Question of the month: What has been your hardest decision?
What has been your toughest call?  Are you pleased with how things have turned out?  Did you second guess yourself for awhile after making the choice?

As it relates to jewelry, I’d have to say that my toughest decision was to be extremely selective in the commissions I accepted.  There was a temptation in early days to be so grateful to anyone who asked me to make something custom for them.  After getting burned a few times though, I learned to be much more selective.
It is always alright to say no, but …read more

Artist: Irene Lenihan
Blog: Flights of Fancy Creations
I take a lot of photos of things. Indoors and out. I love to try and duplicate the color combination that I find in the photos. I am attaching a photo I took (I scrapbook them) and the jewelry piece it
inspired.
No trees were killed in the making of this email…however, a large
number of electrons were horribly inconvenienced.

As part of our on-going emphasis on education this year, I want to share some previous posts that may help you fill in some gaps! From creativity to color, from design elements to jewelry school, these resources can point you in the right direction.
Do you want to design for yourself?
This is the conclusion of my series of articles, with links to all the previous articles
Beadwork basics online
Dictionaries, glossaries, and encyclopedias of jewelry making info online
Creativity online
Color training and tools online
Jewelry design tools and articles online
Jewelry class listings by geography
Beading shows with classes
Design school directory

What’s Up Wednesday!
It’s not that easy to do ugly. I mean to do really gut-twisting ugly.
It’s easy to make a necklace that isn’t that great, but how about to make one that breaks all the rules of good design and leaves your viewer feeling squeamish? I can’t show you a picture of my entry from two years ago here, because I used plastic vomit as the base. If you’d like to see it, it’s on their website as a semi-finalist from 2007. It’s called “Queasy”, and you’ll have to scroll down just a bit. You’ve been warned!
The …read more

Artist: Jamee Jones
Business name: Jonara Blu Maui
Location: Makawao, Hawaii
Websites & Blog:
http://www.jonarablumaui.com
http://jonarablu.etsy.com
http://www.jonarablumaui.blogspot.com/

How do you describe your work, Jamee?
Fresh and Funky with an island twist. I also create romantic, feminine beach bride jewelry that has a beachy-organic appeal.
Originally my sister Kimberlee Aihara partnered with me before she became a wedding photographer here on Maui and so Jonara is a mix of our last names: Jones and Aihara. Add the Blu to represent the blue ocean that surrounds us and we’ve got ourselves a cute little name for our jewelry business!
What is your creative process like?
I think creating is …read more

Artist: Phaedra A. Torres
Business name: Lluvia Designs
Location: at a bead show, preferably, but in West Covina, CA when not.
Website:
Lluvia Designs

Phaedra, how do you describe your work?
I usually like to say that I specialize in “unwearable” jewelry. Mostly because it’s the easiest way to describe it, and partially because I just like to see people’s reactions to that. When I tell people I make jewelry, I usually add the disclaimer of “but not normal jewelry” because I can see the pictures forming in their heads of the jewelry they think I make. If I don’t steer them away from that …read more

Online tools
Imagination Prompts
Are you looking for some random writing prompts or story starters for your journal, blog, or other creativity-related project?
Oblique strategies
A handy online version of Brian Eno’s creativity tool
Creativity and the periodic table
Roll your mouse over the table to see examples of each strategy
Excellent articles
Don’t wait for the muse
Apparently you shouldn’t sit around waiting for yours even if you do happen to believe you have one!
Creativity. We could all use more.
References three good articles on living creatively
Judith Reilly’s creativity page
Twelve life lessons for creativity
Six myths of creativity
This study may change how you generate ideas
11 tips to suviving a …read more

Artist: Olivia Competente
Business name: Jewels By Olivia
Location: San Francisco
Website: Jewels By Olivia
Gallery: Museum of Craft and Folk art in San Francisco

Olivia, how do you describe your work?
I have always loved sparkle and color. I started out with beads and they have always been my first love. What I do now is and extension of my bead work. I love the art nouveau movement and Egyptian adornments.
What is your creative process like?
Sometimes I render a piece, but mostly I like looking at what I have and what will fit with it. I work very organically – it cannot be …read more

Artist: Billie Sanchez
Business name: Wicked Oak Designs
Location: Flagstaff Arizona
Website:
Wicked Oak Designs
Wicked Oak Designs Etsy shop

How do you describe your beadwork, Billie?
I do mostly OOAK jewelry pieces and beaded objects. I love creating and building 3-D pieces and larger cabochon necklaces.
What is your creative process like?
Well, I usually start with a focal piece or a color scheme. Sometimes I have an idea in my head and I draw it out, others I just mess with it until I like the end result. I usually have the radio or TV going (good time for me to catch up on …read more

Artist: Bernadine Stoopman
Location: Brisbane, Queensland (East Coast of Australia)
Websites and Blog:
Bridal Jewellery & Hair Accessories by Bernadine
Designs to Love: Bernadine’s gallery
Handcrafted Jewellry & Special Occasion Creations
Hooked on Wire blog

Bernadine, your work is so unique. How do you describe it?
Inventive and inspired are probably the first words that come to mind when describing my wirework.
What is your creative process like?
Sometimes I pull bits and pieces out of my storage boxes to see what goes together but that’s not always successful for me as I don’t have an unlimited collection, so I leave it for a couple of days …read more