By Request

Last year a co-worker asked me to make her a name lanyard.  This year she asks if I can change it to a necklace because she wants to wear it more.  The pictures tell all.

Beads from Beautifully Broken Me

http://beautifullybrokenme.blogspot.com/

As you can see she is offering a gorgeous set of beads and a wonderful findings. 
Someone will be lucky - we'll just have to wait until Nov 23. 

"First Friday Giveaway - KB Glassworks Geode"

The Softflexgirl is giving away :  http://softflexgirl.blogspot.com/

It is a gorgeous Geode.  There are lots of wonderful folks in beading doing the nicest of things.

Whether or not I am the lucky one - everyone should have a chance to see and/or win this.

So practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty.

Bead Giveaway by Laurel Moon

and what a wonderful giveaway it is:

http://laurelmoon.blogspot.com/2011/11/leah-fairbanks-bead-giveaway.html

Leah Fairbanks has beautiful lampwork.  The Leaf Iris Vessel is gorgeous.

Doesn't matter if I'm the lucky one or not - Beauty should be shared.

A great giveaway - maybe a fouraway

Over at http://e-workshops.blogspot.com/2011/09/launch-giveaway.html which is Riki's great site, she is holding a giveway - not just one, but one of four wonderful items can be won.  whether I'm lucky enough to win or not - it's even better to see the wonderful things she has created.

And speaking of creating things, this was a little item did based on a contest kit from Wonders of the World Bead Shop.   It's choker length, the better to have the glass dragonfly balanced.

Bead Soup reveal

Ok, if I did this correctly it is posting just after Midnight on September 17th at Pacific Time. Serena - thanks so much for the beautiful focal piece, clasp and beads. I had a wonderful time creating this. The colors on the humming bird are just great.
Finally the link works:  http://lorianderson-beadsoupblogparty.blogspot.com/

in the meanwhile

Here's something to pique your interest while waiting for Bead Soup on the 17th.

I really enjoy participating or winning these:

http://janet-singingwoods.blogspot.com/2011/09/big-give-away-traveling-bead-box-and.html?showComment=1315808340887

Bead soup sent and received

I had to reformat my hard drive which means I am having 'fun' finding all my favorites, so it has slowed down my postings.

That said, my Bead Soup partner, Serena sent me some beautiful items [bottom picture] and I (hopefully) returned the favor [top picture].

I really love the Hummingbird pendant and out of the sack it is so pretty.

My Bead Soup Partner - Tell us a bit about yourself (name, location, affiliations, personal stuff).

Serena T. and I’m located in Wixom, Michigan (suburb west of Detroit). I am a proud mother of two children, a two year old ACTIVE boy and a three month old girl, who I had at 23 ½ weeks pregnant in May. I have been a bead addict for 19 years and one of fabric for 26.

What are your shop and or blog address and name?My shop is http://pinkicejewels.etsy.com AND Blog is http://pijworld.com

What is your favorite color combination? Kiwi green, Bermuda blue with a hint of yellow

What is the first thing you can remember making by hand? How and why did you make it? A romper in the summer of 1987 was the first thing I remember making other than the crafts in school. It was the first thing I sewed and I did it because my mother made me. She wanted me to learn how to sew but I did not. I’m so glad she did because it gave me my jewelry too!

What inspires you? Color and shape Where do your ideas come from? Believe it or not most of my ideas come from my dreams. Does the atmosphere affect your creativity? Yes as well as my mood

Where do you create, in a workroom/ studio or in a park? I usually create in the living room of my apartment but I have been known to take things on the go. For instance, I made earrings for my birthday on the way to the restaurant. LOL

What type of jewelry do you make? I’ve tried everything but I like making wire and wire wrapped things.

What are your favorite materials/ techniques? My favorite material is wire, lucite flowers and anything brass. As far as techniques I like to basket weave the wire but I’m not very good at it yet. I just started practicing so I have not posted any pieces that I’ve done.

What is your favorite thing to do with your creativity? I do so much with my creativity that I think I just like to create. I find joy in just creating no matter what it is…making jewelry, sewing and/ or writing because I do those too!

Why should people buy handmade? Handmade is very personal for the maker as well as the recipient. Most sellers even when we try to make something identical most of the time it isn’t!

Any tips of wisdom on selling handmade stuff? Be persistent and take the creativity into sales and marketing.

Apart from creating things, what do you do? I sew, write poetry and stories. I work at Joann Fabrics and I have two children that I love and adore.

Read any good books lately? I’ve been trying to read a couple of Nora Robert books…Born in Fire, and the latest book of the series in Death by JD Robb.

Any other links or information you want to share? Love whatever it is you do. Always be you in creating.

Do you have any current projects that you want to describe? I’m currently working on jumpers that I make for little girls newborn to 5T. The jumpers are reversible and come with panties.

In ten years I'd like to be . . .Married, living in Texas (and/or Virginia), operating a small business shipping my creations across the world. The author of several romance novels.

My partner in Bead Soup is Serena Trent. Her blog is http://pinkicejewels.blogspot.com/

I'm getting ready to send items to her and vice versa.

More later, it's been a long week.

Allegory Gallery Fundraiser

Andrew Thornton is setting up a brick & mortar store. In the process of doing so he's accepting random acts of kindness. With this current economy we all could use said random act. The name of his shop is Allegory Gallery which has a very nice ring to it. Andrew is always posting a word of the week on his blog .... http://andrew-thornton.blogspot.com/ so if you can help here is the link, I know it is going to be a great store and wish I was back East to go visit it. So here is the link if you wish to donate ..... Allegory Gallery Fundraiser

Some things I've had fun with lately.

Bead Soup

Hoping to get this to link and hoping to do bead soup in August

http://lorianderson.blogspot.com/p/bead-soup-blog-party.html