Wednesday, January 26, 2011

JUMPING FOR JOY AND A GIVEAWAY

I am sooooo happy today, finally the Step by Step Wire Magazine reached the newsstand.  Goodness gracious, I'm really good at keeping secrets but when half the world is asking for beads to make my bracelet and the other half still doesn't know and I can't post pictures.  What is a girl to do?????  When you get published you're supposed to keep the secret until the magazine is out in newsstand.  At least that's what I understood from my contract.  Anyways, here are the two bracelets that are featured.  The beads are now available at Havana Beads if you'd like to make any of these.  Oh, and I forgot, I had to buy extra magazines for family so how about a little giveaway of one of these magazines to celebrate.  Just leave me a comment for a chance to win.  If you follow me, leave me another comment for another chance to win.  I will pick a winner next Wednesday, February 2nd.



Have a great evening,

Raida

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

I've been trying to incorporate more of my lampwork beads in my jewelry designs and have been posting pictures to give some inspiration.  Sometimes as I lampwork I get an idea for a jewelry piece and sometimes its the other way around.  I think or doodle a jewelry piece on my pad and then create the beads. I love to work with semi precious stones so sometimes I'm drawn to those beads and design jewelry around them.  Here are some new things in both my Etsy stores.

Half leather half wire, can't go wrong.  My lampwork beads, Mykonos beads and ceramic beads.

Handmade etched copper with blue patina (Missficklemedia) and kyanite rondelles

These are great for rings.


New Head Pin Leaves.

These are rather funky and swirl around.  I have these beads available at Havana Beads or the earrings at Gentle Wind Designs.

Thanks for coming by,

Raida

BEAD SOUP EXCHANGE

The suspense is over and Cherrie from En La Lumiere and I have exchanged our bead soup beads.  I didn't want to post any pictures until we had each received our bead soup.  Didn't want to ruin the surprise!  I love my bead soup, I have all kinds of ideas floating around in my head.  Cherrie got lampwork from me, of course, which she uses some but not that often but I tried to give her colors that I thought she could work with and would like.  I think we did good for both our first time doing the Bead Soup Exchange.





Enjoy your day,

Raida

Saturday, January 22, 2011

METAL STAMPS GIVEAWAY

Lori at Pretty Things is giving away a great set of Metal Stamps made by Impress Art.  Head on over to her blog and sign up to win.  Go here Pretty Things - Metal Stamp Giveaway.


Raida

NEW GOODIES

I spent the morning posting new goodies on the two Etsy sites.  I was at an art show last weekend in Delray Beach so I was inspired this week to make some ocean inspired lampwork beads.

"Seashore Dreams"
These are etched so they have a satin finish to them.

"Deep Blue Sea"
These beads blew me away when they came out of the kiln.  The intense blue and copper are so very pretty.

These fit the pandora and biagi bracelets.

These fit the pandora and biagi bracelets.

These are the beads from my necklace "Colors of My Love" featured in Bead Star 2010.  I'll be doing a limited amount of these sets if someone would like to make a similar necklace as mine.  I've posted a picture of the necklace on the listing at Etsy.

Some new enameled head pins on my Havana Beads Etsy shop.

More enameled head pins.

"And a Cherry on Top"
Little tab lampwork cherry earrings with swarovski crystals and sterling silver leverbacks


"Green Gooddess"
21 lampwork beads on this bracelet, swarovski crystals and sterling silver, on Sale too.

"Butterfly Dreams"

Lampwork and raku butterfly with a spray of swarovski crystals and freshwater pearls.  Pendant hangs from a brown leather cord and has a sterling silver clasp.

"Madagascar"

Antiqued brass chandelier, turquoise heishi and red agate.  Big and bold.

Hope everyone enjoys their weekend!

Raida

WE HAVE A WINNER

Who says number 13 is unlucky?  Well my winner is number 13 "Alison B".  Contact me with your address at havanabeads@yahoo.com and I will send these out to you.  Thanks to everyone who participated in this giveaway, I so appreciate you returning to my blog!


Enjoy your day!

Raida

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

New Beads and Jewelry on Etsy

I've had one of those crazy days that never end, good but crazy busy.  I wanted to post some new beads, head pins and jewelry I posted on Etsy today before I forget.

The silver finish on these looks a lot like the Picasso finish on Czech glass

These are called limoncello leaves they're a transparent lemon/lime with raku, love these!





Have a great evening,

Raida

Friday, January 14, 2011

TIME FOR A GIVEAWAY

Time for a little giveaway.  I've been having a blast making these lampwork head pins and I'd like to share some with you.  Leave a comment below if you'd like a set of each of these new head pins.  I'll do a random drawing so if you're a follower leave a separate comment so you get an additional chance to win.  If you'd like an extra chance to win, blog about it and let me know.  I will pick a winner next Friday, January 21.  GOOD LUCK!



Enjoy your day,

Raida

Here are a couple of new earrings I've added to my Gentle Wind Designs Etsy store using these head pins.



Raida

Thursday, January 13, 2011

New Head Pins and Beads

I was wrapping some beads the other day on a pair of earrings and thought it would be great to have some glass lampwork head pins to go with the design I wanted to create.  So born where the new Havana Beads head pins.  These are properly annealed in the kiln and I've left a long 3 1/2" copper wire.  Why you ask, because I love to wrap, wrap, wrap.  I cleaned these guys and tumbled them to strengthen the wire some.  I also made more red beads, my thing lately.  Must be the Valentines bug hitting me early.








Also some new jewelry pieces on Gentle Wind Designs.



Enjoy your day,

Raida

Sunday, January 9, 2011

NEW GOODIES ON ETSY

I've been busy this week lampworking and making jewelry while the lampwork anneals.  All of these beads and jewelry are now listed on Etsy.








Kaleidoscope Drops
These are sold but I'm making more next week.  I think they're really cute.

I etched these for that satin finish.



This necklace has my sand dollar ceramic focal and some small lampwork beads through necklace.  I actually made a mold of a sand dollar my niece gave me to make this pendant.  It was a lot of fun and special since she gave me the sand dollar she dove for in the ocean.  The earrings have my lampwork sand dollars.


Enjoy your day!

Raida