Featured Designer - Monkeyshines

Woot Woot! Take a look at this steamy piece of jewelry by Jen of Monkeyshines.........



Jen has a complete line of Steampunk jewelry - so if you are doing some shopping for the techies or lovers of all things mechanical in your life, take a look here to get some fantastic pieces.

Jen also carries creates jewelry of many other themes - one that tugs at my heart is her Mother's Pendant. So true and so wonderful.........



If you would like to try your own hand at using an Elaine Ray bezel - here is your chance. They are now available in store at Ornamentea in Raleigh, NC, at the Bead Parlor in Bloomington, IL. and online with Ornamentea. Give one a try and send me a picture - I'd love to have you as my next Featured Designer!

Thanks again to Jen,
Elaine

Its a Dark and Stormy Night

This month at the Art Bead Scene you have a chance to win big! This month's challenge is A Dark and Stormy Night and the prize is a beautiful tree pendant from Gabriel Studios, which is paired with theses beads by me! Take a look here at the rules and regs then be sure to enter by October 31st.

If you are looking for inspiration for some stormy designs visit one of the great bead shops listed on the right hand side of this blog or with complete self promotion I present you with these suggestions from my line offered by Ornamentea:

How about this Bronzy Old Heart to set the mood for that stormy ride?

Or this Textured Toggle - a good way to stay connected even if the power goes out!

If your looking for a bit more color, try these Hour Glass Drops. Time to get moving - go out there and get creative!

I've been checking the entries - there are some beauties! Hope to see you there!

- Elaine

Its a Meet Up!

Jen, from Monkeyshines, is organizing a Raleigh Jewelry Making Meetup for Saturday, October 4th. It will happen at Ornamentea (during my trunk show) at 11:00 a.m. They then plan to head across the street to check out the Purple Armchair, then go out to lunch. This is soooo exciting for me. I am honored that Jen organized this to give us all a chance to meet and say Hello - Thanks Jen!

Trunk Show October 3rd and 4th!

Good news: Ornamentea has added a class on Friday, October 3rd, the first night of my trunk show. Cynthia will be teaching Working with Waxed Linen. The class is just $10 and they will provide the waxed linen. Above you can see an example the Cynthia made in the past with a tree pendant and several assorted beads. You can learn a few knots, come shop at my trunk show, and then do a little "ta da" and show me your finished project!

Hope to see you there!

- Elaine

Featured Designer: Lorelei

Take a look at Lorelei's blog Inside the Studio today. Lorelei treats us with new, beautiful pieces and as always - she makes me look sooooo good. Then click on to Lorelei's etsy shop and get a head start on your holiday shopping. I bet there is someone you love who needs a new piece of art to wear. They'd look great donning one of these with all the lovely fall colors.

Thanks Lorelei!

Bead Box

Now you can buy Elaine Ray beads and pendants at the Bead Box in Boone, North Carolina. The Bead Box sits right in the heart of historic downtown Boone at 585 W. King St. and has been a vital part of that area since 1995. In 2005 "Greatful Grounds" was added so now you can shop for beads and get a great cup of coffee to give you all the inspiration needed to create a personalized piece of art. What more could you ask for while visiting the beautiful mountains of eastern North Carolina?!?

A Trunk Show!

I'd like to invite you to my Trunk Show at Ornamentea in Raleigh, NC on Friday October 3rd and Saturday October 4th. This is always a great time for me to get out of my garage and meet people. There is always so much creative energy bouncing around ... I enjoy trying to catch it all and bring that energy home to put into new projects.

Especially dear to my heart is when people wear or bring in finished pieces of jewelry to show me. There is soooo much talent out there, it just makes my heart go aflutter.

If you have any pictures of pieces you'd like to share with the on-line world, send me a picture to: Elaineraybeads at gmail with your name (and web link if you have one) and I'll post them all here as I move along to show day.

Thanks!

- Elaine Ray

I leave you with one of my favorite pictures. It demonstrates the beautiful difference that can be achieved by applying the same glaze to two different clays.