new Guest Jewelers section for their items starting December 1st. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving, and I wish you a joyous remainder of the 2008-year!

Ciao!

Tags: genuine gemstone, guest jeweler, Handmade Beaded Jewelry, Handmade Jewelry, onyx, sterling silver

Swarovski® Crystal Pendant Necklaces

Filed under: Glass Beads, Handmade Jewelry, Holiday Jewelry

Before I introduce the new crystal pieces I want to preface this blog with one more glass bead necklace. For those of you who have been reading you know that lately I have been focusing on Lisa Atchison’s glass beads. As I’ve stated before they are remarkable, one-of-a-kind beads unlike anything that I have ever seen. In most cases the pictures do not do the beads justice. Please review previous blogs for my most recent creations. I will introduce one new piece to you where I used the combination of a copper mesh necklace along with one of Lisa’s electroformed leaf beads.

This necklace is comprised of fine, Italian brass mesh. There is a 3mm leatherette cord inserted into copper-colored brass mesh for durability. The necklace measures 18″ in length and is terminated with a lobster claw clasp. I used copper findings, and pure copper wire to make the handmade bail from which the beautiful, ocean-colored bead is suspended. As you view both photos of the bead itself, notice that the bead is only electroformed with a leaf on one side, which adds to its versatility.

Back of Bead

Front of Bead

OK, now for the crystal. First I’ll begin very quickly with the introduction of the “more classy” version of the Christmas tree earrings. I featured the classic-colored tree earrings in a previous blog, which was a green crystal tree accented in red and silver. This new pair is made using clear Swarovski® crystals along with an aurum 2x crystal topper and Colorado topaz base. They dangle from fancy gold-plated ear wires. These adorable creations can be worn all season long so get yours now!

Swarovski® crystal is the finest crystal in the world. I absolutely LOVE what Swarovski® has done this season with their new pendants. Of course these are perfect for any occasion, but hey, the winter season is upon us and in celebration of it I offer you a Swarovski® snowflake pendant necklace!

This sparkling creation has a flat table and faceted edges. The light reflects brilliantly from this classic pendant. I have attached a sterling silver teardrop bail to the snowflake, which dangles from a 20″ sterling silver textured loop chain. I terminated the chain with a sterling silver lobster claw clasp.

Also new this season is the 18mm flat-faced heart pendant. With the amazing sparkle only Swarovski® can create, the feminine heart drop has faceted, beveled edges and a smooth center. Stunning glacier blue color, the crystal ignites flashes of blue, green and yellow. I used a sterling silver ice pick heart bail, and attached it to a sterling silver Italian chain for instant elegance. Makes a fabulous gift for any occasion!

I have started working with a new medium. I am not sure if I like it yet as it is very new and extremely delicate, but I feel that the potential for creativeness using this product is just itching to burst through! This woven mesh originates as an extremely fine brass wire, loosely woven and anodized into a glorious color palette. It can be used to create a myriad of styles. Because this mesh is very fragile, it is recommended that it be used like a ribbon with beads strung on the outside only. However, I am a bit of a rebel and I decided to string beads, twist the mesh, and even fill the tube with pearls! (I feel like I just ripped off one of those “DO NOT REMOVE” mattress tags)

Close up of pearls in mesh

This is a David Christensen cane glass bead necklace with sterling silver accents and Swarovski® pearls strung on, and in the mesh tube. The black and white glass beads are from David’s “Sophisticate Collection”. These are the finest manufactured cane glass beads in the world. I featured his “Harvest Collection” beads on another necklace, which was featured in another blog a short while ago. This necklace is approximately 18″ in length and is terminated with a tube-like lobster claw clasp.

Clasp

That’s all for now. I am expecting the birth of our son on December 10th so I am trying to get as much completed and listed on my site, before he arrives! Happy Holidays to all

Ciao!

Tags: Cane glass, Glass Beads, handcrafted jewelry, Handmade Beaded Jewelry, handmade glass beads, Handmade Jewelry, Mesh, mesh necklace, silver pendant, sterling silver, Swarovski Crystals, Swarovski pendants

Beaded Jewelry Design

Filed under: Handmade Jewelry

I am often asked how I get my inspiration. Beaded jewelry design is like any other art form–inspiration can come from almost anywhere.

One source of inspiration is the work of other designers, such as David Yurman. From his Bijoux collection, I like his use of asymmetry, in which the two sides of a necklace do not quite match. I also like the way he combines textured and smooth links in his chains. And I especially like the way he showcases special beads in his jewelry design.

Bijoux Necklace

My finished design is quite different from Yurman’s. But, you can see the combination of textured and smooth in the sterling and Hill Tribes silver, the asymmetry in the use of jade on one side of my central bead and pearl on the other, and the way I made the Grade A yellow/blue tiger-eye bead the focal point, setting it off with Swarovski® crystal rondelles.

Yellow/Blue Tiger Eye with Jade, crystal pearl and Hill Tribes silver

My beaded jewelry design often is inspired by nature. For example, I’ve interpreted the color of the sea, the sky and the coral reefs around Caribbean islands in this ring. The turquoise ranges from blue in the nuggets to blue-green in the smooth beads.

The coral is actually from Swarovski® — crystal coral-colored beads. I choose not to use real coral in my beaded jewelry design, because reefs are usually endangered habitats.

handmade components on Sterling ring

Another source of inspiration for beaded jewelry design comes from the beads themselves. When I look at a wonderful lampworked bead or a millefiori bead from Italy, I can draw inspiration from its colors and texture. I ask myself whether it calls for gold or silver findings and accents. What colors will bring out this or that color within the bead? Should I use a similar or a contrasting shade in my design?

Life itself inspires my beaded jewelry design, as in the Mommy bracelet I am designing to celebrate the coming birth of my second child. In fact, my jewelry design business began with my first child, Isabella Rose. She continues to be the wellspring of my creative spirit.

One of the things I love best about beaded jewelry design is using a variety of carefully chosen materials to create wearable art. If my designs never see the inside of a museum that’s OK, as long as my creations are eye catching and wearable!

If you have questions about beaded jewelry design, please ask. I’ll be happy to answer in this blog.

Ciao
Mariealena

Tags: coral, Handmade Beaded Jewelry, Hill Tribes Silver, jade, pearls, sterling silver, Swarovski, Swarovski Crystals, turquoise