Bead blog recap weeks 8-9

If you (like me) are still blog hopping this is what you're looking for.

Here you will as usual find a recap of what I've written on my other blog, Manekis Pärlblogg, these last two weeks. Note that I write that blog in Swedish, but you can translate it using Google Translate (there's even a nifty gadget for that under each post: place your cursor on the orange plus button and choose Translate). Far from perfect translations, but at least most of the links are to webpages etc written in English.


Lark Books: Call for submissions
Craft and jewellery book publisher Lark is looking for submissions to the project book 30 minute bracelets as well as objects for 500 rings and Mary Hettmansperger's new book Heat, Color, Set & Decorate.

Artisan Search 2012
If you're in to mixed media, Artisan Search by mixed media magazine Cloth Paper Scissors might be for you. This year, it's open to us outside the US as well.

Stamens for your flowers
If you want flowers to look realistic, they aught to have stamen. You can add this in diffrent ways: beads on dangling head pins, bead caps etc.

Spring challenges
Tips on different challanges (with or without prizes) that you can participate in during March: Art Bead Scene, Vintaj, Bead Mavens, Operation Tackle That Bead Stash, Margie and Me.

Ballet -- inspired by a movie
The critically acclaimed movie Black Swan has also inspired fashion designers in different ways. Here are examples of jewellery -- black and/or white in a romantic, gothic or modern style -- that might inspire you to also make something in the style.

Beads of Clay Open Studio event
Tomorrow, members of Beads of Clay, a place to find ceramic bead makers, are holding a virtual open studio event via their blogs. Interact with the bead makers and participate in giveaways.

Bead catalogues
Online shops have many advantages, but there's still something special about having a printed catalogue to flip through. Here's a small list of Swedish, American and British catalogues you can order for free or for a fee (ranging from small to substantial, usually depending on postage costs). Note: a few of links, mainly to the US shops, go to the international catalogue order forms: if you're in the same country as the shop, make sure to order the right -- cheaper -- version.

Projects from Preciosa and Lark Crafts
Some bead shops, bead manufacturers and bead book publishers publish free projects for you online. One manufacturer who recently began doing this is Czech Preciosa. Lark gives you free projects from their books.

New bead embroidery book from Sherry Serafini
Serafini, admired by many, has written a new book on bead embroidery that'll soon hit the book stores. Check out Lark's website for more info and a couple of free projects from the pages of the book. They also mention a bead embroidery book by Jamie Cloud Eakin will be published this autumn.

Don't miss contests
If you're looking for info current design contests in this blog, make sure to go back months as some of the bigger contests are open for a long time or are announced month before entries are accepted.

Fashion Colorworks 2011
It's time for the second annual Fashion Colorworks design contest were you created inspired by three colour palettes choosen from the Pantone fashion forecast.

Make your own burnishers
You can make your own burnishers using steel tools, stones (agate, jade, hematite) or borosilicate glass instead of buying the tools ready made.

Super RAW
Gwen Fisher (beAd Infinitum) shows how to stitch a decorative and sturdy right-angle weave variation using two sizes of beads.