Here's a round-up of very nifty MyCraftivity folk:
Crafty lady Marissa had a great (crazy?) idea when her cat couldn't go the groomer. Not only is her creation pet friendly, it's green. Check it out here.
New member Emily said she was lucky to finish this awesome charm bracelet (I love reading, too). She's also made these lovely Christmas ornaments - it's never too early to start!
New member Irene has an awesome photo gallery of her beautiful beadwork, click here. I'm particularly smitten with this peacock - it's astounding what some people can do. Stop by and give her a hello!
And let's all give a resounding HUZZAH! to the craft maven Margot Potter for winning the MindBite's Spread the Craft Contest! Not only is she exquisitely crafty, she's pretty handy in the technology department, too. Read all about her win here. See the winning video here.
Until next time, Happy Beading!
Julie
Hey, if you want to be included in this Round-Up, blog about your creations, with photos, and send a message to MC Julie.
With some folded Post-It notes, a pen and a coffee mug (professional, I know), I randomly chose Chris to recieve a free copy of Perfect Match! Hip, hip, huzzah for Chris!
Chris, check your mycraftivity mail for directions on sending me your address.
Thanks to all the beady folks who signed up for a chance to win.
For those of you just joining us, we just concluded the Perfect Match book give-away. This was the second of a two-part series featuring Sara Schwittek, author of Perfect Match and co-founder of Shy Siren. You can find the two interviews here and here.
You can find more information on Perfect Match here. More info about the author, Sara Schwittek, here and here. Visit Shy Siren here.
Just a reminder: The Perfect Match book give away ends Sunday! Click here and leave a message at the bottom of the post to enter. We'll announce the winner on Monday, Aug. 4.
Now on to the cool stuff: Here's a Beading + Jewelry Round-Up of what some of our members are up to:
New member CherryChick said she recieved a Nice Warm Welcome from some MyCraftivity friends. Check out her blog here and learn more about her cherry-inspired creations! (She'a a painter, too, check out her photo gallery for some wild armoire creations.)
Roberta was asked by her mom to remake a favorite necklace into two, to be passed down. Click here and here to see what she made!
I noticed MacramebyMaja posted some new photos, but I didn't see a blog. I hopped over to her Etsy shop to find these beautiful creations for sale. She has a range of prices and styles, so check her out for some inspiration or a quick gift!
Also busy at her Etsy shop is Tonia, she's posted some great new stuff in the past week. I especially like the Love Bird Pendant. The things this woman can create from Plexiglas are amazing (she's the author of Plexi Class, so I keep my eye out for all of her great stuff).
Hey, if you want to be included in this Round-Up, blog about your creations, with photos, and send a message to MC Julie.
Even though sugilite as classified as a "rare" mineral, there seems to be plenty of it around. However, if you want sugilite, keep an eye out for it at trunk shows and gem fairs, because you won't find it in shops or catalogs, even the biggies like FireMountain Gems and Rio Grande.
Lepidolite and charoite are two other minerals that can be mistaken for sugilite to the untrained eye (like mine). Not that I think this makes much difference. It's nice to know what the beads are, but if the price is right and I like the beads, I'll add them to my stash anyway.
The square bead here is sugilite. It could be mistaken for charoite (named after the Charo River in Russia), except that charoite is even more rare than sugilite, and not widely available. I also trust the merchant who sold me the beads, so I'll settle for it being sugilite. (The round bead is amethyst, though the reflections in the photo almost make it look like sugilite.)
Sugilite beads range from violet, reddish violet, to pale pink. The inclusions give a mostly dark speckled effect. Often the beads have brownish yellow streaks. I usually cull these beads, because they're not my favorite. In a pinch I'll use them in the back of a necklace where they won't show.
These Google images show some jewelry made from sugilite. These images give you an idea of the variety of coloration found in sugilite. This page is also full of wonderful design ideas.
The lavendar-and-white beads in this necklace are called Flower Sugilite, the common name for lepidolite. I think Flower Sugilite is a much prettier name. The mottled and streaked lavendar-and-white coloration is characteristic of lepidolite. (Yes, the dark beads are more of those yummy faceted grade A++ amethyst.)
Like I said in the beginning, if I like it, I'll add it to my stash.
But I somehow enjoy the beads more if I know a little about them.
Toni
Next week's beads: Rhodonite and Rhodochrosite
Trivia: Sugilite was first described in 1944 by the Japanese petrologist Ken-ichi Sugi (1901-1948) for an occurrence on Iwagi Islet, Japan.
I wanted to tell you about one of my favourite beading books that I can't recommend enough! The Beader's Bibleisan essential guide to beads and beading techniques by one of my favourite authors, Dorothy Wood.
This
is a great resource of all the techniques you'll ever need in beading,
including useful guidance on how to further your skills. Each technique
is really clearly explained, either with easy-to-follow diagrams or
step photography. There are also more than 30 'Bead Something Now'
projects for people like me who can't wait to get going! These are all
beautifully photographed and include a gorgeous shoe decoration,
stunning necklaces and bracelets and sweet beaded bags. Check it out
and you won't be disappointed.
Whilst we're on the subject of books, I just wanted to remind you all that the author of Perfect Match has posted a second interview, which is a really interesting read. There's also the opportunity to win a free copy of the book! Check out the link before 3rd August.
