BABE! BAY AREA BEAD EXTRAVAGANZA

This is a shameless plug for the last show I am doing this year! BABE! November 17th and 18th.  beadextravaganza.com

I should be writing all about the things I have been doing, which is a lot, but that is my problem. Too much to do! I am finding myself running from one thing to another with little preparation in advance. So, now I am updating my blog at the last minute so if you come here after reading my latest newsletter you will see something new! 

I could write a book on all of the things I have done in the last month but that would be so boring for you! Yes or no? I am never sure how much personal things you want to know. Or if you just want to know about beads and jewelry.  Please leave a note in my comment section below to let me know! I would really appreciate it! 

I am obsessed with everything to do with Day of the Dead or Dia De Los Muertos, the Spanish word. It is a Mexican holiday celebrated throughout Mexico and the world.  It wasn't something I was familiar with when I lived in Minnesota but I came to find out about it when I moved to San Diego. Especially because it is also my birthday. It is also the christian holiday of All Souls Day and All Saints Day.  Tradition is to honor those who have passed by building altars called ofrendas using sugar skulls, marigolds, and the favorite foods of those passed. 

This is a typical altar.  



My main focus is the sugar skulls and 



the painted faces.  

I watched a lot of you tube videos on how to do this. It has been something I wanted to do but just never did. So this year I was taking my grand girls to Disneyland for a Halloween party and I decided the time was right.  

I can't wait to do it again next year. Maybe I will even practice first! Ha!

In honor of Day of Dead, Halloween, and my birthday, here are some sugar skull focal beads I have been working on.  

My next project is to make a necklace with one and add a body using other beads. At my last show a customer and I were talking and we came up with all sorts of ideas.  I have started working on it but haven't finished. So next time....  

Have a great  Thanksgiving! And if you are in the Bay area of California I hope to see you at BABE! 

And as always, I am at Studio 9 at Spanish Village Art Center in Balboa Park, San Diego. My etsy store is on vacation right now but that will change after BABE! 

Thanks for checking in! 

Jan

NEW BEADS & OTHER NEWS

Not a very enticing title, "New Beads and other News".  But I do have new beads!  

My bead Buddie, Donna Struthers, (many of you may know Donna as we have always done the San Diego Bead Bazaar together.) has decided that her days of doing bead shows are over! (I still hope to convince her to join me once in awhile.)

Getting ready for a show can be stressful. We often feel like we shouldn't work in the garden or have coffee with girlfriends. We feel like we should make beads instead. We can never have enough beads and jewelry.  

While Donna has decided to only make beads when she feels like it I have inherited her beads!  We have a similar style but yet different.  I love to use her beads so why not just buy all of her beads? That is what I did!  It is a win win for both of us!  I now have more beads! 

I want to share them with you. 

 
Most of them are hollow beads in browns, golds, white, and green.  They all have a mat finish.

 

 

Here are some fun focal beads with an unusual shape, color and texture.  

Aren't they great? I can't wait to use them in my jewelry designs. If you are interested in any of these beads, let me know.  I will be putting some of the beads on my etsy store but not until September. 

My retail studio in Spanish Village Art Center has been stocked with new beads and new jewelry. If you are looking for something special or just looking be sure to check out Studio 9.  Hours are 11am to 4pm every day.

Take care!  Thanks!

           Simple necklace with dichro nugget; torch fired enamel  leaves and open cog as bail.

SUMMER SHOWS HERE I COME - HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

I love summer. Summer means time in Mammoth Lakes California.  We have a small cabin in the woods and summer is the only time we can use it. We try spend as much time as we can.  I love the smell of the mountains and the quiet.  I bring my beads and a lot of my jewelry supplies so I can work on pieces when I am not hiking or just chilling out.  What happens when I am back in San Diego is bead production and working at Studio 9 in Balboa Park.  I also love to make beads so this going back and forth to the cabin is hard on bead making.  Tough life I have! LOL! 

Summer also means the Pasadena Bead and Design Show July 25th through July 28th and the San Diego Bead Society Annual Bead Bazaar August 3rd and 4th.  These are great shows for me to sell and shop!  To find out about the Pasadena show click here.  To find out about the San Diego Bead Bazaar click here. (There is a $2 off coupon for entrance to the bazaar.)

Here are some photos of new beads and jewelry.  Some mountain photos too!

 I have been having fun with red glass. This glass is transparent and a beautiful blue red.  Sorry the photo doesn't do them justice.  I made small and large focal, hollow beads and my regular small beads.  

 

 I have been missing a turquoise color in my "torch fired enamel" beads.  I use turquoise often in glass beads but the blues I use in the "torch fired enamel" beads didn't go with them.  So here I am introducing my new color.  I love it! I can't wait to use it in a design.  

Also, I am introducing some new shapes. Large and small leaves; small domed flowers; round drain disks; and a large filigree pendant. How can they be used you ask?  

I have used the large leaf as a focal in a necklace. It is so nice and light! Actually all of the "torch fired enamel" beads are very light.  They add texture and color to designs.  

The small leaf is great to add to the end of a necklace or as a dangle.  It adds a pop of color.  

I use the small flowers all the time as caps for beads.  

So far I have only made earrings with the round drain disks.  I call them drain disks cause it reminds me of a sink drain. 

I haven't had a chance to make a piece of jewelry with the filigree pendant yet. Maybe I will have something to show you at the Pasadena Bead and Design Show or at the SD Bead Bazaar. My thought it to use it as a pendant/bail and hang pieces from it. Or to use it as an element in a necklace. Also, I have formed some of the pendants over my wrist so I can use it in a bracelet. 

 Spring Blossoms

This is a good example of how I use the small leaves. Also, the wire worked elements are made with aluminum! Ask me about it!  

Mexican Days

 In this design I used the large leaf as my pendant along with copper beads by Patricia Healy.  Patricia will be at the Pasadena Bead and Design Show and the SD Bead Bazaar. She designs all of the beads and has them made in Mexico. 

Cathedral Earrings

Another new shape! It felt like I was forgetting something when I took the photo of the new shapes and color.  This was my accident shape that I discovered when I ran over a bead with my car!  Now I my grand kids make them for me. They love hammering!   Of course you can use them for other things than just earrings like for an element in a necklace. For some reason I always think of earrings first!  

I have many more examples of how my beads can be used. Come to one of the shows and I will give you all of the details. You can also see the samples at my retail studio, Studio 9, Spanish Village Art Center in Balboa Park. Directions and location is listed at the link at the top of page.  

If you have any questions about my beads or how I have used them, don't hesitate to ask. I am willing to share!  

Thanks for stopping! Hope to see you soon! 

Jan

Lake George and Lake Mary on trail to Crystal Lake Mammoth Lakes, CA

MORE BEAD SOUP BLOG PARTY

My Blog Soup Party Partner, Marti Conrad, has received my stash of beads! So now I can show what I sent her! 

Glass Beads, Heart Glass Bead Focal, handmade Swirl Clasp, Turquoise spacers, Torch Fired Enamel Beads & Components

What is so fun about this challenge is that our styles are different. We have to think outside of the box! 

Remember, if you want to see who else is participating is this year's Blog Soup Party, go to Lori Anderson's blog at http://www.prettythingsblog.com. 

Monday Musings

I have been so tired lately which makes me so lazy. I guess I don't have to have an excuse to be lazy but I feel like I should be doing something constructive. Ha! Do you have days like this?

Well, I got off my butt and took photos of parts and beads that I have acquired and made lately.

First up are the things I acquired at the Pasadena Bead & Design Show a couple of weeks ago. I traded with some wonderful artists that were near me. I keep looking at the stash and my head is still spinning with ideas for using them. Do you have any ideas for them?

Gail Crosman Moore

Gail has some wonderful bead components. Brass stampings, bass bead caps and Lucite bead caps.  She torch fires some of the brass stampings with enamel. 

 

Joanne Zekowski

Joanne makes all sorts of wonderful beads. These are different from most of her tribal collections. I envision these as components for earrings with my torch fired enamel or glass beads. I can't wait to play with them.

Patricia Healey

Patricia Healey was behind me and what a hoot she is!  She was a great person to have around for 4 days. No dull time with her!  She makes these beautiful copper beads and findings. She designs them and has them made in Mexico. My plan is to use them with my torch fired enamel beads. I got beads, dangles and more!



XAZ Bead Company/Amy & Daniel Mealey

Another fun stash of beads and pendants!  These are from XAZ Bead Company. They are raku beads. They make each bead, fires them, then glazes and fires again. It is the last firing that it is done with paper that brings out the beautiful raku!  They are nice and light and will make wonderful pieces! 

Just to prove I have been doing something...... here are some of my heart beads. Since Valentine's Day is around the corner I thought I should stock up on some of my favorite hearts. I never get tired of making these.

I am part of a jewelry group that meets once a month. This month we played with the hydraulic press. I guess I am still thinking of hearts for Valentine's Day as I cut out these hearts and shaped them.  I thought the little hearts would be nice earrings. 
 

And lastly,here are some components that I have been playing with in aluminum wire. You may have seen the necklace I did with aluminum wire work that was polished to look like silver. I purchased some more 14g aluminum wire that is stiffer and darker. I like to work it better as it doesn't get marks so easily. I hammered it and then tumbled it. It didn't get as shiny as the last batch. It looks oxidized.  You can see the piece in the middle and the one below that haven't been tumbled.  I like it and you will probably start to see it in some of my jewelry. Much lighter than silver and of course more affordable.  I am not going to stop using sterling silver but I want to be able to offer a range of price points for my jewelry designs.  What do you think of the aluminum? Would you use it?

PASADENA BEAD & DESIGN SHOW

This is one of the nicest show in Southern California!  I have gone a few times and this is the first time I am exhibiting my beads. I am excited and nervous! If you have time I can recommend you will enjoy yourself. There are over 300 vendors with everything from hand made beads, purses, scarves, jewelry and clothes.  Did I mention clothes? One of my favorites is DRESSED TO KILL (www.dresstokillclothes.com). 

They also have classes and demos.  My friend, Karen Nan, will be teaching a wire wrapping class. Karen's description is "I'll be hosting my popular wire wrapping workshop where you can learn all my techniques and secrets while making a beautiful pendant! Workshops are held Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 3:30 (1-hour), and Sunday at 3:00. The workshop fee is only $10 plus materials; please bring your wire working tools. Call me at (949) 412-4295 or email me at karennan@karennan.com to make your reservation." To see more of Karen's work go to www.karennan.com 

And of course, I will have my new "Torch Fired" Enamel and Glass Beads.  I will be in booth #I174 in the International Ballroom.  I hope to see you!  If you can't make it, I have lots of my beads at my etsy store and Studio 9 in Spanish Village Art Center. 

  Pasadena Bead and Design Show

Thursday thru Sunday

Jan 17th - 20th 

10am - 6pm

Pasadena Hilton Hotel

168 South Los Robles Avenue

Pasadena, CA 

for more info: 

www.pasadenabeadanddesignshow.com

CYBER MONDAY SALE STARTS NOW!!!

In appreciation of you, I am having a Cyber Monday sale on all of my "torch fired enamel beads" listed in my etsy store. It starts NOW and goes through Monday, Nov. 25th. 20% off all the beads listed!  Use the coupon code ARTBEADS20. 

I am doing this sale in conjunction with the ladies at Love My Art Jewelry. Visit their site at http://lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com.

I am exhausted listing so many beads. Lucky for me, my husband Steve, took the photos. That made it a lot easier!  I had hoped to list some glass beads and jewelry but just ran out of time. I will let you know when I post them. 

Here is a teaser of some of the beads I posted. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

P.S.  DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE CUSTOMER APPRECIATION EVENT AT MY STUDIO IN SPANISH VILLAGE ART CENTER NEXT WEEK. 

 

 

 

Discount Admission Coupon for Bead Bazaar

Admission is $3 but here is a coupon for $1 off admission. Click HERE for the coupon.


Thanks!


Jan

Summer News

Well, it has happened again. I had intentions of updating my website once a week and before I know it, a month has gone by! Summer is a busy time for me as we spend a lot of time at our cabin in the Eastern Sierras.  In between I am working at Studio 9 at Spanish Village, making beads and jewelry and taking classes.  This may be a long post so I hope you won't be too bored. You can just scroll through to see the photos! LOL! Here goes.....

My Granddaughter, Juniper, had her "promotion to 6th grade". Interesting how schools now have all sorts of awards and make big productions going from elementary to middle school.  But isn't Juni cute?  It looks like she is crossing her eyes!!! LOL! I will have to ask her about that.

I have been having a wonderful time going on hikes this year. Since I had my hip replaced in January I can now walk, climb, and do more walking. It is fabulous! One of the  lakes in Mammoth, Horseshoe Lake, is like a dog beach. My dogs, Aggie and Lilly, and I try to go there often so they can run and I can get some exercise too. Here are some photos of the lake and us walking around it. The lake is down this year due to below normal snow fall.

This was my first time in Mammoth Lakes, CA for the 4th of July. We sat on the edge of the street and watched the parade.  Lots of horses which are my favorites.  Afterwards, there was a concert in the park and an art festival.  The weather was wonderful, in the 70's, my favorite temp. 

I mentioned in an earlier post that I would be taking a class with Diana Frey, a mixed media artist. This class was my introduction into this type of jewelry and I have fallen in love! The class was held at her studio in San Luis Obispo.  SLO for short. I fell in love with SLO. Very laid back and just beautiful. The downtown has all sorts of restaurants, bars and cool stores. I could have spent three days just exploring the downtown.  Here are some photos of the class, her studio and the class projects.  

BRIAR ROSE

From left to right: Jan Petek, Diana Salvucci-Smith, Julie Strohlman, Charlene Gray

From left to right: Jody Cottrell, Vickie Orlando, Sandy Navarro, Cecelia Alvarado, Terry San Filippo, Brigitte Willse

I am in the center back. Diana Frey is in the middle in the back top a long necklace.

Class sample - Bird in Hand

No I haven't finished mine yet! 

As you can see from the projects, we used vintage jewelry pieces along with some doll parts and a soldering iron. All new to me! 

Here is photo from the class I took with Diane Cook in Coronado, CA.  The workshop was put on by Vivi Magoo with Barb Solem.  Check them out! Barb does wonderful workshops! I actually finished the projects in class but don't have any photos of them, sigh...... I tried to take photos with my phone today but they are just not good enough. ( My photo area is piled with enamels right now!) If you go to Diane's website you will see the two projects, "Heart Strings" and "Window to my Heart" along with projects she will be teaching in new workshops. Diane also does mixed media art and I just love it!   Totally different from the jewelry I usually make. I have been looking for awhile for alternatives to sterling silver as the price of sterling has gone so high. I don't want to raise my prices but I also don't want to risk quality. The mixed media art may give me what I am looking for.  I am hoping to hone my skills and include my beads in some pieces. As I get more into it you will be hearing and seeing more! 

In the meantime, I am still working on glass beads, sterling silver jewelry AND torch fired enamel beads.  I am in also love with making the torch fired beads and using them to make fun and whimsical pieces with my glass beads. You may have seen some of the earrings at the last Art Glass Guild Patio Show or on my Etsy site.  Here are a couple of photos. 

In two weeks is the San Diego Bead Society's Annual Bead Bazaar. Aug. 4th & 5th.

San Diego Bead Society Bead Bazaar

Saturday and Sunday Aug. 4th & 5th, 2012

10am to 6mp Saturday

10am to 5pm Sunday

Scottish Rite Center

Mission Valley, San Diego, CA

 Here is a sample of what I will have at the bazaar this year. I am excited to show you all the torch fired enamel beads and how they can be used. Stop by, it is always fun to catch up! 

If you have any questions on anything you see here, just let me know.  Thanks for stopping by!

Jan

Bead Stash

I am getting ready for the Art Glass Guild Patio Sale this weekend. Sorting & labeling beads; making earring; finishing necklaces and cleaning jewelry.  I took this photo of some of my beads before I put them in their boxes. I didn't realize how distracting the red/white cloth is against the beads. But I still like to look at the eye candy. I really hate to put them away!  LOL!  Hope to see you at the show. If you can't make it you know where to get beads right?