Time to Visit Kecia Deveney for the AG 2013 Blog Hop

Hop on over to Kecia's blog for the next secret word...
She's been waiting for you!

Celebrating Artful Gathering 2013 Online Art Retreat

Open for Registration

Blog Hop your way for chance to win!

From June to August 2013, ArtfulGathering.com will be presenting TWO exciting semesters of premiere online video workshops offered by fabulous artists who are known nationally and internationally. We are all very excited to share our knowledge, skill, and creativity with you, and we hope that you will join us for this AMAZING annual online event.

Blog Hop with us for a chance to win a $200 gift certificate towards an Artful Gathering 2013 online video workshop(s).

(Gift certificate applicable to 2013 workshops only and does not apply towards kits or dvds).

Each week I will announce the next featured blog for you to visit, and there you will find a new secret word or words that you will need to collect along your way. Once you have collected all the words from each blog you visit, they will work out to say a very artsy phrase. Here are the rules:

1. For your chance to win, you must collect all the secret code words and submit them upon the final destination blog in May. A random drawing will be conducted from those participants who have submitted the complete collection of secret words.
   
   
   
    


2. Only one winner will be randomly drawn from the list of participants who have collected all the secret words.
   
    

Remember to collect all the secret words. These words will work out to say a very artful phrase, and you'll need all the pieces to be eligible for the final prize drawing!

Please HOP over and visit the Amazing

Kecia Deveney

http://lemoncholys.blogspot.com/

(Pick Up the Next Secret Word)

It's Riki Time on the AG Blog Hop

Riki & Vivi
I know you'll enjoy visiting my dear and faithful friend,
Riki Schumacher's blog,
for the next stop on the Artful Gathering Blog Hop!
We just spent a week together last month, 
in Tucson, 
teaching for Vivi Magoo Presents.
We laughed, we ate, we shopped the way cool Tucson gem show
AND
we taught jewelry classes to an amazing group of students!

 So, hop on over to get your next secret word, 
and see what she's been up to.... 

Celebrating Artful Gathering 2013 Online Art Retreat

Open for Registration

Blog Hop your way for chance to win!

From June to August 2013, ArtfulGathering.com will be presenting TWO exciting semesters of premiere online video workshops offered by fabulous artists who are known nationally and internationally. We are all very excited to share our knowledge, skill, and creativity with you, and we hope that you will join us for this AMAZING annual online event.

Blog Hop with us for a chance to win a $200 gift certificate towards an Artful Gathering 2013 online video workshop(s).

(Gift certificate applicable to 2013 workshops only and does not apply towards kits or dvds).

Each week I will announce the next featured blog for you to visit, and there you will find a new secret word or words that you will need to collect along your way. Once you have collected all the words from each blog you visit, they will work out to say a very artsy phrase. Here are the rules:

1. For your chance to win, you must collect all the secret code words and submit them upon the final destination blog in May. A random drawing will be conducted from those participants who have submitted the complete collection of secret words.


2. Only one winner will be randomly drawn from the list of participants who have collected all the secret words.

Remember to collect all the secret words. These words will work out to say a very artful phrase, and you'll need all the pieces to be eligible for the final prize drawing!

Please HOP over and visit the Amazing

Riki Schumacher

http://rikijewelry.blogspot.com/

(Pick Up the Next Secret Word)

Drops of Crystal and Blog Hop Time for MJ

I've been busy taping...

 

Drops of Crystal
...which is the class I will 
be teaching in the first session at

Artful Gathering 2013!

Celebrating Artful Gathering 2013 Online Art Retreat

Open for Registration

Blog Hop your way for chance to win!

From June to August 2013, ArtfulGathering.com will be presenting TWO exciting semesters of premiere online video workshops offered by fabulous artists who are known nationally and internationally. We are all very excited to share our knowledge, skill, and creativity with you, and we hope that you will join us for this AMAZING annual online event.

Blog Hop with us for a chance to win a $200 gift certificate towards an Artful Gathering 2013 online video workshop(s).

(Gift certificate applicable to 2013 workshops only and does not apply towards kits or dvds).

Each week I will announce the next featured blog for you to visit, and there you will find a new secret word or words that you will need to collect along your way. Once you have collected all the words from each blog you visit, they will work out to say a very artsy phrase. Here are the rules:

1. For your chance to win, you must collect all the secret code words and submit them upon the final destination blog in May. A random drawing will be conducted from those participants who have submitted the complete collection of secret words.
   
   
   
    


2. Only one winner will be randomly drawn from the list of participants who have collected all the secret words.
   
    

Remember to collect all the secret words. These words will work out to say a very artful phrase, and you'll need all the pieces to be eligible for the final prize drawing!

Please HOP over and visit the Amazing

Mary Jane Chadbourne

http://desertdreamstudios.weebly.com/blog.

(Pick Up the Next Secret Word)

Clicking my Heels and Blog Hopping Week 3

Lorraine George, Deryn Mentock and =)


I'm clicking my heels happy to say that I've made it through one of the longest teaching gigs thus far...teaching 5 classes (in a row) last week in Houston, at 
Adorn Me! 2013.  
I so wish I would have had more time to visit with Deryn and Lorraine,
but we did manage to get a quick picture on Sunday, 
just before Deryn & I high tailed it our final day of teaching.
Now it's time to begin videoing 
the two classes I'll be teaching this summer 
for 
Artful Gathering. 
I do hope I see you in
one, two
or 
maybe both of the sessions,
held this June-August.
This weeks hop features the talented
Mary Beth Shaw.
Just hop on over to her blog now
for more details and the next secret word!

Celebrating Artful Gathering 2013 Online Art Retreat

Open for Registration

Blog Hop your way for chance to win!

From June to August 2013, ArtfulGathering.com will be presenting TWO exciting semesters of premiere online video workshops offered by fabulous artists who are known nationally and internationally. We are all very excited to share our knowledge, skill, and creativity with you, and we hope that you will join us for this AMAZING annual online event.

Blog Hop with us for a chance to win a $200 gift certificate towards an Artful Gathering 2013 online video workshop(s).

(Gift certificate applicable to 2013 workshops only and does not apply towards kits or dvds).

Each week I will announce the next featured blog for you to visit, and there you will find a new secret word or words that you will need to collect along your way. Once you have collected all the words from each blog you visit, they will work out to say a very artsy phrase. Here are the rules:

1. For your chance to win, you must collect all the secret code words and submit them upon the final destination blog in May. A random drawing will be conducted from those participants who have submitted the complete collection of secret words.


2. Only one winner will be randomly drawn from the list of participants who have collected all the secret words.
    
   

Remember to collect all the secret words. These words will work out to say a very artful phrase, and you'll need all the pieces to be eligible for the final prize drawing!

Please HOP over and visit the Amazing

Mary Beth Shaw

http://mbshaw.blogspot.com/

(Pick Up the Next Secret Word)

The Blog Hop Continues AND Hoping I see you at Adorn Me! 2013

 I do hope I see you in a couple days at

Adorn Me! 2013...

It is one of the closest venues I will be teaching at this year, 

being only 11 miles away from home.

I have been to Tucson and back,

teaching at Art Retreat in the Desert.

It was amazing.

The gem show was truly inspiring, the students were super duper, 

the weather was outstanding,

AND

the hotel & management were GREAT.

Barb and Erin worked their retreat magic,

(along with help from brother, Casey)

and all went SO well,

I just can't say enough good things about the entire trip.

Except, 

if you missed it in 2013,

you won't want to miss it in 2014.
 Yes, Barb has already put it on the schedule, 

so watch out for details here, or my Facebook Page (of course), 

or Vivi Magoo Presents,

in the near future.

Right now I have my eyes set on Adorn Me, 

as I will be teaching 5 classes ~ in a row!

Can you say Yee...haawww?

Yes...

I WILL be wearing a pair of my new boots.

AND, don't forget to visit our next stop on the 

Artful Gathering Blog Hop!

The featured artist this stop 

is the talented

Colleen Moody!

Celebrating Artful Gathering 2013 Online Art Retreat

Open for Registration

Blog Hop your way for chance to win!

From June to August 2013, ArtfulGathering.com will be presenting TWO exciting semesters of premiere online video workshops offered by fabulous artists who are known nationally and internationally. We are all very excited to share our knowledge, skill, and creativity with you, and we hope that you will join us for this AMAZING annual online event.

Blog Hop with us for a chance to win a $200 gift certificate towards an Artful Gathering 2013 online video workshop(s).

(Gift certificate applicable to 2013 workshops only and does not apply towards kits or dvds).

Each week I will announce the next featured blog for you to visit, and there you will find a new secret word or words that you will need to collect along your way. Once you have collected all the words from each blog you visit, they will work out to say a very artsy phrase. Here are the rules:

1. For your chance to win, you must collect all the secret code words and submit them upon the final destination blog in May. A random drawing will be conducted from those participants who have submitted the complete collection of secret words.
   
    


2. Only one winner will be randomly drawn from the list of participants who have collected all the secret words.
   
    

Remember to collect all the secret words. These words will work out to say a very artful phrase, and you'll need all the pieces to be eligible for the final prize drawing!

Please HOP over and visit the Amazing

Colleen Moody

http://colleenmoody.blogspot.com

;

(Pick Up the Next Secret Word)

The Hop Continues for Artful Gathering 2013

Celebrating Artful Gathering 2013 Online Art Retreat

Open for Registration

Blog Hop your way for chance to win!

From June to August 2013, ArtfulGathering.com will be presenting TWO exciting semesters of premiere online video workshops offered by fabulous artists who are known nationally and internationally. We are all very excited to share our knowledge, skill, and creativity with you, and we hope that you will join us for this AMAZING annual online event.

Blog Hop with us for a chance to win a $200 gift certificate towards an Artful Gathering 2013 online video workshop(s).

(Gift certificate applicable to 2013 workshops only and does not apply towards kits or dvds).

Each week I will announce the next featured blog for you to visit, and there you will find a new secret word or words that you will need to collect along your way. Once you have collected all the words from each blog you visit, they will work out to say a very artsy phrase. Here are the rules:

1. For your chance to win, you must collect all the secret code words and submit them upon the final destination blog in May. A random drawing will be conducted from those participants who have submitted the complete collection of secret words.
   
2. Only one winner will be randomly drawn from the list of participants who have collected all the secret words.

Remember to collect all the secret words. These words will work out to say a very artful phrase, and you'll need all the pieces to be eligible for the final prize drawing!

Please HOP over and visit the Amazing
Pam Carriker

http://pamcarriker.com/blog/

(Pick Up the Next Secret Word)

Artful Gathering Blog Hop Begins Today!

Celebrating Artful Gathering 2013 Online Art Retreat

Open for Registration

Blog Hop your way for chance to win!

From June to August 2013, ArtfulGathering.com will be presenting TWO exciting semesters of premiere online video workshops offered by fabulous artists who are known nationally and internationally. We are all very excited to share our knowledge, skill, and creativity with you, and we hope that you will join us for this AMAZING annual online event.

Blog Hop with us for a chance to win a $200 gift certificate towards an Artful Gathering 2013 online video workshop(s).

(Gift certificate applicable to workshops only and does not apply towards kits or dvds).

Each week I will announce the next featured blog for you to visit, and there you will find a new secret word or words that you will need to collect along your way. Once you have collected all the words from each blog you visit, they will work out to say a very artsy phrase. Here are the rules:

1. For your chance to win, you must collect all the secret code words and submit them upon the final destination blog in May. A random drawing will be conducted from those participants who have submitted the complete collection of secret words.


2. Only one winner will be randomly drawn from the list of participants who have collected all the secret words.

Remember to collect all the secret words. These words will work out to say a very artful phrase, and you'll need all the pieces to be eligible for the final prize drawing!

Please HOP over and visit the Amazing

Nancy Malay

http://www.nancymalay.blogspot.com/

(Pick Up the Next Secret Word)

Time Flies When I'm Having Fun

In just 4 very short weeks, I will be standing in Tucson, Arizona,
as I'll be there teaching three classes 
at 
Art Retreat in the Desert.
Two classes are first timers for me, 
coming from my teaching bag of tricks.
On Friday, February 8th, I'll be teaching

 Watchful Resin Charms with a Splash of Bangles
 We'll be pouring some resin in some fun little vintage watch bezels,
that can be used in the class I will teach on Sunday,
or as fun charms for the 
bangles we will also be designing in class.
Have to tell you, these bangles can become addicting.
You can wear a heap of them all at one time, 
and you won't be able to sneak up on anyone if you do!

They are fun and quite simple to make.
Really.
On Saturday, February 9th,  
I'll be teaching my second new class,

Time to Nest

We'll be playing with vintage mother of pearl buckles, recycled sari silk, 
vintage mother of pearl buttons, and a cool watch bezel...
that you can fill to your heart's desire. 
Then on Sunday, February 10th,
I'll be sharing one of my favorite techniques in a class 
called
The Gilded Heart

 Lookie what you can make....you will love it!
Here's a piece that Maria, one of my talented students,
made last October in the class I taught at The Prairie.

 BTW, Barb will be opening Spring registration
any day now...here,
for Art Retreat at the Prairie!
Now, back to the Desert...
I do hope you can come to Tucson as Barb has a field trip to the 
Tucson Gem Show scheduled on Thursday before the classes begin.
I know I'll be on that bus!
And, today she announced that she'll have
Magnolia Pearl 
clothing at the retreat in Tucson!
She had some of Robin's latest designs at The Prairie last fall, 
and of course who can resist Magnolia Pearl?
They, themselves, are works of art.
Take a stroll online to see her beautiful clothes.
You will love them.... 
*****
If you'd like to see where else I'll be teaching in 2013,
I now have most of them posted thru August, 
so just scroll back up to the top of my blog, 
right under the header you will see a tab that says
Classes.
They are ALL listed there, and right next door you will see a tab for my  
On-line Classes.
This is where you'll see all the details posted for Artful Gathering 2013.
Yes, I will be teaching two online classes there once again this summer.
More details about which two will be revealed in a couple of months!
I have lots of things going on behind the scenes...as always, 
but...
 if you are on Facebook, I'd love for you to friend me,
I seem to be there a lot more these days than here!

This was a class picture taken on Sunday just before I taught my class,
On A Wing, at The Prairie!
It was a magical day....love you guys!


  

Hoping in....

"Loves Hope"

I love a good challenge.

It truly always pushes me into a direction I would not take otherwise.

This challenge once again proved the same.

A couple of months ago, Carmi Cimicata of Resin Crafts asked if I'd like to participate in a blog hop featuring a new line, called Instant Glam, within a line of products called 

Metal Complex.

She sent a couple of components, one of which was a silver bezel.

I chose to use it for the hop!

 I had found this gorgeous rhinestone necklace at the antique festival this past Spring.

I knew it was destined for beauty.

I first oxidized the bezel, as it was much too shiny for me.

Then I sanded it a bit, just before I added a couple soft layers of Gilders Paste.

Damask was first, and then I topped it with Silver.

I reached into my bag of goodies

(really my shelf of supplies)

picking up some pewter hearts I had purchased from Thomas Mann.

This is the one I chose!  Just perfect, 

as it has a great little oval shaped well in the middle.

I found a rhinestone connector that had a hint of turquoise in it, 

snipping off the two end connectors.  

Then I pulled out my vintage book of Shakespeare, 

to find my next word,

hope. 

 I looked across my desk, 

finding some resin covered sheet music I had used in a previous project.

The title of the song had the word I was looking for,

Loves.

The name of my piece was born.

I attached the paper inside the bezel.  Mixed up a batch of Ice Resin and attached the heart inside the bezel using the resin.

I gently lowered the rhinestone connector, which now held the word hope,

into the tiny well in the middle of the heart.

As the resin was drying, I decided I wanted a few drops of silver inside the well,

so I added some silver glass micro beads.

Simply divine.  I am so in love with this piece.  

Thank you Carmi for asking me to be part of the hop!

It was a blast =) 

lending a hand

I have so much to be thankful for.

Maybe you feel the same way.

There are so many who need our help after experiencing the devastating effects of Hurricane Sandy. 

Sallianne, from Art is...You, contacted Barb Solem & I, along with Linda Young, Zinnia Galliher, and Cindy Woods, in an effort to bring the art world together, 

to help lend a hand to the many victims of Sandy.

I am just a small part of a much bigger picture,

so please hop over here, where you will see how you too can give to those who so desperately need our help right now.

I myself am donating one of my 

Rhinestone Dreams necklaces.

If you are able, there are several options to choose from, 

so please go here.

Your name will then be added to a drawing that will be held at the end of the month, where you will be eligible to win art from not only me, 
but some other fabulous artists,

such as Pam Carriker, Sue Pelleteir and Jodi Ohl.

Won't you consider helping?

 Thanks so much!

~ diane

xo

and the winner is....

Christine

of 

Sweet Girl Design

You are the winner of the Bead Soup Book Blog Tour Give Away...

Please contact me with your address so I can get your goodies out to you right away =)

Congrats!

 

Book Blog Tour Give Away

Just as promised, 

here are the goodies I have gathered (and made!) to give away to one very fortunate reader who leaves a comment here for the book blog tour

of Lori Anderson's new book,

Bead Soup.

If you look at my previous post,

you will know what it's all about, and who's involved.

Many wonderfully talented jewelry artists, not to mention the super creative and equally talented author of the book, Lori Anderson. 

Just stop by each and every designer, comment on their post, and you will have the opportunity to win their stash of goodies!

Not to mention the GRAND PRIZE that Lori will be giving away between the 8th & 9th!

Details again for the Grand Prize are: 

For every blog you comment on, your name will ALSO go into the BIG bowl for the Grand Prize! 

How cool is that?

Be sure and check back here between the 8th & 9th to see who wins my

Bead Soup =)

~diane

xo

book blog tour for BEAD SOUP

More than a year ago, my friend Lori Anderson, 

asked if I would like to be a part of her upcoming book called

Bead Soup.

I was to design a piece (or pieces) of jewelry using the above goodies, along with some of my very own...just as I had done in the Bead Soup Blog Parties several times before.

Of course I accepted, with much gratitude....

I have to tell you I had never used a cameo in any of my designs, so this bead soup challenge stayed true to the test!

Here's the jewelry i designed, 

named Old-Fashioned Oyster Stew by Lori.  

If you just flip over to pages 84 & 85 in the book, 

you'll see a list of all my ingredients, 

including the ones sent to me (pictured above) by Lori, and how you too can design your very own necklace using ingredients just like or similar to these.

So with much anticipation, AND to celebrate Lori's new book...

beginning tomorrow, 

there will be 8 straight days of reviews & giveaways from a good number of the 25 contributing artists in the book, including me =)

Each day just hop over to the artist's blogs listed below, 

to see what she will be giving away! 

My giveaway....a bead soup stash that I put together just for you!

And, if you know me, there certainly will be some vintage rhinestones in that stash =)

I'll pick a winner, from those who comment on my post on Wednesday, October 3rd, 

doing so the night of October 8th or morning of the 9th.

In addition to the drawing I'll have here, don't forget to leave a comment on Lori's blog and/or on the other participants blogs each day to be eligible to win the Grand Prize -- because for each & every comment you make, 

you'll be in the running for some pretty cool prizes, some of which are shown here.

See you again on the 3rd.

Have fun!!

Monday, October 1st

Lori Anderson -- http://www.PrettyThingsBlog.com

Rebecca Anderson -- http://www.songbeads.blogspot.com-

Barbara Bechtel -- http://secondsurf.com/wordpress/
 

Tuesday, October 2nd

Lori Anderson -- http://www.PrettyThingsBlog.com


Kerry Bogert --   http://kabsconcepts.com/wp/

Melanie Brooks -- http://earthenwood-beads.blogspot.com

Jennifer Cameron -- http://glassaddictions.blogspot.com 
 


Wednesday, October 3rd

Lori Anderson -- http://www.PrettyThingsBlog.com

Diane Cook -- www.rosa-josies.blogspot.com

Malin de Koning -- www.beadingbymalindekoning.blogspot.com 



Thursday, October 4th

Lori Anderson -- http://www.PrettyThingsBlog.com

Cassie Donlen -- http://cassiedonlen.blogspot.com

Jeannie Dukic -- http://site.jkdjewelry.com/blog  

Nan Emmett  -- http://www.spiritrattles.blogspot.com/ 


Lyn Foley --  http://lynfoleyblog.com  


Friday, October 5th

Lori Anderson -- http://www.PrettyThingsBlog.com

Brandi Hussey -- http://www.brandigirlblog.com

Cindy Wimmer -- www.SweetBeadStudio 
 

Barbara Lewis -- Painting With Fire

Saturday, October 6th

Lori Anderson -- http://www.PrettyThingsBlog.com

Melissa Meman -- http://www.melissameman.blogspot.com/ 


Stefanie Teufel -- http://stefaniessammelsurium.blogspot.com/

Shannon LeVart -- http://missficklemediacom.blogspot.com/



Sunday, October 7th

Sharon Palac -- http://sharonsjewelrygarden.blogspot.com

Heather Powers -- http://www.humblebeads.blogspot.com

Erin Prais-Hintz -- http://treasures-found.blogspot.com