Friday, May 7, 2010

An Exciting New PWA Product!

We are pleased to present the newest member of the Pennywise Arts bead family, Iridescent Bubble Beads!!

bubbly

Our 2mm Bubble Beads are shimmery, gorgeous and HUGE compared to anything else we have in the shop. To get a better idea of the actual size go take out your ruler and look at the side with the centimeters on it (the smallest lined side).  Now look at the smaller lines within the centimeter marks – these beads equal TWO of the millimeter marks – which is why we can’t possibly call them micro beads!  We considered “mondo beads” but bubbles just roll off the tongue and are far more fun to say!  Ü 

Bubble Measure

Though they are not translucent they do pick up some background color which contributes to their unique color quality. The above photo was a product of Photoshop.  In the original Bubble Bead photo the background behind the beads is white so the bubbles are not interacting in any way. 

You’ve all heard of interference embossing powders,.. think of these as “interference” micro beads!  To see examples of how they DO interact keep reading!

Sold in 1 ounce bags for $5.25

Click here to be taken to our website to place an order now!

When we first started PWA seven years ago we only knew what to do with the clear beads.  (I KNOW, how weird is that to imagine!?!)  It took all of the amazing input from our customers to help us catch the vision of what colors could do and our world has been rocked ever since!  We know there are o’so many more creative uses for Bubble Beads and we can’t wait to discover them all and share them with you!  If you have some ideas we hope you will share them with us! 

Our design team is hard at work making some projects to inspire your own creative process and we will be sharing them with you as they arrive in the mail.  Yay to fun mail to look forward to!!  Here are a couple that have already arrived:

The Love Nest By Jennifer Toussaint is such a wonderfully bubbly spring bead idea!  Jenn used Crystal Effects and our Iridescent Bubble Beads to create the roof for her love nest.Love NestFlowers, buttons and of course the darling birdie complement the colors she painted her wooden house.

This keychain by Dee Moran is fit for royalty!  Royal Bubble Bead Keychain

A sturdy wooden crown shape forms the base upon which Dee went wild with ink, gems, trim and our new Iridescent Bubble Beads!

Here’s her simple “how to”:

Step 1.  Take a plain wooden crown shape.  Dee’s came from www.5dollarstudio.etsy.com  (More are expected to be available in the store after May 11, 2010).

Step 2.  Sponge shape with alcohol inks on both sides.

Step 3.  Edge both sides of the crown with gold Krylon pen

Step 4.  Trace the shape of the base of the crown onto navy colored card stock, then apply O'so Sticky tape to the card stock.  Use O’So Sticky Tape to adhere cardstock to the wood crown.  Remove red liner from the tape and apply bubble beads.  (Remember to do both sides of the crown this way – being a key chain it’s two sided.)

Step 5.  Wrap gold cording around the top of the Bubble beaded piece.  (Front and back).

Step 6.  Glue large gems to the points of the crown.

Step 7.  Screw in a small eyehook to the top of the wooden piece and attach key chain piece.

Click here to be taken to our website to place an order now!

Background paper credit:  To show off our new Iridescent Bubble Beads we used background paper by Best Creation #GP307.  It’s an embossed, glittery two sided cardstock that will definitely be turning up in some future art – once it’s done being a photo box background!

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Wildest Of Dreams

In my wildest dreams I could not have imagined what awaited me at the 7th PWA annual retreat! 

BornToBeadWild Just when I think I’ve seen it all, a whole new breed of fun finds it’s way through the jungle of my life and once again I find myself laughing so hard my sides hurt.  Smiling out loud, I mean really loud.  Sleeping as little as possible (so as not to miss anything good!)  Eating way too much (Blame Yvonne and Leola!) and even singing at the top of my lungs to the Mama Mia soundtrack with 13 other ladies and one lip syncer (You know who you are D*b!)  Okay, okay, okay, I know that this wasn’t everyone’s favorite moment, but it was one of mine, most definitely! Ü

So many inside jokes, scary stories and silly moments bonded our group together in a unique and special way.  I like to think that everyone got exactly what they needed that weekend, and a little bit more than what they expected.  I know I did!

I am in the process of editing the photos to upload and share but for now here are a few teasers……..

Brian hooked up his trailer and loaded all of our goodies inside… everything fit no problem!

PWA Transport This is the welcome mat that we put at the front door.  Pretty much sums up the PWA retreat code quite nicely, I think!

Welcome Mat

Here is an aerial view of some of the tables.  Gosh they look so full of fun stuff!!

Arial View

Whenever beadie buds get together there is sure to be some kind of money business!

Monkey Business And if you weren’t addicted to Banangrams before the retreat, you’re sure to be now!

Bananagrams Mmmmmmm………  Leola baked fresh chocolate chip cookies for us!

Fresh Baked Cookies There were “healthy” snacks too…….  Ü

Good Snacks THere is always such interesting trash at these things……..  Ü

Interesting TrashHere is a bottle cap project by Mary Wallace!   (I’ll be posting more of the fun things that were made when more photos are ready to share.)

Marys Bottlecap Project Uh oh!  Who let Marion play with fire?????

Play With Fire Seriously??  I’m telling the truth that we did NOT plan this twins outfit and I wasn’t even aware of it until I got this photo from Susan!  LOL!!  But dang we are cute, don’tcha think?

Suzanne and Yvonne in Lime

Stop back by soon, and I’ll show ya more fun stuff from the PWA 7th Annual Retreat!

Hugs, Suzanne