As seen in Bead Trends May 2012

Oh my the month is really flying by. Mike and I traveled to Tennessee to spend some time with his family and spend mothers day with my mother in law of 38 years, Edna. It was a nice relaxing visit. I had time to create, take river walks and hang out with our nieces and nephews and the rest of the gang.

My May Bead Trends box had not arrived before we left and it has been crazy busy since then.

Each month I anxiously await my Bead Trends delivery and love to look for all my friends and see what they have been up too. I have made it a ritual to write in my blog about some of my favorite designs and of course let you see what Bead Trends published for me.  It's like getting a gift.
This issue is my 14th consecutive month with Bead Trends. How exciting!!

First off the cover of this month is a gorgeous bracelet by my friend Amanda Austin of Florence OR. This is Amanda's 2nd cover for Bead Trends. She and I have purchased many pieces from each other and this one was one I would of loved in my collection.
She had already planned to give it to her mom for Mothers Day so that is very special!!

 Amanda and I found out on the same day last year that we would be the featured Designer Highlight for July and August. I design with her boro glass in many of my pieces and most months in my Bead Trends designs. You can find her shop at www.etsy.com/shop/seashoreglass

This month Karen Vincent www.swallowtailjewellery.etsy.com has a beautiful necklace with altered and patina focal. It is beautifully done and you can see it on page 30-31. Kristy Abner www.kristyscreations.com has some fun earrings on p. 37. Love the color of the ocean feeling. These earrings would look great with my bracelet this month!! Raida Disbrow etsy.com/shop/havanabeads has a stunning necklace on page 80-81. I love the textures and journey this necklace takes you on. Next up Erin Strother www.studioegallery.etsy.com has a beautiful necklace and earrings with a romantic bohemian feel p. 82-84. I would wear that in a heart beat. Rejetta Sellers jettabugjewelry@gmail.com designed a necklace using inspiration from her Dads workshop. P. 012-104 How cool is that!  Traci Zeller etsy.com/shop/gettagift has a fun bracelet on p. 114-115. She really captured the colors and textures in that boro bead by Amanda!!

My bracelet this month is a altered brass piece. I love the way the colors turned out. It was a fairly easy design and festive for spring. Page 94-95. I began with a blank piece of brass and textured it, colored it, and several other steps to make it a beautiful palette for this bracelet.

As I was writing this post I was about to say it is available in my shop and my phone had several email dings in a row. I used to check immediately as two dings can mean a sale. That doesn't happen often enough but today I thought that was like 3-4 dings right in a row. Today is the day!! I sold this bracelet along with a pair of altered brass earrings I made, and a pair of earrings featuring art tiles from my friend Janice.

Please stop by and see all the new items in my shop www.enlalumiere.etsy.com and stay tuned as I list many fun bohemian, beach and spring summer designs in the next couple months. I have amazing beads to work with and tons of ideas.

Watch for my next blog to show you what Mike and I have been up to with some new skills we are working on making our our handmade and hand forged metals and components. Really excited about bringing these new components into my designs. Mike is starting a whole new line of art beads wearable art with these components. www.etsy.com/shop/watersoulsstudios  He will be listing the new line in the next couple weeks.

Have a lovely week and see you soon!!