PassionForBeads

Today I would like to feature an artist who is constantly featuring the artwork and items of other artists with her Passion's Picks of the Week: PassionForBeads!





Her name is Sally and she's originally from Hong Kong China. She has lived in Canada since 2001 and has been beading for about 7 years. She a stay at home mom and has two gorgeous boys ages 7 and 4. She first started her online shop in March 2009 and has been focusing on selling jewelry made from swarovski crystal beads.

I sent Passion a few questions to discover more about her and her creative work. Below are her answers.



How did you first get into your craft?

I have been doing a lot of crafts in my life. I do knitting and crocheting dolls, cross stitching, paper quilling, clay... When I first started beading, I just LOVED it! I was doing for fun in the beginning. Then one day a friend of mine asked me to make her a choker and a pair of matching earrings. I started taking orders thereafter. Last year I started selling online.

Is there any particular artist or person in your life that influences or inspires you?

Everyone in my life inspires me! However, my main inspiration comes from beading books.

What are your favorite materials to work with and why?

I love crystals, especially those swarovski crystals. I just fell in love with them at first site. They are so beautiful, shiny, sparkly and most importantly they make my jewelry look beautiful!

Is there anything that you do that you think makes your creations stand apart from similar ones/your competitors?

The jewelry I make is unique and not everyone can make it. I have customers who make jewelry too. One of them says she buys from me because she thinks my jewelry is beautiful and she cannot make it by herself.

Anything else you would like my readers to know about (sale, coupons, other services you offer)?

You can find me on:

Artfire http://passionforbeads.artfire.com/

MiM http://madeitmyself.com/user/passionforbeads.aspx

Facebook http://www.facebook.com/PassionForBeadsFanPage

Twitter http://twitter.com/passionforbeads

Blog http://passionforbeads.blogspot.com/

I do feature artists on my blog and its called Passion's Picks, a weekly free promotion! If you would like to learn more about Passion's Picks, here's the link http://passionforbeads.blogspot.com/2010/02/introducing-passions-picks-weekly-free.html



Be sure to check out Passion For Beads on Artfire!

New piece from Fools and Jewels Studio

I got a creative twitch last night and created something using vintage rhinestone jewelry bits and pieces. In the design world right now its called "upcycling". I love the idea of taking something that is old and unusable and remaking it into something beautiful and wearable.

I have had these gorgeous pale blue rhinestone fans for a while now and just didn't quite know what to do with them. Last night, I found another stash of swarovski crystallized pearls and some rhinestone spacers that I bought in Santa Fe this past Thanksgiving. They are vintage beads as well. Hmmmmm....

And thus this lovely bracelet, earring and necklace set were born. I used silver toned artist wire instead of sterling sine the old rhinestone bits are not sterling silver. I wanted it to all look like it belonged together. I think this would make a magnificent "something blue" set for a bride.

Featured piece 3-13-10

I am on a mini-vacation this weekend so featured pieces might be getting into my blog a little later than usual.

Today's featured piece is made from copper and brass wire, wrapped around a swarovski rhinestone and adorned with different gemstone briolettes. I then used a brass colored chain to dangle it from, completing the piece.

A few finished pieces for Art Auction consideration!

I have put the finising touches on a couple of those focal pieces I was working on for the Art Auction. Now, I am not sure they are both the pieces I will be donating but they are finished so.... here goes.

With the blue piece, I played with the idea of doing a swarovski crystal beaded chain but once I got it together and set it beside the focal, it looked way to gawdy and cluttered. So I settled for simply putting the focal on a streling silver knotted wire chain. It looks stunning!

For the copper woven heart, since it is such a large piece, it absolutely NEEDED a long chain and some additional embellishment. I added some wired pieces with the same swarovski crystal beads dispersed with the bright copper chain to acheive a more balanced look. Its become a real statement piece I believe.