Shirley Gehring

Shirley Gehring

Fire Mountain Gems and Beads' Jewelry-Making Contest 2009 featuring Crystal

Bronze Medal Prize Winner

Category: Bracelet

Meet the Designer-Artist


Where do you live?
Summers in Washington, winters in Yuma, Arizona

Describe your artistic style.
I like to try and think up new ideas. I think I am very basic in designing though.

What inspires you as a designer-artist?
The beads, but I like to match different colors and beads, or put the same beads in a design with different colors.

What materials do you most enjoy working with?
Crystals and seed beads.

What is the name of the piece you submitted with your success story?
Cascade Falls

What inspired this design?
I had learned right angle beading and wanted to make a wider crystal bracelet.

How did it come together? For example, did you plan it out or did it define itself once you began working?
I started with an idea. I had already made one bracelet four across with four different colors and a definite pattern. With this one, I wanted to let it have a freeform in the colors.

Share Your Background


When and how did you begin making jewelry/beading?
I started serious beading about five years ago when I started taking classes.

Who introduced you to beading?
Judy.

Do you have an artistic background?
I have always enjoyed sewing, crafting, counted cross stitch and working with various other mediums. I love sparkly colors.

How did you discover Fire Mountain Gems and BeadsĀ®?
Through Judy, when I first started taking classes.

What other hobbies do you have?
Sewing, counted cross stitch, knitting, swimming, bicycling on my three wheeler.

Beading Success


What role does jewelry-making play in your life?
Hobby and part-time career.

If you used jewelry-making as a way to bring in income, how are you selling yourself and your jewelry?
Attend craft fairs and farmers markets. This is my first contest.

Do you participate in any charity fundraisers?
I make crystal crosses with a pink seed-beaded top in which I give 10% of my proceeds to cancer awareness programs.

Any advice for aspiring jewelry-artists?
Enjoy what time you have to bead and never be afraid to try something new.

View all of Shirley's designs in the Gallery of Designs.