the next bend

New Year.....Resolve?

2012-01-18T10:18:00.000-08:00

Since it is January and I've been surrounded by movement and large changes for six weeks, I've had many occasions (while being away from this computer and the work I love to do..) to ponder the word resolve. A word with many subtle variations of meaning, I do find. I'm going slowly with picking up the strings in the new year, and there seem to be many of them hanging loose, some requiring massive repairs and others dangling in front of me pointing in different exciting directions. To the point where I have been overwhelmed. But...a small creative task per day slipped in with the others that must be done is the right path.

Since I am surrounded by music every day (both kids play in various groups and orchestras, bassoon and violin) I took particular note of the musical meaning of resolve:

'to progress from a dissonance to a consonance.'

Dissonance: A simultaneous combination of tones conventionally accepted as being in a state of unrest and needing completion. Incongruous, lacking harmony of parts.

Consonance: a simultaneous combination of tones conventionally accepted as being in a state of repose. Accord, agreement, harmony.

I want to progress from one state to the other - knowing full well that in life, as in music, it is a continuous process. After all, that's what makes the tension and contrast in life and keeps it interesting! But oh, I could use some completion...and harmony!

Practically speaking,in my home life and creative life this means: Make sure the family has what it needs. Take one half hour each morning to consider.....(a big one that) Take small steps, each one completed before the next one is started. Write down the process, so things may be repeated. Get sleep and take care of myself. Less computer time.

Sorry to be away so long, it's been a long haul. Can't leave without pictures...

Christmas ornaments from the Art Bead Scene Blog hop

2011-12-05T11:51:00.000-08:00

Here's the list for the Art Bead Scene ornament hop:

Life in the Lyon's Den

Islandgirl's Insights

Art Bead Scene Blog

I've been making lots of pendants these days (or experimenting anyway...), and somehow along the way they became ornaments for my tree! There are 4 pointed and 5 pointed stars, discs, a tree and a slightly spirally leaf. All of these have textures from my own texture plates and color from alcohol inks and metallic rubs. They are really quite simple, but I love the glowing colors. Guess I'm trying to reproduce in these the wonderful glowy Christmas tree light colors I remember from my youth...I think that the ecologically correct LED lights just aren't the same. Sigh.

Excuse the overabundance of pictures, no time to make a mosaic today! Enjoy the hop!

Going to get my tree soon, the kids have been asking....

Virtual Craft Fair and a giveaway for someone!

2011-12-01T04:36:00.000-08:00

Just in time for the Holidays!

I'm participating in a really interesting virtual craft fair sponsored by the amazing Lori Anderson of Pretty Things. This is actually Day 6 of a showcase featuring lots of incredible artists. The drawing will be done next week for all the lucky winners. If you are coming to this show for the first day, don't forget to look at all the other days (1-5) so you can comment for a chance to win there too!

This is my giveaway - 1 set of patchwork beads
1 Christmas star
1 hollow double-sided pendant

The lucky winner will get all this. But, in order to get your name in the draw, you must comment on Lori's blog - not on this one! (Well, comment here too, cause I love to hear what you have to say....)

So, go on over to Lori's wonderful blog and put your name in. Be sure to read the 'how to' at the top of the page to see how to score extra points by using your blog, Facebook and Twitter!

Just some close-ups so you can see what you'll be getting! Can't wait to read your comments!

Just a baking fool....

2011-11-25T09:05:00.000-08:00

Yup, the rush to the 25th day has begun! Somewhere back before Halloween, I agreed to put forth my labour for a fundraiser run by my neighbour. Because, I like to bake, right? My neighbour and her mother have been running this charity for 30 years, which supports women and children in need in the Ottawa area. It appeals to my thinking about the way a charity can work well - that is to say, locally donated and administered, with lots of volunteer labour. I can't donate a lot of money because I can't actually spare it, but I can give my time. Especially to a cause that supports women.

It's been interesting working out the kinks with making perfect shortbreads (and this group has an army of other volunteers squirrelled away making goodies, so it is very profitable) in a ceramic pan from the Brown Bag cookie company. I finally have it down ( and I'm writing it down so I don't forget how to do it) so just ask me if you ever need to know.

So, if I've seemed a little distant and uncommunicative, this is why. It has taken much longer than I thought it would (doesn't everything - when will I ever learn? ) and I still have 20 left to make out of 70. They are pretty though, and they taste wonderful! Hasn't helped my tendency to pack on pounds, either. The good news is that I am, for the moment, officially sick of shortbread! But the testing was brutal.....

Must be done and packed by Dec. 1st.

Well, if you can't have texture in polymer, then have it in shortbread, I say....

The Archambault sculpture garden

2011-11-01T06:01:00.000-07:00

'The Family' ( with Parliament Hill in the background across the Ottawa River )

In the three years that we've lived here in the National Capital region ( Ottawa/Gatineau) one of the great joys has been to re-discover the joys of living in a city with many fantastic museums. Our family has a joint membership to the Canadian Museum of Civilization and the Canadian War Museum. Both are fabulous - and the membership gives us free access to the special shows at the Museum of Civilization - most recently, a show about design in Japan. The War Museum also has special shows, most recently, War and Medicine, which was grisly but fascinating. There is also a permanent exhibit at the Museum of Civilization which has become very dear to me. Part of my everyday life, you might say....

This region is also known for its amazing bike paths (not beside/on main roads, although there are bike lanes there too..) which wind for hundreds of kilometers through park land with 2 perfectly paved lanes. Great for going fast, although the speed limit is 20 kph! In trying to keep healthy this past summer, I devised a circle starting and ending at my house of 20 kilometers which took me down to the Ottawa river, along the river front past the Museum of Civilization and then returning home. (All downhill to the river and all slogging home...) And another big reason for this route was so that I could stop and have a drink of water at the Archambault sculpture garden, look at the river and the endless people flowing by, and finally to stare at these wonderful sculptures.

the view of the the whole, nestled between 2 wings of the Museum.

The sculptor Louis Archambault was originally commissioned to make this grouping for Expo 67 in Montreal, and they were enjoyed by millions of people who visited this fantastic event that was held to celebrate Canada's 100th birthday (1867-1967). This could account for why I find these figures to be so comforting and familiar. I visited Expo 67 with my family for 2 weeks that summer - I was 10. It made a huge impression on me. After seeing this fair, I believed I knew what the future held for Canada, the world ( and probably me personally...) - all was fun, invention, joy and optimism. Ah, the future beckoned in the most seductive way in the 60ties and all was considered possible! Do young people feel that way now? I'm not so sure that their hope has not been erased by cynicism about almost everything. But I hope some do feel as full of possibilites as I did that summer so long ago.


'Pregnant woman' with 'Poet' in the backgound

'The Poet'

'The Moon'

'The Philosopher' ( with the federal government intruding again at the side...)

Three children (with a view of the fabulous curvy shape of the the Museum)

'The Angel' with the one whose name escapes me....(behind)

'The Sun'

Just looking at these shapes clears my head and helps me find new ideas. Of course, this is seriously helped by the effort/exercise involved in riding my bike. New beads down the line, I'm sure, once they have percolated through my thought process. Could take months.....

Do visit this gem if you are ever in Ottawa...but remember, you have to cross the river to Quebec to see it!

'The family', detail of top

Bead table Wednesday

2011-09-28T11:24:00.000-07:00

I 've had a long absence from bead table Wednesday, but I love to look every week. I'm still working my way through the Bead Soup Blog Party. I am almost two thirds of the way through...so many interesting components and solutions to be seen. I know it will take me a while longer as I'm doing about 10 a day - pairs, that is!

Here's what's going on my table, a whole lot of photography! I've given up on the natural light setup except in desperate circumstances and have decided to do a little permanent photography 'cave' with these tiles. I can use light colored backdrops in the 'cave' when I get sick of the dark, but for now, it's working and it's quick and easy...I can also use a custom light reading on the camera that reads the contrast fairly well and is, of course, not as fickle as sunlight (or lack thereof).

There in my cave are the recently finished sets and singles to be listed on Etsy, Zibbet etc. This has been a fairly productive week and I am pleased to get stuff moving along. I love to look at the colours all together and notice that this week, red and pink with blue featured prominently. Some stuff has been sitting around while I thought about it, some for quite a while.

Some flat connectors which have been popular....

More pod sets, I'm still loving the exploration of surface...
Will soon vary the forms a little...

Some sculptural 3 dimensional pods - not every one's cup of tea, but fun to look at!

And rough, but also moving along, is my prototype toggle, very rough and it hasn't been colored yet, but I'm going to finish and use it myself to see how it functions - the first shot is together, obviously ,and the second shows the independent bits.

Have some more ideas along this line - I guess I'll see what happens!
Off the the bead table Wednesday group on Flickr to see what's happening.

The most incredible party....Bead Soup Blog Party , that is!

2011-09-17T00:42:00.000-07:00

Welcome! Get ready to be sucked inside, there are more than 300 hundred blogs to check out - is that not truly amazing? Actually, the amazing part is the feat of organisation and patience performed by our lovely hostess Lori Anderson of Pretty Things blog. Thanks Lori! There are links to every blog here - once you get past my contribution.

My partner this time was Cherrie Fick of En la lumiére in California. My soup arrived very promptly and I stared and pondered for a good long while. These were lovely beads indeed, but very far away from what I`ve been working with lately - the whole point of this exercise, so worthwhile, indeed. In fact, I should say, I`ve mostly been making supplies for other artists this past while, so making a necklace seemed really challenging! Here's my soup....

I started with the idea of making a hollow branching sculptural tube, designed specifically for that challenging area where the focal joins onto the necklace. This is an idea I've been working on for while and I have a few of them lying around in my studio while I decide what I think of them. So, I figured I'd better use one myself to see if they worked. They provide a rigid separator where the focal joins in and hide joining 'clutter'. That is, of course, if you are like me and not confident with connections. This worked well with the simple ceramic focal - it allowed some breathing space for the simplicity of that quiet focal, particularly as I realized that the rest of the necklace would have lots going on.

After this hurdle, I decided that the tiny beads needed a setting, a kind of rigid organic bezel which would allow them to be displayed at a different orientation to normal stringing. Naturally, the bezel is out of polymer, naturally! ( what else, my metal skills are fairly pathetic!) The idea with this was to unify, display and provide a rigid element in the necklace that would never drape or sag. It will always have this curve on your neck, while the other side drapes. Just an idea I'm pursuing with polymer necklaces...interesting, but requires more work and trial - isn't that just the great thing about this hop? I try it to see if it works and find that it has potential.

The other larger beads got strung between knots on the other side of the necklace. I used paper yarn from PaperPhine on etsy (one of my current favourite supply shops on etsy). I used her fine yarn and twined it for strength. Then I individually coloured the knots with alcohol pens for fun. I made a polymer frame for the beautiful carnelian stone as it really deserved to stand out.

Here is a look at the lovely quiet clasp from missficklemedia. Just perfect for this, I think.

Yes, that was really mean and sneaky. I made you look at all the details before I showed you the WHOLE, so if you've come this far, you can see these disparate parts put together. It's quite a mess o'details... and I'm still looking at it with those eyes that ask desperately "What have I done, does it work?" I'll have to live with it and wear it for a while to find out, as the proof is in the pudding, as they say.

Pleeease be sure to check out Cherrie's blog to see what she made with the soup I sent her!

Can't wait to see what the hop has to offer, many beautiful pieces and much inspiration...

These are the partner pairs.

The Hostess, Lori Anderson and her partner, Manuela Wutschke

1. Aimee Wheaton and Barbara York

2. Alice Craddick and Sandra Richardson

3. Alison Sachs and Amy Severino

4. Allison Scott and Cynthia Abner

5. Amanda Cargill Austin and Charlene Sevier

6. Amanda Davie and Patsy Evins

7. Amber Dawn and Kim Ballor

8. Ambra Gostoli and Christine Hansen

9. Amy Freeland and Christine Altmiller

10. Ana Krepel-Novak and Eleanor Snare

11. Andrea Morici and Hope Smitherman

12. Andrea Trank and Jayne Capps

13. Andrea Turini and Charlene Jacka

14. Angela May and Emanda Johnson

15. Anitra Gordy and Elizabeth Owens Dwy

16. Ann Rishell and Debbie Price

17. Ann Sherwood and Lynne Bowland

18. Anna Lear and Barbe Saint John

19. Anna Sabina and Erin Siegel

19. Nan Emmett and Erin Siegel

20. Astrid Boyce and Birgitta Lejonklou

21. B.R. Kuhlman and Deanna Chase

22. Barbara Bechtel and Bryna Lumb

23. Barbara Blaszczyk and DaviniaDesign

24. Barbara Judy and Holly Westfall

25. Barbara Lewis and Cathie Carroll

26. Barrie Edwards and Lyn Foley

27. Becky Fairclough and Jana Tarhala

28. Bella Borgouise and Gillian Lehman

29. Beth and Evie McCord and Erin Prais-Hintz

30. Beth Bricker and Heather Pyle

31. Beth Emery and Cassie Donlen

32. Bobbie Rafferty and Cindy Cima Edwards

33. Candice McGinnis and Sally Anderson

34. Carol Bradley and Cece Cormier

35. Cathy Khoury and Molly Alexander

36. Carol Tannahill and Hilary Frye

37. Carrie Tahquechi and Cris Peacock

38. Cat Pruitt and Cindy Gimbrone

39. Charlene Gary and Doris Stumpf

40. Charlotte Pevny and Kate Gardenghi

41. Cherrie Fick and Cathie Carroll

41. Claire Maunsell and Cherrie Fick

42. Cheryl Roe and Jenny Vidberg

43. Chris White and Norma Turvey

44. Christa Murphy and Kathy Alderfer

45. Christie Murrow and Dana James

46. Christina Miles and Collette Collins

47. Christine Brandel and Elizabeth Woodford

48. Christine Damm and Cynthia Deis

49. Christine Hendrickson and Debbie Goering

50. Christine Stonefield and Dee Wingrove-Smith

51. Cilla Watkins and Johanna Rhodes

52. Cindy Wimmer and Riki Schumacher

53. CJ Baushka and Cory Celaya

54. Courtney Breul and Joanna Matuszczyk

55. Cristi Clothier and Kathleen Robinson Young

56. Cryss Thain and Serena Trent

57. Cynthia Tucker and Kitty Durmaj

58. Dana Johnson Jones and Eva Sherman

59. Davinia Algeri and Janet McDonald

60. Deci Worland and Lara Lutrick

61. Diana Ptaszynski and Kristy Abner

62. Diane Cook and Kerry Bogert

63. Diane Hawkey and Jen Judd Velasquez

64. Dorcas Midkiff and Jill Harris

65. Doris Radlicki and Heather Goldsmith

66. Dot Lewallen and Gaea Cannaday

67. Elisabeth Auld and Jennifer Justman

68. Erin Fickert-Rowland and Geanina Grigore

69. Erin Grant and Julie Jones

70. Eszter Czibulyas and Helena Fritz

71. Fiona Christie and Michelle Heim

72. Gail Zwang and Genea Crivello-Knable

73. Geneva Collins and Jana Haag

74. Gretchen Nation and Heidi Post

75. Heather DeSimone and Karin Slaton

76. Heather Marley and Terry Carter

77. Ingrid McCue and Jennifer Pride

78. Jackie Ryan and Nicole Keller

79. Janna Harttgen and Joanne Tinley

80. Jean Yates and Lori Anderson

81. Jelveh Jaferian and Jenny Davies-Reazor

82. Jenni Connolly and Jennifer Heynen

83. Jennifer Cameron and Kristi Bowman

84. Jennifer Geldard and Lisa Liddy

85. Jennifer VanBenschoten and Kim Hora

86. Jess Italia Lincoln and Lori Greenberg

87. Jill MacKay and Lori Bergmann

88. JJ Jacobs and Karen Tremblay

89. Joyce Becker and Kathy Welsh

90. Judy Glende and Karen Sinkowski

91. Judy Riley and Kelly Morgan

92. JuLee Wolfe and Julie Bean

93. Julianna Cannon and Julianna Kis

94. Julie Nordine and Lesley Watt

95. K. Hutchinson and Shea Zukowski

96. Karen Firnberg and Karyn Bonfiglio

97. Karen Williams and Kimberly Roberts

98. Karen Zanco and Polly Barker

99. Kari Carrigan and Laura Twiford

100. Karin von Hoeren and Laura Blanck

101. Kate Richbourg and Lorelei Eurto

102. Kathleen Lange Klik and Maria Clark

103. Kathy Engstrom and Keri Lee Sereika

104. Kay Thomerson and Loretta Carstensen

105. Kelley Fogle and Laurel Bielec

106. Kelly Ramstack and Sally Anderson

107. Kim Stevens and Tiffany Long

108. Kristi Harrison and Mandy Williamson

109. Kristi Kyle and Lana Kinney

110. Kristina Johansson and Sue Hodgkinson

111. Kym Hunter and Laura Sanger

112. Laura Zeiner and Susan Kennedy

113. Laurel Steven and Mary McGraw

114. Laurie Hanna and Lisa Boucher

115. Lesley Weir and Liz DeLuca

116. Linda Djokic and Tracey Weiser

117. Linda Inhelder and Pam Brisse

118. Linda Landig and Lori Dorrington

119. Linda Murphy and Lisa Hamilton

119. Line Labrecque and Marianne Baxter

120. Lisa Lodge and Monica Johnson

121. Lois Moon and Melissa Muir

122. Lola Surwillo and Therese Frank

123. Lori Bowring Michaud and Marci Brooks

124. Lupe Meter and Norma Agron

125. Maggie Towne and Marge Beebe

126. Malin de Koning and Susie Hibdon

127. Mallory Hoffman and Shirley Moore

128. Marcie Abney and Patty Miller

129. Marcy Lamberson and Melissa Clarke

130. Margot Potter and Suzann Sladcik Wilson

131. Maria Grimes and Wendy Blum

132. Maria Horvath and Melinda Orr

133. Maria Rosa Sharrow and Marie-Noel Voyer-Cramp

134. Marian Hertzog and Melissa Mesara

135. Marianna Boylan and Sandi Lee James

136. Marina Dobrynina and Michaela Pabeschitz

137. Marsha Neal and Miri Agassi

138. Mary Ellen Parker and Melissa Meman

139. Mary Elliott and Tamara Soper

140. Mary McGraw and Laurel Steven

141. Melissa Pynn and Michelle Buettner

142. Michelle Hardy and Niki Meiners

143. Michelle Mach and Moira McEvoy

144. Missy Rappaport and Mags Sarri

145. Molly Alexander and Poranna

146. Mylene Hillam and Nicole Rennell

147. Nadezhda Parfyonova and Stacey Curry

148. Nan Emmett and Nancy Peterson

149. Nancy Boylan and Natalie McKenna

150. Natalie Monkivitch and Niky Sayers

151. Natasha Lutes and Pam Ferrari

152. Noemi Baena and Penny Ilagan

153. Pamela Petry and Rebecca Sirevaag

154. Pat Haight and Mary Shannon Hicks

155. Patty Gasparino and Vonna Maslanka

156. Penny Neville and Sandi Volpe

157. Pepita Bos and Wendy Chamberlain

158. Raida Disbrow and Rebecca Watkins

159. Rebecca Anderson and Sabrina Staub

160. Regina Santerre and Rose Binoya

161. Rhea Freitag and Tari Kahrs

162. Rochelle Brisson and Teri Baskett

163. Sally Russick and Tracy Bell

164. Sandra McGriff and Shay Williams

165. Sandra Wolberg and Sara Hardin

166. Sarah Elder and Salla Small

167. Saskia Kaffenberger and Sharon Gardner

168. Sharon Palac and Shannon Chomanczuk

169. Shay Stone and Suzette Bentley

170. Shiraz Biggie and Tammy Powley

171. Staci Smith and Tracy Stillman

172. Stacie Stamper and Tracy Martin

173. Stefanie Teufel and Vicky Taylor

174. Stephanie Dixon and Stephanie LaRosa

175. Stephanie Haussler and Valerie Norton

176. Suzanne Tate and Terri Wlaschin

177. Sweet Freedom Designs and Tammy Jones

178. Tania Spivey and Tari Sasser

179. Tara Plote and Terry Matuszyk

180. Terri Gauthier and Deana Hager

181. Theresa Fosdick and Tracey Nanstad

For a total of 362 people making jewelry!

Amazing!

What I sent to my partner for her Bead Soup...

2011-09-06T07:09:00.000-07:00

Phew.

I can finally unscramble my picture to show you what I sent my partner Cherrie Fick for her Blog Soup surprise package. Since it took way longer than normal for the stuff to get to California, I was really worried that Cherrie would never get her soup. Now, apparently, she has 2 packages! Good luck with that one, Cherrie.....loads of work to be done!

I made the components and sent also some lovely missficklemedia patinaed chain. There are a couple of clasps to choose from as I have been experimenting with clasps to add to my shop. And an assortment of beads, of course....tubes, ruffles and strata bead and one pod. (What would life be without pods?)

Both sides of the main focal...

A couple of shots of some of the other components, including the clasps...

And as a reminder, my soup from Cherrie...oh, what delicious earthy colours!

Have fun, everyone!

End of summer

2011-08-31T04:56:00.000-07:00

My son starts school today and my daughter the day after, and the nights are getting cooler. This is exciting to me because I am by nature an 'any season but summer' kind of person. Probably due to the reduced guilt about staying inside and working cosily in my studio in cooler weather. Not that summer isn't beautiful, but it was a hot one as many of you can attest....ready for fall, is all I can say!

I just had a few wonderful pictures from the summer to post and somehow never got around to it. They will work well as a summary of what this particular summer offered. Currently, my favourite blog for enjoying seasons, moods, atmosphere and a big peek into someones life is Kerry Bogert's blog. I never miss a post! Her photography is fun, free and thoughtful and evokes a mood so well and her commentary is at one with my thinking lately. I like the fact that it is life presented with its attendant joys and frustrations. The sneaking away to work (or the wanting to sneak away ), oh, I know that one well, the mother/artist dilemma!

Swimming at our lake, a piece of land with nothing but a deck and some stairs....

A perfectly preserved and dried out insect exoskeleton...

The trailer ( on our land) which now has the happy name 'Mouse Palace'...no longer usable after our sojourn of 4 years in Nova Scotia. Nature will have it's way!

Sneaking through the bush from the lake to the trailer...such a beautiful path!

This beautiful but sinister thing was inside the trailer when my husband opened the door - fortunately no sign of the skin's former occupant inside the trailer.... I have never before seen one whole and intact, it was about 5 feet long in total!

Lovely echinacea plants with butterflies at a friend's cottage...

Our girls are becoming lovely young women...(one mine, one the daughter of a friend made in prenatal class)

And finally, the rainbow after the torrential rains on the 24th of June (St Jean Baptiste Day in Quebec, a provincial holiday), which caused terrrible flooding through the region. The camera doesn't even begin to capture it.....

A few moments from my summer. Happy autumn!

What I got for my bead soup!

2011-08-29T06:53:00.000-07:00

Just thought I'd post about what I got for my Bead Soup from my partner in California, Cherrie Fick.

I'm pretty sure this will be a challenge for me simply because I usually make supplies, and struggle greatly with putting anything together. This is why I join the Bead Soup Party, really. It forces me to confront my fear of decision-making in the making of jewelry! And because I'm working with things I may not have ever have thought to choose for myself, it broadens my horizons considerably.

Cherrie sent me a lovely selection of stones, bones, ceramic and glass and a lovely clasp by my dear missficklemedia. I already have a couple of ideas which will present these in a different way! I will publish another altered photo as a sneek peak when I get a little closer to finishing the piece.

Please note the extraordinary and subtle range of yellows, ochres, oranges, reds and browns that she has sent for me to try. Lovely! Included are ceramic ( the flower focal), glass, bone, carnelian, agate and copper. Can't wait to get at it as I know it will take me quite a bit of time to do the components justice...

Many thanks, Cherrie! Hope you can work with what I sent!

Sneak peek...

2011-08-21T12:36:00.000-07:00

I was one day late getting out my bead soup - apologies to my Bead Soup partner Cherrie Fick! Hopefully, she will receive it very soon. It just took a bit of time as I made most things in it, and was having some trouble making design decisions. I have made up a scrambled 'sneak peek' picture that doesn't give away too much...

I have already received Cherrie's package and will post about that tommorow! Have some ideas already....

Do have a lovely Sunday - severe thunderstorms here!

A lot of cereal

2011-08-16T07:33:00.000-07:00

A month has slipped by in sweet summer time...it's like no other time in the year!

The kids go back to school on September 1st and my son is getting ready for the big transition to 'Secondaire'. Here is Quebec, there is no middle school, just 5 years of high school with the big kids. It feels ( to a mother, at least) like a lot for a boy who just turned 12 yesterday! He is going to the same school as his older sister ( a very good thing, as they are close and she is sensible without being smothering) and it is an excellent International Baccalaureat program. We'll just see how it goes. None of his friends from elementary school are going to this program, so it will be a chance to re-invent himself. Haven't you ever wished for that chance?

To ease myself back into work-autumn-blogging and the rest, I made this funny little tutorial about the way I wrap and ship things. But what it really highlights is the incredible amount of boxed cereal that we eat in my family. Of course, if my Etsy shop were booming, I'd soon be through all these boxes I've stockpiled and then I would have to beg my neighbours to save boxes for me or scout through their big blue recycling boxes at the curb before pick-up day. Really, I need to stop - I'm enough of a scrounger as it is! ( For the life of me, I can't pass up a discarded bookshelf at the side of the road...can you?)

Here are the basic tools that I use to make my shipping envelopes. Unless I'm shipping large round beads, most of my work gets shipped this way: this is to keep shipping costs down so that the envelope can pass through the aptly named Canada Post 'Slot of Doom'. ( The package can be no deeper than 20 mm, or 13/16 inches) This way of creating an envelope creates a rigid springy package that is fairly flat and can withstand a fair amount of handling. I've had one breakage only since I started wrapping this way and that was a bead with projections...so therefore, understandably fragile!

I do this as each box empties as part of my morning clean-up routine...

Open up the cereal box

Then, flip it over and on the centre back panel, make a score line with a bluntish knife (or with a bone folder tool). It's really important that it not be in the centre, but to one side or the other. This is to make the final fold want to sit to one side or the other. I often just eyeball it because I can't find my ruler...note close-up of score on the printed side of the box.

Flip over and fold nicely with your bone folder (or the soft edge of your knife...)

Now, fold the fold over to the side that it naturally wants to be (because it is off-centre) .

Then tape it down and cut off the bitty ends that stick out. (this instruction is pictured below) Also, cut along the seam edge of the box through both layers on the edge opposite the fold you've just completed using the existing box fold/edge as a guide. Now the envelope is nearly done and just requires a couple of folds to finish.

Then swing it around and on the open side make two score lines on the shiny side of the edge opposite the first taped double fold - again, one larger than the other! FOLD....

Over lap and tape securely

Voila - the completed envelope!

For small orders I cut this in half and get two shipping envelopes from one cereal box.

I use origami 'star' envelopes for my inner package. The folded paper (from whatever cardstock I can buy inexpensively) provides extra padding and rigidity. Stuff that you are shipping should not be able to move about within the package if it is fragile. I just really like the way these look, and they seem to give me some kind of mental tidiness around completing an order. ( In complete contrast to the chaos from which it came, I might add.) This system evolved over time and now I have all the components prepared ahead of actual shipping days which really helps me.

The next grid shows the origami package being filled.

Closing it up - they are surprisingly rigid!

Yup, it fits!

The final flourish of linen thread (collected over the course of my very pack-rat life)....

Done and shipped. It probably seems a little weird since you can buy padded mailers for a song these days, but I haven't had great results with them as the Canada Post restrictions make them too bulky. Besides, have you ever noticed how much cardboard there is all around? Love cardboard, so useful....plus, as I said, we eat a lot of cereal around here....

Check back for news about the Bead Soup Blog Party and an introduction to my partner! As you can see, I am starting to change my blog template and am resting with a neutral background until I decide what to do.

A quick word

2011-07-09T06:40:00.000-07:00

Summer is upon us and while I love it all, it's not conducive to all out working time for me. Or any working time, really. Lots of bike riding in the Gatineau hills (small mountains to my out of shape physique, but I'm slowly improving....) and swimming with the kids. We aren't planning any major trips, just hanging out and enjoying each others company. I should just learn to let go and not worry.

Thank you for the lovely responses to my last post. I will be working on the tutorials for the next while and I will post here when they are ready for purchase in my shop! A worthy summer project....

And also in my last post, I said I would return with a finished bead to show you - it hasn't changed that much - but has been darkened and enhanced with different colours in certain areas.

The unfinished bead:

The finished bead:

As a final note, I just wanted to show you a picture of something someone made with one of my beads. Someone I admire very much....a glass artist with huge talent! I'm sure you all know Lori Lochner, but if you don't, you should go and look at her work. Here are a few samples:

She sent me a picture of a little talisman she made using one of my beads. She combined it with a most wonderful electroformed glass pod. I do love it when people send me pictures of what they've done with something I've made because it enlarges my view of the possibilities. Shakes off the tunnel vision, so refreshing! Thanks, Lori....

Go forth and summer....can I make that a verb?

Frustration and release ( in tutorial form...)

2011-06-23T10:50:00.000-07:00

This postal strike we're having here in Canada has made me feel cut off at the knees: can't go forward, can't ship to people who've purchased from my shop and who are waiting patiently (they can all expect an extra something when they do get their orders..), can't get supplies. Obviously, for large companies this is not a problem, except as an extra temporary expense for shipping, but 17 -23$ to ship small items (under 12$) is just not realistic for me or my customers. The back to work legislation was introduced into the House of Commons on Monday, but may not make it through to law before the summer recess starts tomorrow! Honestly, I would expect my elected members to stay and finish the job before they leave for their ridings for the summer, if that is the course to which our new majority Conservative government is committed! My shop is now closed until this is resolved and I will be putting my efforts into new work and finishing up a heap of half-done stuff. Trying very hard not to let this sap my forward momentum.

In a effort to distract myself, I have thought up a little tutorial to (hopefully) amuse you. If you have read any of my posts, you will know that I have an obsession with hollow beads. I am putting together a tutorial for purchase to demonstrate my way of making hollow beads, but another quick and simple way occurred to me for making hollow beads while I recently made some of my new 'Strata' beads. I'm sure this has been done a million times elsewhere, but here is my take on it.

Before I start - another reason to make these beads hollow is that it is then easier to manipulate them into shapes a little different from the cutter shapes. I highly recommend making your own cutters, see tutorial here by Daniel Torres (thanks, Daniel):
Cutter tutorial

Start with well conditioned clay - this is that dreaded of all white clay, the cheap original Sculpey in a box. I often use it for prototypes, because if I can make something in that clay, I can make it in any of the better clays (and it will be stronger..). Pick two cutters that have the same profile, but one smaller than the other. I chose Kemper circles but it could be any shape.

Roll clay into thin sheets (or your preference for thickness) . Cut the larger circles - I find cutting on a dedicated silicone baking mat gives much cleaner cuts.

Start stacking up the circles till you have almost the thickness you want. DO NOT stack evenly, you want the strata to be visible and interesting.

Compress your layers, but do not fiddle with the strata or smooth them in any way.

Line up the smaller cutter on the stack and take some care to try to get an even wall thickness. Cut through all layers and remove the plug. This will make your bead amazingly lightweight, especially if the smaller cutter is just a bit smaller.

You can see that the outside layers are still there in the above picture.

Next choose your top and bottom. For this demo, I am cutting out of a piece of new crackle sheet that I made today. It has a bit of cornstarch on it, so it looks a little dim...

Cut top piece and attach to a blank circle so that your top (and bottom ) are double thickness. A single sheet is too flimsy to function well as a top. Attach and compress slightly and integrate the top into the layers.

Flip over.

Attach the bottom and integrate. Add points of texture interest on the layers if you like - tweak the whole thing, make it a little off round if you like. Push back an errant layer that looks like it got out of control - just look and see if it is how you like it! Make a hole and inflate slightly if you'd like your piece a little domed.

Make holes and bake.

Then comes the painting. I'm not going to go into detail because I'm doing a tutorial on surface finishes as well, but I'll briefly show another bead being finished.

This group of photos shows the raw ugly bead (square with layers), then the raw ugly bead being fearlessly covered with black paint, then navy paint, then the gradual removal of those layers and slight addtions of other colours to enhance the design. Finally, it is waxed and polished. A large round bead that I made earlier is beside it.

Here are the two cutters I made and used to make the big bead in the picture.

I don't have any more time to post more today, but will come back on Monday to show the crackle topped bead finished and a textured surface variant which is altered after assembly.

The possibilites for using cutters are endless so I hope this mini-tutorial gets you interested. If you are not interested in making your own, Clay Factory Inc. has a great deal on the entire set of Kemper cutters.

See you Monday and hope the postal strike is resolved! Wow, that was fun, must do it more often - the tutorial, I mean, not the rant!

The really big hollow bead...

2011-06-01T20:05:00.000-07:00

What's on the table this week?

Another week and more tweeking to be done. It's endless, but fun. I've been struggling with the writing of a tutorial and I'm getting near the end - fortunately, I have a couple of wonderful people who have offered to try it out and see if my instructions are as clear as I think they are - but I suspect that after they try it there will be some revisions to be done. It isn't nearly as easy as you might think to tell someone how to make something....

It has been a tremendous help to read other people`s tutorials to see how they lay out the material and illustrate it. Thanks particularly to Shannon of missficklemedia and Lynda from scDiva, both of whom write great tutorials. Check out their stores on Etsy if you are interested in some new techniques!

The first basic tutorial is one I've had in my mind for a while, namely, how to make hollow forms without armatures or core material. For myself, I've found that working this way has given me tremendous freedom to explore form in a way that is not possible when you commit yourself to a mold or a core to build over. Beads can evolve and change while you work on them. Later, I plan to do another tutorial to explain how to decorate the hollow form in various ways while it is being made, so that the decoration can change with the piece, rather than being imposed on it after curing.

I 'm so hoping that people will be interested in this tutorial - I have plans to sell it in a couple of places, but more on that later. While tweeking the content, I made this bead to see if I could push the limits a little! Apparently I can make beads this large..( and larger if necessary, but is it necessary?).This could easily have changed into a large hollow lentil at the last minute (a nice feature of this technique) but I wanted to finish a really large round bead. When I went to pick up my husband at the arirport today, I saw 2 or 3 necklaces walking around (on women, naturally) with round beads this large or larger. Maybe someone would use it...heck, maybe I`ll use it!

Here are a few more shots of the big bead, I've even included a shot with the ubiquitous penny (so annoying, I know...) so you can see the scale more readily. It measures 1 and 1/2 inches in diameter. Bigger is possible if you remember that as you increase the surface area, the amount of clay needed increases exponentially.

So what have you been up to? And more importantly, would you put this big sucker round your neck?

True to my word ..

2011-05-27T11:58:00.000-07:00

I just listed 10 things on Etsy today - new pods previewed in my last post, and some of the new connector bead pendanty things. Wow, I am happy as the new listing process went live yesterday for everyone (finally) and it IS GOOD. Can finally save a draft without having to email it to myself. All on one page (we have waited a while for that). Can tweet or facebook directly...no more changing to short urls separately! I am convinced this will make a huge difference for me, now that I also have a better handle on the photography side of things.

I'm including pictures of the pods because they have been selling quickly - so this time I posted them all at once instead of in dribs and drabs. There are 3 more sets going up on Monday!

Have a great weekend!

What's on my table...

2011-05-25T10:53:00.000-07:00

Can't believe two weeks have rocketed by. I do have a number of posts up my sleeve, but today is Wednesday. So, without, I promise, further carping about the mess on my table, I will show what is lying on it. Mostly, it has been a finishing up kind of week. I've had some interesting custom orders which took some time to percolate down from my brain to my hands, and there are some extras which will be going into the shop in the next day. Mostly pods....all different. The ones on the outside of the ring are waiting to be finished.

Along with the pods came scrap. What do you do with your scrap? I can never resist the temptation to try something with it, as fiddling and poking and altering scrap has in the past generated some of my more interesting work. ( Alarming - what does this bode for my more deliberate work, one wonders?)
I'm thinking connectors and pendants and this is what came out. Fun, part painting and part collage...
They will arrive in my Etsy shop in the next day or so.

Be sure to head over to Flickr to see what other people in the group are working on!

Bead Table Wednesday....a little late

2011-05-11T18:54:00.000-07:00

I have been looking at people's intriguing posts about what they have on their table for some time. I joined the group on Flickr - so what's my problem? How come I haven't posted? Well, truth to tell, my work space is a disaster most of the time, but I've realized that I'm not the only one. I'm trying very hard to set aside 15 minutes or so every day for tidying and sorting, but there is a steady accumulation that resists this determined assault and, worst of all, there is always one thing that resists the pigeon-hole. Those things add up daily...things I've made and can't part with yet, things I'd be embarrassed to part with, things I haven't finished yet, things I will never finish...and on it goes. So that's it then - my bead table today is having to deal with pieces/beads I never dealt with completely or properly!

These include: a set of grapey textured beads that just got some ochre highlights after sitting around here for ages ( now I like them), a new layered pendant ( how did that sneak in there before the old junk - tsk tsk), some pods I reworked because I really didn't like them ( better now), some layered, old and mysterious looking stacked triangles that I didn't like til I took the alcohol pen to them ( alcohol pens, my new best friends, I think that rhymes...), post earrings I 've had finished for yonks and haven't been quite sure about (only one way to test that out - list them, dammit!), a striped flat oval set which I 've been dithering about because they don't quite look like the ones I was supposed to remake ( so what, maybe they are actually better than the first ones...), and the list goes on.

The focus of the table - above ( I did wipe up the black paint spills in search of proper contrast...)

Then the individual problems, now hopefully solved!

As I write this out it's actually a little frightening to see the amount of dither and worry that is generated by this stuff. Don't efficiency experts tell you that you should only handle a piece of paper once? I must have handled some of these pieces dozens of times in trying to decide what to do about them, this is not interesting productive or efficient....

I think facing at least a few of my dilemmas on Bead Table Wednesdays could be helpful. To say the least.

Camera talk

2011-05-04T09:32:00.000-07:00

When I first started listing on Etsy and posting to Flickr (and all the rest) I thought that the whole photographic process would be the death of me. I hated EVERYTHING about it and I'm sorry about the capital letters here, but in my mind that everything is ten feet high at least. Composing the picture, the background, the lighting, the 'branding' (or lack thereof!!!), the editing, were all uniformly tough to deal with. The only spot of light here is the view of someone raised in the film era, at least one doesn't have to wait for processing and you can cheerfully format over all your hideous errors. This is where I can love technology.

All this hatred coincided with the purchase of my first point and shoot SONY, (can't remember the model) which actually took quite decent macro shots. Although, it took me a long time to learn to use it effectively...Then it was stolen in our house burglary in 2008 (along with all the photos in the computer which I had only half backed up...). I bought another SONY (DSC W210, around 200$) which, as I discovered, did not let me get nearly as close in macro mode as I would have liked as it had a wider angle lens on it than my original. Grr, no money to buy a better camera.....

Of course, as I embraced technology, I realized that I would really like to have a DSLR, but the cost was high for its primary use. Do I need to shoot RAW format, shoot in low light a lot, need massive telephoto lenses as long as my arm - or indeed, do I need to be able to change lenses at all? No, I don't think I do - to all of those things, really.

Long story short, I started checking ebay and local sales for used high end point and shoots. I was looking for 12 mp, really decent macro shots and some manual focus capability and some aperture and shutter control. Missed out on a Canon G10 for 250$, but finally found this: (free shipping, too!)

In case you can't read it, it's a Canon Powershot 650is. All for only 125$, perfect body condition and function (so far, at least...). It is the next step down in the Canon line from the G series (roughly, DSLRS, G series, then this series.) It's worth checking out the used route as there are always people upgrading and this camera does everything I could ever need! I'm not attempting to shill for the Canon corporation, merely pointing out that there are great cameras to be had used from the top manufacturers that are now outmoded, but perfectly serviceable for internet stuff.

I also like the swing out monitor even though I thought I wouldn't. It swings shut and protects the monitor from clutzes like me - also the camera is large, but very comfortable to hold (curved grip), which again I thought was a negative, but turns out to be a plus as I find the tiny point and shoots kinda difficult to hang on to! This camera just melds into my largish hand. Also, it takes 4 ordinary alkaline batteries, which is also a plus, as I can't count the number of times I've forgotten the charger for the custom batteries of my other cameras while travelling. So far, the battery life is impressive.

And wow, aperture control on macro! Now I can do those lovely background (or foreground ) blurred shots that really bring the details of the work into the eye of the beholder! Gee, I might make the Etsy front page! It has a host of other features that I haven't even explored yet. The best thing about digital photography is that with each camera, the learning curve is shorter - really!

It will focus as close as 1cm from the object! Excuse all the not very informative pictures, but immediately, I love this camera! The swivelling LCD makes it very easy to get shots from strange angles, or over people's heads, for that matter.

Hey, maybe I'll actually enjoy photography again. And not just studio work either....

And the winner is....

2011-04-14T06:20:00.000-07:00

Happy to report that after letting the random number generator 'cast the die' for me, I have a winner for the Bead Chest certificate! Number 5 in the comment list is none other that the lovely Malin de Koning, she of the super Swedish lessons and the maker of lovely jewelry! Hope you can find something to suit you, Malin!

Also happy to say that the new Strata beads mentioned in last post are generating some interest, which is good, because I am enjoying the freedom of NOT hand forming everything for once and being able to put a cutter to good use. The above two sets seem to be popular. Square beads particularly are so reassuringly useful. Now I can see a way to make them hollow ( and therefore lighter) and I freely admit that I have an obsession with this - but hey, it makes a necklace/bracelet more pleasant to wear and saves clay too!

My bicycle is calling me....

Strata production

2011-04-13T07:50:00.000-07:00

I'm really not very good at online shop managment. I do have a fatal tendency to spend overly long periods of time working on one little thing (that's also a one-off, by the way) that isn't going to make heaps of money for me. Not that that outcome was ever on the cards in the choice of artist as a career! Remember the old matchbook cover advertisements 'Become an artist - make 10 -50 $ a week!'? It spoke truth....oh , yes.

With this in mind and also the need to have some things in my shop that don't require new and individual listings every single time (could it be that I will actually get to use the relist function on Etsy and leave behind the hodge-podge of copy and paste?), I've designed some beads that are a little less labour intensive than the hollow ones. These are more along the lines of the 'meat and potato' spacer type of bead, rather than the focal type. I like these as they are a great opportunity for trying out new surfaces without a huge commitment.

I've fallen in love with cutters (great production tool) and recently purchased the entire set of Kemper cutters (55) carried by the Clay Factory (owned by Marie Segal and her husband). Just by the way, this is a great deal and saves a lot over buying the individual sets. These will be amazing not only for my new line, but also for the tiled hollow beads! I'm also going to buy this tutorial on Craftedu, on how to make your own minicutters - heck, it's only 12$ - see here! What fun and a great use for soft drink cans...

It started with just layering up cut pieces of polymer and realizing that I like the possibilities of the side edges as much as I liked the 'top' and 'bottom' sides of the resulting bead, which I covered with a transfer. I also realized that I liked the beads when the layers were not stacked too neatly as this accentuated the 'strata' effect, particularly when distressed with various finishes. And also, once made, the bead could be interestingly manipulated away from the cutter shape to be a little 'off'. Which, naturally, made it a little more fun to my eye, as it shows some movement and gesture which always livens things up! Once I got the other cutters, I tried some other shapes - some worked and some need work.

These were the originals which used a transfer created on Photoshop from some of my artwork. Rocklike. Cubic...

Then little drums..

Triangles, naturally...bird feet black and white, and transfers -

Not so sure about these transfers, it's harder than one would think to pick an image that looks good tranferred!

Some black and whites with eyes, but not sure about the ovals - tricky shape, unless it's cleanly cut!

Teardrops with alcohol inks that morphed into commas...

Battered hearts, the only kind, really..

And my favourite ones so far (metallic, of course) because I really like the sides of these -

Yup, like all my work, more work required. One wonders if it will all come together in a glorious whole at some future time.
Some of these sets will be finding their way into my shop in the next couple of days, while I continue to work on new ones. And new pods....

I'm holding my draw tommorow for the Bead Chest gift certificate - don't forget to enter by commenting HERE! Bye all...

A gift certificate for you....

2011-04-08T04:18:00.000-07:00

This has happened to me a few times lately and I guess it's a sign of something - increasing readership, I guess. Some businesses have approached me with the idea of advertising or promoting on my blog. It's all a bit weird as what they are selling has nothing to do with what I'm interested in or talking about, so I guess they are homing in on a certain demographic that they feel must be reading my blog. After all, I make no pretence at youth myself - although in my head I feel young and full of ideas - funny, that!

Then last week, an online bead business called The Bead Chest asked me if I'd be interested in promoting their shop a little for a gift certificate. Now, I make beads, and since I'm just starting this business, I try really hard not to buy beads - and this is despite the sore temptation that I experience in this area every day on Etsy. There is so much beautiful work out there...but at this point, I'm better focusing on the task at hand: that is, learning to make beads, learning to sell beads and learning to make jewelry with my beads/components.

But I did think about all of you out there in my weeny bead universe and I said 'Yes' to the gentleman who asked me - 'Yes, I'd like to do a giveaway on my blog and use your gift certificate!'. And the lovely gentleman said, 'That's great! So now I have a lovely 30$ gift certificate for The Bead Chest, and I went over to the store and found some wonderful images of beads that are wonderful and classic. Like looking through Lois Sherr Dubin's book 'The History of Beads'.

The Bead Chest carries a wide variety of trade beads, some modern, some older, and a wide selection of contemporary African beads. The lovely gentleman (Isaac, by name) who dispensed the gift certificate told me:

"Regarding our business, we are a small family-run business and have been selling beads for several decades. Our favorite part of being in the bead business is seeing what our customers are able to make out of the beads we sell. We are always impressed by their beautiful creations :) As far as acquiring the beads, we work with bead traders in Africa. We travel to Ghana regularly. We always do our best to ensure the beads are fair trade, and are committed to supporting developing communities and economies in Western Africa. We also focus on African beads because they tend to be more eco-friendly than beads that are mass-produced in China and India. We do not have a brick and mortar store, but we sell online 24/7, and have done gem & jewelry shows in the past."

If you click on any of the pictures, you'll go straight to their listings!

I am in love with these gorgeous red simple glass beads, and as an ex-glass person, I can tell you that reds like this are the Holy Grail for glass blowers!

These are probably made from old 45 records...

Beautiful bone beads..

You could do a lot of things with this brass filigree, just think of Gilder's paste...

Classic beads..

Given a chance, I would buy a ton of these snake beads, they are so beautiful and useful...

Well, there you have it! If you'd like a chance to win a 30$ gift certificate from The Bead Chest, just comment on my blog about the first beads you ever really loved - something given to you, the first (momentous) bead purchase you made, the 'aha' moment from making something that really worked - anything at all! I've been thinking a lot about my creative progression recently, so I 'd like to hear something about yours.

I'll be drawing for this next Wednesday, April 13! Have a lovely spring weekend!

Nastasha revisited and reworked

2011-03-29T11:56:00.000-07:00

Have you ever looked back to see what first sparked your interest in the medium you work with now? Recently, while cleaning out my clogged workroom, I unearthed some of the original products of my first obsession with polymer. Natasha beads, ( aka inside-out beads) in all their perfect symmetrical cane-i-ness, represented for me at that time all the fabulous design potential of polymer. And all this yuminess was available without actually having to be good at caning because of the accidental nature of each design. For me, it was also a natural carryover from the making of millefiore in glass, something with which I was very familiar.

I've since lost my taste creating perfect symmetry (not least because I have no patience..) - primarily because I lack the skill to produce symmetrical canes/designs in polymer that really sing and have depth. Those amazing canes that make use of skinner blends and colors that are finely tuned to work for maximum effect in miniature....I hold my breath when I see the work of artists in polymer who can really do this well. But these Natasha beads in my hand? Pedestrian, to say the least. How could I breathe some life into something that I seemed to have loved so well? Go back to what you know.....

In glassblowing, the movement inherent in the forming process naturally adds zest and life to the most overworked designs, especially when you have trained yourself to work 'hot', and always keep the glass as fluid as possible. It is the land of 'the happy accident', particularly when you are learning. (And when you are learning, you can't remember how you did it...) It is these qualities precisely that make glass a magical, energetic and challenging medium. The glass is a fluid, first and always, and that state adds a quality that is difficult for the hand to duplicate in any other material.

Seizing on this idea of movement, I felt that if the symmetrical planes in the bead could 'flow' to form differently shaped beads ( something other than a squared off brick...) In doing this, it would be difficult and perhaps not entirely desirable to maintain perfect symmetry, but the resulting mirror images would be more distortions or memories of each other...sisters, rather than twins! Fanciful for a little bead, I know...

I contented myself by doing the obvious and making rounded ends to the rectangles - bullets - then bullets with a twist. Then paint and surface texture entered the picture a little...
I called this set 'Smoke on Cherry Blossom'...

At this point, all of these experiments were made using my scrap pile - always, the perennial challenge of the scrap pile....

Then, the corners of the Natasha 'brick' began to move outwards, and the bead to shorten - they became propellers and pods and mostly maintained their symmetry. It surprised me how a small change in the shape entirely changed the character of the final piece.

I started in earnest at this point to etch and scratch away at the emerging and disappearing lines, the remains of the original perfect mirror images. I even investigated triangular forms (see diagram) which became pendant shapes (I think).

Applying paint to the surface of course pulled the etching forward and also removed the very plastic quality of the polymer (of which I am not fond), and emphasized the now (to me, at least) more dynamic quality of the symmetrical lines. Reading this pompous paragraph back to myself, I have to laugh - as a glass artist I was forever sandblasting my glass pieces because I disliked the 'glassy' quality of glass. I guess I haven't changed, because I don't like the 'plasticky' quality of plastic, either!

Sorry about this long and rather wordy post about work in progress, it's really a result of thinking about where things come from in my experiments. I'm not usually so analytical, but it's sometimes interesting (and perhaps a little alarming) to trace an evolution and realize with some regret, and some relief, that I really haven't changed over the years.

Bead Soup by horse and buggy

2011-03-14T20:20:00.000-07:00

I am still working my way through the Bead Soup Blog party participant's offerings. ( Hence the reference to slooow travel...) There are some wonderful things to be seen:

Three participants leap to my mind particularly, Christine Damm of Stories they tell, Sig Wynne-Evans ( whose prowess and design ability with seed beads wowed me) and Nancy Schindler of Round Rabbit. All quite different, all fantastic. Actually, I could sit here all night long linking to blogs as those are just 3 of many that I enjoyed. And, I have to say a huge thank you to the people who took the time and trouble to comment on my work, and to begin following my blog. Hopefully, there will be more fun stuff for you to follow about my work and stuff that interests me about the creative process. Check back tomorrow, I have a post planned on something completely different ( for me, in polymer, that is!).

All this blog hopping is distracting me from the horrific realization that I put my iPod through the wash cycle yesterday...aargh! Am drying it out in silica gel hoping that it will work again..hah! I was half way through the 3rd book in the Millenium series...I am addicted to audible.com! Well, perhaps my work will take on a lighter mood if I listen to something a little less grim! Spent most of the day getting iTunes (another frustrating piece of work if there ever was one) to sync with my Sansa Clip tiny mp3 player. Finally succeeded, but I miss my old iPod and the new Apple products are very glitzy, busy and important. Here's hoping that the old one can be resuscitated. How stupid could I get? (Actually, please don't answer that....)

Aren't these stupendous?

Bead Soup Blog Party revealed - Wood, egg and Vine'

2011-02-26T06:01:00.000-08:00

Welcome all!
My goodies...

When I revealed my components from my partner Skye Jewels, I didn't reveal everything, but, in my defense, this was wholly unintentional. I only discovered later that two of the delicious small tiles were double-sided. On the reverse side of a tiley viney image, there was a wonderful rather mournful lost bird . ( Hey , she's my bird and I can anthropomorphise if I want to....). SHE was the tile I chose for my focal, but in order to keep the tile reversible, I mounted it in a polymer frame which can display both sides.

The other side:

The lovely beads were my eggs of course, and required a quiet and woody (beady) background to show them off, and some vines crept in there as well. So the whole thing goes like this:

My bit of fun ( and toil, I might add) for the month!

Go, enjoy all those other wonderful blogs! Happy Saturday!

1. Lori Anderson, Pretty Things (your hostess)
2. Kitty Durmaj, Perles and Life
3. Michelle Heim, Life In the Bead Lane
4. Lisa Petrillo, Lucid Moon Studio
5. Anitra Gordy, Leelu Creations
6. Paige Maxim, Paige Maxim Designs
7. Marianna Boylan, Pretty Shiny Things
8. Cheryl Roe, BeadRoe
9. Heidi Post, Ex Post Facto
10. Cindy Wimmer, Sweet Bead Studio

11. Terri Gauthier, Blooming Ideas
12. Rachel Walsh, Balanced Crafts
13. Marian Hertzog, M's Place
14. Mary McGraw, MK's Musings
15. Sarabeth Burke, Chronicles of Sarita
16. Deci Worland, Gem Trails
17. Erin Prais-Hintz, Treasures Found
18. Laura Zeiner, Stick Lizard Designs
19. Kristin Latimer, MJM Jewelry Designs
20. Cathryn Brooks-Williams, Chile Cats

21. Holly Westfall, Silver Rose Designs
22. Janna Harttgen, Palima-Lim
23. Libby Leuchtman, Libby Leu
24. Rebecca Anderson, Songbeads
25. Deb Hunter, Living On Air
26. Diana Ptaszynski, Suburban Girl Studio
27. Jennifer VanBenschoten, VanBeads
28. Margot Potter, The Impatient Crafter
29. Cyndi Lavin, Beading Arts
30. Courtney Breul, Beads by Breul

31. Stefanie Teufel, Stefanie's Sammelsurium
32. Patricia Gasparino, My Life Under the Bus
33. Tari Khars, Pearl and Pebble
34. Kristi Bowman-Gruel, Kristi Bowman Design
35. Jayne Capps, Mama's Got to Doodle
36. Becky Fairclough, Chameleons Designs
37. Evie and Beth McCord, EB Bead & Metal Works
38. Lynne Bowland, Islandgirl's Insights
39. Barbara Lewis, Painting With Fire
40. Lorelei Eurto, Inside the Studio

41. Stacy Hartis, Sissy & Jack's
42. Jennifer Cameron, Glass Addictions
43. Marcie Abney, La Bella Joya
44. Johanna Rhodes, Fire Phoenix Creations
45. Nan Emmett, Spirit Rattles
46. Melissa Mesara, One Eared Pig
47. Amanda Davie, Articulations
48. Cherin Poovey, Lanyard Lady
49. Virginia Joste, ViviBijoux

50. Andrew Thornton, The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton
51. Lori Dorrington, Lori's Glassworks
52. Melanie Brooks, Earthenwood Studio Chronicles
53. Kate Gardenghi, Tropical Blonde
54. Serena Trent, PinkIce Jewel's Blog
55. Malin de Koning, Beading by Malin de Koning
56. Shai Williams, Shaiha's Ramblings
57. Francy Inman, 8 Second Studio
58. Amy Freeland, Copper Diem
59. Lisa Liddy, Joolz By Lisa

60. Sandi Lee James, Do Be Do Bead Do
61. Mary Harding, Mary Harding Bead Blog
62. Stacey Curry, Star Hitched Wagon
63. Leslie Gidden, Mad Maggie Designs
64. Elisabeth Auld, Beads For Busy Gals
65. Niky Sayers, Silver Nik Nats
66. Linda Djokic, Lutka and Co.
67. Tracy Bell, Copper, Glass, and Recycled Trash
68. Laurel Steven, Rue's Daftique
69. Ingrid McCue, Wrapped In Silver

70. Birgitta Lejonklou, Create With Spirit
71. Diana Hawkey, Diana Hawkey
72. Norma Turvey, Moonlit Fantaseas
73. Jeanette Ryan, Jeanette Blix
74. Jackie Ryan, Silver Lodge Gems
75. Jean Yates, Snap Out of it Jean, There's Beading to Be Done!
76. Debbie Goering, Prairie Emporium
77. Valerie Norton, Hot Art
78. Jana Trupovniece, Stories of the Secret Garden
79. Amy Severino, Amy Beads

80. Emma Thomas, Fred Beans Nook
81. Karen Zanco, Everyday Gypsy
82. Suzann Sladcik Wilson, Beadphoria
83. Janet McDonald, Singing Woods
84. Dana James, Dana's Jewelry Designs
85. Kristina Johansson, Wild Roses and Blackberries
86. CJ Bauschka, CJ Bauschka
87. Angela Barribea, Re: Angela Rae
88. Marcy Lamberson, Studio Marcy
89. Tanya Floyd, Glass Migrations

90. Lisa Kavanaugh, Beading Bliss
91. Sue Hodgkinson, Hello Gorgeous
92. Jenni Connolly, Jenni's Bead
93. Nally Parfyonova, Nally's Creations
94. Karyn White, Releases By Rufydoof
95. Emanda Johnson, Artemisia Studio
96. Sandy Richardson, Sandy's Coloring Box
97. Cindy Dolezal, Cindy Dolezal Designs
98. Stacie Stamper, Park Avenue
99. Mallory Hoffman, For the Love of Beads

100. Linda Landig, Linda's Bead Blog and Meanderings
101. Nicole Valentine-Rimmer, N. Valentine Studio
102. Jacinta Meyers, Jamberrysong's Creations
103. Charlene Gary, Gray Girl Studios
104. Rubiee Hayes, Glitter and Keys Galore
105. Marge Beebe, Rock Creek Creations
106. Elizabeth Freeman, Turquoise Sky
107. Shelby Foxwell, Sundown Bead Designs Rhetoric
108. Lynda Moseley, Diva Designs
109. Grace Danel, Grace Beading
110. Lois Moon, Que Onda Quitman

111. Agnes Shapiro, Beader Bubbe
112. Terry Carter, Tapping Flamingo
113. Judy Glende, Judith B. Designs
114. Mary Ellen Parker, Bee Tree By Me
115. Barbara Bechtel, Second Surf
116. Charlene Sevier, The Bead Dreamer
117. Alice Craddick, Alice's Beads and Baubles
118. Cory Celaya, Art With Moxie
119. Ronda Adams, The Ravished Heart
120. Sandi Volpe, Sandi Volpe Designs

121. Anna Lear, The Laughing Raven
122. Susie Hibdon, Vintagesusie & Wings
123. Amanda Austin, Sea Shore Glass
124. Jennifer Velasquez, Jen Judd Rocks
125. Hazel Ward, All Those Things
126. Brenda Salzano, Salzanos
127. Dee Gordon, Runako Designs by Dee
128. Anna Denisova, Anita-M
129. Margaret Saari, Mags-Jewelry

130. Genea Crivello-Knable, Genea Beads
131. Penny Neville, Copper Penny
132. Angela Blasingame, Hopemore
133. Helena Fritz, Beadwork by H's Blog
134. Stephanie LaRose, Confessions of a Bead Hoarder
135. Stephanie Haussler, PixyBug Designs
136. Diane Cook, Rosa & Josies
137. Maryse Thillens, Glass Bead Art
138. Jennifer Pride, Jewelry by J.P.
139. Shannon Chomanczuk, For My Sweet Daughter

140. Lisa Godfrey, Bead Happy
141. Heather Pyle, Welcome to My Muse
142. Regina Santerre, Regina's Writings
143. Liz DeLuca, Creative Arty Facts
144. Sig Wynne-Evans, Beaded Bear's Nonsense
145. Loretta Carstensen, Loretta's Boutique
146. Raida Disbrow, Havana Beads
147. Amber Dawn, Inventive Soul
148. Shelly Graves, Stars Dance With Me
149. Jess Italia Lincoln, Vintaj Blog

150. JJ Jacobs, Coming Abstractions
151. Carrie Tahquechi, Carrie T
152. Staci Smith, Staci Louise Originals
153. Katarzyna Kwiatkowska, Quiet Area
154. Ema Kilroy, Ema K Designs
155. Magdalena Sikora, Poranna Gazeta
156. Nicole Keller, Nicki's Reef
157. Ann Rishell, My Critical Eye
158. Noemi Baena, Fire, Metal, and Color
159. Christa Murphy, Adventures of One Beady Woman

160. Barbara Blaszczyk, Labotorium Flory
161. Collette Collins, Firefly Myst
162. Carola Greiser, Polymer Clay Shed
163. Joanna Kopijczuk, Bizuteria z Filcu
164. LeAnn Weih, Summers Studio
165. Cassandra Watsham, Design by Cassandra
166. Anna Motz, Stunning
167. Shea Zukowski, Gr8findings
168. Susan Kennedy, Sue Beads
169. Lisa Boucher, Lisa's Clay Happenings

170. Hope Smitherman, Crafty Hope
171. Alison Crenshaw, Beads by Earth Tones
172. Dorcas Midkiff, Wondrous Strange Designs
173. Melissa Rediger, Sea of Glass
174. Marina Dobrynina, Savon Feutre
175. Julie Nordine, Julie Nordine | Credit River Art Glass
176. Menka Gupta, Menka's Blog
177. Patsy Evins, Patsy Evins Studio
178. Cherrie Fick, En La Lumie're
179. Suzette Bentley, Ellie's Bijoux

180. Molly Alexander, Beautifully Broken Me
181. Lyn Foley, Lyn Foley Wearable Art
182. Tara Plote, The Newbie Beader's Blog
183. Natalie Schuetz, Natalie S Perlen
184. Kim Hutchinson, Running on Ink
185. Haley Frank, Wide Eyed Smilin
186. Grace Caputo, Suddenly Last Summer
187. Marie-Noel Voyer-Cramp, Skye Jewels
188. Erin Siegel, Erin Siegel Jewelry
189. Janea McDonald, Organized Chaos

190. Kristi Evenson, Colie Bug & Co.
191. Linda Inhelder, Must Haves Jewelry
192. Hilary Frye, FryeStyle
193. Whitney Lassini, Whitney Lassini
194. Nancy Schindler, The Rabbit Muse
195. Pam Brisse, The Blue Between
196. Beth Bricker, Vintage Sweets
197. Ruthie Stickney, Rose Works Jewelry and Gifts
198. Rose Noble, Lady Noble Designs
199. Karen Williams, Baublicious

200. Claire Maunsell, The Next Bend YOU ARE HERE!
201. Christine Damm, Stories They Tell
202. Kerry Bogert, Kab's Creative Concepts
203. Wendy Blum, Sand & Sea Designs
204. Juli Cannon, Julsbeads
205. Jenny Robledo, La Dona Boutique
206. Krista French, French Elegant Jewelry
207. Pam Krinski, Ewa Beads
208. Melissa Meman, Melissa Meman, Art, Life, Love
209. Dana Jones, Dana's Jewelry
210. Shirley Moore, Homeschooling Life

bracelet crazy

2011-02-25T06:46:00.000-08:00

The last day before the big ( and I mean BIG) Bead Soup Blog Party reveal day tomorrow morning. Got your post ready ? Got your piece made? Got your piece started? Found your package in the rubble on your desk...you'll have to excuse me, I'm never ready, but strangely, this time, I am! Perhaps this bodes well for future deadlines, I can hope!

I've been continuing to work on my hollow bracelets and I've sent new ones to my testers Christine Damm, and Anke Humpert, so I 'll give you ( and them ) a preview of what's in their package. I have so many ideas for these, but school break is coming next week so they will have to wait. Oh, and read Christine's last post - very interesting!

Hopefully they will have fun with with them and I'll find out how durable Premo and Pardo really are!

Have fun tomorrow everyone! And Lori, thank you! I wish you the best of luck with your book.

A small peek before Saturday...

2011-02-24T11:58:00.000-08:00

Finally, I'm finished!

I succeeded in completing my Bead Soup Blog Party piece two days before needed, which makes me happy as I usually go down to the wire on every deadline. I won't say much about it before Saturday, except to say that it proved as much of a challenge as I thought would be. Honestly, I'm hopeless at putting jewelry together, all huge thumbs and doing things five times over before I get it right. I have such respect for the the people out there who do this successfully for a living ( ie. our hostess...). I must have rearranged things a million times before even starting....please, someone, tell me the process CAN flow more smoothly than this!

It also gave me more insight into what I've been doing most of lately, that is, making components for other jewelry makers - how elements and components might be redesigned to work better, look better and attach better. So, whatever my piece looks like (amateurish), the time spent doing this has been valuable for making beads and other components to sell to people who know what they are doing. Not so shabby...

I've also confirmed what I suspected - I like to make every part of a piece of jewelry, even the findings - I guess so that it looks like a part of me ( though sadly, perhaps not like a wearable piece of jewelry). Will have to get more comfortable with metal.

A little bit of fresco filtering from photoshop and Bob's your uncle! Wow, I wish it really looked like this!

See you on Saturday...

A second thing -

2011-02-16T11:59:00.000-08:00

Must be a record for me, two blog posts in one day.
Yesterday I received my package from my Bead Soup Blog Party partner - she is Marie Cramp of Skye Jewels. I'd just like to give you a taste of things to come:

the mystery-

After opening, I have a generous number of beautiful flat tiles with very evocative images. I know this is going to to a true challenge for me because I rarely, if ever, use images in my work. Oh , Lori.....

What I immediately gravitate towards in these tiles is the sepia/magenta/blackness of them, because I work with these colours all the time. Maybe I'll be able to find a way in...
Also included are lovely brass finish findings, bead caps, chain and a clasp - another challenge, I ususally make everything in polymer. (Don't despair, you'll find those pliers somewhere in the mess on your desk).

And finally, these lovely little glass beads! The way to an ex-glass blower's heart...something I can always relate to!

I will succeed, I will! (But it will be difficult).

Thanks for everything, Marie!

One thing

2011-02-16T07:04:00.000-08:00

Somehow a month of precious time has slithered by. I won't even ask how that happened, or what that month has been filled with - driving various members of these family to their appointed cultural and sportive events, I think. Before January and February arrive, I always think they will be filled with a calm and purposeful review of my work and where it's going, and most excitingly, the development of all those ideas that have been waiting in the wings! The good thing is that the ideas haven't gone....
I'll just have to learn how to join in to that rushing flow of time more easily....

The first thing to announce (because I really did have two things to talk about here) is the results of the draw for testing my hollow bracelets. I decided to draw two names from my list of 14 people who commented on my post, because really, you can't test something enough before seeing it out into the world! Using the handy dandy online random number generator brought me two numbers -1 and 10! Going by my list, that turns out to be Anke Humpert of Anartisland, and Christine Damm of Stories they tell. That's pretty exciting! I'll be contacting them to see if they are still willing! And as an aside, so sorry I didn't draw Evelyn, as it turns out that she lives about 12 km. from me, just across the river!

I did make a few interesting beads this month: as always, some helpful customers prodded me in the right direction. A series of highly decorative pods emerged, as a continuation of other work I've done, but mixed with the surfaces I've been exploring recently. Some very stylized and some not so...

Here's a grouping:

A token gesture to Valentine's Day -

And more eyes to stare at you...

As it turns out, I have another post to do today! I have received the package from my Bead Soup Blog partner, and I will return later with photos....

My first (formal) sale...

2011-01-18T08:32:00.000-08:00

Just to let you know that while I feel my way back into the work I'm exploring, I've decided to have my first sale on Etsy. For real, official, for true, everything 20% off, until next Tuesday...and for anyone out there who reads my blog regularly, I'm going to steal the idea of the wonderful jibbyandjuna and offer you wonderful people a special coupon to use (should you be so inclined...) that will give you 25% off. Just use 'SecretValentine2011' at checkout to get your discount.

At the moment, I'm still working on hollow bracelets and beads, and I'm looking for someone to test drive one of my split ring bracelets before I start to sell them. You know, wear it, comment on it, possibly break it...that sort of thing. I'd like to have some kind of idea of durability because it's possible that I'm too careful with them. This is a sans cost opportunity (I would ship it to you), so just drop a comment if you'd be interested. If there are more than a couple of comments, I'll draw for it.

Some simple striped and etched beads.

Also this month, I've jumped into the 'Bead Soup Blog Party'. (Click the button at the bottom right for more information, should be a blast!) This makes me confront my greatest insecurity .....putting stuff togther! It is a great exercise, so be sure to check out everyone's results in February.

Thanks, Zibbet!

2011-01-03T13:59:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to all of you out there, who may have discovered this blog! And thank you again for those who have taken the time to comment or drop me a line. I love your participation.

I have a big thank you to send to Zibbet, who has made me their featured 'Zibbeter' this week! You can check out the whole Zibbet site by clicking here , or click here to go directly to my interview. (My, that sounds so grand...) Zibbet is a young site with a lot of good ideas and it is constantly growing and improving. They solicit feedback from members all the time and actually use it - novel idea, that! They also respond to concerns or problems quickly...just go take a look.

I won't really be back to work until the 10th of January as the kids do go back to school until then - and meantime, here in the frozen north, we have NO snow to cross-country ski. It all melted away in a rain storm last week. Most unusual. We are hoping for some tomorrow!

Quiet scene

2010-12-23T08:59:00.000-08:00

I 'll just finish off the the year with a few pictures of the creche my daughter has been making since she was 7. She is 13 now. I realized that polymer has been around in our household for longer than I thought...

The angel..

Such earnest wise men...

The small shepherd and his tiny flock..

We are all proud of our children...

The cat watches from on high...

The dog is so happy, you can just tell...

I hope you are all happy too.

Working hollow

2010-12-21T11:15:00.000-08:00

I said on my last post that I'd be back to talk about bracelets...

It seems like a timely post if you are a follower of Polymer Clay Daily, as Cynthia Tinapple is showing the new work of Ford and Forlano. Based on using hollow tubes with multiple layers of colours (shown by slicing) which are then sliced into beads and assembled, this new work is exciting to me personally because working hollow is my preferred way to use polymer! There are so many ways to use it, although, like every technique in polymer, it is not without its difficulties. I just can't seem to do solid stuff and this must be a result of working with inflated forms in glass for 18 years..(I couldn't work sculpting solid glass either but if you're interested look here at the work of Pino Signoretto!)

I also want to thank Maggie Maggio for most generously sharing her 'split ring' tutorial with the polymer community. It planted a seed in my mind about how to make hollow bracelets smaller, by enabling them to stretch over even my ham hands (18 years of working glass has some fallout - oh the scars!) without breaking! Being smaller, they look better on and don't clunk annoyingly round on your wrist. Being hollow, they have a lot more flex than solid polymer, although there is a limit and you have to choose your polymer carefully. I wonder what clay Ford and Forlano use?

My interest with these bracelets is to make this natural, tendrilly form present a canvas for decoration - colour and more particularly - texture. It is easy enough to make a stretched smooth hollow form, because as you stretch and elongate polymer, the textures blur, so I've found the initial lump that forms the bracelet is quite (hideously) different to the final piece. It is not like reducing a cane, where, if you are good at it, you confidently expect everything to be the same but in miniature! The thought process is more, 'How will this 4 inch piece of polymer look when it is elongated to 1 and a half feet?' You have to be prepared to go with the flow on this....Of course, you can then fire the piece and add things to it, but those marks and additions can be really out of sync with the form unless you are careful. I'm getting better at adding things that don't jar the final feeling.

I think of this one as driftwood for your arm, I like the minimal colour (a little odd for me).

Altogether now!

I'm still testing the durability of these - I'll be wearing some white blanks that I've made over the holidays and taking them on and off a lot so, we'll see. Meanwhile, think hollow! I've got a lot of new ideas for thinning out the wall thickness as well.

I suspect I won't be back to blog until the new year, so I'm sending out a very big thank you to all of the people who've taken the time to read my blog and follow it. I have over 100 followers now (105 to be pedantically precise..) and I enjoy reading your comments and suggestions so much! Ah, idea! I'm going to have a giveaway in January for one these bracelets and one of you lovelies can road test it for me. ( Let's hope it doesn't end up as roadkill...) And on that note - happy holidays and a huge rest to all of you - particularly jibby and juna, whose fingers are sore!