My BAO Item of the Week is my fish stories cuff. Purchase that this week and get a free ear cuff of your choice. Check out the rest of the BAO Items and offers here. Most of these beauties come with free shipping or a little gift. Also I want to thank all of the lovely Etsians with smashing good taste that included my work in their treasuries this week. Here are some of their items! mistflowerstudio is currently buying on Etsy but has plans to offer her art later! lillyella's Nouveau Lily... Read Full Story

This is another in my series of EBW/BAO treasuries. This one is for Kerrie Slade who is inspired by nature-- specifically flowers and butterflies. Looking for garden/ nature themed items I searched EBW to get enchantedbeads' Flower Earrings, ThreeFatesDesign's Tiger Lily on Black cuff and playnwithbeads' Green Fringed Necklace. BAO turned up Malodora's Polymer and Copper Flower Pendant, MAKUstudio's Green Speckled Flower Raku Pendant and AnotherCountry's Lavender Garden Bracelet. A search... Read Full Story

If you've been folowing my blog a few days ago I ran a post on bugs as materials with the spotlight on the marvelous Forgiven. When I contacted Jan to let her know how much I loved her piece she was so sweet that that I mustered up boldness to ask if she'd like to be featured on my blog. She said yes, and here she is! Jan creates museum quality collector's art, so prepare to be wowwed. Profile: Jan Huling http://eljan.etsy.com http://www.janhuling.com Tell us about yourself. What... Read Full Story

The results are in for the latest EBW Challenge and GemsbyJules Search Light Art Deco Bracelet received the most votes! The cuff bracelet is done in peyote stitch and contains over 2000 size 11 Delica seed beads in a sea foam green, salmon pink, black and silver. Inspiration for the design came from posters with a "search light" look to them. Runners up were:Lost Treasures - BeadCatcherArt Deco Collar - HighDesertBeadscapesLatte at Hotel Mercedes - ThreeFatesDesignPurple Graces - trizA... Read Full Story

If you're a Sand Fibers fan have I got some news for you! If you've never seen her work please look! It's fabulous! Carol Dean Sharpe is coming up to her 300th Etsy sale and it celebrating by giving away 3 of her new Color Ribbon cuffs in custom colorways! It's an incredible offer! Start a collection, buy a gift for a pal and reward yourself for your kindness, kill two birds with one stone if you have two occasions coming up . . . just think of the possibilities!And then think of the... Read Full Story

I just had to share elJan's Forgiven, again. I thought it was so marvelous a built a treasury around it. Since it was mostly ignored and now expired I wanted more exposure for this pretty. My biggest hope is that the bugs were already dead when they were decorated. I'm all about using dead stuff in art, but not if I have to kill it. I can wait till the bug's done with its body before I string it, or whatever. One day I'll share my dead bug necklace. Suffice to say it's a real attention... Read Full Story

This morning I woke up thinking about materials..If you're a beadworker how much import does intrinsic value, time, skill, uniqueness and love involved have on your choice of materials?.Is something automatically more beautiful because the gems are grade A? Perhaps it depends on your personal sense of style and not just the depth of your pockets..As a beadweaver I often choose beads at a mid-range price. I'm not shy about mixing less expensive Czech beads with more expensive Japanese beads to... Read Full Story

Complementary Contradictions is the next EBW theme. Here's sneak peek at my project. I was thinking 1st about a yin/yang thing and color contrasts. Then I thought of other contrasts, art and artifice, then art and science. So I found a pretty lampwork bead or art and a piece of fishbone, a piece of citrine and a beetle wing for science. I'm leaning toward a bracelet, probably freeform. Check back for updates! Read Full Story

Bead Art Originals Items of the Week (8/11-8/17) Originally uploaded by Sand FibersMost of these come with free shipping or a little gift. Check here for details. Voting is still open on the EBW Challenge! Vote here. I hope to start my next project to day too.Looks like Darcy is still running her special. Check out yesterday's post.Kerrie Slade's Awareness fundraiser begins today. Check out her blog for details.This seems like a get out of my blog post! Links to everywhere! Oh well, there... Read Full Story

There are few artists whose work I admire more than Darcy Horn's of The Jade Dog. It's hard to say why. She uses fabulous components and I love the semi-random earthy feel of her work. It's primitive in the best sense of the word and fabulous, stopping short of over-the-top. I love the colors, textures and scale of her work. Darcy is having a little sale. Free shipping and a free gift with every purchase useing Paypal. Check out her shop and prepare to be amazed! Read Full Story