Some of my Favorite Things in Blue

My dad loved to decorate for Christmas in blue...his mom always had blue candle lights in the window of their house in the winter and one of his uncles had blue lights on the Christmas tree.  The last few years before he and mom died, Dad changed their tree over to blue lights and it was beautiful.

 

 

I'm sharing some of my favorite blue items from the talented artists from the On Fire for Handmade group.  Maybe you'll find the perfect gift you've been looking for!

 

 

 

This beautiful Snowflake Charm Necklace is from Shade Tree Studio.  I love the modern feel of this necklace.

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I collect Christmas churches and I love these Christmas Chapels Insulated Coasters by VA Beach Quilter.  The church in this design looks a lot like the little country church I grew up in.

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There have been hydrangeas growing no matter where I have lived and they are one of my favorite flowers.  This photo of blue hydrangeas by Janet Long Arts captures the early shades of green through the deep Nikko blue in one picture.

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I have long been a fan of Jim and Gina Mahoney's work and I love this sweet Honey Pot from their Hummingbird Studio Pottery shop.

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This painting on a page of an old book by Kostas Tsipos has found its way to my personal "wish list" this Christmas. 

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As a huge fan of the ombre effect, these Dark Flower Earrings by Becky Helmer Designs caught my eye.  Delicate and striking...what a great combination!

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And finally, because I'm wishing for a  White Christmas this year, here's a snowflake cross stitch pattern from One of a Kind Baby Design.

 

 

 



Kalmbach Bead Soup Party

It's time for another reveal!  First of all,
a HUGE thank you to

 

Lori Anderson and Kalmbach Publishing

 

for getting the Kalmbach Bead Soup Party started! (Be sure to vote for your favorite necklace here.)

 

And another HUGE thank you to Thistle Beads for the amazing bead soup they sent me! 

  

 

The challenge was to take the bead soup we were sent and add to it from our personal stash to create a one-of-a-kind necklace. I have to admit, this soup stretched me outside my current design style.  I've been working with seed beads and beading patterns, so it was a lot of fun to get the wire out and go back to wire working.

 

I had never made a double strand necklace and decided that I would use these pieces to create my first! It took a while to get the look I wanted, and once again I ended up with a fairly symmetrical design. (I don't think I'll ever be able to make a truly asymmetrical piece without help.)

 

 

 I have been collecting antique brass and antique copper findings for a special project and this necklace fit the bill.
 

 
I love the varied colors of turquoise in all the beads...the antique brass wire set it all off beautifully!

It took several attempts to get the two strands the right length but it was worth the time.

 

The little antique copper beads and hammered links really gives the necklace a unique feel. 

 

 

I even had enough left-over soup to create this matching bracelet. 

 

 

It was so exciting to be chosen to be a part of this bead soup party!  And the next time we're traveling to Maine, I'm making sure we have an extra hour in the schedule to stop in Connecticut and visit Thistle Beads to thank them in person!

 

 

 

With either a Roar or a Wimper

I like a good challenge and I always enjoy the opportunity to stretch myself and learn new things.  But sometimes there is a challenge you wish you could ignore but you know that you just can't. 

 

It's actually not so bad . . . really.  . . I suppose . . . One of the groups I'm part of on Facebook is Bead and Jewelry Artisans and it is such a great group of people who love to support and encourage each other.  They decided to have a monthly challenge for the group where we are given a topic and then we need to be inspired to create a piece of jewelry that reflects that topic.

 

I have to be honest, the idea sounded great when it was first mentioned.  After all, I had just completed two blog hops this summer where I taught myself new beadweaving/beading techniques and it was a lot of fun.  And this challenge gives me a whole month to work on it, so what could possibly go wrong?

 

In a word....DRAGONS.

 

 

Not that I have anything against dragons, mind you.  My favorite time period to study was medieval and dragons factored greatly into the stories and artwork of the time.

 

 

St. George and the Dragon

 

This is probably one of the most famous historical paintings concerning dragons and knights.  So much to take in and so much symbolism!

 

And I can't let this post go without mentioning one of my all-time favorite knight paintings...

 

 

The Accolade

 

But dragons as inspiration to create a piece of jewelry?  Have you seen my jewelry?  I design with the ocean in mind...sea glass and little tiny beads that reflect the colors you find in the sea...or with crystals that are used to create something romantic and girly.

 

 

 

Not exactly my usual choice for something to inspire me...so I asked my daughter for her advice.  She loves dragons and has the most incredible imagination and if anyone could help me look beyond my mental block it would be her. 

 

The first thing she suggested was that maybe I could use the scales as inspiration.  I've been wanting to teach myself a netting stitch (and failing miserably, I might add) and when I showed her a picture of what I was thinking of, she said it really looked like dragon scales.  This would certainly be far out of my comfort zone design-wise.  Good for this challenge!

 

THEN she mentioned that creating something using red, orange and yellow that resembled the fire that dragons breathe would be amazing.  (This from my beautiful teenage daughter who is not at all into jewelry...no pressure...no pressure...)

 

 

Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon

 

 

So, at least I have some inspiration to get started with this challenge...and a whole month to work on it. 

 

Wish me luck!

 

 

Flamingos!

I've received so many requests for flamingos that I decided it was time to give them a try! Welcome to I Made It Thursday!

I started out with this 1" round glass pendant.  It's a nice size for many designs.  I really liked how this turned out with just the flamingo on the pendant.  It's simple but cute. 

This Flamingo Glass Pendant is on sale at my Etsy shop!

Each pendant will be a little different because they are painted individually. I don't have a template to trace from, just an idea in my head of what I want the finished product to look like.

I also purchased this 7/8" x 1" pendant.  I really like the flamingo on this shape as well.  Now I'm turning my attention to putting in a background so you don't see the bail!  I think these will be a big hit at my holiday craft shows.

Thinking ahead to Christmas...I really enjoy the challenge of painting on both sides of these clear ornaments.  It takes some do-overs when I'm first working on a new design, but that's the beauty of painting on glass.  It's easy to remove the design and start again...at least before the paint dries!

 

I'm really excited about this new shape I found last year.  Thinking about the view from four sides at the same time was a challenge.  Simple designs work best when dealing with a design you can see through.  Can't wait to get to work on my snowman designs for this year!

Have a great week, everyone! 

Fab Friday

This week's Fab Friday feature is artist Anna Blair.

How did you get started with your craft/art?

I taught High School art for most of my life and retired after teaching 38 years. I reincarnated (rewired) a small kiln I hadn't used for thirty years and decided to use the training in fused glass that I was given at an Art Teacher's inservice class one summer.

Exuberant Fused Glass Dichroic Pendant

What prompted you to set up a home-based business?

I love art, all phases and all medium. Fused glass is a fun process (I love to open the kiln after eight hours and see what has happened...) Sharing my work with strangers is a joy!

What part of your craft is your favorite? (Designing, creating the actual piece, working with custom orders, etc)

I love all of it. Some pieces I really like and it's satisfying when someone else thinks so too.

Woodsy Green Pendant Necklace

 How have you changed since starting your business? How has this impacted your craft?

I'm still learning and exploring different things. I think my work has improved as a result...I know my photography has! lol

What is the most challenging aspect of running your business?

Trying to connect with people who are looking for the type of work I do.

How did you come up with your shop name?

Moot point. I wish I would've taken more time for something really catchy, but Sie La Vie.

Royal Blue Purse Hanger

Where do you see yourself in five years? Where do you see your business?

Busy enough to break even would be a good thing! Lol. I buy sterling chains and bails and quality material (dichroic glass is approx. $43.00 an ounce)...more sales would be a good thing!

How do you keep a balance between home and business responsibilities?

I could not have done it as a younger, fully employed person I don't think.
I remember how harried I was and how precious every minute seemed to be when I was working full time, with two children, a husband and a house to take care of.

Soldered Photo Framed Necklace

What is the funniest/craziest/most touching thing that has happened while having a business?

The most touching thing was a woman that said she was looking for a necklace to give her friend on the anniversary of the friend's daughter's death. She related that she and her husband had invited the
friend, husband and young son, out to dinner shortly after the daughter's death, in an effort to get them out of the house where they were grieving.As they were all leaving the restaurant, the hostess gave the 5 year old boy a balloon. They were walking across the lot to their car, when the boy called out "wait!" They turned to look as the boy released his balloon and announced "this is for Becky to play with up in Heaven!" The pendant I had made showed a joyful little girl, running with a balloon! It could not have been more perfect for her gift.

Winter Dichroic Necklace

If you could give one piece of advice to others who are just getting started with their businesses, what would it be?

Don't give up! Stay the course.

Can you give us some links to be able to follow you? (Etsy, Artfire, Twitter, Facebook, etc)

http://www.ab2255.etsy.com 

http://www.artfire.com/users/DichroicGlassWorks

http://www.zibbet.com/glassworks

Fab Friday

A few weeks ago I introduced you to Susan Adams with MyFathersGifts and her beautiful jewelry.  Susan also has started the Facebook page, It's Better Handmade for artists to showcase their work and help spread the word about each other.

This week, I would like for you to get to know Vicki Diane who is the 1st Officer Butterfly of It's Better Handmade.

 

A Spiral of Smoked Salmon with Sangria

Vicki's Etsy shop VickiDianeDesigns is filled with beautiful and bold pieces of jewelry.  I have said many times that her work is not for the timid! 

Fumble in the Dark earrings

Vicki's energy and enthusiasm for her craft comes across not only in the jewelry she offers in her shop, but in her encouragment of everyone she comes in contact with!

West Side Jets

This is just a small collection of Vicki's work...be sure to hop over to her shop and see what new listings she has today!

And Just a Touch of Lime