Links Update and RSS Reader Reviews

Introduction

As it is a long weekend, and I have just started a new project and do not have any photos, I thought it would be a good time to update my second page, which is all of my links.  The second page is available via the tab right under the Blog Title, named:  All My Blog Links.  New links are under a heading called New Links – amazing how organized I am.  In case you did not notice, I follow a lot of blogs.  Today I am adding another 36 to the list. 

This blog post is has two subheadings, both are worth reading.

RSS Reader Reviews 

First, if you are not interested in RSS Readers, skip to Links Update for a few call outs on the new links.

I am able to follow a lot of blogs because I make use of an RSS Reader.  I have used Google Reader, but when it was announced Google Reader was being discontinued, I scrambled for a new reader. 

I tried Blog Lovin' and I did not love it.  It is not awful, but it just did not work for me.  I also did not like that I ended up getting e-mail from them.

I next tried NewsBlur.   I gave up on that fast because they wanted money from me without even giving me a free trial. That may have changed given the passage of time since Google announced the end of Google Reader.  However, even if they had given me a free trial I would have had to pay since at that time I had 331 feeds and their basic policy is to charge for more than 64 feeds.  

I signed up for The Old Reader, which is like Google Reader. The one thing I did not like about it is that it has no android app. This is really not a problem for the jewelry and design blogs I follow because I do not even try to read those on my android, but you might.  I stuck with The Old Reader for a few weeks, but every time I scrolled down to see what was in the queue it marked all my items as read; that was unhelpful.  It also seemed out of date and difficult to edit my feeds.

I tried Feedly, and the load from Google reader was easy, but... I did not like the way the list (title) function worked. More importantly it did not pick up all of my unread posts, not when I filtered under "today" because I had unread blog posts which were older than today; neither did it pick up all my unread posts when I set the filter to "latest."  I think the problem is how far back Feedly looks or perhaps it could be with the number of blogs in my feed. Feedly just seemed to miss too many posts.  Your mileage may vary.

I have opted for NetVibes. It is pretty.  I am able to view the entire post in the reader itself.   It handles the list well.  One of my pet peeves is that there is no alphabetize function.  I also really dislike the edit function for my feeds.  On the other hand, it picks up unread more than a day old.  It is free.  Importing from Google Reader was easy.  I may make my reader a public page; it might be interesting.

I generally embrace change, but the loss of Google Reader has presented challenges.

Links of Special Merit

I follow each and every blog on the list.  I look at, even if I do not read, every post.  They are all unique, beautiful, and return value to me in exchange for my time.  Thus, I feel bad not calling out each and every one of them.  However, not everyone can page though as many blogs as I can so I am going to point out a few that you might want to take a peek at.

First is a Polish blog named Izziland.  Beautiful woven seed bead jewelry.  This blog won my heart right away.

Next up, is Artefactum.  This is a Russian blog.  If you need inspiration this is the place to go.  I do not embroider, or at least I have not embroidered with beads for many years.  Nonetheless, the colors and composition are stunning. 

Bead Lady: The Impossible is Often the Untried is another Russian blog and if you are not following her work you are missing some spectacular bead work. 

Since I am on a Russian kick, I might as well include Chikineva, and GB Dreams – absolutely stunning.  The Russian beaders do such complex work. 

Cherish Designs is not a seed beader.  Which only goes to prove I am an all inclusive gawker.  Cherish Designs was also the grand prize winner of Lori Anderson’s Bead Soup Blog Party.  If you follow her you will see why.  Her work is quite original.

My Life In Knots – you have to follow this blog if for no other reason than it is such a great name.  If you like micro macramé then add this to you list.  Unfortunately, it has not been updated since February.  Maybe she will be back.

Laura Bracken is just an overall great blog.  She recently published a post about how to get published as well as a post about photographing earrings.  How could you leave this off of your list.

Because I cannot resist I have three new wire weaving blogs,:  Shakitpaj Designs and Blue Almonds.  See also Wired Elements which is really just a link page and not a blog.

Nancy L. Hamilton falls outside of the normal blog fare in that she mostly offers video tutorials on metal work.  

Final Word

These posts always take hours- they require a lot of editing.  I maintain the second page of this blog so I have a record but also because I think each and every one of them deserves at least a look.  If you like to see what everyone else is up to and need a quick way to page through a lot of blogs I highly recommend you adopt an RSS News Reader. 

Have a safe and happy holiday weekend.

41 New Links

If you haven’t noticed the tab at the top of my blog it is to a second page which includes 162 jewelry related blog links + 14 other links of interest. It is far from a comprehensive list, nonetheless I like to think it is a resource. There is a special category for New Links, which includes the 41 Wonderful New Links in the title above.

Since I am a seed beader I am absolutely in love with Another Country Bead Works. I am also in love with Moryn’s clean lines.

The Bead Soup Blog Party has just finished.  Every time it rolls around I add another few blog links. One of my favorite finds from this past Bead Soup was Art With Moxie. I said in the comments that I loved her esthetic and I do. I went back many pages on her blog and Cory is creative and unique. Two other faves from Bead Soup is Tell Your Girlfriends and The Cerebral Dilettante. Both of these women have pages and pages of inventive and exciting jewelry.

If you want patterns visit Beads Magic.

If you have a fondness for exquisite and peerless bead woven pieces with plenty of sparkle a visit to Haute Ice Beadwork is required. Marsha Wiest-Hines is an Etsy discovery, she is a regular participant Etsy Beadweavers monthly challenges. Marsha’s art is the level we all aspire to. What’s more, she makes that possible by generously sharing her design process.

 I have finally added the link to Kreative Keller. She is the beader who created and sells the pattern for puffy hearts.

I am in awe of complex wirework. I would not only love to be able to make these pieces but also possess the imagination to design these pieces. The newest addition in this category is Nicole Hanna Jewelry. Even if you have no interest in wirework you should take a look at her post on Determining the Value of Art (or Pricing Product.) This is a comprehensive post that will help those of you struggling with a pricing strategy. Another addition in the wirework category is The Angsty Artist, who provided the link to Nicole Hanna. My very favorite by The Angsty Artist is a Violet Arm Band which was a custom piece. 

Because I weave beads those are the blogs that catch my attention. Don’t miss Patrick Duggan Jewellery Designs and Takıntı for some inspiration.

Just to add balance, that is a blog that is not bead weaving, be sure to visit Songbeads. Rebecca is just delightful.

I feel bad when I write these updates because I want to mention each and every blog by name and why I added it to my list, but alas, the post would just be too long. Suffice it to say that there is something special about each and every artist and their links in the list. Spend an afternoon visiting each new addition to the list to find artists you want to add to your list.

Despite not being able to mention each and every new link, I do want to mention a blog that is not new to the list but worth a visit: Torque Story. The reason I am mentioning the blog here is a feature named I Might Make That! Monday in which a tutorial is featured. What a great idea.