bead soup ingredients

These are the wonderful bead soup ingredients that my partner Rhea sent. I love the dusty turquoise with the copper beads. I immediately knew what I wanted to do with the focal bead, and then...I discovered that the hole of the bead was closed in the middle of the bead. The bead reamer did not make a dent, so now I'm in for a real challenge. Think I will look at the beads for a while.

I am sending you to visit Rhea's blog where you will find
some great photos of the beads I sent her.



Thank you Lori for all the work you put into this wonderful project.
Visit Lori's Site to meet the other participants.


Lori... hope you are feeling better.

inspiration avenue challenge

I have been so busy making jewelry, I was excited when I found this weeks challenge on Inspiration Avenue. The challenge is Letters of the Alphabet. I love, love, love, using text in my mixed media work. Here is one of my many pieces of art work using text. The piece is titled Super Model...hope you like.

Click here to visit Inspiration Avenue and don't forget to check
the other entrant's blogs, you will like what you find.

artiscape 2012

You are invited to attend ARTISCAPE 2012 Columbus, Ohio. April 12-15, 2012

I will be teaching four classes plus one for the Trading Places event.
The above photo is one sample of the GYPSY BANGLE class

Click here to see more class photos and here for retreat information and registration.


See you in Ohio, stop by and say hello.

I got picked

I will be participating in the 5th BEAD SOUP PARTY... Whooo Hooo ! There will be 200 participants from all over the world. My partner this time around is Rhea Freitieg click her name to check out her blog.

BEAD SOUP PARTY info here

Check it out
Lori really knows how to throw a party.

southwest stack

I made jewelry for gift giving but had to keep these four for myself. I love the colors of the Southwest as much as I love wearing stacks of bracelets. The first bracelet from the left, is made from a zipper, the second one, is made from recycled beads, polymer clay, and sari silk. I love the burnt orange color of this bracelet. The third bracelet is free form peyote using recycled beads. The forth bangle is made from antiqued brass wire and an orphaned turquoise bead. More inspirational stacks may be seen here.


Hope everyone had a great Christmas
and that you have a very
HAPPY NEW YEAR.


karma is a bitch
and so is my lawyer.

eco friendly bracelets

Looks like I have become an eco friendly artist. I have not bought any supplies in three years and vowed to use what is available. I love being inventive, I love transforming something totally different from something else. The above double bracelet stack are prototypes for upcoming classes.


What have you re-invented lately ?


karma is a bitch
so is my lawyer

paintings and more paintings

This is a page out of my FACES JOURNAL, one of 30 some paintings posted today. Several are demonstration pieces. If you are interested and would like to see them CLICK HERE. If you have any questions, concerns, or just want to leave a comment, that would make my day. I have to draw in this journal every once in a while before I get jewelry burn out...


Hope you visit and get inspired.

cafe cubano

Title: Cafe' Cubano
A statement necklace

This is the outcome of several elements that I have been saving. The wire caged geode is a beautiful rich coffee brown that reminds me of Cuban coffee. All other elements have been repurposed.





Yes, karma is a bitch
and so is my lawyer.

title journal

Many have commented on the titles of my work... it's fast, easy and fun to come up with titles. Every artist should have a TITLE JOURNAL ... Click here and I will show you how I do this.

Thank you to every one who have left comments. If I don't send you a note of thanks, it's because I can not locate your address, or because I'm moving slowly through the Bead Soup.

2011 bead soup reveal

Title: Midnight in Santa Fe

I made two necklaces with the beautiful beads that my pardner CJ Bauschka sent me. The large black donut has a beautiful pitted surface but because of the pitting, the edges were a bit jagged, especially where the middle hole once was. I was afraid that any beading or cording could break with wear. After staring at the bead for several days. I decided to turn it into a cabochon of sorts.
I bead embroidered the edges to take away some of the jaggedness, and I made a bezel to house some of the turquoise and hide the hole of the donut. I made a three inch fabric bead inspired by Paula Best, embellished it with colored fibers, seed beads and the small pieces of turquoise. A black leather like cord slides through the fabric bead to which the donut, now cabochon, is attached. I used the large silver drop bead as a dangle.
I liked the silver clasp so much that I chose not to use it on this necklace. Instead, it became a charm on the second necklace.

Detail of the first necklace titled Midnight in Santa Fe.

Scroll down to see the beads that CJ and I exchanged.

Title: South of the Border Spice

This is the second necklace from the many beads CJ sent. I love the clasp as a charm. I made and attached a spicy red resin bead and a single little black bead to one end of the clasp. Silver seed beads and three wonderful large red teardrop beads became a tassel. A large turquoise bead to which I attached a long flat ivory element became another charm. All these dangles are attached to a large round black bead embellished with a little red fabric bundle. This necklace is about movement , so I attached everything to a long leather like cord. Still have some beads left over, hoping to make another piece later.

Many have commented on my titles, if you are interested, I wrote a Mini Tutorial here on how they come about, fun fun...

To See what the other hundreds of participants revealed, click here.


Thank you Lori for sponsoring the Bead Soup Party...you outdid your self and it is appreciated.




See you at the party...

Note: No I did not post on Wed the 14th...just noticed my clock and calendar were on draft time instead of mountain standard time. Duhhhhh

lace up your cuff

Finally got back to creating after meeting the teaching deadlines. Grabbed my sewing kit, sat down, put my feet up and made the softest little cuff you will ever wear. Made of striped silk, lace, tiny beads, vintage buttons and a puffy little flower with a pearl...faux, of course. And, I made a little resin bead to add as a charm.

Will soon add it to my Etsy shop.


All my designs are protected by copyright laws,
please do not copy, print, or publish.

karma is a bitch
so is my lawyer.

devine madness

Divine Madness is the name of this necklace, though it's not been so divine rushing around trying to meet teaching deadlines, create a piece for the Bead Soup when your mind draws a blank. I actually ended up with two. Plus, trying to beat the 110 degree weather. When it gets so hot you can't think, the best thing to do is roll mindless paper beads. All the beads on this necklace are handmade...the paper beads rolled and heavily glazed, and the round beads handcrafted from resin. As you can see, no two beads are alike, what fun, and yes it is Divine Madness.


Stop by anytime after Sept. 17 to see the Bead Soup reveal.



All designs are protected by copyright laws,
please do not copy, print or publish without written permission.

karma is a bitch
so is my lawyer

bead soup is cooking

What I sent CJ

What CJ sent me

The bead Soup ingredients have arrived....now comes the challenge to work out of our comfort zone. I am paired with a sweet lady who makes beautiful jewelry with seed beads. Find her work here.

Reveal Day will be September 17
stop by and see the results.



List of participants
Thank you Lori for sponsoring this event.

stack em up

Bangles, cuffs, and bracelets.....all ready for vendor day Art Unraveled. Several styles that can be mixed or matched, wear 3 or 20, create your own stacks.

Stop by and take a look


All my designs are protected by copyright laws
please do not copy, print, or publish without my written consent.

karma is a bitch
so is my lawyer

faces moxified

Samples of faces that I will be teaching at Art Unraveled 2011.
These are from my journal pages.

Another sample for About Faces class at Art Unraveled 2011.
Learn the basics...develop your style.


Stop by and say hello.

arizona dust devils

Dust Devils... a vortex of dust filled air created by extreme heat. These small and some not so small whirlwinds can be spotted just about anywhere in Arizona. I was putting together a small fabric collage panel for the front pocket of a small poets journal bag. When I finished, I realized that I had metaphorically painted a panel of dust devils, thus the title. The poets bag is available for purchase or can be seen at vendors day Art Unraveled.

Stop by and say hello..I will also have art jewelry for sale.



My designs are protected by copyright laws,
please do not copy, print, or publish without my written permission.

Karma is a bitch,
so is my lawyer

fabric wrist cuff

After daaaaays of not being motivated, I found a box of fabric that "kicked me in the seat of my pants" and got me creating again. I remember watching my grandmother "paint" with a needle and thread. Actual beautiful thread paintings that she framed. That's where my love of fibers came from. This cuff is a result of that memory. The other side of the cuff has three beaded dangles and a few other beads tucked here and there for added sparkle.


Click Here to see other views of this cuff.


My designs are protected by copyright laws,
please do not copy, print, or publish without my written permission

karma is a bitch
so is my lawyer.

moxie bag on etsy

My computer is up and running again. A big Thank you hug to Ron Pierotti for coming to the rescue. Ron is JoAnna Pierotti's better half, computer guru, and part time cook. JoAnna is my cute friend, a fabulous artist, and maker of killer Mojitos. See her fun creations here.


Also visit Moxie Gallery on Etsy to see other views of my Moxie Bags.


Please note: All my designs are protected by copyright laws,
please do not copy, print, or publish without my written permission.

Karma is a bitch
so is my lawyer

stacks of bangles

Stacking bangles by color, getting ready for vendor day at Art Unraveled August 2011.

Hope to see you there


Please note: All designs are protected by copyright laws,
please do not copy, print, or publish without my written permission.
Karma is a bitch,
so is my lawyer

royal wedding hat

Being that I was toooo busy to attend the royal wedding, Millie my model went in my place. She wants to show you the hat she wore. It is made to order from wire, buttons, ribbon, beads, silk flowers and other artsy bits and pieces. She says she blended right in....

What did you wear?

Karma won't get you if you copy this,
neither will my lawyer