Pantone Fall 2012 Colors Bead Exchange with Lori Anderson

 I had the coolest experience this year! I had the honor of participating in Lori Anderson's Pantone Bead Exchange -- with Lori Anderson herself as a partner. What a gift and what fun! I learned so much from Lori, and she generously sent me some very special beads, even sharing her beloved Moogin beads!


 Needless to say, as Lori's bead exchange partner, I was very nervous and excited, and hoped my beads would be ones Lori could use and would like. I was completely spoiled by Lori who sent me the most gorgeous beads ever!

Lori and I decided to exchange all ten of the Pantone Fall colors, with an emphasis on focals. As of today, Christmas eve, I still have additional focals I'm making to send Lori. The special ordered jump rings needed to create beautiful chain maille bezels have just arrived, and I'm excited to be creating a Persian weave bezel taught to me by Christiane Ross, chain maille artist extraordinaire and host of Jewel School. Once bezelled, the cabachons can be embellished in many ways.

 Ready to see the Pantone Fall 2012 beads Lori and I swapped?  There are some very special, highly coveted and rare beads here, thanks to Lori!! And likewise, I did my best to share my most rare gemstone beads, hopefully living up to my nickname, GemFairy ;)
Ok, here are our exchanged beads!

 rose smoke

from me to Lori:



Czech leaves, rose quartz focal, pink Panda beads, rhodocrosite round beads, SueBeadslampwork

from Lori to me:

Ceramic beads, jasper, faceted rose quartz (!!)

 

rhapsody

  

from me to Lori:

Beadcomber polymer heart, cubic zirconia ovals, star & heart beads, Czech flower cones, SueBeads lampwork beads, Mexican Laguna Lace Southwestern style beads (matching focal upcoming)

from Lori to me:

Diane Hawkey button, sea glass, Jelveh Jafanan lampwork set, Czech glass, handmade glass

 titanium

from me to Lori:

Eagle Eye jasper, freshwater pearls, agate leaf, Beadcomber sea urchin, gunmetal crystal rondelles, feldspar moons

from Lori to me:

Sterling silver findings, lava beads, Green Girl Studio bead, snowflake obsidian

olympian blue 

from me to Lori:

Czech pressed glass, banded faceted agate, blue quartz, crazy lace agate focal, Beadfreaky focal, agate focals, Austrian crystal rondelles

from Lori to me:

Winchell Clayworks buttons, Pajego Art House clasp, Jeanne Kent heart focal, sodalite

bright chartreuse

from me to Lori:

 

Peridot rondelles, pineapple jasper links, faceted lemon quartz, new jade carved owl, agate

from Lori to me:

Felt flower focal bead, MOOGIN BEADS, and new jade focals

 ultramarine green

from me to Lori:

Malachite (natural) pears, Czech glass, Swarovski erenite briolettes, oval, emerald cut & twisted agate beads, panda beads, glass, green onyx rondelles

from Lori to me:

HMB lampwork spirals, handmade lampwork, felt flower focal, green opal briolettes

tangerine tango

from me to Lori:

Mexican fire opal rondelles, Beadfreaky ceramic, faceted carnelian & agate, freshwater pearls, panda beads

from Lori to me:

Joan Miller ceramic button, Kelly Wenzel egg, Jeanne Kent heart, aqua terra jasper, sea glass, handmade lampwork

 pink flambe'

from me to Lori:

Crazy lace, panda beads, facted agate, panda beads, lucite

from Lori to me: 

Vintage seed beads, Czech beads, felt focal and felt beads, aqua terra jasper

honey gold 

from me to Lori:

 

Glass Bead Art Lampwork, yellow chalcedony, gold panda beads, lemon quartz, golden quartz carved butterflies

from Lori to me:

Lori Anderson lampwork beads, felt flower focal, faceted citrine, handmade lampwork focal

french roast

  

from me to Lori:

Andalusite rondelles, smoky quartz, freshwater pearls, tigers eye, banded agate, Beadfreaky owl button

  

 Lori to me:

Smoky quartz faceted briolettes, handmade lampwork, Greek ceramic, brass & jasper chain

And that's not even all of it :) There is more to come from both Lori and me! 

Juls Cannon lampwork set that was destined to become Kalmbach jewelry

When I get the Persian bezels completed, I'll post another look at our fabulously fun bead exchange. Lori lavished me with even more amazing Pantone goodies, including an incredible purse by my favorite artist ever, Bitchin Bags by Benita, and barrettes for the sequin flowers I create and fibers and rare colors of wire (pink!) for my chainmaille and an entire set of lampwork by Juls Cannon that I added to my Kalmbach jewelry design and a beautiful, elegant & sweet ultramarine journal for bead shopping! Please, stay tuned for upcoming part two of our Pantone Fall Bead Exchange.

 Pantone just announced the new colors for Spring/Summer 2013 -- and the new color of the year -- emerald.  Based upon Pantone's Fashion Color Reports, Lori Anderson hosts two bead swaps each year. To participate in a Pantone Bead Swap, simply join Lori Anderson on Facebook in her group, the "Bead Soup Cafe" and sign up for a  Spring or Fall swap. Lori pairs up interested people each Spring and Fall, and it is a super nice exchange to participate in! You are sure to make friends and get some new cool beads. You do NOT have to have a blog or write about your exchange, but you can if you wish.  And as far as beads go, it is up to each pair of beaders to decide how many beads and how many colors to exchange.

And in the meantime, check out Lori's two books. Her latest book, "Bead Soup," is a BIG HIT because it shows what jewelry can be created by swapping our stash! Her e-book, "Follow the Path" explores topics and approaches to blogging with many great ideas for blog post subjects. You'll never find yourself without an interesting blog post again! "Follow the Path" is available as an instant download on her blog, Pretty Things. 

 

Toltec Jewels is an author by day, jewelry maker by night. Her literary work is housed by the San Fransisco MOMA and is published internationally in popular magazines, literary quarterlies, and university publications. She has won a number of awards for literary and jewelry arts. She is happiest making handcrafted jewelry with her entire family, snuggling with her doggies and grandkids, sewing, singing, reading, and learning jewelry techniques. She is the host of Jewel School Friends, a community of expert and emerging artisans taking inspiration from each other and Jewel School. Join her on Facebook for networking, fundraising for Beads of Courage, jewelry making challenges, contests, give-a-ways and of course, cool beads and jewelry!

Holiday Bling Blog Hop 2 Reveal with the Amazing and Gifted Alicia Marinache

 

It's Holiday Bling Blog Hop 2!! ... hosted by the two most lovely jewelry artists and incredible friends, the gifted Shelly Graham Turner of "Fabric of My Life" and the talented Marlene Cupo of "Amazing Designs." As you may recall, back in October the first Holiday Bling Blog Hop was so much fun, Marlene and Shelly decided to make our Holidays twice as nice by giving us a second Holiday Hop! 

I've certainly been twice blessed by having the most incredible partners: Shelly Graham Turner was my partner in our first Holiday exchange, and now I am so very honored to be paired with another amazing artist -- the brilliant and very lovely and extremely gifted Alicia Marinache of Ontario!!

Alicia Marinache's  jewelry art is published in this issue of SBSW! 

Alicia was just published in the Dec/ Jan 12-13 Step By Step Wire Jewelry ! I'm so proud of her and as a fellow chain maille artist, I adore her very cool and lovely design, a chain maille capture pendant entitled "Caught You!." Take a look at it in SBSWJ's Wire Works Gallery of Original Designs, page 11. You can also see it in copper here on her blog, "All the Pretty Things"!! Congratulations, Alicia!!
I originally had thought I might create work from a wonderful book, Beadmaille by Cindy Thomas Pankopf, but I was so very inspired by Alicia's jewelry art publication, I wanted my Holiday gift to celebrate her chain maille capture pendant. Foxtail chains (also called an FP 6-1, or simply a Full Persian) are flexible weaves for exploring design, and because they actually create an inherent cage within each link, make nice "capture" weaves. I created a Tricolor Foxtail Christmas Crystal Float for Alicia.

I worked from the Aspect Ratio as my starting off point. Dividing the inner diameter of the rings (in milometers) by the mm gauge of the rings, one can calculate the AR fairly easily for any chain maille weave that uses one size of rings. The FP 6-1 has an AR range typically of 5.1-6.1; I tweaked the AR to come up with a ring size and gauge that would look nice as finished jewelry while embracing the crystals gently, with room to wiggle slightly and sparkle! I'm writing a tutorial for this necklace (or bracelet :) for the Holidays, and do wish it were ready today! I tried, however, for two days to install my Corel Draw program to illustrate the rings' weave, but alas my poor little old lap-top simply won't (can't?) cooperate!

 



After hours and hours of installation attempts that all promptly freeze at 14% installed, I am more determined than ever to find a way to illustrate the rings :) Please know that coming soon for your Holiday chain mailling will be the Christmas crystal filled tricolor Foxtail!


  

Now, back to my amazing partner, Alicia.


Alicia and her family celebrate the season beginning with St. Nicholas Day on Dec. 6th through Epiphany! Alicia and I both enjoy Christmas wholeheartedly, celebrating the Season with many family traditions. I'm so moved by her spirit! Alicia writes:

              "We tend to create a feast for the Holidays - which comes from 2 different routes:
 in the church way we fast for 40 days before, so the Holidays 
are truly a celebration of body and spirit; while during the communist regime - food 
wasn't readily available, and we kept some of our rations of flour, sugar, 
and oil for Holiday baking. We felt a tad more 'revolutionary' that way - and in a

                  way we were, we kept the faith, when they tried to make us to give it up. 
I think we kept it alive more because they tried to take it away :)" 

I adire Alicia's strength and brilliance, her courage and gentle grace. She gives so many people hope and friendship, and the spirit of Christmas moves through her with gifts of renewal and great love!


Not only does Alicia decorate everything for Christmas inside and outside her home, celebrating to the hilt (me too! :), she also bakes, carols with her family as they play piano and guitar, and spends time making Christmas cards with her son. What beautiful traditions she and her family share! Gifted to me -- a gorgeous handcrafted soutache Christmas card!


Being a part of Alicia's Christmas celebrations is an honor. Caring and tuned in, Alicia's gifts to me reflected love. Like magic, she created beautiful gifts that are very special to me because they honor my daughter.

And look at the little Canadian pin!! I feel so proud, honored and grateful to have Canadian friends!

Alicia created a turquoise scarf holder, and I am simply amazed because I have a very special silk scarf that belonged to my daughter, a scarf she last wore that I now cherish and keep close so that I may feel close to her. 

How perfectly the lovely turquoise scarf ring coordinates with the turquoise in my scarf!!

Receiving a beautiful scarf holder made by Alicia for my Christmas feels healing and uplifting. I cherish the Christmas scarf jewelry as I do the special silk scarf! Amazing!


Likewise, Alicia created a beautiful Christmas tree necklace!

Look at this beautiful Christmas tree!! I LOVE it nt only because it is exquisitely made and has the happiest rainbow of jade beads, but because it is a forever heirloom that I wear to honor my daughter who passed on in July, and an heirloom of the special Christmas tree we have this year: a living tree we will plant after Christmas in her honor.

 Not only do I love Christmas trees and have them in almost every room of our home, I have planted living Christmas trees for all my daughters. How wonderful it was to see those fine evergreens after twenty years of growth! How tall and majestic they had become, holding the joy of the gift of each child. 

I wish I had the nerve to photograph this happy tree on me, lol!! It looks fantastic and is gorgeous, and I've been wearing it constantly with great happiness!! Alicia is a beautiful artist!

This Christmas, we've again decided to have a living tree in honor of our daughter, a way to express our great love for her as we reflect and grow in our understanding and our knowledge of the nonphysical, and allow her to lead us and give us the gift of not fearing death, but celebrating our eternalness and our infinite joy as part of both the physical and the nonphysical world!

My beloved brilliant and beautiful Christmas tree pendant :) Thank you Alicia!

Thank you Alicia for gifts that I am so completely in awe of and completely cherish; gifts so perfectly reflective and joyful and simply right on and incredible they will forever allow me to honor and grow in joy with my daughter each Christmas and always, forever connected to her in happiness, fun, beauty, and love!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, my friends! 

The Holiday Bling Blog Hop Elves, Fairies, Good Folks, and Artists continue the magic:

Shirley Moore *** Lori Bowring Michaud *** Catherine King *** Dyanne Cantrell  *** Sonya Stille
 Elaine Ray *** Gina Hockett *** Jo-Ann Woolverton *** Debbie Rasmussen *** Renetha Stanziano
Ginger Bishop *** Miranda Ackerley *** Sandra McGriff *** Tammie Everly *** Alicia Marinache
Melinda Abrahamson ***  Rita/ Toltec Jewels *** Chandra Merod ***  Mary Govaars *** Kelley Fogel  Tiffany Goff Smith *** Heather Rats Otto *** Anitra Gordy Boyers ***  Marlene Cupo *** Shelley Graham Turner
 



Toltec Jewels is an author by day, jewelry maker by night. Her literary work is housed by the San Fransisco MOMA and is published internationally in popular magazines, literary quarterlies, and university publications. She has won a number of awards for literary and jewelry arts. She is happiest making handcrafted jewelry with her entire family, snuggling with her doggies and grandkids, sewing, singing, reading, and learning jewelry techniques. She is the host of Jewel School Friends, a community of expert and emerging artisans taking inspiration from each other and Jewel School. Join her on Facebook for networking, fundraising for Beads of Courage, jewelry making challenges, contests, give-a-ways and of course, cool beads and jewelry!

Shopping Handcrafted and Beyond: Fair Trade Holiday Gifts, Plushes for Wildlife, and Giving Unicef

As handcrafted artists, the Holiday Season is our time to shine!  For those who make handcrafted jewelry and beads, the Holidays are often our busiest time of the year, a time when we can express our love for friends and family creatively. We may be putting much love and energy into our online stores and attending craft shows, or perhaps we are busy happily creating one of a kind gifts. It's not only a special time for selling and sharing our own handcrafted art, but also a time we may support others by buying and gifting others' handcrafted art as well as our own.

Add to that fair trade and the Holidays have become a fabulous time for giving our best to the world.  So how about giving a little of the best of everything this year: handcrafted and recycled beads, handcrafted jewelry, and fair trade? Yes, you can! 

All is Fair in Lovin' Handcrafted: 31 Bits

Click on the photo to shop or to learn more about how you can become involved.

This Holiday, you can shop handcrafted jewelry made with recycled handcrafted paper beads -- and support women artistsans in Uganda! And while you may think of Uganda as a place of a 25 year war, where children taught to be soldiers, and people are so very desperate -- that is not Uganda today!!
Today, Uganda is the story of hope and empowerment, thanks to the cool handcrafted fair trade business 31 Bits:



Now that is handcrafted with love! 

31 Bits gift cards!

With 31 Bits, you can shop for everything from headbands to wedding jewelry, or if you would prefer your gift recipient choose their own item, 31 Bits also offers gift cards in amounts from $20 to $1,5000. 

Celebrate where the wild things are ...

You might also wish to celebrate and share your love this Holiday Season with gifts that support wildlife and nature. The National Wildlife Federation and The Sierra Club both offer green gifts that come with adorable animal plushes, free shipping, and cool calenders.

National Wildlife Federation:  Adopt a wild animal!

The "Adoption Center" of the National Wildlife Federation has over 50 animals to adopt, from Northern Cardinals to jaguars from; sharks to Snowy Owls!

Adoptions start at $25, and at the $30 and up level, include plush animals to send to the recipient of your choice! Shipping is free on all adoption orders, and you also receive a free North American Wildlife calender (while supplies last).

The Sierra Club: Sponsor a Wild Place! 

Additionally, you can sponsor a wild place at the Sierra Club. There are over twelve places to sponsor, and as with the National Wildlife Federation's animal adoption, you will also receive your choice of an adorable plush animal with sponsorship!

From the Great Smoky Mountains to Glacier National Park, you will be preserving America's legacy and gifting the ability to “Explore, enjoy and protect the planet”®  You can choose to have your plush "gift wrapped" in a reusable Sierra Club tote bag for just a few dollars, and shipping is free. Sponsorship gifts start at  the Sierra Club at $25 and include a plush of your choice. You may also choose a simple virtual sponsorship ranging from $20-$1,000.

Give Gifts for Life: 

UNICEF!

Live simply that others may simply live. Give the gift of life this season as you send out your Holiday cards, decorate your tree, or sip your favorite morning beverage. The Unicef online gift store makes shopping for the Holidays twice blessed and simply beautiful! 

Haitian Steel Drum Wall Art, $20

There are many simply cool choices in adult gifts and home decor, from the Haitian Wall Tree of Life art shown above, made from recycled steel drums to Tapered Filigree candles wrapped in suede and beads. The Holiday home decor and adult gifts are intermixed with the online sale, and I encourage you to browse all the store links. By really browsing, I just discovered this Indian 100% silk ruffle wrap for just $37! 

Silk ruffle wrap. India. $37

Such wonderful choices! And best of all, all are gifts that give from the soul!

Unicef Holiday cards, most come in sets of 12 for $12.

Likewise, Unicef abounds in beautiful choices of Holiday cards too. With over 34 Holiday card choices, from Pagan to Jewish to Christian to non-denominational motifs and themes, you'll love sharing your wishes for a joyful Season with friends and family, and you will not just be dreaming --- but will be saving the lives of children -- with every card you write!

One Love Book. Bob Marley's daughter adapts his song into a tale of community. $16

And as always, you can take good care of your circle of friends with quality children's gifts from Unicef. For the little prince or princess in your life, how about a book written by a real queen? Unicef has excellent choices in children's books, including The Sandwhich Swap by the Queen of Jordan, an advocate for all children globally. Or how about a treasured copy of  The Night Before Christmas -- read by you and recorded with your voice? 

The recordable storybook. Why not buy it from UNICEF and help children everywhere? $20

From musical instruments to puzzles to gardening sets, purchasing toys and children's gifts from the Unicef children's gift shop helps raise funds for all children around the world!

May Your Days Be Merry and Bright!

love and namaste,

Rita





Toltec Jewels is an author by day, jewelry maker by night. Her literary work is housed by the San Fransisco MOMA and is published internationally in popular magazines, literary quarterlies, and university publications. She has won a number of awards for literary and jewelry arts. She is happiest making handcrafted jewelry with her entire family, snuggling with her doggies and grandkids, sewing, singing, reading, and learning jewelry techniques. She is the host of Jewel School Friends, a community of expert and emerging artisans taking inspiration from each other and Jewel School. Join her on Facebook for networking, fundraising for Beads of Courage, jewelry making challenges, contests, give-a-ways and of course, cool beads and jewelry!