Turning My Beaded Art Jewelry Upside Down for a WOW Design

Jewelry Dilemma #87 - I've collected the coolest components for which I'm planning an extraordinary piece of jewelry.  I lay out the 3 main focals, get out a whole sheet tray (and then some) of beads, pearls, crystals and glass that just might fall into the design perfectly.  I start creating and everything is flowing beautifully. THEN I hit a brick wall... I need to back the pendant and figure out what the heck to do for the bail.  I'm thinking fringe off the bottom, but it's just not flowing right.  And back to that bail... what the heck was meant for this design?  Oy... creativity block kicks in big time!

Have you ever had the moment where you see a finished design in your mind's eye but the actual piece you're working on tells a different story?

So I put this piece aside... took a little trip, okay it was more than a little trip heading down to Florida to spend a week at the beach.  Just letting my soul feel the energy and love from the ocean and hoping to recharge my creative brain.  Letting the sun warm my skin as I claimed MY chaise lounge, ordered up some fruity drinks and watched the scenery go by... use your imagination! ;)

I came home determined to finish this f*@$&%g piece come hell or high water!  So I sat at my table, moved some beads around... the pendant stared back, giving me zero ideas.  Dawn, stand up & walk away.  So I did... for 3 days, then all of a sudden on a Sunday morning inspiration struck!  Holla!!!

Turn that piece upside down!  

It's not the first time I've done a 180 on a design and it always turns out better!  I have to agree with this piece.  It knew what it wanted... my brain was just a little too foggy to "get it!"  So the beach cleared things up and allowed my heart to listen to my art. 

The focals pair so well together in this piece!  I have to give props to my soul sister, Julianna Cannon - Julsbeads, for the amazing lampwork focal.  The druzy and arrowhead came from Cousin Corporation.  So did those super funky space rocks, mirror beads and nut & bolt toggle for the necklace!  The Cosmic collection of space age awesomeness is my favorite, favorite, favorite collection from Cousin!

As we're moving into summer, I have an amazing few pieces I'm starting of commissioned work.  One is another Tree of Life necklace similar to the design I created for myself.  I'm so excited to be working on that piece in particular because it continues to remind me and inspire me to stay true to who I really am.  Be rooted in my divine essence! 

Stay inspired and spread love my friends!
xo,
~Dawn

Fetishes Can Be Dangerous

Especially when you drop everything else to fulfill your desires! 

I'm sure I'm not alone. I'm not the only one with crazy fetishes.  Here's my story: 

The mail came, an unexpected package was in the mail.  It was from my favorite lampwork artist Juliana Cannon - Studio Juls.  Hmmm, I could either wonder what was inside... nope, no time to wonder! I ripped open the package with the eagerness of a kid at the candy store. 

You know what I found? 

The most amazing, seriously lickable, lampwork glass cabochon that was screaming my name.  The color, the uniformity, the size, it's like we were a match made in heaven.  To me, I saw this cab and it spoke of ocean waves, sandy beaches, the romantic sounds of the sea. 

And Turquoise... so the fetish begins! 

Everything else got shoved right off the table so I could sit down and play. Like immediately...

The way this necklace came together was magical!  I have to thank Juls for giving me the privilege of playing with her glass and share it with you.  Here online store is loaded with brand new cabs, as well as her beads.  If you haven't used Juls lampwork before, you owe it to yourself to try it!  Each piece is perfection and I won't tell if you end up licking yours too! ;)

The aqua nuggets, crystal and copper accents are all from Cousin when I visited earlier this year.  I saw the nuggets in their warehouse and had.to.have.them!  Thank goodness I didn't need to wrestle anybody for them because you know who would have won... and I'm a lover, not a fighter. ♥

Have an amazing day, do something fun and make a difference in the world!
{Hugs!}
Dawn

Mocha Latte - Chocolate - Love - Inspired Jewelry to Last a Lifetime

With Valentine's Day right around the corner, it's time we talk a little about LOVE!  Personally, I show my love for all those I care about every.single.day!  Yes, in DawnVille, it's always Valentine's Day!  However some people need subtle reminders or gentle nudges about how to show their love and appreciation to those that matter.

This month, our assignment from Cousin Corporation was to design something that is Valentine's Day inspired.  My interpretation is your everyday Valentine.  

For my inspiration in my design, I think back to my first day with my sweetie!  We had a date at a coffee shop on a chilly fall night.  Drank mochas, watched the stars come out... until we saw floating orange orbs silently moving across the sky but those are for discussion on a different forum. ;)  I talked, he listened.  We shared stories until the frothy whip cream was long gone and the coffee shop was closing up for the night... so in honor of my first date with my love, this necklace is called Mocha Love!

For this necklace, I used a lampwork heart designed by Juli Cannon - Studio Juls and created the necklace with a mix of beads from Cousin Corporation.  The necklace has pearls, glass crystals, mirror beads, oval gemstone beads and copper accents. 

Every love is different, special and unique.  Meant to help us learn and grow.  Meant to cherish and represent a place & time in our lives.  Just like no two pieces of jewelry I design are the same.  Beadwork, stitching, accent beads... there will never be a necklace just like this!

If you are looking to celebrate your love with a one of a kind piece of legacy jewelry, apply for a free design session to work with me! http://bit.ly/DesignWithDawn2014  Not everybody appreciates art or celebrates love like I do.  But if this piece speaks to you and you'd like something original designed exclusively for you, I'd love to have a personal conversation!

For more pieces of legacy jewelry, follow Bella Amore on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Keeping secrets...

I've got a secret....  You know, there are some secrets that I really, really, really lock away and am very good about keeping.  There are other secrets that I just have to get out in the open.  Those kind of secrets like the I-got-you-the-most-amazing-Christmas-present-and-I-cannot-wait-to-give-it-to-you variety are just jonsin' to get out and spread love and happiness. 

So because I'm overflowing in excitement for giving this Christmas... I had to share a picture with you.  But I can't tell you the story (yet) because, uhhhh, SECRET!  So for now, what started as this...

was transformed into this...

What are you just jonsin' to spill but don't want it out there for everybody to know?  C'mon, you can tell me.  I promise I won't tell.  :) 
~Hugs!~
Dawn

Click here to view ready-to-ship jewelry designs created by Dawn Doucette - Bella Amore Legacy Jewelry 

P.S.  Love the lampwork heart?  You can scoop up many more beautiful artisan designs from Juli Cannon - JulsBeads!  Her quality is out of this world and her designs... simply swoon worthy!  I promise!

If you like Pina Coladas -or Lampwork Glass- and Getting Caught in the Rain

And now find yourself humming the Jimmy Buffet song like a life-long parrothead... then you really ought to check out this uber special sale my dear-friend-almost-sister-except-we-don't-share-any-familial-blood is having in her store.

This was my first "Zit Bead" from Juls - Do you see the imperfection? Neither do I! 

She's collected a whole lotta orphans (and you know I have a thing for lost orphans that don't have a mate in the lampwork world or they aren't perfect) and she's having a lottery with them.  First, let's define orphans.... orphans are those lampwork beads that are leftover from other sets.  Some of them aren't perfect, but none of us are (side note: I've bought many, Many, MANY of Juli's orphans in my time and ALL of them are stunning!) 

Circa 2010- See, Zit Beads turn into beautiful butterflies too! Promise!

She's put some special orphan collections together and is selling them as sets.  When they are sold out, Juli is holding a lottery and refunding one persons all of their money!  So, FREE beads... it's a game worth playing if you love really high quality lampwork glass!

Here's her link... hurry, only 10 sets are left last I heard! http://studiojuls.bigcartel.com/product/trash-to-treasure-free-bead-lottery-sale

And because I know you're now singing that Jimmy Buffet song and bustin' out the blender for a early morning frozen beverage... here's a treat for you!


http://youtu.be/QVdhZwK7cS8

Hope your weekend is full of sunshine, fruity happiness and dancing!
{Hugs!}
Dawn

Fine Print: Doesn't include coconut bra.

YEAH - I fueled up - no more E

Finally, this weekend, spring decided to show up... Mother Nature has been traveling blindfolded and backwards since the "official" start of spring back in MARCH... Yes, it's remained cold, we've gotten snow and my tulips and daffodils have been crying - until this past Friday.

Friday brought glorious skies, warm sunshine and lobster red forearms from sitting out on the patio of a local coffee shop catching up with a dear friend for a few hours.  Seriously 2 hours turned my very pale, freckled Irish arms to the likes of Sebastion on My Little Mermaid. :)

I was able to hand deliver the chocolate swirls necklace and earrings this weekend.  I have to share, seeing the reaction on Jenna's face when she actually saw the jewelry in person for the first time was priceless.  If gas wasn't EightyBazillionJillion dollars per gallon, I'd hand deliver all my orders... everywhere.  But it is, so I won't be doing that anytime soon.

The sun also completely refilled my creativity tank.  When I have too many days in a row of no sunshine, the fuel meter on my creativity tank dips lower and lower and l-o-w-e-r... get the drift.  So after more than a week... I was running on E.  These last 72 hours of sunshine have be so very welcome.

I have designed a special piece for the Mother's Day Challenge at Artbeads.  No pictures yet.... I'll keep you waiting with baited breath! :)  I also designed a beautiful Ivory pearl necklace with special hand beaded focal beads.  Looking forward to sharing that with you as well!

For now... I'll share with you a photo of a new pair of earrings I created with some beautiful lampwork beads by JulsBeads!  These will be available in my Artfire Store shortly!

Hope your week is filled with creativity!
{Hugs!}
~Dawn

Pictures are worth a thousand words....

Honeysuckle.... the color of 2011!

Hippy Hoppy Happy Monday friends!  I have to share, because I'm udderly and completely drooling.  My dear friend and awesome bead maker Juls from Julsbeads has had some mad skillz going on over in her Shiny Glass Shack.  So much so, she's made some seriously AWESOME new sets of beads!

I find myself drooling uncontrollably and wanted to make sure I'm not the only one.  So, while I'm reaching for a napkin... won't you please take a peek and join me!  Scoop up what you like because they are One of a Kind!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/69263665/turquoise-and-chocolate

I purchased some of her ribbed beads and let me tell you personally... I opened the package and very nearly cried.  They were even more stunning in person.  
S-e-r-i-o-u-s-l-y!!! 

So pick your favorites and treat yourself for St. Patty's Day.... Or Easter... Or just because you love supporting other artisans!  Over the weekend, Juls' torch got torched.  So these are the last sets made from her beloved Carlisle torch.  These beads are better than coins from the US mint - Swear!
 Here's her Etsy store!  http://www.etsy.com/shop/Julsbeads
I can assure you, you'll be pleased as punch!!!  Promise!

A little bit of Funk and a whole lotta soul!

{Hugs & Deep thanks for supporting each other!  Keep the love right here at home!}