October ABS Challenge

Round and Round

Time for the October ABS challenge !

http://artbeadscene.blogspot.com/2012/10/october-monthly-challenge.html
Each month I eagerly wait to see the newest ABS challenge selection. Each month a different aspect of the art inspires me.
Usually one particular thing about the picture grabs my attention.
If the chosen piece has flowers , I will be making flowers !
Those of us who make beads can often whip up something special to "go with "our inspiration.
This is one thing I love about the challenge.
It's a monthly kick in the pants to try something different.

There is also the fun of  sorting through my copious stash of beadie stuff to find forgotten treasures.
This month I was struck by the colors and the graphics .
If you look closely,there are so many colors!
There are also strong geometric shapes .
To keep that feel I picked out some heavy wire and a few round vintage elements.
The shapes and colors had my brain spinning....spinning?
ah ha! I remembered a bead type I had not made in ages...lentil swirls ! A perfect way to spin all those lovey colors into one bead .
Just for fun I added an ammonite swirl bead created by Mother Nature. I couldn't resist adding some bits of sari silk that  matched perfectly.

I loved making the lentil swirls . Creating them was a nice break from holiday florals .
Thanks  ABS  for helping me recall that technique.

this week
revisit an old favorite design
and
Bead Happy,

m.e.

This week there is a change in the air. The days are still warm.
But, I can feel a change .The leaves on the trees are still green.
But, there is the slightest hint of autumn color .
The field corn was harvested this week.
The lush seas of green ,are now tawny golden stubble.
Ripe red tomatoes have disappeared from the farm stands.
Plump orange pumpkins are appearing .

My worktable is changing too . I've finished working in fall  hues.
All of  my fall clay blends have been transformed into beads.
I have set out a selection of rich red and green clays .
I stacked up a pile of pearl white and and few squares of gold and silver.
I'll start with Christmas shades and work up to winter jewel tones.
But, first I'm going to take a break .
This weekend my Hubby and I will be "down the ocean " as we say in Maryland.
As a child I spent  part of every summer in Ocean City, Maryland .
I played in the sun and surf by day.
By night, I reveled in the sights and sounds of the boardwalk .
When I grew up (am really a grown up? ) I learned to scuba dive .
My beach allegiance changed to tropical climates with coral reefs to explore.
But, once a year I like to revisit my childhood haunts .
My Hubby and I go to the Ocean City Wine Fest held every September.
It's a chance to sample wines from small private vineyards in a  beach setting . We love it !
We always treat ourselves to some wonderful Maryland seafood meals.
We walk the beach and some years it's even warm enough for a swim!
It's a welcome break between seasons.

When  I return I'll have to start right in on preparation for the very busy holiday season .
But, this weekend  is reserved for a bit of rest and relaxation .
While relaxing ,I will raise a glass of wine to all my beadie friends .
I am so thankful for the many wonderful people I've met on-line .
This week
a toast to all of you
my cherished bead friends
may you always
Bead Happy

m.e.

Bead Soup Book

My copy of Lori Anderson's Bead Soup book arrived this week !
http://www.prettythingsblog.com/2012/09/the-bead-soup-book-is-here-and-new.html 

It is a PERFECT Beadie Cookbook !
It's chocked full of design recipes for every occasion.

Each creation has a list of ingredients and easy directions .

I feel like I know everybody who contributed, from Lori's previous Bead Soup Blog buffets.So before I saw the book I knew I liked  their styles .
No surprise, I'd love the book .
I expected Lori's easy friendly style ,tons of inspiration and great photos . But, I got much more than I expected !
The book is divided into four starting point chapters. I can best describe them as comparable to what to cook if you have left over chicken in the fridge or what to make if you couldn't resist the fresh asparagus at the grocery.
Great ideas for how to think through designs .
Useful tips on how to find inspiration for those " got it ...no clue what to do with it " beads we all have around the house.

One reason I love soup, both the bead and food type , is that you can keep  adjusting  it  until you get it perfectly yummy .You can take a recipe, add this ,subtract  that  and the result will still be good.
The Bead Soup Book recipes will fill your head with mouth watering ideas that you can improvise to  make your own .
All the recipes contain a sprinkling of smiles .
You won't want to miss Zack's Watercress Soup.It's toadily delicious!
Since I live in Maryland, I had an extra big grin when I saw the  "Blue Crab Earrings " and old Fashioned Oyster Stew " necklace !
Colder days and blustery weather are on the way.
Perfect soup weather !
Why not simmer a pot on your stove
and a pot on your work table  ?
this week cook up  something hot and delicious
and Bead Happy

m.e.

Spooky Season

Autumn's Art

At my house the days are still summery  warm.
However, the nights are starting to grow colder .
It's time to think about holiday designs.
First in my  line up are Autumn colors and Fall leaf themes
This week Mother nature sent me my first piece of inspiration.
Every September a weird and wonderful fungus grows under the oak tree in my front yard .
I believe it's called a chicken fungus. It's supposed to be edible and quite tasty. I have never been brave enough to taste it .
I prefer to think of it as an early Autumn Art sculpture .
It signals me that it's time to make a few spooky season beads and pendants . I  have already filled my shop with Fall colored leaf pendants and toggle clasps.
But,every year I like to make just a few glow in the dark Ghosties and Bat Fairies.
These make a quick Halloween necklace simply strung  on a chain or ribbon .
They can also make more intricate designs hauntingly beautiful.
Tip: don't hide your pendants away when they aren't being used.
Many make nice ornaments. I  keep a few little ghosts and bat fairies displayed on twiggy branches. Nice Halloween  decor and I can grab one for a quick gift if I need to !
 However,the real reason I make my spooky season designs , is because they are FUN to create. 
Every year they have a slightly different personality .
They just take on a life of their own as I make them .
Small little somebodies to share the season of spooky with me !
This week make something
Boo-tiful
and
Bead Happy !

m.e.   

September ABS Challenge

Wrist Corsage

It's time for the September ABS challenge
http://artbeadscene.blogspot.com/2012/09/september-monthly-challenge.html
There are months when I have to think long and hard for an idea.
But, when I saw this month's painting, a zillion ideas popped into  my head!
 Flowers ,flowers and more flowers...WOW !!!!
How could I ever narrow down my choices  to just one ?
I suppose I could have made several entries. But, where would I have found time to do that ?
I decided to start,as always, by looking through my stash for beads and findings in the colors of the painting.
I was hoping something would call to me loud and clear . It did !
As soon as I found the crocheted lace I knew I was going to use it .
To me it perfectly mimicked the collar of the dress.That lace begged to be a cuff bracelet .But, how to add flowers without covering the  pattern too much ? I decided to create an art bead bouquet and make a wrist corsage . Does anybody still wear wrist corsages ? When I was growing up they were a sent by  boys to their dates for proms and parties .
I am old !
My bracelet isn't an everyday piece of jewelry . It is more suited for special occasions. My husband and I had our first date in the fall.
I think I will wear to a romantic dinner at our favorite restaurant .
(just have to get hubby to take me.... LOL!)
The colors will make it perfect for Thanksgiving too.
 In fact, it is so comfortable ,it might become a tradition for me to wear it to our turkey feast !
I haven't worn a wrist corsage in a long ,long ,long time !
Thank  you for the flowers ABS .
This week
add some flowers to your designs
and
Bead Happy

m.e.

Gifts

Gifts

 It's hard to believe it's September !

Labor Day marks the end of Summer at my house .

School is back in session.Soon the leaves will begin to turn.

In a blink of an eye the Holidays will be upon us!

Beadie peeps ,especially those who sell their creations,

are gearing up for the gift giving season.

Nature is already leaving little gifts for us to discover.

I am especially fond of seeds and nuts.Maybe because they remind me if beads! I have several huge old oaks trees on my property .

I love the acorns.My family is not truly thrilled about the loud bang of acorns hitting the roof late at night. However, I grew up with Autumn sound of horse chestnuts hitting our car roof ! To me it is a sound of the season! Acorns are great for all sorts of craft projects.

They make perfect fairy bowls and sturdy elf hats too! 

This time of year I am also gifted with bits of corncobs and nicely carved walnuts.The walnut tree and the corn field are across the street.

They don't belong to me . But, the squirrels  persist on dragging the bounty over to my yard . I sometimes worry the farmer will think we are poaching his corn !

Some of the very best gifts are the "carved " walnut shells .

When they are cut in half ,a sweet little heart shape is revealed.

Some are carved into wonderful vases. Are any squirrel artists on ETSY  I wonder ?

 

As the days get shorter, the leaves will begin to turn . As a child I collected as many different types of Autumn leaves as I could find.

My children and I always took "leaf walk' in the fall to search for especially nice leaves to decorate the house with . My grandchildren are continuing the tradition. They are planing a leaf walk for later this autumn .

My granddaughter is celebrating her birthday at a local state park this weekend.The children will be having a nature themed scavenger hunt . One of the items on their list will be "find something you think is a treasure"  I can't wait to see what they pick !

This week 

hunt for a gift nature has left for you 

be inspired 

and 

Bead Happy

m.e

Squirrel Vase

 

Owl

Screech Owl Baby

It is no secret that  my bead  designs  are inspired by nature.
For goodness sake most of my designs are flowers!
Critters from land and sea appear in my work quite often too.
Usually these creations are inspired by first hand encounters in fields,forest or while scuba diving.
But, this week's beads  are in honor of little survivors at the wildlife rehabilitation facility were my daughter is a volunteer . http://www.phoenixwildlifecenter.com/whoweare/whoweare.php

Each week she has tales to tell me about  new arrivals and the progress of  current patients.
Last weekend while she was  vacationing on Tybee Island  Ga. she assisted in a pigeon rescue.
Several onlookers had pulled the dazed bird from  the ocean .
Certainly not normal pigeon habitat !
Because of her volunteer  work she knows a bit of animal first aid .
After determining "probably no  broken bones " and no open wounds,
she tried  to find a local wildlife facility . But, it turned out there was none on the island and the closest one on the mainland was already closed . Nothing to do but wait til morning .
Please note ...
Injured wild life needs to be cared for by a licensed rehabilitator.
Please don't try to care for wild critters at home .
It can be dangerous for them and dangerous for you .

Luckily the wildlife rehab in Maryland talked her though  how to care for the bird over night .And in the morning....
the BEST thing !
The pigeon was perching on the shower curtain rod looking perky , pecky  and ready to go home  !
The wildlife people speculate a predator knocked it out of the sky and it was too stunned to fly out of the ocean.
Happily the  pigeon was able to be released .
It took a few uncertain steps ,turned as if to say goodbye and flew off high into the clouds.

Hopefully the little Screech owl fledgling, now residing at the wildlife center, will also fly to freedom some day very soon.
His great little face was my inspiration for the week !
This week
Add a bit of nature to your creations
and
Bead Happy

m.e.