12 Weeks of "Artist's Way for Beaders"

Earlier this week Jennifer Chaslow VanBenschoten started a FaceBook group, "The Artist's Way For Beaders," based on Julie Cameron's book, "The Artist's Way."  It's a public group, all beaders are invited, so at least drop by the page, or Jennifer's blog, to see for yourself what it's all about.

I've already been doing the morning pages for over 10 years now, and for the most part I'm able to squeeze in a little bit of beading every day, so my 12 week challenge is going to be 30 minutes a day of play time, experimental, beading that may or may not lead to a finished piece.  If it does, great!  If not, it will find it's way into one of the many fancy photo boxes I keep handy for WIPs, false starts, and smeg-ups. 

My biggest challenge is going to be finding time for the artist's date;  one day per week that is set aside for just me to refuel and refresh my creativity.  First off, my daughter being in school for only a measly 3 hours a day gives me only about 2 hours of uninterrupted free time.  Secondly, my husband is a truck driver and is gone a lot.  Quite a lot.  Like for an entire week sometimes, so that leaves just about all the parenting to me.  And thirdly, there just isn't much in my neck of the woods that I would consider creatively refreshing.  The economy killed off the few small museums that were within a decent driving distance, and as the far west valley becomes overly populated all the cute little Mom & Pop style craft and book stores, yoga studios, etc. are slowly being pushed out of business by generic box stores.

I'm thinking my best bet will be a weekly yoga class.  A good yoga class always, always, always leaves me feeling freer, lighter, happier, refreshed, and refueled.  It's not the immersion into the artistic and creative world called for in the book, but if it's what works for me then it's all good.  And yes, this yoga class will have to be at the generic box store gym, because my favorite yoga studio closed its doors a few months ago, but at least the gym offers child care.     

I may also have to do some actual scheduling of my time to get myself through the next 12 weeks, if not the entire school year.  And I hate schedules.  I had crazy, control freaky "I own you." parents so anything that seems too regimented drives me absolutely raving, loony, bat shit, crazy.  I'll have to keep reminding myself that schedules are not a means of controlling or having power over someone, but are a way to keep my uber busy life running as smoothly as possible.   

Cats and Crystals

The theme for week 6 of Fusion Bead's Weekly Challenge was pet inspired jewelry or jewelry made for a beloved pet to wear.  I love my pets too much to dress them up human like, so the only option open to me was to make something for myself.  

I adore cats, love crystals, and lately I've been feeling the need for jewelry that leans more towards the casual, so I combined vintage and contemporary Swarovski crystal and sterling silver with some super cute vintage beads and a cat themed HomeStudio pendant to make this very red necklace.

Most people may not consider jewelry that's been made with crystals, especially of the vintage sort, to be casual, but when compared to something like this, it is.

I skipped making hair accessories for week 7 because I was just too busy doing other wonderful beady and crafty things.  But, I did take the time to organize my tools.

Yes, that's a tea cup in the background and yes, I do consider caffeine to be a very important and valuable design tool. 

I'll be skipping over weeks 9, 10, & 11 in order to make some spectacular film inspired jewelry that will probably take me back into the elaborate and a little too over the top for the grocery store category.

Ugly Beadwork Is No Fun

Although there is a certain amount of grim satisfaction in it, deliberately creating ugly bead work, even if it is for a book, is just not much in the way of fun.

Anyway...I took a break from the latest bit of hideousness that I've been working on for Margie's book to make something quick, easy, and lovely for Week 5 of Fusion Beads Weekly Challenge.  I made these "Mere Mandalas" earrings a few weeks ago, before I was hit by a series of back to back migraines that had me completely drained of energy for a while.  Stupid migraines.

Hopefully I'll finish the necklace using a HomeStudio pendant, that I started for Week 6 over the weekend and will have pictures of it sometime next week.

In the meantime, happy beading and happy weekend!

I've Been A Busy Beading Bee

Surprise!  I'm actually back to blogging.  Where have I been?  No where.  I've been here and beading like a crazy little bee.  But, what I've been working on are projects for Margie Deeb's latest book and sneak peeks are not allowed.

I can, however, show you these:  This first bracelet, "Miss Daisy" is what I made for Week 1 of Fusion Bead's Weekly Challenges. 

Next up we have Week 2:  Use a Crystal Mix in a Piece of Jewelry.  I paired their "Watermelon" mix with one of my favorite Swarovski crystal pearl shapes, the twisted petal, in peach to make this bracelet and earrings.  By the way, those earrings are a variation on a pair that I created for the Spring 2012 issue of Stringing magazine.  

Whose Really In The Details

I've heard it said that God is in the details.  I've also heard it said that it's the devil.  Who knows?  Not me, that's for sure.  What I do know is that changing the width of one or two rows of bead work can take that piece from so-so to fabulous.  A minor detail with major impact.

Look at this first sample.  It's okay, but it looks a bit weak.  
 

Now this is so much better!

Like I said, a minor detail like matching the width of peyote stitched rows of green and orange with those done ine right angle weave has made a major difference in how this looks.

The Spring/Summer 2012 Color Report for Bead and Jewelry Designers will be out early next year so you'll have to wait until then to see just exactly what this is.

Next up will be something fun with Sodalite Blue. 

I'm Enjoying Sweet Lilacs, Margaritas, and The Tangerine Tango

The somewhat mysterious and yet to be revealed Driftwood, Sweet Lilac, and Cabaret necklace is done.  It is so gorgeous and so elegant that it is now my new favorite necklace.  

Now I'm moving on to Sweet Lilac with hints of Margarita andTangerineTango in what is about to be my new favorite bracelet.  Up above is a paint chip sample palette of the colors and below is a picture of the beads in action.

I really like the way the orange and green are popping away from the lilac, giving it an almost 3D effect.  

This is the first time I've used Fireline for simple seed bead weaving.  I don't like its crispy, crunchy texture so I only use it occasionally when I'm weaving with lots of crystals.  But, I decided to creep out on the limb a little bit and use it along with something else I'm not a big fan of;  four bead right angle weave.  And guess what?  I'm really loving the results.  

And then there's Cockatoo

Here are the three main colors I'll be working with for the Spring/Summer 2012 Color Report.  From left to right we have Driftwood, Sweet Lilac, and Sodalite Blue.  

A visit from the Snot Monster at the beginning of the month followed by a 10 day migraine cluster have left me woefully behind on my projects so I haven't had time to photograph the project I'm working on.  I'm using Driftwood, with Sweet Lilac as the secondary color, and accents of Cabaret, a deep rich fuchsia.  I'm making a slightly modified version of Beki Haley's "Twinkle, Twinkle" necklace.  If you click on the link it will take you to Beki's kit page and that will give you an idea of what I'm making.  


This link will take you to the Pantone website where you can see all the Spring/Summer 2012 colors and take a brief color survey.

I've always said that I like and can work with all colors.  Not true.  I don't think I'll ever be able to work with Cockatoo.  I absolutely hate this color.  Hate it!  In my mind this is the color of sickness and fear.

When I was 4-6 years old my Mom was in and out of hospitals having all sorts of scary, hush-hush, and mysterious surgeries.  My brother and I would come home from school and she would just be gone.  One of my Grandmother's widowed sisters would be there to take care of us; my Dad would come home late from work every night after visiting hours were over and then spend most of the weekends at the hospital, but we would never allowed to visit her.  Even after she came home we weren't allowed to see her, the bedroom door was always closed.  And every time she came home from the hospital she would have all these plastic bedside accessories;  a small water pitcher, soap box, toothbrush holder, etc. and they were this exact color.  

I find my own reaction completely astonishing; four decades later and I still can't look at this color without getting upset.
  

Isn't It Romantic?

N'est-il pas romantique?  Aren't all those random threads just lovely?  Here's some bits and pieces of the necklace that I've been working on in the orange, green, and brown colors that I blogged about earlier.

I'm combining 3 different components from Lisa Kan's book, Bead Romantique, into this one necklace.  I'm actually much further along that what you see in the picture.  Think crystals.  Oh so many sparkly crystals!  And one sweet little herringbone flower.  

A bit of fringe?  Perhaps.  Or not.  Even though I'm working within in the confines of a specific palette and project I'm still not completely planning this piece from beginning to end.  I very rarely ever plan out what I'm going to make.  I usually start with a "somewhat idea" in mind and go from there.  The second color that I'll be working with is "Deep Teal" and I have somewhat of an idea that I'll be using some components from Marcia DeCoster's Beaded Opulence.  Or not.  


I'm genuinely surprised by how much I like this necklace.  Like I said before, this is usually not one of my favorite color combinations because it's too classically Autumn. 

 

Happy Accident, Happy Me

What's the accident?  What's making me so happy?  Five, count' em, five of my designs are featured in "The Best of Creative Jewelry" magazine!  (Well, actually 6.  Number 29 in the earring gallery is my design, but is accidentally credited to another designer.)  What is accidental about it?  I had no idea some of my designs were going to be republished.   

Whenever I drop by Barnes & Noble to restock the "To Read" pile on my nightstand I usually take a look-see at what's new in the magazine racks before I book shop and that is how I stumbled upon this.  

My first impulse was to run home right then and there to show my husband, but I somehow managed to make myself finish my intended book shopping and all those other mundane errands I had to do.  You know....grocery shopping...trip to the bank...so unimportant when you suddenly find yourself published in a magazine.

There are so many of other fabulous designer featured in here as well;  Jean Campbell, Dustin Wedekind, Michelle Mach, Jamie Hogsett, Leslie Rogalski, Lorelei Eurto, Kerry Bogert, Andrew Thorton.....the list just goes on and on.  

In no particular order, some of my favorite designs are; necklaces "Crimson Magic," by Stephanie Glickman, and "Caribbean Blue," by Bonnie Clewans; bracelets, "Axis," by Nina Cooper and Leah Rivers, and "Bali Silver & Iolite," by Nancy Chase.  Earrings #1, 6, 20, and 30 also grabbed my attention

I have to be honest, my beady ego has been feeling a bit deflated lately which makes this one helluva much needed boost.

Anyway, here's a sneak peek at one of my bracelet designs.

 

And for those of you who are following my belly dance practice commitment, I am at 128 continuous days of dancing for a total of 6,138 minutes.  Pretty good, eh?

Hello 2010-Beading Goals

Happy New Year everyone!!! Did you make any New Year's resolutions? If you didn't, you're not alone because I didn't either. Resolutions seem too stern and inflexible to me. I prefer the forward momentum and flexibility of goals.

My main beading goal for this year are is to continue reducing the mountain of PIPs (projects-in-progress) to a small hill.

Two beading contests that have piqued my interest are "Haute Couture" and "Use the Muse." I'd like to unofficially participate in at least one of these before this year is over. I say "unofficially" because both of these are jewelry related contests. I've been making beaded jewelry for about 20 years and it's time for a change. And as an unofficial enterant I don't have to worry about a deadline.

A few years ago, when Margie Deeb held a violet and yellow color challenge, my entry was a liquid dish soap bottle that I covered entirely in beads. "Mannequin" took 1st runner-up. I had one helluva good time making it and it is one of my favorite pieces of beaded art.

More! I want to do more!

Even though this isn't a goal, and as much as I enjoy doing bead work for publication in books and magazines, I've decided to postpone that until the Toddler Tornado is in pre-school. Assuming I send her to pre-school. Educating my l'il darling is a whole 'nother issue. To home school or not to home school, that is the question. Oh! But I will continue to participate in Margie's color reports. I can't give up my color challenges!

But, I digress.....So, what am I doing this year? Making beady mountains into beady mole hill and recycling interestingly shaped plastic and glass bottles into beaded art work!

Namaste!

Belly Dance Monday-Belly Dance & Bead Envy

For today's "Belly Dance Monday" post I was going to review a DVD, but I decided to postpone that after reading what Marcia DeCoster's wrote in her blog over the weekend. Here is an excerpt: (To read the entire post click here.)

I also get anxious when I see a colleagues work and I feel that feeling that Rachel has coined so well as project envy (Speaking of whom, have you seen You and Eye? Awesomely beautiful). It happens, you're in awe of what someone else did with the beads and begin to question your own work and then I step back and realize that is what they are meant to be doing and I am doing what I am meant to be doing. Don't get me wrong, I celebrate what my colleagues are doing, there is so much incredible beadwork being done, so much pushing the limits and exploration and creativity. And I celebrate being a part of that world.

The timing of Marcia's post is absolutely perfect. Over the weekend I watched a DVD (not the one I was going to review) that left me with belly dance envy and I can relate to what she is saying.

I find this to be refreshingly honest because Marcia is an incredibly talented bead & fiber artist. I've run into a few artists, be they dancers, beaders, or otherwise, who wouldn't ever dare to admit to having moments of self-doubt. That's much too human and, or course, true talent never doubts itself.

Hogwash, balderdash, and just plain ol' bullshit!

I think true talent does question itself. If you don't occasionally question yourself then how can you possibly grow as an artist? No growth=stagnation. I find stagnation to be appalling.

I'll climb off my soap box now before I stray too far off the subject......

Like Marcia, I sometimes find myself so in awe of another person's work, or in this case dancing, that I start to question & compare myself.

"Why can't I move like Ava or dance like Helena?"

Being one of the heavier dancers in class there are times when I wish I was thinner. Or was taller so that I would be able to carry my weight better. Sometimes I wish my breasts were smaller & my hips were bigger. Yeah, I know. Most women are the opposite and wish for smaller hips & larger breasts. Go figure.

So.... in class tonight if that niggling little voice of mine begins to lead me down the road to self-doubt I will silently, gently, & lovingly chant either one of these two mantras that was taught to me a few years ago by a fellow belly dancer & yoga instructor.

"In this moment I am at my most perfect."

"Beautiful, bountiful, blissful am I."

Or perhaps my own mantra, which is:

"Find tadasana."

Tadasana is Mountain Pose and for those of you who aren't practitioners of yoga, what I mean by that is to find your own place of balance and strength. It's not as poetic as the first two mantras, but it works for me.

I celebrate the fact that I am in both the belly dance and the bead worlds.

And yes, I do occasionally experience bead envy.