May Bead Stash Favorites

Although the new mini collar challenge has had a few timing mishaps, it has certainly helped me to achieve my main goal of finding new inspiration in old beads. It’s been a very long time since I’ve had any room in my budget for bead shopping, so finding ways to use what I have is pretty important. Since starting the challenge, I haven’t had much cause to think about what I could do if I only had ___.

Right now my absolute favorite is what’s left of my package of vintage Venetian white-hearts in tomato red. Every time I use these beads in a design it turns out magnificent. My particular favorite is the Babi collar from the Egyptian Gods series. At some point I really want to use them in a mini collar – probably when I feel like I need a break from drops and daggers. The only trouble with these beads is that they look a lot more uniform in the package than they actually are, and I’ve used up most of the semi-round ones. One of the reasons I don’t use them often anymore is that I haven’t yet found a design that is both worthy of the precious beads, and suitable for beads that are totally wonky.

Transparent Montana blue sapphire has long been one of my favorite Czech glass bead colors, although I haven’t had much success with the 11/o size, as transparent Czech seed beads tend to be a lot smaller and thinner than other finishes. Luckily, size 8/o beads look good no matter how they’re shaped, so I’m looking forward to making use of this hank very soon.

Finally, I have a small packet of jet Picasso drops that I’ve been saving for a fringed design. I’m hoping to work on a new PDF tutorial for herringbone fringe necklaces that I think these would be perfect for. They’re probably a little too big to use in a mini collar, although a single piece as a focal could work. It would be an interesting experiment to see if one chevron stitch in the middle of piece could be enlarged without warping the beadwork at all.

What beads are you inspired by at the moment?

Mortira

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Bead Shops: Maya Honey

Glass beads are an invaluable material for beading and jewelry design. Versatile, varied, and affordable, glass provides a never ending source of inspiration. It’s no secret that some of the best glass beads come from the Czech Republic, and some of the most unique selections come from indie shops that specialize in designer Czech glass. Today’s guest is Kate of Maya Honey in Slovakia– one of my favorite places to search for Czech glass inspirations. In addition to the selection of new and rare glass beads, Maya Honey also carries a variety of findings and Japanese seed beads.


Inspirational Beading: How did you get into the business of jewelry supplies?

Kate: I’m a jewelry maker myself, I used to create a lot of jewelry pieces and made my research through different brands and types of beads and jewelry supplies. We live near Czech Republic where you can find a lot of unique glass beads. So, it was so tempting to get them all! I was getting a lot of questions about materials I used in my own jewelry and how to buy them. Also the stock was growing really fast and my husband suggested we should start selling not only my jewelry and lampwork beads but also Czech glass beads.

Inspirational Beading: Do you have a favorite material, color, or bead style to keep in stock?

Kate: I’m beach fan. Although we do not live near the sea I adore everything concerning beach starting with all kind of teal and blue color hues in glass beads, also beach themed charms like starfishes, shells, sand dollars. I found terrific beach related verdigris patinated charms in Greece and bought them immediately for our shop. Another style I love is boho – it shows palette of rustic earthy colors, turquoise and topaz. Czech glass beads with Picasso (or so called travertine) finish are perfect match for boho jewelry. The more expensive table cut beads can be great as centerpiece for a necklace or bracelet.

Czech Glass Cathedral Beads

Inspirational Beading: What is your all-time favorite Czech bead shape?

Kate: I cannot think of just one! Every season Czech manufacturers spoil us with new designs and beads shapes. Recently I was impressed by new styles with imprinted in bead’s surface dragonfly, seahorse or bird silhouette. My long lasting love is cathedral beads, they now come not only with gold and silver ends but also with rustic earthy finishes. I can also note new Toho seed beads palette of semi–glazed colors – really natural finish.

Czech Glass Coins

Inspirational Beading: What kind of criteria do you use when selecting new products to carry?

Kate: Quality! It’s always about it. You can notice that all products we carry we buy mostly in European Union. That’s because I can be sure I’m buying great product that were made using raw materials to comply with all the EU’s regulations. If it is findings they should be nickel and lead safe, leather cords of great quality, Czech glass made in safe environment and so on.

Inspirational Beading: What makes your bead selection stand out from other craft supplies shops? What's your favorite thing about your products?

Kate: We try to carry a lot of limited production beads which means we get them from family workshops in Czech Republic (sometime they don’t even have websites). It is traditional art for this region and you can find truly gifted masters of glass there. I also make my own beads mixes and bead soups – I love to make them! It’s like painting a picture really. Always happy when my customers send photos of their creations with these mixes.

Inspirational Beading: Many beaders are familiar with the emotion that comes from selling a finished design. How does it feel when you sell something that will become a beautiful work of art?

Kate: I’m thrilled! On my Instagram @mayahoneybead I always post photos from my customers with their creations. I sometimes envy them – they have much more time to create than me!

Inspirational Beading: What is your favorite thing to make (or see others make) with your beads?

Kate: Cannot say exactly – I love all creative things you can make with beads. I saw fantastic brooches (I never was able to make them myself) or head bands. I like adorable little toys you can make with seed beads or long very difficult to create belts. All sorts of things!

Inspirational Beading: Baggies, tubes, or strands? Which is your favorite?

Kate: I prefer baggies cause for me it’s easier to store and organize them. Tubes are great if you have a lot of space. I don’t really like strands cause I cut them anyway for my projects. As for the shop – I also prefer baggies. We always pre-sort all beads and materials to avoid possible broken glass, chipped beads or defects so baggies are a great choice.

Greek Ceramic Beads and Metal Charms

Inspirational Beading: In your opinion, what’s the best thing about small supplies shops vs. the big bead retailers?

Kate: First, I can focus on smaller workshops where I can get very limited and unique products. I don’t think big retailer would bother for such small amount but I would. So, I look into that market, travel and find new family businesses that can offer beads and materials you will not find anywhere else. Second, our buyers say we have great customer service.And I really try to help them quick and answer all questions.

Inspirational Beading: Do you have any plans for new products this year?

Kate: My husband and I decided to add to our shop more findings, sterling silver charms and earwires, much more colors of leather cords so you can find all in one place. Our last hint is brass ball pins (which I enjoy working so much) – we found them in Greece and now sell them in all finishes: silver plated, gold, rhodium, gunmetal etc.

You can see more gorgeous hand-picked supplies at Maya Honey on Etsy and MayaHoneyBead.com.

Mortira

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Copyright 2016 Inspirational Beading and Maya Honey

Glowing Jewelry Inspirations

Our latest bead giveaway has come to a close! Thank you so much to everyone who entered, and to Harvey at The Big Purple Barn for sponsoring the giveaway. Our winner was Abigail, who chose Antique Uranium Glass Spacers as her favorite beads from the shop. They are definitely a perfect example of the uniqueness in salvage and recycled glass beads.

Uranium Glass Beads by The Big Purple Barn

Uranium glass – sometimes referred to as Vaseline glass – was very popular in the first half of the 20th century. The uranium additives were used to achieve particular colors, but also gave the pieces the ability to glow under a black light. Production waned with the scarcity of uranium, turning the (minutely) radioactive glass designs into valuable collectables.

Inspired by the vintage appeal of these beads, I went on a hunt for some Jazz Age jewelry tutorials. Some of these could probably be adapted to include lampwork beads – either way, they’re fabulous. I was really hoping to find some projects inspired by Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, but I couldn’t seem to find any. Since I’m halfway through my second viewing of the series, I might have to come up with my own!

Art Deco Jet Necklace by Creativity in Pieces



Roaring 20's Chain Jewelry Tutorials by Rena Klingenberg



Great Gatsby Bracelet Tutorial by M&J Trimming

What’s your favorite art deco jewelry style?

Mortira

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Copyright 2016 Inspirational Beading and Friends

Work in Progress: Blue Lime

I’m back down to just one bead tray this week, though I’m sure it’s only temporary. I’ve got a few more tutorials lined up that I want to get started on, but first I have to get caught up on some other design ideas. I had hoped that the new Christmas bead lariat would be finished long before now. It seemed like no matter how long I worked on it, the beadwork just never seemed to get any longer. I think this might be why I haven’t made one in so long. Fifty inches of chevron chain is a pretty big commitment.

I’ve just finished up the fringe on the lariat, and I’ve got my beads out for an exciting surprise project. I’ve built a palette around the cobalt and lime Indonesian glass that I paired up for last week’s bead faves, and I’m really eager to get started. I’m not entirely sure that I’ll be able to make the striped cobalt beads work for this project, but I’m definitely going to try. If all else fails, I can save them for another time.

What are you making this week?

Mortira

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Bead Giveaway: Salvage Glass Lampwork

Some of the most coveted beads in the crafting world have one of two very special qualities: they’re unique or one-of-a-kind, like handmade lampwork beads, African batik beads, or natural semi-precious stones; or they have a story, like vintage French seed beads, African trade beads, and found objects. Our latest featured bead shop, The Big Purple Barn, offers gorgeous beads with both of these qualities. Harvey Haines, an artist who specializes in salvaged materials, creates lovely lampwork beads from a wide variety of recycled glass. The results are pretty wonderful.

One lucky Inspirational Beading reader will have a chance to try these unique beads in their own designs! Harvey has offered a $50 gift certificate for The Big Purple Barn – the selection is sure to get your inspiration rolling!

How to Enter:

For a chance to win a $50 gift certificate to use on one of a kind lampwork beads, visit The Big Purple Barn and check out the selection. Then head back here to Inspirational Beading and leave a comment letting us know which designs are your favorite.

Important: Comments must be made here on InspirationalBeading.blogspot.com to qualify. Please be sure to include an email address in your comment so that I can contact you if you win! This giveaway is open to readers from Canada and the US.

One winning comment will be drawn on Monday, April 18th. Good luck!

Update: This draw has closed.

Mortira

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Copyright 2016 Inspirational Beading and The Big Purple Barn

Inspired Bead Maker: The Big Purple Barn

As one of humanity’s earliest inventions, the bead is one of those essential things that connect us all together. Creating beads is a skill that often flourishes in unexpected places. Some of the most talented lampwork artists got their start suddenly, leaving their day jobs to fire up a torch practically overnight. Other artists find their way to bead making and exploring the many possibilities of color and glass by way of another medium. Today’s guest, Harvey Haines of The Big Purple Barn, is an artist, sculptor, and flameworker with a flair for salvaged materials.

Inspirational Beading: How did you first get started with bead making?

Harvey: It was five years ago, I first hit the torch a little while after stumbling on a lampworking demonstration. Steelwork has always been a passion of mine and playing with glass looked like some magic version of welding played back at one-tenth speed. Entrancing, beautiful. Seeing it gave me one of those ‘I should do that’ feelings, the variety that tend to get me into trouble. Two or three months later I had a make-shift glass studio taking over half of my little workshop.

Inspirational Beading: Do you remember your first bead? Where is it today?

Harvey: Normally I am a leap-before-looking kind of guy, but lampworking can be a bit dangerous for the uninitiated. After some searching I found a hippy named Andrew who would let me into his studio and together we took an hour long scratch at the surface of lampworking. Those first few beads are still hanging around, I like to pull them out now and again to see how my work has changed.

Salvage Glass Spacer Beads

Inspirational Beading: Where do you look for inspiration? How does it translate in your designs?

Harvey: Antique tools and hardware; just about any old hunk of metal. Paintings by Dennis Hopper and Chien Fei Chiang, photographs by Stephen Wilkes, sculptures by Rodin. Cars like the 1950 and ’51 Studebakers or the ill-fated Tucker Torpedo. Movies made by Sergio Leone - ‘Duck, You Sucker!” is my current favorite. Rita Hayworth. The material itself is the greatest driving force behind anything that I do, whether I’m using glass or steel. I can take inspiration from any of my favorite places, but that ends up being reimagined through the lens of the medium. Glass is a seductive, sensual thing. It flows and curves in so many wonderfully confusing ways, you just can’t help falling for the stuff once you see the way it plays in the heat. I watch the glass, follow its flow, and make it into whatever it wants to be.

Salvage Glass Lentil Beads

Inspirational Beading: Do you have a favorite bead style or shape to create?

Harvey: Lentil beads may be a bit simple, but I appreciate their powers of display. A lentil lets the glass stretch its legs and show off more than it could in a spacer, without being as weighty as one of my extra-large focal beads. Aside from that, I don’t use molds or presses which means it takes a lot of extra time and love to make a nice lentil. Maybe I ought not to say it, but I’m proud of every good lentil that makes its way out of my kiln.

Inspirational Beading: Do you have a favorite color or combination to work with?

Harvey: My Verdigris and Antique Arctic glasses are tied for favorite color. Verdigris isn’t showy, but it has a great coppery-green hue and the glass is sourced from broken 1940s telegraph pole insulators. Antique Arctic is a particularly icy oceanic blue, so vibrant and pure. That one is made out of glassware from the 1950s, the color just screams of mid-century Americana.

Antique Arctic Glass and Inclusion Glass Beads

Inspirational Beading: What is the most exciting design in your repertoire right now? What makes it special?

Harvey: Sticking to beads, I’d say my Inclusion Glass pieces are undoubtedly the most exciting. In addition to experimenting with recycled glass, I enjoy playing around with different additives, such as seashells. Many of the Inclusion bead ingredients are kept as trade secrets and the beads are always done in limited runs. Some of the ingredients are post-consumer recycled material, like the glass, and others are leftover antique odds and ends. You never know what’s coming!

Inspirational Beading: What is the most rewarding moment in your design process?

Harvey: I think this changes from project to project, but right now I’m going to say that the most rewarding aspect of my work is knowing that a person enjoys what I’ve made. One of the best parts of being a ‘maker’ is having the ability to give, or to help others give, unique, personal, and meaningful gifts. You can’t beat it, really.

Inspirational Beading: Do you have any plans for new bead styles or themes in the works?

Harvey: Mixed-color recycled beads are sort of my white-whale. On account of various scientific mumbo jumbo, mixing different types of glasses will cause the finished piece to crack. Keep in mind that all of my recycled glasses were made by different manufacturers across the past eight or nine decades; they are rarely compatible. Still, I’ve had some promising successes, and I should be offering multi-color pieces quite soon!

Salvage Steel Desk Organizer

Inspirational Beading: What are some of your other creations?

Harvey: My first big commission was from Red Wing Shoes in Minnesota. They hired me to make a shelf of some sort so they could display a few pairs of used workbooks in their headquarters. I ended up building the shelf out of around 100 antique wrenches, it weighed a ton! Another fun project was done as part of an Earth Day celebration at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. I gathered all sorts of discarded nonsense from across the campus and made a series of sculptures, one of which remains on permanent display at the school. The best piece was a working potter’s wheel made out of computers, some AV equipment, bicycle parts, and an antique mixer. Somehow I managed to make a handful of decent little pots, as well as an incredible mess.

Salvage Steel Valet Dish

In my Etsy shop you’ll find a variety of products aside from beads. Depending on when you look there will be glass items such as marbles, worry stones, and Honey Stones. Right now you’ll see a new addition - Fossilized shark’s teeth encased in glass from Coca-Cola bottles. There are also a few steel products peppered across the shop. I enjoy making nuclear-grade desk organizers and valet dishes. They’re heavy, nearly indestructible, and personalized with Braille lettering that is drilled into the surface of the steel.

Automotive Glass Worry Stones

Inspirational Beading: Who do you hope to inspire with your work?

Harvey: Maybe it sounds a little corny, but I’ve got to say I’d like to inspire the youngest generation. What I’d like is for kids to have more access and encouragement to find a craft that means something to them. The world would be a better place if more people had a comfortable outlet to share what happens inside their heads. The heart and mind are stimulated by the work, whatever it may be, and it helps people to connect in beautiful ways. As with so many things, this all begins with the kids: that’s why I love doing live demonstrations and teaching young’uns how to make beads. If you’ve got a particular talent, pass it on to as many little humans as you can, that is the most enduring and important artwork that you’ll ever make.

You can see more of Harvey’s designs at The Big Purple Barn on Etsy, and check out The Big Purple Barn website for a gallery of awesome sculptures and designs.

Mortira

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Copyright 2016 Inspirational Beading and Harvey Haines

April Bead Stash Favorites

Have you ever been at a loss for what to do with your beads? I’ve been in this spot for a while now with some of the accents in my collection, and I finally figured out what I’m going to do with them. I’ve got something very special planned, and suddenly my bead stash has taken on a whole new level of inspiration. I can’t wait to start using them.

Right now I’ve got my eyes on several different goodies in my bead cupboard, particularly my collection of lovely Indonesian glass from Happy Mango Beads. Colorful, organic, and stripey – just can’t get enough of these beads. I picked out my two all-time favorites to pose for this photo, and I liked the combination of lime green with striped cobalt so much that I think they’ll be paired with my first special project. Why didn’t I think of this combo before? It’s my favorite color pairing, and these beads have been staring me in the face for years.

I’ve also got oodles of drops, magatamas, and daggers that will be making much-awaited appearances soon. I’ve only just reached the point where I don’t feel like I need to save these beads for something really, really special. I just want to make pretty things with them. They’re also perfect for the idea that I have cooking, and I’m looking forward to seeing how many new ways I can come up with to make them shine. These long magatamas in lime and Rizo beads in opaque white might not go together, but I definitely want to use them both very soon.

Also in the top of my to-use pile is this delicious strand of sky blue glass rounds. These baubles are a part of the nautical-themed March bead box from Blueberry Cove Beads. Of all the collections so far, this one is definitely my favorite. Nautical themes are not only classic, but they have so many amazing design possibilities. Boats, beaches, sailors, treasure…the list is endless. I don’t often have glass rounds of this size in my stash, so it’s great to have some new dimensions to work with, and the color is awesome.

What beads are tantalizing your creative side right now?

Mortira

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Round Bead Inspirations

Our latest bead giveaway has come to a close. Congratulations to our winner, Dian, and thank you so much to everyone who entered! For this giveaway we had a great prize pack from Panda Hall featuring lovely acrylic cubes, plus crackle glass and cat eye rounds. These lovely round beads were definitely the favorites – not only are they both gorgeous finishes for glass, but the shape is perfect for a million and one designs and techniques.

To celebrate the draw, I gathered up some favorite project ideas using round beads. Whether you string or stitch, there’s nothing better than druks, pearls, and rounds to give a design the perfect amount of pop.

This two-layer bangle bracelet from the learning center at Panda Hall has a unique base of laddered tubes, embellished with round bead nets and picots.

The perfect project for cat eye glass – cat eye earrings! This adorable project from Instructables is perfect for fiber optic glass, but would also be great with druks and glass pearls.

The Lovely Lichen bracelet project from Artbeads.com is a great way to showcase a handful of your favorite rounds. This one would look particularly gorgeous with crackle glass.

See also the Vintage Marble Pendant project and pearl netting tutorials here on Inspirational Beading for more round bead inspirations.

Happy beading!

Mortira

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Copyright 2016 Inspirational Beading and Panda Hall

Bead Giveaway: Spring Sensations

Nothing can get you ready for a new season of beading like a fresh crop of beads! Having a new color, shape, or finish to work with is a great way to find new inspirations. It can even help to revitalize your existing bead stash. To help get you started on some new bead adventures, our friends at Panda Hall have offered up some very exciting accent beads that are sure to inspire some marvelous creations. We worked together to create a very delicious prize pack with colors that are perfect for your spring designs. The prize pack includes:

100 marvelous, multicolored 10mm acrylic cubes.

I absolutely adore the striped design and of these beads.
The combination of bright colors and white stripes makes them ideal for springtime designs.




1 strand of 6mm round green cat eye glass beads.

If you’ve never worked with cat eye glass before, you’ll fall in love with its shimmer.
This intense green is great for floral inspired pieces.




100 multicolor 6.5mm acrylic alphabet cube beads.

These beads are great for quick and easy designs,
travel projects, and personalized accessories.




1 strand of 4mm crackle glass beads in blue-violet.

Perfect for spring designs, these beads have
a gorgeous crackle finish for added shimmer.

How to Enter:

For a chance to win a selection of all the beads shown here, visit Panda Hall and check out their selection of beads, findings, and jewelry supplies. Then head back here and leave a comment letting us know what your favorites are. One lucky reader will be drawn on Tuesday, March 22nd.

Contest Rules:

Comments must be made directly on InspirationalBeading.blogspot.com to qualify.

Please make sure to include a contact link or email address with your comment so that I can get in touch with you if you win!

This giveaway is open to readers from the US and Canada.

Good luck, and happy beading!

Update: This draw has closed.

Mortira

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Copyright 2016 Inspirational Beading and Panda Hall