What's Around You....Inspiration in a around the neighborhood

Inspiration is right in front of you sometimes - yesterday morning, I opened my front door to let me cat smell the spring air and I was greeted with a flood of pink, yellow and blue. I ran for the camera.

Yes, I live in the suburbs but if you're paying attention, you can catch a moment of spectacular beauty that's only supposed to happen elsewhere.

So, you say, does that mean I have to get up obnoxiously early to see anything beautiful in my neck of the woods?

No, I say. You can look in other places that have regular hours.

Like the Albright-Knox Art Museum near my home.



The Albright Knox is full of Modern and Contemporary Art - walking through take you on a tour of Contemporary art - full of color, inspiration while thought provoking. I go a couple times a year to take in the art and challenge myself to look at it in a new way.

What local places inspire you?

Free Bead Winners!

ACK! I put a publish time on my blog post last night before I added the winners of the free beads! If you've looked at the blog before 6 AM EST, it didn't have the winners added.

They were added at 5:48 am EST (ok, so don't razz me about being up so early! LOL!)

Winners - send me you snail mail address and I'll send out the beads to you tomorrow. You can get to my email address by clicking on my profile.

Congratulations!!

What Came Before....Kiffa and free bead winners

Ancient beads are amazing to me especially when you think of how they're made. I find much inspiration in them.

Kiffa beads are rare powder glass beads according to Wikipedia.



Kiffa beads inspire me to try more complicated design in my work.

Is there something that encourages you to do something more? Do something more complicated?

Before you comment, here are the winners from Monday and Tuesday:

Monday: Sharon

Tuesday: Tish

Congratulations!!!!

And today's giveaway beads are eye beads in keeping with the ancient theme of inspiration:

Inspiration Media: Jeffrey Lewis & The Junkyard

YouTube is the people's channel and it is full of junk and beauty. The Teen spends alot of time on YouTube but I go over occasionally. Last week, I went over and found this gem.



Are music videos inspiring to you? What's your favorite? Leave a comment and I'll put your name in a hat for a drawing for FREE BEADS! I'll announce Monday's and today's bead drawing winner tomorrow.

Here are the free giveaway beads for today:

A Week of Inspiration: Where I find it and get it and oh yeah, FREE BEADS!!

Officially it's spring. If you saw the countdown clock on the Today Show on Friday, you know it's here. Or maybe you don't need Matt and Meredith to tell you it's spring - you just know it.

Me, come March 1st, I decide it's spring. I know, I know, it may not look like spring outside come March 1st but I have to switch. Enough with the winter already, I have to have spring. So I do. I decided long ago March 1st was spring and so be it.

I'm looking around at the remnants of winter in my studio and things need freshening up. It's time for some inspiration. So this week, I'm going to show you where I find inspiration and give away some free beads. But let's start with a definition of inspiration.

Dictionary.com defines Inspiration as "stimulation of the mind or emotions to a high level of feeling or activity."

Bland definition don't you think? A definition for inspiration should be more flowery, more descriptive. Let me take a whack at how I'd describe it....

Inspiration is the feeling that comes over you when you visit the Grand Canyon where the colors are so vibrant they seem to pulse. You feel your heart pound and the air seems thick with ideas and jump from you drawing pencils to your sketchbook.

Whaddaya think? I'm not sure I've made alot of sense but that's how inspiration feels to me. Now, dear readers, I want you to try your hand at describing how you feel when you're inspired. It doesn't have to make sense, just write what you feel.

I'll take all the comment-ers names and put them in a hat for a drawing for free beads. Yes FREE BEADS! I'll post today's winner on Wednesday. Here are today's giveaway beads



Write your definition of inspiration and win free beads - can't get much better than that!

I look forward to reading your definition of inspiration!

(Photo credit: Me!)

Sunday's Photo

Shhhh...don't let The Teen know I've scarfed up this picture from one of his friend's flickr...he wouldn't like it but he's sooo da#$@m cute I had to show it!

Dreaming of Corning....

I really really really really really really want to go to the Glass Art Conference in Corning this year. So I'm dreaming of Corning and trying to figure out the way to get the funds. I took this picture of a display of ancient beads at the Corning Museum of Glass while I was there a few years ago.

Is there a place you want to visit this year that you're dreaming of?

The Deconstructed Watch - Not gluing the glue-ables

Remember I said the inspiration fairy visited me after I got the Rings & Things Goodie bag, right? Well here's another fabulous project I made with the Brass Square Frame....

The Deconstructed Watch

One of the great things about this project is it can be made for $10 or less. The cost for the brass frame is $6.70. If you have the tools already and you are hoarding junk, then you're not going to spend anymore than that.

I've been haunting the flea markets and buying up old watches and keys. That set me off to buy special watch tools because I couldn't take the watches apart. This project uses the watch parts I've been able to get from the my flea market finds combined with "stitching" the parts onto the brass picture frame.



Materials:

Circular watch part approximately 29mm in diameter (to fit onto the brass frame)

Brass Frame #49-441-0
Approx. 30mm square brass picture-frame charms, 1.8-2.2mm inner diameter loop. 1.3-1.7mm thick. Fits 25mm image.

6 Glass dagger beads (14mm or so)

4 feet 28 gauge brass wire

1 6mm or 7mm jump ring


Tools:

metal hole punch pliers
small files
steel bristle brush
wire straightener pliers
wire cutter (to cut the 28 gauge wire)

Directions:

1. Cut four holes, one on each corner of the brass frame - on the flat metal not on the raised edge.

2. File the holes smooth so there are no rough edges.

3. Above filing will cause scratches in the smooth finish of the brass so use the steel brush to create a satin finish on the brass. Brush the brass frame with the steel brush in circular motions on the front and the back of the frame.

4. Cut the 4 feet of 28 gauge wire. Use the straightening pliers to take out any kinks in the wire.

5. Hold the circular watch part to the brass frame as you thread the wire ends through the two top holes.

6. Pull the left wire end to the opposite hole at the right hand side on the bottom of the frame. Pull it diagonally across the front of the circular watch part. Thread it through the right bottom hole to the back.

7. Pull the right wire end to the opposite hole at the left hand side on the bottom of the frame. Pull it diagonally across the front of the circular watch part. Thread it through the left bottom hole to the back.

8. The wire makes an "X" holding the circular watch part in place.

9. Pull the right bottom wire end over to the left bottom hole and thread through to the front.

10. Pull the left bottom wire end over to the right bottom hole and thread through to the front. You're "sewing" the watch part into place.

11. "Sew" across the front again pulling the left wire diagonally across the front to the right top hole and the right wire diagonally across the front to the left top hole.

12. Thread wire ends through the top holes and then cross to the opposite side and thread through the front.

13. Sew diagonally across the front on both sides and thread through to the back.

14. Now add 3 dagger beads to the wire on one side.

15. Make a circle with the dagger beads and hold them in place while you thread the end of the wire through to the front to the back. Secure the circle in place by threading back to front. Do the same for the other side.

16. Sew diagonally across the front and wind the end around the top ring two to three times. Do this with both ends. Trim the wire with your wire cutters.

17. Attach jump ring.

I managed not to glue any of the "glue-ables." I had alot of fun challenging myself and coming up with ways to use them in an unconventional way. Other than gluing, what might you have done with any of the glue-ables I showed you this week?

Copper Kisses for $4.00

It's the second installment of the Rings & Things goodie bag. Today it's my favorite - the antique copper plated bracelet. Here are the stats on it from the Rings & Things website:

Stock#: 40-337-7
7.2" disk-and-loop bracelet forms for gluing. Hammered oval loops.
1-11 cost $4.00


Today's "Copper Kisses" grew out of my new work with metal, glass and cold connections which is inspired by one of my favorite books.

I made the pads more bead like by doming them. I removed the pads and textured the surface by hammering a stamp several times. I created domed links between the ovals using a ball peen hammer and a doming block. The domed links were then re-attached.







It took about an hour to do each of the pads. The cost to make this is $4.00 assuming you have to tools to do it already.

Happy St. Patrick's Day Review

Happy St. Patrick's Day! So I don't get pinched today, here's a review of beads I've made that have green in them!

Glue is not my BFF and free project

Ok, so last week, I posted about a new goodie bag I got from Rings & Things. Dave describes them as "glue-ables."

I don't like to glue glass because I don't trust the glue will hold. Glass is so smooth, there's never much for a glue to grab onto. And yes, I've tried every glue that people have recommended. Half of the findings fall off, pop off or any other kind of off you can think of. So glue is not my BFF.

So I took it as a challenge. I would do anything BUT glue.

I must have been struck by the inspiration fairy or something because I had a flood of ideas. Here is the first of three and the easiest to do - Color Explosion.




Whoa! Get a pair of sunglasses, Mabel!!! I'm loving on that color!

So ya wanna know how to do it? Start with a bracelet blank, this is the one I used:



On the Rings & Things Website it is Stock#: 40-377-1
7.5" disk-and-loop bracelet forms for gluing. Oval loops.

The silver rounds for gluing looked like beads to me. They seemed to ask me to put a punch of color between the lovely long ovals and make them into beads.

So, I took out my stock of Ranger Inks, the Tim Holtz Adirondack Alcohol Inks, and a small paint brush and brushed the glue blanks with the inks.

There ya go!



If you buy all the things new, this project is about $15.00 but if you use a 40% off coupon at Michael's like I did for the inks, it's about $10.00 to make. So a goodie bag makes good and fits Beading on a Budget!

Sunday's Photo

Wishing for warmer weather and the beaches of Lake Huron in Canada.

Glass Board Migration - Torchbugs

I've been around the block as far as the glass boards go. "Way back when" the only discussion board available to the glass beadmaker was the ISGB forum. I was a newbie and read it voraciously. After awhile some members decided it shouldn't be open to anyone to read, it should be open to members only. As a newbie, at the time, I wasn't a professional beadmaker. I couldn't afford the membership fee and afterall, it had been open, why close it now? The ISGB forum lost its friendly feeling and suddenly felt cold.

So I was forced to migrate over to WC! I went from a newbie to beginner to intermediate/advanced beadmaker while reading WC! over my morning coffee. WC! even had the beginnings of the Beads of Clay group on it for awhile - clay glazes are glass afterall.

Any board is an interesting social scene. Since tone of voice and facial expression is missing, I spent alot of time avoiding any controversy or expressing too much of an opinion. It's too easily misunderstood - besides the reason I read a board is for information not necessarily to get into a heated discussion about a subject. I wanted to know about ventilation, torches, properties of glass, colors, etc. I go to the group for information.

WC! is the place where I wrote my first glass tutorial - Fuse Your Glass Rod Shorts. Cool! So, WC! has a special place in my heart.

Not everyone reads a board for the same reason I do so there's lots of variety and expressing of opinions.

That open expression of opinions can cause a forum split, which it did from WC! to Lampworketc. I never knew what the uproar was but lots of people migrated over to LE. I guess some felt "stifled" on WC and a change that didn't allow any mention of suppliers in a thread.

I joined LE... but... because I had been making beads so long, the glass questions were no longer informative to me. I suppose if I wanted to talk off topic more, I'd be more active but it's difficult to ignore the nasty comments you can receive. You can be anonymous on a board and that can embolden people to say things they might not ever say in person. Boards have to set up politeness rules because the heat of the moment can make things get out of hand. If there aren't any politeness rules the board dies or people leave and start a new board.

So say hello to a new glass board - Torch Bugs. Torchbugs offers something I haven't see on any other board - Color Theory - full of inspirational color threads and all things color, it will make me visit daily.

Why do you go to discussion boards? For information? To chat?

Another Goodie Bag has arrived!

Got another Goodie bag from Rings & Things the other day - this time the goodies are "glue-ables." There are a couple that are catching my eye and have my creative wheels spinning. Here's a quick picture and description from the Rings & Things website:



Stock#: 40-377-1
7.5" disk-and-loop bracelet forms for gluing. Oval loops. Length may vary +/- ¼". More details...
Color: White
Country: China
Page Number: Catalog Page 256
Note: The manufacturer states that this product is lead free.
California lead classification for this item: Class 2



Stock#: 40-337-7
7.2" disk-and-loop bracelet forms for gluing. Hammered oval loops. Length may vary +/- ¼". More details...
Color: Antiqued Copper Plated
Country: China
Page Number: Catalog Page 256
Note: The manufacturer states that this product is lead free.
California lead classification for this item: Class 2

Are you creative wheels spinning now?

Loopy Tuesday

I mentioned earlier that my organic glass links would make an appearance in Earrings, Earrings, Earrings edited by Barb Switzer, Editor of Simply Beads magazine. The book is out and not only are the Ivory Links on the cover, they're on page 82-83 in a set of earrings designed by Barb Switzer called "Loopy Tuesday"- a classic design using pearls, brass findings and chain. Just beautiful!





Earrings, Earrings, Earrings is chock full of inspiring designs for the beginner and intermediate jewelrymaker. Clear step by step directions and photos for the fundamental steps in the projects are given at the start. Chapters entitled "Hoops & Posts," "Short Dangles," "Long Dangles," and "Sets" follow. Each project has a list of materials and written step by step directions. If you've forgotten how to make a wrapped loop, just flip to the beginning of the book to see detailed pictures and directions. I love the Loopy Tuesday, Egyptian Earrings, and Purple Passion projects. There are many artist made beads in the book and I'm happy to see the artist's name and listing in the buyer's guide.

The photo index in the back of the book is particularly helpful as is the exhaustive list or Buyer's Guide. If there's a project you want to make in the book, you'll find the supplies through these internet resources.

Earrings, Earrings, Earrings can be all things to all jewelrymakers - a learning text for the beginner and intermediate jewelrymaker and a resource for inspiration and unique artist made beads and supplies.

(Photo Credit of Earrings, Earrings, Earrings and Loopy Tuesday design courtesy of Annie's Attic.)

Rings and Things Goodies make Ellipsis

I mentioned my bag of goodies from Rings and Things a couple of weeks ago. You might wonder why I got a bag of goodies from them. I was invited to join in with Rings & Things as a blog partner. I get a package of goodies from them to use and share my opinion of the materials

What did you get you ask?

Steel cable chokers in a range of sizes and colors with magnetic and screw clasps. Since glass is substantial, I preferred the screw clasps so the necklace and beads remain securely on the cable.

My designs and free jewelry projects are often modern and clean in design to enhance the beauty of my handmade glass beads. The steel cable chokers have a contemporary style befitting my design sensibilities.

I looked through the different cable chokers and the blue choker caught my eye because it was the same shade of aqua blue as the glass bead headpins I made a few years ago.


(photo of cable choker courtesy of the R&T website.)

Several years ago, I prototyped transparent glass headpins on sterling silver wire. Confident in the design and the durability of the glass/metal combination, I was excited to finally use them in a design.



I'm calling this necklace, Ellipsis, an oblong shape remininscent of the form of the glass headpins.

Sunday's Photo

Taken at the Corning Museum of Glass. The Teen is in the background.

Dichroic Copper Foil How to

Lots of hubub in the glass beadmaking world on the new dichroic copper foil. Here's a hot to video on Dichroic Copper Foil from Coatings By Sandberg Inc. Looks easy enough but for some it's been disappointing. Apparently it can "shatter" off the copper foil as it did in these pictures taken by DeAnne of the Glass Zone




It still looks usable to me as frit but you know how I feel about frit. It's still worth a try - customers often ask for dichroic glass beads but I've always found it too fussy. The copper foiled dichroic isn't supposed to be but it definitely looks brittle.

Have you tried the dichroic copper foil? What's your opinion?

Business Smarts Creatively

I'm usually doing a few things at the same time. I wouldn't call it multi-tasking as it more of one thing leads to another. When I clean, I clean the sinks in the kitchen and bathrooms at the same time. So there are several rooms I'm working on at the same time. While I work on a necklace in progress, I'm also evaluating the business end of things. As a Mom and a sign language interpreter, I spend so much of my time for others, I can lose my own voice. It can be hard to find it sometimes.

I talked about vision boards in January. I like the idea of a visual, creative approach to business. In the bookstore a while back I picked up a copy of The Creative Entrepreneur by Lisa Sonora Beam. I've set up my creative business plan notebook with the set of questions. It's a plan you work on continuously but the approach is visual and well suited to the artist in me. I've struggled with alot of "outliney" style business plans only to leave them half finished. The Creative Entrepreneur shines a ray of hope in the direction of creative business plans.

Sunday's Photo: Green Butterfly

One of my favorite local places to go to is the Butterfly Conservatory in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. Just over the bridge, it's a nice respite from the winter snow.

Hands Up for Fine Art

While on a sign language interpreting job at the college, I saw this
hanging in the Fine Arts building. It's sewn appliques on squares sewn
into plastic sheeting. Cool!
--cindyng

Sunday's Photo

Nothing like hot glass in a hot kiln!

Art Bead Scene today

I'm over at Art Bead Scene for Studio Saturday day.

Sunday's Photo

The Teen and few of his friends. Remember when you were like this?

Goodies from Rings n Things!

I've gotten a goody bag from Rings n Things so I'm playing with the goodies and will post what I've made on Friday this week. In the meantime, you can check out the Plays With Fire license frame a good gift for any flameworker would love!

Sunday's Photo

Found in a box of old photos, my father's siblings circa 1917.

Have I done it right?

Some things are just karma. I've spent most of my life trying become the perfect person due to a family dynamic I'm now getting a handle on. I've been drawn to the Hindu and Buddhist concept of "karma" and "reincarnation" or the cycle of birth and death and rebirth. It's seen as a cycle of suffering that you're released from when you reach Enlightenment. Karma contributes to the cycle but it can be seen as endless almost - kind of like the family in Tuck Everlasting - there's a sadness in it sometimes. But I've never felt that way. I take great hope in the cycle. I'm relieved I get another chance to improve - to get it right! The idea of basically a re-do is very uplifting. So what if I have to do one thousand lifetimes? I know I can eventually get to Enlightenment.

Cool.

But why have I shared my innermost spiritual beliefs with you? Seems kinda off topic doesn't it?

It is.

But I do have a point.

When I read Kandice's post on which tarot card she was. I thought it'd be a fun thing to do. I went over and got this one:

You are the World

Completion, Good Reward.

The World is the final card of the Major Arcana, and as such represents saturnian energies, time, and completion.

The World card pictures a dancer in a Yoni (sometimes made of laurel leaves). The Yoni symbolizes the great Mother, the cervix through which everything is born, and also the doorway to the next life after death. It is indicative of a complete circle. Everything is finally coming together, successfully and at last. You will get that Ph.D. you've been working for years to complete, graduate at long last, marry after a long engagement, or finish that huge project. This card is not for little ends, but for big ones, important ones, ones that come with well earned cheers and acknowledgements. Your hard work, knowledge, wisdom, patience, etc, will absolutely pay-off; you've done everything right.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

Kreativ Blog

Kandice Seeber of Coloraddiction gave me the Kreativ Blog award. Thanks, Kandice! I'm admitting a bit red faced that when I've received awards before, I was always in the midst of chaos so I never posted them or followed up. This one is nice and simple - just nominate 5 other blogs that inspire me, let them know they've been nominated and link back to the blog who gave you the award.

Inspiring Blogs I love are:

Lynn Davis-I don't know how she does it, but Lynn comes up with new ideas and new beads regularly. She is full of inspiration and spreads it around liberally through her blog!

Angela aka Angelina Beadalina - Musings on life and glass is an interesting read. Gets you thinking about things - a good way to inspire readers!

Jennifer Cameron - beautiful lampwork beads are just about as inspiring as it gets for me!

Lauren Bracken writes about life and jewelry. Her work is luscious - just looking at it inspires me!

The Wire Artists Guild - seeing how I started out as a wire artist, I gravitate back to my roots. A group blog so there's lots of artists represented and that equals lots of inspiration!

Sunday Photo

Ornament Thursday: Celestial and Ice Blue

Happy Ornament Thursday! My OT project is this lovely ice blue cashmere neck scarf. I crocheted on my favorite G hook and finished it off with a lovely art button.


So, check out what the OT Grlzz have been up to this month!

Farm Girl Roots, City Girl Style
Linda Augsburg shares her celeste-inspired card.

Uniquely Mine for $20
Cindy Gimbrone hooks up lovely ice blue cashmere into a celestial colored neck scarf. Finished off with an artist made button - it's uniquely hers for $20!

Seriously.No.Seriously

Deanna Chase

Heather Hertziger

Joolz by Lisa

Beading Help Web

Uniquely Mine for $20

When frozen out of my unheated glass studio, I keep creating to keep the inspiration flowing for when the studio thaws out. Curious about cashmere, I bought a few skeins of Debbie Bliss 100% Cashmere yarn on sale at Webs. I wanted to create a one of a kind piece so I made my own crochet pattern.


Such lovely yarn deserved something special. So I hunted around until I found the perfect finishing touch - a lovely artist made button called A Button Succeeding from Mamacita Beadworks on Etsy.


There's no one with a scarf like mine - created with my own pattern and topped off with a lovely art button. The best part is that it cost me $20!

Gotta Make Ma Own Murrini

Fooling around with millifiori a few years back, I created this pendant for a fundraiser giveaway. It's done in the traditional Italian style but this was fused between two layers of clear glass. The look is one that I love. I've been thinking about how to stretch this look into a modern style, i.e., more my style. I'm not completely modern in my look but I'm spare in my application of technique and color. I like to put in a few things and let those speak for themselves.

Guess it's time to get back to makin' ma own murrini!

What part of your artwork do you make from scratch?