The Royal Blue - Marie-Antoinette

Marie Antoinette inspired the “Royal Blue” choker designed and presented here. The inspiration she offered for this beaded jewelry design initially came from her genuine warmth and caring attitude toward others. She challenged aristocracy’s rigidity and formality, and adhered to her own moral values, including barring aristocrats involved in adulterous affairs.

Inspired by her character, I conducted a little further research discovering just how controversial her life was, and I was further inspired by her love of the fine arts, dance, and fashion. A great deal can be said about her wardrobe and her sense of aesthetics, however, the most interesting fact is that her genuineness had a simplicity to it that brought a greater degree of modesty to the elaborate fashions of France toward the end of the 1700’s.

Read more...

Pearls : The Queen of Gems

I have a life-long love affair with pearls. I love them all; all
shapes, sizes, forms, and colors, and of course I prefer the natural
over the synthetic ones. Pearls being all-time classics have adorned
fashion icons year-after-year. Known as “The Queen of Gems,” the pearl
symbolises wisdom and faith; which we can all use from time-to-time,
dont you think? LOL! Well, I am talking for myself anyway, and I
surely can!

Read more...

My work is exposed at Aureole

I am so happy guys! If you are the Montreal area right now you can see my work at Aureole!

310 St Luc BL
St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, QC J2W 2M6
(450) 359-4684

I'll be posting some pictures soon!

And as usual on my Etsy shop.

Work in progress...

Beadworking and finding time to promote your work is a challenge! With all the avenues that are existing pertaining to social media networking to make you visible on the internet can become really time consuming and make you lose track of your goal.

Read more...

The Bead Trade

Hello Folks!

I just created a new group on Facebook : Bead Trade.

It's for member of the beadworkers community only. We will be trading our "sleeping beads"!

Join in and let's see how this goes!

Annie
XOXO

What you said about your favorite color - Part 2

Hey everyone!

Part 2 of the favorite color is online! Check it out! Some beautiful artworks again! This painting is from Cath Sheard. She explains in very interesting details why orange is her favorite!

Thanks for your participation!

Kindly,
Annie
XOXO

What you said about your favorite color - Part 1

Hey everyone!


I've asked you what is your favorite color. I got some pretty amazing input!


The picture here is from Jonathan Houle. I guess you understand that he is into green!



Click here to see what he had to say about it as well as others feedbacks!



Stay tuned for Part 2 and thank you all for your participation!

Etsy Beadweavers - June challenge entry

Hey everyone!

Here's my entry for the Etsy Beadweavers challenge June's edition. Click here to have all the details!

Love
Annie
XOXO

Calling upon all artists and art lovers - what's your favorite color?

Hey everyone!

It's been a little while since I was here...

I am currently reading a lot about colors, what they represent and what kind of impact colors have on us.

I would really love your participation and I would more than looove to showcase your work along with your ideas on Annie's Bead World.

Read more....

New rings collection

All these rings are available in my online store. They can also be sports as a charm with a nice chain!

New on Annie's Bead World - Tips for fellow beadworkers

I have came out with a new post categorie as I am rebuilding Annie's Bead World website. I am sharing some tips to make your beadworking easier and professional.

For starter, I am sharing with you tips on "How to properly choose and prepare your thread". Check it out! Let me know what you think! I hope this will be useful for you!

Dont hesitate to post a comment on Annie's Bead World! I will be delighted to read you as well!!!

New earrings line - cheap and fun

I just put out a new earrings line and they are all available in my shop for 10$ each.

Check it out!

Availability in local area and Montreal

As many of you already asked me about it, it might come real verry soon. In fact, i am attempting to get a really nice place to market my art and i might have found one. It's a really nice artsy store in my local area... i am really excited about this perspective and i will let you know the outcome as soon as i know more.

New new new on Etsy!

Four new pairs of earrings in my Shop. Check it out!

Carnelian Stone is the Creativity Stone

First of all, I want to make sure that you understand that I am not a medical expert. I am just sharing with the results of my research. This might be true and it might not be. That’s for you to discover…

Chakra

The carnelian stone is related to the second chakra which is located in the lower abdomen just below the navel. The psychic focus of this stone is to reach balance.

Reed more...

Carnelian Egyptian Myth

The Thet Egyptian amulet is basically to protect the dead from any harm while they are travelling through the afterlife. The ancient Egyptians were convinced that this amulet would insure the resurrection of the mummy. They were referring to carnelian stone as the “blood of Isis”, the Egyptian Goddess of Nature. The amulet in itself is known as the Isis knot, buckle of Isis, girdle of Isis or tie of Isis. Some people believe that the amulet has the shape of a man while the Egypt specialists tend toward the hypothesis that it is representing the female reproductive organs of Isis.

Read more...

Carnelian - Overview

Carnelian is also known as Cornelian, Chalcedony and the “Self-Esteem Stone” just to name a few.

This semi-precious stone is depicted in a wide range of colors from light oranges to dark reds du to the presence of Iron. Interestingly, the root of the word Carnelian is the latin word “carne” which means “flesh” maybe refering to the color of the stone.

Reed more...

Carnelian (Small)
Originally uploaded by Robert Dowell

One Man talks about Love being Life

What is it that is so elusive about accepting the Art of Love and the Art of Life? Truly they represent one and the same thing. These days this reality, this truth if you will, has been haunting me in many different ways. An old way of life, long forgotten, is bringing suppressed gifts - purpose - back to the surface. People, situations, events are all cornering in a way that forces the eyes to focus in upon it. And here it is, waiting for the moment to seize upon Life longing to Live. Reed more...

by leedman / March 11th, 2009

Financial crisis a powerful source of inspiration

Artwork is a luxury for some, for others it's an "art-de-vivre," while for an Artist it is the purpose of their life. Financial crisis is a challenging experience for any emerging Artist to go through. Some Artists might take a side job that helps make ends meet, or even a second job. Yet, this experience, and these new places can become bright sources of inspiration.

First, being in the unfortunate situation to have to take another job means there is less time to work on art and with the creative process. This challenge means becoming creative with managing time and creating a structure with a schedule. This requires discipline. Yes, I know, it's not my favorite word either. And yet, the opportunity to master this skill, take advantage of it, and create a way to become comfortable with it yields more opportunity than it takes away.

Second, making do with what you have. Finances may restrict what materials you can afford, let alone need for a specific project. Therefore, get creative to find solutions that will transcend this "lack" and still complete a project from a vision outside of yourself.

You could choose to become frustrated by the situation, or you can turn it into another exercise of creative exploration to find new ways to overcome the challenge. Artists frequently surprise themselves as new techniques, matching different media together, and things never done before arise. These experiences become highly stimulating and rewarding. More importantly, they provide a sense of achievement and fulfillment unsurpassed.

Finally, what about all those unfinished projects? We all have some somewhere; at least, I do anyway! It is never a wrong time to get back to them and breathe in new life. Get them out of the guts! Get the brain to the task and get creative! Tap into the deepest source of inspiration. Reflect on them. Find the deepest reason why this unfinished business is still unfinished. Unlock some doors to these mysteries and let yourself be submerged in the flow of creative energy that is pooling in that project!

When crises are over, strength will have developed along with new skills. New sources of energy and creativity will be ready for the success and challenges that are wanting to meet the future!

Happy crisis to all my fellow artists!

Special thanks to Lee Down for editing http://onemancan.ca/

How to appreciate handmade jewelry

As you may already know Robert Kalin is the founder of Etsy. What a young vibrant man! After watching this video, I said to myself, yep! the interviewer's right. There are a lot of lousy products on Etsy and I was specifically referring to my field which is beaded jewelry. Right away the title of an album from Camara Obscura came to my mind : "Under-Achievers Please try Harder". http://www.camera-obscura.net/

With that being said, I realized that I was looking at things the wrong way. This way of thinking showed me that I was about to miss out on the real fundamental meaning of buying homemade. And for many reasons.

No one can claim to have the supreme authority in regard to taste and beauty, no matter what the media communicates. We can be influenced positively and negatively, and yet in the end, we have the final say over what we like or dislike on a personal level. When you buy handmade you not only get what you see, you also get what you feel! From my perspective the most important value with handmade jewelry, or for any handmade product, is how it makes you feel.

Wearing a piece of handmade jewelry gives you a sense of connection with the artist or craftsman. When you decided to purchase that particular piece, you not only saw it as beautiful, you also felt compelled and shared a certain level of understanding between yourself and the expression in the art.

In essence how you feel wearing a particular crafted jewelry is the expression of your inner energy and personality. This is something that you have in common with the artist and that is to feel a real connection with another living being.

Beads of courage - a unique program for children coping with serious illness.

Lately, I came across this fantastic foundation : Beads of courage. I believe deeply in art-therapy and I was quite pleased to see that beads are now in the loop.

I immediatetly felt compeled to share that one of a kind foundation that is so dear to my heart for 3 main reasons.

1 - I deeply love children who are in fact little adults. They are our everyday teachers and the only reason we are there for them is to protect them as well as to help them spread there wings or to empower them would be another way of saying it. When you really take time to listen to a children's deepest toughts, you'll always be amazed at what's really going on under that sweet face. Big emotions, tremendous curiosity and understanding of the world they observed around them and the lods of love to be given they carrie in such a small body is always outstanding.

How many kids do you have then? I can hear the question. The answer is none to my deepest regret. Somehow, for medical reasons, I cant. And it seems to happen to many women that deeply care for kids. Now, not being able to have kids of my own blood does not mean that I will never have one. Besides that, I feel a responsability towards every kids on this planet and in a way, they are all mine, they are all ours. We all need to take care of them and make them feel secure in this bizarre world.

2- As a massotherapist, I am really concerned about the physical and mental wellness of all beings. If the hurting can be relief for just a little time, every single actions are worth it. If one bead brings a smile in a hurting kids face, it's worth it. If one bead can bring courage to one kid it's worth it. If the kid can wear his beads of courage around his neck and be an exemple, an inspiration for other suffering kids, it's worth it!

3- My passion for beads, beadwork and body adornment is certainly the 3rd reason. Every single bead is special and has a unique personnality. Semi-precious stones were always given some healing powers. Colors are also healing and can elevate your spirit and energise you. Besides the technicals of beadwork, this is really driving me forward, wanting to explore more and give more. Body adornment can therefore have a multidimentionnal definition and Beads of courage is certainly one among the most important to me.

http://www.beadsofcourage.net/index.htm

Egyptian style beaded jewelry

As you already know, I am deeply inspired by the egyptian style these days. Here's one of the necklace that came out. Quickly took a picture to invite you in my world...

There are so many venues that can be explored with netting it's amazing. I am looking forward to share more of the outcome with you as I am planning to give you extended details here :


http://anniesbeadworld.com/


I have something else to share with you. A great project that is very dear to my heart. My partner in crime, who is also an artist, and I are planning a project that will enable emerging artists to get increased exposure through the creation of elegantly simple and effective websites and marketing solutions.

Experimenting...

I've been experimenting with all kinds of bead netting last week... Found many challenges and solved most of them... Now if you are like me and you buy your beads in bulk by the kilo of half a kilo, make sure that you have enough beads for your entire project when you are at the end of the batch. Because beads are like paints and you will find out sooner or later that your project is distorted because the new beads are not entirely similar from the previous batch. That could be quite a disaster if you've been working on a project for 20 hours only to find out that it is increasing or decreasing for no apparent reason...

Always keep in mind that each bead has her one personnality and uniqueness and if you dont respect that, they will do little tricks on you to make sure that you dont forget it ever ever again...

Egypte

Knetting is always fun. Egypte is a dream.

I am on a serie of egyptian style necklaces. Seeing bright colors, feeling the warm weather and surfing the history... What will come out of this is a mystery. And that is exactly what fascinates me about Egypte. Mysteries and spectacular sceneries...

Following these visions is simply irresistable dont you think?

My work is available online!!!

Yes it is! And it is my first experience selling via the web. As you will see the layout is not completely done. I still have to learn how Etsy fully works. I'll get there soon. Meanwhile, my work is avaible!

Take a look and your feeback is more than welcome!

http://www.studioannieveillette.etsy.com

Victorian Era

I've been stuggling to take good pictures of my choker... As you know, photography is not something I'm really comfortable with.

Here's finally my victorian style choker. It's just like I wanted it to be. It's very tight around the neck as well as very large. The collar in itself is 4,5 cm and when you add the onyx it makes a 7 cm large choker. The onyx are falling on the collarbone which make them stand out. Despite what one could think, it's in fact really comfy. The necklace is tied with 3 vintage round clasps. Therefore, the back is also very attractive. You will soon be able to see more angles of it on flickr...

Speaking of flickr leads me to tell you about what's coming up for me. Like I said, flickr is about to be available, my Etsy shop should open in a few weeks and I have many earings and a few lariats waiting to be posted on Facebook.

ELEGANT ARMOR : THE ART OF JEWELRY

This necklace I created was inspired by the one Verena Sieber-Fuchs made and called Firecracker. She is one of my favorite Jewelry artist. You can actually see some of her works at the Elegant Armor : The Art of Jewelry exhibit at the Museum of arts and design in New York. If you get to be in New York from now until July 5th, it's a must see!

Here's how the curator Ursula Ilse-Neuman introduced the exhibition :

"Elegant Armor: The Art of Jewelry" presents innovative pieces of contemporary art jewelry from our permanent collection, dating from the 1940s to the present. The works on display range from the subtle to the flamboyant, from the purely geometric to the organic, and from narrative to sculptural works that extend the limits of the human body. The exhibition presents the major themes, materials and techniques that make contemporary jewelry visually exciting and intellectually stimulating."

For more details, I encourage you to take a look here : http://collections.madmuseum.org/code/emuseum.asp?style=browse&currentrecord=1&page=search&profile=exhibitions&searchdesc=Current%20Exhibitions&searchstring=Current/,/greater%20than/,/0/,/false/,/true&action=advsearch&style=single&currentrecord=1

Victorian style black choker

I am presently working on a big piece. It's a victorian style black choker. I see it verry large covering all the neck and on the base line I am planing to integrate 5 ovales Onix that will be embazzeled with japaneese beads probably black or different shades of grey. I see it verry feminine as well as verry heavy.

I am verry excited about this piece! I hope I get to make some great shots of it to give it it's full beauty. I got the inpiration from the movie Dracula (Bram Stoker's).

Dark Sunday Afternoon

I recently came out with a new collection called Dark Sunday Afternoon. Although I am not quite satisfied with the pictures, I am rather proud of my creations. I will post them all on Flickr really soon. Meanwhile, you can see them on my Facebook Fan Page. Or on myspace at www.myspace.com/gumbydharma1 .

Before christmas, I was left down by the company I was working for and I've decided to turn that misfortune into an opportunity to beadwork fulltime. As a results, everything that is aside the beadworking itself is new to me. I'm talking about the pics, the promotion, the pricing and so on... I find it really challenging and I am loving every part of it!

The really cool thing in this adventure is to discover all the great artists around. I have expended my network and I am really inspired not only by the beadworkers(and there are many great ones out there) but also by all the other areas of arts; sculptures, paintings, photographes, music, etc...

I am having the time of my life!