Lately in my clay studio I have been making lots and lots of my Wicked Trinked hearts! I have had two projects published in the most recent Simply Beads magazine (look for a post about it here next week) so I have been stocking up to get ready for Valentine’s Day.Honestly, I never was very attracted to heart beads and charms. I feel like sometimes they are so literal and a bit sappy, or too frilly and romantic in an old fashioned way. Especially working in porcelain, where old fashioned frilly lace has a long tradition. I wanted to be Old School, not old fashioned. I really wanted to design beads that could use the heart motif in a more modern way, and I think I accomplished that with these charms. Now I love designing with them!
In my bead studio, I have been having fun playing with the heart charms in fun and interesting ways. My Wicked Hearts have a bit of an edge to them, they take me back to my punky days in my youth. I am currently working on a chain made of little black safety pins filled with beads and linked together. I think I am going to hang a few of the hearts in the center, maybe in a lariat style.The question of the week is: Do you have any favorite heart shaped art beads or charms in your collection? Tell us about your favorites!
This week’s prize is a single porcelain Flutter Heart charm from Earthenwood Studio. One random person who comments on this post will be chosen at the end of the week and announced on the next Studio Saturday post.
Studio Saturdays at the Scene
January 12, 2008Today we are introducing a new feature here at Art Bead Scene! It’s called Studio Saturdays. Each Saturday, one of the contributing editors of ABS will share with you some of the things going on in their studio. But it’s not all about *us*…we want to know what is going on in YOUR mind and studio too! So each week we will present a question about beads, creativity, or *who knows* what else? And we encourage you to participate by commenting to the post. And as an incentive, we will offer a small prize each week, given to one random commenter! Sound like fun? We hope you will join in…
Today’s Studio Saturday is hosted by me, Melanie of Earthenwood Studio
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As the Bead Turns, January 13, 2008
As the Bead Turns, January 13, 2008
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*melanie* earthenwood studio
January 12, 2008 at 3:29 pmDo you have any favorite heart shaped art beads or charms in your collection? Tell us about your favorites!
Lorelei
January 12, 2008 at 4:07 pmYes! I have a few. I have always been a fan of pewter, specifically Green girl studios, so I have a few of their heart pendants. (I’m hoarding them) And I recently discovered another pewter artisan on Etsy, MamacitaBeadworks. I just bought this one a few weeks ago. I can’t wait to use it. Such fine details in a little piece of metal. Love that!
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=8875300
Bead-Mused
January 12, 2008 at 4:52 pmI have a pair of earrings made from some beautiful gold venetian hearts in deep blue and emerald green. They are not your typical heart beads because of the colors, which is probably why I like them so much. The other attraction is that I love antique foil glass and modern venetian glass, so to find the heart shape was a big bonus.
Theresa
*melanie* earthenwood studio
January 12, 2008 at 5:10 pmLorelei,
Ah, yes I love the pewter too! I have several green girl heart charms that i haven’t used yet. yum, and a really cool shibiuchi toggle that I am hoarding.
I love Mamacita’s pewter too! I haven’t visited her shop in a while! Thanks for the link…
Bead-mused,
Oh, your Venetian hearts sound wonderful. I also find that the Venetian hearts are very modern looking, and yet very rich and opulent!
Carlene
January 12, 2008 at 5:28 pmI was never very taken with hearts either, but Lois at Wynwoods Beads had some that I really love. They are silver with a swirl in the center and lines raidiating out from the swirl. They come in two sizes so you can make a necklace and matching earrings. (Which is what I ended up doing.) Very nice charms!
AJ
January 12, 2008 at 6:07 pmI have a faux-malachite lampworked heart that a friend of mine made for me when I was going through a very tough time. Not only is malachite my favorite stone, but she invested special meaning into the roses on the front. Although I’m normally not big on hearts for myself, the thought and love that she put into the bead really touched me.
*melanie* earthenwood studio
January 12, 2008 at 8:19 pmCarlene,
Oh, yes Wynwoods! I bet they have a bunch of great hearts. I don’t have any of their pieces but I realy like them!
AJ,
That sounds like a really special and cool bead! Custom made, no less! So did you keep that one for yourself?
Stacia
January 13, 2008 at 2:27 amI have several great heart beads/charms but my favs are the one I got from Paula Best, a SS heart charm and the very first lampwork bead I made was a funky chicken heart bead. At least that was what me instructor called it. It’s not perfect but I made it myself so it is great.
maryharding
January 13, 2008 at 10:25 amI have only recently made some heart beads for a Fired Clay Artists contest donation. I was surprised how well my botanical themes are enhanced by the heart shape. I have a few on my Etsy shop and will be putting some on my website. There a couple I am just hoarding because I like them so much and they are staying home with me.
*melanie* earthenwood studio
January 13, 2008 at 3:25 pmStacia,
I love it…funky chiicken heart! Thats funny! And I am seeing a trend with metal hearts, like Paula Best’s, being among the vavorites in these comments. interesting…
Mary,
It is quite a lovely shape, isn’t it. I am going to go look at yours on Etsy. I bet they are beautiful with the botanicals!
AJ
January 13, 2008 at 8:51 pm<< So did you keep that one for yourself? >>
Oh yes! I pretty much always keep beads that are given as gifts, and more so when they have special meaning.
Cynthia
January 14, 2008 at 1:40 amI also always say I don’t ‘like’ hearts. Then I realize that I buy them constantly and put them in my jewelry all the time! Your’s are fabulous, more tattoo than treacle!
Cynthia
Rachel @ REvangeline Designs
January 14, 2008 at 2:21 amMy favorite shape is a HEART!! Always always always! Right now I think http://www.juicybeads.net by Ellen Muellar has funky sterling silver hearts!
*melanie* earthenwood studio
January 14, 2008 at 3:18 pmCynthia,
Oh that’s funny! It sounds like me, saying something so strongly and then looking around and realizing, oh…
Rachel,
YAY a heart lover! I will have to go check out that link, I have not seen them before. Thanks!
Connie
January 19, 2008 at 7:20 amyour wicked hearts are really beautiful. i just made a series of heart pendants out of glass – i love hearts!
*melanie* earthenwood studio
January 20, 2008 at 12:46 amConnie,
Thank you so much! I would love to see your hearts…I will look on your blog…
Stacia, Congrats! You are the winner of the heart charm! Contact me with your address using the suggestion box and I will ship it out to you…
Thanks for commenting, everyone!