Happy Mother’s Day!

Wishing all of our beadie buddy moms a very special day!

An Exciting New PWA Product!

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

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 

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.Flowers, buttons and of course the darling birdie complement the colors she painted her wooden house.

This keychain by Dee Moran is fit for royalty! 

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!

Wildest Of Dreams

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

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!

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

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

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

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

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

There were “healthy” snacks too…….  Ü

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

Here 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.)

Uh oh!  Who let Marion 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?

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

Hugs, Suzanne

Buttons and Beads

Today we have another great project tutorial from designer Evelyn Spikes.  I love how quick and easy this card is to make and the results are colorfully fun!

Supplies Needed:

Patterned cardstock with circles or cardstock stamped with circles in pattern

Coordinating colors of cardstock for mat and A2 card

Coordinating colors of buttons

O’So Sticky Tape sheet from Pennywise Arts

Clear ultrafine micro beads from Pennywise Arts

Adhesive of choice

 How To Do This Technique

Step 1  Select coordinating cardstock.  Cut and fold card base.

Step 2  Cut patterned paper; cut piece of O’So the same size

Step 3  Apply O’So to patterned paper.

 

Step 4  Remove O’So Sticky Tape liner and adhere buttons where desired on patterned paper.

Step 5  Pour ultrafine beads over exposed O’So.

Step 6  Layer beaded piece over mat piece.

 

Step 7  Cut and apply thin piece of mat color to front of card; adhere beaded piece.

Step 8  Stamp and adhere sentiment to front of card.

       

Stamp Credit: Rubber Stampede

Blog Timer

I’ve been so busy cramming all I can into each day getting ready for the PWA “Born To Bead Wild” retreat next weekend that  I just realized that my fancy blog timer has failed me.  At the beginning of the month I uploaded all of Evelyn’s projects with the publish dates set one week apart.  You should have been getting a dose of inspiration every Thursday!  Apparently not….  I am trying to get that fixed today!

Evelyn Creates A Tin In Subtle Stripes

Evelyn Spikes may have lots of time on her hands, but this elegant tin box won’t take up too much of yours!  She shows you how easy it is in her tutorial below.

Gather Up The Supplies:

Hinged tin (Altoid for this project), spray painted matte white as primer.

Spray paint in color to match translucent micro beads of choice  My paint matched the “Stream” translucent beads from PWA

O’So Sticky Tape in 1/8” and ¼” widths

O’So Sticky Tape sheet cut to fit top of tin

Translucent micro beads in Stream

Ultrafine clear micro beads

2 white paper flowers

4 flat marbles to in color to complement paint color

Stream alcohol ink and alcohol in fine sprayer

Glimmer Mists in Patina and Iridescent Gold

Flat-sided adhesive pearls

Adhesive for marble feet

Here’s How To Do It:

1. Paint primed tin with color, outside and inside. When dry, apply piece of O’So to lid.

2. Cut O'So to fit lid; choose embellishments

3. Apply O'So to lid

4. Peel vinyl layer from O’So. Alternating widths as desired, apply stripes of tape to O’So on lid, leaving narrow space between stripes. Trim overhanging ends. Apply 1/8” O’So around lip of lid.

5. Pour on ultrafine micro beads; press to seat beads.

6. Peel vinyl from strips of O’So. Pour on colored micro beads. Press to smooth.

7. Spritz alcohol ink mix to one flower, coloring it completely. Spritz the other flower just lightly with color.

8. When flowers are dry, adhere together with glue dot. Apply three adhesive pearls in center of top flower and adhere the flower combination to the top of the tin.

Adhered marbles to underside of tin for feet.

Not Shown:  for accordion insert cut 11” strip of complementary cardstock to fit width of tin; accordion fold and trim each side of folds with corner shaper. Stamp as desired; adhere photos or other images. Adhere shortest end of accordion to inside of tin and fold inside.

My Favorite Color