ArtBeads.com Stocking Stuffer Sweepstakes

OK . . . so I'm kinda obsessed about contests and sweepstakes in order to win new beads!!!!! MY NAME IS MICHI AND I HOARD BEADS!!!!! I just entered this sweepstake and I HOPE I WIN! I HOPE I WIN! You might, too! Just click here for the details . . . maybe the winner will be YOU!!!!!!!! Good luck!!!!

Woo! Hoo! Another CONTEST!!!!!

WOW!!! Another exciting contest sponsored by ArtBeads.com . . . this time the awards range from $100 to $500!!!!! The contest entries are being accepted from September 29, 2010 through November 22, 2010 . . . public vote will start November 23, 2010 and will end on December 8, 2010 . . . winners will be announced on December 13, 2010! Please click HERE for details!!!!!

GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Autumn Leaves Necklace

My 89-year-old beading buddy, Claire Abelson, and I had great fun designing the new Fall 2010 ArtBeads.com Fall Project . . . I LOVE leaves and flowers so this theme was perfect for fall colors and leaves . . .

I LOVE to beadweave with the ArtBeads Toho Seed Beads . . . this time I used the round beads . . . but the other shapes are SO exciting, too!!!!!

The Swarovski Top Drilled Bicone I used is listed under "Pendants" . . . I was so thrilled to get the opportunity to use these GORGEOUS Bicones . . . they were PERFECT for beading . . . Ohhhhhhhh . . . I got a little "artsy-fartsy" when I got made a boo-boo and got my camera lens too close to the subject matter . . . but then I thought it was kinda cool so I included the photo in with this blog post!!! Duhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!

When you are perusing the website . . . be sure to take a side trip to "Community" where you'll find videos . . . blogs . . . facebook . . . galleries . . . all kinds of eye candy!!!! Have fun!!!!!!

*Disclaimer . . . I receive free product from ArtBeads.com in exchange for my design (in this case our collaborative design) as an ArtBeads.com Blog Design Team member . . . opinions are strictly my own . . .

Beading with a Purpose

I recently beaded a necklace, matching bracelet, and earrings for a charitable auction for the Medici Foundation which helps support the Cancer Center of Irvine, California . . . I used a classic diagonal peyote stitch for the design . . . I'm also learning to display my work for photography . . .
The following design was prompted from my cousin who couldn't find "canary colored" earrings to go with her outfits . . . I used a peyote stitch for this piece, as well . . .

I hope you like my new pieces!!!!!!

ArtBeads Fall Blogging Fun!

What a enlightening discovery I was given by ArtBeads.com Blog Design Team . . . the Pantone Color Wheel Website . . . you can actually interact with the online color wheel to give you colors that work harmoniously together . . . what a find! The Pantone Fall 2010 Fashion Colors have been announced . . . which have inspired the design for the Fall Artbeads.com Blogging Fun project . . .

ArtBeads Summer Blogging Fun!

It's time for ArtBeads Summer Blogging Fun!!! This project features Toho seed beads (some of my personal favorites!!! LOL!!!) . . . Sterling Silver Charms . . . the possibilities are ENDLESS with these versatile beads!!!!!

I must say that this piece was a collaborative effort . . . I started off with a basic plan . . . and then my 89-year-old beading buddy, Claire (photo below) . . . had some AWESOME suggestions that make it the design it is . . . Claire attended the Chicago Art Institute as a young adult . . . it certainly shows by the way her creative mind works . . . I'm so glad I met her!!!!!

I also received a great tip from my talented stamping/beading teacher, Sylvia Valle from Saddleback Valley Unified School District Adult School where she teaches so many wonderful crafts . . . I don't know how she can be versatile in so many media . . . she simply blows me away . . .

I hope you like our collaborative piece . . .

*Disclaimer . . . I receive free product from ArtBeads.com in exchange for my design (in this case our collaborative design) as an ArtBeads.com Blog Design Team member . . . opinions are strictly my own . . .

This is my 89-year-old beading buddy, Claire . . . she's shy . . . LOL!!!!

This is what Claire used to look like when she was a young ballerina!!!This is my multi-talented art teacher, Sylvia Valle . . . she's really special . . . I'm so lucky to have such sweet and talented beading buddies and teacher!

Friends of Sylvia Valle Volume 3

We had our last class meeting of my special and talented rubber stamping and beading teacher and gave her a scrapbook with highlights of the year and a scrapbook page by each of the students who participated (and some former students, as well!!)! This is the third year in a row that we did this . . . and our dear teacher, Sylvia Valle, was so touched by it . . . she was almost speechless!!!!! Here are the scrapbook book cover I beaded and some of the photos . . . Sylvia's classes are offered by the Saddleback Valley Unified School District Adult Education Department http://www.goadulted.com/ . . .

Happy summer everyone!!!!!

Happy Wedding Shower Tina!

My only niece from my side of the family is my sweet Tina (Christina) who is getting married in June . . . her Bridal Shower is Saturday . . . here is the card I made for her . . . a kind of BEFORE and AFTER of her life, so far. My sister adopted Tina from Korea when she was only 3 months old . . . she was fat and healthy and they let her fly with the agency when she was very young . . . how fortunate we are to have such a wonderful niece in the family!!!!! Best Wishes Tina!!!!!

I'm totally loving these Sterling Silver Leaf Pendants & Itty Bitty Swarovski Bicone Crystals!

I'm totally loving these new beads sent to me by ArtBeads.com in exchange for my design . . . I am so fortunate to have been chosen to be on their Blog Design Team! This time I got to choose these BEAUTIFUL Sterling Silver Leaf Pendants and GORGEOUS 2.5 mm Swarovski Bicone Crystals in Silver Shade . . .

Here is the link for the AWESOME center Sterling Silver Leaf Pendant . . .

. . . and the two smaller Sterling Silver Leaf Pendants flanking it . . .

The beaded leaves are beaded 11/0 Toho beads also sold by ArtBeads.com . . . they are having another of their GREAT DOLLAR SALES until 9:00 AM (PST) Thursday, March 11, 2010 . . . I'm on their newsletter email list to get their sale announcements . . . they have FANTASTIC sales!!!!THE BEADERS FLORAL written by Liz Thornton & Jill Devon is the book where I found the leaf pattern . . . what an INCREDIBLE book . . . it's published in the United Kingdom . . . my beading buddies and I were able to get them from Canada for less $$ than directly from England at Beadfx . . .

I hope you enjoyed this piece!!!!!

*Disclosure . . . I receive free product from ArtBeads.com in exchange for my designs on my blog . . . opinions are strictly my own . . .

WINNER WINNER WINNER!!!!!

THANK YOU to everyone who participated in this exciting drawing!!! You are ALL winners to me!!!!!
Dh#2 pulled an entry from the hat (so to speak!! LOL!!!) . . . Drumroll, please . . . the winner of the $25 Email Gift Certificate from Artbeads.com is SHIRLEY BOWERS!!!!! Woo!!! Hoo!!! CONGRATULATIONS, Shirley! May you have TOO MUCH FUN with your beaded treasures!!!!! ArtBeads.com will contact you for your $25 ArtBeads.com Email Gift Certificate . . . YOU ROCK, GF!!!! LOL!!!!!

ArtBeads.com $25 Email Gift Certificate Blog Giveaway

What a great time for beaders! ArtBeads.com is sponsoring a drawing for their blog team designers (moi . . . LOL!!!!) to offer to their readers! All you have to do leave a comment on my blog with an EMAIL ADDRESS so that I can contact the winner!!! I will draw one winner after Monday, February 22, 2010 @ 12:01AM (PST)!! That's Washington's Birthday (I still have a little bit of school teacher left in me!!! LOL!!!) Good luck!!!!!

Acrylic Paint Technique on Gold Technique

One of my many groups has two lotteries each month . . . this month was my turn and I elected to create a "Gold" card using acrylic paints . . . Images are from A Stamp in the Hand . . .
First, I just took a piece of gold (not mirror gold) cardstock . . .

I put a small dab of acrylic paint on a non-stick teflon sheet and a big dab of acrylic glaze medium . . .

The two were mixed with a plastic palette knife . . .

Spread the length of the cardstock . . .

I labeled the back of the cardstock "top" and "bottom" . . .
Lay the cardstock gold side down on the spreaded color . . .

Lifted the cardstock from the "bottom" . . .

Repeat with two other colors . . . I like to lift it in the same direction from the bottom for consistency . . . until I covered the cardstock with color leaving the gold cardstock showing in various places . . .

Here are samples . . . the first one is the original background for the card . . .

The second one is a second generation one with left over paint making it lighter . . .

The third sample is done on silver cardstock . . .

The fourth sample is done on watercolor paper . . .

These acrylic paints and mediums are so versatile and fun . . . I could play with them all day!!! LOL!!!

Craft Super Show dot Com

This year we were lucky enough to have CHA Convention (which is for wholesalers/retailers in the craft industry) hold a CraftSuperShow Convention for the public the two days before CHA started in Anaheim, CA . . . I went for both days and I'm glad I did . . . there was PLENTY to see and participate in demo's and Make It Take It's . . . I even saw one of my very favorite Mixed Media Artists, Chris Cozen, who introduced her newest book . . . MIXED MEDIA AND COLOR . . . published by Design Originals . . . here's a photo of Chris Cozen and myself and she's holding up a copy of the book! I LOVE her books and techniques!!!!!
One of the booth workers was wearing a GORGEOUS necklace that her friend made for her . . . I just had to take a picture of it and show you . . .

I know I need another hobby like a hole in the head . . . but my mixed media buddy, Marilyn Gallas and I couldn't pass up this quilted postcard which only took 30 minutes to make at the Janome Sewing Machine booth . . .

This charming card was a Make It Take It at the Joann's booth using K & Company Papers . . . it was so easy yet it looks so delightful!

I hope they decide to hold the CraftSuperShow in Anaheim again next year . . . I would LOVE to attend for both days, again!!!!!