Flowers from a friend

Eleanor opened her eyes and took stock; she was still here. Not that here was a bad place to be; all in all, she was glad to be here, she just couldn't shake the feeling of disappointment with her life that had been plaguing her lately. It wasn't anything she could put her finger on; nothing was wrong, exactly, it just wasn't quite right, either.

She sighed.

She couldn't even do depression right these days. That was it in a nutshell; she just didn't feel right about things any more. Everything was just a little bit off; not enough off to make it worthwhile to call attention to it and do something about it, but just enough off to make her sigh instead of smile.

She just wished that someone would notice her; she realized with a start that she desperately needed flowers from a friend. Since she couldn't make someone else send them to her, she decided to send flowers to someone else who might want them, and, perhaps, make their day. With a wry grin, Eleanor launched herself out of bed and arranged delivery.

© 2011 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel
Polymer Clay bead by Ivy Koehn of iKandiClay. Beadwoven.

Judith Kinghorn Jewelry

It's very easy to feel drawn to

Judith Kinghorn's jewelry.  Her work

is fabricated using a combination of techniques

 including fusing, embossing, die forming,

and granulation. Using a traditional

goldsmith's tool, a mouth-blown torch, she 
creates highly-detailed jewelry by working with
layers of sterling silver and high-karat gold.

 Using the power of one's breath as part

of the process of creating is a
thought-provoking concept.
She literally breathes life
into her work.

Her botanical pieces are enchanting.

The warmth of gold can be hypnotic,

 and the sharp metallic details

provide a vivid contrast to the gentle

blending of luminous color.

Her pieces are often comprised of hundreds

 of individual components that meld together

 exquisitely. Those separate elements seem
at first to be identical to the all the others
but each is distinctly unique.

 

 

 

Each strand is so similar yet different from the others.

 Multitudinous components are a defining
feature of this artist's work.

These surfaces create a delightful play

of darkness and light.

 We love the luminosity of the gold.

Texture and depth of color produce

a spectacular effect.

There is so much detail and
craftsmanship in these
contemporary designs.
It’s obvious the artist has a talent for
creating work of exceptional beauty.
Not only do we see the hand of
the artist in her work, we sense her
spirit is also ingrained in it.

We hope you enjoy it
as much as we do.

Facelift...Complete!

Well, unless you count some minor remaining details like figuring out where to hang my flaming clock, I'm calling this one DONE! It's been so long in the making, and such an extended project that I thought I would never finish. An out of town dual-birthday party for my two elderly in-laws this weekend didn't stop me from finishing the plumbing, securing the metal workbench sides, and getting the rest of the extras finished. It's not my dream studio by any means*, but it's good enough to get me where I'm headed in the meantime, and was fairly easy on the budget. I've already started unloading some of the things I won't be using in my new studio on Freecycle.

In the beginning.

Let's start with the "before". It was hastily thrown together what, 8 years ago, using a hand me down adjustable height table, a piece of concrete backer board I spray painted black, and some fabric quickly stapled to the bare studs to make my corner of my garage studio a little less..."garagey". It's not like I wasn't able to transport myself away from those drab surroundings and dream my glassy little dreams out there, but I really wasn't excited about having people visit. I hated how sometimes things went pop and I didn't know where they went. I was also increasingly frustrated with my pile-o-tools on the table to my right. There was never enough room for them, and I was always struggling to disentangle them mid-bead.

You saw what I did to my glass storage in a prior post, and that was only the beginning. I have this habit of dragging out the power tools when my husband goes on business trips, and our recent chicken coop building project only whet my appetite for building. I built a near 8' long workbench using 2 x 4s for framing and attached it to the wall, leveling it in two directions all by myself using a bit of spit, a level, and my torching chair. That was hard. I attached a bit of a ledger board on the wall first, and leveled it. My brother gave me a great tip about clamping the 2x4's for the legs (instead of cutting them first and hoping for level) while I figured out exactly how long each leg should be. This bench is secured to the wall on two sides and has three free standing legs. This is my first time building anything with 2x4s, and due to ignorance and haste I think I used the cheapest type meant for using as studs inside a wall, but I made sure they were straight when I bought them, and I have to admit it was kind of fun using something so strong for the first time. Just kidding about the spit.

I topped the framework with MDF and then fire resistant gypsum, adding a backsplash of sorts on the back and two sides. A local roofing metal company did a great job making my inexpensive galvanized top despite a couple of measurement errors on my part. I debated surface materials, and finally settled on this relatively lightweight and clean looking metal, even though I'm not much for the industrial look. At least it will keep any dust down. This bench is solid! I can even stand on it with no perceptible movement at all. The 2x4s for the two legs on the left side extend up quite a ways to provide an attachment point for my lights, and give me a frame on which I can mount the pegboard for the tools on the left torching station.

The exposed studs had me scratching my head for a good while, trying to figure out how to disguise them without just putting up drywall. In a moment of inspiration at OSH I found these reed roll-up blinds and they were just the thing to make the dingy walls disappear. I have a little inspirational mixed-media art piece in mind for the walls to replace my bead images.

Finally...a place for everything.

My ventilation has always been a range hood I found on eBay for a song, although the shipping costs were more like a box set. It did an OK job, but not great - it was way too high above my table, and needed a lower hood enclosure to be effective. Inspired by Andrea Guarino's ventilation tutorial I was determined to enhance the suckability of my setup by using ductwork, but was only able to find the flexible corrugated stuff at Lowe's. It has tremendously improved the performance of my 400 cfm hood, but I need to find the smooth flexible ducting, and ideally a ready-made "Y" joint to replace my sketchy one. It's all a bit of overkill for a garage studio where one wall can be raised at will, but in the colder months I don't usually open it all the way, so the ventilation upgrade is a good idea.

I also plumbed the gas from outside using this great tutorial from LE, and moved my flashback arrestor so it's inline in my hose instead of at the tank outside. Found a few leaks today when I finally tested it, but was able to tighten everything up.

I had some wine boxes from the local wine distributor and converted one into a little shelving unit next to my torch to hold my presses and other flotsam. I've been able to repurpose almost all of the concrete backer board I used to have on my torch table.

Still need a skirt for my old voter's registration table (free from the county years ago) where I dip mandrels, to hide the storage underneath. The (free) metal cabinet under my new glass storage holds extra supplies and equipment.

The guest torching station will have a pegboard for tools like I do, but on a smaller scale. I plan to start teaching private and 2-person classes soon, and when I do I'll move the kiln to a cart to make a little more elbow room at the bench.

Just for fun I'm going to try finding some old vertical blinds on Freecycle, to use as a kinetic skirt on my mandrel dipping table. I'll probably jazz them up somehow first, though.

I've already started using my tumbler on my new bench, as well as some electroforming. Finishing projects started months, even years ago is high on my list right now, as few other accomplishments rejuvenate me quite as much. I've been creating some new jewelry as well, and will photograph and list several new pieces this week, so keep your eyes on my Etsy shop.

*My dream studio will be in it's own building, and will include torching stations for eight, a kitchen, great room with fireplace, and individual lodging rooms as well. If you're thinking it sounds like a Bead & Breakfast, you're right! That's my dream.

ashes to ashes.

i've always been attracted to the unsettling / abandoned/ nighttime landscapes, something about them feels both lonely & comforting. since leaving my little town near the sea in new york and moving to philly 12 years ago, it's nearly impossible to see the stars at night, obscured by the glow and chaos of the city. i miss the smell of salt water and laying in grass lawns, deciphering constellations at night. there is something about city life that loses the magic of being connected to the potency of nature. . . yet i live & sleep and assemble jewels just 5 blocks down the street from the philadelphia art museum that houses an incredible collection of art. living near all these works feels a small trade for living under the stars . . . but here i am, for now.

jeremy dyer  is an incredible photographer living in a city too, and yet captures the wonder of lonesome landscapes in his new show, ashes, opening at the occulter in nyc next week on june 2. if you live there, or near there, go. i promise you'll be transfixed.

Spice Up Your Sunday...

by MaryAnn Carroll

And add an extra sprinkle of spice by reading to the end of our designer interview to learn if you are the winner of the earrings giveaway.....

Now on to getting to know Izzy Winterhart...

I have to say, the little bit that I have gotten to know Izzy, I feel like I've known her for a long time.  Some people just have those open and honest personalities that comes shining through even in brief online conversations.  Izzy is one of those people.  I think you will also find that personality shining through in her jewelry creations and in her blog writing.   You can view her Etsy shop which I am sure you will be curious to see....

....as well as her blog where she shares her personal side.....

 So Izzy, How did you first get interested in creating jewelry?

I’m a bit of a rock-hounder and I noticed each time I attended a gem and mineral show more and more gemstone bead vendors where there.  I found myself mesmerized by this vast sea of beads.  So I purchased a few strings and started creating jewelry.  The past few years, however, my fascination has turned from beads to copper.  Now I find myself swimming in a sea of metal, hammers, blow torches and sheer happiness.

How long have you been selling and how did you first decide to sell (online, shows, etc.)?

I’ve been selling on Etsy for about four years combining my first shop and current shop.  Etsy seemed to be the most suggested online selling venue for crafters, so I gave it a try.  I’m hoping to take my show on the road at some point and participate in local craft fairs.

Have you set any goals for your future in terms of creating and selling?

I will continue to establish myself as a “jewelry artist”, growing and learning along the way.  I will also continue to try new techniques while keeping the uniqueness of my style.  I’d like to one day see something of mine in a gallery, peeking out and calling in those who wander the streets window shopping.

How did you first get interested in working with metals?

To be honest, I’m not sure how that happened.  It seems copper found me, not the other way around.  Copper exudes warmth and who can resist something that comes straight from the earth.  It is easy to work with, has a sweet energy and looks amazing.

How do you come up with your designs?  (for example:  Do you sketch them out on paper or do you start out and just freestyle?)

I tried the sketching thing in the beginning but the more I forced a piece to look like its paper counterpart, the more I completely messed it up.  So I quit.  I now just sit at my bench, music jamming in the background, pull out some copper, add a dash of filigree and a sprinkle of bead sparkle.  I just let it happen.

What have you enjoyed the most about selling online?

For me, selling online is the greatest way to reach out across the world and meet people.  I love the idea that one of my little creations might cross the sea to some far off destination.  And that it will be greeted, loved and worn by someone who may, in fact, speak a different language.  My jewelry has seen more of the world than I have…

Lastly, Izzy, When you are not making this gorgeous jewelry,

what else are you up to?

When I’m not working with copper I’m knee deep in home improvement.  I love fixing up our home, even though my husband thinks I suffer from projectaholicism.  I seriously can’t have too many items on my “to do” list.



Thank-you Izzy for such a great interview.... and for my your understanding regarding my accidentaly pre-posting blunder that I didn't realize shows up in google reader.... even when I think I'm quick to remove it!  I've learned something new......  Be vvvveeeeeerrrrrryyyyy careful which button you push ;o)  Careful is a word that I have had to personally practice throughout my life..... I'll get it right one day :O)

To learn more about Izzy..... just click any of the links below.

Blog

Etsy shop

Facebook page

And..... as promised, the winner of the earrings giveaway is.....

TRACY SUZANNE

Congratulations Tracy Suzanne!  Our next giveaway will be Sunday, June 5th.

Please contact MaryAnn by clicking HERE with your address.

soldering

mary jane dodd

'every one is a moon,

and has a dark side which he never shows to anyone.' 

~ mark twain

i love using stones in my work, they add depth of meaning and a special beauty... i decided i wanted to be able to set cup bezels... and so i did...

solder can be intimidating - there are all different kinds: paste, wire, sheet... they melt at different temperatures to allow for the creation of multiple joins... 

look for a prize related to this as a part of june's art spark!

 

Remembering...

by Patty Lakinsmith

Memorial Day is a holiday where we remember and honor those who have died in the service of our country. It's a time of reflection, a time when we try to find meaning in brave sacrifice. I also find myself thinking of others who have fought and lost brave battles of a more personal nature.

Handmade items can be a deeply significant way of honoring someone, or letting them know you're thinking of them. About 4 years ago a close friend of mine was diagnosed with a brain tumor. I have a tough time expressing difficult feelings in person, especially when I am afraid. Though it can be nearly impossible for me to speak without breaking down, I can write what I feel (that I'm terrified for her, that I love her, that I wish her courage in her battle), and I can use my hands to convey what's in my heart. Suegene really liked the color blue, so I made these beads for her and wove them into a few special pieces of jewelry for her, and I was very glad to have been able to make the trip to the East Coast to give them to her while she was still alive.

When she passed away not too long after that I made this heart for her young daughter, so she could remember the vibrant soul her mother had. It helped me to think of her as I made it.

Memorial Day also finds me thinking of my father, who left this earth when he was only a few years older than I am now, from an aggressive brain tumor just like my friend, two decades before her. I wish I had been making beads back then.

I'm sure that many of you have used your special talents to reach out to people in this way. I feel blessed to have some way of expressing my feelings when words are so difficult to come by.

The Beads of Courage program is a way of using art to help children facing serious illness. Please visit their blog to see all of the wonderful ways that they are helping kids and their families.

the last true surrealist darling.

rest now leonora.

Eliana Arenas Jewelry

Over the years we've developed an appreciation
for jewelry that features alternative and
nontraditional materials.
Personal adornment can be more
art than jewelry and we like the idea of using the
human body as a pedestal.

Eliana Arenas has a series of brooches created
with aluminum and clear plastic spoons.
The spoons have been cut and melted
to transform their original shape.
We find the scale and proportion of each piece
establishes a sense of presence - so while
the collection itself is called Absence, these pieces seem
filled with a presence we find intriguing.
Meant to be decorative they actually seem to present
themselves as personal amulets designed to protect
 the wearer against negative energy.

The collection has a breezy cloud-formation vibe.
It magnificently showcases volume, structure
and texture. And we like how she punctuates
the designs with negative space.

Take a look and see for yourself.

 

Each variation draws the eye inward.

 

Similar yet so different.

 

Repetitive elements create movement.

 

 

The variations are never ending.

Jewelry can be many things to many people.
We're glad to have you join us as we continue to explore
what jewelry is and what jewelry can be.

Enjoy!

What Is a Beaded Bead?

by Jen VanBenschoten

To me, there is nothing more magical than a beaded bead.  Put simply, a beaded bead is simply a bead (something that can be strung and with a hole running through it) that is made up of other beads.  This is one of my favorite beaded beads that I designed last spring, based on a piece of jewelry I found among my mother's things after she passed away:

The original beads were actually more oval-shaped, and were covered in Swarovski crystal pearls, if you can imagine that!  I used right-angle weave to cover the bead with dozens of tiny 4mm round beads and even tinier size 15 seed beads.  And yes, this was one of those designs that took me many, many tries to get it right.  The first time I succeeded in creating a right-angle weave covering that fit snugly around the bead, I had to tear it all apart to figure out what I had done because I didn't write any of it down!  (Head, meet desk...)

Now, if you really want to get into the beaded beads, here's a version done by my good friend Carol Dean Sharpe of SandFibers.  She calls these her Blooming Beads, and let me tell you, they are addictive to make!

Carol Dean Sharpe's Blooming Beads are the Epitome of Zen in Beadwork!

I don't often get a chance to make another artist's design, but when I saw the directions for these pretties, I basically dropped what I was doing and set out to make two of them.  I wear the big denim-blue one on a simple multi-strand wire necklace, and let me tell you, it gets compliments and questions like crazy!

Beaded beads are one of the mystical aspects of beadwork that I love so much.  It's like that M.C. Escher drawing of the hands drawing themselves - the beads make themselves into...beads!

And on that note, while I have you, I have a very exciting announcement to make, even if I'm a little late in making it.  As of May 2, I took over as the online editor for the Beading Daily online community!  I'll be writing daily blogs, along with the fabulous Jean Campbell, and working behind the scenes to bring you lots of beady goodness every week!  This is truly a dream come true for me - I have been a follower of Beading Daily since it's launch back in 2007, and I really think it's one of the friendliest online beading communities around.  You can sign up for free newsletters, get free projects, and even free eBooks - there will be one new free eBook available every month for 2011!

For today's post, I want to leave you with this question: where do you find the mystical in your craft?  Is it in the transformation of raw materials into finished pieces?  The creative journey itself?  Share your thoughts here on the blog!

Kim Kardashian's Engagement Ring Details!

Kim Kardashian's engagement ring is the perfect fit for the uber-reality starlet's personal style. It's bold. It's beautiful. And (good gracious) is it BIG!

New Jersey Nets forward Kris Humphries popped the question after dating Kim for only 6 months with a whopping 20.5-carat Lorraine Schwartz stunner, People reports!  (Schwartz is a longtime friend of the Kardashian clan and is known for her 'bigger means better' bling on all the important red carpet events.)

“It’s the most beautiful thing I have ever seen,” Kardashian told People. “It’s perfect.”

And TMZ is reporting the stone is valued at over $2 million smackers! (someone get me a chair....)

The 16.5-carat emerald-cut center stone is flanked by a pair of 2-carat trapezoids, for a total weight of 20.5 carats! Humphries even managed to work with Schwartz on the design behind Kim's back.

“[Lorraine] always listened to what I would want and the shapes I love. I had said I loved an emerald cut and they were scheming and plotting for a while,” she explained.

No wedding date is set yet, and while Humphries isn't keen on a big celebration he joked with Kim's momager, Kris Jenner, that he'd be "fine if there were mini-horses there."

Careful what you wish for,  sport...

Click here to see the other recently engaged star who's flashing an emerald-cut sparkler on her ring finger! And remember sister Khloe Kardashian's basketball-bought bling? She too dated her basketball beau, Lamar Odom, for a mere six months before gettin' hitched. Way to take your time, ladies.

Remember her carat count? Re-live all the Kardashian diamond details with me here!

Meet Bubbles

Meet Bubbles the baby groundhog. Bubbles is an orphan. Her (at least her rehabilitator thinks she's a her) mother was hit by a car and she was picked up by a nice lady and turned over to my friend. I never thought I liked groundhogs. They've burrowed underneath my pump house and created a big mess with their excavations. But this little critter is so friendly and just loves to cuddle. My dogs, as usual, were fascinated by this little thing. I once read that dogs can identify an infant of any species by their smell due to differences in blood chemistry. I don't know if that's true but they're always very gentle with these babies.