Happy Monday

My cherry tree is blooming....this picture was taken just before it rained four inches this weekend. Now the blossoms are on the ground. I am happy I got a picture when I did. Hope you all had a good weekend. I did, it rained so we pretty much hunkered down and I did some sewing. I started on a wall hanging that I am going to add some ceramic embellishments too. I am really happy with how it's turning out so far. I don't like to have a plan when I am sewing so it's always a surprise.

I got some great entries for the Creative Celebration that is this Wednesday night. Make sure you stop by to see the work of some really talented bead artists. I can't wait to show you what others have done. I have lots of preparation for the big night so I am going to scoot along and get some things done....

Happy Monday, Jennifer

Here are some surfin links to enjoy today....

About.com Jewelry Making
What sparks your creativity? Take the lastest poll, just takes 1 minute or less!

Art Bead Scene
Needing more inspiration for this month's challenge? Here are a few ideas for you!

Art Jewelry magazine
The Bead&Button Show is featured in USA Today!

Carmi's Art/Life World
Carmi experiments with UV resin!

Jennifer Jangles Blog
Jennifer invites you to attend her Creative Celebration.

Jewelry & Beading
Thanks to some inspiration from beadmaker Melanie Brooks, Cyndi has an article in Belle Armoire Jewelry!

Katie's Beading Blog
Check Out Katie's Fabulous Beaded Fruit!

Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!
Jean designs a colorful parrot necklace with a treasure of an equisite, hand painted Russian art bead

Strands of Beads
Melissa discusses the usefulness of the preliminary sketch in her design process

The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton
Inspired by Spring, Andre compiles a shopping guide for egg-themed beads and components.

The Details of the Creative Celebration

So I promised the details of the actual Celebration...here they are. The online event takes place on Wednesday, April 1st, from 6-9pm EST. We will be celebrating creativity. I will be posting the entries I have received, debuting some new work, and of course, having a sale. If you attended the Holiday Open House, you know it was a good time. I felt like you were all in my studio hanging out. This should be just as much fun. Mark the night on your calendar.

Have a great day, Jennifer

It's about time...

I unloaded my kiln and got lots of great beads out of it. I spent almost the entire day yesterday getting my Etsy store filled up. That's where the title of this post came from "it's about time", because my Etsy shop has been pretty empty for awhile. But it's filled again and I plan to add even more over the next week. The Creative Celebration is next Wednesday, one week away! I am preparing a reminder newsletter right now, I will post the details tomorrow about the hours etc, tomorrow.
Have a great day, Jennifer

Hot Kiln

Good morning!
I am anxiously waiting for my kiln to cool down. I have loads of new stuff in it. I can't wait to see whats in there. I am hoping to get some of new beads up on Etsy, I know my store has been a bit empty. I am working on it and my goal is to get it filled up this week. So the kiln has to cool down to 175 and then I can open it. It will still be warm but I can handle pretty hot stuff after all these years of firing kilns. When we got to restaurants and they hand me a hot plate with gloves on and I take it from them. The waiter always freaks out, it's always fun.

Okay so here are some links for now...stay tuned for new beads
Jennifer

About.com Jewelry Making
Jewelry and taxes, ick! But maybe these tips will help you navigate through this beader's nightmare.

Art Bead Scene
We all need a little bit more organization. Here's a nifty organizer for your tools.

Barbe Saint John - New Jewelry from Forgotten Artifacts
Barbe talks about her love of Egyptian Jewelry

Bead&Button magazine
Lesley shares tips on getting organized from her and the staff

Carmi's Art/Life
Carmi prints her favorite images onto cotton to create a new fiber necklace.

Jennifer Jangles Blog
Katie Hacker designed a fabulous necklace using some of Jennifer's pinwheel beads.

Jewelry & Beading
We've been concentrating on organic materials for jewelry making this month, and Cyndi has rounded up a few of her projects that fall into that category!

Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!
Come read Jean's review of this super new book by Kim Gover: Designing Jewelry with semiprecious beads!

Strands of Beads
Melissa discusses shopping opportunities for unusual stone-wrapped chain

The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton
Finding inspiration in an unlikely place, Andrew creates a necklace based on a Jell-o dessert.

Jangles Creative Celebration Reminder

Only a week and a half left until the deadline of the Creative Celebration. Entries have been coming in but I know of some of you out there that I haven't received an entry from. Remember to get them in soon.

The big night will be April 1st...more details to come in the next few days, but circle that day on your calendar now.



Here are the official rules to the Jangles Creative Celebration Design Contest.

Send me your best jewelry designs using Jangles beads. When the contest closes Jangles will be having a online open house to celebrate and show off all of your creations. The best part, there are prizes!

First Place
A 100.00 Jangles Gift Certificate
Second Place
A 50.00 Jangles Gift Certificate
Third Place
A 25.00 Jangles Gift Certificate

Entries are officially being accepted today and will be accepted until March 27th, 2009.

To enter please email me at jennifer@jangles.net with the following:

1. An image of your fabulous jewelry containing Jangles beads. It must have at least one Jangles bead in the piece. It must be your original work which you own the rights to. Pieces can be necklaces, earrings, or bracelets. The image should be a jpeg. and 1000 pixels in either height or width. A neutral background is always you're best bet for photographing jewelry. Don't freak out, this is supposed to be fun.

2. Please include your name, any contact information you would like posted on the blog. Examples, blog addresses, Etsy shops, website...you can't pass up free advertising if you have a business. You don't need to have a business to enter the contest.

3. Materials list for the entry.

4. A bit of background info. This can be either about you, your inspiration, or your design, whatever you feel you would like to say about your piece.


You may enter up to three entries, please make sure to send only one entry per e-mail. Incomplete entries will be disqualified. Judging is based on originality, craftsmanship, and aesthetics. Judging will be by me, Jennifer Heynen, and two other non Jangles judges.

Once I receive your entry, I will send you a quick e-mail letting you know I have received it.


Good luck and have fun.

Pinwheel Beads

Hey Hey, just a quick post today and then I am off to make beads. I have gotten some requests for the pinwheel beads that were in the Beading Daily e-mail on Friday. The project is here that Katie Hacker designed. Any who you can find all of my pinwheels and coordinating beads at Fusion Beads.
Have a great Day,
Jennifer

Bead Surfin, Shrimp Boats, and Quilts

Wow spring has sprung around here! There is so much going on it's unbelievable. It was spring break at UGA where my husband is so it was one of those weeks where I was cramming in work where I could and playing when I could squeak it in. My mom and dad and brother visited also. My mom is a quilter...here is the super cool folk art quilt that she made me....isn't it great? We went to a quilt show while she was here and now I am super inspired to do some wall hangings of my own.

Then this weekend we took my brother surfing, I say we but really I stay on sand, but everyone else surfs, I either catch up on all my magazines or comb the beach for treasures. We found shark teeth and beach glass this time. Here a picture of a shrimp boat. After college I wanted to run off an be a shrimp boater. I am a vegetarian so it probably wouldn't have worked out and I think I am probably better off being an artist. But I have always liked the idea of working on a boat.

When I was catching up on all of magazines, I got to read Where Women Create, it is a super cool magazine. I actually liked reading the articles more than the pictures. It was fun to here how different artists work and create. I got a lot of helpful tips. I definitely need more storage and labels. Several of the artists get up at 4:00am to get work done. I am feeling inspired to try it. I don't know if it's physically possible for me, I like my 8 hours every night but I am feeling like I need to get everything done that I want to do. There are just too many projects spinning around in my head and they need to get out. I will keep you posted on how it goes....

Here are some bead links for browsing...a little late because of the weekend trip.
Have a good one,
Jennifer

About.com Jewelry Making
New Lucky Earrings Project - Hot off the jewelry press table, here's a new earring project just in time for St. Patrick's Day

Art Bead Scene
It's March and the snow is beginning to thaw. Color comes alive in Red Fish for this month's challenge.

BeadStyle magazine
Jane talks about her admiration for Brenda Schweder and her work

Carmi's Art/Life World
Carmi turns a gift of hand felted beads into some lovely new rings! Perfect for spring.

Jennifer Jangles Blog
Jennifer has announces the official rules of the Creative Celebration, check it out.

Jewelry & Beading
Seed bead artist Beverly Ash Gilbert shares her amazing creations

Katie's Beading Blog
Bead and Button will be here before we know it! Be sure to sign-up today!

Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!
Jean is delighted to receive a surprise from Lisa Kan...what could it be?

Strands of Beads
Melissa shows off her stash - a selection of beautiful clasps from Green Girl Studios

Free Project

Hey, Hey, Katie Hacker made a rockin' necklace with my pinwheel beads for the Beading Daily. It's going out in their newsletter today! If you already get the newsletter, look for it. You can go to Katie's Blog and read more about it or you can check out The Beading Daily.

Jangles Trunk Show This Weekend

If you are anywhere near Yakima Washington this weekend you should come on by Ambrosia Beads. They are hosting a Jangles Trunk show. I have sent all my beads and kits to their store. Debbie, the store owner, is going to be hosting a trunk show. All of my latest beads will be there.
Here's a link if you want more information. I won't be at he Puget Sound Bead Show this summer so here is your chance to see all of my beads in person. Hope you can come by....

The show runs March 12th thru the 14th

Bead Surfin

Hello...
I got my new computer, woohoo! But I can't seem to find my bead surfin image that I would normally post with this link. I will find it for next week, but the links are here...check them out.
Have a great weekend, Jennifer

About.com Jewelry Making
Resin Bead Experimentation! Tammy has been a mad jewelry scientist lately.

Art Bead Scene
Are you a new jewelry designer looking for a way to finance your budding jewelry business? There are lots of options out there even in a poor economy. Why not apply for a grant?

Barbe Saint John - New Treasures from Forgotten Artifacts
Barbe reviews Amy Hanna's Rejuvenated Jewels book

Bead&Button magazine
Anna offers some bead graphing information and some links to useful tools

Candie Cooper
Candie's back with some beading adventures...check out some earrings she made with her editor!

Carmi's Art/Life World
Carmi shows off her ceramic bezel!

Jennifer Jangles Blog
Jennifer Shares some tips for photographing jewelry.

Jewelry & Beading
All this month, Cyndi will be featuring jewelry designers who work with organic materials!

Snap out of it , Jean! There's beading to be done!
Jean thinks Barb Switzer's new book looks extremely cool!

Strands of Beads
Melissa finds unusual beady shopping opportunities at museums

Bead Trends

Just got my copy of the March Bead Trends Magazine and I have a project in it. It's a bangles bracelet and the magazine is available now. I just love the photography in this magazine, plus I drool over the projects. The folks at Bead Trends have a good thing going. Here a sneak peek at my project.... Happy Friday!
Jennifer

Pearls

Hey Hey, Boy I tell you what a few days of snow can really throw a girl off. I had the boys home for the last couple of days....it was nice until about yesterday when we had all had it with being stuck at home. We(boys included) were all so happy to see that school bus this morning.

I am behind...on just about everything right now. Yikes, I had big plans for March and all my crafty projects but they are going to have to wait a few more days, but keep checking back. I am updating the website one page at a time. Today the originals page got done. I have added some new color combos of pearls too. Oh, and the other day I updated the pairs page with some new stuff, and the bezels, and the medium beads. So check it out!

Talk to you soon, Jennifer

Snowed In

We are officially snowed in here. 6.5 inches of snow in Georgia is a big deal. Most of you know I lived in Wisconsin before and this snow wouldn't have slowed anyone down, but here it's a different story. There aren't snow plows or shovels so we just wait for the stuff to melt. That's what I will be doing for the next few days....