New Jewel School VOD with Katie Hacker for Beadalon!

It's teeny tiny Madge with teeny tiny Katie Hacker!

It's time for another fun filled, fabulous Video on Demand for Jewelry Television's Jewel School! This week I'm joined by Design Diva Katie Hacker as she shares how to use the Coiling Gizmo!

It's more fun than a barrel of monkeys.

Seriously!

Click here to go see!

Cheers,
Madge

Let's Twist Again!

It's another teeny tiny Madge ready to show you how to use the Wire Twister and Jump Ring Maker tool!

Have you ever wanted to make your own multi-colored cabled wire and use it to create custom jump rings? This week's tutorial for JTV's Jewel School is all about the Beadalon Wire Twister and Jump Ring Maker Tool!

Plus I sing a truly dreadful song! Yay!

Follow this link to see the video!

I'm off to CHA tomorrow at 5am, I'll be heading to Tucson right after. I'll get next week's video and project posts in, so definitely stop back!

Cheers,
Madge

Freaky Friday: Crystal Web Necklace for SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS

Crystal Web Collar Necklace for SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS Copyright 2010

Here it is, Friday again, and I don't have a new project for you because I've been buried with design work for the new job. Sorry about that, chief. So in lieu of new, I thought I'd re-post one of my favorite Halloween projects...ever. This is so pretty on the neck and it's such fun to make. Bring a generous helping of patience though, this will take a few hours.

Crystal Web Collar Necklace
Copyright 2008
Margot Potter for Create Your Style-SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED-PERSONAL USE ONLY

This intriguing web of metal and crystal floats around your entire neck in a web of glamour and intrigue. Whether the basis for a Spider Queen costume or a striking seasonal necklace, it’s made from affordable materials that are brought to life with the beauty of SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS and Beadalon silver plated wire.

Materials
30 6007 7x4mm crystal moonlight briolettes (you can substitute another small crystal bead if you prefer)
66 5000 3mm jet rounds
72 5000 5mm jet hematite rounds
SS2006 ss12 foiled light Siam flat back crystal (you may substitute a 2028 ss12 here)
Remembrance silver finish Beadalon memory wire choker
2 packages silver plated Beadalon small cable chain
3 large silver plated Beadalon swivel lobster clasps
38 6mm silver plated jump rings
66 clear Beadalon bead bumpers
44 silver plated size 1 crimp tubes
Beadalon 19 strand .024 silver color wire
Jeweler’s Glue (available at most craft stores)

Tools
Round nose pliers
2 pairs chain nose pliers
Memory wire shears
Wire cutters
1/16” drill bit and electric or battery operated drill

1. Use wire cutters to snip spider off of ring base.

2. Use a small drill bit to drill a hole in the top of the spider’s abdomen.

3. Attach a red flat back crystal of your choice to the spider’s abdomen using jeweler’s glue. Allow to dry.

4. Create memory wire choker by cutting off a 17” length using your memory wire shears. (Never, ever, ever use regular wire cutters on memory wire, it’s tempered steel and it will become razor sharp.)

5. Use round nose pliers to bend one end of memory wire into a loop. (You can adjust the necklace for size, but you will need to increase all of your materials, you can also opt to add more jump rings to the closures.)

6. Thread 5mm jet hematite crystals around wire and cut off excess wire leaving a 1/8” tail.

7. Bend tail into a loop using your round nose pliers.

8. Add a 7” section of silver color wire on every sixth 5mm bead on choker using a flattened crimp tube to secure wire around memory wire base. You should have 11 wire sections hanging from choker.

9. Snip off excess wire tail with cutters.

10. Place your choker on a flat surface so it is splayed out as you work.

11. Slide a bead bumper to approximately 7/8” from top of a wire.

12. Add a single 3mm bead.

13. Slide the first link in your chain on the wire behind the bead.

14. Add a second 3mm bead.

15. Add another bead bumper.

16. Slide a crimp tube on wire to bottom of bead bumper and smash flat with chain nose pliers.

17. When you attach the chain next, make sure it is 2” from the first attached link.

18. Continue around the ‘web’ repeating this process until you reach the final strand and cut off excess chain.

19. Move down the wire about an inch and repeat the established process working around your web carefully adding bumper, bead, chain link, bumper and bead. For the second two sections, the chain should be 3” in length from attached link to attached link.

20. When you reach your final sections on each wire, cut off excess wire from bottom of crimp tube using cutters.

21. Attach a swivel lobster clasp to the right side of your memory wire with a jump ring. Attach a second jump ring to the opposite side. This will help secure the web around your neck.

22. Move down to first chain section and attach a jump ring to the right side, threading it into the first link in your chain and around the beaded section before attaching your clasp. Add two jump rings to the opposite side using the same jump ring through first chain link process. Repeat for the second chain section. (Leave the bottom section free standing to allow the web to fan around your neck.)

23. Attach a 5.5” section of chain between the fourth and the fifth beads to the right of center using a jump ring. Attach the spider to the bottom of the chain using a jump ring.

24. Attach a small crystal on a jump ring to the center of each chain swag using a jump ring.

CHA Summer Show Wrap Up!

CHA Summer 2010!

Loved the flowers around the Rosemont Convention Center in Chicago!

Chatting with some folks about Bead Chic while they work on a Make it and Take it!

Loved my fab sign from the Beadalon Marketing Department!

We got home from Chicago and CHA on Friday afternoon. I've mostly been resting since. I wasn't on my game as much as I'd have liked to have been, even my hair lacked pizazz. Sigh. I diverted attention with large and largely distracting jewelry. The daily make it and take its and book signings at the Beadalon booth were really fabulous and non-stop busy. Hopefully I spread a little happy buzz about the new book. Thanks to Beadalon and F&W Media for sponsoring my event!

I didn't have it in me to wander the show floor after the daily three hour demo slots, so alas I have no exciting new products to share. I'm happy to report that my Mermaid's Bounty necklace from Enchanted Adornments went for 150 dollars at the Westcott/Wyland auction! Wow! My pics below are all of the wonderful crafty friends I saw while I was on the show floor. There is never enough time. I'll be back tomorrow with MY Adirondack Chair for Kathy Peterson and The Cedar Store's Designerpalooza 2010! Tune in!

Cheers,
Madge

With The Divine Mr. Mark Montano
of While You Were Out and Ten Years Younger and The Big Ass DIY book series, love him!

With the fabulous PattieWack...she's adorable!

With the dynamic Suze Weinberg-one of the nicest and most talented gals I know!

With Crafty Rock Star Tim Holtz...really what can I say? It's TIM!

Adore every one of these people...delicious Julianna Hudgins spokesperson for Sizzix, craftacular Cathie Filian and Steve Piacenza of HGTV's Creative Juice

With powerhouses Cathie Filian of HGTV's Creative Juice and Wendy Russell of HGTV Canada's She's Crafty

To say I adore Crafty Chica is a vast understatement, she ROCKS!

With the lovely Katie Hacker of Beadalon and new host of Beads, Baubles and Jewels and Candie Cooper author, designer and all around crafty gal!

With the delightful and talented Sandy Laipply at my book signing

(Photo Courtesy of Suze Weinberg)
LOVE this pic of me with Julianna Hudgins. Spending some time with her was the BEST part of CHA.

Another Suze Weinberg Shot with the amazingly talented and sweet Claudine Hellmuth

Dinner at Mortons in Rosemont with the fab folks from Beadalon

Happy Independence Day!

It's Independence Day here in the US and I'm trying my best to relax and enjoy, though that darned straw pile is ever present. Here's a video from my appearance last year on The Balancing Act with the lovely Ms. Kathy Peterson. I share a super simple and simply fabulous bracelet featuring Beadalon wire and SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS crystals. You can adapt this project to suit any day of the year as you'll see when you watch!

Happy 4th of July!

Love
Madge

TastyLinks Saturday

Up, Up and Away Copyright 2010 Margot Potter-All Rights Reserved

This is a design I recently created for Beadalon to showcase their fabulous new Kink Free Ti Titanium Wire and some lovely SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS in rose and black diamond with lots of gun metal accents. The Ti wire has amazing resistance, which lends itself to maintaining all sorts of interesting shapes. This is a play on the circle theme I've been exploring for the past few years with a twist...literally! Follow this link for the instructions.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Repeat.

I am at a crossroads here and it's a doozy. Your plucky heroine has to face some formidable challenges and although she knows that no matter how it all pans out, good things are always on the horizon, it's hard not to feel the significant weight of what lies ahead.

On the other hand, it's just another pebble in the road of life. I'd just prefer it weren't currently wedged in my flip flop. Paging Jimmy Buffett...

"What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly." Richard Bach

Life is change and stability, it is ebb and flow, it is release and it is resistance and in the Tao it is all the same.

So whilst I ponder the task at hand, feel free to peruse this week's sampling of TastyLinks™ from The Crafty Blogger Gang. "We've got glue guns and we're not afraid to use them.™"

First a little bloggy shout out to the DaliciUus™ Fernando DaSilva for stopping by with a huge box of beady goodies last Sunday to help with my new book. Thank you, Nando and Wyatt!

About Family Crafts
Read through Sherri's tie-dye tutorial and you will discover how easy it is to create your own colorful, tie-dyed t-shirts and more.

Aileen's Musings
Watch Aileen's newest video and see how she transforms a boring canvas bag into a snazzy colorful tote!

Carmi's Art/Life World
Carmi uses the sweetest bird embellishments to make a card set.

Craftside-A behind-the-scenes peek at a crafty world
Craftside's got a chance to win a copy of Jennifer Worick's Simple Gifts and how-to's on making a silhouette, a homemade flea collar for your dog, stringing rings onto a ribbon necklace and a fun video interview with Drew Brophy the author of How to Draw with Drew Brophy.

Crafty Princess Diaries
Tammy is hitting the school books again but takes a moment to review her summer crafting and other accomplishments.

Margot Potter The Impatient Crafter
Have you ever felt like the 'red headed step child?'

Mixed Media Artist
Cyndi has gathered up all her favorite collage and quilt techniques to share.

Stefanie Girard's Sweater Surgery
Green Ring and wire earrings inspired by the book 101 Wire Earrings by Denise Peck

The Artful Crafter
How to make a wooden country critter wall plaque.

The Crochet Dude
Get out your hooks and warm them up because Drew reveals all the projects from his upcoming book "Crochet It Love It Wear It - The Ultimate Collection for Every Occasion". You are not going to believe how gorgeous crochet can be!

Serpentine Earrings

Serpentine Earrings Copyright 2009 Margot Potter

Here's a quick and easy elegant earring design I created for Beadalon I called Serpentine. You can get the step-by-step instructions here.

You can easily whip these puppies up at a moment's notice in a variety of color combos and bead configurations. If you're an "impatient crafter" like me, this is your daily dose of instant gratification!

I'm not feeling very musing motivated today, so Madge's Monday Musings will return next week. Let's just say I had a lovely weekend and I'm really missing it already!

Cheers,
Madge

My Redesigning Oscars Jewelry Set

A Bit of the Bubbly Necklace Copyright 2010 Margot Potter

After the Oscars this year, I posted about the dearth of fabulous necklaces and a German manufacturer of extraordinary clasps called Claspgarten.  They sent me a generous sampling of clasps and I finally had some free time to work on a design yesterday.  I found some vintage oversized faux pearl multi-strand necklaces at my local Goodwill a few months back and I took them apart to repurpose at a later date.  The pearls featured in this design are a smattering of what I scored.  I've added CRYSTALLIZED-Swarovski elements beads as end caps to solve the problem of the large pearl holes and to add a little sparkle that speaks back to the clasp.  This clasp is so gorgeous it simply had to be the focal element.

I played with very traditional Bridal sort of concept and then I decided I wanted to give this a more Justin Giunta Subversive inspired edge.  So out came the pearls and the chains and away went the precious idea of knots and perfect strands.  I would have gone with a more asymmetrical vibe or added pearls around the entire bottom chain row, but that would have taken away too much focus from the clasp.  After some prototype versions, I ended up with what I'm calling a vintage modern design.  I'm quite pleased with this one.  The chains and findings are all base metal and created by Beadalon.

(Note: The new materials used in this design were donated to the blogger, the faux pearls were a thrift store purchase.)

Free Mixed Media Jewelry Project: Crocheted Wire and Crystal Necklace for Beadalon

Crocheted Wire and Crystal Necklace Copyright 2009 Margot Potter for Beadalon

I taught a class at CHA on basic bead embellished wire crochet, with a twist. I figured out how to add beads without having to have them loaded on the wire and slide them up for every stitch, because that is far too tedious for this impatient crafter.  I've taken this idea in a lot of directions since I proposed this class and I'm really excited to finally share this simple technique with you. This project is posted in the Beadalon Blog today with full instructions, so I'm sharing the pics of the project here.  Just follow this link to get the instructions!

Until next time...craft on with your bad selves.

Cheers,
Madge

Free Mixed Media Jewelry Project: Red Riding Hood Glass Pendants

(Click on images to view close up)

Free Mixed Media Jewelry Project
Red Riding Hood Glass Pendants
Copyright 2009 Margot Potter The Impatient Crafter

My friend Homer H. Hillis of HHH Enterprises has a never ending array of fabulous new toys for the mixed media crafter. He sent me some new Our Glass pieces recently that are totally awesome. They’re thick, they’re smooth and they are optically clear. That means whatever you put behind them is slightly magnified. He also sent a roll of 3/4” thick foil tape to help seal the images. Beadalon just came out with glue friendly pendant bails and BeadFix glue in sheets!

Can you say, “Match made in heaven?!”

I kept this simple and straightforward, so I can use them as striking focal elements in some new designs. The images are from a recycled vintage children’s book I purchased this past weekend. You can opt for permission free images or other images that suit your style. I love recycling fashion magazines. Don’t scan and manipulate images on the computer unless they’re permission free though, using the actual page is recycling, copying the page is copyright infringement.

Materials
Vintage Children’s Book Pages with Small Detailed Images
HHH Enterprises Our Glass Wafers/Bubble Glass
Beadalon Glue-on Pendant Bails
Beadalon Bead Fix Adhesive Squares
Aleene's Fast Grab Tacky Glue

Tools
Bone folder
tim holtz for Tonic non-stick Scissors
Marker


1. Place Our Glass wafer over selected image and trace with a marker.

2. Cut out with scissors.

3. Spread a thin, even film of adhesive on wafer and adhere to glass.

4. Use fingers to gently work out any bubbles under glass. Allow adhesive to cure.

5. Place tape over back of decoupaged glass, if rectangle or square shape, leave an overlapped edge that is flush with top edge of glass. (If round glass, leave a small 1/6” edge. Designer note: You may need to add a second layer of adhesive to get the tape to adhere and stay there.) Mark and cut with scissors. Use bone folder to burnish tape edges flush to glass.

6. Adhere tape. Repeat adhering tape strips moving from top to bottom of back of pendant until finished.

7. Place flat side of bail on back of glue square and use as a guide while you cut out glue to fit bail.

8. Adhere bail to center top at the back of the pendant.

9. Use your bone folder to smooth out any wrinkles in the tape.

10. If you'd like, you can add a layer of solder to seal everything inside or you can opt to leave it as is. If you're hard on your jewelry or plan to wear this often, I suggest the solder!

Until next time...craft on with your bad selves!

xoxo, Madge

Madge's CHA Show Jewelry!

Hootenanny Jewelry Set Copyright 2009 Margot Potter

Moulin Rouge Jewelry Set Copyright 2009 Margot Potter

Don't Eat the Daisies Copyright 2009 Margot Potter

(Click on images to view in close up!)

I'm leaving in a week for the CHA show in Orlando. Because I'm a designer, it's important that my accessories be flawless. Yesterday I worked on a few pieces to wear to the show. Because they're for me, I didn't have to tone them down. It's so much fun to work in a larger than life scale. I would love to design for the Haute Couture runways or for the theatre, because that's the way my brain works.

Heather DeSimone of The Beadin' Path recently sent me a stash of vintage plastic beads and components and I've been brewing up some design ideas ever since. I have been wearing vintage plastic beads for years. I love them because they are lightweight, so you can pile them on and never feel weighed down. Plus there's so much whimsy and color to be found in vintage plastic.

The first design uses vintage plastic beads, Beadalon polyester chain and resin beads from Plaid's fresh line. Those owls make me so happy I could cry. They're 3-d! They come in a wild array of colors too! I was imagining a vintage evening party with strung lanterns when I designed this. I'd like to get more colors and make another version of this necklace.

The second piece features a 2.5" Eiffel Tower pendant from Blue Moon Beads Noir line. I've been daffy for black and white striped beads recently and I've always had a soft spot for anything French themed. I hand knotted Irish waxed linen cord for the vintage plastic beaded segment and added coated black chain I scored in NYC on the back. Knotted linen gives both structure and fluidity to your designs, and it's so easy to knot you don't need an awl.

The third design takes a cue from design maven Jen Perkin's work, with layered vintage plastic flowers and Beadalon Quick Links chain. The earrings are ridiculously HUGE, but light as a feather. I'm mad for the color combination on this one. This is so Lovely Howell! Heather has a huge selection of these flowers and lucite filigrees and it's so fun to layer them up, you just thread with a head pin and loop the tip on the fine end of your round nose pliers.

I am going to make one last jewelry set and them whip up a new purse and then I'll be ready to rock and roll.

Rebekah Meier is giving away a signed copy of her book Fabric Art Collage on her blog. I reviewed it here last week. If you're into mixed media...you have got to get this book!

Until next time...craft on with your bad selves.

xoxo
Madge

The Balancing Act for Beadalon

Well folks, here it is! It was my distinct honor to appear on The Balancing Act for Beadalon. I love their products and have used them since I owned a bead store 11 years ago. They're good people and they make a good product right here in the USA. They are the only wire company that manufactures and spools their own wire and they have been 'green' since they started making wire thirty years ago. I'm truly honored to be a member of their Design Team.

Enjoy the segment and I'll be back tomorrow!
xoxo, Madge

Shameless Self Promotion AND a Bonus Mixed Media Jewelry Project Idea

Peonies and Pearls Mixed Media Necklace Copyright Margot Potter
Peonies and Pearls Detail

Your regularly scheduled blog post has been interrupted so that we may bring you these important messages:

Everyday Artist’s Studio has officially launched and I’m their first Craft Celebrity blogger! You can visit their site to read my guest post and while you’re there poke around a little! Big thanks to Jenn Mason for asking me to participate.

Just another little reminder...I’m so excited to be appearing on The Balancing Act on Lifetime TV for the fine folks from Beadalon tomorrow morning talking about their products, jewelry making and showing how to make a quick and easy double needle ladder stitch bracelet. You can read a little blurb about the segment on the Balancing Act home page. The show airs from 7-9am daily so tune in! The three airdates are: 7/2, 7/17 and 7/21

I’m working on a full day co-teaching event with the Queen of Utee and the Designing Diva Ms. Suze Weinberg at her New Jersey studios on October 18th. Details to come soon!

I'm teaching two fabulous classes on the When Creativity Knocks Celebrity Craft Cruise this November! It's a great line up of teachers and events with a cruise to the Mexican Riviera!

We're nailing down dates for my Beads and the City tour and it looks like May of 2010. As soon as we have the dates confirmed, I'll send you the 411! Don't forget about the Crafty Cabaret Cruise with Brini Maxwell in October of 2010!

And now...we return you to your scheduled free mixed media jewelry project idea:

Above is a fun mixed media jewelry project I made a while back using general craft supplies mixed with jewelry making components. It’s a three layer tim holtz™ Grungeboard flower I die cut with my Sizzix Big Shot, this flower is BIG (3 inches big!) I painted the layers with Ranger paint dabber in pink and then stamped using silver paint dabber and edged with Krylon Silver Leafing Pen. The layers were glued together with fabric glue; but any porous surface friendly glue should work. I used a hot fix crystal applicator wand to attach the CRYSTALLIZED™-Swarovski Elements. I punched a hole in the center of the flower with my Crop-o-dile and threaded a head pin through creating a loop on the back I could slide on the beaded pearl section. Beadalon Quick Links, a small section of 49 strand .018 wire with wire guardians and crimp covers, CRYSTALLIZED™-Swarovski Elements crystals and crystal pearls were combined to make an open and airy asymmetrical design. I could have made it all chain or created a repetitive pattern, but I was feeling a funkier vibe to go with the larger than life flower focal. The key to asymmetrical design is to create balance and adding the dangling CRYSTALLIZED open circles achieves that effect. This is one of those pieces that absolutely comes to life when you put it on.

I love mixing unexpected elements together. I’m not a materials snob. In my world there are no rules. Rules...schmules. Try not to take it all too seriously, “life is an absurdist tragic-comedy and you are the star!”

Until next time...craft on with your bad selves.

xoxo,
Madge

News!

Dazzle copyright 2009 Margot Potter courtesy of FW Media/North Light Books from Bead and Wire Jewelry Exposed

The ink is dry and I can share some good news! I sold my sixth book yesterday. It's official! I'll be working with the folks from North Light Books/FW Media again. We've got a good thing going so we're going to keep it up! I'm not spilling the beans on the book title or topic until we get closer to pub date. A gal has to have a few tricks up her sleeves...besides a little mystery is a good thing.

Later today you can watch a video I shot at CHA Winter with the delightful duo of Ana and Megan Araujo of When Creativity Knocks. I share the Dazzle necklace (see image above) from the new book Bead and Wire Jewelry Exposed with Katie Hacker and Fernando DaSilva. It's a pretty cool idea using Beadalon Memory Wire, so check it out! While you're there read up on their WCK Cruise this Fall...I'm teaching along with the fabulous folks from Diva Craft Lounge and Ana Araujo! Come play with us!

I've got a very quick turn around on this book so I'm afraid my blogging is going to be shorter, sweeter and more to the point until the August deadline. Think of it as The Impatient Crafter Lite! I did want to mention that we've decided to move the Beads and the City trip to Spring of 2010. It gives us more time to fine tune things and let's face it...NYC in August is misery. I'll keep you posted on the details as we get them nailed down.

I also wanted to say how proud I am of my amazing daughter Avalon. She was a Student Ambassador last night at a program for the entering students. She had to give an extemporaneous speech to the parents about the various classes offered in her grade. I wasn't the least bit surprised to hear she loves public speaking because she's a natural. She's also been invited to next week's award ceremony and I'm excited to see what award she receives. What a great kid! I'm the luckiest Mom ever!

xoxo
Madge

Queen Barksalot Free Doggy Collar Project for Beadalon

Queen Barksalot Doggie Collar Copyright 2006 Margot Potter for Beadalon

Beadalon is posting a ton of new free projects on their website! This is a fancy occasion mixed media doggie collar I created for them a couple of years ago, it has a most fabulous matching leash that's going up on the site later this week. Follow this link to get the instructions. Let's face it, this would look just as cool on a person as it would on a dog. You don't have to tell anyone it's really a dog collar. I think my family might insist that Queen Barksalot is an apt title for me.

Snark.

My straw pile increased exponentially this past week so I'm afraid I must away and spin, spin, spin the straw into gold. Rumplestiltskin has been MIA forfreakin' ever, that nasty little troll. If you see him, you can tell him I've got a few choice words reserved for him.

Ah, if only there really were magical studio helpers willing to work for sparkles! Until next time...craft on with your bad selves.

xoxo
Madge

More Fun with Wire!

Copyright 2006 Margot Potter for Beadalon
Copyright 2006 Margot Potter for Beadalon

(Click on images to view close-up)

Here are two exposed wire bracelet designs I made three years ago for Beadalon. I'm working on instructions so these can finally go live on the Beadalon website. It's funny to revisit designs- on many levels. Firstly you see how much you've progressed in your techniques, secondly you sometimes realize you were on to something interesting and it's worth revisiting and finally you often like your work better in retrospect. By the time I've spent a few days on a piece, I'm often rather tired of it. I can't "see" it anymore. This is why I parade my work in front of my family and ask for their honest assessments. Then I get mad and make pouty faces if they don't like what I've created.

I'm a Leo, we're annoying like that.

I'm very excited to take both of these techniques further. The first uses thick Beadalon silver plated wire and two hole spacers to create an interesting ladder effect. The focal element is a fair trade ceramic bead from Kazuri West and it inspired a unique color palette of CRYSTALLIZED™-Swarovski Elements. I think this technique could be beautiful with larger beads and longer spacers...maybe with more beads. Everytime you make a change to these tension ideas, you have to rework everything. It's the tension of the wire in the crimp beads, along with the way the spacers are suspended that makes this design stay stiff and crisp on your wrist. If the tension isn't right, it'll flip and flop and lose structure. Though they look simple, it's a lot of engineering and trial and error that goes into getting these right.

The second design opens a whole host of possibilities. This reminds me of the Cat's Cradle we used to make with string as kids. I want to keep exploring this one. What if I add more wires and weave a tube? What if I use more beads, bigger beads, smaller beads? I'm not mad for these seed beads...I think this design would look much better with gemstones or crystals. What if it was all beaded and didn't have exposed wire?

Are you seeing where my mind is heading?

The instructions for these will go live sometime in the near future. I promise to share the links.

I'm on QVC Friday EARLY in the 1 o'clock am EST hour with two items. It's a Pink Ribbon Jewelry show. Tune in if you're awake! The host and I are both in allergy/asthma overdrive so it could make for some interesting live TV.

Until next time...craft on with your bad selves.

xoxo
Madge

Link to Free Jewelry Project Confetti Collar for Beadalon

Confetti Collar Copyright 2007 Margot Potter for Beadalon

One of my design specialties is exposed wire work. I use soft wire to create woven designs that utilize tension to suspend the beads on the wire. They’re architectural and dimensional and doing them with soft wire creates a unique set of problems to solve. I started exploring this when we had our retail shop ten years ago. In typical Impatient Beader™ path of least resistance fashion I was looking for a way to get the appearance of an illusion necklace without having to knot, crimp or glue the beads in place. I discovered that by weaving wire in and out of beads you’d get the same suspended look without the futziness of the other techniques. Since then I’ve done countless designs like these ever exploring the idea of tension and suspension.

Beadalon began buying my pieces almost ten years ago when one of their employees Yvette Rodriguez discovered them in our shop window. They’ve used them for catalogs, packages, ads and newsletters and eventually I became a Design Team Member. My challenge in that role is to constantly devise new techniques and innovations to showcase their materials. We have a really great trio of designers at Beadalon and I’m honored to be among them.



Over the past two years I’ve been playing with the soft wire circle. I’ve created a lot of variations on this theme, still seeking the perfect expression of this idea. The design above was featured on the cover of the Beadalon catalogue two years ago. I’ve been waiting for the instructions to go live so I could share them with you. If you follow this link, you can get the step by step instructions for this Confetti Collar. It’s a very simple concept, mostly a matter of repetition of pattern and variation of size. It does require some patience to create, because it takes a lot of time to make that many circles! Once you start making these wire circles, you’ll want to make more, they’re very addicting. I have a simple wire bracelet in Bead and Wire Jewelry Exposed that uses a variation on this technique.

I find this work really challenging and exciting. It’s easy to keep doing the same old thing again and again, or to use techniques that already exist, but creating new techniques is far more exciting to me. Keep looking out for more of these ideas here over the next few weeks.

Until next time...craft on with your bad selves.

xoxo,
Madge

New Lava Rock beads from Rings n Things

The folks from Rings‘nThings sent me some samples to peruse for the month of April. I’m a big fan of lava rock. I particularly like it with shiny or sparkly things, because I love the contrast. As soon as I saw these brown puffy pillow beads I immediately wanted to wrap them up in shiny wire, and so I did. Usually I like ordered wire work, but this more organic, chaotic look works well here. I’m a big fan of less is more...when I’m not celebrating more is more. I just don’t like that place in between where it’s just sort of neither more nor less.

This is a less is more idea.

Lava rock and 20 gauge Beadalon German style wire come together to make a striking pair of earrings to complement a funky summer outfit. ‘Boho’ keeps threatening to make a serious come back and these would rock (pardon the pun) with a smock topped maxi dress, some strappy goddess platform sandals and your hair braided and curled in a Botticelli inspired updo.

They also sent some samples of the two newest CRYSTALLIZED™-Swarovski Elements colors Indian Pink and Dark Indigo. Click on the links to go see! Both are quite yummy indeed. I was going to mix it all together and I could have added a crystal or two to the wire, but less was more yesterday.

Tomorrow...all bets are off.

If you’d like a generous sampling of round and rondelle shaped brown lava rock beads and some German style wire to make your own cool jewels, leave a comment below and I’ll announce the winner next Friday. Make sure you check back, I can’t hunt you down all over the vast interwebs. If you win it’s up to you to contact me.

Cheers,
Madge

Free Mixed Media Jewelry Making Project for Beadalon

Congrats to Marjorie Jumisco for winning the Beyond the Bead comments prize! Email me at theimpatientcrafter@gmail.com to claim your prize! You and your kitties are going to get a copy of my book, a promo button and a judicious smattering of CRYSTALLIZED-Swarovski Elements!
Huzzah!

My How Soft Your Lips Are
Free Jewelry Project
Copyright 2006 Margot Potter for Beadalon

My How Soft Your Lips Are copyright 2006 Margot Potter for BeadalonMy How Soft Your Lips Are Copyright 2006 Margot Potter for Beadalon

(Click on images to view close up!)

This collage necklace is a design I did for Beadalon three years ago. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I’ve been veering into mixed media since my second book The Impatient Beader Gets Inspired. When that book came out a lot of folks in the bead industry totally scratched their heads. They simply did not get where I was going, but I did. I'm restless. I find doing the same thing more than twice to be incredibly pedantic. I like to forge new pathways, make glorious mistakes and delicious discoveries and move forward...always.

The pendant is made of a faux optical lens I got from Outside the Margins, unfortunately these aren’t available anymore. You could opt to use a vintage lens (you can get them at Art Chix Studio) and collage the items on the back and then seal them with Mod Podge OR you could use a different frame. This is an image I cut out of a vintage magazine and I couldn’t resist the pun. I’m a romantic, what can I say? I love the collage work of people like Ann Taintor and Josie Cirincione. Image and text works for me since I'm such a verbally driven person. You can find similar images, optical lenses and lots of great charms at Outside the Margins and ArtChixStudios (see links below.) Aren’t these Victorian style charms adorable? The little chicks make me so happy I could just squeak.

Tune in later today to hear my interview with the creative dervish Alison Lee at CraftCast! We had a fabulous time and I’m only sorry she doesn’t live nearby because I’m quite sure we’d be stirring up creative trouble on a regular basis!

My How Soft Your Lips Are
Margot Potter for Beadalon
Copyright 2006

This saucy vintage image from an old magazine was slipped into a faux optical lens with a bit of visually ‘punny’ text and a tiny cut out heart. Old magazines are easy to find at antique shops and online or you can get images from online sources who sell them in collage sheets. If you can’t find an optical lens, use a mini frame. The chain, CRYSTALLIZED-Swarovski Elements and charms give this a very Victorian appeal.

Materials
Faux or real vintage optical lens (or mini-frame)
Vintage Magazine (or Ephemera sheets from Art Chix Studio or Outside the Margins)
Red construction paper (for tiny heart)
Printed text on white paper (Old English Text 12pt.) ‘the better to kiss you with’
6 20mm cream Swarovski pearls
4 8mm bright gold Swarovski pearls
4 6mm crystal copper Swarovski rounds
4 6mm silk Swarovski rondelles
3 gold plated metal chick charms
4 gold plated metal hand charms
3 gold plated metal lock and key charm sets
2 gold plated filigree 2 strand connectors
1 gold plated hook and eye clasp
12 gold plated filigree bead caps
25 6mm gold plated jump rings
1 20mm gold plated jump ring
1 8mm textured gold plated jump ring
2 8-link segments, 2 26-link segments, 1 25-link segment, 1 105-link segment gold plated elongated cable chain
10 ball tipped gold plated head pins
8 gold plated head pins
Beacon Zip Dry Paper Glue
Beacon 3-in-1 Advanced Craft Glue
3” length black satin looped ribbon

Tools
Round nose pliers
2 pairs chain nose pliers
Flush cutters
Scissors

1. Select image to frame inside of lens. (If using a vintage lens, you will need to adhere the image to the backside of the lens with decoupage medium and seal it. If using the faux lens or frame, simply slide image inside.)

2. Trace image to fit inside lens. Cut with sharp scissors.

3. Create tiny heart by folding red construction paper and cutting.

4. Print text and cut into three segments: the better, to kiss, you with.

5. Adhere text and heart to image with Zip Dry glue. Allow to dry.

6. Insert collaged image into frame and secure it closed.

7. Tie small black craft ribbon bow to loop in top of lens or on jump ring that connects pendant to necklace. Add a dab of GS Hypo Cement to secure bow.

8. Attach a chick charm on the textured jump ring to loop in top of lens.

9. Create coil topped head pins for the 6 filigree encased cream pearls (sandwich pearls between filigree before threading on head pins) and 4 copper crystals using ball tipped head pins.

10. Create coil topped head pins for the remaining beads using regular head pins.

11. Remove chain segments.

12. Create your chains. The longer chain pattern is: 105 link chain working from left to right add a hand charm on a jump ring to the 9th link using to pairs of chain nose pliers to open and close the links, a filigree encased pearl to the 17th link, a chick charm to the 24th and alternating this pattern every seven links* until reaching the last hand charm. (*Add the pendant to the center chain link.)

13. Attach this chain to the outer links of the filigree connectors using two pairs chain nose pliers.
14. Create your second chain. The shorter chain pattern is: 8-link chain, connecting jump ring with attached silk, pearl, copper crystal dangles on jump ring, 24-link chain with lock and key attached to the 13th link with a jump ring, connecting jump ring with attached dangles on jump ring...repeat this pattern until reaching the final 8-link chain.

15. Attach this to the inside loops of the filigree connectors using two pairs chain nose pliers.

16. Attach hook and eye clasp to connector ends using jump rings.

Sources
Chain, jump rings, clasp, connectors, bead caps, head pins Beadalon, hand, lock and chick charms Art Chix Studio, faux optical lens Outside the Margins, pearls and crystals CRYSTALLIZED-Swarovski Elements, Zip Dry Paper Glue and 3-in-1 Advanced Craft Glue Beacon, ribbon Offray, image vintage magazine.

AC Moore Event This Saturday!

Pop Art Poppy Necklace Set for AC Moore copyright Margot Potter 2009

Swingy Springy Earrings for AC Moore copyright 2009 Margot Potter

(Click on images to view close-up)

I’ll be making a special appearance at the Moorestown AC Moore in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey this coming Saturday! From 1-3pm we’ll be doing make it-take its featuring Beadalon® QuickLinks™ to make the Swingy Springy Earrings above. I’ll also have books to sell and sign. My lovely family will be there with me along with my dear friend Robin Beam (Director of Education for AC Moore.)

I’ll be teaching a class from 3:30-5:00 that evening. We’ll be making the saucy little Pop Art Poppy necklace and earring combo above using QuickLinks™, CRYSTALLIZED™-Swarovski Elements and these gorgeous ceramic poppy beads from the Blue Moon Beads Enchanted Planet™ line.

If you live in the area, please consider taking the class or stopping in to whip up a pair of earrings with me. I’d love to meet you!

Here's the address and phone number if you want to sign-up for the class. It's 25 dollars plus you have to purchase the pendant set. I will provide tools for use in the class, the rest of the materials and my witty repartee.

Moorestown AC Moore
1190 Nixon Drive
Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054
856-235-3880

Check back Wednesday for one last free project from Bead and Wire Jewelry Exposed with a final giveaway!

xoxo
Madge