The Bead Quilt -- A 9/11 Memorial Project

Browse the individual quilt squares here:

http://www.beadcave.com/beadquilt/squares/completedsquaresth.html

See a list of contributors, with links to their squares:

http://www.beadcave.com/beadquilt/squares/list.html

visitors since July 06, 2006!

Here's a link to my new eBay Guide to finding the beads you need
to make these super quick and easy
3-Bead Angel Charms.

The image above comes from my website's quickie tutorial on making them.

Have fun w/these! They make great gifts, bangles, earrings, charms, zipper pulls, noserings (not!), swap gifts, geegaws you hang near the clasp of a bracelet to make it fall correctly on the wrist, necklace counterbalances, talismans, amulets, lucky charms, reminders that all is not lost, little surprises for special people, not to mention variations on the above to create goddesses, mermaids, fairies, and other benevolent entities who are sent here for good.

visitors since July 06, 2006!

Today I stumbled upon this wonderful website by Marilyn Scott-Waters called THE TOYMAKER.

Check out this fun page chock full of paper crafts, books, boxes, popups, etc. to print, cut out, and fold up: M A K E   T O Y S !

I've only had time so far to make one of the little tea bag envelopes from the Gifts to Make  page:

I also like the Best Thought cards for grownups. I can't wait to make some more stuff! These are the nicest illustrations and typography I've ever seen on folding projects... Have fun!!!

visitors since July 06, 2006!

[sigh] Recently I wrote an article about the amazing and wonderful Eni Oken (Beadwork, June/July 2006). She does lavish wire wrapped gemstone jewelry and apparently the readers were impressed -- and a bit confused, LOL!

I can't tell you how much email I've gotten from readers who tell me they can't seem to find that cool wire bezel ring or amazing necklace on my website like the mag said they could. We finally figured out that Eni's web address was buried in the article, and mine was apparently more visible at the end, confusing more than a few readers.

One of Eni's latest pieces -- want to see the rest?
Visit her website Journal.

Hey, at least I know the article had some impact, right? Here's a link to Eni's website, where I guarantee you'll spend an enjoyable time perusing her galleries, blog, and Year of Jewelry:

http://www.enioken.com

visitors since July 06, 2006!

Here's an artist whose work I've enjoyed for a long time: graphixoutpost

I like seeing her work evolve, organically, from one idea to the next -- she's always original, and always emerging. And she's the best darned painter of art doll faces on eBay, IMHO! Her website is http://www.graphixoutpost.com

 And here's someone I just discovered, while looking to see who else was doing altered art blogs on eBay:

http://blogs.ebay.com/moonfaires/

Wow! Here's someone who clearly enjoys what she's doing! I love that she includes lots of images so you can really see what her work is about. Love the glitter, and check out the Fairy lamps!!! Obviously, she puts a lot of time and care into her work.

 For art doll kits and original mixed media art...you've got to see Ronda Kivett's goodies. She sells under the name "zzbeadz" and her aboutme page is always fresh and fun. Ooooh! I see Ronda's got an eBay blog now:

http://blogs.ebay.com/zzbeadz

Well, thass all for now...gotta get back in the "studio" (AKA the table 3 feet away from this computer ;-)

visitors since July 06, 2006!

Boys and girls, the topic today is Copyright.

I spent a lot of time writing these Guides [all sigh in unison now, collective looks of pity and wringing of hands, please]:

Altered Art Materials: The Search Is On!

Creating Altered Art: A Roadmap for Collage and Decoupage

Ok, first off, if I didn't want to "share," I wouldn't have published the above. What I will not share, however, is my words on your web pages.

This morning, after reading about Copyscape on an artists' forum, I ran a little search on Copyscape, typing in the URLs of the above Guides. Imagine my surprise when I found that only a month or two after I published them, someone had liked them enough to use them on her own website!!! Cool? NOT.

[Note: Fragile Industries' URLs have been removed from this post at the request of the artist/website maintainer -- she removed my copy and has now replaced it with something else. --MT Aug. 16, 2006.]

Ok, so she's been an artist for years and years, but doesn't put her name anywhere on her website (that I could find), and can't seem to write original copy about what she does. Not only that, she uses other people's pictures of altered art instead of her own. Can you say "Sideways"?

After almost 10 years on the web, this copying and pasting thing didn't totally surprise me. Tutorials are especially vulnerable to being snatched by people who either don't know enough about intellectual property laws, don't care, think they can get away with it, are sneaky, or don't get how to play well with others.

So, for the record, and (hopefully) in plain English:

• If you like what I've written, LINK TO IT; don't copy it.
• You don't need to ask permission to LINK TO my stuff. Just do it. I LIKE traffic!
• I expect some form of compensation if you want to use my original stuff on your web pages. So consider that, before you ask, I've been writing and doing graphic design stuff professionally for a number of years (hey I know it doesn't always show, LOL) and plus you ain't gonna guilt me into giving it to you to help you make money if you're not willing to help me make some too. :-) <--see, I'm still smilin'
• If you do copy my stuff, rest assured, I'll contact someone who will yank the pages for you. :-)

Oh, and Lisa? Take the web pages down now. Thank you.

There. I think I've been really nice today, boys and girls. :-)

visitors since July 06, 2006!

I really need to get some better samples of bamboo tile bead jewelry besides these tiles, which are weren't finished into jewelry when I scanned them:

The above are simply natural colored bamboo tiles washed with alcohol based inks, then stamped with black Staz-on solvent ink.

• Here's a link to a bracelet tutorial from DIY network's Jewelry Making show:
  http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/cr_jewelry/article/0,2025,DIY_13762_4100948,00.html

And if you want to make pendants, here are a couple of ultra simple examples:

Use cording, ribbon or a beaded strand on bead stringing wire, run it down through one hole and up through the other. Add a clasp or tie a knot if the necklace is long enough to slip over your head.

In the example above, you could use 1 or 2 different strands, depending on what you do in the back (not shown). If you add a clasp, you'll need 2 lengths of cording, ribbon, or beaded strand. If you make the necklace long enough, you could use just one length. Here the cording is knotted above and below the bamboo bead, but knotting isn't necessary if you're using a beaded strand, except at the very bottom.

visitors since July 06, 2006!

Some time ago I wrote about Cowry Shells (in Beadwork, Jan/Feb 2001) and recently rediscovered my stash of them while pawing through my studio looking for natural materials to make jewelry out of. I used to buy all my shells at a place called The Sea in San Pedro, CA, which I understand has closed down. Anyway, here's some photos of a few pieces I made w/cowry shells and other materials:

Left: Spotted shell with amber, vintage findings and Czech beads

Center: L: Snakehead cowry with assorted Czech glass, metal and natural beads. R: Snakehead cowry with amethyst, bronze pearls and vintage charm.

Right: Pale pink shell with pearls, Czech glass and seed beads wrapped around mother of pearl rice beads.

visitors since July 06, 2006!