Publication is such a thrill!

Today when I got home from work, I pulled into the driveway as a UPS truck pulled out. I wondered what the package was, but when I saw my name as the addressee, with Kalmbach Publishing as the return address, I got a little excited, albeit puzzled. Was it a free magazine issue from one of the numerous free-trial cards I'd filled out? Was it a sheaf of papers gently admonishing me for signing up for free trials time and again without actually subscribing (not likely)? Then I remembered something, and eagerly tore into the package.

 

Sure enough, it was an advance copy of the newest issue of BeadStyle--sent to me because it features THREE of my earring designs in the new earring gallery!

Now I am off to relax and read the rest of the magazine!

My beading kit, published in Beadwork magazine!

Several months ago, I submitted my own beading kit for consideration of publication in Beadwork magazine's 'Challenge' department--and they accepted it! The editors told me when it would be published, but I'd thought it would be in the fall end of September. Imagine my elation when as I paged through the August/September issue, I turned the page and saw my very own kit!
The kit includes a strand of 4mm teal glass rounds, a medium Griffin purple shimmerstone, a bag of blue/aqua bead mix (with a bit of purple thrown in), 10 violet pearl drops, 1 strand of bright purple silk, and a silver wire bangle. I had to send in 4 identical kits for the editors to use in the department, and they advised me to have a few extra available upon publication, because readers often request the same kit upon seeing it in the magazine. The kit IS available in my shop, just click the top picture, or the highlighted references to the kit.

In the spirit of the Challenge, here is my first attempt at bead embroidery, using some of the blue and purple seed beads and incorporating a small mirror tile. Turquoise and purple are two colours I didn't used to think of pairing, but one day I saw them next to each other and something in my mind clicked. Here, the colours are set off by shiny black seed beads, embroidered onto stiffened felt and backed with black leather. The two layers are stitched together with black edge beads.

Three of my earring designs set to be published in BeadStyle magazine!

http://bright-circle.deviantart.com/art/Earrings-Sherbet-rectangle-169066751Oh man I'm super-excited once again! A few weeks after getting back from the Bead & Button show, I heard back from sister publication BeadStyle, who wants to publish THREE of my earring designs!

I had an especially good feeling that the last pair would get in--something fascinating about those silver spacer bars, plus it uses the same technique as my Armor in Moonlight spacer bar bracelet published in the May issue of BeadStyle.

'The Beaded Passion': announcement and call for entries!

I'm giddy to announce my newest ongoing project: a self-published how-to beading magazine, called 'The Beaded Passion'! It will feature jewelry made from various materials, using a myriad of techniques at many different levels--but they will all reflect a passion for beading! There are still some things to work out and finish up, but I hope to release the premiere issue around the end of January.
In the meantime, what better way to celebrate the upcoming beady joy than with a contest? So, I call for entries to 'The Beaded Passion Contest'!

This beading contest is to show off your skills designing with one or more cabochons! The cabochon/s may be gemstone, bone, vintage or modern glass, polymer clay, metal clay, or Shimmerstone.Techniques you might use in your entry piece include but are not limited to: wiring, bead stitching, looming, bead embroidery, clay work (polymer or metal), and chainmaille.

Rules for entering:
Entries may be jewelry or functional art object.
Judges not eligible to enter.
Your entry must incorporate one or more cabochons, and must be your own original design.
New work is encouraged, but previous works done within the past six months are acceptable.
Put in the listing description that this is for the 'Beaded Passion' contest, with a link back to this post.
To submit, simply comment on this post with a link to your entry. Alternatively, you may send me a DeviantArt or Etsy note entitled 'contest entry' with a link to your entry.
Last day of accepting entries is March 31. Winners are notified and announced within two weeks.

The prizes are as follows:
Most Unusual~$15 gift certificate to my bead shop ParadoxMoxie
People's Choice~$20 gift certificate to my bead shop ParadoxMoxie
Best Entry~$25 gift certificate to my bead shop ParadoxMoxie

In addition, each of the the winning designs will be featured on my Bright Circle blog, my DeviantArt journal and in an issue of my upcoming bead magazine, 'The Beaded Passion'! All entries will be featured on my DeviantArt journal as they come in.

 Entries will be judged on creativity, technical skill, aesthetic appeal, and use of the cabochon in the design.
If you would like to furnish prizes/be among the judges, send me a DeviantArt note or Etsy Conversation.

Contest rules subject to change depending on the number of entries received. For example, a deluge of entries may necessitate the introduction of contest categories. Rest assured, any changes will be posted.

I've been published!

This is so incredibly exciting! For the first time ever, my designs are published in national magazines! The current issue of BeadStyle features my Copper Fan earrings, below:

And my Moon Mother Talisman pearl necklace took honorable mention in the Pearls category of the Interweave's BeadStar contest, so it's published in the just-released 2009 issue of BeadStar magazine. Go on, get yourself a copy and share in the celebration!

Keep an eye out for the upcoming special issue of BeadStyle devoted to pearls--one of my bracelet designs is featured! I want the design to be a surprise, but will say it involves multiple strands and crystals.