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

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

The Balancing Act for Beadalon

I'll be appearing on Lifetime TV's The Balancing Act on July 2nd. Considering how much juggling I've been doing lately, it's highly appropos. The good folks from Beadalon asked me to film a segment on jewelry making featuring their fabulous products. What fun! I flew to Tampa and had a delightful time on set showing hostess and crafty maven Kathy Peterson a simple double needle ladder stitch bracelet technique that's easy and fun for anyone to recreate.

Here's a press release they sent about the segment! Tune in!

Cheers,

Madge

The Balancing Act On Lifetime Television Offers Creative “Gems” For At-Home Crafters

Learn the Latest Looks in Do-It-Yourself Jewelry

For Immediate Release

(Pompano Beach, FL ) – A great way to display your creative side is through jewelry-making. To learn the latest trends and styles, The Balancing Act on Lifetime Television welcomes Margot Potter, a multi-talented designer for Beadalon, a provider of do-it-yourself jewelry supplies; how-to videos and other instructional aids. The segment airs July 2nd as part of the Tribute to the American Family Special.

“Jewelry-making is a super way to show off your unique personality by making one-of-a-kind pieces,” she says. “Not only is it a great family hobby, but also gives you quality time to spend with your teenager.” The end result is beautiful, wearable art that doesn’t cost a lot of money.

Beadalon provides all the goods you’ll ever need: stringing tools and other supplies for do-it-yourself jewelry fabricators. The firm lends a hand by also offering detailed instructions, animations and streaming videos on its website (www.beadalon.com.)

“If it’s not fun, it’s simply not worth doing,” says Potter, an actress, vocalist and noted author of books that include The Impatient Beader how-to series. She invites people to “think outside of the box” when designing high-quality pieces to either wear or give away as special gifts. “Coordinate the jewelry with your wardrobe as an expression of your own personal style,” she encourages.

Beadalon has been serving the at home jewelry market for the past 33 years. And long before “going green” was the environmental watchword, the firm created stainless steel jewelry parts with 60 percent recycled content. It continues to lead the way with new “green” initiatives.

Potter’s signature approach kick starts the creative process for do it yourself crafters. She invites everyone to the table for a helping of hand-designed fun and family camaraderie with crafting supplies from Beadalon.

“With Beadalon, you get to spend time together making exceptional jewelry designs in a green-friendly atmosphere,” says Doug Campbell, Executive Vice President of Programming, BrandStar Entertainment, the producers of The Balancing Act. “I know our audience will enjoy this segment.”

About Brand Star Entertainment The Balancing Act: The Balancing Act TV show on Lifetime Television is America’s only morning show about women, for women, trusted by women. Celebrating life and all there is to accomplish, The Balancing Act inspires and empowers with entertaining and educational segments, placing women in the best position to achieve success in every area of their lives. The show is produced by BrandStar Entertainment and airs on Lifetime Television 7 a.m. Eastern/Pacific (check local listings). Additional information and each segment can be accessed on the show’s website, www.TheBalancingAct.com. Each episode is also available on www.Google.com/video and www.YouTube.com. Sign up for the show’s newsletter at www.thebalancingact.com/join.php. For more details about BrandStar Entertainment please visit www.brandstarentertainment.com.