Fit To Print -- "Spotlight on Wire" by Melissa Cable

When I was recently at the Bead & Button Show, I snagged this recently-released book my Melissa Cable.  As the title indicates, the book shows how to twist, fold, hammer, weave, and wrap metal and wire.  The cover project immediately caught my eye, and a quick flip through the book showed a number of other projects that were beyond beginner level.  Don't get me wrong -- a beginner will both learn and be able to accomplish many projects in this book, but there are plenty of projects for more advanced wire-lovers.

The chapters are broken down into styles of wire:

1:  Woven Wire

2:  Textured Strip Wire

3:  Corrugated Wire

4:  Heavy Wire

5:  Chain and Wire

The tips and techniques pages explain how to do interesting things with wire and strip metal -- texturing, using a "poor man's rolling mill" (something I found really cool), and patinating.  There are plenty of step-by-step photos, too.

If you aren't used to working with wire, dealing with the many different gauges and lengths of wire in each project might be a little confusing at first -- lots of numbers to deal with in some projects.  However, if you're new to wire, start with the simpler projects first and you'll get the hang of it quickly.  The font is also a little small, but the projects are worth it.

I'm looking forward to trying out some of the projects in this book in a challenge with my friend soon.  Stay tuned for that!

Lori Anderson writes the blog Pretty Things and creates jewelry for her web site, Lori Anderson Designs.   She is also the creator of the Bead Soup Blog Party.   

Interview with Polymer Clay Artist Barbara Bechtel

Barbara Bechtel was one of the first polymer clay artists I fell in love with on Etsy.  I continue to love and use her beads and she always comes out with new and innovative pieces.  I thought I'd interview her today so you could get to know her, too! 

L:  Barbara, how did you get started? 

B:  I started making beads after becoming disenchanted with the mixed media work I was making. I've always been a tinkerer, a Jane-of-all trades. One day while I was tinkering in my studio, I came upon some polymer clay in my supplies and decided to see what I could make. I was immediately smitten and have been making beads ever since.

L:  What inspires you? 

B:  I am keenly inspired by nature. For many years, my paintings were narrative in nature. I also have a deep interest in history and anthropology. Historical artifacts and relics all influence my work.  I seek to translate these forms into a new and fresh perspective....I also love the marriage of images and words.

L:  What are your favorite colors to work with?

B:   I don't know that I have favorites but I am definitely drawn to blues. Color is such a magnanimous thing, it has the ability to transcend the shape it is confined to.

L:  What is your favorite time of day to work?  What does an average day look like?

B:  I work best in the early morning. My workspace is pretty small, so I usually try to focus all of my efforts on one task that day, whether it is making beads, finishing them or working on finished jewelry. I'm very much a recluse. I don't leave the house that much. I work intuitively, so when I go into my studio, I work on the thing I feel most drawn to that day. 

The afternoon and evening are usually reserved for more tedious tasks...but I find that when I'm doing those tasks, I get the beginning visions for new projects. I spend an inordinate amount of time in deliberation about these ideas, so that when I physically begin them, I only have to work out the physical details.

L:  When did you begin making beads, and did you make jewelry first or beads first?

B:  That's a hard question because I made jewelry first in some basic jewelry classes. I never connected the two until I made those first polymer clay beads. Those first beads smacked of the same work I had done in my jewelry work and so, the two have become linked.

L:  Is there an artist that inspires you? 

B:  I love seeing the working process of artists. What goes on in an artist's mind an life and how that is translated when they begin to work. I recently watched the documentary series, Art City, and that really resonated with me. 


I think a constant for me has been Nina Bagley because I was first drawn to her mixed media work as a mixed media painter myself. Stephanie Lee's work is also very inspiring to me for a similar reason. The work my customers make with my beads always thrills me because they often use the beads in completely different ways than I could ever imagine and that is really inspiring to me as well.

 

L:  Do you have an art background?

B:  I have a BFA in painting from the Savannah College of Art and Design. I really loved that experience but I don't think it's necessary for everyone. I don't believe that one needs a piece of paper to make things. I think a person makes things because they can't imagine not making them.  If someone wants to make something, they should just do that.

L:  What is your artistic outlook on life?

 B:  I don't know that it is an outlook....but I try to follow my heart. To do the best I can, however I can.

L:  What do you like about your work?

B: I like that my work has remained true...I think it has always been a reflection of myself....a documentary, if you will. I can look back at both the good work and the bad work, and I can see what was going on in my life at the time.

L:  What is the best piece of advice you’ve been given? 

B:  Work hard, stay honest, be critical. Keep your eye on the ball, even when you can't see the ball. Make sure the process of making brings you joy. Never allow negative attitudes to control your own thoughts.

L:  What could you not do without?

B:  The love of my family and friends.

L:  If you weren’t a bead and jewelry artist, what would you be? 

B:  I would still be a maker, of some sort. I love food, so I've always liked the idea of being a chef...and I still love to paint. I would like to someday return to making larger paintings.

L:  What is your dream project?

B:  To build and design my own home and working studio. That would be amazing.

You can visit Barbara at the following sites: 

blog: http://secondsurf.com

jewelry and beads: http://floridity.etsy.com

vintage and paper goods: http://kitofparts.etsy.com

paintings: http://2ndsurf.etsy.com

Lori Anderson creates jewelry for her web site, Lori Anderson Designs, and wrote the blog An Artist's Year Off.    She is also the creator of the Bead Soup Blog Party.  

If I'd Only Known -- Some Tips for New Beaders

I've mentioned in the past that I got into the jewelry design business completely and totally by accident.  I didn’t take a class, just jumped in with both feet and started messing around and figuring things out for myself.

Almost immediately, my hobby turned into a business.  Looking back, there are so many things I wish I’d known:

1)  Beads will take over your life.

Do not fight this.  So from the start, get a huge storage system in place.  It will be full sooner than you know.  The quicker you allocate studio space (even if it's a corner in your basement!), the quicker you’ll be able to find things when you need them — and you'll know what you have so you don’t keep buying the same supply over and over again!

2)  Take some classes early on.

I don’t know how long it was before I learned how to make a perfect wrapped loop, but at first, I had no idea how.  And it showed.

I now allow myself to make all sorts of mistakes while I'm learning a technique....

...but when it comes to selling something, I'm very, very particular about how something is constructed.

3)  Explore different mediums.

Right now, I’m a stringing/wire work jewelry designer.  I know traditional metalsmithing and lampwork bead making, but I’ve gotten so involved with keeping inventory up for the shows I do that I don’t have much time to look into other things, or hone new skills.  If I’d started exploring new mediums sooner, who knows what I’d be making now … altered art?  Woven wire?  PMC?.  It also would have helped me figure out what direction I wanted to go with my jewelry — what did I want my primary market to be?  I didn’t allow myself enough experimentation time before starting to sell.

4)  If you’re going to sell your work, use the best beads you can afford.

I should have been pickier when I first started selling my work.  I cringe now at what I was using.  This doesn’t mean you have to start with AAA London Blue Topaz, but if you’re going to be serious about selling, be serious about your beads.  There are LOTS of wonderful art beads out there that will run circles around the run-of-the-mill beads you'll see in craft stores.


Suburban Girl Beads

 5)  Get a handle on your pricing structure right away.


I quickly learned that my retail prices weren’t going to support a wholesale business.  I also learned that because I started with such cheap beads, it was a little difficult for my customers to get used to prices once I discovered beauties like handmade glass.  (Another good reason to make sure you’re happy with your style before you start selling it!)  Do some research by hitting the craft shows -- what is the price range that seems to be selling?  Additionally, try to decide right away if you’re going after the wholesale or retail market.  Each one has its own peculiarities, and it’s often a good idea to choose one or the other.

I feel pretty lucky that seven years later, things have turned out as well as they have.  But it sure would have made a difference if I knew then what I know now.

What are some things YOU wish you'd known then?

Lori Anderson creates jewelry for her web site, Lori Anderson Designs, and wrote the blog An Artist's Year Off.    She is also the creator of the Bead Soup Blog Party. 

Fit To Print -- Wire Style 2

I'm absolutely THRILLED to be reviewing this book for you today!  I received a copy last week (it's available to everyone on March 1st) and I immediately devoured it.  

There are various levels of wire work in the book, and with 45 designs to choose from, you'll find something to love.  Earrings, bracelets, and necklaces are all made with a variety of metals and materials.  Not only will you love the tutorials, but you'll love discovering new bead artists in polymer clay, lampwork glass, and ceramic.  

Learn how to make this necklace in the book! Designer, Cindy Wimmer. Art Beads, Kerry Bogert.

The book also comes with a one-hour instructional DVD -- excellent for those that like to see someone making things in addition to reading instructions.  Even if you don't watch the DVD, you'll find tutorials easy to follow, and they'll provide jewelry designers with a great jumping-off point for creating their own unique designs.

Along with author Denise Peck, the contributors to Wire Style 2 offer their own unique style. (The contributors are Kerry Bogert, Jodi Bombardier, Jane Dickerson, Lorelei Eurto, Connie Fox, Lisa Niven Kelly, Donna Spadafore, and Cindy Wimmer.)


My recommendation?  Run, don't walk, to grab this book as soon as it hits the stands March 1st.  It's an inspiring jewelry design book you won't want to miss.

Lori Anderson is a full-time jewelry designer residing in Maryland.  She writes the blog Pretty Things, and you can see her work at Lori Anderson Designs.

I Spy With My Bead-y Eye -- Fabrics and Beads

I recently wrote a post on my personal blog about shoes.  I probably could have gone into shoe sales from the number of posts and emails I received about this particular pair of shoes and how many people decided to buy a pair...

(photo via Zappos.com)

The point of my post that day was finding inspiration in the wild colors of my favorite shoes and using that as a springboard out of beader's block.  The idea is to find something (like shoes) with a design, and then search out beads to match it, thus hopefully triggering your imagination in a different way.

So I thought I'd try that again, but this time, with fabrics from Spoonflower.com.  If you're not familiar with Spoonflower, you're in for a treat.  You can have your OWN custom designs printed onto fabric!  How cool is that?

So let's start.

My first fabric choice is "Supahero" by hamburgerliebe.

Not your common inspiration, is it?  It's not floral, or an Oriental rug, but let's push ourselves a bit and see what beads we can find....

Photo by Flying Corgi

First, the colors worked for me.  Second, there was a slightly goofy, irreverent, fun spirit in this bead that I just couldn't pass up.  I think it's just a perfect jump from fabric to bead.  It doesn't have to match perfectly to be a perfect fit.

Next, we have "Umbrellas" by natalie

I like this.  I want an umbrella made with this umbrella fabric.  But let's find beads that match up with this, m'k?

bead by Gaea

These ceramic beads by Gaea picked up the slightly muted colors of the turquoise, red, lime, and orange umbrellas.  How about using leather with this one, or wire-linking each bead to keep it airy?

My last fabric choice is "Cherry Blue" by cottageindustrialist.

How about this borosilicate focal?  Isn't it perfect?  Now it's up to you to add in the rest -- Thai silver flowers, perhaps?  Wood beads to pick up on the branches? The sky's the limit.

Boro focal by uvanomos

I hope you've enjoyed this new way to find inspiration and get out of the rut we all fall into from time to time.  But what if you have a huge stash of beads and don't need to buy new ones?  Pull out a drawer of beads, set it by your computer, and surf through Spoonflower.  You might find a fabric that triggers a memory ("Oh yeah, I have a bead kind of like that!) and awaaaaay you go!

Lori Anderson creates jewelry for Lori Anderson Designs.  She writes the blogs Pretty Things and An Artist's Year Off.