It's Bead Show Season!

I'm gearing up for the 2010 bead show season which, for me, starts in Skokie, IL on February 20 & 21.

I have a few exciting surprises up my sleeve this year. At some of the shows I will be giving wire workshops for creating copper bangles and fibula pins which will include a copy of my "book" Wire Workshop Secrets.

Wire Workshop Secrets is jam packed with tips and techniques I've gathered over the past thee years that you won't find in any other book on the market. Even if you don't take a workshop with me you can still buy the book at any of my shows for $18.

And the Winners are....

Dragon Troll Queen! Chosen at random, this is a woman after my own heart who loves to make jewelry, books on archaeology, ancient history, and the greatest movie of all time Young Frankenstein! LOL! She will receive a nice variety of boro beads totaling 1/4 lb just in time to make some Christmas goodies.

Bebdesigns! Bebdesign is a member of the Starving Jewelry Artists Street Team (http://www.starvingjewelryartists.com/) on etsy, which is sponsoring a "Wrist Candy Holiday Giveaway and SALE 10/26 through 12/6" so be sure to check that out. She will also receive 1/4 lb of my boro beads very soon!

Congratulations winners and thank you to all who participated in the boro giveaway!

Call for Wire Jewelry Photos

Hello friends!

I'm in the home stretch of what has turned out to be my book on wire jewelry basics. This "little" book started out as an outline for a class I want to teach at the 2010 Intergalactic and Bead Mercantile shows; however, it has taken on a life of its own and become a 70-page book chock full of all the things those books with the wire tutorials never taught you. How exciting??!!

I know that many of you are jewelry artists who have purchased beads from me in the past, and a good percentage of you probably work with copper and/or silver wire. SO... I'm going to offer a free focal bead to anybody who sends me a picture of a piece of jewelry you created using wire that I use in my book. My objective is to show varying styles of jewelry made with wire, so go wild and send as many photos as you like! (All entries will remain YOUR property unless you sign a release form.) Here are the details:

DPI: 300
Dimensions: At least 1000 x 1000 pixels
Background: NOT white (if possible)
File type: .jpg 
Include: Name, your website, your email, your artistic statement or a blurb on your inspiration for the piece, a signed release form (I'll send you one if your photo is selected).
Email address: lori@lampworkbylori.com
 
Deadline for entry: December 31, 2009! 

Oh, and don't forget to go to www.lampworkbylori.blogspot.com (if you're not already here), click "Comment" and leave a few words to let me know you're reading my blog for a chance to win a 1/4 lb of boro orphans! The more you comment, the better your chances to win! The drawing will be held on my birthday, December 1 for TWO winners! Wooo hooo!

Bead on!

Lori

New Teaching Gig at Blooming Dragon Emporium! I'm Really Psyched!

All of the i's aren't dotted and t's aren't crossed, but I'm pretty sure I'm going to be teaching my Twisted and Coiled Wire Jewelry Workshop at Blooming Dragon Emporium on Indy's east side in mid December as well as January, February and March of 2010.

I'm planning to add two additional wire classes called Floral Fibula Pins and Hammered Earrings that feature hip disk beads. I'm not Blooming dragon's posted schedule yet, but head on over to their blog and sign up for their monthly newsletter for upcoming dates.

In addition, Blooming Dragon will be carrying my wire pieces for purchase in their gallery section.

I've known part-owner, Marti Icenogle, for several years now. She and her daughter Tina do some wonderful things with Precious Metal Clay and fused glass, too!

 Oh, and don't forget to go to www.lampworkbylori.blogspot.com (if your're not already here), click "Comment" and leave a few words to let me know you're reading my blog for a chance to win a 1/4 lb of boro orphans! The drawing will be held on my birthday, December 1 for TWO winners! Wooo Hooo!

Over and out!

Lori

November Give Away: 1/4 Pound of Boro Orphans!

Since I've started making boro beads I've accumulated more orphans than usual. Orphans are beads that didn't quite make it into a set or little experiments that didn't quite go my way.

So, from November 1 thru November 30, if you come to my blog at http://www.lampworkbylori.blogspot.com/ and click "comment" under any blog post and leave a comment, I will enter your name in a drawing for 1/4 pound of boro orphans! The more you comment the better your chances of winning.

I will draw twice for two different winners on my birthday, December 1st (Wooo!) and post the names here on my blog.

NOTE: If you have trouble posting a comment please email me at lori@lampworkbylori.com; however, only blog comments will count as entries.

Won't You be my Guinea Pig?

I've developed a class that I'm planning to take on the road with me to help offset my show fees next year. Here's an invitation to all of you locals to come over and help me test it out in person! 

Twisted and Coiled Wire Jewelry Workshop
 
Class Fee: $35 (WHAT A DEAL!) including materials and a 40-page workbook with color pictures, instructions, tips, exercises and design ideas.
Contact: lori@lampworkbylori.com
Class Limit: 5
Date and Time: Saturday, November 7 from 1:30-4:00
Location: Lori's house (Greenwood) BYOB

This workshop is designed for persons who are interested in or new to working with wire and beads to create stylish, unique, and long-lasting jewelry. We will:

• Review a detailed list of tools, materials and supplies
• Twist and coil wire (both manually and with a drill)
• Uncover the secret to making perfect wire-wrapped loops
• Make your own jump rings
• Make a swan clasp
• Wire wrap a focal bead
• Learn how to select beads for wire work
• Practice reaming bead holes
• Discuss ordering wire for your future projects

At the end of the class you will have assembled a beautiful copper bangle to wear home.

A tools list will be provided but all critical tools will be available for borrowing or sharing. You are welcome to bring your own beads.

What a Whirlwind Week!

Somebody please remind me not to schedule two shows back-to-back again, and a 2-day lampwork class in between! Aw, it wasn't that bad, and of course I had a great time.

One of the highlights was my two-day class with the fabulous Kim Fields in her sculptured birds class. I have to tell you, that lady is quite a talent and I learned a lot. I was on the verge of selling off all of my soft glass but now I'm thinking twice. We made a simple transparent bird, an owl, a "Pudgie," a Snow Bunting, a Chickadee, a branch for birds to sit on, and finally, Kim demonstrated a "fantasy" bird. Here is one of Kim's birds, a Vermilion Flycatcher.

I had been meditating on the following scripture that week. As we were making the birds and looking at books to understand their detail I was reminded again of the wonders of nature and how each species is so unique and realizing there are so many different kinds... I was just amazed and humbled once again at the creativity of God.

What is man that you are mindful of him,

the son of man that you care for him?...
You made him ruler over the works of your hands;
you put everything under his feet:
all flocks and herds,
and the beasts of the field,
the birds of the air,
and the fish of the sea. ~ Psalm 8:4-8

At The Art Center bead show in Highland Park, IL (Chicago) I had fair sales and got to meet some long-admired and friendly beadmakers such as Ellen Black, Karen Ovington and Ofilia Cinta who's watermelon quartz murini hollow fish stole my heart!

The best part of the weekend was probably the food, and by food I mean pizza - Gino's East pizza - and introducing it to my nephew. I couldn't believe there was a Gino's right near our hotel when planning our trip and I was so excited to taste it again after almost 30 years. We got a 12" pan pizza, and when they say pan, you should imagine a cake pan. It was so yummy, and Jake loved it. We ended up eating it for Satruday dinner and finishing it off for Sunday lunch. Mmmmm, mmmm!

Oh, by the way, be sure to stop by http://www.lampworkbylori.com/ to vote on where you buy your lampwork beads and check out my tentative 2010 schedule.

Lampwork Lori
lori@lampworkbylori.com