Fossil Find

Before I show you my weekly project, I'd like to tell you that this Wednesday I lost my Grandma.  She would have been 99 in January.  She died in her own home sitting in her chair while taking a nap. That is what she wanted.  We'd tried so many times to talk her into moving to Columbus to be near us, but she refused saying she wanted to be in her own house with her own things.  It makes you stop and think about first off your own mortality when a close loved one passes away and then about where you will finally draw your last breath.  Since I've worked in hospitals since 1976, I've been present when some people have died or been that last person in their room.  Alone in a hospital bed is how many people leave this Earth.  So even though I am very sad about my Grandmother dying, I'm happy that she actually did get to have it her way in her home with all her possessions surrounding her.  The one thing I regret is that she didn't make it to 100 as she and I had a pack that we were going to go sky diving when she was 100 and I was 60.  Now it will never happen, but I still smile when I think about an old woman willing to jump out of an air plane just for the thrill of it.  And isn't that what is important about growing old...to still find the thrill in everything from a new food to a foreign wind blowing in our face.  I am going to make a pack with myself and Grandma that I won't forget to find the thrills for the rest of my days. 

And what thrills me so much right now is the discovery of designing jewelry.  After all these years, I feel pretty confident with my skills to not even think about how or why I am doing this technique or that.  Right now all I do is let the colors and patterns speak to me.  I am also discovering how to design each piece in different ways working each until I've come up with a technique that not only will be durable but will also say it is me.  You know there are times when just sitting at my work desk with all the beads and bobbles in front of me with my one Ott Lamp on that I get chills and thrills from placing them side by side in a three dimensional puzzle of color and technique.  Sometimes my heart races when I find myself inspired with some new pathway or pattern, and I actually have to make myself calm down.  Such a roller coaster ride I experience with my new passion for designing.  Up up up goes the ride as I pick out colors and beads, then with needle and thread the plummet and twirls go one until I pick up that last bead or clasp and finish the project.

Completed: Fossil Find

 

Thinking of roller coasters, I'd like to tell a story about my Grandma and Grandpa.  It was probably in 1972-73 when Kings Island in Cincinnati first opened.  They took me and my sister Cheryl for a whole day of fun.  Honestly, we couldn't keep up with them!  I think at that time both were in their early 60s but neither looked that old. Everyone kept thinking they were our parents and both laughed and laughed over that image.  We rode so many rides working our way back to the roller coaster.  Now back then there wasn't the Beast or any of the humongous celebrity coasters as there were now. All there was at Kings' Island was the Blue and Red Racer.  So there all four of us stood in line waiting to get on the roller coaster.  Then our turn came.  The guy at the gate told my Grandma that they were were in the front car but since they were OLD (yes he actually said they were old) that maybe they would rather go in the second car and let their "daughters" in the front.  My Grandfather looked at the guy and told him " nope, we're first in line, so we'll be in the first car".  So him and Grandma got in the front car with my sister and me behind them.  While the cars were filling up, Grandma took out her pocket book (a mighty heavy thing she always carried) took out a cloth hankie and with one quick motion pulled out her dentures and tucked them all back into her pocket book which was edged between her legs.  Appalled, my Grandpa said "what are you doing?".  She looks at him with a wink and said "I am not going crawling under neath this thing looking for my teeth after I've screamed them out!"  We laughed so hard and that became one heck of a story ever after. 

Well, enough of my personal story.  Let me show you what made me excited and sent thrills through be this past week.  I started with a big glass crystal cabochon that I'd gotten at the Met the Teacher's night at last year's Bead and Button.  The fossils were found at the local thrift store.  Digging through the craft section, I found a very discolored plastic bag that sounded like rocks when I shook the bag.  We weren't allowed to open it, so I bought is sight unseen.  Imagine how surprised I was when I opened the bag and found all those fossils.  There were 50 of them in that bag!  So yep, it never hurts to buy a pig in poke as my Grandma said.

From the bag of fossils

Beginning of Fossil Find which originally was going to be just a brooch

Then I remembered the fossils and though they would match the crystal

Attaching the fossils to the brooch

Adding support to keep the fossils from falling in upon themselves

The brooch became a necklace

What a mess

My work desk looks like a bomb went off. Liz is coming down next week and I still have my homework to do for Marcia Decoster classes at 1 Stop in Dublin. Can I even find my instructions or class supply list? Nope. And I am going to be doing a collaboration with Amy Gaspard? Do I even have room for my seeing machine? No! So I either have to clean or board up. I know cleaning & putting away things is the answer but wouldn't it be nice just to move on like the pioneers did in the old days looking for more space? Guess I have to clean.

Bead Soup Blog Party #2 Reveal

Lori Anderson puts on the most amazing blog parties.  This is the sixth Bead Soup Blog Party she has hosted and what an amazing amount of people wanting to come and cook up something wonderful with her.  Lori puts out an announcement on her blog and now a Facebook group calling for those who want to experiment and met new artist with similar interest to participate. This time around there were 400 people rising to the challenge.  Lori decided to split the Reveal dates into two groups.  Originally, I was given the third reveal date with a fellow seed bead artist.  Each person is assigned a partner whom they exchange beads with.  The rules for this Bead Soup Blog Party Hop is that you have to send at least one focal bead and one clasp that your partner has to use in their design.  Each partner can send more items and can be seen in this post I made of what my second partner sent to me.  I had already got assigned Geneva Collins as my partner, but on the Facebook Bead Soup Cafe, Judy Jacobs called out that her partner had to step back, and she was looking for someone else.  I love challenges and so even before I saw what JJ does, I stepped up and told her I would love another chance to push myself.  As you read in the earlier post, I was just amazed by the fabric, painting and glass work JJ does.  And when I got her Bead Soup with so many different hand made glass focal beads and the clasp, it sent me off to Muse over load.

Bead Soup Mix JJ sent me with possible color ideas

Ancient Dark Star

Ancient Ocean Ripples

I began working with my favorite focal bead that JJ sent me along with a grouping of crystals.  I started out with yellow Nicole's Bead Backing, and decided to make a choker collar.  I wanted colors that were bright and colorful to make the browns and blues of the hand made beads to stand out.  Because I used the yellow backing, the crystal Rivolis actually took on a different hue to their shine.  I was very happy with this color path.  I had to figure out how to make a choke collar fasten with the clasp that JJ sent to me.  I thought a piece of nice ribbon on the NBB which had been beaded on might work well with a loop and the clasp put through it.  I left some of the yellow backing material exposed to give even a more bright appeal.  I also thought about something heavy nestled against the neck so I also wanted this to be light weight.  I chose my favorite focal bead and dangled it from the center with two matching glass beads.  I as very please with this design.  On the mannequin the choker looked lovely, but once I put in on myself I noticed that the clasp wasn't strong enough to hold the piece snug against the back of my neck.  The top portion of the choker bowed which looked fine, but it did not please me.  I realized that I had made a mistake in not tapering the choker sides to make the weight distribution for the clasp to work effectively.  So, I decided to remove the clasp and instead use hooks on the back so that the collar would be secure on the neck.  Lesson learned: design for a clasp that will look nice and also have the strength to keep the necklace secure.

JJ had told me that she thought the Bead Soup she sent me looked like pieces from an Ancient Ocean, so this choker I've called Ancient Ocean Ripples.  Below are pictures taken during construction:

Working with Nicole's Bead Backing and crystal Rivolis

Notice the color change from blue to yellow

Planning the attachment of the crystal dangles

My favorite focal bead JJ sent me with the dangles

But from the rules of the Bead Soup Blog Party reveal, I had not met the expectations. Therefore, I had to come up with another piece using one of the other glass focal bead and clasp that was sent to me.  I looked at the clasp once more and realized that this time I needed to think about the weight of the back of the necklace an how the clasp would be able to hold that securely in place.  I decided to go with a light weight strung chain using seed beads and other accompanying beads JJ sent me.  I only had a week to complete this so I had to come up with a simpler design.  I thought about using fabric and went through my desk top trying to find something that would match the colors of the focal bead I chose to high light.  I was going through piles of discarded unfinished pieces, when I came across three glass buttons that had been already beaded and laid aside.  They at first were a possible bracelet, but after completing the three, I lost interest in them.  Until, I laid the focal bead and clasp next to them.  They "screamed" at me that they all wanted to be a necklace.  I was saved.  I chose to attach the three dark stars together they same pearls that I had in the peyote design.  I thought they would look nice in a triangle configuration. Then I took the remaining focal bead with two complimentary colored beads and dangled them from the apex dark star of the set.  I then used the two other dark stars to attach the final strung chain and clasp.  It worked perfectly.  I've already worn this many times and gotten compliments.  It is light weight enough to wear to work and elegant enough to wear out at night.  So I met my challenge!  I decided to call this piece Ancient Dark Stars.

Three Dark Stars with focal bead

Planning stage

Ancient Dark Stars

Focal Bead and Clasp sent by JJ Jacobs

I have learned a whole lot from this Bead Soup Blog Party.  I never thought of myself as a true designer using Math and measurements to complete a piece of jewelry, but I think first off from reading the books Lark Craft has sent to me this Summer to review, I realized that to make a piece of jewelry that is attractive and strong enough for long wear there needs to be some planning before the first bead is picked up.  I'm sure my husband will cheer when he reads this.  He's always told me to plan, plan, and plan some more.  I think if finally sunk in.  

Now take a couple hours and stroll over the the Blog Soup Blog party list of all the participants in the first and the second reveal.  I hope you enjoy looking at them all.  Go here and go to the top left hand corner and chose the current #6 Bead Soup Party. It will open to another page and you'll be able to keep track of your journey a little bit better.     Or you can just click on the Bead Soup Blog Party stamp on the right hand side of this blog.  Enjoy & don't forget to leave me a comment and come back for the third reveal later this month.

Intervention

I think I am just addicted to beading right now. Sometimes I feel like I need an intervention . But then what would happen then? Would I suddenly become a crazed clothes shopper filling my closet with clothes u would never wear. Or would online game playing take over my life. I could turn into a neat freak and have every thing spotless and in its place. Or I can just be happy with this one addiction.

Finished! South Beach Reflections

I am really enjoying working on all these big bead embroidery collars.  I guess I had forgotten how much I love the challenge of a big project.  The cabochon I used for this new collar is from Marti Conrad. When she shared the photo of these new fish pendents, I knew I just had to have at least one of them.  With this project, I wanted to spend more time on texture of the collar.  I had a base all beaded out and then enjoyed adding little loops between the size 11 black seed beads.  To match the colors in the pendent, I also got out what few remaining sequins I had bought on my trip to NYC several years ago.  When I finished the fringe, it didn't look complete to me, so I added another layer of smaller net type fringe to complete.  With my other collars, I had questioned myself about how to add a clasp.  I had wonderful suggestions, and someone mentioned those tube closing.  I have several for future square stitch projects that I bought at 1 Stop, and after pulling the bag out and looking at it, I was convinced it would work well.  But I wasn't certain until I actually wore it for a day.  It feels really great on the back of the neck, and is so easy to fasten.  Double plus on this account.

Review-Making Fabric Jewelry

 Congrats to Marlene from Its All About

Creating.  She has won Making Fabric Jewelry.

August 10 2012 -1908 EST  dl

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Along with half a bead store embedded in my home, I also have a fairly modest collection of fabrics.  Even though I make small dolls, there are just times when I see a piece of fabric that I MUST HAVE!  Even on vacations, I'll go to the local quilt shop to find something unique.  Back in 2010, I bought a bunch of fabric from Kauai and barely got it off the island in my checked bag.  I think there was only 1.5 pounds left...I could have bought more if I knew.  And I'm going to confess here that I not only find great fabric at quilt shoppes, but also at thrift stores.  Yes, there you got me.  I love looking at all the different fabrics and buttons at the thrift store.  I've found some pieces there that are just amazing.  Where else could I find a jumper with graphics of female heroes with laser guns shooting aliens?  Really, I found it in a flea market in Seattle.

From old pants, clothing label, buttons, and thread you: What will you make?

So when my friends at Lark Craft sent me a new book about making Jewelry out of Fabric, I had to sit down and make my racing heart stop.  Once again Marthe Le Van has brought out a thrilling book that takes two of my favorite things and merged them together into 23 great projects.  Making Fabric Jewelry by Marthe Le Van is out right now!  Listen to me as I chant...you need this book, you need this book, you need this book!  It is perfect for all those crafters out there who like me have hoards of material, scraps, buttons, threads, and everything else through in.  Marthe writes, "one of the perks of crafting with fabric is the sheer quantity of materials to choose from, each one conjuring up a different association" with all types and sorts of fabric from jeans to satin.

The first 25 pages is a wonderful resource on techniques that anyone from a beginner to a master craft person will enjoy looking and learning from.  It gives you an overview of everything from all the different fabric types, to needles, to machine and hand stitching instructions, to finish up with wire and findings and beads...Oh my!  Then the fun begins.  Each of the 23 projects by top jewelry designers have clean pictures with instructions to make you dream of each piece of fabric jewelry.  You will want to dig into those scrap bags of fabric you knew would someday come in handy, or crawl around the floor picking up those loose pieces of thread, cut up a pair of old jeans you've had since the disco era, and start drifting through the clothes aisle at the flea market looking for unique fabrics.

One of the many projects using old clothing labels and buttons.  What a great idea!

Don't throw away all those loose threads.  Learn to create these Chyrsalis

Those old shorts don't fit anymore?  Use them to make gorgeous bracelets for friends.

Lark Craft has also been generous in letting me have a copy to give away to you, my followers.  

 The rules for give away is as follows:

Leave a comment to this post and think about becoming one of my wonderful followers. 

 Please make sure you have a way for me to get a hold of you if you win.  You can either leave an e-mail address or make sure your blogger profile has your contact information.

The deadline for this give away is August 10th.

This give away is open for US and Canadians crafters

Also, for fun let me know what you'd like to make from your fabric stash: bracelet, necklace, ring...you name it.

Remember that Christmas is coming up fast on us all.  This book will give you some wonderful ideas to make unique pieces for friends, coworkers, family, and your Lark Craft book reviewer(L0L).

Disclosure...As a reviewer of  products from Lark Books, I receive the book above free of charge. I have been asked to review these products and give my honest opinion of the products...positive or negative. I am not being compensated by Lark Books for my endorsement as it pertains to the products received and reviewed.

Buzzing brain

I tell you but my brain is buzzing with ideas all the time.  Who gave my Muse an espresso???  Oh wait, that was probably me.  But every where I see things that inspire me and give me more ideas.  I don't know what I want now...more hours in the day..or more hands to do multiple jobs at the same time.  I found a new artist making the most incredible pendents over on Facebook's Bead Soup Party Cafe.  Her name is Marti Conrad.  She posted pictures of a few of her fish pieces she'd been working on.  I caught one look at the pink/black/blue pendent and knew I must have it.  So I bought it along with a another one and definitely was so pleased when I opened the package and got it out.  I was right in the middle of finishing Fern Goddess at the time, so I could not wait to start.  I can't find any of my starting photos, but yesterday I did a three hour marathon and got quiet a bit done. 

Usually I have such a hard time naming pieces, but this one came easy.  Six years ago, I had to go to Miami for training on the Coulter Hematology machine. We got the royal treatment every night.  One evening a group of us went to South Beach for dinner and party.  After dinner, and before I was to met the group at a club we'd decided on, I wanted to walk along the beach getting my feet wet in the Atlantic Ocean.  It was dusk, and the beach wasn't crowded at all.  It was lovely to be out with bare feet in the sand during March!  I turned to look back at land side where all the lights from the restaurants and clubs were on.  The colors of the neon and the buildings always stuck with me.  And looking down at the pendent from Marti made me fly back to that moment on the beach were the lights were reflected in the pounding waves.  Instantly, I knew this was to be called South Beach Reflections.  Along with the pendent from Marti, I'm using rhinestones I got from Liz.  Some of them are squarish so I'm having to rethink how to "cage" them in.  So far, I'm pretty happy with this project.

Something else happened today that I'd like to mention.  If you've been following my blog, then you are aware that my youngest Scottie, Arwen, was diagnosed with bladder cancer back in October.  Usually the prognosis for canines with this type of cancer is 0-120 days.  Yes, that is correct...days!  When we got the news, we both were devastated.  I went to Facebook and made a comment.  Instant one of my old Scottie friends private me telling me that her dog Sydney has had it for almost three years and had survived that long due to preventative therapy medications.  Anne sent me a list of drugs to ask my Vet about.  During this time, whenever I've felt low or think that these are Arwen's last days, I write to Anne. She is always been there.  She has given me the strength to go on with her encouragement and knowledge.  I don't know what I've done without her during this time.  This afternoon when I signed on to Facebook, I saw that Anne had had to take Sydney for her last Vet trip.  Sydney the brave twelve year old girl has gone to be with all those other pets taken from our hearts too soon.  I went downstairs and hugged my baby girl so tight. Then came back and messaged Anne to thank her for being there for me. And in my heart, I was so hoping that even my few words could help her handle this loss and grief. 

Arwen sleep on the couch

I know in a previous post about the Showcase 500 Beaded Jewelry book, I mentioned the words that Ray wrote about the community of beaders sharing lives with each other.  There are so many more communities out there that help and support each other night/day  24/7.  Some of my Scottie friends are people I've know online for over 20 years when I first brought FalaPink home to our new home 23 years ago.  Some I met online the next year on an Internet group called Scotti_L back when you subscribed to Internet message boards.  Then the Internet was born, and we all moved to groups such as CyberScots and Yahoo Groups.  We've found each other on Facebook, and though we've never met in person there are these Scottie friends who are always there for me as I am for them.  We are a community. We are a family. Sharing the laughs and the tears.  For Anne and Sydney...here are big hugs for you.

Anne's Sydney