by Staci Louise Smith

I have been wanting to do some posts like this for awhile, but like always, busy busy busy!  

I have a bunch of Sugar Skull focals in the shop, as well as some other focals similar to the sugar skulls, and I wanted to give you guys some idea of what you can do with them. 

http://www.stacilouiseoriginals.com/store

I had a few laid out on my desk, as I am prepping for a show this weekend, not sure what to do with them.  

At first I wanted to just add chain and a dangle and keep them super simple.  But it was too simple.............so I planned to add charms to the chain.  I wasn't sure how much to do charm wise, and was sort of thinking they needed chunky charms.

I hadn't finished figuring out that part, when Linda Landig posted a necklace she had made with one of my old bronze skulls, 

(you can purchase Linda's necklace here

http://lindalandig.indiemade.com/product/sugar-skull-necklace-brass-day-dead-pendant-orange-black-purple-sari-silk-0 )

and seeing her little dangles sealed the deal for me.  That is what my plain old necklace needed.  Just some simple dangles.  It really captures the Dia de los Muertos feel I think.

So I added my double dangly charms (flower beads by Lisa Peters Art- they were the perfect match!!!)

And I added my chain, and picked out charms to accent the colors in my skull, and voila!  I love the results!

(ceramic stars by Starry Road Studio)

So here are my tips when doing a charm style necklace- not quite a tutorial, but this should help if you tend to struggle with them.

1.  pick out way more stones and beads in a variety of sizes then you will use

2.  lay them out, spacing out larger beads, and filling in the spaces between them with smaller beads

3.  when you use a cable chain, like this one, only hang charms on EVERY OTHER LINK so they lay properly.  the links alternate directions and your charms won't hang right otherwise.  Also, be sure to keep the chain from turning.  I pick it up and make sure the chain is laying correctly so the charms are always added to the bottom of the link

4.  skip a few "hangable" links for each big piece.  I like to hold the piece up to my neck and look at it each time I add a bead to make sure they hang right

5.  Fill the links you skipped with tiny beads to create movement and fill the space without them bumping into the other beads causing them to lay inccorectly.

6.  Try to use beads of a consistent thickness.  if you use beads that are tooooo round they will stick out when you wear it and roll around.

And there you have it.  A simple necklace that is not too plain, not too much!  I haven't taken this one off yet and I cannot wait to design the others on my table.

Remember, you too can make some "charming" necklaces using the components in my shop.  Lots of sugar skulls left.  I love taking the form of a skull and making it pretty.  So fun!

http://www.stacilouiseoriginals.com/store

BEAD FEST Fall 2015

by Staci Louise Smith

I remember just a few years back, when I was about to do my very first Beadfest.....man I was excited!  
Genea and I shared a booth, it was so fun!

It was all new and shiny- we didn't know what to expect....we were little fish in a big sea.

This year has been very different.  I know what to expect.  The nerves are not there like they were the first year..........and though I am still a little fish in a big sea, I feel like I have learned to swim better!  

This show does prove have a bit more excitement leading up to it though.  It stands out from the art and jewelry shows I do, because #1- there are lots of bead and gemstones and #2 there are lots of bead and jewelry friends I get to see.  (You can see where my love lies.)

This year, I am sharing a corner with our own Marsha Neal!!!  We are in the back of Artisan Alley with Nikki Thornburg and Diane Hawkey.

As I have been prepping (and if you want to read about that craziness you can do that here- with lots of eye candy pictures) 

http://www.stacilouise.blogspot.com/2015/08/august-beadfest-prep-and-end-of-summer.html

I have been thinking how much things have changed over the last 5 years for me.  Not just how my business has grown, but how I have grown.  I can honestly say that without the support of this wonderful bead / art community I could not have done it.  Without other artists sharing marketing tips, cross promoting, encouraging me..........well, I would have given up I am sure of it.  Anyhow, that is all.  I am thankful for my online friends, and that I get to see them at least once a year if we are all lucky.  I am thankful for this blog, which has allowed me to share what I have learned and for the ladies who have guided me and been there by my side.

(picture of some of the bead gals together for a dinner) 

I am also thankful for the readers, who read what we put on here......so we are not "talking" to ourselves (which I actually do at times....lol.  studio life can be lonely- though I usually chalk it up to "that was directed at the dog")

OK...Crazy month of prep= a very tired me.  So thanks for listening to my sentimental tired post.  Onto more fun things, like- 

A coupon to get into Bead Fest for the entire weekend for only $5.  Print this out and bring it with you- and feel free to share it.  (if enough people use my coupon I could win some free advertising).  

I am booth 572B and you can find a map of the expo center with booth numbers on the main Bead Fest site www.beadfest.com

Now for some eye candy.  After a month of intense bead making, I could NOT wait to play with the new beads.  And of course, I need samples that are current and something new to wear as well.  So, here are a few I whipped up

If you are able to come out to Bead Fest, please stop by and say hello!  Today I leave to go and set up all these goodies in Oaks.  wish me luck!

Contrast: Blinging up my Rustic

by Staci Louise Smith

I finally decided to try adding a little "bling" to my rustic.  I love contrast, and I am surprised at myself, for not trying this sooner!

I love how Gaia Copia uses crystals with her natural shapes, like her ammonite and crystal earrings.  Her rustic bling has always inspired me!

you can check our more of her work here- while her website is under construction

https://www.facebook.com/GaiaCopia

So I ordered me some crystals and got into it.  

I spent a day making these before I left for our trip, and just could NOT wait to paint them and see how they looked finished.

So then of course, I painted a few before we left too, because I am so impatient.

(they are mid-paint here)

So when I got home from vacation and went to clean off my desk, I could not just put these to the side, they were begging to be made into something right now.  

So of course, I obliged.

So now I can move onto other things on my list.  

Do you ever have that happen?  That you can't move onto what you are supposed to be doing, because you just HAVE to finish something that sparked your creativity?  Happens to me all the time!

The rest of the beads are not done, but the necklaces are available through my Facebook page (below) if you are interested, just message me.  Otherwise, they will venture to my next show with me. 

https://www.facebook.com/stacilouiseoriginals?fref=ts

Bead Show Prep: The Madness

by Staci Louise Smith

It is that time of year again, Bead Fest is right around the corner.  I know I am not alone in this preparation hurricane.  If you make your own beads and components, and you are getting ready to do a big show.....now matter how much you plan, or prep ahead of time, you are making beads for weeks straight.  It is just how it is.

I love it and hate it.  I love the intense bead making, I love the last minute creativity that floods my brain, but I hate that my body doesn't always co-operate.  Oh well, this is 40.  I must listen to my body when it says NO MORE BEADS....lol

I have been snapping pictures, meaning to post, and share updates on how things are coming along, but I have hardly posted any at all.  So here is a glimpse into my world right now. (in no particular order, just to try to capture the chaos that is my home)

 antiqued bronze just rinsed on top, in liver of sulfur below

 kits being put together for class

a tray of bronze waiting for liver of sulfur

 my helper working off some debt!!! lol

 carved beads

 more carved beads

 organic metal clay shapes

black carved beads

 metal clay components for class

 class table stuff

sanity

 naked beads

 piles of junk

 sari ribbon

 sea glass for sale- drill bits and sea glass, and just sea glass packets

 figuring out the layout

sugar skulls riveted- still need a liver of sulfur bath and sealing

 the "still need to be riveted pile"

 the sound of a tumbler running non stop in my studio while the metal clay was beind made.  This double barrel tumbler from Harbor Freight totally saved me though- its awesome, and can hold an entire kiln load of bronze and copper in one shot.

So there you have it.  I am on track, so, hopefully all goes well and I complete everything in time.

Next phase is painting the polymer.  After they are done, its pricing and packing.  

 just a few to paint

Now, add all this to "three kids and end of the summer stuff, like Bible school, youth camp, and pre-school preparation" throw in some dental appointments and some asthma and allergy appointments, and I am going to be pretty busy.  Wish me luck, I can't wait to be there!



Naked Beads

by Staci Louise Smith

disclaimer:  This post is for adults only for bead nudity content.

I don't know about you, but I love pictures of naked beads.  I absolutely love it - my dirty little secret is out! 

 Beads that Marsha Neal just posted on facebook got me thinking about my odd obsession with naked beads

MarshaNealStudio FaceBook Page

I am not sure what it is.  Maybe it allows me to just see the silhouette, the basic nature and design, before the colors change how it appears.

Maybe I just like the anticipation of seeing where they take it.

Karen Totten of Starry Road Studio always shows us before photo's too.  Her textures are just wonderful with or without glaze

https://www.etsy.com/shop/ktotten

I don't know why, but, I know I enjoy it.  Even with my own polymer.

me- artisan accents- naked polymer

There is just something about naked beads!!!

and just when you think they can't get any better- they do.

(note: these are not the naked beads shown, just examples of  finished beads by the artists above)



some of marsha's finished beads

some of karens awesome glazes

some of my painted polymer

Maybe its the reveal, like surprise party?  Maybe its the transformation?  Maybe its the two completely different worlds they seem to be? 

Who cares why, right?  Just show me the naked beads.