Free Double Loop Earring project from Wired Beautiful!

Wired Beautiful is filled with unique projects that I'd love to share with my blog followers. After much deliberation I decided to post instructions for the earrings that I was happiest to get back from the photo shoot. They're straightforward and simple with an original twist, making them a perfect introduction to beading with wire, Enjoy!

Shaun was the lucky winner of the book drawing hope she sends her shipping address to my e-mail heidiboyd@suscom-maine.net so I can mail a copy off to her!

Shameless self promotion and Wired Beautiful book giveaway!

Wired Beautiful has arrived ... and it's absolutely gorgeous! I'm head over heels in love with the design and photography.

This book is intend for people who love to string beads and are looking to branch into wire work. This approachable book takes you through the basic process of making your own clasps, jump rings, earring wires. Never again will you need to search stores to find coordinating findings, when you can easily make them yourself! The projects also include non traditional wire techniques like wrapping wire cages, using a knitting spool, crochet, and macrame.

I destroyed my hands creating wire designs for this book through spring and summer of 2009, then flew out to Cincinnati to photograph the detailed step by step shots that fall. A year later the actual book is in my hands. When the advance copies arrived I was apprehensive to open the package. What a delight to have the finished book exceed my expectations. I'm relishing the great reactions of friends and family. What a relief to know colors and designs I labored over are fresh and current.

The box of original projects from the book arrived last week and I can also enjoy wearing my creations!

Please leave a comment if you'd like to win a copy of Wired Beautiful, I'll draw a random name Sunday 9/26. Stay tuned I'll be sharing a free project from the book soon.

If you'd like to order a copy on sale for $16.49 at My Craftivity please use this coupon code Crafty1035c for 10% off your order your total order of $35.00.

Bead Blessing

A couple weeks ago I was honored to take part in a special going away party for two local artist friends Beth and Esther. Patricia who leads the local art collaborative had the wonderful idea to send them on their new adventures with a custom made piece of jewelry. We came to the evening with beads and a special message in mind.

After a lovely dinner followed by cake, we took turns placing our beads in water while imparting our words of wisdom. Some people had taken the time to look up the meanings of their stone beads, others shared words of inspiration or special memories.

Amanda read these words of wisdom that touched everyone in the room.
Only a Person who risks is Free - Author Unknown
To laugh is to risk appearing the fool.
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.
To reach for another is to risk involvement.
To expose your ideas, your dreams,
before a crowd is to risk their loss.
To love is to risk not being loved in return.
To live is to risk dying.
To believe is to risk despair.
To try is to risk failure.
But risks must be taken, because the
greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.
The people who risk nothing, do nothing,
have nothing, are nothing.
They may avoid suffering and sorrow,
but they cannot learn, feel, change,
grow, love, live.
Chained by their attitudes they are slaves;
they have forfeited their freedom.

Only a person who risks is free.

After all the beads were shared and blessed, I dried them off and started to help assemble the bracelet for Beth. If you're planning a similar party make sure you bring filler beads and findings to help turn the blessed beads into jewelry. Amanda had the forethought to bring a blank Blue Moon charm bracelet that Beth preferred to simply stringing the beads into a bracelet. We removed the clasp and strung on a large quartz bead directly onto the chain. I regret that I didn't try to add the large red bead in the same way. Amanda did a beautiful job creating this bracelet carefully adding head pins to each of the beads to turn them into dangles.

Unfortunately I wasn't able to stay to help finish the jewelry I had to run and collect my oldest child from work. During this busy back to school week I was thrilled to have escaped for a couple hours to be a part of the evening. I'm grateful that Patricia recorded the event with pictures and generously shared them with me.

Newly returned form a long stint in Australia, fiber artist Priscilla helped string Esther's double strand green necklace. These pieces should be a happy reminder of their creative friends in Maine.

Hope Esther is enjoying her new home in Massachusetts and Beth is relishing her time in Australia!

Patricia Boissevain creates amazing jewelry from natural stones, she'll be selling her pieces at Fall in the Village Art Festival at LLBean's Discovery park in Freeport Maine, 9-5pm September the 18th. Both she and Damian will be donating a percentage of the proceeds to The Gulf of Maine Restoration Efforts.  If you're in the area please stop by and see her work, she'll have a few of my things there too!