Friday Feature-Novica

A while back I received a very interesting email from a company called Novica. They asked if I would be interested in writing a review of their site. I went to their website, not really knowing what to expect. Wow, was I pleasantly surprised! They are associated with National Geographic, and you can see from their mission statement that they are dedicated to providing a unique opportunity to artists worldwide.

We want to give artists and artisans around the world a global platform to express their true artistic talents and to spur their creativity. And, we want to provide you with access to unique, hard-to-find items at great values that only the Internet infrastructure can allow.

At the deepest essence of our philosophy, we want to create a bridge between you and the many talented artisans across the globe.

We want you to know about who you're buying from. We want you to feel that attachment to the product and to the hands that created it.

In the spirit of the Internet, let us bring you together.

NOVICA. The World is Your Market.

I had the opportunity to purchase a couple of items from their group of artists. This is when it really gets good.

In our ever smaller world, where you can get just about anything from anywhere, true customer service has all but disappeared. In our age of automation, you rarely get a 'live' person on the phone. The post office gives you a 'range' of when a package will arrive. Returns policies state that you are not guaranteed anything, and you will have to pay postage. Ya'll know where I'm coming from.

So, when I placed my order, and received a confirmation email within five minutes, I was pleased. I ordered two items, from two different countries of origin. Which would make you suspect that my shipping costs would be higher, right? Nope. 

Then I received two more emails, identifying where my packages were in the shipping process!

All this was in addition to the tracking number being provided. I received the packages in record time, and again, was very pleasantly surprised with the beautiful wrapping of the items.

Would you like to see what I got? Of course you would!

Gorgeous Balinese earrings. Each tiny dot of silver is placed by hand.

I fell in love with the rich colors of this bag. And with two outer pockets, and a roomy interior, it's just perfect for fall weather!

There were beautiful cards, signed by the artist with a short bio, but I've misplaced them. 

As an artist, searching for my creative voice, I appreciate the desire and passion of these talented folks. And I applaud Novica for helping them to become businessmen and women. The Novica website is intriguing and innovative. I hope you'll take a moment to check them out. Below are links for some of the different areas of interest.   Blessings, Shirley

Mens Peruvian Scarves

Painted Silk Scarves from Brazil

Pashmina Shawls

Wraps and Ruanas from Peru

Wristband Bracelets

Silver Chandelier Earrings 

Disclosure: I have not been paid for this review. Opinions stated are my own based upon my experience as a customer of the website.

October Fest!!!!

Hi all! I know, you're about to fall over in shock, aren't you? I can't believe it either. I have posted for the last 4 days! What fun!! (Actually, I'm a bit exhausted) But, anyhoo, I'm here today to celebrate OctoberFest with the fabulous Ms. Rita from  Jewelry School Friends.
We are showing off Fall in all its glory. I played around with Picasa yesterday, to create a collage for you of some of my favorite things that remind me of Fall. A lot of them are my jewelry pieces, but some are much loved pieces of my life.

Now, you will have to cut me some slack, because this was my first time playing with Picasa. I don't have a clue as to how to shade in the background, so that the awful white isn't showing. Any pointers will be greatly appreciated. :)
October seems to signal a beginning of a serious Food Fest as well. Going to the state fair, eating corn dogs and funnel cakes, then comes Thanksgiving, with turkey, dressing, and all the trimmings. And before you know it, Christmas is here, with rushing around to visit, calling friends, watching football, and EATING.  I started a new tradition at my house a few years ago, and everyone loves it, especially me! I bake and cook several of our favorite snack goodies, and on Christmas Day, you can eat anything you want, anytime you want! Winner, winner for me!!
Now, before you head off to visit all the other great folks participating in this OctoberFest, I just had to share a few recipes with you. So, you too can have a fun filled holiday season! :)

Orange Balls
Sausage Balls
Roasted Garlic Bread

The fantastic list of participants!!!

Host Toltec Jewels http://www.JewelSchoolFriends.com
Heather Otto http://www.thecrafthopper.com
Mischelle Fanucchi http://www.micheladasmusings.blogspot.comMarlene Cupo http://amazingdesigns-marlene.blogspot.comShaiha Williams http://shaihasramblings.blogspot.com ;
Shelly Graham Turner http://shelleygrahamturner.blogspot.com/ ;
Shelly Joyce http://www.aujourlejour-shelly.blogspot.com/Charlie Jacka http://clay-space.com/blog/Pam Sears http://crazycreativecorner.blogspot.com/
Margareta Saari http://magsinhelmet.blogspot.com/
Marita Suominen http://momentofjewelry.blogspot.fi/
Lisa Posthumus https://www.facebook.com/lisa.posthumusharper
Jeannie Dukic http://site.jkdjewelry.com/blog
Cheri Reed http://creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com/
Arlene Dean http://aglassbash.blogspot.com/
Duffy Blevins http://bubbasjewels1.blogspot.com/
Susan Kennedy http://suebeads.blogspot.com/
Dita Basu http://www.alankarshilpa.blogspot.com/
Sonya Ann Stille http://dreaminofbeads.blogspot.com/
Audrey Allen https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wrapped-Up-In-Magic/145456948869148
Kashmira Patel http://sadafulee.blogspot.com/
Kathy Lindemer http://bay-moon-design.blogspot.com/
Kris Mattingly https://www.facebook.com/kris.h.mattingly
Lennis Carrier http://www.windbent.net/
Shannon Hicks http://uptwnsh-fallingintothesky.blogspot.com/
Paula Hisel http://simplybeadiful.weebly.com/simply-stated.html
Karin Slaton http://backstorybeads.blogspot.com/
Shirley Moore http://www.beadsandbread.blogspot.com/     You are here!
Alicia Marinache http://www.allprettythings.ca/
Valeria G. Rome http://fancysphynxdesigns.blogspot.com/
Lo http://thecreativeklutz.blogspot.com/
Zoe Marcin http://beadsteaandsweets.blogspot.com/
Carolyn Lawson http://carolynscreationswa.blogspot.com
Kimberly Booth http://thepinkmartiniboutique.blogspot.com/
Sherri Stokey http://www.knotjustmacrame.com
Tanya McGuire http://www.tanyamcguire.blogspot.com/ ;
Debbie Rasmussen http://kepirasmussen.blogspot.com/
Christine Stonefield http://sweetgirldesign.blogspot.com/Tanty Sri Hartanti http://tjewellicious.blogspot.com/Sandra McGriff http://skyescreativechaos.blogspot.com/
Renetha Stanziano http://lamplightcrafts.blogspot.com/
Evelyn Shelby http://raindropcreationsbyevelyn.blogspot.com/
Colene Waltermire https://www.facebook.com/groups/426147797447039/?fref=ts
Lee Nova https://www.facebook.com/groups/426147797447039/?fref=ts

Blessings, Shirley

Bead Packet Design Challenge

Hi all! I'm so excited to be revealing my pieces for this challenge! A quick recap, Sharyl McMillian-Nelson, from Sharyls Jewelry & Reflections, posted her second Bead Packet Design Challenge a few weeks ago.
This packet was inspired by beautiful ceramic beads by Natalie Pappas. I'm just going to copy Sharyl's pic from the challenge post.

I was thrilled when I received the packet, the beads are just gorgeous. I've had a love affair with CRAW lately, which is very obvious from my last few pieces. But up to this point, I had stuck to the standard, four bead CRAW. Heather Collin very generously created a free tutorial generated from a question I asked of her. In the tutorial, she mentioned a six bead CRAW. What?? How exactly does that work? It kept stewing in my head, and when the bead packet arrived, it burst forth and said, "Me, Me, Me! I would look great with those beads!"
So, I said yes. And I am happy to say, I love the way it turned out! It is definitely a stitch I will be using again.

The lovely purpley red matte 8's provided a perfect backdrop for the soft green of Natalie's ceramic bead.

I embellished the rope with 15's in a coordinating green.

Both the toggle bar and the clasp loop are also in CRAW, but it was in a 4 bead, rather than 6 bead.

I embellished one "side" of the loop with the 15's and 11's that were used in the rope.

I used that beautiful pink spiral focal for a necklace. The technique I used is one I haven't visited for quite a while....triple spiral!! And I seem to keep making unexpected color choices. Wanna see?

Not only did I choose matte black and amber to show off that gorgeous coral of her bead, but I chose an antique white for the core beads, to coordinate with the gemstones that came with the packet. I'm absolutely aweful with names, so I don't remember what kind they are. (insert embarrassed blush)

I used tiny 2 mm black pearls on either side of the focal bead.

I ran out of time to get my clasp attached, because I really wanted to get the pics in the good light! I decided on a simple toggle bar and peyote circle, using the same beads from the rope, so the color continues to flow throughout the piece. I'm so very happy with the way both pieces turned out, and  very thankful to Sharyl and Natalie for the challenge!

Please go visit the rest of the participants to see more lovelies!

--1. Kashmira Patel  (Sudafulee... Always in Bloom) http://sadafulee.blogspot.com

--2. Sonia Smith (posting on my blog)

--3. Alicia  (All the Pretty Things) 

http://www.allprettythings.ca/

4 Cheri  (Creative Designs by Cheri) 

http://creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com/

--5. Laren Dee Barton (Laren Dee Designs) http://larendeedesigns.blogspot.com/

--6. Shirley Moore  (Beads and Bread)    http://www.beadsandbread.blogspot.com/

--7 Alice Craddick  (Alice's Beads and Baubles) http://alicesbeadsandbaubles.blogspot.com/

--8. Cilla (Tell Your Girlfriends) 

http://www.tellyourgirlfriends.com/

--9. Whimsical Monkey  (Whimsical Monkey)  

http://whimsicalweavings.blogspot.com/

--10. KayzKreationz  (KayzKreationz) 

http://kayzkreationz.blogspot.com/

--11. Jean A. Wells  (Jean A. Wells Handcrafted Artisan Jewelry) http://jeanawells.blogspot.com/

A Time to Stitch

Sorry everyone, blogger refused to post, even though I had this scheduled. :(

Hi all! It's a Time to Stitch!!! The two lovely originators of this idea are Therese Frank and Christine Altmiller. I participated in their first Hop, you can see the results of that challenge here. That challenge the stitches were peyote and herringbone. This time we got to explore right angle weave, and St. Petersburg.
Both of these are lovely stitches, and RAW lends itself wonderfully to embellishment.  I was fortunate enough to win Stitch Workshop-Right Angle Weave last year, and it has many wonderful projects in it. There was one in there that captured my attention every time I opened the book. It's not a complicated design, and works up very quickly.

 A friend asked me to make bracelets for her daughters, so I thought this pattern worked perfectly.

I love the 'button' closure on these.

These colors are a bit unexpected together, but I love the way they work. Amber, lavender, pink and gold.

I have to say, the fun colors in this one really grab me. I think they show off the pattern perfectly.

Come back on Saturday to see a really cool variation of RAW----CRAW!!

The next stitch was St. Petersburg. I love this stitch, but it does frustrate me a bit, since it's very hard for me to maintain tight tension in it. If you use 11's and 15's, it  gives a very soft, feminine look.  I chose to use size 8's for the bracelet, because I fell in love with the beads when I received them from Red Panda Beads. I had some silver lined garnet beads that went perfectly with the matte AB beads from Red Panda.

Isn't it beautiful?  Not tooting my own horn at all, this is such a pretty stitch. I used a coordinating frosted pink AB size 6 along the top of the band to give it a bit more presence, and to tighten it up some.

This is a double St. Petersburg, and I stitched the first side with the silverlined garnet as the main bead, and the matte as the accent bead. Then I switched for the other side, using the matte beads as the main, and the sl garnet as the accent. I love how it turned out. The only thing I would caution is that it will shrink just a bit if you add the top beads. 

Ok, that's enough of my eye candy, go check out the other participants! 

Huge thank you's to Therese and Christine!!!!

Blessings, Shirley

Therese Frank and Christine Altmiller Our wonderful Hostesses!!

Nikki Byers

Kristen Stevens

Shirley Moore You are here!

Cynthia Machata

Lola Surwillo

Maryanne Gross

Alenka

Karin Slaton

Katherine Gale

Sally Russick

Amy Severino

Alicia Marinache

Sonya Stille

Tanya Goodwin

Lisa Stukel

Marla Gibson

Sarah Sequins

Mandy

Andra Weber

Kim Hora

Karen Williams

Friday Feature

You didn't think I could do it, did you? Yep, this is my SECOND Friday Feature!! Go Me!!!
Ok, you get to give some serious input here.


A couple of beading buddies were talking recently, and one stated that there had been a huge shift in media interface. (Look at me using big words!)  In plain talk, that folks didn't read blogs as much, they used fb more for interaction.
What do you think?


I do fb quite a bit, but it doesn't really help you to know the person. That's what I think blogs are for. And maybe everyone already knew this, and that's why they host giveaways on their blogs.

stutter....stutter...stutter...stutter....

Newsbreak! Giveaways!!! I had one last week!!! So now, we need the winner, right?
Drum Roll please.........

And the winner is.........................................................................................................................................


Lisa Lodge!!!!!


Congrats! Message me your address, and I'll get it right out to you. (and you know you have to make me some metal-ly goodness from it, right? Oh, you didn't read that fine print??)   

So everyone let me know, do you think blogging is 'so 20 seconds ago'? Or does it still serve a vital purpose?  If so, then how do we 'promote it'?
And before you go, just because we all need some beady goodness, right?

'Blogging about Beauty' by lsmoore

Beautiful works of ART, to share with my blogging buddies!

Bead Crochet Patterns: Your... WearableArtEmp... $30.00	Handmade Jewelry Etched Bras... MetalMeThis $40.00	BHG Tortoise ripple discs t... bluhealer $10.00
Copper Raku Heart Pendant suburbangirlbe... $15.00	Elegant Gothic Cross Beadin... Studio183 $12.00	Polymer clay rondelle beads ... APolymerPencha... $18.00
Handmade Bronze Butterfly Ch... SummersStudioE... $6.50	Wide Milk and Honey Right A... SandFibers $72.00	Tutorial for Dew Drop Confet... PeregrineBeade... $6.00
Pink and Amber Handmade Lamp... glassbead $26.00	HANDMADE LAMPWORK Glass Bead... DonnaMillard $32.00	Wine and Roses Beaded Vessel NEDbeads $75.00

Blessings, Shirley

Treasury tool supported by the dog house

PIF-365

Happy Monday! What? You are not a fan of Mondays? Why not? Mondays are full of possibilities, the brand new week, with great things at the end of it...namely...Friday!! :)

A few weeks ago, I was thrilled to get to participate in Lesley Watt's Pay It Forward. Lesley is an incredible artist. Here is the link to her shop. Wanna see what she sent me? Of course you do!!

Beautiful packaging, and a lovely card.

Stunningly gorgeous earrings, featuring Lesley's bronze patinaed charms.

And then she was kind enough to throw in one of her awesome bronze components. I'm so stoked to get to work with this baby!!

So, what is PIF, you ask? It stands for Pay it Forward, as in, share some love.

 And it works like this.
The first 3 people to comment on this post will receive a handmade item from me, sometime in the next 365 days. Just to keep you in suspense, you know. By accepting, you will agree to do the same thing on your blog, and pay the kindness forward to your own 3 recipients. It can be anything handmade, from cards, to crochet, to jewelry, whatever you like!
It could be a pretty card, like this one from Michelle Mach's challenge.
Or a bead embroidery, hopefully better than my first attempt!
I love doing things like this around the holidays, since everyone has 'giving' on their brain then!
Come join me in sharing some love, k?

And remember, you have an entire year to Pay It Forward!!
Blessings, Shirley

Friday Feature (and a Giveaway)

Friday Feature? What's that, you ask? Why, thank you, I'd love to tell you all about it.

I am working on my schedule, and I figured having a weekly feature would keep me a bit more accountable.

So, this is me, giving you permission to yell at me when I don't have a Friday Feature. Oh, oh, even better!!

If I don't have a Friday Feature, the first person to email me about it will get a little sumfin' sumfin' from me. A beaded bead, a bracelet, earrings, loose beads...you just never know....

And what will be in these Friday Features?

How about some book reviews? Cause ya'll know Christmas is coming up, and we need to put stuff on our Christmas list, so our hubbies will know what to buy us, right? I also have a tutorial to give you, and some incredible designers and shops to share with you.  

For this first Feature Friday, I'm giving you a book review and....wait for it

wait for it.....................................................

A Giveaway!!!!!

(but you already knew that, didn't you?) 

This fab book is by Carles Codina, titled, 'Color, Texture & Casting for Jewelers

I know, I'm not a metalworker. You don't have to rub it in. So what could I possibly tell you about this book?

I may not work in this medium, but I don't need to work metal to see that this is one FINE book to have in your library. The step-by-step images, and clear cut descriptions are a delight, no matter what medium you work.  

I'm sure if you work metal, you've already drooled over this book. The interesting part for me was the techniques explained, such as granulation, keum boo, and mokume gane.

He also demonstrates the proper technique for annealing, and patina. There is a wealth of laymen's knowledge contained in this book to take your metalworking to the next level.

If you want to participate in the giveaway, please put METAL in your comment.

Sharing on other social sites will earn extra entries. If you are a member of Artisan Whimsy, you will receive an extra entry. And yes, you can join and then come back and tell me! ArtisanWhimsy.com

So sorry, but this one will be US only giveaway. I promise I will have more, and will make those open to all.

I will announce the winner next Friday, on the Friday Feature post!!!

Blessings, Shirley

Disclosure: I have received this book from Lark Books for the purposes of review. I have not been compensated, and my opinions are my own.