Sleepless Beader

CREATING SWAROVSKI STYLE in TUCSON 2012

2012-02-09T10:33:00.000-08:00

The CREATE YOUR STYLE with SWAROVSKI experience in Tucson this year was beyond my expectations.
First, being together with the other ambassadors was as warm and fuzzy as it was sparkly! I heard this event brought more ambassadors together in one place than ever before.
We had a special showroom with tables to share our creationss, kits, books and more with everyone. Seeing the diversity of work and astounding innnovation in materials and techniques among us was simply cosmic. For example, look at Diane Whiting's Crystal Balls necklace--and the issue of Step by Step Beads in which it appeared. (True story--I was the editor in chief of that magazine and brought that project in from Diane before we even really knew each other!)

Kristal Wick's collection of finished jewelry and kits featured some of the most lush combinations of crystals and her original fabric beads, plus more yummy luxe materials. if you haven't made one of her necklaces, check out her kits and her fabulous books online--because you are missing out on making something extraordinary that will have people oohing and aaahing.

The vunderbar folks from Austria presented the new shapes, colors, materials, tools, effects and trends for the next year. Everyone was so eager to see the presentation and listen to Chris, Raphaela and Katrin "romancing the stones!" (But we missed Nicole and Marlena, who could not attend.) Here are ambassadors Debi Simon, Brenda Schweder, Kelli DeFries and Stephanie Dixon.
Among other new tools and web enhancements, we'll all be able to add a fabulous color wheel tool to our own web pages, showing how to mix and match all the Swarovski elements styles and colors.I love getting our little "candy box" of samples of many new elements.

Classes, workshops, and make and takes were a huge success--can you tell from my student that she was happy with her Chessboard earring project?

The newest part of the event was a showroom for Ambassadors to display (and sell) our finished work, kits, tutorials, books and DVDs, and demonstrate our favorite techniques.It was so incredible to meet people face to face! The best part for us was being together with the other Ambassadors. I am sure our camaraderie was tangible. We just love being part of this group! (And we really missed those who coud not be with us.) Personally I can't eait to do this again next year. Thank you Swarovski for making this possible (and for the nightly Happy Hours). Huge hugs to our Ambassadors who helped put it all together (Tammy, Diane, Debi). Thanks to the local bead society folks who were just as nice as could be on helping us in any way we needed.
And thanks to everyone who came to see us!

Make the world beautiful!

BEADING ON A LOOM

2012-01-11T09:41:00.000-08:00

Working on the Beadalon loom is so much fun, it really takes me back to my beady beginnings. I started using seed beads on a loom almost exactly like the one that every student will get in my class at the Bead and Button Show in June. I know, I know–what about those pesky warp thread ends, right? That "chore" has kept you from using the loom, right? Not any more!! In my class you will learn to whisk those ends outta sight plus many other practical and easy loom weaving tricks:

Use strong and non-stretch WidFire
to string the main long threads (warp)
and for weaving (weft).

We learn how to read and design a chart.

See how to make your piece as long as you wish!

Discover how many things you can
weave on a loom--earrings, for example!


The colors of the Hollywood Cuff are shimmering Miyuki size 11 Delica beads

Next to the zen of weaving with Miyuki Delica beads and the satisfaction in the way those beads fit together, the best part of this project is the way we finish. We simple cut the cuff from the loom, fold under the threads, and adhere into a bezel cuff from EK Success. The look is superbly crafted and stylish.

So sign up! You keep the loom as part of the class kit, and I will have plenty of other patterns and blank cuffs for sale so you can make more– because I guarantee your friends will all want to be a film star too!

My Gift of Peyote Patterns for You!

2011-12-20T09:33:00.000-08:00

I hope you enjoy these 8 peyote patterns, designed for Hanukah but with a few that are universal. Each medallion can become a pendant, cuff or brooch, or incorporated into a greeting card, work of fabric art... it's up to you! I made one into a necklace.

Worked in size 11 Delica beads, the actual size is h x w 1 5/8" (42mm) x 1 1/2" (40mm). Note how the side edges have the in-out beads. This enabled more horizontal straight lines in my designs. It also allowed me to use the bead holes along the top edge to attach a rolled peyote tube as a bail through which I strung my beaded cord. These patterns are easy to follow in either peyote or brick stitch.

A bit about Hanukah for those who wonder if Jewish kids really all got gifts for 8 days. I personally did not. With four kids in my family, are you kidding? Do the math! Plus, this isn't a "holy" day. It's much more of an historic celebration. Here's the short version:

Hanukah means "rededication." In 168 BCE when the Syrian king banned Judaism and took over the temple, the Jews took it back led by Judah the "hammer", the Macabee. After the battle the remaining temple oil (for the eternal flame over the Torah ark) seemed too low to last for more than a day, but it lasted 8 days --some say that's the time it took until new oil could be created. The festival is full of games (like playing with the dreidle) and fried food (more oil, that's right!) Traditional yummies include donuts, called "sufganiot," and of course my personal favorite, latkes, or potato pancakes.

No matter how you spell it, Hanukah is a festival of light and celebration for the Jewish history of survival against all odds.
So happy Hanukah, or as we say in my wonderfully multi-cultural house, Hanuchrismakwanzstice!

And more than anything, HAPPY BEADING!

Menorah, with all 8 candles lit,
reflecting the entire Festival of Lights.

Peace Dove. When are you showing up?

Dreidle, the toy top with Hebrew letters
standing for the words
"a great miracle happened there"
referring to the Hanukah story.

"Chai", Hebrew word for Life.
The toast "l'chaiim!"is to drink to life!

Hamsa, or Chamsa
Middle Eastern symbol for the protective
hand of Gd. The Hebrew word for five
(as in fingers) is "chamesh."

The flag of Israel is designed
to look similar to a tallit,
or prayer shawl.

The Torah contains the 5 books of
the Old Testament. Portions are read
at every Jewish service.
Torahs are hand scribed on scrolls
to this day. No errors are allowed,
so they are written in sections
If a mistake is made, only the
one section needs to be rewritten.

Tree of Life, "Aitz Chaiim"
in Hebrew
shown here with day and night

More about how to learn PEYOTE STITCH

2011-10-24T11:31:00.000-07:00

So many people have contacted me lately with the desire to learn peyote stitch. Perhaps it is the release of the new emag Fabulous Peyote Stitch with Crystal Accents. Who can resist adding crystals to a stitch so wildly popular?
Everyone wants to learn!

Peyote stitch is sometimes called the gourd stitch. It is considered a Native American technique but is found in many other cultures around the world. Why is it called "peyote?" Wiki says the gourd stitch was traditionally used to decorate ceremonial objects in rituals involving peyote mushrooms, sacred rituals. That's all I know about it except it has to be THE most popular bead stitch of all time.

There are many version of peyote stitch, most commonly even-count peyote and odd-count peyote, referring to the number of beads per row. There are design advantages to which one you choose. Look at my original You Tube video for even-count peyote here:

It gives you some idea of how I teach; I draw the diagrams for you, and it has become my signature method. Since these original Doodlebead videos were made I've had my lessons from the TV show Beads, Baubles, and Jewels made into commercially produced DOODLEBEADS DVDs. These have much cleaner videos, but these originals remain my favorites. I made them using iMovies, and they were indeed to impetus for the product that became the DVD. :-) I hope to do more, with music of course. Edutainment, that's what the world needs!

You can buy my Doodlebeads DVDs--there are two volumes so far-- and I suggest Volume I to start. Along with the videos you will have access to printable diagrams as PDFs so you can follow the video while looking at the diagram I use in the tape. Go to my Sleepless Beader Etsy shop:

In case you are really new to bead stitching, there's also tubular, circular, and multi-drop versions of peyote and about every other stitch. So think how many things you can create even if you only know one stitch, such as peyote. It's rather exciting.

Also, using Delica or Toho cylinder beads gives peyote that perfectly flat fabric many beaders admire. Try Delica size 10s--they are a bit larger than size 11 and should make it easier on your eyes, and help enable your success. And remember to keep your thread tension snug and consistent, that will also help your work turn out best.

Happy Beading!

PS: Thanks to Joy D. for inspiring me to get this post out there.

Playing with Beadalon Rubber Tube

2011-10-08T11:32:00.000-07:00

For my Oct 6th appearance on Jewelry Television, Beadalon asked me to design using their 1.7mm rubber tubing, in both black and frost colors. Slender as a flower stem but very durable, the tubing is hollow which means WooHoo! You can thread through it with beading wire or Artistic Wire (less than 20g) and it cuts like buttah with a scissors, snips or craft knife. Was I a happy camper! (Y'all know I love the look of rubber in jewelry designs!)

Since lots of people ask about how ideas come about for my finished work, I'm sharing some of the constructions I played using the tubing.

My first idea was to cut black and frost tubes into pieces and string them with 4mm round Swarovski Siam crystals, for one of my fave combos of red and black and white. I curled .015 beading wire (same way you do with curling ribbon) to give the strands movement and more body. This necklace is unfinished. I think it will succeed if there are tons more strands for a more substantial presence, and, having (for the moment!) a limited supply of the tubing, I moved on to a new direction.

Having a pile of cut pieces of tube leftover, I took beading wire--not curled--and crisscrossed through the tubes and crystals in a traditional netting stitch. The only diff here between beadwork netting and this is that I strung the pieces of tubes instead of beads between the junction crystals. I'm not quite sure yet how to give this a polished finish as a piece of jewelry but it sure looks unique around a glass holiday ball or votive.

Here I strung doubled over lengths of the frost and the black tubing through a pendant bail, which I taped to a table on a wire. I strung one of the new Swarovski silver lined big holed beads intending eventually to do some sort of weaving with the tubes, as in those lanyards we all made as kids. (With gimp, remember?) I still need to work out that process.

Grabbing a handful of the tubing inspired me to work with it in bunches. I cut pieces into varied lengths, strung them with beading wire, and crimped more Siam crystal rounds on each wire end. I simply took Beadalon crimp beads (not tubes) and squashed them flat with a chain nose pliers. The crimp beads are small enough to be innocuous yet add a touch of silver.

Here's how I wired the crystal-tipped tubes together so I could hang them from a pendant bail. Totally easy!


More multiples of tubes, wired with beading wire and crimped onto a slide multi-strand clasp. I attached a pendant bail at the center of the tubes.

Here's the finished pendant, using stacked turquoise donuts and a whirl of tubing wired with Artistic Wire.


Using the frost color tubing seemed perfect with Beadalon's SP Quick Links and chain. I strung short lengths of the tube on eye pins with Swarovski Comet Argent Light 4mm bicones, and used simple wire wrapped loops to space the embellished eye pins along a lovely rolo chain. This necklace sparkles big time! So – the discovery I made in this play time with rubber tubing was that it can look dazzling and elegant, as well as industrially chic. Do you think?

Should you sell jewelry you learn from a published project or in a class?

2011-09-29T11:09:00.000-07:00

This is the real hot button topic, isn't it? I've been engaged in a very lively discussion with Cindy, a new fellow beader. She's agreed to allow me to share our exchange thus far, and we'd both be interested to hear opinions and possible solutions to this and related issues.

Cindy was making things she learned from a book, being somewhat new and not ready to forge her own designs yet. During one convo she said she thought that she could sell her work as long as she mentioned the original artist.

I said: It is generally considered acceptable to make and sell pieces not your own design but only in limited quantities. For instance, at your own home show, local craft fair, to private clients, or giving as gifts. But I've had my own designs being re-created and sold on Etsy where I sell my own work--the same design, and for less money than I asked for my piece. I did not like it but the beader doing it took great umbrage when I asked her to stop selling it on Etsy. She felt that once a design has been published it is totally up for grabs. So it's an ethical question that continues to be a discussion. What do you think? You made the piece so you should be able to sell what you made, right?

Cindy said: I totally understand how recreating someone else's work and selling it would be upsetting. I have very mixed feelings about it but of course at this time I haven't created something of my own to be copied so have a limited view and feeling on this matter at this time. It is confusing because you buy a book, magazine or etc. to learn how to create items but then not being able to sell them after you make it is disappointing. I guess the feeling might be if you don't want it copied then don't produce instructions on how to make it. It is a very complex situation that I'm not sure there is a clear answer to. When I become more adventurous and confident in my beading perhaps I will then be able to come up with my own creations but until then I need all the help I can get.

I said: You are among many jewelry-makers who don't make up their own designs but want to sell their efforts. I get it completely. It is a fine line--for all of us. Designers realize that people want to make our projects. It's why we teach and sell to magazines. That's how we earn a great part of our living. But we also sell our finished work. So when students (classroom or magazine followers) take our designs and mass produce them for sale, it takes away from our livelihood. It's the "making money from another person's design" that's the bugaboo, and not one easily resolved. All magazines ask that readers be sensitive to the authors rights and not take advantage. OF COURSE people want to sell what they learn to make. But is it okay, or when is it okay?

If someone learns to make my original bracelet from a magazine, should they make and sell it over and over on Etsy? Many artists don't publish tutorials for this very reason, and that's sad for students who could learn so much from those pros.

How about at their neighborhood craft shows? I say sure if it's not in my home town.
On their own web site? HM, maybe. So ask me. But don't you want to make your own originals?

On Etsy? I say this overlaps my market, so I'm not gonna like it. Shouldn't I get a commission as if it was a licensed product? If you want to make and sell my designs, please contact me today! We'll make some sort of contract where I get a small percentage of your sales and you can make and sell as much of my work as you like.

And speaking of licensing... I have Disney jewelry I made for myself to wear when I go to Disney World. I DO NOT and WILL NOT EVER make them to sell or even to give as gifts! Even tho' the form of my jewelry and the use of materials is quite unique, it is not my mouse. So I walk the walk, beady peeps. (But anyone from Disney can contact me about officially designing for them. My designs are definitely Mouse Couture.)

If someone takes my class, can they now go and teach that project in classes of their own?
Only with my permission.

Should someone buy my tutorial once for $10 and then charge other people $25 to learn that project from them in their bead shop? That takes bread from my table, unless they buy my tutorial for each student and THEN tack on their fee as an instructor.

Who invented peyote stitch, anyway? I hear this a lot. It's "just" peyote stitch. You didn't invent that. True, but chances are the published project in question is more than just peyote.

I think seed beading is different from other jewelry making. The materials are similar, while other jewelry designs can switch out types of beads, chain, or wire, and become much more original even if the same technique is used. It is not as easy to invent something new in a seed bead work. Perhaps this is why beaders appear much more proprietary.

What do you think?
Can't wait to hear what you all say.

Play Big with your Materials!

2011-08-25T15:24:00.000-07:00

I tell my students, play with your beads. Play with your materials. And then I get hold of this really cool new product -- Artistic Wire Mesh--from Beadalon, and I don't follow my own advice--at first.

Check out my progression from dainty dabbling to dynamic play.

First I cut small 6" pieces of Artistic wire mesh from a one yard piece. I think I was trying to be frugal. So I pulled my little pieces tentatively into ginko leaf shapes, which I wire to Beadalon rubber tubing. YAWN!

Ok maybe aspects of these are okay and I will apply some of the design to other works. But these are certainly not a showcase for the Artistic Wire Mesh.

What was I afraid of? I fold again into little controlled crinkles.

And wire them up with pearls. Not pushed far enough.
I needed to loosen up my grip!

I get a rush of abandon and take my whole 2 yard stash out. With great glee that I pulled it, crunched it, played with the way it molded and stretched--and finally, FINALLY, took advantage of its best properties--the generous amount of stretch, the firm but not scratchy holding of a shape, the density of color in the crunches and folds.

What did I ultimately come up with? Stay tuned! And remember--you get what you PLAY for!

Jewelry Television July 2011

2011-07-11T20:14:00.000-07:00

Knoxville, Tennessee, home of Jewelry Television. I was so honored to have Beadalon and John Bead Corp ask me to represent their products. Never realized how much FUN it was going to be!

I've talked before about how much preparation happens before taping TV shows, right? This was no exception. Even with all I did at home before flying to Knoxville, I ended up spending a whole day there working on new loom pieces. Luckily, there was a marathon of all the Indiana Jones movies on TV, so I set up on my big comfy hotel bed and beaded happily away. It was too hot out to do much sightseeing anyway. (But next visit, Dollywood!)

Yes, I'm totally warped. 3 looms at once.

Using the Spin n Bead is great--I never would make something like this without one, since stringing beads one by one for each strand braided here would take forever.

Showed these loomwork cuffs on Facebook already. That Beadalon loom is really easy to use. Definitely fast--and addicting!

Earrings loomed with the different Delica kits from John Bead. Each colorway collection is for sale on the JTV site. If they haven't sold out yet!

Margo and Kim, the Jewel School hosts, getting ready at their desk in the studio.

I'm setting up at my little desk on the set.

And a short video tour of the Jewel school set right before taping, with a little cameo from Daniel John of John Bead Corp who came down to watch the show. I'll let ya'll know when my next appearance will be and what cool stuff I'll be sharing!

Beads, Baubles, and Jewels July 2011

2011-07-11T17:34:00.000-07:00

Working on the PBS tv show Beads, Baubles, and Jewels is fun work, but most of the work goes on before we even get to the studios in Cleveland Ohio where the show is taped. Each segment needs finished pieces (eye candy, right?) And, because we don't have much time to get the lesson across, many of the projects have stepped out stages of techniques made ahead of time so we can effectively teach you all how to do something in such a short span of time. Keep in mind most of the designs are original and newly invented or reinvented just for the show, so there's a lot of design thought put into each lesson. Here are some examples of what I did for the new Series 1500 which will air in September:

For the Beadalon sponsored colored wire and large bead segment, I took size 2/0 seed beads from John Bead and wove them into a stylish wraparound cuff with a Tierra Cast wing charm. wanting to show the colored wire, I chose copper colored designer stringing wire to play off the bright blue beads, and used copper findings. Plus I added in Swarovski Caribbean Blue rondelles to push how to use big beads and colored wire in bead weaving.

For the lesson on using seed beads to embellish larger wood and resin beads, I already had tons of beaded beads 'cause I LOVE making those.

Getting ready for the spoke bead lesson still took hours of preparation time to show the stages of each beaded bead in a only couple minutes of air time. Here you can see just two of the stages of spokes being stitched ahead of time, so on the air I can pick up a stage in progress and do a couple stitches, and describe the steps without taking time to do all the actual stitching.

At the studio, each lesson is set out on large cookie sheets with all that will be shown on the air-- stepped out sections, materials and tools, and finished jewelry. I tape my stepped out sections on large white index cards to transport them from home to studio--and each one has a needle prestrung on the WildFire thread, also to save time on the air.

So much work, right? But it sure builds my excitement to get revved for each show!

I hope it all works for you--but be sure to let me know how I can do things better or what other seed beady lessons, materials and tools you want to see from me.

Happy Beading!

Bead and Button Show 2011

2011-06-13T18:47:00.000-07:00

Stuff I Had to Share From

the Bead & Button Show 2011

Talk about an exciting portal!

I am there before it opened to the public,

which is why there's no public there yet.

Doing my demos for John Bead

on Hat/Tiara/Hair Fascinator Day.

I showed folks all about Miyuki tila beads.

Everyone is crazy about those

cool two-holed beads.

(And thanks for the vintage hat, Mom!)

Ezel Findings had the most fabulous magnetic clasps including this style with Swarovski crystals on gunmetal. YUMMY!

Sun does exquisite beadwork to show off her findings, don't you agree?

Lea Zinke's enamel rings

as modeled by Denise Peck.

Lea's lampwork was truly stunning, too.

(Denise is the editor in chief of

Step by Step Wire Jewelry!)

Geri Warhaftig lampwork beads

in the Bead Dreams showcases. LOVE!

AMAZING polymer from John Rose,

a polymer bead winner in Bead Dreams.

Black and neolithic, no wonder I like it!

A class in copper electroplating revealed alchemy magic as nature became immortalized in metal.

Suzanne Golden's HUGE spiral bangle.

Ginormous talent in a little lady!

As a CREATE YOUR STYLE with Swarovski Elements Ambassador, I like to feature my sparkles in modern designs, such as my latest Dragon Cuff. Thanks to everyone who admired it at the show!

At the Vintaj booth, Jess and Betsy invited me and Denise Peck to play with a rolling mill style press to imprint metal blanks.

Check out this little video of her demo.

A must have, I must say!

I had time to soak my barking puppies in the hotel hot tub before heading back to the airport. AHHHHHH. And now--I can't wait until the Bead and Button Show 2012!

PS: Special thanks to John Bead who brought me to the show!

If you're a wholesale designer or store owner--go register at their site at www.johnbead.com.

Meet me at the Bead & Button Show 2011

2011-06-01T08:20:00.000-07:00

Come see me at the
Bead & Button Show June 10 & 11th, 2011
JOHN BEAD booth #1028-1030
(c) 2011 Leslie Rogalski All Rights Reserved to designs and content on this site

Friday June 10, 10:30am-12:30pm
Easy Bow Farfalle Bead Bangle Demo

Friday June 10, 3:00pm-5:00pm

Miyuki Tila Bead RAW (Right Angle Weave) Cuff Demo

Saturday June 11, 10:30am-12:30pm
Miyuki Tila Bead RAW (Right Angle Weave) Cuff Demo

Saturday June 11, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Miyuki Tila Bead Square Stitch with Herringbone Cuff Demo

See you there!

Upcycled jewelry: PASTA

2011-05-30T08:28:00.000-07:00

I recently won a cool book from Bead Unique
for my submission to their upcycled jewelry contest.
I had a bunch of stuff I'd created for
a previous April Fool's Day Beading Daily post.
I called it FAUXLYMER jewelry.

Here's a group of pasta noodle beads. I used Sharpie marker to add color and stripes, wooden accents (Also striped with a marker) and annealed steel wire.

Detail: This bead has a slim ziti inside another ziti.

Ridges are colored with Sharpie marker,

and the ends wired with annealed steel.

My fauxlymer cuff was the piece which won me the book.

More ziti, waxed linen and wooden accent beads.

Thanks Bead Unique!

Totally tubular beaded beads

2011-04-18T06:25:00.000-07:00

On my beading mat April 18th, 2011:
I'm making really super fast and easy peyote beaded beads by stitching small flat strips and zipping them together into tubes. I'm making a ton of them in about every shade of green Delica I have–and if you know me, you know I have a lot of green beads! I made tubes using some shiny hexes too.I am just tubing away, because I need to have as many components as I can in order to play when I make whatever it is I will make. Yesterday Mike and I drove to Baltimore (met friends, had Bertha's mussels) and I beaded in the car all the way there and all the way back!

Tip for car beading--work in larger sizes, it's easier to get your needle through larger bead holes if your needle is bumping around! I worked in size 8 hexes and size 10 Delicas. Hardly any finger stabbing at all. ;-)

I'll be combining the tubes with the Swarovski Dorado 2X crystal bicones #5328 into... something! Stay tuned!

Getting Twisted with Beadalon at Wire Fest 2011

2011-04-11T10:20:00.000-07:00

Bead Fest Wire was more fun than I imagined. I did demos for two straight days for Beadalon.

The biggest attraction? The twisted tool! Can you tell that I was enjoying myself? You can see the blur as my hands whirled the handle around and around making a twisted cable. Talk about having the right tool for the right job.

So here's how it works:

Attach up to 5 wires (I used about a yard each of various gauges of Artistic wire, between 26 and 20 gauge) to a disk with holes in it, just twist them onto the disk so they wouldn't come off, nothing fancy. Then attach the loose ends to a clamp or a chair rung--anything which you can use to pull against for some tension. Then just turn the handle as I'm doing in my photo. The end result is a cable of surprising hardness--perfect for making jump rings or wrapping stones, making bails, etc. Even using two wires made a hard enough cable for rings.

Lots of people (of all ages as you can see!) stopped to admire my seed bead work, too. I showed them the three colors of WildFire I use, and though I did not demo any stitches I did point out how the WildFire thread held up to different stitches and different beads, including Swarovski crystals.

Thanks to Meredith and Madeline of Beadalon who were so fabulous in teaching me how to best use the tools and make me feel really a part of the design team. Somehow that floor in the convention center doesn't feel quite as hard when you work with great people!

Meredith and I collaborated at the demo station on some new designs with the Katydid components, too. Meredith has such style in her designs--I hope they'll post those pix on the Beadalon blog site soon.

How to end and add thread to bead work

2011-03-20T17:29:00.000-07:00

Don't worry about ending and adding thread to a piece of bead work. See if my Doodlebeads video helps simplify this task.
Check it out here on You Tube: Click the arrow to watch!
Leslie's video on ending and adding thread

Transform ready-made elements into hand-crafted style

2011-03-17T12:25:00.000-07:00

I have these great, ready-made silver-plated quick link rings from Beadalon, shown at the top of this photo. They're about the diameter of a quarter. They're really cool, but for my style they're just a tad too shiny, too perfectly formed. Others love these attributes, but I like more of a hand-crafted look in my work.

First I hammered them with a small rivet hammer, flipping them on my steel block to hammer both sides. Those rings are shown in the middle of this photo. They looked way better to me, but I still wanted more.

I decided to oxidize them. Using bowls designated for crafts only (with NOT FOR FOOD written on them in marker) I first mixed a neutralizing solution of baking soda and plain water in one bowl--about 2 tablespoons of soda to maybe a pint of water. Next I heated water in a glass bowl, and put in two drops of Patina Gel Liver of Sulfur. It's really stinky so open a window. I used tweezers to dunk the rings, watching them darken and removing them quickly right into the baking soda water to stop the reaction from getting too black. Then I rinsed them in plain water and dried them off. My oxidized quick links are the bottom rings in this photo. They totally look like fused silver rings that I made myself!

Cool, huh! Plus, the liver of sulfur solution degrades in a couple days and makes a great fertilizer. Just store it in a jar until it turns clear, then water your tomatoes!

Tucson wrap up 2011

2011-02-10T15:20:00.000-08:00

Back from the not so warm but still FABULOSO realm of the Tucson shows. I find it hard not to post all my photos and share all my stories. Let's start with my recent acceptance as a CREATE YOUR STYLE with Swarovski Elements Ambassador. I have rarely been among such creativity and camaraderie in one group. At the meeting held to introduce new innovations, trends and colors, we got up close and personal with the STYLE BOOK, a binder of mixed media concoctions so dense with fabric, fashion notions, texture, sparkle and color that we salivated ... and it wasn't from the champagne! The trend book plays the role of gathering the latest from Swarovski CREATE YOUR STYLE looks in one place. Yum.

Each ambassador received a "candy box" with samples of some of the new shapes, colors, and materials. Be on the lookout for the BeCharmed Helix Beads, Trapeze Crystal Buttons, rich and creamy Crystal Vintage Gold pearls and the Organic Cosmic Triangles.

To better see the remarkable faceting in the newest elements, HUGE versions were on display--tons of bling!

Here I am at the party Swarovski threw for staff, ambassadors and guests. On the far left is Kristal Wick, my successor as the editor of Beading Daily.com, and Tammy Jones is the editor of Jewelry Making Daily.com.

This party was so rocking even the bar staff were dancing along with everyone else!

Teaching for Swarovski was a blast and an honor. I had 7 students learning to make my Comet Anemone Cuff. They were all wonderful and I hope they take more classes with me.

Here's a neat trick: wet your raw stones to see how their natural color will be after the oils from your skin patina their surface. But take note--don't wet them until AFTER they are weighed for price! This is a strand of unpolished turquoise I bought. You can see the richer greens in the center where they're wet.

At the TierraCast showroom they had a new theme of Steampunk Victoriana. If you're into that style (as I am) you'd go bonkers-- every shape of key, wings, all sorts of chain, locks, mechanical-looking ephemera, hearts, and every color metal from brass to black. Truly extraordinaire, mes cheres. To make things even more memorable, a small stage was set up with period props and costumes to pose for photos. With me (I'm in the striped top hat) are Denise Peck, the editor in chief of Step by Step Wire Jewelry, and Karen Keegan, one of the best event managers at Interweave press.

And, though the temps may not have been as high as we all hoped, there was a lot of warmth and sizzling creative energy everywhere.

There's still no place like Tucson during the gem shows!

New demos for John Bead in Tucson

2011-02-01T09:02:00.000-08:00

Here I am in the John Bead booth at the Doubletree Hotel. People were really interested in what I was beading with the new Miyuki tila beads.

A second demo brought more people to learn about farfalle beads, little peanut shaped beads with center holes. Lots of shoppers knew me from my Doodlebeads DVD and my work on the TV show Beads, Baubles, and Jewels. They all said that my drawings helped them learn bead stitching better than any other way they tried!

More posts to come. Today I have one more demo and then I'm off the the Gem Mall.

How to use your bonus beading time

2011-01-27T19:11:00.000-08:00

I never know when I will have BONUS time on my hands to bead. Bonus time is unplanned free time, say, waiting to pick up your kids, or sitting at halftime. Not wanting to waste that time on just dawdling, I have a bag of beading materials all packed and ready, usually with me in my handbag! Whether it is waiting for one of my daughter's shows to start or waiting in an airport, I am determined to use my bonus time wisely and productively.

I actually have two different kinds of bonus beading kits: a large one for predictably long periods of time, such as plane or train rides, and a small one for car rides or to keep in my every day purse.

Since I am heading to Tucson soon on a 5 hour flight, I have my large kit ready. It's a clear cosmetics case that zips closed and has dimension, so I can fit everything I need for small, relatively easy to manage projects:

My list is personal to me, but here are my must-have-with-me-everywhere items:

A generous handful of small baggies with a variety of colors of size 11 and 10 Delicas
Size 11 and 8 regular/round seed beads in black, copper and silver.
A small tin with assorted findings: ear wires, headpins, jump rings in various sizes and metals, small pieces of chain, crimp tubes, closed jump rings, crimp covers, wire guardians and toggle clasps.
Two spools of Beadalon WildFire beading thread, one green, one black
Needles in a plastic case
At least 2 small Bead Stoppers
A spool of multipurpose stringing wire
Several pairs of various sized rubber O-rings
A small scissors suitable to pass through airport screening
A small chain nose pliers
A small metric ruler

These items allow me to make my peyote rings or create something, anything, wherever I go! Of course, for a trip such as Tucson or Bead Fest where I have lots of time for impromptu bead-ins with other beaders, I pack far more than this travel kit! So what is in your must-have-with-me travel kit?

Okay, advertising alert: Did I mention that I sell my own travel tins for small beading projects? My hubs Mike designed the copyrighted logo for my tag line: BYOBeads, for beaders on the go (TM). The tin is a lightweight aluminum jewel case, 7 1/2 x 5 1/4 x 3/4 inches, lined with a folded velux bead mat so it holds your beads in place when it is closed. It's the perfect size for a plane or train table--I even hold it in my lap when I am a passenger in a car. Because it has a lip around it, beads don't fall out! And, you can keep your needle stuck in the mat. A small scissor fits, too. I only post these by request on my Etsy site for easy Pay Pal purchase, so let me know.

And remember: there's always time for a few more rows.

Beads, Baubles, and Jewels tapes new series for 2011!

2011-01-04T12:21:00.000-08:00

It may not sound exciting to say I go to Cleveland twice a year, but I go there to tape a TV show! Here I am on the set of the PBS series, Beads, Baubles, and Jewels with host Katie Hacker. We're excited to be working together, can you tell? Katie is the host with the most, and makes it SO much more fun than ever.

On the table are yummy new "sunflower" Swarovski crystal fancy stones, which I show used in a beaded netting bezel technique. (You have to wait for the series to air before that project is available, sorry!) You know, I'm not usually a big yellow fan but this sunflower color is just brilliant and fiery. A true dazzler!

Thanks to Beadalon, who sponsored my segments. I only use their WildFire beading thread for all my seed beading--all my beading, actually. Thanks to Swarovski for sending me samples of this fabulous new color, and to John Bead Company for the Miyuki Delicas I also used in this lesson.

I think this series will air about April. Stay tuned!

Leslie's Almost Annual Home Show 2010

2010-12-13T10:21:00.000-08:00

I have an Almost Annual Home Show to sell my work before the holidays. Some friends wish I had these shows more than once a year. I love you guys! I love everyone who comes to my shows and those who track me down at dance or elsewhere to buy from me if they miss the show.

In this photo you can see a third of my display, set up in my living room. At the time we had no furniture in the room because we awaited having our floors redone. It worked great having all the extra space. The walls wrap around in a semi-circle allowing for maximum crowd visuals. The panels are MD display panels, (look for them online they are the best) with table runners (the black and tan areas) with my earrings on cards (designed by my fabulous hubs Mike), and bracelets and necklaces on tree branches and hooks I fashioned from copper 12 gauge wire. Notice the overhead lighting--constructed from Abstracta display rods and clip on lights. Good lighting is as important as good work. I also had displays on a table in another room--next to food and wine! And, I put up small cards on the display with tidbits about myself and my work--why I do what I do, about the materials in the pieces, etc.

I SO recommend hosting a home show to sell your work! It's fun just having all your different circles of pals together oohing and aahing over your work--a great marketing event to see what people like most. I send both emailed and snail mail invitations with directions to my house, and extend the invites to friends of friends.

Exhausting? You bet. But worth every ounce of energy! Fun and profit can go hand in hand.

PS: Getting a merchant account to take credit cards is a must.
Happy holidays everyone!

Tips for beading peyote rings

2010-09-19T08:37:00.000-07:00

Everyone wants to make the peyote rings I always wear, so I wanted to share a bit of troubleshooting one beadist needed. Her dilemma was in joining the ring.

It appears to me she did not make sure there were opposite "in" and "out" beads on the ends of the strip, to enable it to be zipped up like the teeth of a zipper.

Here's my illustration of a zip-up. Notice how the red thread zips back and forth between the "out" beads. Those bead join the ends of the strip into a ring. See how they fit between the "in" beads--like zipper teeth? The blue thread path shows how to weave in your thread in a figure-8 path to secure the ring. repeat it once more (Not shown in the illustration.) Trim the end once this is finished.

A complete tutorial to make peyote rings is for sale in my Etsy shop for $10 US.
Once you buy through PayPal, I send you the PDF. Easy! www.etsy.com/sleeplessbeader

August 2010

2010-09-06T17:13:00.000-07:00

I only have eyes for . . .the lampworked beads of Joanne Zekowski .

evolution of Tila beads

2010-07-01T11:12:00.000-07:00

Here's a finished cuff produced from the flat RAW foundation using the new Miyuki Tila beads. My cuff adds copper-dyed freshwater pearls, bone focal beads and round glass accent beads, with a 3-loop rhodium-plated magnet clasp from Ezel Findings.

On my table

2010-06-27T11:54:00.000-07:00

Currently on my table: the newest TILA beads from Miyuki. They're 5x5mm flat lovelies, so far in very cool albeit limited colors. Shown here are what I call pearly ivory (TL593) and metallic pewter (TL2002).
Having two holes makes them interesting and challenging to stitch. I know lots of artists are fooling around with them and I can't wait to see what you are coming up with! Here's a sampler of my own. Basically it's right angle weave but working with two holes means a thread path that needs a real spin. My sampler will be the basis for a cuff, so stay tuned to see what ultimately develops once the base is completed. I don't even know yet what I'll do next, but with large holes in the TILA beads, there's plenty of room for embellishment and layering.

Bead Fest Philly Circle Brick class, seats available!

2010-06-18T10:14:00.000-07:00

Babes and Beads and thanks, Virginia!

2010-06-06T16:59:00.000-07:00

Just home from an annual Babes weekend with 8 other women at the Jersey shore. More than ten years old, this tradition means food, wine, beach, more food and wine, good books, laughs, and maybe a bit more food and wine. Oh, and I bring beads.

I'm the only beader, so I play with something while we sit around and swap stories and catch up. But I sell, too– my pals always want me to bring stuff for them to buy, especially those from out of town who I don't see all year except during this weekend.

This year it was time to make some converts. Last year I brought finished stretchy cuffs for everyone. This year I had a deal: I brought huge bins of resin, Lucite and wood beads and lots of stretchy cord. Make a bracelet for yourself but you also have to make one for me.

Not everyone was into making bracelets (though everyone was interested to see the results) but I got a nice armful of cool cuffs from a few of the babes (thanks George, Sam, and Kath) and they learned about balance and scale and other design basics. It was bead camp!

I was inspired to stretch from my usual symmetry (such as the cuffs at the top of this blog) by Sam's multi-bead black and green cuff. Hey, a bracelet of all focal beads! (Duh, right?) Here's my beachy version to remind me of Babe's Weekend 2010.

You just never know what will happen when you have babes and beads together–I also got a fabulous pasta-free zucchini lasagna recipe!

It feels so good . . .

2010-06-01T11:46:00.000-07:00

. . . to be making jewelry again. More work will be in my web site Gallery soon.

WEB SITE GOES LIVE! www.leslierogalski.com

2010-05-29T15:13:00.001-07:00

My web site is up and running! Visit to see my creations, my workshop schedule, and more!

After Beading Daily

2010-05-20T07:05:00.000-07:00

May 20, 2010
Yes, its true, I am no longer with Interweave–not full time, anyway. Too many friends there to say I'm not part of the "family."

But there were too many other paths I was jonesing to travel. Though being the BD online editor was jammed with excitement, I missed having time to make own stuff, set my own pace, as well as many other things I had no time for during my tenure as a full-time editor.

So, back to being a maker! Woohoo! Busier than ever now, I have two new DoodleBeads DVDs in the works, tons of new jewelry designs sparkling on my work tables that I hope may be worthy to be in Beadwork and other magazines and books, and will be teaching at Bead Fest in Philly in August, as well as (hopefully) Texas in October and Santa Fe in March. I may even find my way to Tucson in February, too.

Watch for my new web site with a gallery of my work (including this Steampunk herringbone cuff!), kits and a shop, and a more detailed calendar of my workshops and travels: www.leslierogalski.com.

I may sneak in a video or two as well. ;-) So stay tuned, and friend me on Facebook.
Send me an email to be on my mailing list at: leslierogalski@gmail.com

Happy beading!

Make sure to welcome the new editor of BD--Kristal Wick is a dynamo!

2010-02-02T17:08:00.000-08:00

Denise and I met Katrina in the Tierra Cast room at To Bead True Blue in Tucson. Katrina's the one in the middle.

Wild Goose Chase

2009-07-17T11:14:00.000-07:00

Time to be a stage mother!

My daughter is Dot, the lead lady goose in this number from the show, "Honk!" a version of the ugly duckling tale. In this number, Greylag and Dot and their goose squadron have taken Ugly under their wings and are offering to help him find his lost Mum. Danger from a human duck hunt is in the air, however. As they prepare to go off on this "Wild Goose Chase" the Cat sneaks in and tries to trick them into thinking the duck hunt is over. Watch for the spot on heel clicking of the Dot and Greylag, and the final airplane formation in this number--Dot gives a flight attendant speech. Hard to understand their words in this video, but definitely Jenna's years of watching Monty Python have paid off in her character!

Beads, Baubles and Jewels, July 2009

2009-07-10T09:43:00.001-07:00

July 10 2009

Have you ever been

completely energized and totally fried at the same time? That's how I feel coming from the latest taping session for the PBS show Beads, Baubles and Jewels.

First, muchas gracias

to Kim Tamarin from Tambrook Bead & Trade (tambrookbeads.com) for providing me with a glorious excess of Toho beads for the "doodlebead" bead stitching lessons I did for the show. Treasures, Aikos, hexes and triangles, rounds in every size, metallics and mattes... ahh, heaven!

If there's ever been a way to share my complete passion for seed beads in every size, color and shape, these little glass treasures gave me that power. So many beads, so little time! Good thing I am the Sleepless Beader, so I can squeeze in extra hours to make stuff!

So many talented people were at the Beads, Baubles & Jewels taping sessions this past week, I have to drop some names and share some pix:

It's always fun to connect with the galactically talented and hip bead artist Marcia DeCoster (www.marciadecoster.com) who is teaching this cool RAW project, "Rio Dulce" in August at Bead Fest Philly (www.beadfest.com).

I don't often get to have face time with my Colorado based, uber-inspiring Interweave colleague Marlene Blessing (beadingdaily.com) whose segments on design you can see laid out and ready-to-go on the trays here in the studio green

room.

I also wish my path more frequently crossed that of the truly gifted author, artist and Beadingdaily.com columnist Jean Campbell (jeancampbellink

.com). She's teaching this stunning peyote button project in September at Bead Fest, Portland.

World traveler, entrepreneurial goddess and designer par excellance Nina (ninadesigns.com) Cooper, shared

photos (like this one) of her silver charms in exotic Indonesian water gardens. What a great way to enchant us with her designs!

Also joining us were the incredibly versatile in metal, felt and more, Candie Cooper (candiecooper.com), and three artists whose work in glass, metal, porcelain and stoneware are just too delish for words: Diane Hawkey (dianehawkey.com) whose work contains words of wisdom as well as whimsey.

It was fun to meet for the first time in person, a couple contributors to Interweave titles I helm:

Kerry Bogert (kabsconcepts.com, whose work can be seen in the current issue of Creative Jewelry and who just won Honorable Mention in the 2009 Bead Star contest (can't show that piece here, sorry!)

and Melanie Brooks (www.earthenwood

studio.com) whose steampunk work graced the September 2008 cover of Step by Step Beads!

It was full house. Mark Nelson brought all sorts of cool tools from Rio Grande.

Mike and Barbara Hartnett (Creative Leisure News, clnonline.com) came and went in a blur after Barb shared work by disadvantaged women, a business she initiated through a higher calling. Denise Couling, winner of the 2008 Microsoft Business Breakthrough Challenge, showed us her line of Just So! jewelry (

www.justso.us) and, like Nina Cooper, revealed an entrepreneurial spirit that can be nurtured along with creativity

I have to send a special shout out to the crew at the studio in Beechwood, Ohio where we lived this past week. These folks rock! They're patient, professional, friendly but unobtrusive, and know how to clip a mic onto any garment without having it click against a piece of jewelry. Katherine L. is an absolute gem as the producers assistant, wrangling us with such a gentle push to keep us happy, hydrated and on schedule--no easy feat! What keeps her so cheerful? I want what she's having!

Producer Kathy Stull really knows how to keep us on track and tries to help us remember everything we have to say. This is harder to do than it sounds when you're facing cameras and have mere minutes to impart a universe of information! The tendancy is to try and break the sound barrier with speed talking, jamming everything in. Kathy keeps us at a human level. I'd say the amount of segments we complete in a single day is almost... biblical. Along with host Katina Forte, seen here talking with Marlene Blessing before a segment on design, Kathy makes things happen!

My only regret... four times in Cleveland and I've yet to get to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

But the bead goes on!

What if...

2009-06-04T16:50:00.001-07:00

The first in a series.

The secret of a tidy stash

2009-05-09T11:24:00.000-07:00

"You're so organized!" said my friend, admiring my neat stacks of labeled bead bins.

Little did she know that before she'd arrived, I... CLEANED UP! Believe me, my bead area does not always look tidy and orderly. Usually it is a dumping ground for a few days mail, several projects in various stages, and my most recent purchases, which I HAVE to have out so I can look at them. For weeks.

But I do have a secret way to keep things under control. I have a SYSTEM. I learned that if I stack and stash my stuff in containers, no matter how messy the interior of those containers get, my environment stays more or less serene.

I need to see everything so I use the same clear containers, same brand, same type. I label them neatly and consistently. (Okay, so I did get a bit compulsive, printing color coded labels. ) I discovered that by using the same containers--like the metal loaf pans on my messy shelves-- even when piled high, it gives the ILLUSION of being organized. My friend thought so.

Sometimes I even fall for it myself.

Great storage tips coming in July with the next issue of Creative Jewelry.

DOODLEBEADS video teaches peyote stitch!

2009-04-27T11:38:00.000-07:00

There are many video tutorials online, but none like DOODLEBEADS as featured in the how-to section of Beadingdaily.com. I consider it edutainment!

This one is will teach you odd count peyote--even if you never did it before. There's another on even count peyote, and more coming on other stitches. Nothing beats seeing a little animation, and the music is fun, too.

http://www.beadingdaily.com/blogs/howto/archive/2009/02/23/odd-count-peyote-stitch.aspx

Jewelry show display

2009-04-19T14:17:00.000-07:00

Using folding panels from MD displays, I hung my work for sale during a home party. This is only about half my inventory!

Just DO it

2009-03-21T18:11:00.000-07:00

3.21.09

Teaching vs. Creating

It's hard to be a teacher. Most of the time I just make things without thinking. If I stop to analyze how I attach one bead to another, or how I make a design come together, I am stopped in my tracks. Just do it.

Easier said than done?

My best advice is to build your best vocabulary, learn the basics... first the alphabet then the words, first the notes, then the scales... every technique, until you find the ones you like best, the ones that click. Then, like the commercial says, just DO it.

Inspiration not imitation, illustrated

2008-09-16T10:30:00.001-07:00

9.16.08

An example of inspiration, not imitation.

Here's a netted collar by Adrienne Gaskell, which will be published in the Nov. Dec. issue of Step by Step Beads. I was inspired by the palette and technique, and created 2 bracelets. Does anyone think these look like I copied her design?

Imitation or Inspiration

2008-09-15T13:52:00.000-07:00

Inspiration or Imitation, and why I care.

9.13.08
The battle rages, and among beaders, no less. Is it kosher to copy someone's design if they see it as a tutorial project someplace, and recreate that project, then sell it? I'm not talking about the whole "Who invented peyote?", which everyone knows is not the point. I am talking about using someone else's exact design and making a profit from it, without permission from the original creator. Sometimes there is a very distinct line between inspiration and imitation, as in my case.

This is my original O-ring design, first sold online in my own site, then published in Step by Step Beads and referenced on Beading Daily. I sell many versions of this, and people recognize it as one of my signature designs, especially the use of the rubber ring and rubber cord, and the prominent inclusion of the thread as part of the design.

These other pendants were found online, on the same art-for-sale Web site where I sell my work. Let me ask, inspiration or imitation? Should I care? They were underselling me, too.
My blog, my rant. One artist was nice enough in their reply to my request to stop selling my design, the other didn't at all understand why I was angry and was actually quite spiteful.

Go figure. You'd think we beaders would look out for each other in a world where overseas producers are ripping off artists left and right!

Still beading

2008-06-17T17:04:00.000-07:00

As if a anyone was still even checking my posts. I am still beading, just too busy to post anything. How do you find time/make time to bead??

O-ring O-riginal

2007-11-13T12:48:00.000-08:00

Thank you everyone! I am thrilled at the response to my O-ring design.

Complete instructions for this project will appear
in the March April 08 issue of STEP BY STEP BEADS.
Look for it in bead, book and craft stores mid February!

Who's going to the Tucson Bead Shows 08?

2007-11-04T19:17:00.000-08:00

I'll be trying to do a daily blog from Tucson , the first two weeks in February. The shows include beads, tools, findings..fossils, gems, treasures from all over the world... with almost one hundred hotels, tents, halls, gyms and gypsy camps plus a couple resorts and a mansion full of gem, jewelry, mineral and fossil shows...talk about a rush!

Big beads in Tucson!

Beading Daily

2007-10-23T08:12:00.000-07:00

Are you Beading Daily? I am beading nightly, but it's the same thing. Whatever the time, I am one of you who must bead, need to bead, on a regular basis. Beadingdaily.com is a portal to a fix, a cure, a moment of zen, a treat, an indulgence, a distraction..from the stress and foibles that plague us. It's a cool place to go to be with those of a like mind!

One thing I don't let plague me is the mess on my table. Case in point. Here's what's on my table as of this morning.

The paw has a puss attached. Meet Tai.

10.9.07 The Uncommon Quilter

2007-10-09T18:50:00.000-07:00

If you want to be truly inspired to play with texture, color, personal journaling and simply making art, get a copy of THE UNCOMMON QUILTER by Jeanne Williamson (Potter Craft, Random House). Jeanne has been creating small quilts every day for years, each one a page in her life. (She has other accolade-worthy achievements but this is about her book!)

Now, I do not make quilts. I am a beader, but let me tell you, THE UNCOMMON QUILTER still gets my fires burning! Jeanne's explorations make me want to MAKE stuff. The book itself is superbly designed; modern and bright, it seduces you with lush full page, full color images and easy to follow projects. Yes, this is a HOW TO book! What it really teaches amidst the step by step projects is how to make your own creative discoveries, walking by Jeanne's side as she has made hers.

Share a remarkable journey with a highly creative artist, and become one yourself, with THE UNCOMMON QUILTER.
http://www.theuncommonquilter.com./

9.27.07 Hidden Mickey brick stitch

2007-09-28T15:55:00.000-07:00

I'm heading to the Long Island Bead Society this weekend to lead a whole day of brick stitching. Can't wait! Brick stitch is one of my fave techniques, how about you all out there? It's easy, increases and decreases nicely without too much zigzagging, and forms a wonderfully firm fabric of beads. I'm teaching flat, tubular, circular, THE WORKS.

Here's my most ambitious circular brick piece so far. It started as a new way to work up some more modern takes on The Mouse Ears shapes. I Love WDW, but I am not into cutesie mousies. So here I ended up. Can you find all the hidden Mickeys?

Blog 1: 9.15.07. Less sleep=more time to make stuff

2007-09-15T06:50:00.000-07:00

For those of us who never sleep, or do it poorly, I offer this: Sleeplessness should not impact creativity! In fact, it empowers us with more time. So by way of introduction, I post my first blog with a design that came from a restless night. Brick stitch is so cool, and rubber O rings make for a real industech style. Let me know if you want more instruction.

The SB