Monday, March 30, 2009

Amber and Copper



I love Amber. It is such a cool stone, not really a stone though. It is a tree resin, but it is so light that even big chunks weigh very little. I love chunky necklaces but they can be very heavy sometimes. Not with amber. It comes in different shades also. I had a couple different kinds of amber nuggets, and some amber chips. I have been wondering how amber would look with copper. I have come to really like using copper in my jewelry. So, yesterday morning, I whipped up this necklace and earrings with my amber and copper. I really like it and it is so light. I like the combination of the two colors of amber, and please don't ask what they are. I only know that one of them is Baltic amber.

My hubby, Zoomer usually only gives me an "It's okay" when I show him something I made. When I showed him this he said "That's really nice. A bit chunky, but with the right outfit, it would look reslly good." This is high praise coming from him.

In case you did not know, if you click on the pictures in a blog, it will take you to a larger version so you can see it better. I suggest it on this as it really shows the necklace up better.

I will be doing a show the last week of July. I hardly ever keep any of my jewelry. I just do not wear it that much. Especially around here. I have worn a piece of my jewelry every time we go out somewhere, but in the 9 months I have been here, not one single person has commented on anything I have worn. It seems like people here in Indiana just do not notice things like that. When I wore my jewelry in Ohio, I always got at least one comment each time, but usually more.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Beading For A Cure Project Done



Hi all, I am finally finished. I worked on this late into the night many nights. I was so excited that I was actually making this, that it was being created out of my mind with my own hands. I still find it hard to believe that I did this. I really hope it does well in the auction next year. Check out this years auctions. Go to Ebay and do a search for Beading For A Cure. They put up new auctions every Sunday.
I had a lot of fun creating this. I think it is neat the way it looks like the seahorse is holding onto the seaweed. I also tried to make waves with the bugle beads. You really cannot see it in the pictures, but there are also bubbles coming off some of the seaweed. I really like the look of the Seamoss beading for the necklace part. I also only did the loops of it for the let side as I like Assymetrical. I also like how I positioned the lampwork bead on the right side.
Of course, the fringe does not spread out like this when it is worn, I just did that for the pictures. Please let me know what you think of my first bead embroidered necklace.
Thank you to Christi Friesen for her wonderful books and tutorials. The seahorse is done in her style. Check out her website www.CFOriginals.com. She has inspired me so much in a lot of my work.

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Turks Mate Violet


This is my second Fuzzbunn from Christi Friesen's online class. I used metallic white Sculpey III and brown Granitex clay. She is embellished with lavendar wool roving and beading wire, and she is holding a silk flower, a gift from Turk. He is very happy to have his mate with him now, and she looks up at him so adoringly. I am really having fun making these. I plan on making about a dozen younguns for them.

Friday, March 20, 2009

New Additions







Well, it is Spring here at the farm, or close enough anyway. I went up the hill to feed the animals Monday morning and there were two adorable little lambs. Twins born to the one ewe we have here. I quickly made a pen for them in the hay room, and picked up the two little darlings and holding them low to the ground so the mama would see them, backed into the pen with her following. I just want to hold and cuddle them, but cannot mess with them till they are a week old, according to the farm's owner.

They each have one black foreleg and one white forleg with a black heart at the knee. Just too precious. Yesterday while I was up there feeding, the youngest one was bouncing straight up and down on all four leggs like a pogo stick. I am thoroughly enjoying watching them.

I am going to try to do needle felted sculptures of them as soon as I have the time.

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Progress on Beading For A Cure Project

Well, I have been working on this every chance I have. I got the main part done and the backing glued on, and started the border beading. But I was really anxious to see what it was going to look like with the necklace part I had chosen to do. So, I started on that and will finish the border later. I am really happy with it as it reminds me of seaweed which fits in with the theme perfectly.

I got the idea from a book called Netted Beadwork by Diane Fitzgerald. The technique is called Sea Moss. I love it, and I was able to incorporate the beautiful lampwork bead into it.
There was a mishap that has upset me and I now have repair work to do. Several of the spines broke off of the seahorse. I was so careful with this and so upset when it happened. Rather then glue the spines back on, I am going to sand down the areas and re varnish it and just leave the three spines that are there. I will not sell a glued piece, so I will not do a glued piece for the auction.

I hope you all like what I have done so far. I need to finish the other half of the necklace, and do the fringe, but I am very happy with my first bead embroidered necklace.


Thursday, March 12, 2009

Beading For A Cure Project.

I first heard about the Layne's Legacy: Beading For a Cure from someone on one of my beading groups I found out the kits would be available just days later, so as soon as they were available to new people, I purchased one. They send you a kit of beads, you have no idea what colors or kinds of beads until you get your kit. You then have to make a project using at least one of each bead. You can add one type/color of bead of your choice, and findings/metal type spacers, fibers, pendants, or a set of art beads that are not counted as your single added bead. I already knew, no matter what beads I got, that I wanted to attempt a bead embroidered necklace. I have always wanted to do these.
Here is the set of beads that we got this year. I am very pleased with the colors. I had a cabochon that went perfect with them.

These are the beads I chose to use with the kit beads. They are glass, with a finish on one side and black on the other. I never knew what to do with them until now.


Here is what I am working on. I am using a cabochon made by an Ohio Beader. I cannot remember who made it, so if you see it, and you made it, please let me know so I can give you credit. I also added a polymer clay seahorse pendant I made in the style of Christi Friesen. (You should check out her website, www.CFOriginals.com ) Since I added the seahorse, I decided to do a somewhat ocean theme. I am going to call the piece Jewels of the Sea. I am very pleased with it. I never thought I could do this type of beading, and I am surprising myself. The projects made this year will go up for auction next year.
They are auctioning last years projects on ebay right now. Just do a search for Beading For A Cure.




Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Meet Turk




I just made my first Fuzzbunn, a polymer clay bunny sculpture from an online class with Christi Friesen. I think he is cute. I made him from a mix of metallic white Fimo Soft and Turquoise Granitex. He has turquoise wool on his tail and head. I am going to make more. After all, you know how prolific bunnies are. I really like his facial expression, and his long whiskers and big ears. I love Christi Friesen's style and do a lot of work based on her style. You should check out her website http://www.cforiginals.com/

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Meet Alfred


This is Alfred. He is my latest needle felt project. I took Kay Petal's online course from http://www.feltalive.com/ and he is the result. It took a while to do his Hawaiian shirt and I was beginning to wish I had never started it, but I am pleased with the results. I did not have any particular person in mind when I started him. He created his self as I went along. I really enjoyed doing this and hope to do a new doll soon.
Right now I am working on a beading project for Beading For A Cure. You purchase a kit of beads, and you do not know what they are until you get them. Then you make a project from them. You have to use at least one of each bead, and you are allowed to add one bead of your own, as many as you want , but only the one kind and color. You can add all the metal spacers and findings you want, and cabochons and pendants. I will post here when it is finished.
Hope you enjoyed your visit with Alfred.