Farewell to Bead Trends

June 2013 Bead Trends, the final print issue. 

The sad ending to a very special chapter of my life .........
and many other amazing artists I have been blessed to become friends with through Bead Trends, this beautiful jewelry table top magazine.

My love of Bead Trends came when I purchased my first copy in May of 2010.  I had began beading wire wrapped crosses the year before and shopped for beads in the big box stores. I was just learning more about beautiful beads in our local bead stores, especially Beads on Main here in Vacaville and a few art bead artists on Etsy. 

I was in awe of the designs and photography in this magazine. I opened my Etsy shop February 2010 and began ordering ephemera tiles from Marie Noel Voyer Cramp of Calgary, Canada and boro glass from Amanda Cargill Austin of Florence, Oregon. In September of 2010 Marie was the Designer Highlight. I was a friend of a Designer Highlight, she was famous!! My new friends encouraged me to submit to Bead Trends that October for the March 2011 issue and patiently walked me through the process. I submitted a long ocean inspired necklace and was accepted. I was beyond thrilled.

That summer in July, my 60th birthday month I was the featured Designer Highlight. Amanda was the August featured Designer Highlight and we both received the news the same day back in January. We designed our pieces and shared the excitement and many other emotions during this time. We kept our secret and waited for our month. We made a big deal about it all summer and I began blogging each month about the current issue and a shout out about several of the other artists. This has been something I planned and looked forward to for over 2 1/2 years. I was published every month consecutively from March of 2011 to this last issue June of 2013. I missed only one month, last month and now I really regret that last fall 2012 my shows took my eye of the goal for the month of May.

This issue June 2013 is very special to us because my husband who has become a jewelry artist just a year ago and I have designs in this final print issue. I always talk about my design at the end of the blog post so I will get back to us in a bit. Please stay with me as I mention a few of the designers this month.

These stunning earrings made this last print cover, an artist that is new to me. Maggie Elizabeth Forlito. The Designer Highlight this month is Denise Peterson. Her "Bird of Flight"  necklace is gorgeous. Congratulations ladies.

Stop by and see several of my friends......
Cathy Obemma p. 14-15 "Anniversary Necklace" a beautiful tribute to her 37th anniversary this month.
Kristi Harrison p. 22-24 "Bee Kiss" Her memories of a bee sting as a child and beautiful necklace.
Wench Brennbakk p. 32-35 "Bleached Pink Flower" A really pretty romantic necklace and bracelet perfect for wedding month.
Erin Strother p. 40-41"What Lies Within" I can always spot Erin's work and the unique blending of textures.
Kari Asbury p.46 "Floral Earrings" also p. 80-81 "Paris" with Menagerie Studios mixed media charms.
Suzette Bentley p. 60-61 "Poppy" Love this hand tied necklace, with a vintage feeling.
Cindy Cima Edwards p. 96-97 "Restoration Rewind", A rich multi strand cuff bracelet.

Special mention to a couple more new artists to me Tammie Everly p. 100-101 "Antiquarian Paris" Love this focal!!
Dianna Shiraishi p. 102-105 "Vintage Ephemeral Botanical Set" Cool vintage dragonfly set. The pearl section for weddings is fantastic. p. 106-116

 These awesome earrings by my husband Michael Fick p. 30-31 "Colorado" feature art bead head pins from our friend Raida Disbrow of Havana Beads. He forged the copper, the ear wires and custom connection with leather and Irish waxed linen into these amazing boho chic earrings.

 Michael just started designing jewelry last May 2012 when he observed several of my lessons on hand forging connectors and clasps. I was a little intimidated by the new tools involved especially the torch and before I knew it Mike was inspired to begin sketching his own ideas and was ordering wire and a set of tools including Fretz hammers. He was published in San Francisco magazines in the 90s when he shot fashion photography and I encouraged him to submit to Bead Trends. This is his first published design in jewelry and he made the contents page!!

My Little Brown Bird......

My design p. 18-19 Little Brown Bird features a ceramic focal by Nan Emmett, a ceramic leaf bead and hand forged copper rings by Gaea, interesting Bayong, Horn and Tiger Cocoa beads and a Miss Fickle Media Clasp. I made a wire wrapped bead inspired by my local beading friend Leslie to give it a nest feeling. I combined leather to give it a natural organic feeling. I really like the textures in this necklace.

Finally Tatia Meyer the amazing editor of Bead Trends. I have loved submitting my designs to her. She was so easy to work with and I anxiously awaited each month hoping the designs I submitted would be accepted. I never took it for granted and submitted more than she was able to accept. It was like a gift each month when that email came and then my box with my two copies and my jewelry were returned. I will miss this magazine and I thank the staff and the owners of Northridge Publishing for such an amazing collection of artists and their best designs. It has opened doors for art bead designers, jewelry designers and many friends to have something to share. look forward too and be inspired. It just reminds us everything changes.

Thank you Tatia!! We wish you the best!!

Michael and I have set up 3 rooms in our home to design our jewelry. We are preparing for several juried Art shows in Northern CA throughout the next few months. We have just begun the design of our website. It will be about a husband and wife creative team and the life we live. We will feature Mikes jewelry designs, he currently has 3 new collections listed. I plan to feature several collections including my published and higher end art bead designs. We recently changed the url of this blog to
www.designsinthelight.blogspot.com and the new website address is www.designsinthelight.co 

Designs in the Light is live with Mikes collections so far and we are working to add all the about us and pretty features soon. It is a process but you can check out his work there.
Our Etsy shops at www.enlalumiere.etsy.com  and www.watersoulsstudios.etsy.com

We love to hear from you and always encourage comments. Thanks so much for stopping by.

My next blog post will feature the other 3 designs I just received from Bead Trends for July which is digital, Sept, and October which will not go to print. I will also give my shout out some other designers and friends in the July issue.  Please check back.