The power of subtraction In my last blog I wrote about how stress and "the tyranny of the Now" can hinder the creative spirit. I shared my personal challenges with impending deadlines and feelings of being overwhelmed. Then I asked my good, gentle readers to post comments about their creativity blockers. The floodgates were thrown open and the comments flowed! I posted the same request for comments on Facebook and received some very heartfelt...

Secrets of Highly Creative Beaders Lately, I have found myself in a very peculiar state of mind. My last blog was right before the Bead&Button Show, when my little beady motor was revving up for the glorious revelry that is the quintessential heart of the show. I spent the week going to classes and experiencing new ideas and materials. As I walked the showroom floor over and over again, I found new things each time. At night, I went home hoarse...

Excitement is in the air, not to mention pollen (sniffle, sneeze). The Bead&Button Show is almost here and I am sooooo looking forward to seeing old friends and new beads. I’ll probably make some new friends because I’m taking two classes this year. Taking a class at the Bead&Button Show is great because you can learn a new set of skills and make acquaintances with people from all over. My first class is Brenda Schweder’s “ Maniacal Jewelry...

It’s been a social whirlwind for me during the last two weeks. On Monday, I spent the evening with members of the Loose Bead Society. On Wednesday, the Rings & Things Bead Tour Truck show was in town and the beads that Kim and the crew brought to Milwaukee were stellar. Oh, and I received the latest issue of Bead&Button magazine. I think it’s the best issue ever. I say that with a sly grin on my face because my necklace is on the cover! My...

Joy! Joy! Joy! Spring has arrived. I put away my drab wool coat and thick socks and — finally — broke out a cute pair of sandals! I have a bit of pep in my step now that I don’t have to worry about slipping on ice. Spring is a time of renewal for me; my curious/creative muse leads me to try new things. Last month, I attended the Art Glass and Bead Show in Madison, Wis., for the first time and I must say it’s a great show. I caught up with several...

By Maggie Roschyk January 1 st may be the official start of the new year, but my new year starts when the majority of the snow melts off the deck in my backyard. The lawn becomes visible and I can see green shoots bravely poking through the soil. So, in honor of these green shoots and St. Patrick's Day, I'm giving away this free Celtic beadwork pattern ... to you, yes YOU! (Click on the text link, and then click on the image you see next to...

Peyote pendant, 1982 Do you spend time reading beaders’ blogs? I admit that it’s one of my guilty pleasures. There are some fantastic beading blogs out in cyberspace. The level of talent ranges from experienced bead artists to fresh, new beadwork made by people who are just coming into this craft. Beading blogs give me insight into other artists’ creative processes. I especially enjoy seeing pictures of studios and reading beaders’ comments about...

Can you believe it’s February – already?! This year is zooming by in the fast lane. Here in the bead world, things are heating up with lots of new, exciting products being brought to market by bead and component vendors, new and old alike. So it’s time to start giving my beloved blog readers the latest scoop on cool, new stuff. As I write this latest installment of Maggie’s Musings, I’m both exhilarated and exhausted. Exhilarated because I just returned...

Well, here we are, smack dab at the beginning of a new year and a new decade. Since we’re all anticipating what comes next, I wonder, where are you on the beading continuum? Are you new to our world? If so, welcome to a truly amazing and beautiful way of creating jewelry! As we start the new year, I’d like to share some things I hope to accomplish. I’m not one for resolutions, so let’s work around that term. (After existing on a diet of Stollen and...

Hi everyone, I’ve been receiving some very nice comments in regard to my blog, "Part Two – Color Choices." I thought I would share them with you along with my part of the dialog! Here’s a question from Lady Elbinine: "So I’ve got to say, it is good to know that I am not the only one who makes a big pile of choices and then slowly narrows them down. Now my question is, with all these colors before you, how do you settle on what color...

How do you avoid beader’s burnout? I like to read forums about beading. They help me stay connected with other beaders and hear the latest news in the bead world. From time to time, I read a post by a person who is selling an entire bead stash. Other times, people write to say that after experiencing beader’s block they’re leaving beading and moving on to another interest. Reading these posts makes me introspective. I wonder what would I do if I became...

In my last blog, I talked about designing the necklace "Tidepools Reflecting Prometheus," which I made for the 2009 Convergence competition held by Bead&Button and the International Society of Glass Beadmakers. The instructions for the necklace are in the new special issue Jewelry Designs with Art Glass Beads . Let’s move on to choosing colors in beaded necklaces, or, how I chose the colors for this necklace. A while ago, I came across...

I just received an advance copy of the new special issue Jewelry Designs with Art Glass Beads , and seeing the instructions for my necklace "Tidepools Reflecting Prometheus" led me back to reconstructing just how I arrived at the design. Where did this design come from? How did I take a vague idea into a finished piece? How did I keep from losing my mind while stitching 32 components together?! Jewelry Designs with Art Glass Beads goes on...

One of my favorite joys in life is seeing how other artist create things. When I’m surfing the Web, I like to visit artists’ blogs and read about their creative processes and projects. When I’m looking for inspiration for color combinations or shapes for my beadwork, I often go to textile artists’ or silversmiths’ Web sites. Lampworkers and polymer clay artists romp around with color and provide me with color "aha" moments. Knitters and...

(Scene from Bead Obsessed Anonymous meeting) "Hi, my name is Maggie and I’m a bead-fiend." Small group of people answer back "Hi, Maggie." If you’re reading this, it will come as no surprise that I’m rather taken by the allure of sparkly beads. Thankfully, it seems that I’m in good company with many other like-minded beady people. One of my other obsessions happens to be culinary arts. Yes, I’m a foodie! Recently, I was watching...