New Year - time for some beads!

Yep, 2013 - bring it on!

I am a terribly lazy blogger and I do thank all of you who drop by to see if I've posted, it's strangely heart-warming to find I have had visitors from all over the world.  I will endeavour to post more often, but I'm not making any promises! *wink*

Want to see some beads? I am in love with a heart press I bought from a forum friend last year.
It's a Bavarian Beads press, and out of the four heart presses I now own (greedy sod!) it's fast become my favourite.

December 2012 was a tough month peronally for me, even more so as I didn't get to make many beads!  So showing these will spur me on to make more and get my Etsy shop stocked up again.

Thank you for visiting with me, may 2013 bring you peace, happiness and good health!

Moon-gazing hare

Hares are very special to us as a couple.  In the first house we rented together, at the end of a dead end lane, we often watched hares in the fields surrounding the cottage.  In fact we very nearly trod on one at the bottom of the garden one day - it ran from it's nest when we were feet away. 

This moon gazing hare is a very personal piece, it is adorned with symbols which have meaning for us.
Five stars represent the individuals in our family (one passed on, but always with us), the heart motif of inlaid African Black Wood is my design and was used for our wedding invitations and even painted on our wedding cake.  The right eye is the Ancient Egyptian Wedjat Eye (the Eye of Horus) - we are both very interested in Ancient Egyptology (we honeymooned in Egypt!).

Up his back is Celtic knotwork and on his right haunch, my stylised sunflower (also carved into my Mother's stone - see previous post)

I found the pewter ankh in a charity shop - a serendipitous find as I had grumbled about providing a piece of silver to make an ankh! (Tight?  Me? Have you seen the price of silver now?)

  He is carved out of lime, with a base of walnut.  I can't tell you how beautifully silky it feels to touch - the urge to kiss his nose is overwhelming!

Carved by my wonderful husband, Tracy Hearn.

Mothers' Day - May Blog Carnival

I've always wondered why Mothers' Day is different in the UK  - we had ours in March.   I got chocolate - yay!!
This post is part of the blog carnival I take part in along with my fellow artists in the Jewelry Artisan's Community .

I made my lovely Mum some beads for Mothers' Day this year (surprise, surprise! *grin*).
But I forgot to take photos, so I'll show you something completely different!!

Years ago, when I was travelling around India - I mean years ago - in my early 20's, I picked up a few pieces of rock in Mahabilapuram (now Mammalapuram), where many Indian stone sculptors are trained.  Using only my tiny penknife and rubbing on flagstones to smooth it,  I carved this for my mother.

The symbol on the front face in the first photo is the Sanskrit form for the mantra 'Ma', meaning mother.  There's a big 'J' - her initial, a fish - which relates to our surname.  The stylised sunflower is something I have drawn for years.

If you've the inclination to see what my fellow bloggers have to say about Mothers' Day - you can follow these links :)

http://beadsophisticate.wordpress.com/

http://www.catswire.blogspot.de/2012/05/mothers-day.html

http://islandgirlsinsights.blogspot.ca/2012/05/mothers-day-2012.html

http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/blog_post/JewelryArtByDawn/8162/blog_carnival_-_mother_s_day

Serendipity Magazine

My 'Mantra' cuff is featured in the latest issue of  Serendipity Magazine!  Issue 4 - Symbols in Art.

I'm on pages 71 and 72 if you'd like to read the story behind my cuff. 

Spring plans.

This month's blog carnival topic for members of our Jewelry Artisans Community blog ring is Spring Plans.  It has had me thinking hard...  plans..... Spring..... plans?

I do love Spring, new leaves, Spring flowers and wonderful blossom.  We have had some glorious weather this past week, so I took the opportunity to get out with my camera and capture some of the glory of an English Spring.

But plans.... oh yeah, plans.

I do have plans which I are suppose for Spring, specifically a Spring Fayre.

So last week I started my preparations and made some crystal-shaped beads.  I will turn these sparkling little beauties into earrings and pendants.

Why not read what my fellow JAC artists have planned for Spring?




http://catswire.blogspot.de/2012/03/spring-plans.html

http://j3jeannesjemsjewels.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/march-blog-carnival-spring-plans.html

http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/blog_post/JewelryArtByDawn/7447/spring_plans


http://islandgirlsinsights.blogspot.ca/2012/03/starving-artists-carnival-blog-spring.html

http://beadsophisticate.wordpress.com/2012/03/23/jewelry-artisans-network-blog-carnival-thoughts-of-spring/
 

and the winner is....

Dawn, from Jewelry Art by Dawn (on Artfire).  Lucky bead going to live with this very talented artist!

I had lots of fun with this giveaway, thank you to everyone who participated or showed some interest, I really appreciate you all.

So much so, that I'll be doing another giveaway in the next few months!  Details will be posted here on my blog and on Facebook.

I get to make beads tomorrow - yay!  It's been a while, I'm feeling the need to melt some glass!

Feel the Love February - it's giveaway time!

 
Yes, I'm having a giveaway!  There are several ways to get an entry.

* Follow my blog and tell me you've done so in the comments

* Go to my Bead Up A Storm page on Facebook and 'like' it.  Leave me a comment too, so I don't miss you.  If you are already following me on FB, just leave me a comment and I'll enter you.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bead-Up-A-Storm/136005923088931

* Tweet about my giveaway and let me know here on my blog.

* Like my Etsy shop on FB, and let me know by leaving me a comment here.

* Share a link to my giveaway on your FB page, or blog (or both!) and let me know with a comment.


So that's 5 entries you could have, to win this gorgeous big heart bead.
I'll contact the winner to see if you'd like it made into a pendant.

I'll draw the winner on 29th February 2012.

and lastly, thank you.