Headpins and more

These are the headpins I made the day before yesterday

I'm a so enjoying making headpins and luckily my customers seem to like them too! I made some spotty dotty drops, a wacky heart, some jade green leaves and experimented with some other colours and then, for some strange reason, it popped into my head to have a go at making some flowers. A bit of a work in progress but I am pretty pleased with them.

I was having such fun yesterday I didn't want to stop but the kiln was a little bit full and it was 11.300pm.

First up I perfected my little rose headpins and yes I do mean little. Apologies for the state of my thumb!

Then I got to making some discs and rings, a little bit of enamel here and a few dots there. I love these.....

and these

and finally I went freeform, I just played and grabbed whatever glass was to hand. I have some ideas for these.....

I wonder what I will come up with next?

Thanks for looking.

Linda
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A happy accident!

I had a couple of happy acccidents last week.

Firstly I have a love hate relationship with Iris Orange or Raku glass, it just doesn't do what it is supposed to do for me. I've been shown several times how to use it and no matter how hard I try it won't do it's thing.

Anyway I decided to have another try, I'm not sure what popped into my head when I made this bead but I just went with the flow and did a bit of stamping here, some cutting there and a bit of swirling, just playing really.

Imagine my surprise when I opened the kiln the next morning to find this big fishy

It does, doesn't it, look like a big fishy! But as usual I can't say that I got much colour out of the Iris Orange glass it still looks a nice bead.

You can find him for sale in my Etsy store https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/177181490/large-glass-fish-decorated-with-raku?ref=shop_home_active_3

The second happy accident came about when I accidentally poured some Purple Rose frit that I had been using into a container of Double Helix Aurae frit, which by the way, is really expensive. Arrrgh panic moment, so I decided to get as much of the Purple Rose frit out as I could with a spoon.

Rather than waste the resulting mix of Purple Rose and Aurae I decided to make a headpin to see what it looked like, well, I liked it! So I made some more.

Aren't they pretty, lilac and purple shades with hints of gold, yum!

Thanks for looking.

Linda
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My beads have been featured - Art Bead Scene Blog

Those of you who follow the Art Bead Scene Blog will know what an excellent blog it is, full of inspiration, tutorials, studio tours and lots more all written by talented artists themselves.

On a Monday Rebecca Anderson from Songbead writes 'Amuse Your Muse' with inspiring beads for your creations. Rebecca makes the most amazing jewellery - sometimes with my beads! She also sells Czech glass beads (which I sometimes use in my jewellery!) in her Etsy shop The Curious Bead Shop

This week I have been lucky to have my little red heart headpins featured - how brilliant is that!

These are available to order in my Etsy store https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/176474907/made-to-order-pair-of-handmade-lampwork?ref=shop_home_active_4

Kate from Floating Vintage Designs made this cute little pair of earrings with them

Other colours are available, pm me if you are interested.

Leah Curtis from Beady Eyed Bunny made these earrings with a purple pair.

If you would like to have a read of the article click on the image below.

Thanks for looking.

Linda
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All manner of goodies

I've been busy re-stocking my Etsy store over the last couple of days with all manner of handmade goodies. I've replaced some of the headpins that sold last week, added some new patina charms, lots of glass rings and some new lampwork beads - including some earrings pairs.

Look at all the goodies!

Here's a close up of a few of them.

A sunflower connector, I really enjoyed painting this one

 and this rather yummy heart pendant.

Silver tipped ivory headpins

1 or 2 new rings, discs and daisy beads.

 and of course the odd bit of lampwork

Thanks for looking.

Linda
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The first Bead Smitten magazine January 2014

If you are looking for ideas on how to use my little red heart headpins then look no further. 4 talented ladies accepted my challenge to make a pair of earrings incorporating the headpins.

These are the headpins which are available to order in my Etsy store (click on photo to buy).

It was really interesting to see the different designs that each lady came up with and you can read all about that and lots of other fascinating articles and interviews in the first of the Bead Smitten magazine.

Click to view Beadsmittenmagazine issue 1 2014 on GLOSSI.COM

Thanks for looking.

Linda

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Anyone for chicken?

This is what I got up to yesterday.

I made some new rings as the ones I had in my shop have all gone. Some lime green spacers, some new headpins and ...... wait for it...... some chickens!

I'm thinking about offering one or some (haven't decided which yet) to someone or some people as the giveaway for reaching 400 likes on my Facebook page. Although the way it's heading it might be 500 soon.

These have all got to be removed from their mandrels and cleaned yet so guess what I'm off to do?

Thanks for looking.

Linda
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Exciting times!

I had a bit of a surprise yesterday. In the morning I popped over to see my friend and fellow bead artist Teresa Hulley. Teresa makes the most fantastic ceramic beads, some of which you will have seen in my jewellery creations. This is the first ever piece I made with one of her creations.

It now lives in America. Here are some more of my designs using Teresa's beads. Some of them are available for sale on my website www.earth-shine.co.uk/store

You can buy Teresa's beads from her Etsy store Bo Hulley Beads she also has a Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bo-Hulley-Beads/189995091058290?fref=ts she has a whopping 2217 likers, one popular lady.





Anyway back to the reason I started this post. I took along some of my latest headpins to show Teresa and she kindly took a photo of them and popped them on her Facebook page. I don't think she expected to have such an impact on my life but the result was several orders in my Etsy store Earthshinebeads and several new likes to my Facebook page. Anyway here is a photo of my latest headpins, unfortunately most of them are already sold but I plan to make some more later today if it isn't too cold in my conservatory studio.

Thanks for looking.

Linda
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300 sales, patinated metal and latest shop update.

I woke up this morning to find I had reached 300 sales on Etsy. The order that tipped the scales is going to Italy. I'm pretty sure I haven't sent an order there before.

I've been playing with patinating metal again, I find it quite therapeutic and enjoy blending the colours together. All of these items have been added to my Etsy store in the new section just for patinated metal. Click on the photo to see them.

I've also been doing some more lampworking and these beads will be added to my shop soon although a couple of them have been snapped up already and will be on there way to the USA tomorrow.

Thanks for looking.

Linda
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The Beading Glass by Leah Curtis of Beady Eyed Bunny

My last post featured 2 pairs of earrings by Leah Curtis of Beady Eyed Bunny and I'm so proud because they have been included in her latest issue of The Beading Glass a yummy magazine with lots of inspiration and interviews by jewellery and bead artists.

Please go and have a read the earrings are featured on pages 7 and 9.

Click to view The Beading Glass on GLOSSI.COM

I have a special section in my shop for headpins now https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/Earthshinebeads?section_id=14832016&ref=shopsection_leftnav_2 and have made a new batch which are just waiting to be photographed. If you would like me to make a custom order please email me.

Thanks for looking.

Linda
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Customers work

It's always nice when customers send me photos of pieces that they have made using my beads and I have recently been sent some by 2 ladies that have ordered from me recently so I thought I would share them with you.

First up in Leah Curtis of Beady Eyed Bunny. Leah had become a somewhat fan of my headpins and I recently created a few pairs as a custom order for her. I have to say that making pairs is a tricky business, they are not always exactly the same but I try my best.

Leah hasn't put these pieces for sale yet but if you are interested in buying, send her a email, I am sure she wouldn't mind.

If you would like to make your own earrings with the heart headpins I still have some of them for sale in my shop in pink

and in red

other colours can be made to order on either silver tone or copper wires, send me an email if interested.

And now we have some more beautiful pieces of jewellery from Ellen Adair of The Blue Starfish.

Ellen bought one of my latest floral beads

She left it very simple as there is a lot of detail in the bead and just added a sterling silver chain. Isn't it lovely?

Next up Ellen bought one of my sets of frit beads that was in my sale

and turned them into this lovely bracelet, necklace and earrings.

If you click on the pictures it will take you to the items for sale in Ellen's website. She tells me that the floral pendant has already been sold and I am not surprised, it was one of my favourite beads.

I hope you've enjoyed looking at my customers work. If you have bought beads from me and would like me to show your work, please contact me.

Thanks for looking.

Linda
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Shop and website update

I've been busy busy busy updating my Etsy store with new beads, making jewellery and adding them to my new website.

I've had all the photos back from the headpin challenge and the article has been written, will post when the magazine has been released.

These are my latest beads that have been added to my Etsy store including some of my new flower headpins.

I used some of my leaf headpins to make a necklace and matching pair of earrings.

and a while ago I bought this cute owl focal bead from Claire Lockwood of Something to do with beads.  She's having a sale at the moment, pop on over to her blog post for details. I teamed it with my own lampwork beads and some Czech glass.

Please click on the photos to be taken to the item for sale.

Thanks for looking.

Linda
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