It is Show Time!
Actually it is high time to show a few more pictures of my handmade beaded jewelry.
Here are a few presentable photographs I have taken recently, three sets of long dangling earrings are made with simple wire-work method. Nothing elaborate but simple and sweet.

If you have seen the designs at “Create Your Style” Community, you know what it means being “a class of their own”. They are awesome! “Create Your Style” Community was launched by Swarovski in October 2007. I was very excited to be among the privileged 300 members, the first batch for Beta Closed Pilot Program. For the past 6 months, we have been actively engaged in the private forum and contest organised exclusively for the Community.

Beading Design Artists and Jewelry Designers come together from all the world. The representation is amazing. There are award winners from Jewelry Shows in Europe, America and etc. There are also people like me who are there because we all share the same passion and attraction to Swarovski Crystals and handmade jewelry designing.

The second phase of registration is now open.  Membership to this community is by invitation only. If you are a beading enthusiast and keen to join, I could help send you an invitation in the capacity as an existing member.  Just leave me a note in comment.

Lunar New Year Celebrations in Chinatown, Singapore, is a regular annual affair. 
On our calendar, 2 days are marked as public holidays for the celebrations.  
6th Feb 2008 was the Eve of the First Day of celebrations, a day when all Chinese try to get home for a reunion dinner with their families.  Unofficially, the festivities would continue for another 2 weeks with a lot of visiting and feasting.  

Firecrackers were banned in Singapore since 1972. Last night was a special occasion. Fireworks and firecrackers were lighted to make a boisterous welcome for the year of the Rat. Confetti canons were fired onto the thousands that gathered to watch the special event and performance by local TV artistes.  Those who stayed home watched the event and countdown together live on TV. 

Here’s wishing you a Happy and Properous Chinese New Year! Gong Xi Fa Cai.
More pictures on Travel Page.

Bead It Forward was a project started by Jeanette Shanigan, Design Artist. “The 2007 theme was ‘Butterflies’, symbolizing being metamorphosed through the battle with breast cancer.”  She invited others to join her in donating small beaded squares that she put together into 10 x 10 inch quilts and framed them in shadow boxes.  They were donated to the Bead Artists Against Breast Cancer (BAABC) Auction which raised over US$20,000 at the Bead and Button show 2007.

Extract from a section of a 2007 Butterfly Theme Beaded Quilt.

Jeanette, also a teacher and author of many beading books, was moved by the encouraging response from beading enthusiasts all over the world.  Fire Mountain Gems and Beads is also supporting the cause. This project was featured recently in their weekly online newsletter, making a call to all interested in submitting a square for the beaded quilts.

Just a glimpse of a section of a 2008 Rose Theme Beaded Quilt.

The theme for 2008 is ‘Roses’. The full article can be found at Fire Mountain Gems and Beads website.  Any kind of beadwork or technique can be used but the motif must be a Rose of any kind. The specified size and ground rules and instructions can be obtained in a PDF file from Jean’s website at shanigansbeadshenanigans.com. All completed squares must be submitted by 1 April, 2008.

I see this as a great opportunity for beginners to make a contribution for a good cause.  Some free rose patterns and tutorials on how to get started are already available on the site. The entries received to date are displayed online and I think they are really awesome!  Very inspiring and beautiful works from budding artists and beading artists around the world.  Indeed it is a very innovative way of raising awareness and raising funds to fight against cancer.   

Another way of looking at it, it is a program to help cancer patients learn a new hobby to ease some pain in their struggle to their recovery.  It is a very rewarding past time, making little gifts for your loved ones. An excellent form of therapy and literally takes stress away from your mind and fill it with a little cheer.  And for the impatient, you see what you can accomplish in the shortest time. It’s delightful!

In a concerted effort, the legacy lives on, and each year a different theme will be chosen to celebrate each woman’s struggle with breast cancer. Cheers!

View display of Rose squares already submitted for the 2008 Beaded Quilt at
Jeanette Shanigan’s website at shanigansbeadshenanigans.com

The video in the previous post shows you how to make a pair of Pink Rose Quartz Briolette Earrings.

Here is a similar set of earrings found on the net.

Pretty work!

Make a pair of Earrings with Wire Wrapping Video.  This is a free online Beading Video Program, Karla Kam that I found on Youtube and would love to share it with you.

In this video, the lead designer from Auntie’s Beads, Karla Schafer demonstrates how to make a set of earrings.  Using the wire wrapping technique, she makes a petty pair of pink rose quartz briolette earrings. I recommend this excellent video to beginners because she explains in a very clear tone and her step by step demonstration is very easy to follow. Have a go!

Beading your favorite car logo? How about that? I am an Aries, the Ram. Not surprising to find myself fascinated with anything associated with the ram. I am a proud owner of a glass ram that I bought from bargain store. Collectibles associated with the ram are few. Maybe I should make a beaded accessory of the Dodge Logo. But then, if I have a million dollars to invest in collectibles, or a choice car, I would like choose a Dodge. The Dodge emblem is a Ram! Even found the embroidered emblem of the ram among the Dodge Charger accessories.
Yeah, I would like to bead that Dodge Logo.

We don’t have any Dodge cars in Singapore. Strange, I don’t think we have Dodge imports here. The Dodger Charger is reputed to be the American muscle car and the latest design is something you must see. Even the US State Police has a fleet of these coveted autos. In Singapore, we have BMW Police cars, how about a Dodger Charger on the highway?

Anyway, if you are still interested in car logos, search this site for your favorite logo: www.cartype.com/page.cfm?id=799&alph=ALL . There is rich database of all car logos and company history behind those famous logos too.
Car Logo credit : www. cartype.com

When do I need to change my Router? Which router works best for me? My router is still in good working condition. It is good to stick to the principle of “don’t change if it ain’t broken”. But I don’t think my wireless equipment is running efficiently. Whenever I run into problems with the connection, my last resort is to reinstall the software. Now, I end up with Connection 7. Just wished that there is a compatible, more up-to-date piece of equipment with user friendly features to tell me what is wrong and show me how clean up the mess.

Unnecessary upgrade is really a waste of good money. But I do get enticed by “trade-in” offers for used cisco equipment. Perhaps I should invest in a better model and get my home networking system revamped once and for all.

Have you read about the pen guy who has a Mercedes Pens Art Car? He glued over 6,000 pens on his car.  Incredible feat!  Among things that he had created are his hard hat and mailbox decorated with pens.  Google for the pen guy from California,  Costas Schuler and his projects and you will find his amazing hobby of sticking pens all over.  He gets a lot of support and pen donations for his hobby and held talks and event appearances for gluing pens on car.  

In two weeks’ time, my daughter will be leaving for Sweden.  Now, preparation for the trip is hotting up.  I did a lot of shopping together with her, getting enough warm clothing for her to brave the cold winter that may extend till March this year.  Earlier we saw some travelpro luggage on the net and considered getting a suitable bag for her long traveling schedule.

However, we managed to borrow some items from her cousins, and that included a large luggage bag to pack all her stuff.  The luggage seem to be bursting at the seams, and we are just trying to figure out how to squeeze everything inside!    

There is a DIY craze going on in town.  Beaded Jewelry Making is not restricted to just making necklaces, bracelets, rings, bag charms and handphone accessories.  The list goes on and on while new inspiring ideas are born everyday with a little imagination.  Girls are using rhinestones and adhesive crystals to personalize their handphones, laptops, pencil cases, shoes and handbags.  At all Beads and Crystals DIY stores, you can get Swarovski crystal hot-fix transfers in very pretty colors and designs to iron-on to your T-shirt, shorts, denims, bra straps and lingerie. 

It is a very innovative way of adding value to a simple dress or jacket.   This Christmas, a range styled like eveningwear with sewn-on rhinestones. diamantes or crystal chatons flashed the scene.  Seeing them in the window dressing really lifted my spirit for the festive season.  Since it is a fashion trend, nobody would seem out of place or overdressed even when spotted wearing them as day wear.

Have you watched Moulin Rouge yet?  It was a pity I missed the show on wide screen.  But I managed to catch this heart-wrenching movie on TV recently.  I loved the songs and music in this Broadway styled Musical.  I also loved the colorful wardrobe designed for the cast.  Must say I am most conservative but I cannot help but admire the art of designing such beautiful costumes.  Blended into the natural setting of the story, you get to see beautiful and  sexy corsets worn on the stage.  Dresses, fancy headgears, gloves and corsets studded with sparkling jewels, crystal stones, rhinestones, sequins, lace, fur and feathers in vivid colors.

I am not surprised that lingerie makers became trendsetters for the new woman and their changing lifestyle after Moulin Rouge.  Now bra straps are decorated with adhesive crystals.  Interchangeable straps became a very popular trend.  Beaded straps are appearing on the scene too.  Indeed a very interesting way of accessorizing.  Even spaghetti strap tops are now adorned with beaded straps.  Beaded Jewelry can be sexy.  I believe the trend starters are from US, Europe, Japan, Hong Kong and Korea.  Now with China providing a steady source of gems, pearls and beading materials at very competitive prices, it is even more attractive for DIY hobbyists in Singapore.