A contest!

I have always enjoyed participating in contests being held on blogs, so I have decided to hold one for you! This is also to celebrate the move that I will be making into a new position at work, starting Monday of next week - there's a lot of excitement going on right now!

What is the contest you ask? I want you to help me name this ACEO piece that I will be posting in my Etsy store.

In order to enter, just leave a comment with the name that you came up with on this blog. Make sure that there is contact information so that I can get hold of you if you win! I will be picking a winner at the end of tomorrow (Thursday Sep. 27).

The winner will receive their choice of a pair of earrings shown below.

I can't wait to see what you all come up with! =)

Etsy Featured Shop - The Bead Lounge

Having come across The Bead Lounge on Etsy, I was inspired to contact this seller for an interview. Amber specializes in glass work, which I personally find to be a fascinating art (perhaps because you get to play with fire and melt things!) It's something that I myself would love to try but don't think I'll get to anytime soon. So, why not take this opportunity to learn more about this art and this artist here.

How did you get your start making lampwork beads?
When I decided to learn lampworking, I was strictly a jewelry 'crafter' and wanted to make beads to use in my designs. I took my first (and only) class in 2000 with a local teacher to learn the safety and equipment requirements for the hobby. After my 3 hour class, I left with a basic lampworking kit and haven't stopped yet!

Does it take a long time to learn this craft?
It doesn't take long to learn "how" to lampwork. A beginner's class can be anywhere from 3 hours to 16 hours, depending on the teacher and their structure. It does take a long time to perfect a basic bead, learn how to control the glass, and you can spend endless hours learning new techniques. That's what I love about this art form, there are endless possibilities for working with glass...

What is the difference between making lampwork beads and creating fused glass pieces?
'Lampworking' uses a torch. Artists have the choice between a single fuel torch (which is an inexpensive way to learn) or a duel fuel torch, which will allow you the opportunity to work with a wider variety of glass and make larger glass items. Glass is purchased in rod form, which is about as thick as a pencil and 12-13" long. Using the torch, you melt the glass and wind it around a steel rod to form the beading hole.

'Fusing' is a warm-glass hobby that requires you to cut sheet glass specially made for fusing into the shapes you like and then a kiln to melt this glass together to make anything from small jewelry pendants and beads to larger functional pieces like dishes. The larger kiln you have, the larger the piece you can make. There are even 'walk-in' kilns available. Some artists make awesome sculptures like water fountains and fused glass windows!

Do you begin each piece with a concept or do you design as you go?
This depends a lot on my time constraints. Although I am a full time artist, I also have 3 children, a husband and a household to take care of. Sometimes I will sit down and make what I call 'production beads'. These are my simple supply pieces, like spacer beads. Other times, I am working specifically on an idea for a customer, requiring me to stick to a concept that has been requested by a client. I have the most fun when I can sit in front of my torch and just 'play' with the glass and see what happens. Usually, I am surprised by the color combinations that occur with no real effort on my part. That's where the joy of creating comes in for me.

How do you make your color choices for your beads?
I really like working with neutral, earthy colors. These are what I prefer to wear, design with, and am naturally drawn to. There is something so organic about working with glass. I have a difficult time creating with the brighter, more vibrant colors...for some reason, my mind won't wrap itself around designing with these as easily. A lot of the time, if I just pick up some glass and try random things, an idea will just pop itself to the front of my mind.

Do you prefer to sell your beads as they are and let others create from them or do you like to create finished pieces yourself?
I've been asked this question a lot. Right now, I simply create the beads and then hand them over to designers to work with. I tend to be very simple in my designing, and sometimes I can't wrap my head around how to actually 'use' any of the beads I make in a design I think they are worthy of! I have some amazing clients who do incredible work with my beads, far better than I think I could ever do!

What do you love about this piece?
Of all the beads I've ever made, the set I called 'acid rain' has to be my favorite.

There is something random, yet controlled with these beads, and they are the perfect example of how being playful while creating can get amazing results. This set wasn't planned in my head, it just happened by accident and I went with it. The flow of the set when placed together is astounding to me and the colors are absolutely breathtaking in my opinion. The luster glass used to create this set gives you so many colors all within one bead.

Where do you get your inspiration?
The wonderful thing about art, any art, is that inspiration is all around you. I get mine from everyday places - watching my kid's cartoons (how colorful are they!?!), the natural beauty around me (we live in a rural area with gorgeous scenery), and I am absolutely inspired by other artists. I try not to look too closely at what other people are doing with glass, because I never want to lose my own voice, but I definitely have artists I look up to and am inspired by. It is always my goal to take that inspiration and create something in my own voice.

What other crafts, if any, are you hoping to try?
I'd love to get my hands into PMC (precious metal clay) and silver-smithing. I have always loved the look of silver, and being able to create anything in that medium would make me really happy.

Do you have any advice for fellow crafters?
Do what you love. I've seen too many people get into glass (lampworking, fusing, blowing, etc...) because they see other artists making a career out of it. Success in this field doesn't happen overnight, and if that is the sole reason for doing it, you'll never be happy. After 7 years in the field, I'm still learning, growing and trying to build a name for myself. Creation (in any form) should happen because it feeds your soul and fills a void that can't be filled with anything else.
Lampworking especially takes a lot of hard work to become good. and when you are good, it takes passion to become great but, like anything else, if you fall in love, there is nothing else you would rather be doing. Find art in everything...

To learn more about Amber and her craft, also visit her website - www.thatbeadgirl.com.

Etsy Featured Shop - PallinaDesigns

After my last interview with AriaImages, the response for more was quite overwhelming! Having searched through a variety of posts in the Etsy forums, and viewed a multitude of very cool shops, I chose to interview Amanda of PallinaDesigns. Amanda is a jewelry designer from New Zealand. Since there's nothing like international variety to spice things up, read on and enjoy!

How did you get your start making jewelry?
I've ALWAYS loved jewellery (love of sparkly things runs in my family!) With 2 kids and a mortgage etc., finding jewellery that I could "afford" was really hard (cos I have expensive tastes), so I decided to have a go myself. I started making simple "illusion" necklaces and basic earrings, as I'd never taken a class or anything. A craft shop I visited had a couple of free leaflets on how to make basic necklaces/earrings, so I grabbed those, bought some beads and wire etc, a couple of pair of pliers, and went from there. Once I got a bit more adventurous, I started searching the internet for ideas and how-to's. As my "collection" got out of control, I started toying with the idea of selling things. Now I have a website, as well as my Etsy store and I attend the odd craft fair in my area as well.

How did you find out about Etsy?
I was doing an internet search for places to sell my jewellery - I kept seeing the Etsy link come up and popped in for a look...I was hooked! When I saw two of my favourite designers/suppliers also had shops (JennaAppleton and AnneDundas), I trusted their judgment so I opened my own store :-)

What is your favorite thing to make (both for selling and for yourself!)?
I really love anything with wirework. It scares me but I find it invigorating! I hate duplicating anything, as wirework is such a individual journey - I invariably start out with one idea in mind, then it goes horribly wrong, and to save the past few hours of my work, I try to salvage it by changing the design! I always love what I end up with though (very rarely do I discard anything entirely.) If I don't like it and wouldn't wear it myself, I won't make it - so you can see by my eclectic range that my personal style is all over the place!

Where do you like to shop for beads/gems?
I use Etsy (of course!), and I also have a handful of favourite sites that are Australia-based. We have very few reasonably priced suppliers in NZ, so most of my supplies are imported. I also have a local friend who has a great selection and she'll drop in goodie bags to me at work if I'm desperate. Also, Lindy Nicholls is a good friend and an amazing glass artist - I get my super-special beads from her!

What do you love about this piece? [Aphrodite bracelet]
I'd had this design in my head for months and months. It took me about 8 months to get all the components together, from various suppliers in various countries. It's just so "me" - pretty (I like girly things), dangly bits (who doesn't love that feeling on your wrist?!), eyecatching (all those interesting charms to look at!) and - best of all - the materials in this bracelet mean that it can be passed down to several generations of a family who could be wearing and loving it years down the track.

Where do you get your inspiration?
That's a toughie! From all over the place really. Living in NZ, we have beautiful scenery so sometimes it's just the way colours play together that makes me think of making something up using those hues. At the moment, it's autumn in NZ so the leaves are changing colours and it makes me want to make things in browns, reds, oranges and yellows! In the summer I do alot of blues and greens together because of the sea and how sparkling it looks on a summers day. :-) I also see other designs and think of how I would change this or that element, or use a particular theme on something else. When I'm actually MAKING something, mentally I'm thinking 2 steps ahead - already I'm compiling my supplies list for my next piece! I find it hard to concentrate and finish one thing sometimes!!

How and when did you start your collaboration with Lindy Nicholls?
I've known Lindy for about 18mths-2yrs now. We used to attend the same regular craft market and began chatting after she bought a necklace off me once. When she said she was going to start making glass beads (she was a potter with 33 years experience then), I was so excited! I kept on at her until she had something to show me! She is so talented, it's incredible! Now we see each other pretty much every weekend, as she has a holiday home at the beach where I live - my kids think of her and her husband as part of the family :-)

Are you involved with any other crafts?
What I haven't tried yet can probably fit on the back of a postage stamp! I have a craft cupboard that is testimony to my exploits (it's a real mess!) I have made my own cards since I was a child (birthday cards, thank you notes etc.) I have also done mosaic, crochet, photography, graphic design, calligraphy (my title pages at school were incredible!), collage, painting (which I suck at...but at least I tried!), creative gift-wrapping (my Mum does this waaaay better than me!), scrapbooking, paper toile, dressmaking, quilting...the list just goes on and on! I'll give anything a go :-)

What is your favorite weekend activity?
Spending time with my husband and children (aged 3 and 6), Saturday afternoon's and a bottle of sparkling wine at Lindy's house, a bit of beading (of course!), going to the beach (if it's lovely and warm) or cozying up in front of the fire and watching a movie (if it's cold.) My least favourite is housework (thank God for my cleaner!)

What do you love about New Zealand?
Where do I start?! The clean air, the beautiful scenery, the laid-back lifestyle, the friendly people, the fact that my family are all here now (I lived in Scotland for 5 years and missed them alot) and never being far from the beach! I'm a redhead with freckles, so I burn easy - but I love the beach! Yay for SPF30 sunscreen!

PallinaDesigns Suggested Bead Websites:
http://www.luvbead.com.au/
http://www.uneekbeads.com/
http://www.paradisebeads.com.au/
http://www.beadcottage.co.nz/