I’ll return with some new posts here soon!

~Chris

It turns out that Ponoko is a service where you can design your own laser cut components on your computer and then hire Ponoko to cut them out for you. So essentially, you submit a drawing, and they send you the matching laser cuts.

photo credit: reedwade

photo credit: reedwade

photo credit: reedwade

This is a really interesting idea, and early users have come up with some pretty imaginative designs.

To get started, you need to download a “starter kit,” which includes design software with templates that you can modify into your own designs. You can then order laser cuts of your creations in a limited, but decent, variety of materials, including acrylic and veneer.

This process can be used to make modern-themed jewelry components, wall art, and even furniture. Here’s a look at the $1,000 Grand Prize winner of the aforementioned jewelry design contest:

They are colorful translucent beads that can be rearranged on jewelry cord to suit the wearer’s mood.

I’m certainly interested in giving Ponoko a try - although I’m disappointed that I can’t find any pricing information on the site without signing up. If decide to move forward, I’ll post an update here.

Beading Daily, a newer site produced by the publishers of Beadwork magazine, has announced a new jewelry design contest. It’s called Bead Star and appears to be inspired by the TV show American Idol - where everyday people compete for the chance to achieve celebrity. (At least I think that’s what it’s about - to tell the truth, I’ve never seen the show! )

Anyway, Bead Star participants will submit their designs under chosen categories, and then the Beading Daily editors will make an initial cut. The designs that survive that round of judging will then be voted on by visitors to the Beading Daily website.

If you’re interested in submitting a design, be sure to read all of the official contest rules here. Note that you may submit a maximum of one design per category, and your design(s) must be “simple” - for example, no bead weaving may be used, and presumably nothing constituting “advanced” wirework, either. If you’re accustomed to creating more complicated designs, try using this restriction as a way to challenge yourself. Get creative: How can you use very simple techniques to achieve a winning design?

Although not all of the prizes have been announced yet, the Grand Prize does seem certain:

[It] consists of an all-expense paid trip to Bead Expo in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in March 2009, for the grand-prize winner and one companion, including airfare within the continental United States, hotel accommodations, ground transportation, and meal allowance. The grand-prize winner will also receive a $1,500 gift certificate, to be awarded at Bead Expo. Only one grand prize is awarded.

Additionally:

The first-place, second-place, and third-place winners and two honorable mentions in each category and the grand-prize winning entry will be publicly announced in Bead Star magazine, available on newsstands around December 23, 2008.

And finally, a very cool option to include (in my opinion):

Winners will be given the opportunity to donate their projects to an auction benefiting the American Heart Association’s women’s heart health initiatives.

The deadline for entering the contest is May 6, 2008. Visit the official contest rules page to enter.

Even if you don’t submit a design, consider stopping by Beading Daily during the judging period of June 12–18 to vote. It should be fun to see what people come up with.

photo credit: justvonna
photo credit: justvonna

Freeform Sea Amulet Bag

Originally uploaded by artandtea
Wow.

artandtea has completed a stunning piece of beaded artwork with this free-form peyote stitch amulet bag.

According to the artist:

It took many hours to finish the bag over the course of 4 years, working on and off during a challenging time in my life. So, the freeform peyote technique and its meditative qualities will always represent healing to me. Maybe that is why I’m drawn to it so much.

This is an example of what you can achieve when you slow down and allow yourself to create something from your heart.

Here are some examples from a recent west elm print catalog. west elm offers primarily modern style furnishings with simple, clean lines and in bold colors or basic neutrals. But with this collection they have softened the look with a “Rustic Modern” theme - tag line: “organic shapes for today’s living.”

It’s a neat idea. Use beads as they are - temporarily strung, and not made into anything else - as a design element.

If you decide to try it yourself, consider adding interest by re-stringing the beads onto ribbon or fancying them up with a tassel or two. Or fill a clear vase with beads instead of stones or marbles. If you have especially collectible or valuable beads for display, try hanging them behind glass in a deep-set frame or shadowbox.

eBay is a good source for finding very affordable, rustic beads in larger quantities (like full strands). Here are some current examples:

CLAY HEISHE MUMMY BEADS 36 INCH STRAND

Sherpa Inlaid Yak Bone Mala 108 Beads Coral Turquoise

6 STRANDS OLD CHRISTMAS GLASS TRADE SEED BEADS

OLD RARE MIXED AFRICAN DOGON (Dutch) GLASS~TRADE BEADS