What to make of it ?

Time for a very special PCAGOE challenge !
The theme is "Transfers "
We each had to choose one of the preselected collage sheets chosen by Piddix. She has some wonderful selections in her shop !
http://www.etsy.com/shop/piddix .
We used any "transfer tecnique " we preferred on our clay to create our entry . Many of use had never even tried this tecnique !
Don't miss your chance to vote for your favorite entry !!!!
http://pcagoe.com/

For me this was an especially difficult challenge.
My big problem, transfers are flat...my work is not !
I really could not figure out what to make or how to make it !
Luckily one of our group members Lynda ,is a transfer diva!
She was more than generous with her advice.
I purchased ALL of her AMAZING tutorials .
http://www.etsy.com/shop/scdiva
I learned some great tips and tecniques from her fabulous tuts.
I was finally able to cut ,bend ,poke and prod my transfer pieces into a dimensional piece more like my usual sculpted flowers !
I'm very happy with the result!

There are times when we want to think outside the box . Times to try something completely different . It is good to stretch our creative legs once in awhile .
However ,most of us work hard to develop our style . When we find a new tip,tecnique or inspiration, often the trick is how to make it our own . Instead of thinking outside the box ,we have to figure how to make those ideas fit into our box! We all know square pegs don't fit in round holes. Sometimes tecniques just do not seem to fit our style. We might like the idea very much. But ,we just can't figure how we could use it in our own work .
It might take a little extra shove to get that new tecnique into your own repertoire.
It might even take a big push! But, it's worth a try ,isn't it ?
Is there an idea you love, but have never used ?
This week see if you can find a way to make it fit into your own design box
and
Bead Happy !
m.e. :)

Feelin' Blue

I think most people who create jewelry and beads assume their creations will be worn to complement clothing . I don't think I'll ever be discussing jewelry meant to be wore while naked on this blog !!!

When we create pieces to complement fashion, we are necessarily influenced by season and current style. We watch the color trends.We are often found working in pastels and brights for Spring and Summer .We might use darker colors and jewel tones in the Fall and Winter.
But ,my mood seems to influence my choice of color too !
Does yours?

I LOVE COLOR ! A big part of my love affair with clay is the fun of blending pinches of this and that to come up with custom colors.
I am far too undisciplined to measure what I combine. I rarely keep any notes listing how much of this and how much of that make a certain shade.
I admire people who do this .They can reproduce any shade just by following their neatly kept color recipes . I rarely can reproduce a color . For the most part I don't really want to.
I just get in the mood for a certain shade ...mix up a big batch .... work with it until it runs out or I get tired of it !
I'm not sure what makes me yearn for any given color. For the last few weeks I was obsessed with Autumn's rich golds ,reds and coppers. Maybe I needed something more soothing for a bit .
This week I feel like blue ! I am especially loving a nice shimmery steel blue gray mixture I made .
Yes, today I'm feelin' extremely blue and I'm very happy about it !
What color are you feeling ?
Be it blue or bright,
light and fresh,
or dark and deep ...
Bead Happy !
m.e. :)

Imagine That !

I love flowers. I love growing flowers .I love looking at flowers.
I love making polymer clay flowers !!!
Sometimes I try to make my creations very "real" looking , mimicking Mother Nature's colors and designs.
Sometimes I just imagine fantasy blossoms and create my own designs and color combinations.
I like to think I come up with some interesting flowers Mother Nature hasn't thought of .
But, who am I kidding !!! The photo above was taken by my daughter at the Key West Botanical Garden this summer .http://www.keywestbotanicalgarden.org/
Can a flower get any more fantastic than that !!!

I realize it's same old ,same old to say "I get my inspiration from nature" How many artists make this statement ? Admit it ...it's kinda boring ...right ? Yeah ,yeah I'm inspired by nature ..ya da ,ya da ,ya da......
But, what else can I say ? Mother Nature always has some surprises waiting for me . She uses color combos and designs I don't think I could dream up if I tried .
I like to call my creations "fantasy flowers " .But , I think the fantasy may really be the dream of being Mother Nature.
I imagine being able to wave a magic wand and bringing to life the wildest wildflowers and creepiest creatures!
"I'm inspired by Nature" might not be the most interesting way to begin a description of yourself . But, Mother Nature is the most interesting and surprising source of inspiration !
With Summer at it's height, her amazing creations are in full splendor .
look carefully around you this week,
discover some of Nature's surprises
and
Bead Happy , m.e. :)

Under The Influence

It's time for a new ABS monthly challenge !
http://artbeadscene.blogspot.com/2010/08/august-monthly-challenge.html

For the last few days I've been under the influence of Jack Savitsky's "Sunrise "
While studying the both the picture and the artist to come up with a design ,I had a moment of insight !
Challenges like the ones ABS offers, should be a part of EVERY Art History course !!!
Why? Because, the process of creating a design "inspired " by a piece of art causes us to really think about the piece and absorb all aspects of it . To be inspired ,I had to discover what
about the painting first caught my eye .How did it speak to me ? What could I design to share my feelings about the work ?
Then I had to think about the small details .Which seem to add to my reaction to the work ? To truely make a " inspired" piece I had to learn about the artist as well .
How did the artist's life influence the art ? What was the artist's vision for his work ?

Creating jewelry designs that reflect my reactions to an artists work has been a labor of love for me. I have thought more about my long time favorites . I have found inspiration from artists I formerly had not paid much attention to. And I have learned about some wonderful artists I was unfamiliar with!
Yes ,yes I could do all this art 101 type study without making a piece of jewelry.
But, that would be like just tasting a delicious food .
Creating a jewelry piece inspired by great art lets me enjoy a full course meal !!!
Next time you come to the design table ,serve a dish of ART inspiration ,
enjoy your meal
and
Bead Happy ! m.e. :)

Can't Eat Just One !

It's time for the PCAGOE monthly challenge !
This month’s theme is “Paints, Foils, Leafs and Inks”
Be sure to check out the fabulous entries and cast a vote for your favorite ! http://pcagoe.com/

this is a story about my entry :

I was Very Hungry for a challenge entry.
I saw a pretty little caterpillar living in my garden.
It was munching on a lovey leaf.
In the light of the moon I had the beginning of an inspiration.
On Sunday morning the warm sun came up and -pop- out came my idea !
On Monday I made one leaf with foil and paint, and a caterpillar embellished with ink and Swarkies .
My entry was complete .
But, I was still hungry ....
On Tuesday I made a red leaf and and a blue leaf.
But ,I was still hungry !
On Wednesday I made I made a red leaf , a blue leaf and a green leaf.
But, I was still hungry !
On Thursday I made a red leaf , a blue leaf , a green leaf and a copper leaf .
But, I was still hungry !
If this story seems familiar, you may wonder if I have turned into a butterfly !!!
Not yet ...I'm still making leaves !!!

Do you ever try a new tecnique or design that you just want to keep doing again and again ?
You start out with a basic idea.Then each time you try it, you think of a way to improve it or tweak it just a bit .
I think this hunger is an important part of any growth .
Each time we find some delicious new idea we just want to devour every last bite of possibility !
With every bite we grow and grow....
Along the way we create a butterflies !!!
Wonderful creations and inspirations that seem to take flight !!!
Stay hungry this week
and
Bead Happy , m.e. :)

The World Is Flat !

Early explorers believed the world was flat .
Turns out my world really is !!!

I wish I could sail off in a tall ship to see the world .
Instead, my family's adventures consist mostly of visiting places we can drive to.Unfortunately exploring the world by car can be a bit restrictive !

No matter, I can cross any ocean ,climb any mountian, travel wherever I wish !
I merely have to touch my magic key board.
Off I go to explore the world . On my journeys I see wonderful things and learn more than I ever imagined possible .
Like many explorers, I have a special quest .I don't seek gold or spices from the orient.I search for precious bead information and inspiration !!!I hunt for it far in the jungles of blogs ,high in the mountains of ETSY and deep in the valleys of Google . I leave no search word unturned in my quest for all things beadie.

My exploration has brought me vast riches . I have accumulated a wealth of techniques ,tools and new ideas . I have made friends wherever I have traveled . I have opened trade routes both for myself and to share with fellow travelers.Not a day goes by that I don't don my sweat suit ,pour a cup of coffee and venture off to explore the flat, flat world on my computer screen .
I always have a wonderful adventure exploring the far reaches of the world . I chart my progress with "bookmark " and "save to " !
I delight in the knowledge there are always new things to discover. Each day is an adventure of exploration .

Ancient maps of the flat world were marked with a warning
"beyond this place there be dragons"
These words of caution still hold true .
If you don't believe it, just come to my house when my internet is down !!!
Enjoy your own explorations this week
and
Bead Happy , m.e. :) photos by my daughter Annie :D

More Than I Bargained For !

What did you hope for when you became interested in beads ?
Did you want to make something for yourself , give handmade gifts, create a source of income ?
Would your beading remain a hobby or did you dream of it becoming a full time job ?
I suppose I have to pick " all of the above "
With the exception of being able to quit my day job (I wish!),
my bead journey has fulfilled all my expectations and more !
However....
I seem to have gotten far more than I bargained for !!!

Last week Cathryn aka "chilecats" http://chilecats.blogspot.com/
e-mailed me to let me know she had shared some of my beads with Cherin aka "lanyard lady"
Cherin had graciously included the lovely lanyard she made with my beads in her blog !
http://lanyardlady.blogspot.com/2010/07/sisters-of-beadiverse.html#comment-form
WOW !!! :D
Cathryn has been a good customer of mine for forever it seems ..LOL!.
Although we have never met , and probability never will ,we are friends
We follow each others blogs. She has seen my work change (I hope improve)
I find inspiration seeing her designs .

You can really get to know someone by just by looking closely at their creations.I believe our art is truly an expression of who we are.
Your insides come out through your fingers when you create !

Because Cathryn shared her beads, I will get to know Cherin. Hopefully I will soon count her as a friend as well.
The simple act of stringing beads seems to create a universal connection .
Each time I read the world news, I am able put a face of a bead friend near the location of the story . I feel a very personal connection .
We may start out by sharing beads...how to make beads , how to use beads.
But ,somehow we end up sharing much more.
We are able to celebrate our differences and marvel at our similarities.
Our fingers are on our keyboards.But, our hands are joined around the world!
I hope as you sit down with your beads this week
you will take a moment to think if you too,
are getting far more than you bargained for !
Bead Happy , m.e. :)