Jewelry discussions

After few days away from the studio, I was starting to feel a bit on edge. I finally got back into it last night. In the past few days, a few things have happened.  First, we are redecorating the office!  I figured, I need a pretty wall color to go with my new pretty computer. The room was a dismal dark olive green, on a side of the house that gets no sunlight. Not a very good combination. Down right depressing, really. So I picked a pretty bright pale greenish blue color, quite similar to my studio color. The walls are painted and the few main ingredients to the room are moved back, like the desk, puter, hutch and I’ve added a long sofa table. Next up, I have to find 2 nice lamps for some decent additional lighting, a smelly candle, an extension cord for the stereo, and possibly a chair or another piece of furniture to fill some empty space, and hopefully an area rug. I’d love to also get some new prints for the walls- if you have any suggestions of great 2D artists on Etsy, let me know. I hope to have the room closer to done this weekend, and I’ll try to get some pictures of the new space.
The other big of happening news, can’t really be discussed quite yet. But suffice it to say, I am tickled pink, and am chomping at the bit to let you in on my secret. BUT at this point, mum’s the word. Sorry!! And no, I’m not pregnant.  Why is that the first thing people think of when I say I have a secret? Ok, I know why. But, that’s not it.

So Let me show you what I created last night, and I’mma add in some randoms with each. I feel like I don’t talk enough on the blog, and I want people to stay interested, so…

Here is a pair of earrings that I put together last night. I took advantage of a recent Art Bead sale at FusionBeads.com, and picked up a few pairs of Lilly Pilly’s etched shell pendants. I was instantly drawn to this pretty orange color. I tried several different colored beads with these and finally settled on some amethyst. Some of you might be wondered why I went with purple out of all the colors I tried.  I love the regal color of purple, and I think purple can be paired with any other color and look pretty fabulous.  I also was digging the texture of the beads- pretty faceted sparkly paired with the shell. I also tend to reach for purple when I use too much green and teal. I sometimes swear I could open separate shops, one of all teal jewelry, one of all bird jewelry. I just keep gravitating towards the same things, and that can be dangerous- I hate the idea of my customers getting bored of the same ol’ thing.
So there ya have it. That’s why I picked purple beads for these. Interesting stuff, I know.

See what I mean? It’s pretty, and it’s teal- my favorite. I used a few of Nancy’s new shards, and I like how this one turned out. The shards are just the right size, so you can use them in any style piece. I used linen cording in this one, and the
Love is a Bat Field necklace below, I just added a jump ring and strung it onto a beaded necklace. She’s got some cool new shards for sale at her shop. I love the pinks and yellows!

I don’t really have any insightful things to say about my bat necklace. How can you not love that bat. Look at him in all his wing-spread, batty glory. I might even venture to say that he’s kind of cute!
I like the blue glazed paired with the orangey tones of the wood rounds.

Ahhh yes, and finally, another necklace featuring a Jade Scott pendant. I collected a few of these smile shaped pendants during Jade’s last shop update. After attending this week’s update, I now feel like I can let one of them go. Because I bought this one.
Is it just me? Am I the only one that has this completely weirdo, obsessive compulsive bead shopping habit where I can’t use something until I know for sure that I can acquire another one?

Just one more thing I want to mention. Thanks for sticking with me in this super wordy post, by the way. 
I am gearing up for my annual show that I participate in at the local Jewish Temple this November. Which means, I need to get my ass in gear making a lot of jewelry, some I’ll post and some I won’t.  I am thinking about new ways to set up my tables. I really did like my display last year, and want to do something similar to that again this year, but with more earthy elements.

 Check out these cute WOODEN tags I found at Ornamentea! I think these will look great holding my earrings, I think I’ll embellish them with some organic type material like raffia or something. I’m not sure if I should give them to the buyer, or just take the earrings off and use them only as display. What would you do?

Whatcha waitin for??

The Round Rabbit extra UPDATE is happening NOW!

A few Reviews

  Ronna Sarvas Weltman, author of Ancient Modern Polymer Clay and Wire Jewelry,  is an amazing artist.. If you haven’t picked up a copy of her book, I would recommend it. It’s very inspiring, I was just looking through my copy a few nights ago. I was inspired by her wire work for this and this!
My favorite thing about Ronna’s projects are that she creates such organic forms with clay.
The beads are large, and speak volumes in shapes and colors.
Ronna now has a few videos out, and I had a chance to watch them last night. You can buy them at the Interweave store.
 Metalwork: How to Shape, Texture and Antique Wireworked jewelry
Ronna covers all of the basics in this video about what kind of wires are available, tools that are helpful and great tips like what gauge to use for things like earring wires.  I think it’s a fabulous video for beginners, easy to understand, interesting, and Ronna is a treat to watch. I love that she gives little stories here and there, and tips and tricks to remember how to remember certain techniques.
Polymer clay beads do go very well with wire and metal, especially darkened metal. Ronna shows how to patina wire with Liver of Sulfur. I think this is great, especially having not seen it done correctly before (I just wing it) and it’s really cool to see the metal turn different shades each time she dunks it into the mixture.  Another fun section of the video, is Ronna’s instructions on making a funky copper wire ring from start to finish.
Mixed Media how to make Polymer Clay Beads
Another fabulous video for beginners! If you have ever wanted
to play around with polymer clay, I highly recommend Ronna’s
instructional video. She covers the basics of conditioning
and curing the clay, mixing colors, and creating beads in cool
organic shapes such as discs and her famous Hemisphere
beads. These are my favorite, and I was pretty excited to find out
that you can bake the clay, and then bake it again – a technique she
uses when making the hemisphere beads.
Ronna has clever ways  of cutting the clay, and gives great tips on
forming evenly sized beads and perfectly round beads.
Marbeling clay is a fascinating process that can be altered in your own design style to create your own unique beads. I love that Ronna keeps the techniques loose, and open for interpretation for your own ideas and color choices. Forming beads in her distinctive style, but with your own twist, is important when sitting down to create polymer clay beads.
I also enjoyed the cane technique where she shows how to create two different types of cane, to embellish the other beads you’ve made.
I hope you enjoyed these short reviews,
don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about
the dvds.
                             


Can’t wait to show you!

4 of the 9 NEW listings at Big Cartel Tonight!! I am so excited about these – I just had a really great day in the studio- Feeling motivated and inspired, and happy, and free flowing. I enjoyed my time, even though I was in and out of the studio doing the mundane task of laundry throughout the day.

Just thought I’d show you, I’m so beat. G’Night!

Sunday Links and a little Fun Video

A Bead A Day
What does your Monday jewelry look like? Do you find you grab more sparkle for an added boost?

About.com Jewelry Making
Are you trying to pinch those pennies when it comes to making jewelry? Here are some ideas to help you out.  

Art Bead Scene
This week we have a Monthly Challenge treasury to share and inspire you.  


Barbe Saint John
Bead Chic by Margot Potter Book Review and Giveaway  

  Beading Arts
Have you seen what you can do with macrame? Don’t think hemp, think colorful and modern!


Carmi’s Art/Life World
Another felted and beaded pendant is turned into a necklace by Carmi.



Cindy Gimbrone, The Lampwork Diva
This week’s Wednesday Wire is all about the rings.



Earthenwood Studio Chronicles
Melanie faces her fears of home improvement by relating it to her beloved jewelry crafts.



Katie’s Beading Blog
Katie’s dreaming up jewelry projects inspired by the season. Leave a comment for a chance to win a Beads, Baubles & Jewels DVD!



Lorelei’s Blog: Inside the Studio
Lorelei and Nancy Schindler paired up for a beading challenge, check out the results here!



Snap out of it, Jean! There’s beading to be done!
Jean reviews the amazing tutorial, Color Drenched Metal, by Shannon LeVart, which is available at Shannon’s Etsy Shop: missficklemedia. This is a FANTASTIC opportunity for eager designers to learn how to patinate a variety of metals in gorgeous, vivid colors!



The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton
To celebrate his birthday, Andrew hosts a week of giveaways! Five days! Five giveaways!

Saturday Worth Spending

I’m try to make this short and sweet.  Facts:
I got to play with the cutest kittens today at my Aunt’s apartment and will try to remember to take pictures of them tomorrow to show you.
I went shopping for pearls at the bead shop but walked out with several strands and findings that I didn’t really need.
I beaded all afternoon while Joe was out at a football game. Go ‘Cuse! 
I was on a roll creating things for Marsha’s mom’s shop, My Mom Pattie. I made 3 more things for the shop today.

I also created a necklace and matching bracelet for my own shop, using some new colored wire from Soft Flex Company. It’s great wire, if you’ve ever used the crappy stuff, you can see a huge difference. LIKE, I mean HUGE. Highly recommend the cool Trios they sell at several venues.  They have 3 different colors in each package.  These projects, I used copper and light green.

Because Joe is away, I eat really bizarre dinners like warmed up roasted veggies, and a glass of wine.
If I lived alone I’d probably starve to death.
oh yea, one more thing- Make sure you hop over to Art Bead Scene– I wrote  cool tutorial on making cool photo collages with your pictures. Like this one!

New Listings

Available for sale at My Mom Pattie
Features Marsha Neal pendant and button
Leather cording
Swirly raku coin- Keith O’Connor
Dotted tube bead- Elaine Ray
Wood rondelles

 Available at Big Cartel
Features:
Ceramic transfer rounds- Marsha Neal Studio
Floral Ceramic focal- Marti Conrad
Drilled wood
Wood button
Ceramic washers- Joan Miller Porcelain
Wood fired Clay rounds- Artisan Clay
Leather cording

 Available at Big Cartel
Features:
Polyclay Acorns- Humblebeads
Brass filigree leaves and earring wires- Vintaj Brass Co.
Copper spacers

 Available at Big Cartel
features:
Ceramic Heart Focal- Diane Hawkey
Lampwork lentils- Alora Beads
Brown lava rounds
Carved bone
Glass
Enameled Toggle- Gardanne Beads
Wood
Brass spacers

Sorry-
This one sold already- but I do want to try to make
a few more longer pieces like this, this weekend.

Nancy and Lorelei’s Challenge

Last Sunday Nancy came up for the day and after we stuffed ourselves with steak, eggs, greens, and homefries, we enjoyed a shopping trip at Michaels. While checking out their bead section, we stumbled on a fabulous idea to have a bit of a challenge.  We each bought a handful of the same beads, and the goal is to make a necklace, with any pendant of our choice, a handmade clasp, and only 2 or 3 additional items besides the beads we bought that day. 
Here is the shot of the beads we got:
My necklace went together lickety split. I was talking to Nancy about her design technique, and it took her a few days to get her design just right. I sat down last night, and it went something like this:
Michael Jackson Tunes came on. Beebopping around the room, I cut all the beads off of their little strands and piled them up in front of me. I cut the beading wire, and started stringing the beads, before I had even come up with a plan on a focal.  Once I got to the front of the necklace, I picked out this cute Joan Miller porcelain Owls pendant. 
It’s perfect, if not only because it symbolizes my friendship with Nancy- two owls- two friends, sharing a love of the same thing. I value our friendship so much, I can’t tell you how awesome it is just to be able to share an interest with someone. 
 And we also share the same love of the 80s,  and porcelain, and I could definitely see myself with a rabbit, if I didn’t have Marley, the psycho cat.
The little pewter oak leaf charm seemed to be a great addition, and I strung it onto the wire a bead away from the focal for a nice asymmetrical accent. I used small burgundy one cut charlotte seed beads in between my beads, and did different beading patterns on each side of the necklace.
Creating my own clasp- the idea scared me a bit,  so I reverted back to one of my button clasps- it speaks well to my design, and also seems to add to my beading style, keeping true to myself.  I had visions at first, of coming up with this crazy artsy fartsy art jewelry necklace- but these ideas were quickly abandoned when I got lost in the Michael Jackson beading groove.

I dangled a small ceramic leaf charm from Erin (Every Heart Crafts) buy the clasp. Overall, I am quite happy with how this turned out! I hope you have enjoyed our little challenge. Check out Nancy’s blog to see what she’s done with the same beads!

I have thoughts of doing this again but on a larger scale- maybe pick out beads from Michaels and then anyone that wants to participate, can make something with a handful of guidelines, and show them off on your blogs. A bit of a blog hop!?   Feel free to comment if you feel like that would be something fun.

Reappearance of Owls

My love of owls has ended up back in my designs lately. I don’t know why it resurfaced, or why I am feeling more able to let things go, especially an influx of owl beads and pendants from my stash.  I can also tell you that the necklace I made for my challenge with Nancy from Sunday, also features an owl.  That’s all I’ll say about that, you’ll have to come back by the blog tomorrow to check it out!


Last night I put together some of my favorite ceramic components, creating this “Sittin’ Pretty” necklace. It’s now listed at Big Cartel.

P1013093

It features a porcelain owl from Nancy. I struggled with what to add to that bottom hole- and just couldn’t come up with anything so I left it alone. I wire wrapped him underneath one of Melanie’s Earthenwood focals. It’s kind of rustic, with the bolts, almost making it seem like a piece of wood from a treehouse or something.  Up one side, copper chain, with an Earthenwood leaf dangle, and knotted leather up the other, with wood and filigree beads. The clasp is a button from Leann of Summers Studio Etc.   A nice little pop of color at the back of the necklace, is always a good thing.
See you tomorrow for the big reveal. 🙂