Carnival - All Sorts of Fun in a Bead Embroidery Masterpiece

Am I the only one that finds doing what one shouldn't be doing rather than focusing on the task that's really important to finish really fun and slightly naughty??  Okay, I've always been a procrastinator and I've always said I do my best work under pressure (insert Queen & David Bowie humming lyrics here.)

So why would it be any different for packing and moving my studio, right?

That's what I thought!  So rather than trying to pack and move all my itty bitty treasures in my studio, I found this wonderful lampwork treasure from my friend Juli ( StudioJuls if you're new to my blog, or you've been hiding under a rock).  The swirly iridescent spiral on that focal just mesmerized me... so much so I forgot (wink, wink) that I should be packing.

Instead I pulled out all my purples and greens and just lost all track of time (days, weeks even) but the end result is total worth it.  SO in lieu of throwing caution to the wind and pushing all packing aside allow me to introduce you to Carnival!  A splash of fun in every bead!

Available in my Etsy Store:  http://www.etsy.com/listing/93992345/carnival-bead-embroidered-necklace-with

Thanks all for taking the mind wandering journey with me!  And now back to your regularily scheduled program.
{Hugs!}
~Dawn

FYI, if you'd like to try your hand a bead embroidery, THIS is STILL the best book I've found to help you get started.  Why?  Because it shows you two different methods and allows you to create your own style, stitches and method by blending the two!

Fast Friday Post to get you up to speed

This is going to be a speedy post today because our little Bella had surgery yesterday and I'm now an official Licking Referee.  I hope the stripes look good on me.

Bella is in great shape.  She woke up with her usual appetite today, and I can tell she's going to be a fast healer.

I've had a few pieces of jewelry I've been working on sporadically throughout the week.  I'll have more to share with that, AFTER I get the photos.  I'm waiting for an order from Artbeads.com since they just had a stupendous $0.99 sale.  We all love a sale... but dollar days are my favorite!

My dear friend Erin Prais-Hintz celebrated a birthday this week.  (Shhh, don't tell her I told you, but she's only 25 -again, wink, wink)  In celebration, she's sharing more about her and having several giveaways.  Pop over to her blog to wish her a happy birthday and check out her birthday un-present!  http://treasures-found.blogspot.com/

That's all Bella is giving me time for... off to referee!  Hope your weekend is fantastic!
{Hugs!}
Dawn

Custom Made Art Jewelry by Designs by Dawn Marie
Like us on Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/DesignsByDawnMarie

Baby Christian Needs our Help

Hey friends, 

I don't normally blog about some of the most sensitive subjects in our world.  But this one is really important.  So if you'd please, read the whole post, I'd really, really, REALLY appreciate it.  

Last week my dear friend Juls posted on her blog that her nephew was born pre-mature - not just a little, but by 4 months.  I've not had children, but I know that those last 4 months of development are so very critical to the baby.  So prayers, support, and lots and lots of healing energies were immediately and are still being sent up for Baby Christian.

Juls did an update post about Christian over the weekend.  That wee little guy, he's such a fighter.  Here's what Juls shared on her blog:

"Christian is in NICU at UAB.  He is on blood pressure medication, an oxygen ventilator, in an incubator obviously, has to be given blood and a myriad of other things I can't remember right now, weighs 1lb 3 oz and is 11" long.  He is so tiny that he wrapped his entire hand around my brother's fingertip.  His vitals are good, he is properly developed for the stage of pregnancy he was born during, and his oxygen intake is slowly but steadily improving.  The overall prognosis is that his chances are good.

Please continue to pray for our Christian.   He is so loved."

Because Juls' heart is bigger than the rest of her entire body combined she just posted today about a sale she's having in her Etsy shop.  http://www.etsy.com/shop/Julsbeads  All sales will go toward Christian's treatment and the expenses incurred by her bother and his wife.  They've have not yet gotten into the Ronald McDonald house, so every night that they stay in Birmingham, is out of pocket expenses.  And who could leave their first baby... so tiny, and such a fighter?  If I were in their shoes, I'd be there 24/7 too.  

So right now, if you make a purchase from Juls Etsy store, use the coupon code CHRISTIAN at the check out for 25% off your order and all the funds raised will go to support baby Christian and his family.  

If you've read this far, from the bottom of my heart I thank you.  Juls is like family to me and I only wish I was there to help her stay strong.  If you want to spread the word, grab the button on the right!  (If you're reading this on The Hive, visit my blogger blog:  http://designsbydawnmarie.blogspot.com) It'll link to Juls post about the special sale for Christian.  She's going to be the best Auntie this little guy could ever ask for.  

Hope your day is filled with blessings and love!

{Hugs}

Dawn

P.S.  If you want to help, spread the word to help baby Christian.  Share or re-tweet this blog post to spread the word far & wide.  Thanks in advance... I know you rock!

UPDATE on Christian

It is with very heavy heart that I have to share this news.  Christian passed away on Friday, Aug. 12th, his Daddy's birthday.  He was a gift to his family for just a mere week, but he'll be treasured forever.  Prayers and love go out to Juls and her entire family though this difficult time.  Juls, we're so very sorry for your loss.  If I could hug you in person, I've give you 8,452,129 of them!  

Thanks so much to everybody that shared Christian's message, and that offered words of support and love to Juls and her family.  You are all a treasure and a blessing to be friends with! 

Two of my loves Glass Beads and the color Purple

Two of my loves are also coffee and donuts, but you didn't come here to find that out, did you now?  

What you really came here to read about were either A. Glass Beads or B. The Color Purple... either way, grab a napkin because you're gonna drool!  PROMISE!

Earlier this summer I was doing a wee bit of shopping and stumbled across the most awesome maxi-dress.  It was this fabulous purple and green bohemian style flowy sundress.  Honestly, it jumped right off the rack and said, "Take me Dawn, I'm yours."  And how could I not.  It looked like me even without me in it!  So home with me it came... along with the idea that I MUST have a necklace to go with it.  That was May...

Then was that infamous trip for coffee where something else said "Bring me home Dawn, I'm yours."  And so I did... and thus the necklace for this most perfect dress has been a work in progress during stolen moments of beading time for nearly 3 months.

I poured so many things I love into this necklace... obviously purple... with a dash of green.  Beyond that, I like rounded shapes... I've always had an eye for angular rather than perpendicular or parallel.  (Yes, in my dream bedroom, the bed will be at an angle, with the headboard in the corner.)  I love big bling, so the crystals add a pop or shparkle... yep, I spelled it shparkle because I can!  And I adore lampwork glass beads.  In this necklace I used some custom made lampwork beads from Julsbeads.  I mixed it all up with a host of seed beads and stones (agate, and some jasper thingy or other, and some shparkley purple glittery stones I had in a stash from who knows where) and voila!

And since I mentioned DONUTS... if you pop over to Juls Blog, she's got donuts over there... sorta.  It's a big 'ole Blog-o-versary and she's doing one.heck.of.a.hu-mungo.GIVEAWAY.  Then you can get your OWN donuts and pretty coily beads.  So just wiggle that little tushy of yours over there and enter... hurry because one the blog-o-versary donuts are gone, the party is O-V-E-R over! 

**Disclaimer: This blog post is 100% calorie free eye candy.  Designs by Dawn Marie will not be held responsible for licking of computer monitors, uncontrolled drooling, or twitching mouse finger.  If you experience any of these symptoms, please seek help immediately.

Thanks for playing! :o)

The woman is crazy - like completely off her rocker CRAZY!

Honestly, when someone's done gone and lost her mind, can we help her find a support group?  I'm working on it, but I'm drooling all over my keyboard and it's getting in the way!

I'm talking about our sweet southern lampwork artists Juli Cannon y'all (her y'all not mine.)  She's been crazy making beads the last few days and even crazier listing them in her StudioJuls Store!  What's really crazy... these sets of beads are only $10 each... that's nuts!  I don't care if it's walnuts, pistacios, peanuts or almonds... she's a whole mixed bag of nuts listing these sets for $10.  That's 1/2 price y'all (again, her y'all, not mine.)

So before she comes to her right mind (or I find a support group for nutty glass artists) I'd scoot your little patootie over to Studio Juls right now and scoop up your favorite sets! 

Like the beads but don't make jewelry (Stacy, Jenna, Kathy and so many more) pick some up and ask Juls to ship 'em this way!  I'm happy to make you something custom with these delicious baubbles! 

So don't wait... she might find the mind she's lost!  http://studiojuls.bigcartel.com/

Have a Wacky Wednesday! :o)

**Fine Print:  All images belong to JulsBeads.  All Rights Reserved.

Wait Monday Don't Lose me...

I can't believe we're headed into the evening already.  My Monday has been NUTS... wait, back up... the last 3 days have been nuts.  But heck, I should be used to nuts and since I have a hankerin' for caramel cashew ice cream... I'll roll with the nuts.

Suffice it to say, Open House transition to going for coffee, coming home with a puppy and today has been adjustment day... wait, did I just say went for coffee came home with puppy?

No wonder I'm nuts!  Yes... and I'll tell you how serendipical that story is another day, but first, I have to share a piece I made that I myself am still drooling over.

Curly Girl by Designs by Dawn Marie

I call her Curly Girl.  I love purple... like almost as much as ice cream... somedays maybe more, just depends on if the bathroom scale is broken or not.  Broken = ICE CREAM bliss.  But purple speaks to me and has my entire life.  Pair it with a rich, coppery bronze... mmmmmm, now that leads to drool.

The idea for this necklace came from a set of beads I got from my favorite lampwork artist - JulsBeads.  I saw them the day she posted and said GIMMEEEEEEE, I couldn't log into paypal fast enough.  They were just shouting my name.  So they alone are each incredible works of art.  They are cylindrical in shape and surrounded with a coil of raised glass creating to me what looks like a curl... like my curls.

So once I had them in my hands, all the rest of the beads had a big 'ole party and made one heck of a piece.  I have to say, it turned out just how I hoped it would.  It will be in my Etsy store tomorrow (or later) it just depends when the puppy is napping.

I hope you enjoy Curly Girl as much as I do.  She's a looker that girl. :)  Thanks Juls for always making really, really special glass beads.  Honestly, your pieces make me smile just looking at them!

FYI, I'm also working on another Facebook Friday post for this week.  It's really, really an important tip that you will definitely want to read if you are on facebook at all (not just for your business, but personal too).  So stay tuned... okay, I must dash!

Thanks for checking in and hope your week is wonderful!
{Hugs!}

What's the next best thing to free?

A big A$$ sale!  You heard me, I'm sharing the abundance of love display by my super friend Juli Cannon - JulsBeads.  The sale started yesterday (and I'm a bit slow) so I'm telling y'all (Juls word) about her super.duper.fantastic tax sale!  It runs through Wednesday so y'all can still get in on the good stuff!

Here's the link to Juls' Etsy Store:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/Julsbeads

Still Available in Juls Etsy Store

When you go there, the message is at the top for getting free shipping AND FREE BEADS!  Yes, I didn't have a typo there... free beads! 

Mine, Mine, Mine

If you've been drooling then now's the time to act!  Scoop up some of these gorgeous lampwork beads and I can't wait to see what you design with them!  I got these in the mail on Monday and I have to tell you, it was love at first sight!  Honestly!

Sent to me for a custom order!

♥ Peace & Beading! ♥

Fairies are Dancing on my Keyboard...

Because they all should be wearing these earrings!  The pink & purple just sing of girly glam and fairy dust!  Doncha think? 

I listed these lampwork glass earrings in my Artfire store over the weekend.  People are loving earrings, such a simple way to dress up an outfit, add a pop of color, or showcase some amazing beads!

Yup, these do all of the above!  Plus these have the coolest Tanzanite Crystals on them... they are a twisted cube sort.of.kind.of.  I had purchased a few of them at my local bead store last summer because they were soooo sparkley and pretty.  But every time I was going to use them, the bead devil on my left shoulder jumped right off my shoulder and put them back in their place in my bead organizer.  So I moved on, coveting all the Tanzanite crystals. 

But now, these beautiful JulsBeads were crying out for friends.  They really, really wanted to party like rockstars with the coveted crystals.  How could I not oblige them?  I mean seriously, don't they make the perfect couple? 

Hugs!

The Gift of Creativity

Photo courtesy of Juli Cannon - Julsbeads

Yesterday I posted and shared with you a little secret... "the bead fairies are spoiling me rotten!"  I've had so much creativity flowing through this body that I'm practically bouncing like Tigger.  Yesterday I snapped some photos of a necklace I designed with a set of really, really cool beads from JulsBeads.  I'm telling you, these beads started talking to me the moment we laid eyes on each other.

They are the coolest round bead with a "ribbed" exterior in clear glass.  In the middle is a blend of beautiful purples and blues with a hint of maroon... maybe... or maybe my eyes are playing tricks on me. :o)  Either way, they are beautiful!

So they were the inspiration for this necklace.  I love swirls & curls (which is why wire jewelry originally caught my attention when I was toying with the idea of where to go next in Dawn's Great Life Adventure).  So I carried the swirly pattern through creating a chain of seed beads in a swirl pattern.  The necklace turned out really colorful, and tons of fun.

I have another project in the works that will also be wonderful!  Can't wait to share more... but for now, the beads are calling! Hope your day is full of creativity and love!

{Hugs!}
Dawn

Boo-tiful beads!

Like my new jewelry model?  She's around for a very limited time as she'll disappear into thin air in just over a week... BUT for the time being, I thought she did an excellent job displaying this necklace I just finished.

I used a few orphan beads that didn't have "perfect" matches (from my good friend Juls, of course).  Added a few round crystals and put together a sweet beaded chain and "Ta Daaaaa!"  Meet Caribbean Kiss!  Doesn't it make you want to book your vacation right.this.very.minute! :)  It does me, and that would include a tropical beach where drinks are served with umbrellas right about the time it's all white across the state of WI!

More bead-a-licious photos to come soon!  Caribbean Kiss is a 19" necklace with a toggle style clasp.  She is available for sale though I haven't listed her yet in my Artfire Store.  If you're interested, send me an e-mail at designsbydawnmd@gmail.com.

Have a Booooo-tiful day! :)
{Hugs!}

Birthday Beads!!!

It's my party and I'll cry if I want to... and I really do when I get such great presents as these....

Yes, my mama saw me virtually drooling over this set of Juls Beads on Facebook over a month ago and she went in and bought them instantly.  I actually had looked at the listing again a day after I posted it and was so bummed when I saw somebody had bought them.  I was happy for Juls because I love seeing success for my friends... but sad for me.  Because I loved them... and I wanted them... and I just wanted to cry 'cuz I couldn't have them.

Until now... Here's your mental picture... I know you'll enjoy it.  My beautiful niece Ashlynn brings me this little package wrapped in polka dot tissue and ribbon... all the while singing ♫ Happy Birthday to You... Happy Birthday Auntie Dawn... Happy Birthday to you! ♪  Then she says "Auntie Dawn, open your present!"  LOL  It was absolutely precious!

I had no idea... I was so happy I could cry and now I get to take my beautiful beads that my mom knew I had to have, up to a bead show in Sun Prairie this coming weekend to possibly find some perfectly complimentary beads.... to make something special that I'll wear and cherish forever!  Don't you just love happy endings?

Okay... I'm going to eat cake now! 
~Peace & Love!