LamplightCrafts

EMAIL FROM RITA: Thank you everyone for doing such amazing work with your Color of Dreams Boutique bead!  What gorgeous and inspiring designs.You are gifted artists, and I'm honored to co-create with all of you.  I think this hop was the best ever!  If you didn't get a chance to check back on my blog regarding the bead set winner, our winner by random.org is Shirley Moore.  Congratulations Shirley.  Your package is going out in the mail tomorrow.   And as a thank you to all -- and as a way of fulfilling my dream of commemorating our blog hop--I've made a Glossi publication with everyone's jewelry and links to blog posts:   http://glossi.com/ToltecJewels/114077-the-color-of-dreams-blog-hop Thank you everyone   Enjoy the publication! Happy Dreaming! Love & Thanks again, Rita I agree with everything Rita said in her email.  The glossi was a wonderful surprise!  I still have to take time out to visit all of blogs.

A Gift from the Woodland Realms is the theme for Week 13, Year of Jewelry Project Facebook Group.  I completed a pendant, just haven't decided what type of chain to make for it yet.  I will be posting more projects as I catch up on the last few weeks. Fox focal by Tree Wings Studio .

What are your dreams?  Is there a dream you are watching unfold now?   What has been your greatest dream to come true?   If you could be, do, or have anything, what would that be?  All I want is for my family to be happy, healthy and successful in anything they want to do or be in life!   Each participant was given a bead created by artist Patricia Handschuh of The  Color of Dreams Boutique  bead to design with.  Our host for this hop,  Toltec Jewels, of Jewel School Friends , wants each participant to c reate with the bead and show our dreams!  Toltec Jewels treated everyone to the beads, and Patricia donated a matched set of her beads for the blog hop reveal give-a-way.  I, of course, joined late and purchased a few beads from Patricia so that I could participate in the hop. After a lot of postal drama, my package finally arrived! These beautiful beads should inspire some wonderful dreams!  The round beads w...

I made a few items for the Spring publication, Creative Spark! Click to view Creative Spark - Spring 2014 on GLOSSI.COM Here is ZnetShows blog post about Creative Spark:   http://znetshows.blogspot.com/2014/03/creative-spark-spring-2014.html Renetha Stanziano

The Bead Soup Blog Party #8 is underway.  This party has become an annual event and was started by Lori Anderson of the Pretty Things blog.  Now that partners have paired up and bead soups are being shipped all over.  This year, I am paired up with Rhonda Hagerman .  She makes very colorful lampwork beads as well as wedding/prom jewelry.  Her Etsy shop is called Mustard Seed Beads .  Here is a sneak peak of what I sent to her..... As soon as I receive my bead soup, I will post more pictures.  I forgot to include the recipe for my soup in Rhonda's package, so I will also post that when I know she received her soup. As some of you might know, Lori has been battling ill health for a while now.  So send some positive vibes or encouraging words her way.  {{{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}}}} Lori, thanks for setting everything up and I hope you feel better soon. Renetha

Received these goodies from ZnetShows  yesterday.  The challenge is to make whatever I want with the bead provided by ZnetShows before March 3rd.  Then the results will be published in their Spring Glossi!  Do you see how I've grouped the colors?  Designs are already forming.  Talk about Spring Bling! Stay tuned for a sneak peak.  Link to the Winter Glossi:   http://www.glossi.com/CreativeSpark/75363-spark-winter-13-14 Have I said that I love challenges?  Well I do!  Let the beading begin. Who knew a 13 year old could fit under a bed.  He crawled under the bed just after he got home from his physical therapy.  I love all my boys, but Leo spends a lot of evenings watching me bead.

Winnings! I just want to say thank you Bello Modo for hosting the challenges.  I look forward to participating in more challenges. Bello Modo announced its winners for their Radiant Orchard Challenge .  I did manage to finish this piece for the challenge: However, I didn't win the main prizes, but I did win a secondary prize goody bag for my use of Czechmates! This was made with Czech mates 2-hole tiles, Toho Takumi's, Swarovski crystal rose satin and purple haze crystals, and Vintaj dragonfly charms.  The focal is a lampwork bead, by my friend and fellow beader Carolyn Harmon ( MVLBA ).  I love her beads! The closest to Radiant Orchid I had in my stash were the Takumi's color called dragonfruit.  They brought out the color of the art bead. I won 3rd place in the Bello Modo Takumi Summer Challenge .  I love to complete challenges because it focuses my designs--rather than beading for the sake of beading.  Not that I don't do a lot of th...

Living Life Creatively: Share the Love Giveaway : Inspired by the upcoming Valentine's Day holiday, Lori Bergmann wanted to do a little Giveaway to show her appreciation for all the love her family, f friends and wonderful customers have given her throughout the year!

Read all about it here:   ESFERA

It is now Week 2 for the 2014 Year of Jewelry Facebook Group, and I am on schedule.  This week's theme is "It's Golden."  I made a pair of earrings.  Easy?  Yes.  Golden?  Of course I made these earrings with 24K gold fumed beads made by VGB Lampwork (Ebay).  VGB always makes beads that sparkle gold or silver.  But the gold-fumed are my favorite.  These tiny spacer beads are so cute. Don't forget to stop by the YOJ Facebook page to see what other jewelry designers made so far in this challenge.  Have I said that I love challenges?  Well I do. Renetha

I signed up for the Jewelry Because Creations Contest.  Jewelry Because creates artisian jewelry and fights for social justice.  The jewelry is created and used in fund raisers for causes and groups that are changing the world for the better.  I am all for doing my part of making the world a better place. For October 2013, I was a finalist and received a great package of goodies.  The black cubes and blue bicones were part of the kit. October Finalist My winnings....more beads!   November Finalist Now for the good news!  I also signed up for the November contest, and was a finalist again.  The pearls, chain and rondelles were part of the kit. The surprise came when it was announced that I won the bonus round for December with this design.  I am so excited. December Bonus Round Winner I am looking forward to creating with the January Creations kit.  It's a lot of fun and I love the challenge.Visit Jewel...

It is time once again to start another journey of jewelry design.  Last year was a lot of fun, but I dropped the ball and didn't post every item like I wanted to.  However, I did manage to make a jewelry item for each week for a total of 52 pieces of jewelry and that is in addition to the 52 pairs of earrings for another challenge. Them for Week 1:  Something New for Me.  Here is my first design, Travertine Dreams, for the year: Lampwork bead by Carolyn Harmon, MVLBA. Porcelain beads by Heliotrope Art Studio. Only 51 more pieces to go.  The 2014 Year of Jewelry group members post all pictures on Facebook, click here .

Click to view Creative Spark Winter 13-14 on GLOSSI.COM I am honored to share the pages of this Glossi with so many talented jewelry designers. It is worth the read. I love reading about other's creative process too.

Art Jewelry Elements challenged jewelry designers to make a pair of earrings every week for 52 weeks using art beads!  That's a lot of earrings.  I am amazed that I managed to complete all 52 pairs of earrings.  Sometimes I had to take breaks due to family obligations, but I guess we all go through that at one time or another.  This challenge was fun, inspirational, and a great learning experience. Here are my last 8 sets of earrings. 45  Art Beads by Pat Westby, MVLBA 46  Art Beads by Flame on Glass, ETSY 47  Top Art Bead by Carolyn Harmon, MVLBA Bottom Artbead, Art Insomnia Beads 48  Art Beads by Flame on Glass, ETSY 49  Art Beads by Stone Designs, ETSY 50  Art Beads by XINAR, EBAY 51  Art Beads, artist unknown.  Just beautiful, red, sugared spacers. 52  Art Beads by Carolyn Harmon, MVLBA Now what to do with all of these earrings?   Don't forget to stop by the AJE Pintere...

Here we go: 33   Art Beads:   Sheribeads 34   Art Beads:  Carolyn Harmon, MVLBA 35  Art Beads:   Art Insomnia 36  Art Beads:   VGB Lampwork Beads 37   Art Beads:  Carolyn Harmon,  MVLBA 38   Art Beads:  Carolyn Harmon,  MVLBA 39  I cut, bent, and wire-wrapped the wire.  Does that count? 40  Art Beads:  Art Bead Love Chain 41  Art Beads:   Serena's Beadery 42  Aged Czech Beads and hemp.  No art beads. 43  Hybrid Picasso Beads and Waxed Linen.  No art beads. 44  Art Beads:  Celine's Beads, Ebay

I think these beads had all of the palett colors and then some!  I also made these: Color Names for Palette:  Gothic Sex Black Candles Castle in Ruins Gothic Lingerie Baroque Clavichords Supernatural Infusion Color Names for Palette:  Zen Forest Autumn Brown Rich Mud Moss Lichen Canopy Green Follow the link to see more challenge designs (Just click on the banner below).  Thank you Erin for the challenge and inspiration.

I believe that if you do good, it comes back to you.  Today, I was in line at a local rib joint waiting for my order.  The man that came in after me placed his order and said that he would pay for everyone's order that was in line.  As I and others thanked him, he said that God has been good to him this year and he wanted to pass it on.  Thank you Wayne!  Have a joyous holiday season. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Renetha

This is my 2nd year participating in the Art Charm Exchange which is hosted by Jennifer Cameron . This year's theme is LOVE!  The fun of this event is that each participant makes 10 charms +1. The +1 charm is then auctioned off during the Beads of Courage Auction, and the proceeds go to Beads of Courage .    I am not a bead artist, but I do love to work with art beads, and I have quite a stockpile. Some beads are labeled, some are not. This year I made teapot charms!  Nothing says love like tea with your best friend.  Each teapot belly is made with small, round lampwork beads made by Carolyn Harman of the Miami Valley Lampwork Bead Artists , Dayton, Ohio.  I love Carolyn's beads, and the fact that I can get them at my local bead shop, STASH !  As a matter of fact, STASH  had a trunk show featuring beads made by MVLBA  last month!  And I was there to look at beads.....and maybe buy one or two :) My +1 charm has an art bead made by ...