... pushing the envelope

... and teaching myself new skills has been occupying my time lately. I needed to do this in order to keep myself from going totally stir crazy. I have been making beads now on a full time basis for the past 8 years.  The colours of my beads change but the jewellery I've been making has stayed the same - up until now!

... organic and free form styled disc beads 

Disc beads have long been a part of my jewellery style, but lately I have been using them in a different way - hammered and textured posts are an excellent way to display these gorgeous, small rounds. Stacking them allows a variety of colour combinations and textures to be combined. I've been finishing them off with my hammered silver ear wires, which also adds a little 'something' to their organic and rustic look ....

... hammered longs - beach inspired colours keep me calm!

Some of these are now in my etsy store, while others will be available at the Sydney Craft and Quilt Fair from the 13th June till 17th June. You can find me at stand BF7 - right at the top of the aisle, near the front doors.
I will also have a collection of my new beads, bead sets, silver and copper findings as well as a range of assorted finished jewellery on show!

It's going to be a big week as we finish the packing and sorting for our week away in Sydney. We are looking forward to connecting with family, friends and fans. I'll pop back in towards the end of week to say hello. See you then - Liz x

... 100% orangic

... I'm back after a little break !!! Did you miss me? My burns are healing quite nicely but the time away from the flame has given me the opportunity think about things and to further develop and explore some ideas I've had in my head for a long time now....

... completely handmade - from start to finish!

I took advantage of a sale that Interweave were having on their electronic publications and bought myself some (more) "how to" projects. I had almost most of the materials needed and the beads I used were ones that I had made previously.

Handmade beads + hand made hooks + hammered silver bits = totally groovy earrings!



...  floral "dog tags" ~ now in etsy

Not making beads for a while has also given me some time to finish off some enameled orders. I have been enjoying the "flame enameled" ride and this creative muse is giving me lots of satisfaction atm - kinda feels like a little glassy goodness "on the side" ....

Hope you've got some fabulous things planned for the weekend. I'll be getting my purple on and groovin' with his royal highness PRINCE on Saturday night ... can't wait! Talk soon, Liz ♥

... button blog hop

... show and tell is set for today! Cindy Wimmer did a fantastic job of organsing us all - thanks Cindy for getting all our creative juices going. My button buddy was the seriously creative muse, Lorelei Hill-Eurto.

A beautifully package box arrived with an assortment of buttons - all in various shapes, styles, colour and style. I have had these buttons sitting at my workbench for some time thinking of how I could use them in a style of jewellery I would wear.

Colour is a big factor in how I create my jewellery, so I decided to make some hand made beads using silvered glass which would show metallic properties and hopefully tie in all the buttons. I love these gorgeous little brass buttons - I used them as 'dangles' on these metallic blue swirl earrings.



... Button Charm bracelet with Golden leaf dangle



... same bracelet- different view

I used the rest of the buttons (with the exception of the glazed stoneware button) in this rustic charm bracelet. I added similar metallic scroll beads to those I used in the earrings to tie in both pieces - the beautiful handmade toggle was included in a recent exchange and suited this project perfectly!

... sad irony - left the best for last and paid the price!

Of all the buttons that Lorelei sent me, the handmade ceramic button was my favourite. It's rustic feel and look appealed to me straight away - so I decided that i would learn to make one of these ....... (which are all the rage at the moment) I made some small beads to match and started my project - sadly, I did not get time to finish this as I had an accident at the torch and burnt my hand. I didn't quite have enough small beads to finish the project, but I'm sure you can use a little creative visualisation, you can almost see the finished item.

Thank you Lorelei for being my button buddy! Your creative style has made me push my own envelope to make something totally 'out of my box' ...

Below is a list of all the other players - pop in on them and have a look that their fabulous creations! For all the mum's taking part - have a great day and enjoy "Mother's Day" ......

 Alice Peterson  and Kim Bender
Angie Blasingame and Billi R.S. Rothove
Billi R.S. Rothove and Angie Blasingame
Birgitta Lejonklou and Pam Farren
Bonnie Coursolle and Tania Hagen
Brenda Salzano and Hope Smitherman
Cat Kerr and Heather Powers
Cece Cornier and Jeannie Dukic
Celeste Thurston and Christine Damm
Christine Damm and Celeste Thurston
Christine Stonefield and Dana James
Cilla Watkins and Lori Bowring Michaud
Cindy Wimmer and Mimi Gardner
Cynthia Machata and Julia Johnson
Cynthia Riggs and Lori Finney
Dana James and Christine Stonefield
Diana Ptaszynski and Erin Prais-Hintz
Emma Thomas and Rebecca Anderson
Erin Prais-Hintz and Diana Ptaszynski
Erin Siegel and Sharon Borsavage
Heather Powers and Cat Kerr
Holly Westfall and Sally Russick
Hope Smitherman and Brenda Salzano
Jayne Capps and Kim Dworak
Jeannie Dukic and Cece Cornier
Jenna Meyers and Kristi Harrison
Jenna Tomalka and Karen McKillip
Jenny Davies Reazor and Sandi Volpe
Julia Johnson and Cynthia Machata
Kalaya Steede and Kylie Dickman
Karen McKillip and Jenna Tomalka  Karen Mitchell and Renetha Stanziano
Karla Morgen and Mary Govaars
Kay Thomerson and Shannon Chomanczuk
Kim Ballor and Laurel Steven
Kim Bender and Alice Peterson
Kim Dworak and Jayne Capps
Kim Roberts and Partner unable to participate at this time.
Kristi Harrison and Jenna Meyers
Kylie Dickman and Kalaya Steede
Kym Hunter and Lynda Moseley
Laurel Steven and Kim Ballor
Linda Djokic and Patty Gasparino
Line Labrecque and Teri Baskett
Liz DeLuca and Lorelei Eurto
Lorelei Eurto and Liz DeLuca
Lori Anderson and Niky Sayers
Lori Bowring Michaud and Cilla Watkins
Lori Finney and Cynthia Riggs
Lynda Moseley and Kym Hunter
Marianna Boylan and Tracy Statler
Mary Govaars and Karla Morgen
Mary Harding and Stacie Florer
Maureen Baranov and Tracy Bell
Melissa Martin and Theresa Fosdick
Michelle Hardy and Peggy Johnson
Mimi Gardner and Cindy Wimmer
Nicole Valentine Rimmer and Niki Meiners
Niki Meiners and Nicole Valentine Rimmer
Niky Sayers and Lori Anderson
Pam Farren and Birgitta Lejonklou
* Pam Ferarri and Stefanie Teufel (will share their reveal on a later date)
Patty Gasparino and Linda Djokic
Peggy Johnson and Michelle Hardy
Rebecca Anderson and Emma Thomas
Rebekah Payne and Sue Kennedy
Renetha Stanziano and Karen Mitchell
Rose Binoya and Shanti Johnson
Sally Russick and Holly Westfall
Sandi Volpe and Jenny Davies Reazor
Shannon Chomanczuk and Kay Thomerson
Shanti Johnson and Rose Binoya
Sharon Borsavage and Erin Siegel
Shirley Moore and Veralynne Malone
Stacie Florer and Mary Harding
* Stefanie Teufel and Pam Ferarri (will share their reveal on a later date)
Sue Hamel and Terry Carter
Sue Kennedy and Rebekah Payne
Tania Hagen and Bonnie Coursolle
Tania Spivey and Teresa Gagne
Teresa Gagne and Tania Spivey
Teri Baskett and Line Labrecque
Terry Carter and Sue Hamel
Theresa Fosdick and Melissa Martin
Tracy Bell and Maureen Baranov
Tracy Statler and Marianna Boylan
Veralynne Malone and Shirley Moore

... re-stocking etsy

... last week I decided to re-open my etsy. I've been thinking long and hard about this desicion for some time now. I remember now why I decided to close it in the first place. Photographing, editing and listing takes so much time ....

... floral headpins now available



... it just adds to my list of things that take me away from the studio. Monday seems to be the day that has me spending lots of time in front of the monitor - but today I managed to organise my time a little better. Got to make and play - horray!

... double flower earrings in assorted colour combinations

I am super excited to be teaching an enamel class at the Aussie Beading Retreat on the Sunshine Coast in September. I am fine tuning my schedule. Trouble is, the more I make, the more I want to share! Oh, so much to do and such little time to squeeze it all in! What we will be doing is covering the enamel basics and having lots of fun!

... find these lovelies here!

Time to finish my monthly newsletter tonight - keen to send it off tomorrow and looking forward to sharing some more wonderful promotions - just in time for Mother's Day!

Have a great week everyone - talk soon - Liz x

... creative distractions

... are keeping me very happily busy my studio these days. I have really been enjoying the creative processes associated with glass enameling lately. As you can see, I have spent a lot of time over the past few weeks experimenting with colour and shape.

These large hole beads are great! The work beautifully with cords and fibres and perfect for adding interesting accessories to scarves and wraps.

... the highlight of my week has been making some enamelled earrings that feature double floral shapes. These lovelies have been "work in progress" for some time now! I am thrilled to say that I've finally sorted the steps out that allow me to make these with very little waste :)

These earrings are finished with hand made copper ear wires and will soon be listed in my esty store.

I made a monumental decision to re-open my store again. Traditionally, etsy has not done very well for me and I welcome any suggestions and advice you have for me. The store will specifically feature my enamelled range including enameled beads and components, copper forged headpins and hand shaped ear wires and of course, finished jewellery pieces such as these ones.

I have only just re-opened and the shelves are bare - pop in from time to time to check out what's new! You can continue to view and purchase beads, sets and finished glass beaded jewellery from my regular estore. Have a great week everyone! Liz x

... buttons in flight (again)

... and the re-write! Some of you know that I am taking part a button swap organised by the highly efficient Cindy Wimmer! My button buddy is none other than Lorelei Eurto. We paired up, discussed our likes and dislikes and swapped our buttons. My package arrived yesterday, beautifully packed and wrapped  ....

... personalised tags - nice!



... the surprise element - thank Lorelei! I've been wearing them all day!



... the button stash!

  Using buttons as part of my jewellery making repertoire is not normally my thing so creating something using these lovelies will really be pushing my envelope! I love the mix I have to work with though! Those super cute little shanked oranges ones in the corner are earmarked for project #1. Show and tell day is fast approaching and scheduled for Mother's Day - May 13th!

 Before I go, I wanted to share with you a new collaborative blog art jewelry elements that features some very creative artisans. I looking forward to following this journal as I am a huge fan of several of the contributors. Head over and have a look for yourself! They are currently having a book give-away...

Hope you've had a fabulous day!

... I'm pretty happy

... with the results from my enamel play day earlier this week...

I've been hatching some ideas and using a limited colour palette to make beads using only 3 or 4 colours.  I love the colour intensity it creates within the finished piece.

... enamelled rounds   

These were inspired by some "other" projects I've been working on and of course, I am now totally off task and miles away from my gallery pieces I really should be working on - but I'm on a roll so I'm going with it!

... copper, glass and leather - a nice combination!



I used some copper rounds to create links and threaded some gelato coloured leather that I've had for ages. I love these shades together - they were the inspiration behind the beads.

Ta - hadda! The finished piece! It's a variation on some other pieces I've been making lately but I've replaced the disc beads with chunky rounds instead!

... I'm heading back to the studio (where I should be) - have a lovely week everyone. The weather here in BrisVegas has a definitive Autumn feel to it and perfect for hibernating in the studio. Talk soon - Liz x