December, 2012

My Lovely Beads, e-Newsletter

Happy 2013 Year!

We hope 2012 has been such a great year for you and we believe it only continues getting better. Thank you to all for your support and your sweet and encouraging compliments, we take all of them to heart. We wish you all the best! Read in the December issue:

Contact us with any questions at info@mylovelybeads.com.
Best regards, MyLovelyBeads.com Team

Stone of December: TURQUOISE

Stone of December:
TURQUOISE


Communication, grounding, connection between physical and spiritual planes. Brings happiness and good fortune to all, attracts healing spirits, making it a premier healing stone. Protective stone, guards against violence and accidents, valuable amulet for travelers. Zodiac signs: Pisces (Fish), Scorpio (Scorpion), Sagittarius (Archer).

More Info

Rubellite resembles ripe raspberries

Believe it or not, but people in some countries think one of the gems of the winter month of December is rubellite - gem, that doesn't resemble snow or icicles. The name of the stone comes from the Latin word RUBELLUS, which translates as "reddish"; rubellite is a pink-red variety of tourmaline. Ruby red rubellites resembling ripe raspberries are especially prized.

However there is an exception here where not all red tourmalines are called rubellites. Rubellites are not just red or shocking pink tourmalines. There is a criterion to be followed and met for a red tourmaline to be called a rubellite tourmaline.

Basically, gemstones tend to change color based on the light source. However this does not exist in the case of true rubellites. This means that the rubellite tends to shine as intensely in artificial light as it does in daylight. In the case of red or pink tourmaline, the stone tends to display a tinge of brown in the presence of artificial light.

In the fascinating world of the gemstones, there is hardly any other stone, which has such a persuasive erotic aura. The color range of the rubellite comprises tender shocking pink as well as ambivalent violet. It takes these two components to get the best out of that seductive red. Fortunately, Mother Nature has created the rubellite in many color nuances, so that every woman can select the right rubellite for her type.

Rubellites are quite rare and have only become popular in the last few centuries. Some of the Russian Crown Jewels from the 17th century, once thought to be rubies, are actually fine examples of rubellite gemstones. Rubellites are believed to strengthen love and devotion as well as inspire creativity. Rubellite gemstones are also thought to help reduce stress, tension and anxiety.

Rubellites are cut in the most various ways, though the cutter must take account of the varying intensity of the color. Rubellites are mainly found in Brazil, Madagascar, Mozambique, Nigeria and Pakistan. Some beautiful shocking pink rubellites come from gemstone mines in the USA.

Fashion Colorworks. Photo requirements

Fashion Colorworks 2013 Beading Contest

Submitting good quality photographs is very important to your chances of winning. We know your main concern is creating beautiful jewelry, not photographing it, but if your pictures don't sufficiently display your artwork's quality, no one including contest jurors will see how beautiful it is! Main photo requirements are:

• Minimum resolution of 72 dpi (dots per inch), that is good for HTML display;
• Square images must be at least 1000 x 1000 pixels;
• Rectangular images must have one dimension that's at least 1000 pixels;
• Save digital image files in JPG file format;
• All images must be 2 megabytes or less (otherwise we're at risk not to receive your entry form, even if you get a "thank you" page)
• No text, watermarks or other identifiers in the image (for anonymous judging);
• Maximum 3 images per entry: one shot displaying the entire item and two close-ups (clasp, finishing method, focal, detail of fine workmanship, etc.);
• Fill as much of the frame as possible with your piece; avoid using props or models;
• Avoid loud or distracting backgrounds (use neutral solid backgrounds, such as gray or white).

Application with attached pictures of entries is sent trough provided online form. The form will open on the website and the entries are accepted since April 1, and the last submission day is June 15. Read all the details of the contest, including how to enter, and then start beading!

Fashion Colorworks 2013 Beading Contest Rules

Royal jewelry for every woman

The art of self-adornment is as old as man. Beadwork is among the most ancient types of jewelry. Every woman wants her own, unique look, and Alla Maslennikova from Moscow is always ready to either match or enhance individuality of any women. Her royal-like and themed sculptured beaded jewelry takes people's breath away!

Alla says, "In 2013 I really want to continue my Joaillerie Royal Collection (Royal Jewelry Collection) of beaded jewelry, which the Baroque Necklace belongs to. Drafts of the new necklace are already done, color palette is found, and most of the materials are already collected. There is just a small thing left: to weave a necklace in square rope technique that would be more complicated and intricate necklace than "Baroque" is! I also plan to continue a series of my themed jewelry (like Playing Hedgehogs Necklace and others); there are several ready-made designs with selected materials. There will also be exotic animals and mythological characters.

Of course, I'd like to give a try to something new; I have accumulated quite a lot of interesting ideas, which for various reasons could not be implemented before. Some of them have been thought over for more than a year and maybe in 2013 year I'll be lucky to start. I won't tell you about them in details, let it be a surprise.

As to my achievements in the past year, they are mainly related to the Baroque Necklace. Apart from it I was able to implement several other, less ambitious though also interesting in their own ideas, but I consider the Baroque is my main beadwork in 2012.

The Baroque Necklace won three competitions: the first and most important was "Battle of the BeadSmith", specifically for which it was created, then "Baroque" took first place in the contest "Arts and Crafts" in the Art Week in Moscow, and finally it entered the top ten of the best works in the competition "The best gift for the New Year's Day 2013" held by the "Fair of Masters", Russia's largest Internet portal of handmade work.

Necklace "Baroque" is made in the style of Romanov dynasty royal jewelry. Particularly important for me was that I finally took up the theme, which I did not dare to approach, although I've hatched my plans for a long time. Jewelry of the Russian Tsars is considered being one of the finest in the world jewelry history; and I felt that I haven't been ready to face such a complex task neither technically nor as an artist..."

Full article by Alla Maslennikova
 
Bead artwork by Alla Maslennikova
 
Email: to@beadlady.ru
 
Website: www.beadlady.ru
 
Blog (in Russian): bead-lady.livejournal.com
 
Shop (in Russian): beadlady.livemaster.ru

What is it - Bridge jewelry?

Bridge jewelry is so named because it spans the gap between fine & costume jewelry. Bridge jewelry is made of precious metal - usually sterling silver, but also of gold filled and vermeil; the other materials include crystal, glass and gems. Gemstones used in bridge jewelry are semi-precious. That would include any gemstone that is not ruby, emerald, diamond or sapphire.

Examples of semi-precious gemstones in bridge jewelry are aquamarine, opal, garnet, citrine, topaz, amethyst, lapis, onyx, turquoise, malachite, quartz, freshwater pearls - the list goes on and on. Just a word here on the quality of gemstones. A poorly cut, bad specimen of ruby can be worth much less than a excellent specimen of say, aquamarine or turquoise.

This category of jewelry has many names in the market including art jewelry, craft jewelry, indie jewelry, and handmade jewelry. Bridge items are high quality accessories that can be worn every day. Bridge work techniques include, but are not limited to the following: metalsmithing, lampwork, metal clay sculpting, polymer clay sculpting, forging, beadwork, wire wrapping, and casting.

Bridge jewelry by Luis Vallejo

Involve me and I'll understand

Through the ages, beads have changed and improved, giving rise to improvements in beadwork techniques. Today beadwork is enjoying a renaissance, and continues to increase in popularity. Olga Haserodt from Germany is hooked on crafts since her childhood; and beadwork is her main passion now. No wonder her intricate beaded jewelry makes its wearers happy.

Olga says, "I've thought for a long time, that I was already an adult when I knew beads, but it was a mistake. Recently I remembered one already forgotten fact: when I was in school my friend showed me a very nice beaded jewelry and invited me to the classes held in the Palace of Youth (I was living in the city of Astrakhan at that time). I was bored sitting and stringing bead by bead on a thread, I wanted to run and jump and my first lesson became the last.

The years passed. It so happened that my family (my husband and my children are the Germans) and I have already lived in Germany in a small village surrounded by vineyards for more than 10 years. I was pregnant with a third child, when during one of the rides by car I saw a billboard advertising an exhibition and sale of Easter eggs. I asked to stop for a short time to see the exhibition. Watching beauty and art design of Easter eggs created by craftsmen from across Europe made me want to try my hands and become part of the creative show next year.

I asked the organizers of the show and I was given six months to create my collection, but how could I pay the attention of experienced professionals? Turning over hundreds pages in the Internet, I came across a beaded Easter eggs, and beads burst into my life with a bang! Gradually the scope of bead use have expanded, I've learned more and more techniques.

Chinese proverb says, "Tell me and I'll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I'll understand." - that can be completely applied to my working process.

I like taking part in the bead contests: you are given a theme and you offer your interpretation. I love to plunge enthusiastically into the world of bead art of other artists, explore and enjoy themed beadworks by my colleagues for hours. For me, the main part in the competition is to find an idea, a style, and then step by step to pick up everything necessary and to try new materials, new techniques, and this is a victory for me: I did it!"

Full article by Olga Haserodt
 
Beadwork by Olga Haserodt
 
Email: olga.haserodt@gmx.net
 
Blog: perlenharmonyoase.blogspot.de
 
Davanda Shop: de.dawanda.com/shop/PerlenHarmonieOase

Step by step - Curly bead jewelry

Beadwork by Olga Arsentieva

A year ago we published the article by Olga Arsentieva "Extending framework of techniques" where this young bead artist from Belorussia told us about her creativity and her own bead world. Olga uses an original way to design and make her intricate, lacy and curly beadworks that make people admire Olga's jewelry and make them think about beadwork as of true art.

Olga was very kind and prepared a sort of tutorial (process in pictures) explaining how to make such a type of beadwork. We hope the tutorial in pictures would be useful for you if you want to make intricate and extremely attracted beaded jewelry pieces.

 
Tutorial by Olga Arsentieva: Curly bead jewelry
 
Olga Arsentieva: Extending framework of techniques

Upcoming events

New Waves 2013 at MOCA New Waves 2013 at MOCA

January 25 - April 28, 2013
Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art
2200 Parks Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA 23451

MOCA presents its annual juried exhibition, New Waves 2013 for the 18th year. Over 180 artists from across Virginia submitted work and proved, yet again, that the Commonwealth contains a rich and vast array of artistic talent. This exciting exhibition demonstrates the diversity of materials and approaches that are used in contemporary art today.

OPENING JANUARY 25TH 6:30-8:30PM. We are glad to inform you that Zoya Gutina's beadwork is selected for the New Waves 2013 exhibition.

1st Annual Spring Jewelry Making Retreat

March 3 - 6, 2013
The Overleaf Lodge Event Center
280 Overleaf Lodge Lane, Yachats, Oregon 97498

Treat yourself to the beautiful experience of a 3-day vacation of beading and jewelry making in the midst of the central Oregon Coast. Yachats, Oregon is the perfect location for a gathering of beginning students to learn basic as well as current techniques and beautiful designs from local and accomplished instructors. Join for this lovely retreat in the beautiful setting of the Overleaf Lodge and Spa Event Center. The Overleaf Lodge and Spa offers a nurturing environment with resort-style comfort and hospitality unmatched.

The Event Center with fireplace provides a private space with small group classes, resulting in your creativity thriving as well as new friendships that will last a lifetime. You'll also have the opportunity to work one on one with 4 instructors for each class, giving you a range of beading and jewelry making knowledge to take home and cherish.

Join the retreat to share knowledge and friendship at this unique event. Registration is due by January 31st, 2013. Military discounts are available. For registration cost and more details please visit the website www.eastmeetswestevents.com.

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