Wednesday, November 24, 2010

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!!!!

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sunday, October 10, 2010

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 . . .

Thursday, September 2, 2010

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 . . .

Sunday, June 20, 2010

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!

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

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!!!!!

Thursday, May 20, 2010

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!!!!!

Monday, March 8, 2010

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 . . .

Monday, February 22, 2010

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!!!!!

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

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!!!!!

Monday, February 1, 2010

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!!!

Saturday, January 23, 2010

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!!!!!