BIG Canes

After I took Jana Roberts Benzon's Arabesque Cane workshop, I went home and gave it a try--flying solo. Granted, it is on a very rudimentary level, but I did not want to take on too much and get discouraged, so I kept it simple.

The cane is about 4" high and 5" wide at the base. I let it rest overnight and then started reducing it the next morning.

As you can imagine, it takes quite a while to reduce it to a 2", 1" and 1/2" size.

My heart design shifted during the reduction because I spent more time reducing on one side instead of staying consistent on all sides. But, for my first design, compilation and reduction, I was happy and, an extra bonus--I learned from my mistakes.

I made several brooches, just playing around with the designs, texture and building levels. Giving it a two dimensional effect, but still keeping it light enough to wear comfortably is a delicate balance.In the above photo, you can sort of see the face and hat on "Moth Man". I think I have enough room under his chin to add a bow tie.

After I finished these, I went straight to my sketch book and started sketching out designs for the next BIG cane and purchased a couple of tools that really helped with that process. I will post those tomorrow.

UGLY Necklace Contest

Land of Odds is having their 8th Annual Ugly Necklace Contest and deadline to enter is March 15, 2010. Land of Odds sells beads, jewelry findings, beading supplies, books, etc. They sell Retail, and Wholesale and give quantity discounts.

Well, creating an ugly necklace is not as easy as it sounds. I entered a few years ago and was published on their site, but did not win. My entry was just not ugly enough. One of the entry requirements is writing a poem to accompany your necklace. Since I'd never written poetry, that was a kick too. It was a fun experience and I thought there may be others that might like to enter this year and have some fun with it.

My entry was called, "Ugly Necklace Warning!" and a bit of the poem is as follows:

This ugly necklace gives me vent

I can display what I cannot say

This ugly necklace matches my mood

and allows me to warn the world--

I'm tired, I'm cranky, my head's in a whirl;

I'm feeling nasty, rude and a little unglued.

I hung little warning signs all the way around the necklace-stay away, stand back, don't talk to me, leave me alone, don't bother me, get out of my hair, etc. I sculpted the polymer clay angry faces in really pukey colors. I hand crocheted copper wire for the base and then let the glue from a hot glue gun drizzle all over it - to give it the "unglued" feeling.

The closure was a head toggle through a loop (below).

So, if you are interested in entering , go to their site and read through the rules and then get busy creating something completely unbalanced and aesthetically ugly.

Free Form Peyote n Real Gemstones

I purchased this coral at the Quartzsite, Arizona market several years ago.

Do you see what I mean about planning one thing and doing another? I wanted to practice the faux porcelain beads, but ended up stringing the coral and turquoise.

I purchased the turquoise pieces through Rio Grande jewelry supply used what was left of the coral to string this piece.

Below is a free form sculptural peyote necklace with a bone and ebony button closure. I used Chinese jade as well as other multi-colored jades and turquoise.

Try, Try Again

The first time I tried making the tiger cane, I failed. The above photo is what is is supposed to look like and the below photos are from the failed cane.

No resemblance to a tiger cane. I tried to salvage something from all that work.

I turned the failed cane on its side and cut it with a wavy blade. The first cut looked like 6 bearded singers to me so I poked the holes, textured it, inlaid the faux turquoise and baked it.

The next few cuts were not fragmented, but full slices. To me, they looked like wood cut on a lathe.

If nothing else, I thought I would use them in a tile collage. So, I baked them and put them in with the rest of the stored tiles.

I really wanted that tiger cane; I was determined to give it another try. After figuring out that I over blended the Skinner blend and lost too much of the light beige, I tried it again and succeeded. Yay.

Bead Journal Wednesday

This was Sunday night's sunset- beautiful pinks, blues and yellows and then it turned a spectacular yellow orange, red and purple. It was unbelievable. I meant to post it and forgot.

I'm making Wednesdays the day I post my progress on my Bead Journal Project. Getting started wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. Beading one piece the same size each month for 12 months is a big enough challenge, but for me, deciding what I am going to do with them when I am done was a bigger challenge.

So, figuring out how I wanted to display them at the end of each month (and, ultimately at the end of the year) was the deciding factor in their size. I decided on 2" x 6" and am quite happy with my decision.

Sketched out a couple of designs and decided on the above.

Filled my gun case with my Walgreens' pill boxes filled with beads, my beading supplies and my beading mat and off I went. (See June 16, 2009 post on "Gun Case = Portable Beading".)

Just putting one bead in front of the other and getting started has helped the creativity flow. January is a great month. So full of promise for the upcoming year. A new beginning; a fresh new start. Resolutions to give hugs, get hugs and love more. To give a compliment once a day, to express my gratitude once a day, to live my passion. To try, just try, to stretch my comfort zone of trust. To lighten up and not take life so seriously. Oh my, what a stretch that will be for me. So January's journal piece is about new beginnings, reinventing ourselves and stretching in new directions.

Fringe Binge

This is one more of my free form sculptural peyote necklaces incorporating some polymer clay beads. The polymer beads are small, but thickly sliced. Giving them visual weight keeps them in balance with the other large beads.

I used a vintage button and peyote loop closure.

This necklace is the shortest in the fringe series.

Knock on wood, I've not had one come apart. I knot after every third fringe and dot with a spec of clear nail polish. I also believe that beaded pieces should be stored lying flat and not hung. I think it adds to their longevity.

Tiger Lily?

OK, yes it's a bit of a mess, but I wanted to throw something together with the tiger cane below.

I made the tiger cane from C. A. Therien's tutorial she sells on her site http://www.catherienarts.com/.

Her instructions are wonderful and the 27 photos are clear and concise. I really had a good time with this one. I have always wanted to do a tiger cane and this one was great fun!

Which is why I wanted to throw something together to post. This little assemblage is not baked because it still needs lots of finishing touches and clean up.

But it gives you a idea of where I'm going with this. Going to be out all day today so wanted to get this posted before I went to bed today.

Outer Fringe

That would be me out there on the outer fringe.

All that's missing is the kitchen sink.

And, actually, if I could have found a small charm, it would have been in there and called "Everything Plus the Kitchen Sink".

I kept this one because I loved how it has a subtle gradation of tone and an airy elegance.

Festive Beadwork

Sculptural Peyote was the first beading stitch I learned and it quickly became my favorite. No pattern to get frustrated with, no rules, can't make a mistake, just go where it takes you.

Instantly, I knew why I had been collecting beads for years. Everything fell into place; at least in the beading world. Which is another reason why I fell in love with beading; it was something I couldn't fail at. I was always falling short in everything else. Seemed like the harder I tried to please everyone, it just wasn't enough. But this made me happy.

I could bead in the car, on the train, on a trip, during lunch hour; oh, I was in heaven. This necklace was so much fun because I just kept going with it. Adding the bow at the closure with two different colored blue beads was the final touch. I kept three of my "Fringe" necklaces. Just didn't want to part with them.

I like art that I can get lost in. A piece that takes me into it and it has pleasant little surprises along the way. I love the rhythmic balance of this piece and how it is enlivened by the vertical lines and the textures in the fringe. The fringe is so sumptuous.

Happy New Year!

Before putting away my free form peyote fringe necklaces, I snapped some quick pics.

Today's is my Christmas Lights necklace. The fringe is the focal point, but still wanted to add interest (like there's not enough) to the sides. The left side is done in peyote stitch and the right side is braided.

The necklace includes gemstones, fresh water pearls, vintage crystals and beads, novelty beads, Czech glass beads, lampwork beads and beaded beads.

So, goodbye to 2009 and hello to 2010! First day of a brand new year of creating. May yours be filled with inspiration and joy.