A New Years resolution introduced by Lorelei

Lorelei just blogged about this:

Submit your jewelry to magazines!:

"It can be quite intimidating, and daunting- the thought of submitting your jewelry designs to magazines. It took me quite a while to muster ..."

I recommend you to go there and read her full post on the subject, with useful links and all.

I have planned a few times to submit my own jewellery to magazines. But I didn't get around doing it in the end. If I sum up this last year for myself from the beading and jewellery aspect, soooooo much has happened anyway. It has been quite enough really. I consider myself very lucky and happy. I always want more of course. And especially I want to produce more than I do. I want to share more of my designs and sell more. I want so much! But I have to take into account my illness which kind of makes it difficult for me ever so often. It IS frustrating. But maybe it is good sometimes if things don't go tooo fast.

So this is my New Year's resolution: To submit my jewellery to a few magazines during the next year.

Wish me good luck. I will follow all of Lorele's advice to improve my chances, that's for shure. Thanks for a great post!

Presents, new computer and testing

Hi,

testing something new today. Adobe Photoshop Express online photo editing tool. Very simple to use. Go for it you too. Using my new laptop sitting in bed doing this. I just hope this slideshow will work now ..... If it does, look at the wonderful beady things I recieved over the last days. Mmmmmmm! Thank you sooooo much Margaret, Birgitta and Nancy.

Christmas Time!

We spent Christmas at home this year. About every other year we go to England to spend it there. And when we don't we most oftenly have English relatives staying with us over the holidays. This year was unusually calm. Only my brother came over on the actual Christmas Eve (yes, in Sweden we celebrate on Christmas Eve). My mum was supposed to come aswell, but couldn't make it unfortunately. So we will go and see her one of the coming days instead.

See that handsome man there peeking from behind the tree. It's Mark. Gosh I love him! He has been absolutely wonderful this whole period. Basically he's taken care of everything. I've not been well enough to do anything useful to do with all the preparations. Apart from decorating the tree with my children. And putting together some new ornaments of course. The children also makes new ornaments every year. I love to do things like that with them.

I got some really nice presents in form of beads. Have taken photos and will show you soon.

Tomorrow Mark is off in the morning to be at a shop when this sale starts. He's going to buy a new laptop for me. Apple Macintosh of course! The kids will get my current one. I hope to be making som Vlogging on the new one every now and then. Have some ideas ...

Later tomorrow me and the kids will also go into the city, and we will all meet up to do some other good shopping. So I better go to bed now ...

Nighty night,

Malin

The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton: Thursday Giveaway...

Oh, do I wanna win this beautiful lot of beads? YES!!!!! Last time Andrew had a give-away with SueBeads we where asked to go by her site and choose a favourite item. I chose the "Cobalt Sky" lampworked beads, they made me wanna make a necklace for a New Years Eves Party with them in. This was back in August I believe. And ever since then I couldn't stop thinking of those beads. Even blogged about them here. Guess what happened in the end. Yes, I went and ordered them of course. They arrived a few weeks ago, and they are absolutely beautiful. Sue is just an amaziningly skilled lampworker, coz every bead is so perfect in shape. I also love her enameled pieces. I have to advise everyone to participate in this give-away, even though I really wanna win myself.

The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton: Thursday Giveaway...: "This week, one lucky winner will claim an assortment of goodies courtesy of Sue Kennedy of SueBeads. She has generously put together a group..."

Lots of Almonds in the Christmas Porridge

These large almond shaped beads I got about one and a half year ago, with the idea to make a long necklace out of them together with many different bright colours. Now I made a necklace with mainly red as the accent colour. Is it the christmas that makes me want to put red in all of my jewellery lately? No art beads in this one, but I made the clasp myself from a large nut bead.

Yes, I am addicted ...

I admit it! I love art beads! And Art Bead Artists. Yes, in fact I am addicted.

I can't stop buying wonderful beautiful handmade beads. I am beginning to get quite a stash now. I love to dream about what I wanna do with each and every one of them. And to be able to just pick out something special when I need it. I get high on that feeling. So yes, I am addicted. Severly!

Dear all Art Bead makers around the world, I wish you all the Merriest Christmas & the Happiest New Year!!!!! Thanks for existing and making my life so much better!

Successful shopping yesterday

Aren't I lucky! I managed to get all of these beauties from Nancy Schindler's Round Rabbit Extra shop yesterday. Gosh you have to be super quick. Everything sells directly. I just missed the Amber Koi Fish unfortunately, and some other things too that I really would have liked to get. But I am soooooo happy about the things I did get. I also have to say I admire Nancy. Not only for her skill as an artist, but also for her clever business mind. She creates a demand for her products by doing these special sales days when she lists a lot of things in her extra shop. During just one day she sells a LOT.

I've been ill quite a bit lately, that is why I haven't been so active here, or in general in the beading community. I've got some new pieces of jewellery that I need to take pictures of to show you, and to list on Etsy. But I have decided to take it a bit easy for a couple of weeks. There are so many other things going on at the moment. See you soon anyway.

All my best,

Malin

Wishful #12

Hi, I have realized I have started posting my "Wishful" series on different weekdays, so I have decided to rename it to simply "Wishful # ..".

ArtMind on Etsy is a lady called Mitsy living in Belgium. Among other things she has been making a series of sculptures called 99 feelings'-project. Below I have quoted her own description of this project. Oh, how I fell in love with these sculptures. I would just loooove to have a series of them placed in a row. The picture above is a montage I made with pictures from her shop on Etsy.

"This ceramic art object is part of my ‘99 feelings’-project. It derives from a project I did many years ago reflecting my self-portrait. I called it ‘how the outside can tell how you feel inside’. I started out with 9 feelings and then I suddenly thought of making 99 of them... I like the fact that the number is uneven and that it leaves at least one feeling to complete to 100. That one unfinished feeling to make 100, represents for me all the feelings I haven't covered and that it can be anything...

It is a series of babushka’s where I added a texture or addition to it on the outside. Quite often, these textures or additions lead you to the feeling right away or sometimes it might recall a complete different feeling for you. That is perfectly possible as this is just what it evokes for me. It can be anything you feel as there is no 'right' feeling for it. Each feeling is subjective and personal. My sculptures are created as art objects. A lot of time and love goes into each one.

You can see all of them here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/artmind_etcetera/sets/72157609444505831/

Or watch a little montage I made:

http://artmind-etcetera.blogspot.com/2009/01/99-feelings.html"

Anyway, I have also, as I bet quite a few of you also have, discovered the new feature on Etsy called "the Circle". And it is thanks to that one I discovered this artist. Someone in my own circle had marked a bunny sculpture as her favourite. It made me curious, and I went to have a look. Unfortunately I can't remember who it was that sort of gave me the tip, so hey if you recognize yourself, please leave a comment. I am ever so grateful to you!

All my best,

Malin

To all non-Americans out there

Hi, are you as lost as I have been over the last week or so? All this talk about "Black Friday" in the international beading community. It seems to be something important, and benefitial for business. Yes, and I managed to figure out one pattern. It is only Americans who write/speak about it. So what is it? Well, I just had to find out, didn't I.

I have taken all the text from Wikipedia.

Black Friday is the day following Thanksgiving Day in the United States, traditionally the beginning of the Christmas shopping season.

On this day many U.S. retailers open very early, often at 5 a.m., and offer promotional sales to kick off the shopping season.

Because Thanksgiving always falls on the fourth Thursday in November in the United States, the day after occurs between the 23rd and the 29th of November.

The day's name originated in Philadelphia, where it originally was used to describe the heavy and disruptive pedestrian and vehicle traffic which would occur on the day after Thanksgiving.

Use of the term began by 1966 and began to see broader use outside Philadelphia around 1975.

Later an alternative explanation began to be offered: that "Black Friday" indicates the period during which retailers are turning a profit, or "in the black."

Thanksgiving or Thanksgiving Day, celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November, has been an annual tradition in the United States since 1863, when during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of thanksgiving.

The event that Americans commonly call the "First Thanksgiving" was celebrated to give thanks to God for helping the Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony survive their first brutal winter in New England.

The first Thanksgiving feast lasted three days, providing enough food for 53 pilgrims and 90 Native Americans.

The feast consisted of:

• fish (cod, eels, and bass)
• shellfish (clams, lobster, and mussels)
• wild fowl (ducks, geese, swans, and turkey)
• venison
• berries and fruit
• vegetables (peas, pumpkin, beetroot and possibly, wild or cultivated onion)
• harvest grains (barley and wheat)
• the Three Sisters: beans, dried Indian maize or corn, and squash

The New England colonists were accustomed to regularly celebrating "Thanksgivings"—days of prayer thanking God for blessings such as military victory or the end of a drought.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING to all you americans out there! Me, I am so thankful for all of you, and all my other friends in the beading community. Thanks for excisting and being wonderful.

All my best,

Malin

Wishful Wednesdays #10

Oh this Bragging Rights Enameled Bangle bracelet by Charmed I'm Sur on Etsy.

Three things from StarEyes, one of my favourite shops for semiprecious stones. A large Sagenit pendant. A wishbox urn pendant/charm. And lovely feathers from peacock.

Arabella Art Accessory Rabbit Bag by Dragon House Of Yuen on Etsy. The smaller rabbit is sold seperately. Oh I love everything from this shop. Not at all less because my daughter's name is also Arabella. And she loves rabbits (or just anything cute really).

Birgitta Lejonklou is Art Bead Scene Blog: Featured Designer of the Week

Art Bead Scene Blog: Featured Designer of the Week: Birgitta Lejonklou

Wishing on a Saturday instead #2. AND who took this photo?

Can't help looking at a lot of christmas tree ornaments lately. It is not like we lack any in our house really, but you know ... These Bird Cage Cushions by Olive on Etsy, are just too sweet. I am very fond of all her things.

Nancy Schindler of Round Rabbit and the RabbitMuse blog makes wonderful porcelein pieces to use in jewellery. I love the ones with many wholes in them, but I seem to always miss out on her selling sessions in her BigCartel Shop. Bummer ... I don't have any of her things yet, but soon maybe. You can buy her jewellery in her Etsy shop.

Peppercorns in a real quail egg filled with resin. Pendant by Yolk on Etsy. Pretty!

Oh, and these earrings by Heather Powers of HumbleBeads I just love.

Almost a year ago I saw this photo on a blog somewhere. I think it was someone who had been on a weekend course in this house. I just thought it was a marvellous looking building, very odd and different. So I saved the photo in my inspiration photos folder that I keep on my computer. Now I would just like to know where this is. Anyone who knows?

HumbleBeads Pain - Our Gain

These two squirrels was talking the other day about going to Sweden to check out their red cousins. They had planned to buy their tickets today, coz they got into some money today. And lucky them, they got a HUGE discount on their tickets. 50%! Imagine that. So they ended up bringing a lot of extra luggage too, all of it from Heather Powers bead shop. The lady they will be staying with, Malin, is over the moon about it all and so much looking forward to their arrival. She sends all her best to Heather, and wishes her good luck with the plumbing business.

Hurry now to HumbleBeads to read more about it, and buy her wonderful beads extra cheap.

Revealing - The Lejonklou and de Koning Challenge #3

Part three of mine and Birgittas challenge was to make a chain necklace containing parts from this soup of beads. Ingridients had to be: something pink, something white, something black, some chain and at least one inch of the silk ribbon.

I have to admit that this one was really difficult for me. Something about the colour combination and the surfaces that is not really me. But it has been a very good experience because of that. I figured out that I don't like it when all parts are very shiny, or when the colours are very contrasty. I have tried many different concepts, before I settled on this one. I think it turned out nicely in the end, if I may say so myself. I did not use all of the beads or components that Birgitta sent. But you will see the white coral rondelle together with a black flower beadcap being used as a clasp, and one of the black rondelles as one of the dangles too. Of course the pale lilac silk ribbon and one of the nicely patinated chains from Birgitta. I have also used some pearls, rounds and facetted black glass.

I added from my own stash: a white silk ribbon, copper parts and beads, various bead caps and some facetted pink opal gemstones. And headpins and wire. The bead caps was a consious decision to experiment with. I hardly ever use them myself, but so often I see others using them in a way that really helps lifting the beads and the design.

Something about this necklace made me start to sing "Aquarius" from Hair. I wanted to name it something to do with astrology, but nothing suited I thought, so it ended up being Astrid, a Swedish female name I find very feminine and beautiful.

Visit Birgitta Lejonklou's Blog to see what she did.

Wishful Wednesdays #9

Hi, I missed last Wednesday Wishes so I posted on Saturday instead. Go here to check that.

Today I wish for a new practical bag. Nice looking is a must! By BayanHippo.

I wish someone would knit me this cute lamb. Or really just any of all the cute little knitted animals you can buy the pattern for. With some clothes too. By DawnToussaint.

SeaUrchin again. Well, what can you say? Astoundingly beautiful beads. I think I would just hang them on the wall by my work area, and just admire them every day for a looooong time before I get around to use them in some jewellery.

So ....

... if you wonder where the result of part three of the Lejonklou-de Koning Challenge is, it has been postboned (how do you spell that word?) until next wednesday. Check back then to see what I have made with the pink, black and white beads and the chain.

Swedish Inspiration - Sandra Backlund

The first time I heard of Sandra Backlund was on a Swedish radio programme called Stil (=Style). Sandra was being interviewed and I just fell for how she spoke about her creative process. She said that when she was studying fashion there was a lot of talk about scetching your ideas on paper and then make them come true in reality. She said she could never grasp that method. She wanted to investigate the forms AS she was working, searching for interesting forms, "what happens if I do this?", "or this?". She worked mainly with knitting at that time, and to me it sounded totally liberating that she wanted to create three dimensional forms with knitting. To me you knit a jumper, a scarf or a cardigan. This sounded very different.

After I had heard her in that interview I immediately went to check her stuff out on the interent. I was completely blown away. To say the least. I have never seen anything like it. And I am not alone. This was about a year or so ago. And she has had lots and lots of attention, not the least internationally.

She has continued to work a lot with knitting, but also with other materials. Always experimenting with shapes, and how they sit on the body. Her clothes are like sculptures. Now she has created her first collection which will be produced in a bigger number. Please keep your eyes on this lady, coz she IS something else!

I just get so completely inspired by her free thinking and method of working and the shapes she creates. Don't miss to read her own words here. And look at more pictures of her work at her site Sandra Backlund.

Wishing on a Saturday instead #

Hello there,

I missed my regular Wishful Wednesdays post this week. And it seems it is a rather popular post so I thought I'd share some current wishes of mine today instead. So here we go, hope you get as inspired as I am from these finds:

1. From LimaBeads I recently bought the NewsPrint Jasper Heishi beads. And gosh are they wonderful. At first the big puffed coins where in my cart aswell, but then I got a bit tight so I took them away. Now I just feel I need to get them anyway. This stone is apparently very rare, and it comes from Australia.

2. Oh, I am so in the mood to use elephants in my jewellery lately. And just the day after I had been roaming around on Etsy searching for beads of elephants I saw a new piece by Lorelei with elephants in it. (Hi Lorelei!) So I don't know if that was just a coincidence, or if elephants will be a next big thing. I, anyway, wanna make a bracelet I'm gonna call "the Elephant Walk". And it shall be a line of them holding on trunk to tail like they do in circuses. But all beads I find are drilled the other direction so I think I might have to make them myself in polymer clay. But I did find these two very very nice Elephant Pendants from TheIDConnection. And I really wish for those.

3. At BeadsAndPieces they have a nice collection of horn beads which I also have been looking a lot for over the last few days. Funny how one get these craves for different materials and colours at different times. Look at these Burnt Horn Flat Squares 25x25mm. YUM!

4. BeadsAndPieces also have this chain made of Linked Makabibi Shell & Yellow Horn Rings. Each ring is 30mm. Oh my!

Now, enjoy the rest of your weekend. I myself have had a very pleasant day today, meeting my friend Yvonne who is exhibiting her art in an art gallery/museum, Edsviks Konsthall. It has been a very beautiful sunny day. And Yvonne had asked me to bring some of my jewellery coz we haven't met for a while, so she wanted to see what I have done. Her friend Fia bought one of my bracelets (one I haven't showed here, but will soon, so you can see it), and Yvonne asked me to make a custom necklace for her. I am very happy 'bout that. Had a glass of white wine also, which was very very nice! Most of the art exhibited was very good and interesting. So I had just the most perfect afternoon with very nice company. Now I believe there is a good film on. 23 with Jim Carrey. I missed the beginning, but after I have published this post and made a cuppa for me and Mark I will turn it on.

Sincerely,

Malin

A visitor came after lunch

This guy came to see me just after I had finished my lunch today. I don't know who he is, but he looks kind of upset.

Is he panicking? Is he in agony? Is he worried? Is he in need of help? Or is he just concerned on someone elses behalf? Why did he come to me? Maybe he is angry. No, I don't think so. I have been looking at him a lot. And I don't sense any aggression from him. Rather a will to help, or to point out something to me. He looks a mess, doesn't he. I want to take care of him. He needs me. But I think I also need him. I don't know why yet. It is just the strongest feeling. Really weird. It is not like me at all to have experiences like this, to see signs or things like that. It has happened, yes. But it has never been anything I have been searching for. Today he just came. Out of the blue. And I know it means something. I like him. The Bone-Man. I can look at him for ages, and it feels good. His eyes. I know I want him to stay with me for some time, maybe for very long. I am waiting to see what he is gonna tell me.

The Lejonklou and de Koning Challenge - part 2

I made a long necklace with the three squares creating a pendant with the Swarovskis dangling at the bottom of it. I was so happy to finally use the Crysocholla wavy beads, have had them for quite a while and I really really like them. And I think it turned out well to use them like this, as a central focal.

For the attachements on the sparkly green square I used loops with Delicas 11.The necklace is partially symmetrical and partial assymetrical. The two kinds of teardrop shaped beads, the pale green jade and the mother-of-pearl, are mirrored on one side each. Aswell as the circular golden toggle and the two cloisonne beads.

I took my photos after sunset today so I had to use electrical light, and I didn't really manage to get a good enough photo of the overall piece. But I hope you get the idea from the pictures I show here now. It is starting to get dark around 4.30. And on an overcast day, well you understand ...

Next wednesday you will see what I have come up with for the 3rd part of The Lejonklou & de Koning Challenge. I have yet not started to think about that one, unusual colours for me, but it will be great fun anyway. And I just love the chains Birgitta included (already used a bit of one of them).

Until then, all my best

P.S. Don't miss the little remain of my bright green nailvarnish, you can see on my thumb in the middle picture. Perfect colour to match this necklace actually.

To check out Birgitta Lejonklou's piece using the same beads go here.

Bracelet - Little Critter

Critter button by MissFickleMedia

Purple copper wire by MissFickleMedia

Drilled Stones from Lake Michigan by TideLine

Oxidized chain by Lejonklou

2 strands of recycled sari Silk

Red Agate/Carnelian

Carved honey quartz

Brown clay round

Yellow Opal rondelles

Prehnite irregular tabular bead

Military green glass beads from Indonesia

Man's Bracelet - The Lejonklou and de Koning Challenge

Here we go, this is what I made. A large unusually cut and dubble drilled black Agate makes the focal of this man's bracelet. Two thick black leather strings, triangular ivory glass beads and ghost white coloured copper wire by MissFickleMedia. I thought this task was so difficult, but now I am kind of hooked and maybe I will make a few more man's jewellery. We'll see ...

The last photos of the slide show shows my ever present assistant Charlie. He even worked as a backdrop for a few of the pictures ...