How it is Made

by Staci L. Smith

My dear friend over at Handstampin Metal Mama posted this GREAT little insight into recycling scrap and making a pendant.  I just had to share it with you.

I just love seeing how things are made, with process shots.  

First of all, she uses Argentium Silver, and highly recommends it.

To recycle her scraps, she finds ways to melt and use them.  

And she turned these into a sweet little pendant!

Isn't that just GREAT?  And because it is so pure, you don't need solder, you can just fuse it together!  Virtually no fire-scale or anything.

You can find her work here on facebook

Handstampin Metal Mama
https://www.facebook.com/groups/metalmamashandstampin/photos/

Here are some of the wonderful things she does with her metal!

Thank you Metal Mama for sharing your process with us!

The Bead Show

by Staci L. Smith

If you follow me at all on facebook or my personal blog you will know I am prepping for a bead show.  So, either you are loving all the process pics and beady sneak peeks, or getting tired of hearing about it.  (I hope you are loving all the pics)  Anyhow, I'd like to tell you a little bit about Berks Bead Bazaar.

 

It was the first bead show I ever attended and I was immediately in love.  It's not too big, but has everything you could want and then some.  It is run by bead artists Joan Miller and Louise Mehaffey.  I think having a show run by artists brings an extra level of creativity to the show.   They pick unique bead artist, as well as wonderful vendors for gemstones, findings, ect.....

 

Last year was my first year vending as a bead artist there, I guess  Berks is a place for firsts for me.  I fell in love with it- the customers were wonderful and fun, my fellow artists and neighbors were wonderful.....great time was had by all.

 

I hope if you are local, or within travel distance, you will try to come out and visit the show.  If you do, please make sure to let me know you who you are so I can meet you in person!

 

My display will look roughly like this (minus the wall and pictures hanging in the background)...............

 

 

My daughter Julia is helping me at the show (she is 8), and has a tray of her own beads available to sell as well.  She is saving up to buy her own beads (below) at the show! (gotta start them young)

 

 

And here are some of the goodies I will have for sale.  I need to finish up another tray or two this weekend, and then pricing begins.

 

 

Prepping to vend a bead show is crazy, but I have to say, I love being up to my elbows in beads.

 

Anyone here who doesn't like being surrounded by beads?  Yeah, that's what I thought.  Who doesn't love beads?

 

Here is the link to the show again www.berksbeadbazaar.com and there is a coupon for $1 off your admission!

 

 

process

mary jane dodd

'the creative process is a process of surrender,

not control.'

~ julia cameron

i worked on an entry for a juried show entitled 'process' this week... i knew what i wanted to do, the ideas falling into place like so many dominoes tumbling one after the next... 

like standing at the edge of a cliff, my comfort zone was surely left behind when my chest began pounding... i was doing something i hadn't tried before - and the deadline was only days away... 

if one is admitted to the show, images are placed with each entry... images that allow the viewer to see the process behind each work... i really love that idea... for how can one know what goes into something otherwise? unless of course you speak to the one who made it... 

there is a sense of ultimate freedom when i work like this... 

'freedom is not given to us by anyone;

we have to cultivate it ourselves.

it is a daily practice...

no one can stop you from being aware of each step you take

or each breath in and breath out.'

~ thich nhat hanh