Kumi Fisher Designs ~ adorn your heart ♥: August 2012

Friday, August 31, 2012

Kreativ Blogger Award - so honored!

I received a big surprise message from one of my dearest friends, Heidi Kingman from My Bead Therapy. She included my blog amongst 9 other fabulous bloggers as her pick for the Kreativ Blogger Award! Thank you Heidi for a special recognition and I will do my best to be deserving of this award. With so many deserving bloggers out there I'm so humbled to be included on her list!

So...when you receive the Kreativ Blogger Award, here are the rules to follow:

1. Post a link to the person who awarded you
2. Share 7 well thought-out random things about yourself
3. Grant the Award to 10 other deserving bloggers and let them know

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Let me introduce you to my dear friend Heidi Kingman! I met Heidi while attending the Weekend with Wiremasters in 2010. From the first time I met her, I just had a connection with her and the more I get to know her, the more I appreciate having her in my life. We have so much in common and I rely on her support and guidance. Every artist needs a Heidi in her/his life! She is part of the Artisan Group and her incredible Guitar Bracelet will be included in the official gift bag for the 46th Annual Country Music Awards!

She is truly a super woman! She works full time as an attorney, happily married, and mother of three beautiful children and one gentle Mastiff. Here is how you can find out more about Heidi Kingman and My Bead Therapy ~ Website, Blog, and Facebook Page!

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Here are 7 random things about me :)
1. I'm a huge Dexter fan! C'mon Season 7! I can't wait to find out what happens!
2. I love pasta and noodles! I will never be on a no-carb diet!
3. My favorite red wine is Prisoner...yum!
4. My studio looks like I can be on the Hoarder's show >_<
5. I'm a jewelry class and tool junkie :)
6. I love listening to This American Life and the Moth during my commute.
7. I have a white Standard Poodle named Kea who we rescued 13 years ago. She was matted from head to toe and very skittish when we first adopted her. She has been the kindest and most gentle soul. Just love her!

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I'm so happy to give the following 10 bloggers the Kreativ Blogger Award in no particular order.

1. Painting with Fire by Barbara Lewis ~ I first discovered Barbara Lewis' work on Belle Armoire Jewelry Magazine. When her book Torch Fired Enamel Jewelry: A Workshop in Painting with Fire came out last year, I pre-ordered it. Painting with Fire Ning is a enameling community she hosts and I have met so many talented and supportive people. When I took her classes at Bead & Button in June of 2012, it was a dream come true. She is an amazing artist and an incredible soul! Love you Barbara!

2. Kelsi's Closet Jewelbox Design Journal by Melissa Muir ~ I've been following Melissa's blog and a big fan of her Tool Time Tuesday and I was pleasantly and humbly surprised when I was partnered with her for Lori Anderson's 6th Bead Soup Blog Party! She is one of the sweetest and talented person I am honored to know!

3.Eva Sherman Designs ~ I found Eva's blog during the 6th Bead Soup Blog Party and fell in love with her blog! She has tutorials both in step by step photos and videos and many were published in magazines. Her copper cuff designs are so gorgeous and inspirational. She offers workshops at Tuscon, Beadfest, and Create in 2012. Sure wish I can take one of her classes one day!

4. Sadafulee by Kashmira ~ I met Kashmira online on couple of Facebook groups this year. When I found out she contributes to Project Why and donates most of the proceeds from her jewelry sales, I was so touched. It's so great to know someone as passionate about learning new techniques and venturing into the creative journey together. You can find Kashmira's work and support her cause at her online store.

5. Knot Just Macrame by Sherri ~ I also found Sherri's blog through the 6th Bead Soup Blog Party. Having just learned micro macrame with Joan Babcock, I truly appreciate Sherri's blog. Her blog is full of eye candy creations by Sherri! If you want to see beautiful micro macrame jewelry, check out her blog! Here is her Etsy store.

6. Song Beads by Rebecca ~ Another great find is Rebecca's blog. I found this talented lady while blog hopping during the 6th Bead Soup Blog Hop Party. She is one of the contributors for Artbead Scene Blog which has a large following, her work has been published in multiple publications, she teaches and is a singer! Whew, what an artist! I can just scroll through so many of her photos and the colors just pop out. Her Etsy Shop is filled with her beautiful designs! Check out this talented artist from the UK!

7. Blue Antiquities by Laura ~ I met Laura in the Painting with Fire Ning and have admired her work ever since. She is a talented mixed media artist and the way she combines colors is simply stunning. I can just sit and look at the photos of her creations for hours! She is getting ready to open her Etsy store soon :)

8. Yay Jewelry by Kristin ~ Kristin keeps posting eye candy jewelry creations on FB and her Etsy Store is filled with not just jewelry but gorgeous pursues! I love her color and material choices. Check out her blog and store! The way she photographs her beautiful jewelry is something I would love to master!

9. Sue Lacy Designs ~ If you like fold forming, this is a must follow blog. Sue just attended Charles Lewton-Brain's workshop and I savored every post reading her blog updates about the workshop. She is also the host of Fold Forming Central FB Group and it's filled with great photos and supportive members. Her recent post about green patina is a must read and her bracelet she posted is just to die for!

10. Lorelei's Blog ~ Last on my list is certainly not the least and her blog is one of my very fav! Lorelei Eurto is one of the author of the Bohemian Inspired Jewelry book which is a huge hit. I follow her blog and FB page like a stalker as everything she makes is simply amazing! I don't think it's any surprise she is on my top 10 list and I'm sure she is on so many other jewelry artists' list too! Get ready to drool when you visit Lorelei's Etsy Store!

Coming up with my list of 10 blogs was not easy as there are so many others that I diligently follow. Mahalo for visiting and enjoy blog hopping over to the fabulous blogs above. Have a creative and soulful day!

adorn your heart,
Kumi

Friday, August 10, 2012

6th Bead Soup Blog Party Reveal #2!

Tada! August 11 snuck up on me a lot quicker than I thought had. When I decided to join the Bead Soup Blog Party hosted by Lori Anderson back in May, I was both excited and a bit nervous. For those of you not familiar with Bead Soup Blog Party, it is a blog party where you sign up and you get randomly matched with a partner somewhere in the world. You exchange a focal piece, a clasp, and beads or other components with your partner and assigned a reveal date to showcase what you made with your ingredients you received. It kind of mirrors the concept of one of my favorite shows "Chopped" where you don't know what's going to be in your basket and you have to create a great dish. The 6th Bead Soup Blog Party had 400 participants from 45 US States and 25 countries!

I'm one of the two dots in Hawaii!!

This is what Melissa sent me :)

I was matched with Melissa Muir who is a talented metalsmith teacher/jewelry artist and she sent me a beautiful soup with the color theme of turquoise, black and gold! The focal pendant is a gorgeous black druzy encased in textured and pierced brass. I couldn't be happier when I opened my package from her. You can read more about Melissa in my earlier post here. One of the highlights of this blog party was getting to know Melissa better. I've been following her blog Kelsi's Closet Jewelbox Design Journal for sometime now and am a huge fan of her Tool Time Tuesday!

I haven't work much with brass or gold so the gold color theme definitely stumped me a bit. I spent many nights going to bed with design possibilities going through my head. The more I worked with it the more I loved the look of brass especially with black and turquoise combination. I really wanted to showcase the stunning focal pendant Melissa made so I made a hammered curved brass bar to hang the pendant on. Then I wire wrapped the different beads and used a waxed black cord with couple of turquoise dangles as an accent. The necklace is 32 inch long and I love being able to see the beautiful focal pendant with shiny druzy encased inside.

Next I decided to make a chainmaille bracelet using brass and black Artistic Wire jump rings. This is a Byzantine weave which is one of my favorite. I wire wrapped the black and turquoise beads in between the weaves to incorporate the color theme and they helped pop the brass and black colors. I used the clasp Melissa sent me and I love how it perfectly complimented the weave. I had to be careful working with the black jump rings as it marred easily. Some of the rings were hard to get the perfect closure but if I didn't put my reading glasses on they looked great! hehe

I wanted to come up with a simple design for the earrings. I coiled the brass wire at the end to match the black swirl beads and added the turquoise. They complimented the necklace well :) I didn't have a chance to work with the copper blanks for this reveal but I will sure be using them for future projects!

Here are all three pieces together! I'm stumped why I never worked with brass before when it's this beautiful. The color combination of turquoise, black and gold will definitely be a winning combo in future designs :) Can't wait to wear this ensemble with a black dress!

This has been such an incredible experience! I met so many wonderful people and never been so inspired visiting all the blogs. The Facebook Group Bead Soup Cafe has been a great community of like minded talented artists and I feel like I have so many new friends. Working with materials you normally don't work with really opened my eyes and forced me to think outside the box. Mahalo Nui Loa to the Bead Soup Blog Party Host Lori Anderson for making this all possible and to my wonderful Bead Soup Partner Melissa Muir for sending such incredible ingredients! Grab your favorite beverage and hop over to all the wonderful participants from Reveal #2! Mahalo for visiting!! A Hui Ho ('till we meet again)!