Wewt, wewt! I'm tooting my own horn here, but I don't care! ^_~
My Zen Garden article got published in the August 2010 Polymer Cafe magazine! Check me out! It's so cute--teaches how to make cute little box AND a cute little rake for a cute little relaxing rock garden. I think we could all use a bit more Zen in our lives.
I'm so pleased for the opportunities. And I've got TWO more articles pending publication! So I'm kind of dancing around tonight. We went to Texas Roadhouse to celebrate and the balloon man there made these totally awesome twisty balloons for each of the boys--two balloons twisting together, with little balloon balls inside! I can see how he made them and I can intellectually realize that it wasn't sorcery or anything, lol, but it was still pretty darned cool and magical. ^_^
Now I'm having an Oreo McFlurry with a shot of hot fudge (to make the icecream all swirly and fudge-y... you should TOTALLY try it). Celebration is over tonight, though. Back to whole grains and good foods tomorrow. ^_^
Monday, June 14, 2010
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Totally easy earwires!
Oh, I've been so busy and I can't get into it. But, I'm thrilled to report that my second article is going to get published soon in Polymer Cafe. Don't know when exactly yet, but I'm sure I'll find out once they get my contract.
Also, just as a little tidbit, since I haven't been too instructional lately, I'll share my new favorite thing... Drumroll, please...
These earwires are so easy to make, you'll wonder if you're cheating. Take some half hard 20 gauge sterling silver round wire. Wrap it a few times around something slightly smaller than the desired finished size of your wires (the half hard wire springs). Using your flush cutters, and switching them around with each cut to keep the ends flat, cut rings from the coil. With your fingers, form the cut circles into rings. Take round nose pliers and make a loop on the inside of one of the rings. Tumble polish/file the cut end that remains to make sure it's not pokey. Make totally cool looking earrings!
Now how easy was that? I made myself a whole collection of little earrings this way today. I think these are officially my favorite earwires now.
Also, just as a little tidbit, since I haven't been too instructional lately, I'll share my new favorite thing... Drumroll, please...
These earwires are so easy to make, you'll wonder if you're cheating. Take some half hard 20 gauge sterling silver round wire. Wrap it a few times around something slightly smaller than the desired finished size of your wires (the half hard wire springs). Using your flush cutters, and switching them around with each cut to keep the ends flat, cut rings from the coil. With your fingers, form the cut circles into rings. Take round nose pliers and make a loop on the inside of one of the rings. Tumble polish/file the cut end that remains to make sure it's not pokey. Make totally cool looking earrings!
Now how easy was that? I made myself a whole collection of little earrings this way today. I think these are officially my favorite earwires now.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
www.jewelrylessons.com
Poking around the web led me to find www.jewelrylessons.com. It looks much like www.claylessons.com and there are a TON of gorgeous, gorgeous tutorials on there. Ack! It's overwhelming!
Just thought I'd share. ^_^
Just thought I'd share. ^_^
Ananda Khalsa... AHHH!
So Ananda Khalsa just sent out an e-mail with images from her latest work. She's setting stones in some pieces instead of paintings, and while I am a HUGE fan of her original work, I really, really love the stone pieces, too! They still look so much like her. I just LOVE her stuff. If any of you haven't heard of her or seen her pieces, go take a look. She might just be my favorite jewelry artist ever, or artist in general. I mean, I think I love her stuff even more than I love Kathleen Dustin's. And that's saying a LOT.
www.anandakhalsa.com
www.anandakhalsa.com
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Crazy Scraps/Weird Validations
I don't know how many of you experience strange and random validation of your art, but I often do.
Last week, I took some silver scraps into Lonnie's to trade for more silver. As I was gathering them all together (they used to have one spot--what happened?!), I noticed how crazy they were. Big, messy coils from some failed attempt at whatever idea I had at the time. I often mess up quite a bit of wire on weird ideas that usually work, but sometimes really, really don't. And as I looked at my ridiculous pile, I felt that little brush of validation. In art, at least, I don't fear failure. I've managed to work out in my art what I'm trying to work out in my life in general. It's something I felt God say to me a while ago about various things I'm attempting in my life. I told Him about being afraid of failing, and it felt like He said, "Don't worry about it. If you don't make it, it's not another time you failed--it's another time you tried." If anything, I suppose it's a spectacular thing to keep trying in the midst of such a train wreck. LoL. And I like to think that even if I never quite make it with a lot of this junk, I'll be taking some pretty spectacular scraps up to Heaven with me, and probably a lot more finished work than I think.
Also, I was looking around online at some random beginning polymer clay artists. I liked a lot of what I saw. They made beautiful, beautiful work. But as I looked, I saw just how many of them really seem to be channeling the books I've seen, and aren't quite doing their own thing yet. Their days will come, I'm sure! But I sort of had to think of all the stuff I make--that stuff I feel isn't too special most of the time. I tend to feel like what I make is mostly lame. But this exercise gave me some new eyes. I've been doing polymer clay seriously now for about 6 years. I have so few things I've made based on a book. Virtually all of what I have now is stuff that is mine. It's me! And it was kind of exciting to have that validation, to realize that I don't think I'm a beginner anymore. I think, even though I don't necessarily have a "style" yet, what I'm making is still mine. And it's really cool to realize that.
I just should on myself too much. I think we all do. Ah, well. I'm sharing to hopefully give someone else some validation. Don't be afraid of failure. Don't belittle your work. You're a beautiful, unique creation, and your own creations are awesome. ^_^
Last week, I took some silver scraps into Lonnie's to trade for more silver. As I was gathering them all together (they used to have one spot--what happened?!), I noticed how crazy they were. Big, messy coils from some failed attempt at whatever idea I had at the time. I often mess up quite a bit of wire on weird ideas that usually work, but sometimes really, really don't. And as I looked at my ridiculous pile, I felt that little brush of validation. In art, at least, I don't fear failure. I've managed to work out in my art what I'm trying to work out in my life in general. It's something I felt God say to me a while ago about various things I'm attempting in my life. I told Him about being afraid of failing, and it felt like He said, "Don't worry about it. If you don't make it, it's not another time you failed--it's another time you tried." If anything, I suppose it's a spectacular thing to keep trying in the midst of such a train wreck. LoL. And I like to think that even if I never quite make it with a lot of this junk, I'll be taking some pretty spectacular scraps up to Heaven with me, and probably a lot more finished work than I think.
Also, I was looking around online at some random beginning polymer clay artists. I liked a lot of what I saw. They made beautiful, beautiful work. But as I looked, I saw just how many of them really seem to be channeling the books I've seen, and aren't quite doing their own thing yet. Their days will come, I'm sure! But I sort of had to think of all the stuff I make--that stuff I feel isn't too special most of the time. I tend to feel like what I make is mostly lame. But this exercise gave me some new eyes. I've been doing polymer clay seriously now for about 6 years. I have so few things I've made based on a book. Virtually all of what I have now is stuff that is mine. It's me! And it was kind of exciting to have that validation, to realize that I don't think I'm a beginner anymore. I think, even though I don't necessarily have a "style" yet, what I'm making is still mine. And it's really cool to realize that.
I just should on myself too much. I think we all do. Ah, well. I'm sharing to hopefully give someone else some validation. Don't be afraid of failure. Don't belittle your work. You're a beautiful, unique creation, and your own creations are awesome. ^_^
Friday, May 21, 2010
Stitch markers and buttons!!!
I'm delivering my stitch markers, buttons, and shawl pins to Tempe Yarn and Fiber today for their grand opening (at their new location--next door to their current one!) on the 25th! This has been weeks and weeks in the working and I'm excited. I'm delivering a pretty huge stock (for one person, at least) today. Over 30 pairs of stitch markers (which can easily be converted into beautiful earrings with provided hypoallergenic kidney ear wires) and close to 50 buttons. Some of those are in sets, but still. It was a butt load of work.
Anyway, it's exciting to be back out there again. Last time it was Art on Boston. Now it's a yarn shop. So this venue is combining my love of metal work, jewelry making, polymer clay, AND fiber arts.
Oh, and I made one button that says, "Eat, knit, and be merry, for tomorrow we dye." Isn't that SO cute?!
Anyway, it's exciting to be back out there again. Last time it was Art on Boston. Now it's a yarn shop. So this venue is combining my love of metal work, jewelry making, polymer clay, AND fiber arts.
Oh, and I made one button that says, "Eat, knit, and be merry, for tomorrow we dye." Isn't that SO cute?!
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
New Rivoli Pendants/Polymer Thief
I made new pendants. But that's in a sec. Look at this cute picture I found when I was rifling through 2007 photos. This is my sweet Elliott, at about 8 months old, attempting to pilfer a block of polymer clay from the table as I was crafting. He used to sit next to me in the high chair all of the time as I crafted. I tell people all the time that he was raised around my crafts. This is usually in response to their surprise as Elliott runs off with my jewelry or plays with beads or whatever. I trained him early to be gentle with that stuff, just like I did his older brother. And he always listens when I tell him not to touch or to put things back. Anyway, it was just fun to find this pic of my little craft supply thief. (Oh, and the spot on his cheek is eczema. Virtually all of his baby pictures have his little spotted cheek in them.)
I've been obsessed with the Rivolis lately thanks to Lynne's demo. These are some pendants I made setting them in a different way. I like their look... chunky and antique, kind of. I like them both antiqued AND left shiny silver. I'm going to try gold next.
I was thinking about putting this up at claylessons.com. It could be my inaugural tutorial. ^_^
I almost can't express my level of stress right now, though. I got all of my shawl pins finished and buffed, but I still have so far to go. I got stitch markers and buttons made yesterday and I'm starting to feel really overwhelmed with it all. It's good that I have these opportunities, but it's also really hard between teaching, selling, taking care of my kids, and trying to keep my house livable. If anyone else out there has ever figured out a perfect balance, let me know. For now, though, Flylady is saving my life. And keeping dinner on the table. ^_^ Earlier today, I was joking with myself. I'm weird. I was thinking, about myself and my art, that someone else might say, "She's such a poser. She still does housework." LoL.
I've been obsessed with the Rivolis lately thanks to Lynne's demo. These are some pendants I made setting them in a different way. I like their look... chunky and antique, kind of. I like them both antiqued AND left shiny silver. I'm going to try gold next.
I was thinking about putting this up at claylessons.com. It could be my inaugural tutorial. ^_^
I almost can't express my level of stress right now, though. I got all of my shawl pins finished and buffed, but I still have so far to go. I got stitch markers and buttons made yesterday and I'm starting to feel really overwhelmed with it all. It's good that I have these opportunities, but it's also really hard between teaching, selling, taking care of my kids, and trying to keep my house livable. If anyone else out there has ever figured out a perfect balance, let me know. For now, though, Flylady is saving my life. And keeping dinner on the table. ^_^ Earlier today, I was joking with myself. I'm weird. I was thinking, about myself and my art, that someone else might say, "She's such a poser. She still does housework." LoL.
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