Amy Sims Designs

Online Bead Show in the Artisans Open Market Starts Tonight @11PM Eastern

2019-09-21T17:22:00.000-04:00

I have been very busy! I will have many new beads, including new shapes and colors, earring pairs, larger sets, focals, and new Hollows!

Starts at 11PM Eastern tonight, and runs until Monday, September 23rd at 9PM.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/AOMLampworkGlass/

Bead Show!

2019-04-06T16:06:00.000-04:00

You can shop in your pj’s, it’s online!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/AOMLampworkGlass

Ends tonight at 9pm.

My Battle with the Big C

2019-03-03T20:00:00.000-05:00

Bead Trunk Show Coming Soon!

2015-06-24T07:31:00.000-04:00

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.48″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.0.74″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”]Starting this Saturday, June 27th at 11pm, I will be having a bead trunk show on Facebook in the Artisans Open Market group! I will have lots of earring pairs and sets, as well as several Cleopatra focals and a few big hole beads. The show will run through Monday, June 29th at 10pm (EDT). Hope to see you there!

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Happy Summer ☀

2015-05-27T11:57:00.000-04:00

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[et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text”]It’s going to be a busy summer around here (and short-schools starts August 3rd!)! Between driver’s ed, summer camps, summer assignments, and a short trip to Tanglewood, it may be a struggle to find studio time. But, I do have two online shows coming up (links below) and some exciting news, the Fire Divas have a new Facebook selling group! We are very excited about it, and I invite you to join. You will find beads as well as jewelry, and periodic giveaways to celebrate our members. ( Yours truly will be contributing the next giveaway 😉 )

We are just getting it started, but here’s a sample of what we have:

Check out this cool guitar shaped bead by Holly

And these gorgeous purple pillows by Cindy

Rosemarie has some beautiful spacers

And I have a special on my Silvered Martinique Cleopatra set

The name of the group is Fire Divas Glass Market and you can find us here: www.facebook.com/groups/FireDivasGlassMarket

As I mentioned before, I have 2 trunk shows coming up! The first one is in the Glass Melters Open Market on June 11-12. And the second show will be on Artisan Glass Open Market on June 28-29. Glass Melters is a public group, but Artisan Glass is not, so you will have to join if you want to see the show and bid or buy.

I’ll have more discs, nuggets, encased rounds, and lentils, and if you have any special requests just let me know!

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It's Show Time ❤

2015-02-13T16:23:00.000-05:00

This is romance weekend!

I love hearts. (Can you tell?!)
I just listed a few in the Etsy shop. You can check them out here:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/AmySimsDesigns

I am also excited to tell you about 2 upcoming shows I have next week. They are both on-line, shop-from-your-pajama shows on Facebook. 🙂

The first one start at 11pm EST on Thursday the 18th at Jewelry Designers Open Market and will feature my jewelry.

The second one starts at 11pm EST on Friday the 19th at Glass Open Market and will feature my beads. Yikes-I will be busy!

These groups are closed for privacy, so if you want to shop just make sure you join the groups first.

I’ve been working on a few new things that I will be showing next week. Here’s a little sneak peak:

Thanks for visiting-hope you have a great Valentine’s weekend!

You're Invited

2014-08-08T13:01:00.000-04:00

I have a trunk show this weekend, and you’re invited 🙂
It is on Facebook, in a group called Glass Open Market. This one is featuring my beads (no jewelry).
If you have never tried buying on Facebook you should come check it out-it is so easy and a lot of fun. First join the group by clicking the option on the right in the header. Then if you want you can check out the “about” section or the Rules in the file section for more information about the group and how it works. Basically it is a 48 hour show featuring one artist at a time. The buying format is either auction, buy-it-now, or both. My show is August 9-10, but you will be able to see my first round of listings by 10 or 11pm this evening EST (Atlanta). I will have an intro post explaining how it works as well.
Hope to see you this weekend!

New Facebook Auctions

2014-07-29T20:35:00.000-04:00

New auctions up! These end Wednesday July 30 at 11:15. Listings are in the following groups:
Blue Lentils in the Artisan Lampwork Group:https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10204376921887130&set=gm.1481290415446527&type=1&theater
Purple Lentils in the Lampwork Bead Market:https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10204376930167337&set=gm.660020427424495&type=1&theater
Brown Lentils in the Lampwork Beads for Sale Group: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10204376911326866&set=gm.745928238797766&type=1&theater
Pink Lentils in the Gone to Pieces Group:https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10204376959008058&set=gm.547328352045426&type=1&theater
Green Lentils also in the Gone to Pieces Group:https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10204376941167612&set=gm.547327552045506&type=1&theater

I'm Moving!

2014-07-27T09:59:00.000-04:00

Well, not really! Just my website and blog. 🙂 I’m in the process of moving my website from a self-hosted WordPress site to IndieMade and I’ve just ported my blog to Google’s Blogger. So, if you got an email update listing ALL of my posts since the beginning of time, I apologize! It shouldn’t happen again. As soon as I’m happy with my new site it will go live at www.amysimsdesigns.com. Hopefully you will not see much difference from the outside! It will have a shop there as well as a link to my Etsy shop, and I will be populating it over the next several weeks. In the meantime, I have an upcoming on-line trunk show over on Facebook. It will be on the Glass Open Market Group on August 9th and 10th. (it actually starts at midnight on the 8th!) Here’s a sneak peek at what I’ll have!

On Line Jewelry Trunk Show

2014-06-18T04:40:00.000-04:00

I’ve got a trunk show going on today and tomorrow on line! Shop from the comfort of your screen at https://www.facebook.com/groups/JDTSG/

(you will need to join first to see the show, as it is a private group-you can leave the group at any time)

Here are a few pieces from the show:

Spring is Here

2014-04-22T06:19:00.000-04:00

Hello, dear friends! It’s been a while since I’ve posted, but I’m still making beads. You can find my new beads in my Etsy shop, and you can check out a new place for fantastic lampwork beads on Facebook called Lampwork Beads For Sale. This is a closed group, but all you have to do is join and then you can see the auctions and bid. I have a set currently up now, ending at 1:30pm EST:

Thanks for looking!

Trunk Show Event

2013-10-28T07:41:00.000-04:00

I’m really excited about my first on-line Trunk Show event! It is being held on the Fire Divas Facebook Page, and you can check it out here:

https://www.facebook.com/events/650954174936277/

To go directly to the items that will be available go here:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.563776350360766&type=1

(more added every day up until the Show!)

7th Bead Soup Party Reveal!

2013-04-26T19:00:00.000-04:00

Time flies when you are having fun designing. It’s hard to believe that it’s been 10 weeks since I received my wonderful bead soup from Heidi Kingman. You can read about that HERE.

She sent me SO many wonderful things, and I really tried to use them all! I still have a few items left, but I put a pretty good dent in the soup. Here’s what I came up with:

First off, is a very hip bracelet featuring Heidi’s hand-wrought copper clasp, rings, twisted jumprings, Baltic amber drops and a beautiful fire agate stone. I added some lampwork frit beads in orange blossom and some lampwork iridescent gold discs.

Next up is a choker made with three of Heidi’s beautiful sesame jasper drops and several matte blackstone rondelles. I added my own wire wrapped beads and chainmail.

Here is Heidi’s wonderful Viking knit chain (I really must learn how to do that!) and super cool copper BIG hole bead caps. So obviously I needed to cap some BIG hole beads! I made three of my Tiger pattern beads, and finished off the chain with some copper cones and a hammered toggle.

Heidi sent me these really cool copper twisted wire headpins. I had many visions of what I wanted to do with them, but they seemed to just want to be cool dangly earrings. I could do these in tons of colors!

And for the pièce de résistance: The Guitar Bracelet.

Is this not The. Coolest. Thing. Ever??

I was SO excited to receive Heidi’s Strike a Chord Guitar piece, which was featured (as a leather bracelet) in the gift bags at the 46th Annual Country Music Awards! I really struggled with what to do with this. I could have made an elaborate necklace, but I really wanted
to just feature the guitar. So I decided to create a wire bangle, and added a touch of color with some tiny lampwork aqua beads. I fashioned a simple copper clasp to finish it off. Isn’t it the bomb?So, I still have a sea urchin shell, yellow quartz, and Chinese porcelain donuts left, along with some faux leather suede and a smattering of copper findings. I’m sure they will find their way into some jewelry in the future.I really had a lot of fun with my first bead soup. It was definitely a challenge, but so much fun breaking out of my usual design routine. Thanks Heidi! And MANY thanks to Lori Anderson for coordinating this EXTRAORDINARY Bead Soup Blog Party. I’m so honored to be a part of it. 🙂 Please check out the other 200+ participants in this 3rd reveal: http://lorianderson-beadsoupblogparty.blogspot.com/2013/04/welcome-to-3rd-reveal-of-7th-bead-soup.html

Beads for the Kids

2013-02-26T09:44:00.000-05:00

I got my beads all wrapped up and shipped off yesterday for the February challenge, “Show the Love“.

I sure hope the kids like them!

My Bead Soup Has Arrived!

2013-02-17T16:48:00.000-05:00

My partner Heidi and I received our packages on the same day! She has already blogged about it-you can read her blog HERE.

In case you didn’t see my first post about this event, the Bead Soup Blog Party is a really cool event organized once a year by Lori Anderson. She single-handedly matches up artists (there are over 500 participating!) who then swap a collection of beads that includes a focal and a clasp. The artists then create one or more pieces from their “soup”, and reveal their creations on their blogs. You can click here to see the list of all the artists participating this year and the links to their blogs.

Now that we have each other’s soup, I can show you what I sent to my partner, Heidi!

I had THE hardest time deciding what to send her! I know she is very earthy and organic, and works in copper a lot. But, I was really in the mood for Spring, and these are some of my favorite colors. (okay, so I haven’t met a color I didn’t like…)

I started with a BIG hole focal, even bigger than my normal big hole beads, lol! I added some plain spacers in coordinating colors. Then I found the purple silk cording, and added the faceted amethyst beads and the Czech glass flowers and leaves. I’ve had those green ceramic beads for a year on my workbench, and decided they looked great with this mix. That made me think of flowers, so I added three flower pillow beads and a round raised flower spacer. Finally I added some purple and green drops and Karen Hill Tribe silver (clasp and rings) and some sterling chain. Oh, and then I raided my scrapbooking stash and threw in some really cool fiber. I can’t wait to see what Heidi comes up with!

So, now to show you what Heidi sent ME!

First, if you haven’t already done so, you need to check out her web site. She is so talented! She has been working on a new blog and logo, and they are so beautiful. Take a look at her packaging:

When I was looking at her website I was blown away by her copper “Strike a Chord Guitar” that were gifts for the artists at the 46th Annual Country Music Awards-how cool is that?! So when I opened up the box and found this:

WOW! A copper guitar AND hand woven Viking knit. Here’s the whole soup, in it’s glory:

Yellow quartz, Sesame Jasper, Blackstone, Sea Urchin (!) Baltic Amber, Fire Agate, and Chinese Porcelain donuts.

And here is all of Heidi’s handmade copper! I am in love with the twisted headpins and copper clasp. And check out the big hole bead caps 🙂

Even though I don’t work with copper much, I love it and I am really looking forward to creating from Heidi’s soup mix. Our big reveal is April 13, so stay tuned!

(See what I did with Heidi’s soup HERE!)

7th Bead Soup Blog Party

2013-02-14T08:19:00.000-05:00

I may be late to the party, but better late than never, right?

I am FINALLY participating in Lori Anderson’s Bead Soup Blog Party, and I am so excited!

This is a fantastic event that happens only once a year. Lori pairs you with another jewelry designer and you send each other a package of beads with a focal and a clasp. The rules are that you have to use the focal and clasp, but you can also use things from your own stash and you may or may not use the other beads in your soup. You can also make more than one thing-yay! During the process you blog about your soup and your partner, and then on reveal day (I am the 3rd reveal on April 13th) you post your creations on your blog. This year there are over 500 artists participating. That’s a lot of blogs to visit!

I have been paired up with Heidi Kingman of Heidi Kingman Jewelry. (formerly MyBeadTherapy) We swapped emails over the weekend and I am very much looking forward to getting to know Heidi better. We already have a lot in common: We are both transplanted Texans and we are both going through rebranding! (stay tuned for more details… 🙂 ) And, of course, we love beads, jewelry, metals etc.

Our packages have been mailed, and we are eagerly awaiting our Bead Soup Mixes. As soon as I get my package I will share with you my soup, but in the meantime, here are a few teaser photos of the soup I sent to Heidi 🙂

Beads of Courage: Show the Love

2013-01-31T09:33:00.000-05:00

Beads of Courage is a wonderful organization that provides support for children with serious illnesses. The children collect beads for the various procedures and events throughout their illness. “Ongoing evaluation of the Beads of Courage program indicates that the program helps to decrease illness-related distress, increase the use of positive coping strategies, helps children find meaning in illness, and restore sense of self in children coping with serious illness. The program also provides something tangible the child can use to tell about their experience during treatment and after.”

Click here to participate!

I love supporting this cause, and I just signed up for their latest challenge, Show the Love. This challenge is to create 30 Acts of Courage beads for the children for the month of February. If you would like to know more about Beads of Courage you can check out the website at www.beadsofcourage.org

You can click on the picture to find out more about the challenge. And check back here this month because I’ll be sharing with you the beads I create for the kids!

Ohio is only 4 letters...

2013-01-23T09:47:00.000-05:00

And my Etsy coupon codes must be 5! (oops)

So for my Ohio customers trying to use the free shipping coupon, it is OHIOFREE now.

🙂

Valentine's Special

2013-01-19T11:20:00.000-05:00

I just love hearts! Even our wedding cake was heart-shaped… 🙂

I will be listed as many of my heart beads as I can this weekend, and to celebrate Valentine’s day I’m offering a free shipping coupon code for my Etsy store. Just enter HEART when you checkout and your shipping is free now through February 14! (this will not apply to International shipping, sorry)

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

2012-10-11T06:47:00.000-04:00

My next event is a fundraiser for Breast Cancer Awareness

I will be at the East Hampton Women’s Club Gift Show

Thursday, October 25th 5-9pm
Friday, October 26th 9am-4pm

Please join me!

Sip & Shop – Breast Cancer Awareness
East Hampton subdivision Club House
2055 Kinsmon Dr. (off of Roswell Road in East Cobb)

Upcoming Show

2012-09-04T04:45:00.000-04:00

European Market on Milton Ave.

My next show is coming up September 22nd and 23rd!

Come check out all the treasures under the BIG TENT in historic downtown Alpharetta, Georgia.

I will be there rain or shine from 11am to 6pm on Saturday and from 11am to 5pm on Sunday.

Hope to see you there!

New Creations

2012-05-19T09:59:00.000-04:00

I’ve been working on several new jewelry pieces and will be getting them listed this week. Here’s the first one:

I love the whimsical style of Kerry Bogert, and I decided to try my hand at some of her techniques. I love the way this bracelet turned out. You can see it here in my Etsy shop.

Have a great weekend!

Upcoming Shows

2012-03-17T12:42:00.000-04:00

Spring is here! And you know what that means…art shows and festivals! I will be participating in the First Friday Art Walk in Marietta Square, my first show since our move. I was accepted into the Artists’ Alley, which is a juried selection of artists. It is located indoors (yay!) in the DuPre’s Antique Market located at 17 Whitlock Ave. You can come see me April 6th, May 4th, June 1st and July 6th from 5pm to 9pm. You can find out more about the show by visiting the website: www.artwalkmarietta.com.

New Earrings in the Shop!

2012-02-27T12:30:00.000-05:00

This style is new for me: floral pillow beads that remind me of quilt blocks. I love they way these turned out, and I made a bunch! So far I’ve turned these into earrings, but I have a few pendants coming along as well. Those will be finished later this week.

Let me know what you think of this new style!

A little something for myself

2012-02-23T11:06:00.000-05:00

I love making glass beads, but sometimes I have the urge to do other things. It had been a while since I’d made anything for myself, so when I saw a cool wrap bracelet in a local bead store, I decided I HAD to make one. I found a great tutorial on Lampwork Etc. by Hannah Rosner so I gathered materials and made this a few weeks ago in about 2 hours:

Then I felt the need to do something with wire, so yesterday I made these cool earrings from a tutorial by JewlieBeads:

I think they turned out pretty cool! And she’s having a sale right now in her shop. You can snap this or several other great tutorials up for 20% off right now. Or if you aren’t into making wire jewelry, you can just buy her pretty creations. (not sure how long her sale will go.)

I’m feeling pretty fulfilled now, and I am looking forward to wearing my new earrings tomorrow…