Creating Balance

Its been a little bit since my last post, I know. The school year has started which means I'm back in the art room (yeah!!!), my last outdoor show took place a few weeks ago (a great show but thankful its done), I took an awesome glass class with Bronwen Heilman (freakin fantastic) and now I have to re balance my life. Weave in time for blogging (I love to blog), create a new workout schedule (hard with so many things taking up my time) and making sure I get down time.....this is very important to me!! I so need and enjoy time with no comittments or "have to's". Last weekend I took the entire two days and did NOTHING!! I haven't done that in a while and it felt wonderful.

Today is back to bead making. The kiln is warming and I'm shaking off a headache that I woke up with. My day started with an Art Meetup I hosted for students and parents. It was great........fun seeing car loads of families with donuts, coffee and kids ready to take part in a scavenger hunt I had planned.

Beads......Yes......I will be working on a few things in a bit but here is a small sample of what I've done recently:

A new bead ring! Love these interchangeable rings......I should have a bunch ready soon.

Bangles! Now I have a better selection of sizes! They sold well at my last show!

Abstract flat bracelets too! Love these........very comfy.

Trying New Things

Its so much fun exploring new things. The summer gives me that time to do just that....I've been painting- working with plaster- Art Journaling- beading with seed beads  (generally not my thing) and taking classes. Art journaling has been so relaxing. I'm not much for planning so the "happening" approach to working with my journal pages has really suited me. I'll have a picture next time of what I've done.

I just took a class with Barbara Becker Simon and learned how to create her amazing bangle bracelets. Everyone in the class used Bronze clay but me being the odd ball...I used PMC Pro. This pmc has less silver content (90% rather than .999% like the other silver pmc's) but fires to a stronger hardness so I'm told and able to withstand punishment that goes with wearing a bangle. I'm pretty happy with my result....a few people in class ended up with broken bracelets due to firing issues...so I'm really happy I actually have something I can wear.

 This is the seed bead bracelet I made yesterday. Like I said-this typically isn't my thing but I really liked this bracelet. Apparently its all the rage right now and really simple to make. The part that took the longest was adding the little clearish seed beads just because of their size.......really a quick bracelet once you know what your doing. A very similar bracelet but with just one row (think just my green beads in the center as one row) appears in the Sundance cataloge for a pretty big price. The bracelet in Sundance does wrap around the wrist 3 times but its this same concept just long and narrow.

A Little T & A

Not the best picture since it was taken with my phone but wanted to share anyways. When I first began making jewelry, I made these "goddess" bracelets. Kinda fun....big "T's" and a nice trunk too. I made them in the likeness of the Venus of Willendorf. Anyways, I've had a few people request goddess bracelets and goddess beads recently so I thought, why not. This one and another in earth tones goes to Sally.

True Blue Artist

Hands of a student having fun exploring paint. Its great just setting out materials at centers & watch how they choose to experiment with it. Tory LOVES paint and is not bashful about getting involved!

I met artist Willie Cole a few years ago. He is an amazing artist and the lecture he gave gave us insight into his life, art and copying (I always like to hear perspectives on this).I purchased his book and asked him to sign it for me......he gave me a wonderful compliment about my eyes and wrote your "True Blue"...... compliments are treasured as you get older :) So the electric blue flower brought that memory back for me and caused me to make this bracelet. You will find it in my Etsy Shop.

I've posted more Hearts for Hannah found on the right hand column and below. See if there is one there that strikes your fancy, email me your choice or two and I'll let you know if you have first dibs on it. Its always good to have a second choice.....June is going by fast and I won't have hearts at this special price for much longer. How nice it would be to get one and know you've contributed to Hannah's memory and donated in her name to Joining Hearts and Hands.

Come on now......pick one.......or two................or three :)