friday giveaway!

This is a new charm for the 'little blessings' line. Its carved from polymer clay and features a sweet image of a mother cuddling her baby. Its about the size of a dime and the thickness of one side of an Oreo. I have an idea of what I want to inscribe on the back, but I'm sort of waffling between a couple of things, unable to decide.

Which brings me to the next thing on my list, a giveaway for Friday! Leave a comment about what you would like to see on the back of the mama charm and I'll draw from the comments section. The winner will receive a pack of the beads shown above. They are from our latest batch of new pieces and they are some of my favorite! The small floral clasp is perfect for a bracelet or a delicate necklace of faceted stones and the coral branch link is great for an asymetrical summer piece. Ok! Let's hear those suggestions!

evening

Evenings at our house are spent together, cooking dinner, playing rambunctiously, quizzing spelling words (my girl gets 100% every time!) and talking about the day.

I am addicted to ball jointed dolls. Maybe its the whole crafty part of painting their faces and making wigs, clothes and shoes that reels me in. Or maybe its creating the characters. Or choosing from hundreds of eyes. Whatever it is, Azalea shares my obsession and is always ready to participate in any dolly endeavor. Here's my girl posing with our latest doll, Buttercup (a Fairyland LittleFee creation). I love her and try really hard not to bring her everywhere, so Greg doesn't have to feel embarrassed that his wife is so weird. Poor Greg.

I do my best work in the evenings. I wish I could rise early with the dawn, listen to the birds awaken the world and begin work. But more likely than not I'm seeing dawn from the other direction, so to speak. Here's my latest piece, inspired by a motif on a piece of Liberty of London fabric, 'The Strawberry Theif" I think, maybe by William Morris. This is a pressing from a mold I just finished carving (its a quick smoosh of polymer in the mold, untouched and sloppy- but it shows the bird nicely). It will probably show up as a bronze clay piece, or maybe I'll clean it up and engrave a quote on the back and cast it in pewter. What do you think?

mother's day

Yesterday was Mother's Day, so we decided to load into the van and head over to Franklin, NC, where the gem show was held. I found my long time friend Jessica, from Jess Imports and we stood around catching up about the kids, my mom (and her love of Phillipine boxing star Manny Paquiao). We also planned some exciting pieces for her line (new bees!) to debut in a couple of months. Above is a vermeil ring featuring the Green Girl classic mermaid button, one of my Mother's Day gifts.
These sparklies are rose cut Champagne Quartz cabachons, destined for some limited edition pieces. I saw them at Sona's table and thought how great they would look on a ring, or even set onto a bit of enameling, to magnify and glitterize the color.

I found this unique amulet at a table selling pieces from various Boudouin tribes and couldn't resist shifting through the pile to find one with a.) a perfect stone with no cracks b.) really sharp carving. It's a quartz crystal sliced like a loaf of bread with an image of a gazelle or rabbit creature carved out. Looking at it put me in the mood to sit down at my lapidary grinder and have at it. I have some gorgeous rough stones that need attending to.

While at Sona's table, I found more stones to add to my hoard (from the top down): micro faceted sapphires, chrome dioxide teardrops, top drilled mini faceted black spinel, rainbow tunduru sapphire rondelles, rough cut diamonds, faceted pyrite rondelles and peach colored andalucite. Unfortunately, they don't have a website, so I have to wait till a gem show rolls around or call their offices in Morgantown, PA (610-856-7211) but their prices are great and I love the quality, so its worth it.

Sheila's store

Look at this lovely print I purchased from my sister Sheila! I think it would look great in my collection of drawings, paintings and prints I've gathered over the years. She just opened a storefront on etsy.com called sthorntonart and has some of her paintings and prints for sale. Many are paintings she made while traveling to far flung locales like India or Thailand, while others were created closer to home, in Venice Beach, FL. She has a beach painting I immediately recognized as her secret shark tooth gathering spot, a lovely, quiet patch of beach she took us to a few weeks ago. I like that aspect of her work, the element of intimacy and connection, of knowing these are pictures from an artists life, seen and captured.

new stamps for Andrew

These are polymer test copies of the new stamps I carved for Andrew. Remember a few months ago I asked what folks thought I should make to help Andrew with his cancer bills? Well, a lot of folks mentioned making a painting, or a doll, which are good ideas, just a tiny bit too time consuming. Those things take ages to make, especially when my time is so limited, so he wouldn't see money for awhile. He thought the stamps would be a good idea since he could produce them himself. We talked about what designs to make and spent a pleasant afternoon sketching and drinking coffee. We agreed on these designs (although the serpent is a fun extra I knew he would like!) and I just finished carving them last night. I will carve more designs for GGS to debut at Bead and Button, but these little lovelies will only be available at Andrew's shop.

winners!

Ok! That was exciting! It also proved enlightening, as far as taste trends are concerned. There is definitely a strong pull towards detailed focals on simple settings. I wonder if this sway towards simplicity has to do with warmer weather? It's hard to say for me, since I love both ornate and simple jewelry year round. This little contest has inspired me to make some intricate pendants, ideal for threading onto some chain or ribbon.
And now the winners! The grand prize of a mechanical owl pendant goes to Patty of the Ornate Blue Bead! I think my brother Andrew was right, another prize should go to the runner up, Ann.
The drawing winner from the votes goes to #45 Heidi! To claim your prize, send me an email with your shipping address. All this month I'll be doing giveaways, so check back soon!

which should I pick?

Hi! I meant to announce the winner, but I have to admit I'm torn. Which of these should win? Cast your vote in the comments section. The first is by Ann Cruzen:

"I mixed the colors using the closest shades I had on hand to your recipe and I liked how they turned out. To me they had a rich medieval tone ( my husband thought I had some berries on the baking tray!) .
So then my first thought was to use your "dragon bead" but the studded beads reminded me of the mechanical owl which I thought fitting to use an owl bead. My husband loaned me his wire cutters and I *may* owe him a sharpening as I think I nicked them cutting the nails for the studs! "
























I'm drawn to the shape of the piece and the intricate wire work around the owl, which perfectly sets it off. The varied use of mixed color metals is an interesting design element, making it more wearable with either gold or silver. The studded beads are also very nicely shaped and luminous looking. Well done, Ann!
























This entry is by Patty Gasparino:

"I hope it's not too late I was dying to do this! This is one of my favorite books!!!

I only had a few days so it's not as polished as I would like - I used your sweet bird toggle and simple chain.I will be blogging about this tomorrow. "

Blog:
http://www.mylifeunderthebus.typepad.com/
Shop:
www.etsy.com/shop/thejunquerie
Fan Page:
www.facebook.com/#!/MyLifeUndertheBus

I love the simplicity of design in this piece, which is a great counterpoint to such an intricate bead. The sweet robin's egg blue of the clay is one of my favorites, as it goes so well with silver. The use of the flowers along with the nail heads is really creative and looks fantastic! Great work, Patty!

OK, let's decide together! This was a fun project and i enjoyed seeing the entries. VOTE and one the votes will WIN A PRIZE! I'm feeling festive, gearing up for Bead and Button and nothing says 'festivity' like a giveaway.

weekend at the farm

We spent a lazy weekend at our friend Carter's family farm in Ridgeway, SC for a festive pig roast. The farm is over a hundred acres of forest and trails, perfect for wildflower gathering and the occasional ride in a four-wheeler. Azalea and I tried not to monopolize the hammock, but it was pretty comfortable.



















Doesn't Max look like he's fishing on a raft? My little camera has a 'toy camera setting' that gives the edges a grainy look, like photos from the seventies. I like the look, it reminds me of pictures from my youth.























I spotted this brilliant flower growing in the deep shade of the forest and was surprised by the almost glowing yellow set against the browns of last year's leaves.

Our dog Suni came along for the fun and ran wild through the woods, coming back to sit with us under the shade between runs. It was particularly sweet to see how she stayed near Max when he napped under a tree, or when I would let him wander a bit, she was right by his side. Those two are already best friends. I think I may have to paint them together!

inspiration

This picture was taken last week at the arboretum. We go there late in the day, when its quiet and most folks are leaving. Late afternoons are my magic hours, when my best ideas bubble to the surface. I'm always ready with a camera in one pocket, sketchbook in the other.


















I love the shape and color of this plant. I can't remember the name, something with 'fire' in it and probably from Mexico, but I thought it would make a nice pendant.
























I've been meaning to sculpt lily-of-the-valley and iris's for years....maybe this is an sign to stop thinking about it and do it.























I've made stamps of fiddle head ferns and columbines, but only for limited edition pieces, never full production. I keep seeing them everywhere, growing wild between rocks, along sidewalks and against old, dilapidated buildings. There's something a little sad about their drooping heads and impossibly thin stems, but in a sweet way, like they are determined to grow no matter what.























I like this picture of Andrew, doesn't he look like he's thinking of something poetic and heartbreaking? But knowing him, I'd say he's thinking more about what our next food adventure will be!














































Azalea looked so small sitting in the center of all those pansy's. She's a good girl, sketching her favorite flowers and making up stories about them.






















When our friend Kathy Van Kleeck comes over, its always a good time- she's fun and knowedgeable and time just flies past. I find that when she leaves, I can't wait to get into the studio to make things. Some artists have that effect on people, maybe its the excitement for the materials, or the willingness to share information. Above is a picture of delicate pinch pot she gave to me to put little treasures in. I love how every fingerprint and indentation is accented by a blue wash of color, giving it a luminous glow in sunlight. The lovely beads it holds are from the talented JoAnne Zekowski of "Z Designs in Glass" E-mail: rzekowski@mindspring.com.

great etsy craft finds

WhoKnowsWhat Aren't these metal flowers great? I'm not sure what I'll do with them, but I think they'll be a fun component in a project (like attached to a chandelier, wire wrapped around a mirror or frame or separated to use in a necklace).

IUsedToBeATree I bought these to make kokeshi dolls for the kids, since the first batch I made for Azalea came out so well. These blanks are perfectly smooth and don't require any sanding, just grab your paints and get started! I use acrylic paints and mediums to the paint faces and clothes and seal the surface with matte or satin varnish. I'm so excited to paint these! I think an ocean creature theme would look interesting.

Giant Dwarf This felt is really pretty! The felt is made from a blend of tencel and wool fibers, making it naturally soft and sturdy. It's thinner than regular wool felt and thicker than polyester felt. I have lots of ideas for this stuff! Doll clothes, flower hairpins and small bags for gifts. I'd also like to see if this felt could be used with mohair wool, as prefelts.

I love finding good sources, especially if they support small businesses in the U.S. All the photos are from the listed shops.