Big News!

I'm thrilled to announce that I'm partnering with Beadalon on a new line of co-branded products for beading. We showed them this past weekend at the CHA Show in California and it was really fun to see people's reactions - I took some pictures of people wearing their Katiedids creations, which I'll share here soon.

I invented these specially engineered Katiedids™ Creative Components to make it easy for people to add a customized, hand-beaded look to their findings. Each of the seven different pieces provides a channel-set effect for beads, flatbacks, fibers, polymer clay, resin, and more.

The donuts, sticks and pendants can be filled in a simple manner, allowing beginners to easily add a high fashion look to their hand beaded jewelry. Or, designers can use more advanced techniques to personalize and set their work apart. The channels in the components provide a framework, but you make them your own.

As the shipment date gets a bit closer, I'll be taking pre-orders for a special collection of these new components on my website. I just can't wait to share them with you!

Linky Love

This week is all about getting ready for the Craft & Hobby Association Show next weekend. I'm teaching classes and rolling out my new product line. (You can say you heard it here first...come back Wednesday for the big reveal!)

In the meantime, here's a peek at a necklace I've been working on. I keep changing the pendant. This one is a big toggle ring. I think I'm going to change it to a larger bead instead. Again...
...and here's some Linky Love to keep you surfing!
A Bead A Day Unraveled star beads become springy coils in Lisa's wintery white dangly earring project.

About.com Jewelry Making Tammy has developed a quick link list to help you find the jewelry info you need.

Art Bead Scene January's Art Bead Scene Challenge is a snowy landscape with a solitary magpie painted by Monet.

Barbe Saint John - New Jewelry from Forgotten Artifacts Barbe will be tooting Jean's horn for her new book Steampunk Style at CHA.

Carmi's Art/Life World Carmi has a special Paris post on photographing jewelry.

Cindy Gimbrone, the Lampwork Diva Rewind: Cindy's Art Noveau inspired Stile Floreal bronze clay pendants.

Jean Campbell Oh, geez. Jean's tooting her horn again about her new book, Steampunk Style Jewelry...

Jewelry & Beading Cyndi wants to know, wanna be facebook friends?

Lorelei's Blog: Inside the Studio Lorelei tests the waters with some new bead elements from Pork Chop Show.

Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done! I really think Barb Switzer is a super person and editor! I was thrilled when she interviewed me last year for the online newsletter, Simply Beads!

Strands of Beads Melissa has a fun time exchanging bead stashes with a friend to create a new bracelet.

The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton Inspired by a lampwork glass champagne-hued Basha Bead and a shibuichi mermaid pendant, Andrew creates a whimsical and sophisticated necklace.

Bead & Button Show Registration Open!

Registration opens today for the Bead & Button Show 2010 in Milwaukee, WI. Workshops often sell out, so get yourself over there and register. I want to see you in Milwaukee!

I'm teaching three classes:

B10199 Beadalon and Crystallized Present: Pacific Rain Necklace
Friday pm, 5:00-8:00

B10197 Beadalon and Crystallized Present: Quattro Pearl Necklace

Saturday am, 9:00-12:00

B10198 Beadalon and Crystallized Present: Copper Fusion
Sunday am, 9:00-12:00

Beads, Baubles & Jewels

Here I am with my entourage for last week's taping of Beads, Baubles & Jewels. The filming went well and everybody at the studio was super nice. My two fellas hung in there and we ate some delicious food at some of my favorite restaurants in Cleveland (Taza, Greenhouse Tavern, Sushi Rock...yum!)

It's always so intense getting ready - samples to make, scripts to write, fingernails to protect, weather with which to contend. It's exciting and fun but I'm always relieved when the episodes are filmed and in the can. I did a bunch of segments on wire techniques including French beaded flowers, making decorative head pins, using wire jigs, and making wire/bead branches. You'll be able to see them soon on your local public television station and in the Design Gallery on Beadalon.com.

In with a Bang

Happy New Year! I wasn't really planning to take time off from the blog, but the holidays swept in and I found myself running pretty fast just to stay ahead of the ball. In addition to general holiday merriment, there were quite a few work-related things to attend to. I'm heading to Cleveland this week to tape the 12th season of Beads, Baubles & Jewels and am getting ready for the Craft & Hobby Association Winter Show later this month. I've also been working on some exciting product development that will soon be revealed! Needless to say, we had a somewhat hectic but very happy holiday time.

This picture is for folks who are worried that crafts have to be perfect - note the glue gun in the lower portion of the photo. My friend and I had already told the kids we were going to decorate a gingerbread house when we starting reading the instructions and realized that we'd have to wait an hour for the icing to set and hold the house together. We weren't planning on eating it anyway, so we broke out the glue gun. Playing with the candy decorations kept the kids' attention for the 10 minutes it took to assemble. Go team!