Meet Aritst Kitty McGurer of Southwestern Echoes

Today's featured artist is Kitty McGurer of Southwestern Echoes. Kitty specializes in designing and creating amulet bags, spirit bags, and most recently bead embroidery necklaces. Her designs are all one of a kind and beautiful!

Pictured here are a few of Kitty's new bead embroidered necklaces; I can't imagine how many hours these pieces take her to design and create! Her Copper Butterfly Necklace is currently available on ebay. This design features a pair of SWJ polymer clay wings, a black onyx cabochon, vintage tri-brilliant beads, vintage glass fireflies, glass seed beads, copper beads, and a copper clasp. Kitty's scrimshaw necklace is also available in ebay, it is Kitty's interpretation of Aesop's Fable, "The Fox & the Grapes." This piece features scrimshaw by Kim McClelland, an enameled brass stamping, metallic seed beads, glass beads, Delica beads, and a sterling silver clasp.

For more of Kitty's creations and to learn more about her and what inspires her designs be sure to visit her website, southwestern-echoes.com. Thank you Kitty for your sharing your kind words, wit, and pictures with me. Your butterfly necklace absolutely amazes me, I never imagined something SO beautiful when I created the wings!

Tonight's featured Artist: Carol Glassman of Finest Lines

Tonight the spotlight is on Beaded Jewelry Artist, Carol Glassman of Finest Lines. Carol creates amazingly intricate and beautiful beaded jewelry designs! When she isn't beading, Carol is writing and editing, teaching writing, and facilitating book reviews... her business, Finest Lines, is a writing and editing business in South Florida. (Or, perhaps it's the other way around--business then beading--LOL).

In Carol's words "I have been beading in different styles since before most people were born :). As an art teacher in a junior high school in Canada for many years, I incorporated beads and looms in my curriculum. I got very serious about beading in Florida 3 - 4 years ago, when I saw a beaded amulet bag at a local art show. I was very excited and could not rest until I learned how to do it. One day when I was out with my husband, we came across a bead shop, I saw some similar work, and a sign saying they gave classes. That's how I met Barbara..." Carol has taken classes from and is friends with Barbara Ellis, a bead fellow bead artist (featured a few days ago).

Carol shared pictures of her newest creations and is allowing me to post them here for you. "Mermaid" is a beaded cameo necklace. The pearls dangle over her face when this piece is worn. I love the movement and branches in this design, just as it would be in this mermaid's sea. "Vampira" is a cuff bracelet complete with a bat barrette in her web-like hair and pet bats by her side! Carol is in the process of creating a blog or website, she enjoys beading more than taking pictures (I can appreciate that statement!). In the meantime you can find her posting on ABOUT.COM: BEADWORK.

Thank you Carol for sharing your creations, a bit of yourself, and for inspiring me. I love the depth and thought provoking elements in your designs. You've got me thinking of new clay ideas, I need to get to work!

Meet Artist Judy Love of Classy Ass Gifts of Oatman, Arizona

Today the spotlight is on artist Judy Love, a fellow jewelry artist. Judy creates beautiful wire wrapped and sculpted jewelry and beaded necklace / earring sets. Judy's creations are available in her shop Classy Ass Gifts of Oatman, Arizona, located along historic Route 66. (You've gotta love the name of her store!)
Judy has a keen eye for combining gemstones, cameos, and crystals into pieces of wearable art. I admire her ability to incorporate multiple elements into a single piece of jewelry. Her wrapping and sculpting talents unite everything so gracefully it looks effortless. This is NOT as easy as she makes it look, it takes a special talent--I know this first hand! In Judy's words, "I have a good imagination, so that helps!!"

If you are traveling along Route 66 be sure to stop by Judy's store to see her beautiful jewelry in person. Judy also creates beaded necklace and earring sets and features art and handcrafted items from other local Arizona artists. Can't make it to Arizona... visit her website Classy Ass Gifts of Oatman. She is just getting her site up and running, nothing for sale online at the moment, but its a great place to meet her, get directions if you're traveling through Arizona, or visit her shop from afar.

Thank you Judy for sharing your jewelry designs and ideas with me, I love them! And, thank you for challenging my imagination and inspiring me to create new clay designs. I hope we have a chance to stop by Judy's shop someday. We made the trip a few years ago, but I didn't know Judy back then. We were only a few miles away from her shop.... the world gets smaller every day!

Meet Bead Artist Barbara Ellis

Hello everyone! It's been a bit since I blogged... the pre-holiday rush has started! In between working at my bench, attending ArtWalk Lancaster, and nursing Ollie I have met some great artists the last few weeks! I want to make sure I share them and their beautiful creations with you. I will be featuring these inspiring artists in my blog this week.

Tonight the spotlight is on Bead Artist, Barbara Ellis. Barbara creates unbelievable beaded jewelry. Her designs have been featured in Beadwork Magazine and she offers 61 original patterns at beadpatterns.com. You will not be able to resist trying one of her designs! She shared the cuff bracelet pictured above with me last week--Barbara calls this design the "Wicked", you can find her pattern at beadpatterns.com and the face cabochon is from our SWJ ebay store.

In her words: "This gothic inspired cuff bracelet is called "Wicked." The vampire cabochon reminds me of a Versace or Medusa face, especially with the branched fringed snake hair surrounding it. Very dimensional and outrageous." Barbara's pattern comes complete with written instructions, graphs, photos, colors, and a list of material and the sources used. Be sure to check out some of her other designs--I've added pictures of her new Pumpkin Patch Cuff and Vampiress Cuff, both stunning. Look at all of the detail around the Vampiress face cabochon! I also love Barbara's Creative Hands Cuff, Three Graces Cuff, Riverbank, and Cherry Blossom Panel Bracelet--Oh, there's too many to list here, the more I look the more I like!

Thank you Barbara for your kindness, sharing your creations, and for inspiring me! Your talent amazes me!

A Hello from Ollie!

Ollie wants me to thank everyone who has been thinking and asking about him. He had us worried, but he's much more comfortable and happy now. His new doctor started a bunch of new medicines and a low salt diet to help his heart and liver. He has his ups and downs, and can't do a lot of things as fast as he used to, and he has to pee all the time... but what do we expect he's 13 years old (93 in human years). Anyone that can still walk, bark, play with their toys, remember where they hid their bones, and do their business outside at his age is doing pretty darn good. And most important, he's happy and stubborn again.

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers-they helped! We'll keep you posted on his progress.

A Gemstone Christmas Tree Pendant with Special Sentiment

It's time for Christmas Tree Pendants! These are my favorite Holiday design to create and wear! A Christmas tree of gems including Bloodstone, Moss Agate, Fancy Jasper, Tigereye, Picture Jasper, Red Jasper, Goldstone, River Rock, and more wrapped in strands of hand sculpted sterling silver.

Aside from being pretty, each piece is unique and carries a special sentiment--the gems have the perfect energy to help their wearer "survive" the hectic holiday season. They promote peace, joy, calm, strength, stamina, and orgainzation. Who couldn't use a little of this in the midst of the busy holiday season?

These are an exclusive design I am proud to offer in my ebay store. Each one will arrive boxed, with a paper gift bag containing a small polishing cloth and the lore for each the gems in your pendant. I have priced these very affordably (most are under $30.00). Consider treating yourself or someone who might need a little pick-me-up through the holidays. If you have any questions or requests feel free to contact me!