Basic Beading Class 101

Sharing my passion of jewelry making is my latest exploration. So realizing that a basic beading class is where I should start, I wanted to attract new potential beaders with something interesting yet simple. So, I ordered gorgeous Tibetan pendants encased in sterling silver from Happy Mango Beads. I let the class participants choose their center pendant color and sizes prior to signing up for class.

With their Tibetan pendant in hand, they gazed at my slide show of several designs I had created through the years. After, they meandered through thousands of beads in my personal collection hoping to discover their own master piece with a little input and direction from me.

Basic beading class 101 passed with flying colors and now know the secret to superior bead stringing using quality beads along with the fabulous twisted tornado crimp beads and Accu-Flex beading wire!

Great job girls!

Rattle Snake?

Fun piece but I think it resembles a snake? Check out the "head" and the "rattle". Colors make it easy to throw on with jeans adding a yellow, blue, white, black, brown or beige top. Soon I'll be updating ETSY and this will be added!

There's a new contest to enter! TRASH to TREASURES beading contest is happening with Happy Mango Beads on facebook. Here it is:

'Trash to Treasure' Beading Contest ~ recycle, repurpose, rebead

Entry Rules:

1. Only 1 entry per person.

2. All entries must be received by midnight on Sept 15th, 2010.

3. No previous contest entries please. Your entry must be newly produced with the 'Trash to Treasure' Beading Contest in mind.

4. There are 6 categories which are listed below, you may place your entry in only 1 category.

5. Only jewelry items will be accepted; necklaces, bracelets, earrings, etc.

6. Judging will be based on originality, visual appeal, best use of beads and how well it fits our 'Trash to Treasure' theme/categories.

7. There will be 3 judges, all are artists in various mediums and in jewelry design as well.

8. An overall winner will be chosen, plus one winner will be chosen from each category.

9. Prizes: The grand prize winner of the contest will receive a $100 shopping spree at Happy Mango Beads and each category winner will receive a $25.00 shopping spree, all in the form of Happy Mango Beads gift certificates.

10. You DO NOT need to be a current customer of Happy Mango Beads to enter this contest.

11. The beads you use in your project DO NOT have to have been purchased from Happy Mango Beads - we know there are other great sources!

12. To enter this contest please fill out the contest ENTRY FORM and then email 1 or 2 images of your design tocontest@happymangobeads.com and include your name in the subject. Note: If your photos are tiny or of poor resolution it may be hard to judge your work. The best image size is 640x480 pixels.)

13. All entries (photos) will be posted on Happy Mango Beads Facebook page - look in photos:http://www.facebook.com/HappyMangoBeads

14. Photos become the property of Happy Mango Beads and may be used in future promotional material.

15. Winners will be announced on Sept 20th and prizes will be awarded that same day.

Categories:

Following each category we offer suggestions. Please realize you are not limited to or expected to use all these ideas, be creative, and remember that this is a BEADing contest - be sure your piece includes beads.

Trash to Cash - paper, plastic, bottle caps, etc.

Compost Happens! – natural, organic, sustainable

Is that my old windshield? – recycled glass

Heavy Metal – metals, old keys, interesting parts

No Earlybirds! – yard sale/second-hand finds revamped

I'm not a dang hippie, I just want to enter this contest! – trashy elegance

Now what to do, use, create, reuse, or just go organic? Oh my the choices! I have plenty of time :) I don't like to be rushed or feel pressured.

My FREE gift certificate order came the other day. This is what I picked out! Now to make some cool things with my "Happy Mango beads"! I just LOVE the colors.

Songs of Summer Beading Contest Winners.... :)

Well the contest was a blast with so many beautiful creative entries! What a competition! 175 talented artists submitted various creations using beads from any source to conjure what ever their hearts desired from wall hangings to jewelry! Considering 10 themes under the category of "songs of summer", each contestant could compete submitting one piece and entering it in 2 of the 10 themes.

First place winner, Von Ireland, was chosen by the panel of 3 judges winning the $100 gift certificate. Check out her beautiful "one mile beach" piece. Imagine the ingenuity and time spent on making this beachy fun piece!

In the Peoples Choice contest where everyone could vote on facebook by "liking" the contestants pictured artwork, I came in first place winning a wonderful $50 gift certificate from Happy Mango Beads! Plus, I had an honorable mention in the 10 themes part of the contest receiving a $25 gift certificate! Can't wait to spend my $75 in funny money and stock up on some new "happy" beads. Thanks Happy Mango!

To see all the winning pieces please go here. Really, what fabulous creations for summer fun wear from simplistic to elaborate and everything in between! The colors, textures, and combinations are just breath taking!

Songs of Summer beading contest!

Happy Mango Beads, "Songs of Summer" beading contest is underway right now!

TOP prize is a $100 Gift Certificate with judging conducted by a panel of 3 artists.

Peoples Choice is where YOU could help me out! I could win a $50 gift certificate if you vote! You vote by "liking" my necklace. But first, you must "like" Happy Mango Beads page or album to vote! Vote now, deadline is this Friday! You probably need a facebook account to vote!

There are 10 Song of Summers categories each offering a prize of a $25 gift certificate. We choose the 2 categories.

Want to see ALL the necklaces put to music in their categories? Each song is a new category...it's so cool ---------> "SONGS OF SUMMER" :)

My secret...

Sometimes good things you want to keep a secret! Especially if you think it may give you the competitive edge. Am I right? We've ALL felt that way at sometime in our lives. But you know, sharing really can be more rewarding than keeping secrets! It feels good to share! So the cats out of the bag and now you know my secret favorite on line source for bead shopping, HAPPY MANGO BEADS!

How can that be with all the traveling I've done you may wonder? Well there is a thrill of adventure and challenge in seeking and discovering beads in quaint boutiques, hidden farmers markets, under a tree or on the shore lines in foreign countries around the world. But if you aren't ready to hop on a plane, sail in a boat, or drive in a car to distant places on a treasure hunt, than your best source for the unusual colorful fun type of beads is HAPPY MANGO BEADS. And let me tell you, what a name that suits a business! Happy is the best way to describe the feeling I get when ever I receive an order!

I still remember my first days with Happy Mango Bead's website. I went through every single category and looked at every single item. I couldn't miss a thing! It was so addicting. Curiosity made me want to be sure not to miss a possibility. It took me hours to put together my order. No time? No worries, here's an idea. Just pick ONE category each night then shop and dream until your heart is content. Fill up your shopping cart and it will save for the next day! Start at the top of their categories on the left hand side of the screen. I believe the first one is about what is on sale for the month!

If you have a sense of adventure and love to discover something unusual, then take some time to shop HAPPY MANGO BEADS!! Just click on their name and go.... Let me know what you think!

Craft club in Hershey - join us!

Originally I set out to create a jewelry designing club here in Hershey PA. Specifically because I truly enjoyed the one that I belonged to in Puerto Vallarta this past year. So with facebook as my means, I rounded up some old friends and new ones. Others suggested a craft club and so that is what has transformed. We have some knitters, jewelry makers, quilters, needle point, etc. Anyone is welcome to join us! Just add me on facebook with a message regarding the club. Here's a link to my page, the DUCHESSE collection.

YES!!

Well like I thought, it was an EXCITING competition. So many beautiful entries by so many talented designers. While I didn't quite get the top winning prize, I did WIN in a subcategory! The category PATRIOTIC is where I tied for first place! I won about a 1/2 pound of COOL beads from Happy Mango Beads. Wish I would have taken a picture before I started sorting and organizing those cute little guys. But in case you're wondering what they have in terms of COOL beads, here's a picture I took when one of my Happy Mango Bead orders arrived!

Crossing my fingers and my toes in hopes of winning a beading contest with my favorite supplier on line Happy Mango Beads. Even if I don't win, it's going to be EXCITING to see all the entries! If you are on facebook, you can add Happy Mango Beads by "liking" their page. Check out their photos for the contest and you'll see all those creative artisans!

The theme for the contest is 4th of July! So here's my spin on it:

Wish me lots of luck!

Curve balls and Dr. Suess trees?

Sometimes life throws us curve balls and we just need to take time off of our routines and spend time paying attention to what really matters.

We left Puerto Vallarta the beginning of May and headed back to Hershey PA via car. Great trip that I hope to post in my other blog soon when the dust settles from the curve balls that are happening. I'll be back in the swing of things blogging and beading shortly so bare with me.

This picture is just one of so many from our trip north. Austin, my son and I thought that these tree's simulated the ones in one of the Dr. Suess's books that we read together so many years ago and my parents read to me. I was just thinking how he may have been inspired with the whimsical look of these trees and what a great way to use them in his book! Nature is a wonderful source for inspiration and a way to get those creative juices flowing! Not sure if I want "pom poms" in my jewelry but you never know!

Cindy Lesher Jewelry presents the DUCHESSE collection

I think I'll change my business name to Cindy Lesher Jewelry. And my new line is going to be called "the DUCHESSE collection". I think the name suits the line and my new business name is more appropriate as my website name which will be easier to spell and to search. So for those of you waiting to see the end result of my recent 2 week project, I present to you, the DUCHESSE collection.

Jewelry Design Club in Central PA, join here

Imagine the possibilities... :)

It's official. I'm organizing a club, a jewelry design club that is. Open for those who know and those who want to learn. Basically anyone can join.

What will we do? We'll meet weekly(or show up as often as you like) bringing projects that are in the making, sharing idea's, helping each other with our dilemma's and chatting about beads n baubles. I will have beads for sale by the piece for the beginner who wants to learn but doesn't want to invest a whole lot of money into bead strands and a new hobby!

Based on the response, I will find us a suitable location that is well lit with natural light(my hope). We may just go from home to home weekly? Or, we may just find the perfect public meeting spot? In the meantime, tell your neighbors, talk to your beading co workers and just spread the word. How can you sign up if you don't know me? Find me on facebook with a message about jewelry and I'll add you as a fb friend! Or, just post a comment here with your email address. I won't publish your email. All comments are read first.

Beading Chicas at my casa!

This week I was the chosen hostess for our beading frenzy of Beading Chicas. Quite happy I was, because one of my other favorite things to do is entertain which is another outlet for my artistic addiction to vent.

I just now gave us the name, the "Beading Chicas", because it sounds chic and for me it began here in Puerto Vallarta so, something with a Mexican twist seemed appropriate. Chicas is what the Mexicans may say referring to a group of girls, so alias, the "Beading Chicas". Sorry fellows, but no boys allowed!

Well this was the first time for the Beading Chicas to come to my end of the city and "up the mountain top". Some of the lady's had to drive over an hour to get here! Now I remember very clearly the very first time I had to drive "up, up, up," the mountain to move into our new condo. Up, up, up is the way it was described to me by my rental agent, hmm? It's a 4 - 5 minute twisting and turning mountainous path going straight up at times. Some of which, makes you feel like you better have easy access to a working emergency brake at any moment, a gondola cable or a giant shot of tequila. So, I figured if I wanted them to come back again I'd better serve coffee, danishes and a nice lunch. So, I lured them with the spectacular view that they would enjoy while beading and enjoying lunch! Needless to say superstar Sue endured the adventure to the top along with all the other chica's, all 7 of them, and here's my lunch concoction and a link for the recipe(just click on this sentence).

The Lunch

The View

The Chicas

Well, I do hope they return at least one more time before my departure sometime the end of March. It's been a fabulous fun beading frenzy with wonderful new chica's from all over the globe! And Flo if you're reading this, I do hope someday soon to finally meet you! I've heard all great things so often! :)

Beading Bezel Symposium

Our beading group met over a 3 day span from 9am to lunch time each day for a very special intense class this week entitled "how to peyote stitch a bezel around a small or large pendant". Our daring and patient "ring leader" was a lovely lady named Elle who flew in from Arizona for a little R & R and to teach us. She is an experienced weaver of intricate and lavishing pieces of art. Here's Elle and just a few of her pieces.

One of the girls gave us all a piece of her antique chandelier. Elle was quite generous and gave us each a large piece of Swarovski crystal. Plus, we all brought some of our own trinkets and baubles some of which we found on our favorite beaches. Here's our creations!

After 3 to 4 hours of intensive fun beading each day we had a rendezvous at extraordinary restaurants. El Farro in Jarreterdaras, Common Ground in Puerto Vallarta, and Los Arroyos Verdes in Bucerias. I can't help but take pictures of anything beautiful! Here's my lunch at Los Arroyos Verdes in Bucerias. What a fabulous new resort and restaurant! Check it out...

Here's some of the group. One important lady is missing who is taking the picture and that would be hostess Sue. We'll snap her next week when the beading session comes to Amapas at my casa!