Lariats You Will Love: Knotted Treasures

Yesterday, Beading Daily did a writeup on lariats. Here is the link to read the newsletter.

You will find my Knotted Treasure Lariat featured with a limited time free download. This project was originally published in the February/March issue of Beadwork Magazine in 2007. It was my first article for Beadwork, thus began my long association with the magazine as well as Interweave Press. I have written MANY articles since then.

It was later that year (August 2007), even before I ever wrote a seed beaded project for Beadwork Magazine, the editors trusted in my abilities and offered me the opportunity to write my book, Bead Romantique. As they say,"The rest is history...." I have Interweave Press to thank for having faith in my abilities, not only as a writer but as a designer.

In the meantime, the Knotted Treasure design was missing an important part that I later discovered when I designed the Pearl Mesh Bracelet for Bead Romantique. In order for the mesh not to fray, you need to twist the ends and add a dab of GS Hypo Cement. Let dry and spread the mesh embellishments into little leaf shapes.

If you need Italian Mesh, I do carry 100" spools in 28 colors of the 6mm mesh. Just visit my website to order. If you will be at Bead and Button or any show I exhibit at, you will see this necklace up close and personal.

Here's the link to download the "Knotted Treasures" project absolutely FREE from Beading Daily.

Enjoy this project!!!

Lisa

Projects from the Interweave Store

Hello everyone,

Yes it is I and I am back from Santa Fe with new bead adventures, photos and dining stories to share.

But..............

Yes I must be a responsible beader and writer.

I must work on an urgent project the next 7 days to meet a super duper important deadline. No need for sleep and I will complete my task.

So I will write more here sometime late next week.

In the meantime, many of you have been looking for select projects from past issues of Beadwork, Stringing, Step by Step Beads, etc. I'm happy to let you know that fourteen of my previous projects and Bead Romantique can be purchased from the Interweave Store. Here is a brief listing of what's available. For a photo of each project, please visit this link:

Pearly Mosaic Item #: EP0590 - A necklace composed of sea-toned circular peyote-stitched "tiles" Mosaic tile work inspired this necklace in colors chosen to mimic the sea. By utilizing both transparent and opaque Japanese seed beads in two sizes, the designer added subtle textural interest to... [more info...]
Availability: In Stock
Price: $4.00

Haiku Item #: EP0592 - Poetic 3-strand necklace To design this necklace, the designer drew from her travels to Japan and her appreciation of the Japanese poet's ability to capture the changing seasons in classical haiku. Summer berries are the... [more info...]
Availability: In Stock
Price: $4.00

Ice Princess Item #: EP0159 - Victorian lace necklace Inspired by Victorian lace, designer Lisa Kan created graceful peyote loops to adorn a herringbone necklace. Crystal quartz briolette beads cluster like frozen droplets. [more info...]
Availability: In Stock
Price: $4.00

Merlot Item #: EP0596 - Pretty Leaf Necklace Pay tribute to the season by incorporating leaves into your next jewelry creation. [more info...]
Availability: In Stock
Price: $4.00

Knotted Treasures Item #: EP0594 - A rich mesh-embellished lariat This rich lariat is meant to be worn wrapped twice around the neck with a tiered effect; the double strands create a more substantial lariat with added texture. This is a great design for using... [more info...]
Availability: In Stock
Price: $4.00

Spiced Tea Item #: EP0598 - Cool Autumn Eve Necklace The rich, warm tones of carnelian, smoky quartz, and gold vermeil in this necklace evoke the feeling of a cool autumn eve, in which the wearer is sipping a hot cup of spiced tea and soaking up the... [more info...]
Availability: In Stock
Price: $4.00

Autumn Bouquet Item #: EP0879 - Brick, herringbone, and peyote stitches unite in a stunning necklace of delicate flowers and leaves. Incorporating leaves she created in her glass studio, this intricate necklace is designed using a variety of beadweaving techniques (brick stitch, herringbone stitch, peyote stitch, spiral rope,... [more info...]
Availability: In Stock
Price: $4.00

Painted Desert Item #: EP0460 - Southwest inspired beaded necklace. For this necklace, the designer was inspired by the colors of the Southwest - turquoise, burnt orange, sienna, and tan. The interplay of color and variously shaped beads adds textural interest to... [more info...]
Availability: In Stock
Price: $4.00

River's Edge Item #: EP0597 - Five-strand necklace This five-strand necklace draws its inspiration from the designer's travels through the Pacific Northwest, where everywhere trees reached for the skies, and the sound of water was ever-present. [more info...]
Availability: In Stock
Price: $4.00

Marguerite Chandelier Earrings Item #: EP0595 - Circular netting is embellished with chain fringes and crystals for sparkling ear adornments Crystal marguerites (flowers) in these romantic accessories beautifully echo the floral earring posts, while the delicate chain dangles add movement. [more info...]
Availability: In Stock
Price: $4.00

Petit Fiore Trellis Bracelet Item #: EP0591 - Picot flowers on right-angle weave trellis This bracelet features a rainbow of picot-based flowers on a right-angle-weave trellis. The design encircles the wrist like a delicate corsage - a dainty and feminine piece that can be worn with... [more info...]
Availability: In Stock
Price: $4.00

Berrylicious Item #: EP0124 - Bracelet featuring berry colored beads Whether berries are eaten by themselves, baked into pies, or sprinkled atop vanilla ice cream, they are berrylicious! In the spirit of that, this bracelet has clusters of gemstones and pearls in... [more info...]
Availability: In Stock
Price: $4.00

Petit Fiore Earrings Item #: EP1127 - Simply stunning earring design Combining seed beads, crystal marguerites, fine chain, and a cubic zirconia drop and earring finding, this earring design is simply stunning. Its base is made with right-angle weave; the flower with... [more info...]
Availability: In Stock
Price: $4.00

Bead Romantique: Elegant Beadweaving Designs Item #: 08BD2 - Bead Romantique features seventeen step-by-step designs inspired by the Gothic, Renaissance, Victorian, and Art Nouveau eras reinterpreted in her distinctive contemporary style. Inspired by art history, artist Lisa Kan offers a truly unique jewelry collection with a romantic yet modern sensibility. Bead Romantique: Elegant Beadweaving Designs features seventeen step-by-step... [more info...]
Availability: In Stock
Price: $24.95

Turning Leaf Item #: EP1365 - Wire-wrapped-loop chain necklace This necklace incorporates the rich, warm colors of the autumn season. Create a custom chain with delicate pearl dangles to accent the lampworked ginkgo focal bead. [more info...]
Availability: In Stock
Price: $4.00

*****

Thank you for enjoying my work, in both glass and seeds

It was great to speak, meet and greet all

in Santa Fe, in emails, and in between

Now I've got to get BUSY or else,

To design, bead and write

The next Designer of the Year project

It is indeed always this hectic, why ask why?

When I switch hats from glass to tiny seeds

I tend to design last minute, a challenge to myself

How I love the mystery of what will result, the pressures

In the transformation of the intangible, my visions

Into reality of what is to be, will become

What I see is not always the obvious, as I live in daydreams

So I'll stop writing here in just a bit, to work hard

Or am I really hardly working, just having fun

I am driven by this great passion to share with anyone

My love of history, of cultures and of nature, stories to tell

To teach through beads, in colors and textures

So gather around everyone, to bead or not to bead

Let's explore together, our individual creativity

*****

Silly, silly

Ms. Lisa

Show Stop: March 27-30, 2008: Bead Expo Portland

(click on any photos for an enlarged view)

Aaaah! I am up early this morning, recovering from a cold, yes, but energized nonetheless full of ideas and new opportunities of which I shall share with you folks soon. I like to keep the mystery up of what I am up to but all is well. Aren't surprises fun?

If I had more hours in the day I would be posting more frequently on this blog. I so enjoy writing and sharing part of my life with my fellow beaders and artists. Magic is happening in the background and this year you will see the fruits of my labor!! I'm rebuilding old connections and making new ones, loving every moment of this busy life I lead!

Travel back in time with me to the second Show Stop of this year, Bead Expo Portland, through my camera lens. I tried to take as many photos as I could in Portland to share with you all but I was using THAT Kodak camera "for now" since I haven't had time to play with the new Canon Powershot G9. (The Nikon 995 stays home safe! I have SO many toys!) My new "baby" and toy is feeling sad these days because when it arrived a MONTH ago, I just opened it up to make sure it could power on. YES! I have been THAT busy. You know me, I can never help myself to those electronic gadgets but it's been a bit crazy launching the book and new Japanese tools (more on the new tool kit in another post, after the upcoming Miami trip, as it is an engineer's dream and a wire artist's friend!). I have so much news to share with you all that I am bursting with excitement. I must pace myself and post on the blog periodically so I may focus on the many projects running in parallel.



Team Interweave in their 2008 signature BLUE T-shirts welcomes you as you register for your show passes or sign up for classes. The big case to the left of this photo showcases some of the featured classes that were offered in Portland by internationally known instructors. Interweave is MY publisher for Bead Romantique. I have not met anyone "yet" at Interweave that was not sociable and nice to 'hang out' with. I am NOT saying this only because they are my publishers but everyone is on TOP of their game there. It takes a lot to impress me and I would not say this about ANYONE unless it was true.

Portland was my book launch! This was the first weekend that Bead Romantique was available to beaders. The book has been on Amazon and other book clubs, on pre-order status since mid November 2007. I "finally" had the opportunity to show this book to everyone. In Tucson earlier this year, I only had a mockup of the cover. Everyone kept on picking up the display thinking it was a book. We had to SURPRISE you for Bead Expo Portland. It was so very exciting to launch the book in Portland.

There were many firsts for me on this trip. It was my first time in Portland, my first time launching my first book, my first time showing my new gadget - a 15" digital picture frame, my first time launching an innovative and exclusive Japanese tool kit, my first time meeting my new PUBLISHER, Mr. Stephen Koenig (a very nice guy I enjoyed teasing because he didn't bring enough books to Portland and we SOLD OUT 72 books by Saturday. Sorry my fellow beaders on late Saturday and Sunday! but you can order your copy from Amazon or through me too! This is the FIRST time in Interweave history that a newly launched book has SOLD OUT at their show! Woohoo, I'm dancing in my seat. I am simply THRILLED and thank all of you for your kind words regarding my first book. Enjoy the book, the history and projects! Okay, Steve if you are reading this... "hi" and THANK YOU to Team Interweave! See you in September!!), my first time conducting demos "every" day etc. Lots of firsts that will go down in my life as memorable from this trip. I am a very sentimental person. Without the good folks at Interweave, I would have been just any designer and/or writer without a book to share my design sensibilities and love of the craft with beaders worldwide. Interweave ROCKS!! I love teaching through my writing because I can reach more people than in a classroom setting. Come with me as I discover, learn, grow and thrive in my future endeavors. Come learn with me through Bead Romantique.

In front of Hall A, where we exhibited was this HUGE golden pendulum. With my vivid imagination, I can see the below photo as a possible Thursday Tease photo. Can you see the the photo translated into bead, glass or metal? I CAN. I'll have a nice Thursday Tease to share early as I'll be flying off to Miami Wednesday! With my crazy imagination, I considered what would happen if the HUGE (humongous!) sphere would suddenly break free. Notice I am shooting the photo at a distance and using my telephoto lens. Hey with this vivid imagination do you think I would want to stand RIGHT under the pendulum. Ouch! Anyhow back to Bead Expo Portland.

Every morning I walked from the hotel to the convention center. Remember I am training for my Susan G. Komen walk in November (DON'T forget to support my fundraising efforts, if you can!) so I was walking everywhere and hauling 70lb luggage. One of the luggages going to Portland was 82 LBS! It's funny that the Budget rental car attendants offered to help me load and unload my car but I told them "hey I may be a small Chinese girl, but I need my workout". They stood back and watched me lift all four luggages into the SUV. I took the opportunity to tell them I was a beadmaker and writer as I love sharing my adventures in the bead world, with anyone who has an eager ear. (Can't run away from me now! I love to talk and talk and TALK (as well as write!) about creativity and BEADS!)

By November, I will be so much stronger and hopefully back to the fit/healthy self I once was. YES! I parked my rental SUV (yes I had FOUR huge luggages for my corner booth!) at the convention center and left it there ALL week. It was good exercise even walking in the light rain that is synonymous to the Pacific Northwest. The air was so fresh and cleansing compared to "smoggy" Southern California. I love the Pacific Northwest for it's natural beauty but this California girl was missing the sunshine. I'm such a wimp but was prepared with a long jacket, wool scarf, umbrella and even HAT!

Guess what? All the photos with that darn Kodak inside the exhibit did not come out well. I was so busy (not that I didn't remember) with the show that I didn't even snap a photo of my booth with the cool digital frame. I will do much better at the next show. I spent my free time in the mornings before the show, pre-signing THE book.



Every day 12-1p.m. I did demos on the Pearl Mesh bracelet at my booth with Vintaj, Italian Mesh, Artistic Wire, My $5 pearls and the NEW fantabulous Japanese Plier kit!! (on pre-order status and the FIRST large shipment will be at the Los Angeles port mid to end of May!) Some attendees were able to snatch up the first 18 kits. I shall share the technical details of these lovely and BEAUTIFUL pliers with you after Miami. So much to share with you all. YES these pliers are BEAUTIFUL if pliers can be beautiful. They are in the signature Lisa Kan "black and red". No the factory did not design these pliers in my booth's color schemes. As "luck" (color red) would have it, these pliers found me - I didn't look for them. The last thing on my mind was to become a tool distributor. But I HAD TO SHARE THIS great product with you all. So I am learning how to import and wire transfer money to Japan, learning about how far I can take the falling US dollar versus the Yen, learning about how to package and market an innovative tool, learning about the technology of the Japanese stainless steel standard AISI 420 aka SUS420J2 and MUCH MORE. I LOVE IT, learning new things, especially if it is technical info. I'm a nerd and a geek at heart still. I'll probably get a bit too technical next, so I'll end the Japanese plier topic here for the meantime and focus on the tools exclusively later in a future post.

The pliers DESERVE to have it's own post. The product is "PPT" Professional Precision Tools Made in Japan. I am the EXCLUSIVE US Distributor. I thought of calling it "PPP" Professional Precision Pliers but there is a wonderful flush cutter in the kit, so "PPT" it is! I know good tools when I feel them in my hands. Tools are an extension of our hands. If you can find a better and finer set of tools in the market TODAY for the detailed wire artist, I challenge you. I will GIVE you a free bead if you win! I am confident that you have never seen these in the jewelry industry because these tools are used for integrated circuit (IC) and surface mount technology (SMT) prototyping. AHA! Yes, going to engineering school at Cal Poly Pomona has not been lost in my new life as a bead artist! These tools are designed by engineers for engineers and as an EX-engineer I'm loving it that I can bring them to you at an AFFORDABLE price! I'll tell a story later about the "plier challenge" in Portland later. All I will say now is that I won the plier challenge (Hi "El Jean" yes I am talking about YOU and the plier challenge! Your plier kit is on the way!)

The next post, if I have time later today, will be photos of Portland. I was able to fly in early on Wednesday March 26th and drove around downtown a bit to find snacks for the show before setting up the booth. I love Trader Joe's and seek out one if the city I'm visiting has one! It was BEAUTIFUL even in the rain. I also spotted some interesting architecture and nature to capture. Even with that Kodak, the photos came out beautifully. When you have such inspiration before you, it is evident in the pictures!! I will return to Portland NEXT year September! See you then Portland!

I can't wait and no rain will STOP this SoCal girl from enjoying the city!


Until next time... thank you for joining me on my SECOND Show Stop this fabulous year, 2008! More photos of Portland soon.

The Thursday Tease

The animal kingdom joins you this thursday for some laughs and smiles. This lovely ostrich shows how I'm so excited about the new opportunities that have surfaced recently. I have so many surprises and great news in store for you all. I must keep them a secret a bit longer, so I can surprise you, but you will read it on the blog when the time is right. There is always a right time for everything.

Although, I've been putting in 16+ hours for the last two weeks, having a marathon week of creating beads and writing articles too, I am having the TIME of MY LIFE (Wikipedia). I'm loving every moment of this busy life I lead and I hope to wow you in Portland soon.

Here's to the cheek-to-cheek grin of this lovely happy ostrich which is EXACTLY how I look now despite my lack of sleep! Wouldn't you love to have eyelashes like THIS? Forget the facial hair for the moment. LOL. Animal humor to the rescue and as a pick me up!



Btw, this morning FEDEX dropped off THE book. I am SO thrilled I finally get to touch Bead Romantique and my hands shook when I opened the package. I swelled up with emotion and tears of joy streamed down my face. Up to this point, I had not realize what I had accomplished by writing this book and have been SO very fortunate (THANKS INTERWEAVE, Tricia Waddell and Marlene Blessing!) to be given this opportunity to share my dreams with you all through the projects in this book!

My mom's birthday is THIS Saturday and she will be so proud to see the book too. She still doesn't believe her daughter wrote an entire book. Geez! Even *I* can't believe I wrote a book. But it's here and I am so THRILLED to share this book with you all. Interweave Press and all the talented folks there ROCKS!

At Bead Expo Portland next week, I'll be dancing around the booth demoing the Mesh Pearl Bracelet at noon every day Friday to Sunday! Come see me!

Special Offer at Bead Expo Portland

A Special Offer from Interweave for Bead Expo Portland

This is a Special Offer at Bead Expo Portland for our customers! Come to the Meet the Instructors Reception on Thursday, March 27, 2008 and receive a free pass to the Bazaar for the rest of the weekend! At the Instructors Reception, you can see all of the incredible class projects being offered at Bead Expo and meet our world-class teachers. Also taking place Thursday night is the Bead Bazaar Preview, so you can shop, too! Be the first to see what’s new and exciting in our booth. Make plans to come to these two great events on Thursday night:

Meet the Instructors Reception: 6 – 8 PM

Bazaar Preview Night : 5 – 9 PM Admission for Thursday night will be $10 (cash).

Be sure to go online and print out a $2.00 coupon off of this price:

You can pick up your free pass for the rest of the weekend at the Reception.

Hope to see you at Bead Expo Portland!

Down Memory Lane ... Justbeads.com

My special friend, Jean Yates, sent me her fabulous new book, Links (click the book cover to the right to visit Amazon so you can order it NOW!). I have so much to say regarding this book but I want to dedicate several posts to it later.

Jean took me down memory lane this morning and I thought it would be fun to share with you my February 2002 Artist of the Month profile from Justbeads.com. Click the title "February 2002 artist of the month" to visit the exact page as the photos didn't translate well when I copied over the text to share with you here.

Once you are on Justbeads, you will see how "young" I looked back then. The photo is part of a studio photo Nick and I took while we were dating (circa, 1997 or 1998 as we were married July 1998) at the SAME studio that took my photos for the book and my publicity headshot for my magazine articles. The Justbead photo was taken by Henry Wang's mom, Lucy, a family of superb photographers! If you need great photos for ANY occasion Henry and Lucy are the ones to go to and they travel to your shoot, as well for your convenience. I'd admit, I was bad and cropped Nick's head out of the Justbead photo. Oooops! Sorry husband.

Even then my design sensibilities were already taking root to who I am now. I was inspired by nature, texture, color, shape, form and function, etc. I love playing with FIRE to create beautiful things! Even then, I wrote and wrote. Hahah. I gotta be me and now you know I've always been this way - long-winded and chatty!!! I love to write and talk about beads, beads, and MORE beads as well as the creative process! Be glad you are not my husband, Nick, who has to listen to me gab EVERY day about beads! I sleep, drink and eat beads!

I'm actually posting this now also because then you'll know my birthday is May 4th. (hint hint) ;o) No need for presents now... just a note in the email on that day is all I wish for. On May 4th, my birthday I will be exhibiting at Bead Expo Phoenix, promoting THE book Bead Romantique.

My sister Sandy and I will also be representing my friends Ezel Findings (aka Ezel Jewels) at their booth (next to me), so drop by for a lookie if you are visiting the show. I'll have a few FREE passes to the show, in a month, so email me if you want passes to save money on beads instead. You'll have to promise to come to my booth for a "short" chat and send me your birthday wishes. There are no breaks for this gal, even on her birthday! But at least I get to celebrate my time surrounded by my Interweave friends, beadie buddies, beautiful beads and talking about beads, beads and MORE beads. If I could eat and drink beads, I would!

From Justbeads.com February 2002 (click the banner to visit the exact page!):

Meet This Month's Featured Artist

My name is Lisa Kan, better known to most as "LKan54". The "LKan" is obvious. The "54" is my birthdate, (May 4th).

Before I begin telling you about myself and how I got to where I am now, I want to extend a few special thank you's to some very deserving people. I was quite honored when asked to become February 2002's Artist of the Month. First, this could not have happened without the support of my husband, Nick. I would also like to thank Victoria Sutherland (a.k.a. Storia Designs) who was the first to tell me about this site back in October 2000. I came, I saw, and I stayed. Why? To me, Justbeads engenders a feeling of "family" because they care about their users and have devoted a lot of effort to make this the best bead auction site. Therefore, I want to take this opportunity to thank Bettina and Bob. JustBeads is the only site where I list.

Now about me: I can go back to my childhood years and tell you what inspired me to reach where I am now, but I won't. It's not important where I've been, but where I am going. I've been known to have the gift of gab and can write long novels if given the opportunity. Just ask some of my closest friends. My website tells the rest of my history (www.lisakan.com). I'll just begin the story with the BEADS.

Beads came into my life in March 2000 when I started selling online. I sold and still sell today Bali precious metals, Swarovski crystals, Czech glass, pearls, semi-precious stones, as well as, finished jewelry. I operated this "business" part time on my off hours from the day job. Time passed. Then, in November 2000, a new bead store opened in my area. I decided to drop in to take a look at the grand opening. Browsing through the bookshelves, I came across everyone's beginning lampwork book, Cindy Jenkin's "Making Glass Beads". I bought it. During the next few weeks, I studied this book intensely and dreamt of glass beadmaking. It was not until April 2001 that I found time to take a 5-hour beginner's course. In late May, I also took up metalsmithing, primarily working with sterling silver. The two beginner courses gave me sufficient information to get started and the rest I learned on my own. Thus, began my journey.

The metalsmithing was placed on the back burner. Within one month of using a Hothead torch, I was set up with a Minor and propane/oxygen tank. And it was not long after, my studio quickly evolved. I took a hiatus from beadmaking practice in June 2001 due to an impromptu business trip to the Far East. Upon returning, the flame beckoned me and I was determined to play with fire once again. In August 2001, 5 months after taking up lampworking, I officially launched my own glass bead line, KanDes Lampwork exclusively on Justbeads. "KanDes" is Kan Designs, which is pronounced "khandeez" (as in Genghis Khan). It is a play on the word "candies" with my name. In essence, I hope my lampwork will "sweeten" your designs.

Birth of an idea: How can I describe the process? Why is lampworking so exciting to me? Well. . . Working with glass, you heat the glass rod until it melts and glows an amberish red, then slowly wound the glass around a stainless steel mandrel. Although it may begin very much like a glob of nothing, gravity takes over and does its work if you manipulate the speed with which you turn your mandrel, with learned control. Turning clockwise towards the flame, right under the flame, it works perfectly all the time. ALL glass when heated looks the same. It is a big glob of molten amberish red. But, aaaaaaaaahh.. when the shape begins to form, whether it be round, oval, square, bicone or abstract, it is exhilarating that it was I and the flame working together to achieve the final shape.

The reality that is: I have a thousand ideas of beads and of metalsmith projects waiting to be made. The only restriction is time and getting my workshop fully equipped. As to lampworking, it's amazing how some of these beads can turn out, since it can be difficult to distinguish colors and the designs when you have a hot gather of glass in front of you. You have to think a mile a minute. One wrong move or a little too long in the flame and that's it. There are rarely any second chances when dealing with hot glass. Precision, control, concentration, patience and meticulous care to details are attributes one needs to master. As to metalsmithing, there's nothing like pounding on some metal after a long frustrating day at work.

If untamed, fire can be destructive. On the other hand, lampworkers and metalsmiths, harness fire to create their art.I can go on and on about the passion I have for the creative process, but I'll end it here. Thank you for allowing me this opportunity to share my thoughts. I hope you come to enjoy my imagination, artistic interpretation and creativity in each of the tiny works of art I make. Lastly, thank you also to everyone (you know who you are!) who has been there to support me in this journey I simply call "My Dream".

All My Best
Lisa

P.S. I hope you enjoyed reading this little "blast from the past". There are similar information on my updated website bio! Thanks Jean for taking me back to Justbeads.com this morning. You are extra special, xoxo!

Please visit Jean's website and blog for more insightful commentary, wonderful stories and creative designs. And, more about Jean's book Links in upcoming future posts! In the meantime, it's back to the studio for me, to make more beads for Portland! Whew! (wiping sweat off my brow!)

The Red Haiku ...

Okay I admit, I snagged this photo from my friend, Andrew Thornton's blog. Andrew always has his camera handy and was able to capture the beautiful Jamie Hogsett wearing a RED Haiku bead I gave her last year before she left Interweave. I keep telling myself to run away from Andrew when he has his camera because he has a knack at capturing me without makeup, talking or eating, or worse yet in an unattractive pose. Where's my glamor shot now? I need proper lighting and a makeup artist to doll me up. Oh well, I'm just a simple girl and at least you know I can look pretty if I have to. Give me a nice T-shirt and a pair of jeans anytime.

It was because of Jamie that my River's Edge necklace made it to the cover of Spring 2006 issue of Stringing Magazine. When I found out Jamie was leaving May last year, I took Jamie down memory lane, and sent her away with a box of my beads - one from each of the projects I wrote for Interweave - during her tenure. She deserved every bead and more. I love spoiling my friends. I challenged Jamie to use any of her beads to make a finished project for Tucson 2008 and wear it at the Interweave party. Jamie did NOT disappoint and was the ONLY one out of the two others editors that completed her challenge with flying colors. I will protect the innocent and not mention the other editors' names but they have another year to complete their challenges. (WINK! hint: I will see them next month at Bead Expo Portland) I will have to say that Jamie's sophisticated clean design really features the red Haiku and make it SHINE. Red, was selected for Jamie because it symbolizes passion and love. It also symbolizes good luck, fortune and prosperity. Hugs to you Jamie!

The beautiful Melinda Barta, Managing Editor of Beadwork and Stringing Magazine, sparkles with a lovely style is smiling to Jamie's left. She gave me a heartwarming hug after our dinner on Wednesday night. I love hanging out with my friends from Interweave! I get the chance to work with so many talented Interweave editors and am one LUCKY girl! (click the photo to get a closeup of the lovely black and red Haiku necklace gracing Jamie's neck!)

Back from Tucson ... Happy Valentine's

The day for love is here. Happy Valentine's to everyone. Please remember to tell the one you love how special they are to you!


I am definitely still recuperating from my excellent show at the Manning House last week. It's a good form of exhaustion. I will be updating the site and blog with lots of info in the next few days so keep your eyes peeled for the new Luft and Sandstorm series photos as well as an alternate Strata Metallic series that will be offered periodically at select shows. (See update to earlier post for some fabulous photos of the new series!!)

I will also be adding links to the wonderful new beadstores that will be carrying my work at your local bead store (LBS) and on the website (once it is back online). Thank you to them! Thank you also goes to the customers, old and new, who traversed to Tucson and visited me at the Manning House. I had a great time talking to each and every one of you. Perhaps some of you tried to escape my long-winded conversations but I always perk up when speaking about beads/designing. Ooops.

Next week, I move forward to prepare for Bead Expo Portland and will open up the show stock for email orders. Let me know what series you are interested in and I'll email you a photo of what's in stock NEXT week. Right now the selection is low because many bead styles/colors sold out in Tucson. This is a good and bad thing. This means I have to work that much harder and stay focused to bring you new goodies. Not a problem if you don't mind being on a waiting list. I'm always up for challenges and hate to disappoint!

Thank you for sticking in there and being on the waiting list for your special beads. The website is currently having some issues due to Yahoo Webservices updating their entire hosting software (which I found out after returning from Tucson). You can still view the catalog but it's just not pretty, the fonts are all weird, the header with my logo missing, the footer with my copyright and contact gone, and I can not yet update the inventory status. I'm working on fixing all the issues behind the scenes. Just email me and I'll respond ASAP. I'm always an email away.

Bead Romantique Promotional Postcard
handed out during the Tucson show
(click the image for a larger view to get the nitty gritty details)

In the meantime. Yeah! Double Yeah! I'm so excited about the book launch at Bead Expo Portland next month! I'll have alternate samples of the projects in different colorways at my booth and Interweave will have the actual samples from the book at their booth. We are right across from each other. I'll be at my booth (#218) most of the show, since I'm exhibiting solo, but feel free to walk across the aisle for a chat. Signed books will be available at Interweave's booth. And the Girls from Vintaj will be right next to me too! It can't get any better than this!

Woo... I'm spinning with excitement.

Ice Princess

Ice Princess
Beadwork Magazine December 2007/January 2008

"Inspired by Victorian lace, designer Lisa Kan created graceful peyote loops to adorn a herringbone necklace. Crystal quartz briolette beads cluster like frozen droplets."

The good folks at Interweave have added the Ice Princess project to their Beading Daily Online Store. This project was originally published in Beadwork Magazine, December 2007/January 2008. Thank you for your email requests to them, which made this project available to those who may have missed out on this project or could not find the back issue at your LBS (local bead store).

The briolettes are from Taj Company. And, as usual, I couldn't stop at one necklace so I made an alternate version in silver with dusty pink charlottes.
Whether pretty in romantic dusty pink or fabulous in glistening gold, I hope you'll love this elegant Victorian lace inspired design. The cubic zircon 4-loop connectors (CO67) and clasp, which perfectly accents this design, are created by Ezel Jewels. And you only need one hank of size 13 charlottes, which you can find from the Garden of Beadin'. A wire armature in the center of the necklace creates structure and a nice drape. I hope you'll enjoy making this necklace and transform yourself to an Ice Princess.

Ice Princess in Dusty Pink

Bead Romantique Preview

Thanks to Interweave Press, you can now preview ten of the seventeen projects in my new book. Get a first peak to see what is in store for you.

I wanted to make a note that this book was written with the concept that you already know what a seed bead is and the general tools necessary for beadweaving. We did not spend a lot of pages showing you pretty photos of seed beads and tools as most beading books already cover this area. We felt we would have wasted a lot of pages that would otherwise been better served in detailing the projects instead. The book is all about progressing your beadweaving from advanced beginner forward, challenging you every step of the way.

By no means is this an all inclusive encyclopedia of beading techniques. There are many ways to achieve similar looks also, using different beading methods. There are reasons why I selected a respective stitch to achieve my design. I challenged myself to breakdown the steps so that they would be understandable even to a beginning beader. The book is how I bead not the only way to bead. All in all, I hope you enjoy the projects and the romantic theme.

There are a number of quick projects but don't expect to finish an elaborate project within a day or even a weekend. Beadweaving is about the process and the techniques. Heirloom pieces do not result from rushing to the finish line. Quality work takes time and attention to even small details. The end result will make you a proud "parent" of a job well done as you garner much deserved accolades and compliments.

I actually had proposed thirty projects for the book but due to space availability (144 pages) we could only fit seventeen. The Deco Collar, shown on the second page of the preview, is the book teaser project featured in the upcoming Feb/Mar 2008 Beadwork Magazine issue. I'll write more about the Deco Collar in a future post.

Ring a Ling Ling ...

Unlike some people, I don't glue myself to the phone. Most of the time, I can't answer the phone because I am in the glass studio usually in the middle of making a bead. It's not like I can stop at a moment's notice, run to answer the phone, and finish the bead later. With other art mediums, the flexibility may be there. As to my cell phone, half the time it's not even charged or on. I just use it for emergencies and to call my husband. Most of the time, I am working in the studio, so the cell phone stays in the car. I have a "pay as you go" cellphone so my costs are minimal!

I had a phone appointment with my editor to talk about the next steps of the book this afternoon. By the way, this is the only way to get a hold of me - send me an email that you will call on a certain day, at a certain time. Is that bad of me or just being very organized? Back to the book - because the book projects are quite technical and geared towards intermediate/advance beaders (with some chain and wire included), the concern was how many of the thirty projects would fit in the book. You see, publishers allot a certain page count to books usually in multiples of 16. I learned this today. Surprisingly I didn't ask how many pages my book was going to be from the beginning. Before I spoke to my editor, I had gone through some of the page counts of recent books from Interweave. I saw 112, 128 and 240. Most of the books were in the range of 112 or 128 pages. So this was one of the questions I finally inquired with my editor. It turns out my book will be *144* pages. This is spectacular news, especially because most Interweave books average 112 and 128. Even with 144 pages, we will not be able to fit in all thirty projects. Oh well.

So the phonecall was to discuss the priorities. Eighteen of the thirty projects were selected to be definite "in the book" category. Eight projects were selected as optional additions should there be extra pages. The remainder projects from these eight not selected will most likely be snatched up by Beadwork magazine. All great news because if I take the time to design a project, I would like it to be published. Four projects were not selected based on several factors which I agree with. Two were not related to the theme as closely as the chosen projects, one was similar to that published already in BW, and the last one had a component that would be difficult to find (even if I really liked this design especially). I think the "jury" selected the projects I would have if I had to omit some.

So I am a bit jazzed today because we are moving forward. The projects are now with the technical editor who will tweak my instructions and condense them. I tend to be a bit wordy with my instructions to make sure I cover everything. After the TE is done, I get to give it a once over. Interweave will be taking test shots for potential covers in the next few weeks. I like the fact that they are keeping me in the loop throughout the process and will send me the photos for my opinion in two weeks. Then the layout editor jumps in and I will have a final once over by end of this year to get it ready for a Spring 2008 launch at Bead Expo Portland!

Of all the editors I've worked with, I would have to say that I am immensely impressed by the professionalism, openness, and approachability of the Interweave team. Everyone I've worked with have been so nice.

The Beginning . . .

This is just the beginning, the beginning of something possibly really BIG. I thought it was about time that I started my own blog to document my thoughts, ideas and inspirations. Why now? Now is as good of a time as any and it's about time I started this journal! What do I have to say? Sometimes I have a lot to talk or write about and other times words can't express my thoughts. I can't commit to daily entries but I will post as often as possible. And along the way maybe you'll discover more about me, as I discover more about myself. Maybe through my words, you will get to know me - the glass bead artist, the jewelry designer, the writer, the philosopher and whatever persona I become. I take it that you found this blog and are reading it because you are interested in or follow my work. So, first off, "thank you".

So the beginning of this blog on 070707, is also the end. Not THE end. We just started. It is the end of nearly ten months of hard work, in between exhibiting at many bead shows, making hundreds of beads, and writing for bead publications. Just about a month ago, June 11th to be exact, I finished the last set of submissions for the draft of my first book, tentatively titled Bead Romantique. The book is being published by Interweave Press and is due out April 2008. I can't believe I'm done because when I signed the contract late August 2006, I had to pinch myself and thought "what did I get myself into, how am I going to do it and what am I going to write about?" Don't get me wrong, I was definitely ecstatic and on cloud nine. Who wouldn't be to be given this opportunity, but it was a bit overwhelming because I didn't plan for this. First, I thought my glasswork would suffer in the interim but instead I was able to create two new glass series, Nouveau and Ginkgo, from working on the book.

Now that I am done designing, creating and writing THIRTY proposed projects, I had much more I wanted to write, share and design but that just means a possible second book, if everyone loves this one. Right now though, I would like to develop some ideas and return my focus to glass. I'll still be writing and designing for bead publications (as I LOVE to write!) but not with the same intense fervor of deadlines involved in compiling a book.

It has been a dream of mine to write a book, not necessarily THIS book. I just knew I wanted to write a book in my lifetime. And when the opportunity presented itself, I knew I had to just make it happen no matter what it took, how hard I had to work or how many sleepless nights I had to endure. I mean, how often does someone (one of the largest craft book and magazine publishers - Interweave Press) asks YOU to write a book? The biggest challenge was of course finding "time" but also switching my thinking cap between glass and beadwork, multiple times. My extensive research library and appreciation for historical jewelry designs supplied me with many inspirational ideas. I will tell you more about the book in future posts.

I hope to educate, to inspire and to promote creativity through my writings here, there and everywhere. I know there's not much to see or read now but as with anything new - it just takes time to decorate. So, stay a bit and come back often to check up on my creative adventures, my travels and musings.