May Component of the Month Reveal!

Today is the big reveal for the May Component of the Month, which was Mini Cabochons!  Please check out what everyone made and leave them some love!  Thanks!

Guests

Allison Herrington

Lola Surwillo

AJE Team Members

Susan Kennedy - host

Diana Ptaszynski

Kristen Stevens

Jenny Davies-Reazor

Caroline Dewison

Lindsay Starr

Lesley Watt

Jennifer Cameron

Niky Sayers

Susan Kennedy 

May Component of the Month Giveaway and Challenge - Baby Cabochons!

It's my turn to do the Component of the Month, and I have selected Baby Cabochons!  Since everyone here at AJE is mad for seed beads, I thought these would be a good challenge! 

Of course, you don't have to use seed beads - you can bezel set these as well.  I'm sure you can also come up with even more uses for them!  These cabochons measure between 9 and 12mm.  They vary in height as well.  Do you want to play?  Here are the rules: 

• I will give away 2 sets of 3 baby cabochons (you will receive a random set) to 2 winners selected randomly from those who leave a comment below this post. Your comment MUST include your EMAIL AND BLOG address so we can contact you should you win.

• Please — only leave a comment if you can commit to creating a finished piece and blogging about it on the reveal date.

• The names of the 2 winners will be announced on Monday, May1, 2016.

• This giveaway is open to US and international countries, but please be aware that these will be posted from the US and international addresses will have longer postage times… sometimes up to 3 weeks.

• The blog reveal will take place on Tuesday May 31, 2016.

I will also have random sets of these baby cabs available in my SueBeads Etsy store for purchase if you don't get chosen but want to play along as well.

I look forward to the reveal!

Susan Kennedy

April is for amulets... the component of the month.

I am excited to share these new pieces with you, our readers and my team mates here at AJE. This month I wanted to break out of the "clay cave" as I call it - and offer something different! I am busy glazing and firing pieces for the last Bead Fest Spring event - and taking a day to work in polymer feels like a welcome break. 

So - without further ado... my polymer amulet beads. 

Fresh from the oven, painted and ready

I love a wearable piece that has a message, or a meaning. And these take that to a new level. The core of the amulet is a piece of aluminum tubing and the beads are open at the top. I imagine them with a miniature scroll of paper, an image, a message... 

Amulet bead in hand - shown for scale. 

The facts: 

• These focal beads are approximately 1.5" long. 
• Some have corks, others do not. 
• They are drilled through - so they can be strung easily or have wire wrapped loops added on...

You could win ONE of these - but let me surprise you... 

Want to play along? Here are the rules…

• I will give away 2 amulet tube beads (chosen at random) to 2 winners selected randomly from those who leave a comment below this post. Your comment MUST include your EMAIL AND BLOG address so we can contact you should you win.
• Please — only leave a comment if you can commit to creating a finished piece and blogging about it on the reveal date.
• The names of the 2 winners will be announced on Saturday - April 2, 2016.
• This giveaway is open to US and international countries, but please be aware that these will be posted from the US and international addresses will have longer postage times… sometimes up to 3 weeks.
• The blog reveal will take place on Saturday - April 30, 2016.

I look forward to hearing your comments and seeing you at the end of the month! 

February Component of the Month Reveal!

Today is the February Component of the Month Reveal!

Phaedras

Each participant was sent one crystal and bright aluminum Phaedra made by me.  Karen Snyder designed the Phaedra and you can purchase the tutorial and ring packs at C&T Designs if you'd like to make your own.

Let's see what everyone created with their Phaedra!

Guests

Shaiha Williams

Renetha Stanziano

AJE Team

Diana Ptaszynski

Jenny Davies-Reazor

Caroline Dewison

Lesley Watt

Jen Cameron
Sue Kennedy

September Component Of The Month Giveaway

Ready to move into designing jewelry for autumn?  September's Component Of The Month ceramic pendants are a good place to start (or perhaps you're way ahead of me and are working on winter designs already!).

I love fall colors and had a lot of fun combining them into different palettes.  I hope you find these inspiring for your designs.

Want to play along? Here are the rules…

• I will giveaway 1 stoneware leaf pendant (chosen at random) to each of the 2 winners selected randomly from those who leave a comment below this post. Your comment MUST include your EMAIL AND BLOG address so we can contact you should you win.
• Please — only leave a comment if you can commit to creating a finished piece and blogging about it on the reveal date.
• The names of the 2 winners will be announced on Saturday, September 5, 2015.
• This giveaway is open to US and international countries, but please be aware that these will be posted from the US and international addresses will have longer postage times… sometimes up to 3 weeks.
• The blog reveal will take place on Tuesday, September 29, 2015.

Good luck!

 Linda Landig Jewelry

August Component of the Month Giveaway!

It's time for the August Component of the Month Giveaway!

Rustic stoneware coin pendants

Up for grabs this month is one of my rustic stoneware coin pendants!  Each piece is made to look like an ancient finding just dug up from the depths of the earth!

Want to play along? Here are the rules…

• I will giveaway 1 stoneware coin pendant (chosen at random) to each of the 2 winners selected randomly from those who leave a comment below this post. Your comment MUST include your EMAIL AND BLOG address so we can contact you should you win.
• Please — only leave a comment if you can commit to creating a finished piece and blogging about it on the reveal date.
• The names of the 2 winners will be announced on Tuesday, August 4, 2015.
• This giveaway is open to US and international countries, but please be aware that these will be posted from the US and international addresses will have longer postage times… sometimes up to 3 weeks.
• The blog reveal will take place on Sunday, August 30, 2015.

Good luck!

~Diana P.

Suburban Girl Studio LLC

The Magic of Fireflies: the June Theme Challenge

Firefly/Lightning Bug image found here: http://managementscience.biz/lightning-bugs/

As you may recall, the theme for the June AJE theme challenge is fireflies/lightning bugs and is open to all component makers and jewelry designers. I thought it might be fun to learn a little bit more about fireflies. Especially because I knew absolutely nothing about them except how beautiful they're flashing lights are.

It turns out, what we are witnessing is a call to mate. Males fly around flashing their lights hoping to impress a female. The females stay on a perch on the ground or on a shrub. If they are impressed by what they see, they flash back. If they aren't, they don't flash and the male can't find them in the dark.

Example of amazing photography from Firefly Experience. 

According to the Boston's Museum of Science Firefly Watch website, The female decides which male to mate with based on the nuptial gift she receives. The nuptial gift "contains sperm to fertilize her eggs and food to help nourish them. Research on some species, including a local Photinus, suggests that the female is swayed by the brightness and duration of a male's flash. The more robust male firefly can produce a brighter flash and offer a larger nuptial gift, thus making him the preferred choice."

To most of us, the flash of fireflies look the same as every other. However, there are lots of variations. From the same Firefly Watch website:

Each species of firefly has a fairly distinctive flash pattern, which each differ in a number of ways:
-Color
-Length
-Number of flashes
-Interval of time between flashes
-Time of night they are active
-Flight pattern

Flashes can vary for a number of reasons, including temperature, time of night, time of year.

Image found on Backyards for Nature

If you are interested, you can volunteer to watch for fireflies in your backyard to help scientists with their research. For more info, visit the getting involved link, and if it sounds like something you would like to do, there's a link at the bottom to sign up. 

The AJE team have been working on their theme pieces a little bit here and there. I showed a few components last time, but we have a couple new pieces to share.

First up is Lesley's stunning firefly pendant: 

And Caroline tried out some prototypes in glass that are just magical:

We hope you'll join us in this challenge! It's super easy to participate. 

1. Goal - Have fun! Try something different! Be inspired by the magic of fireflies! Make something that fits within this theme. This can be an artist bead, a component, or a finished piece of jewelry.    

       *You are free to use any artist bead/component in your design -

• from an AJE team member 
• of your own creation
• from another artisan bead maker... 

2. Share/Reveal - Reveal date June 30th

If you would like to be included in the blog reveal at month's end, please email Jen at jennifer.glassaddictions (at) gmail.com. Since this is open to all, this is the most efficient way to be included. Emails need to be received by June 27th  to be included. 

June Firefly Theme Component of the Month Winners

Before I announce the winners, I want to remind everyone who didn't win, that you can still participate for the theme this month. You can create a component and/or art jewelry incorporating a handmade component with the theme of fireflies/lightning bugs. Just remember to email me jennifer.glassaddictions (at) gmail.com so I can add you to the reveal list. The reveal is June 30th. 

And the two winners for one of my lampwork beads to use for the theme of Fireflies/Lightning Bugs for the month of June are... Melissa Trudinger and Mary Detray! I will be emailing both of you shortly for your mailing address. 

AJE COM Theme: Fireflies

The 2nd AJE Theme Challenge 

Firefly/Lightning Bug image found here: http://managementscience.biz/lightning-bugs/

You, our loyal readers, know us. You know that we are constantly evolving, creating, discussing and challenging ourselves. This year the team decided to initiate four themed challenges, loosely aligned with the seasons. We wanted to offer a creative challenge that was broader in scope, drawing in bead makers, component makers, as well as designers/jewelry makers.

The Theme for Summer 2015 is Fireflies/Lightning Bugs

While many people in the United States believe the unofficial start to summer is Memorial Day weekend, I personally know it's summer when I look out my window at dusk and see the first fireflies flashing their lights in my back yard. There's something so magical about the points of light pulsating in the twilight that draws me outside, even with the risk of being eaten alive by the non-magical mosquitos.

Fireflies, which we mostly refer to as lightning bugs here in Indiana, are actually a type of beetle and not really all that interesting in daylight. I certainly wouldn't have selected it as a theme challenge based on their daytime appearance:

Image found on Backyards for Nature

However, at night....

From Digital Photo Blog, a photograph of fireflies using a long exposure

When I informed the team that I had selected fireflies as the theme for June, I was stunned to learn several had never seen a firefly before! I had no idea they were that regional. I just assumed wherever bugs can live, fireflies are there. Nope. The UK contingent of the team informed me they had never seen them. And the U.S. west coast apparently doesn't get them either.

Later in the month, I will share some mythology and science involved with the lightning bugs to help keep you motivated to create components and/or art jewelry based on the theme. 

Here's what the AJE team has been up to:

Caroline Dewison these porcelain pendants of fireflies in the forest. She says they're an idea in progress, but they look pretty amazing already. 

Jenny Davies-Reazor's works in progress. They will be "all about the color...luminous blue sky at dusk and silhouette foliage."

Niky Sayer's firefly idea in progress. 

Linda Landig made a quick sketch of what she plans to create with this month's firefly theme. 

Jen Cameron's (me!) first prototyes of fireflies in lampwork beads

How to Participate in This Month's Theme Challenge

1. Giveaway - This theme challenge DOES include a giveaway! ( This will vary each time.) 

I will be giving away two of the above pictured lampwork focals - winners selected randomly from comments on this post. 

• Winners selected Monday June 1.
• You must have an active blog. 
• Email and blog address must be included in comments. 

2. Goal - Have fun! Try something different! Be inspired by the magic of fireflies! Make something that fits within this theme. This can be an artist bead, a component, or a finished piece of jewelry.    

       *You are free to use any artist bead/component in your design -

• from an AJE team member 
• of your own creation
• from another artisan bead maker... 

3. Share/Reveal - Reveal date June 30th

If you would like to be included in the blog reveal at month's end, please email Jen at jennifer.glassaddictions (at) gmail.com. Since this is open to all, this is the most efficient way to be included. Emails need to be received by June 27th  to be included. 

May Component of the Month Giveaway! Beaded Beads!

It's my turn to provide the May Component of the Month, and after taking a poll of the AJE team members, I decided to offer a pair of beaded beads! 

I've really enjoyed making beaded beads in the past using round wood beads and size 15 seed beads.  I had purchased this tutorial from Datz Katz on Etsy (Debra Schwartz) and really enjoy coming up with different color combinations!

These are the beaded beads that I will choose from. Want to play along?  Here are the rules:

• I will give away 1 pair of beaded beads in the colors of my choice to each of 3 winners selected randomly from those who leave comments below this post. Your comment must include your EMAIL address and BLOG url so we can contact you should you win. Please note, this is required, I can't choose you if you don't provide both.
• Please — only leave a comment if you can commit to creating a finished piece and blogging about it on the reveal date.
• The names of the 3 winners will be announced on Saturday, May 2, 2015.
• This giveaway is open to US and international countries, but please be aware that international addresses will have longer postage times… sometimes up to 3 weeks.
• The blog reveal will take place on Sunday, May 31, 2015.

Good Luck!

Susan Kennedy

SueBeads Etsy Store

SueBeads Web Site

SueBeads Blog

March Hares - the AJE Themed Challenge Reveal

March is often associated with idioms about lions and lambs... but here at AJE it was the month of the Hare. We had discussed this "theme" idea for a good while before deciding to move ahead. And we, as a team, felt there were myriad reasons to give it a try... We wanted the bead makers, the component people to have an opportunity to be involved in a monthly challenge. I mean art beads - am I right? And we wanted to encourage dialogue on inspiration, and shared inspiration. We wanted to demonstrate individual styles of expression, and the diversity of artist offerings within limited parameters. But enough philosophy - on with the reveal!

This month we have many participants - team members, 2 winners and a great list of artists and designers that hopped to the challenge. Take a look. Enjoy.

Happy Spring!

AJE Team
Jenny
Caroline
Lesley
Linda
Niky
Melissa
Rebekah
Lindsay

Guests
Aural - Woodland Bay Native
Heather - Hidden Ridge Studio
Cindy Martin-Shaw
Keren Panthaki
Jackie Ryan
Karin Grosset Grange - Ginko et Coquelicot
Pamela Traub - Klassy Joolz
Paisley Lizard Designs
Karen at Ditsy Blue
Michelle McEnroe ( 4 pieces pinned on the AJE Pinterest page)

April Component of the Month Giveaway!

Hello everyone! It's time for another Component of the Month giveaway and I'm so excited to be hosting for April's challenge! Up for grabs are my brand new little wood heart beads!

I hand shaped each heart in polymer clay and carefully stamped both front and back with a weathered wood impression that I made a while back.

On the side, to make them extra special, I carved the word "love".

I painted them in my favorite rustic copper brown color and a brand new color: sea-washed grey, to mimic the look of driftwood. Perfect to add a touch of woodland charm, sea-worn shabbiness, and rustic beauty to your new jewelry creations! Each one is about 18mm by 23mm long.

Want to play along? Here are the rules…

• I will giveaway 1 heart bead in the color of your choice to each of 3 winners selected randomly from those who leave comments below this post. Your comment must included your EMAIL address so we can contact you should you win.
• Please — only leave a comment if you can commit to creating a finished piece and blogging about it on the reveal date.
• The names of the 3 winners will be announced on Wednesday, April 1, 2015.
• This giveaway is open to US and international countries, but please be aware that international addresses will have longer postage times… sometimes up to 3 weeks.
• The blog reveal will take place on Thursday, April 30, 2015.

Good luck and happy creating!

Rebekah Payne

Blog: treewingsstudio.com
Shop: treewingsstudio.etsy.com

AJE COM Theme: March Hares

The *new* AJE Theme challenge!
A variation on our Component of the Month feature! 

1. A. Durer - Young hare, watercolor, 1502.  2. Lepus Leporidae   3. B. Flanagan - Leaping Hare, 1982 bronze
 4. M. Ohara - Ivory netsuke, mid 19th century

You, our loyal readers, know us. You know that we are constantly evolving, creating, discussing and challenging ourselves. This year the team decided to initiate four themed challenges, loosely aligned with the seasons. We wanted to offer a creative challenge that was broader in scope, drawing in bead makers, component makers, as well as designers/jewelry makers.

The theme for Spring 2015 is the Hare. 

We are creating hares in our respective mediums - from clay to metal, polymer to resin. We invite you to join us: create a bead, a pendant, a finished piece of jewelry. It may be whimsical, naturalistic, or abstract. Just hop to it. (Details on entry/participation at end of post.)

I selected the hare, as its my totem animal of sorts. In myths the world over the hare is associated with fertility, creativity and rebirth. I wanted to share a few stories here, and I will delve deeper into the myth and symbolism on my own blog throughout the month. I am continually inspired by these legends, myths and lore!

Now it IS March... "Mad as a March hare" comes to mind. This is a British idiom, referencing the antics of hares in their Spring breeding season. They are often seen "boxing" as a courtship display. The March Hare is commonly known from Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland".

Image credits: 1. Boxing hares 2. Boxing hares 3. Tenniel illustration from Alice in Wonderland
4. Cheeky hare by  Simon Litten
   

There are many pre-Christian goddesses associated with hares and springtime, including Kaltes, Freyja and Eostre, the namesake of Easter.  Spring is a time of rebirth and fertility, so the connection with rabbits is clear, and was maintained via the Easter Bunny.

Antique Easter postcard, the Germanic goddess Eostre, an antique chocolate mold. 

The Asian folktales and myths offer a wide range of hares, most often associated with the moon. In China the hare is the consort of moon goddess Chang-O, and grinds the elixir of immortality in a mortar in pestle. In Japan - he's making mochi! The hare is seen in the craters on the moon's surface, forging a tangible link between myth and reality.

1. Lunar rabbit netsuke by Eilchi, late 19th cen. 2 & 3.  Lunar hare in the moon diagram and noren 4. Ivory netsuke  5. Embroidery, Chinese Imperial robes, 18th century

Here is what the team has been up to: (I'll let the pictures do the talking!)

Rebekah's trio - arctic hare, hare, and jackalope! Melissa's molten morsels in progress. 

Caroline's stunning silhouettes in raku. 

Karen has work in progress! Available soon - complete with the iconic spiral of life stamped on these totem beads. 

Lesley has etched, and soldiers, and cast and fired... 

Lesley is glazing these beauties now! Niky, although new to the team, has jumped in, sawing these  pieces/WIP.  

My own old and new: casting a 3d detailed hare, my hare and lunar hare ceramic pendants . 

The *new* theme challenge details:

 

1. Giveaway - This theme challenge DOES include a giveaway! ( This will vary each time.) 

I will be giving away one hare and one lunar hare pendant - winners selected randomly from comments on this post. 

• Winners selected Sunday March 1.
• You must have an active blog. 
• Email and blog address requested in comments. 

2. Goal - Have fun! Try something different! Hop to it! Be inspired by the creative nature of the hare! Make something that fits within this theme. This can be an artist bead, a component, or a finished piece of jewelry.    

       *You are free to use any artist bead/component in your design -

• from an AJE team member 
• of your own creation
• from another artisan bead maker... 

3. Share/Reveal - Reveal date March 31st! 

If you would like to be included in the blog reveal at month's end, please email Jenny at jen.davies.reazor (at) gmail.com. Since this is open to all, this is the most efficient way to be included. Emails need to be received by March 29th  to be included. 

Rabbit manju

Resources:

• The Symbolism of Rabbits and Hares by Terri Windling (a brilliant overview of myths and literature from the world over!)
• A reprised Windling article on her blog 
• The Jakata/Buddhist tale of the selfless hare
• Japanese hare mochi
• Japanese myth and folklore: the hare