Ornament Thursday! January 2008 Love Story

Ornament Thursday re-debuts today with the theme, "Love Story." Love comes in many forms as you can see from all of these talented OT'er's:





Art Bead Scene
The designers at Art Bead Scene have two jewelry love stories for you! Elaine Ray links together a little love with her ceramic heart components while Melanie Brooks Lukacs tells a little tale of romance in a Gothic Garden

Cindy Gimbrone Beads
Cindy's Love Story is about a hook and beads.




Earthenwood Studio Bead Blog
What is sweeter than a mix CD for your Valentine? A yummy gift box in which to present it, filled with candy themed decorations, including a cute bracelet and cell phone charm!

Hali's Blog
Hali's flowers of love in Ancient Bulgarian. Two paintings in stylized Cyrillic spell out L-U-V.

Heart Mobile
painted paper pulp hearts

Humblebeads
Heather shares her favorite bracelet design in a Valentine inspired color scheme.

Jennifer Heynen of Jangles
Jennifer has made a fun "Ornament" for her neck that looks good enought to eat.

Joolz by Lisa
This "Love Story" will last all year long! Lisa shares how beads and books work together.

Katie's Beading Blog
Here's a happy little heart project for you - use it to embellish a bag or your jeans, or as inspiration for a necklace or bracelet.

Kriss Cramer - Art Interrupted
Grow Love! Nuture and care for your loved ones every day. Use this heartfelt book, you can make yourself, to remind you of all the love you have to give.


Linda Augsburg at Make It Mine magazine
Linda's love story project is a dress she embellished by stenciling dancers and a big band along the hem. Read why and learn how to do it yourself on the Make It Mine blog.



Michelle's Love Story
The band is getting back together again! Ornament Thursday celebrates the story of love...


Savvy Crafter
Candie's love affair with big rings continue...she's making her own now! Love Stories and more over at the Savvy Crafter! XOXO!


Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!
Ah, Love ! This satirical creation of Jean's immortalizes certain women's profound affecton for their ... handbags!!!


Strands of Beads
Love speaks many languages. Learn how to say "I Love You" in an untraditional way with Melissa Lee's whimsical jewelry project.

Swell Designer
Alexa shares with you her truly swell and punny Valentines!

The Impatient Blogger
Love is in the air at The Impatient Blogger! Margot shares two vintage inspired jewelry designs that are oozing with romance...in a good way!


What's YOUR Love Story? Is there one of the OT's Love Story that you like the most? Post a comment and tell us!

My Love Story: Spirals n 'Shay

January's theme for Ornament Thursday is Love Story. It may bring to mind that sappy '70's movie with Ali McGraw and Ryan O'Neill . Today's project has nothing to do with that. One of the crafts I love is crochet and I'm happy it's back with a vengence. Spirals n shay uses crochet and my flat spirals for a one of a kind necklace.

Supplies you'll need are

Five (5) silver plum flat spirals

Size 8 seed beads in coordinating color

Pearle Cotton size 5 in coordinating color

Two (2) soldered sterling silver jump rings

One (1) "S" sterling silver clasp (I made my own out of 18 gauge sterling wire)

Tools:

1 big eye needle

1 crochet hook size 2.5mm

Scissors

Rather than give an entire set of directions, I'm going to focus on what I love most, the crochet. Below I show you how to crochet the beads onto the embroidery floss.

Bead crochet is fast, easy and lovely to look at! See why I love it so much? So go get a hook, a few spirals, embroidery floss and start hooking! While you're at it, you can sing a few bars of my version of Love Story:

Where do I begin?
To tell the story of how great a hook can be?
The sweet yarn stitches that are lo-va-lee to see
The simple truth about the joy 'Shay brings to me
Where do I start?

You know the lyrics now, go ahead - SING!

Sneak Peek: Ornament Thursday continues!

Remember Ornament Thursdays? I'm happy to say it will last the whole year now! YAY! More yay is OT will be new and improved! Double YAY!



How can you improve on OT? By expanding it from just ornaments to how-to projects for all kinds of jewelry, adding a monthly theme to tie it all together and enlisting an awesome group of bloggers to do it! OT will post the last Thursday of the month. The first post for 2008 is coming this week, January 31. A little sneak preview for you: January's theme is Love Story. Stay tuned! It's gonna be a great OT '08!

From my winter workbench

I was talking yesterday about when it's below freezing, I work on jewelry designs and ways to use my beads. I spent Saturday working on designs and yesterday with my budding photographer son, taking pictures. Something about how he photographed the bead inspired me to write a little bit of prose with it. Art beads are about the art and creating something beautiful to enjoy -

Brrr - it's cold so what's on your workbench?

If you follow my blog, you know my glass studio is unheated so in the winter it can be a challenge to melt glass. I've got heaters and hot kilns out there but since there's no insulation, it loses the heat quickly when the outdoor temperatures are under the freezing mark. So what's a rabid creative person like myself to do?

Make something! Yep, when it's cold in the studio, this Bead Committment Phobe sits down and actually commits to designs! YAY! Yesterday, I spread out all my jewelry making supplies on the coffee table in the family room. A few of the Skully Kidz and Goth Kidz were made into necklaces. One of a kind beads were made into zipper pulls and cell phone charms. I decided to add finished pieces to my etsy shop to expand the offerings.

I've got an eclectic style, the spirals are elegant and simple, the Heartz n Skullz edgey and the one of a kind unpredictable. I never know exactly what's going to come out of the glass - but it's always fun and interesting. Even more so when it's cold outside!

Plug Ur Bud

Today is "Plug Ur Bud" - if you've got a favorite beadmaker you want to shout out to, post a comment and leave some linky love. Today, I want to plug my buds over on ABS. An awesome group of beadmakers in all media! Go on over there and check out the awesome-ness that is ABS!

Which bud do you plug today?

Bead Vegan Introduction

Once in awhile, I'm going to post on cooking vegan. Why? Well, the food's darn good so why not share it with everyone?!? Besides, I sort of like the sassy attitude I see in Veganland, it's fun. So, what's not to like? Good food, fun and laughs, that'll make a great post and oh yeah, I'm a beadmaker so I'm going to call these occasional posts - Bead Vegan! I'll post something vegan-y and a bead-y pix. Cool? Cool!

Last week, I bought Vegan With A Vengence(VWAV). Yeah, I know in the Vegan World, I'm sooo far behind! But Sunday morning, I got up and made Scrambled Tofu. All I have to say is AWESOME! Even better, VWAV came from the show Post Punk Kitchen and the recipe is posted there for y'all to see and try yourself!

So now, on to the bead-y part of the post - Blue Arts and Crafts Hearts. When I'm working at the torch on a series like Heartz n Skullz, I usually throw in one "play" bead which means I take a completely different color and just play - varying the colors, technique just slightly to see what happens - the play beads are one of a kind and that's where you'll find this one on my site.

Valentine Skully

Here's a Valentine for you! Valentine Skully - red Skully Kid with red accent bead. A note about the red glass - you can't work it too long in the flame or it turns a brown red. Just slightly too long will give you streaks in the red - so you have to work it just right, not too hot, not too cool and then the red is just right! (you knew it was coming :-)

Red Beadz White Heartz

Thinking that the Heartz n Skullz series could use some more heartz, I've made some roundish/donutish shaped beads with handmade white hearts outlined in black on the red base. (The flecks of white you see on the beads are reflected light - there aren't any flecks on the beads, I wasn't able to use my usual set up that diffuses the shine.)

More Heartz n Skullz coming this week so stay posted!

Drive-by today

Just a quick drive by this morning....I've got an early sign language interpreting job. Here's a snapshot of another of the Skully Kidz. He's cute, isn't he?

On another note, ArtBeadScene started a new series last week, In the Studio, where all of the editors of ABS will open up their studios and give you a peek at the process of beadmaking in a variety of media, clay, polymer and glass. Prizes will be given out for those who comment. So hop on over there and check out the ArtBeadScene!

Bead Commitment Issues Support Group Unite!

Ah HA! Some brave souls have stepped forward to admit their issues along with me - they too have commitment issues with beads and/or yarn! (see yesterday's comments). I too am a yarn-holic, most of yarn/crochet posts go to hooksandfire. However, it seems bead commitment issues can be similar to the yarn commitment issues - so maybe I need to call the group, BYCISG (bik-izg)? Hmmm.... that doesn't roll off the tongue too well but despite the acronym's unpronouncability - we're here and we're admitting our issue! We have difficulty committing to designs!

Do you have difficulty putting that treasured bead or yarn into a design? While you're making a piece, are you thinking of all the other designs you could choose? If you answered yes, tell us you're here and comment! Join us!

I have commitment issues....

...with jewelry, not people. I make beads because I used to have certain bead designs in my head. I couldn't buy the designs I wanted so I learned to make beads. Now that I can make beads, I have trouble fully committing them to a design.

Do any of you do that?

I'll think of a design for a group of beads and reluctantly put them into a piece - all the while thinking of the other designs I could do with the same beads. Isn't that why some people never marry? While dating they think of all the other people they could be dating? That's a committment issue and I have it with beads.

I have two finished pieces on my desk now. They've been sitting there for about 2 months. After I made them, I immediately wanted to rip them apart - I could have done a better design. But I'm forcing myself to keep them, to see if I can get over my committment phobia. Not sure it's going to work, I'm eyeing them as I write this entry.

I need a Bead Committment Issues Support Group - and want you to help form one by responding with a comment - are you able to commit or not?

Etsy Showcase

Beads up on EtSy showcase today. I'm having a sale there too - 20% off and free shipping.

New Year! New BeAdZ series: Heartz n Skullz

It's a new year and so I'm unveiling a new series of beads, Heartz n Skullz.

WWG! Battle of the Glass! SuperNova vs. Psyche

Striking glass or glass that can display a variety of iridescent colors when worked just right in a flame is all the rage now in the glass beadmaking world. The glass in rod form is very expensive as compared to the average glass rod - a .25 lb costs $25.00 (that's $100 per pound of glass) compared to $5.00 for a .25 lb of an average color like red, yellow or blue. There's a reason for the cost, the iridescent glass is handmade and to exacting standards. I compared two of the glasses, DoubleHelixGlassworks Psyche and Lauscha's SuperNova in a psuedo-smackdown:

Both glasses are purple in rod form
Both glasses reduce in the flame
Which one will yield the best color in the Lampwork Diva's Flame?

Psyche hands down!

I'm not a newbie. I can strike color out of glass - I've struck tongue pink! But Supernova will not strike for me. I'm not the only one who has trouble with it. Oh, once in awhile I will get a few iridescent shimmers but nothing like the DoubleHelix glass. DHG will strike to beautiful shades of iridescent blue, purple,green and cream the moment the oxygen in the flame is slightly reduced. Now that's what I'm talking about! You done good DHG!

No, I'm not bashing Lauscha glass - Lauscha glass is not fussy, not temperamental and comes in gorgeous colors. I'm happy to buy it and use it! I love the purple of Supernova - just don't expect it to be too much else.

(photo of Psyche from Doublehelixglassworks.com and photo of Supernova from firelady.com)

Counted the glass....

Honest, I tried. I really, really, really tried! I tried not to buy any glass last year and to use up what I had but I hardly put a dent in it. Glass inventory for the beginning of 2008 is 4,561 glass rods. That's like 79 rods of glass difference. Ugh. I feel like I failed at my diet - I overate and haven't lost an ounce! But I overate a year ago! Doesn't matter, once the weight - er - glass is in your studio, you have to use it or it's still there come next year's inventory.

Well, the up-side is that it gives me a goal for next year: pare down the glass inventory, don't order new glass. don't order new glass....better yet, don't order any new odd lots,









don't order any new odd lots.....maybe if I keep telling myself that, the glass inventory will be less next year....maybe but I have to make sure I set a goal for avoiding the internet too......

Inventory or time to count the glass.....

It's time to take inventory. Today, I'll start counting all of those glass rods. It's only now that I realize buying glass is an addiction that I need to 12 step program to kick.

In the meantime, there's new stuff up on my website. I'm still in the cute and creepy mode.

New Year's Around the Corner - Digress from Glass

Today I'm going to digress from glass - New Year's is just around the corner and the media is filled with the annual "lose weight as your resolution" commercials. Ugh! As if extra weight didn't already make you feel bad about yourself, there's a commerical full of before and after pictures to make you feel bad. Ugh.



Yes, I've changed my diet but I wasn't spurred on by the ubiquitous New Year's lose weight resolution. I've developed a health problem that has forced me to re-evaluate my entire diet. I had thought the foods I ate were good, no junk food, no red meat, mostly vegetarian - that's good right? Wrong. Even though I was eating "health food" it was all highly processed. Not good. I can't eat processed foods anymore without a serious reaction. Or wheat. Or nuts and seeds. Or dairy (sniff sniff - I'm made of cheese you know and I grew up on a dairy farm). So, I've been on a mission to learn how to include unprocessed grains into my diet and find recipes that don't include meat and dairy...ummm that would be vegan recipes.

Right off the bat, I've been frustrated trying to find grain recipes. Most vegetarian and vegan cookbooks include a "grain" section that is primarily rice recipes. Rice is a grain but little if no fiber. It's like a potato, all starch.

At the health food store, I found a whole grain, Kamut. Very few recipes out there for it as well as other whole grains so I've had to be creative. One of the things I do with grains is to cook them in lemon broth. It gives the grains additional flavor and makes them a tasty addition when sprinkled on a salad. What is lemon broth? It's my own recipe:

Kamut in Lemon Broth

1 cup Kamut

2 and 1/2 cups vegetable broth

1/2 cup organic lemon juice


Cook the kamut in the lemon broth until all liquid is absorbed.


I cook up a pot of Lemon Broth Kamut and then place it in the refrigerator to sprinkle on my salads like the one below.

Yum!

Year End Loose Ends

I've got several end of the year chores I have to do. One of them is completing all paperwork including business mileage. That's my to do list for today, adding up all the mileage and getting a total. Early next week it will be the dreaded inventory of glass!! Oooo - spooky!

Altered Art: Prototype

I've talked about the creative process and making prototypes. I love the look of altered art. I experimented with the idea and this is what came out of my kiln: a prototype fused cabachon with an image created in enamels. I'm going to polish the edges and drill a hole for a bail. Any thoughts on this one?

Happy Holidays

Thank you to my customers for supporting me through your purchases, I am deeply grateful. Have a joyous holiday and new year.

Spontaneity or Wandering Thoughts at the Torch

I'm weird, I know. When most other bloggers are slowing down or suspending posting during the holidays, I seem to be revving up. Why would I do that? I probably have even less readers now than normal. But when you're a self-employed freelance sign language interpreter, now is the time when contract work slows down to nothing. A natural lull gives me time to torch and be creative. New glass work starts to pour out of my studio. When new work is pouring, it's time for posting.

That's what today's post is about - sparking creativity or how following a wandering mind is worth it sometimes.

Last week, I was working on an order for spirals and had particular colors of glass chosen. Once I had made the order, my attention started to wander. I made a wind of glass on the mandrel that wasn't quite right. Using dots to even it out, I thought what would happen if you layered dot on dot on dot for a horned bead but flattened out the end of the horn?

This what happens:



The beads look like plumbing parts but with alot more color. I like them and made a set of twelve. I like the idea of a flattened horn, it's very Dr. Suess - ish to me. This is different for me, but I don't think I'll continue making them as part of a round bead. I have other ideas in mind for them.

I wouldn't have those other ideas if I hadn't following my wandering thoughts.

Goth Kid Series: Big Heart

Here's another in my Goth Kid Series...this one is called Big Heart after some of the real life kids I know who are big hearted.

I'm working on a newsletter to send out to my customers. Since there is no more Urban Glass Bead Expo, I won't be making a trip to NYC this year. Instead, I'll be sending out a newsletter and offering a special sale to my customers. So, keep an eye on your inboxes in early January 2008.

Developing New Designs...the process

Yesterday's Twisted Blues for Ornament Thursday included a new design. I thought I'd let you in on my creative process - a few days ago, I posted on The Big Mouth Series and how the look of the bead was inspired by the 1979 playbill art of Sweeney Todd. Still working on the Big Mouth beads they aren't quite there yet. My studio is full of prototypes like the Big Mouth and today I'll show you another series that is going to be added to the website soon.

Flameworked glass headpins is what I've been working on for about three (3) years. No, I haven't struggled with the design nor the actual process of attaching glass to wire, it's the prototypes - I wanted to be sure the glass and wire were compatible so they didn't cause cracking even though the glass was thoroughly annealed. I won't sell anything that won't hold up for the customer. So prototyping is critical to me, it allows me to stand behind my work.

I made these silver and transparent glass headpins three years ago.



Not a crack on them! No cracks mean the glass and wire is compatible and will hold up for a customer. Now that I have the practical elements of the design worked out and tested, I start making the design regularly and make them available for sale. The new designs are made with copper and sterling wire and are on my website under Glass Headpins and Findings.

Ornament Thursday: Twisted Blues

The final ornament for 2007 is quick and easy just like I love 'em,and is called "Twisted Blues" for the spiral and twisted glass headpin and the music. I love the blues although I never liked the smokey bars where you could listen to it. I guess with the no smoking laws the bars aren't smokey anymore. You won't have to make this ornament in a smokey bar, just turn on some BB King and enjoy!

You'll need one (1) extra long spiral in transparent aqua; 2 small rainbow spacer beads in purple; 3 daisy spacers and 1 twisted blue glass and copper headpin.

String together on the twisted blue headpin in this order: 1 daisy spacer, 1 purple spacer bead, 1 daisy spacer, 1 extra long spiral, 1 daisy spacer and last one purple spacer (optional).

Make a small loop at the end of the remaining wire and then make a large loop for the ornament hanger.

Quick, easy and almost instantaneous gratification! Turn up the blues and enjoy the Holiday!



The ornament project above were posted in celebration of Ornament Thursday, a fun blogging event happening this holiday season on the blogs of a growing group of popular designers. Jewelry makers, mixed media artists, plush artists, ceramic artists, paper artists, and more have been making ornaments and using their blogs to show how they do it! Check out some of these great blogs today to see more:

Christmas cookie - Jennifer Heynen
Christmas tree finger labyrinth - Hali Chambers
Ring in the New Year - Kriss Kramer
Quilty pieced snowman - Linda Augsburg
Simply striking sparkling spheres - Margot Potter
Beaded memory wire - Elaine Luther
Wire & beaded tree - Lynn Kvigne
Beaded sun catcher - Debba Haupert
Lovely Ornament- Lisa Liddy
Jolly and yummy ceramic candy - Melanie Brooks Lukacs
Polymer snowflake embedded in resin - Melissa Lee
Beaded candy canes - Candie Cooper
Polymer clay gift tag/ornament - Heather Powers
Twisted blues - Lampwork Diva aka Cindy Gimbrone
Holiday spiral tree & party pixie - Art Bead Scene
Wire bird's nest - Rebecca Peck
Plush gingerbread doggie - Jenny Harada
Swell ornament - Alexa Westerfield
Holiday paper crafting - Brandy Lung Gill
Shaving cream & chipboard ornament - Michelle McGee
Easy needle-felted orb - Katie Hacker

This time it's political....Big Mouth Series

I don't readily parade out my experimental beads. Usually, they're very rough and I'm not sure an experiment are a part of the body of work I want on line. But sometimes you have to do something outside your comfort zone. For me, that is actually showing a experiment,a less then perfect bead. First, a little background.

Upset over political rhetoric one day about 18 months ago and sitting at my workbench with a large hollow mandrel in hand, I remembered the artwork from the original 1979 Broadway production of Sweeney Todd. I wanted to create a statement about the political rhetoric, how a politician becomes a "talking head" and their bodies don't seem to be a part of them anymore. I wanted to portray that concept in a grotesque way to represent the content of the rhetoric. The Sweeney Todd drawing perfectly captured what I was going for - I had the image in my head but wanted to double check my memory by finding a picture on line. Could NOT find it. Seemed it had disappeared from the public record. Ah, but now that the movie with has been released and Johhny Depp is making the rounds on tv with Tim Burton, the 1979 original playbill is readily available.

Although, my experiment is about 18 months old, I unveil my EXPERIMENTAL Big Mouth bead today - inspired by a politician's rhetoric, my disgust with the rhetoric and the original artwork of Sweeney Todd.

The Zen of Snow....

Snow storm is on the way and I'm feeling philosophical about not having finished Xmas shopping yet. Every year I wait until the freelance interpreting work falls off before I start shopping, I mean, I need to have $$ to be able to shop, right? This year, my phone is still ringing with offers of work. I finally had to schedule in time and now I'm wondering if I'll have enough time to do all the shopping I need to do.

I'm sure I'm not alone. How many of you are finding yourself in the same situation?

So. let's use this picture as a metaphor - quietly overwhelmed, the buddha is still able to remain calm. I've still got a week!

Ornament Thursday: Jingle Spiral

I'm all about instant gratification when it comes to crafts. If you're like me,today's Jingle Spiral Ornament will satisfy your need for craft speed! I used one of my handmade extra long (55mm or 2. 25 inches) flameworked Holiday Ornament Glass Spirals, 20 gauage silver wire and tiny oxidized silver metal bells. You'll need your flush cutters, round and flat nose pliers. (Pictures follow directions.)

Since measuring impedes instant gratification, I used the spiral to figure out how much wire to use. Unwind twice the length of the spiral or about 4.5 inches of wire. Cut using the flush cutters, it will give you a nice smooth end.


Use your round nose plies to make a loop at one end of the wire.

Straighten the remaining length of wire at the neck of the loop. You'll want the ornament to hang straight.

Add 3 tiny oxidized metal beads.

Add spiral.

Make small loop above the spiral.

Use your index finger to make the large loop for hanging the ornament.

Your Jingle Spiral is now ready to hang!


Other crafters and designers are making beautiful ornaments for Ornament Thursday. Hop on over to their blogs and snatch up more ornament projects!

Sara Naumann
Lynn Kvigne
Candie Cooper
Katie Hacker
Margot Potter
Linda Augsburg
Melanie Brooks Lukacs
Art Bead Scene
Suzanne
Humblebeads
Polymer Clay Craft Gossip
Alexa Westerfield
Debba Haupert
Elaine Luther
Melissa Lee
Rebecca Peck
Jean Yates
Michelle McGee
Jenny Harada
Jennifer Heynen
Hali Chambers
Kriss Kramer
Brandy Lung Gill

Twelve Days of Projects at ABS

Happy Holidays from the editors of ArtBeadScene! As a thank you to our readers, we, the editors of ABS will be posting the Twelve Days of Xmas Art Bead Projects. Click on over and make that last minute holiday gift!