Monday, February 03, 2014

Monday Bead Porn Because...Why Not?

Wow, it's hard to believe I still have bead porn left over from before I took my rather lengthy blog hiatus, but I do.  Sadly, I've noticed that a lot of my favorite bloggers and Etsy shop owners seem to have also either shut down completely or at least gone radio silent for the last few months.  I'm hoping that at least some of them will eventually come back out to play (hey, I managed to do it!), but in the meantime, we can revisit some of their wonderful work:
 
 
 
 
 
Bronze clay toggle and...
 

 
 
...bronze hummingbird bead both from Summer's Studio Etc.
 

 
 
Pretty patinated rings from Sue Beads.  Sue's shop is one of the first that I "favorited" when I originally joined Etsy because of her beautiful lampwork beads.  Since then, she's branched out into enamel work and polymer clay, too, so well worth checking out her store!
 

 
 
Pink-yellow Czech glass rondelles and...
 
 
 
 
...aqua/lime Czech glass rondelles from Aloha Bead
 

 
 
"Melon" shaped glass beads (one of my favorite shapes to use in designs) in a bright purple/green Mardi Gras color combo from Uncommon Beads.
 

 
 
More Czech glass.  I used these beads in the lavender heart earrings that I posted in last Friday's blog post.
 

 

Lime/aqua oval beads with a Picasso finish and... 
 

 
 
...gorgeous, glowing periwinkle rondelles.  All three above are from Bead and Ribbon.


 
 
I went nuts for all the bracelet bars at this shop.  This is just the first of several that I purchased and am still hoarding while waiting for the perfect design inspiration to strike.
 

 
 
More bracelet links - this time in a round shape.  I love the bright colors.  I definitely need to dig these out and do something with them for summer, I think.  Both of the two above items are from Captured Moments.
 

 
 
This beautiful ceramic seahorse with matching beads and the toggle clasp below are both from Havana Beads.
 

 
 
They also do beautiful lampwork glass so another shop that's well worth the time to at least peek in the windows!


 

Of course, my first love when it comes to art beads is (and always will be) lampwork glass.  In real life, these beads from Naos Glass shimmer with dots of gold like dewdrops.


 
 
Naos Glass  also made this pair - denim blue with subtle touches of silver. 
 
 

 
 
Radiant Mind has closed their Etsy shop (waaahhh!), but they are still selling on the web at The Lampwork Beads.
 

 
 
Outwest makes these incredible etched and blasted looking lampwork beads.  I used several sets in the bracelets and necklace that I posted last week.
 

 
 
This set is from the same vendor - looks like the mesas in New Mexico.
 

 
 
Blue Seraphim is another of the very first shops I found when I originally joined Etsy.
 

 
 
I particularly like her color choices within her sets.  Rarely are they colors I would think to put together, but they always coordinate well and challenge me as a designer.
 
 
So, what has been tempting you in the bead-buying world lately?
 
KJ

No comments: