Bronze Clay...

Ever since Bead & Button when we got the scoop on the new bronze clay, we wanted to try it out. Who doesn't love the warmth of bronze? So, while I was here I definitely wanted to see what I could do with it. To the left is a picture of my yield. I wanted to make really simple projects to get my feet wet. Working with the clay initially wasn't easy. The consistency of the clay straight out of the bag was pretty hard and dry to begin with. It took a lot of conditioning and prepping to get it to a nice workable state. If I were to work with regular PMC like this, it would totally fall apart. I made a couple of links, some chain and a bee coin. I can't wait to dive back in and make some more goodies!

Eat Well...

We've been really busy crafting, but that doesn't mean that we haven't been eating well. Below is a picture of a chicken and lentil soup we made with a "fiesta" style cornbread. What that basically means is that we made a roasted tomato, grilled corn, and pickled green bean salad the night before and mixed that in with the batter. Everything turned out delicious!


For dessert, Azalea and I cut some peaches, mixed in a couple of spiced peaches (that we prepared at the height of the peach season), chopped pistachios and almonds, and butter. We topped the peach mixture with brown sugar biscuits and topped off with pistachio ice cream.

Crafting...

I've been absent from the blog world for a few days now. My apologies. However, we've been crafting up a storm and my hands are nowadays nearly always covered in clay or paint or some variety of glue. Needless to say, I am deliriously happy. The core of my happiness is in making things. The best days are ones devoted to the practice of translating an idea into a physical manifestation and letting the creative forces flow through you. Sometimes things work out perfectly. Other times, things don't always go according to plan. I don't think that the latter of the two is bad necessarily. Sometimes it forces the artist to think outside of the box or to learn a valuable lesson about the medium or process.

A big plus about being down here in Asheville is that I'm not alone in my creative pursuits. Someone is always beside me making something as well. Someone is always across from you to bounce ideas off of or to get a second opinion or friendly advice. For instance, Bob Burkett is also staying with us. Below is a picture of some of his recent creations. He is truly a master craftsman. He can bend and manipulate metal seemingly supernaturally and breathes life into each of his pieces. (This is particularly evident in his articulated pieces like the turtle and bat with moving limbs!)

If you're lucky you can potentially pick up one of his amazing pieces either in Fresno at the Central California Bead Society show this weekend, at the Hawaii Glass Art and Bead Festival presented by Softflex next weekend, or at FaerieCon (October 10th, 11th, and 12th). But you BETTER HURRY! He sells out FAST and since his pieces are almost all limited runs, you might not have another opportunity to do so!

(Also, thank you Lorrwill for your shout out as well! CLICK HERE to go to her post. Oh, and thank you Lauren a.k.a. LaurelMoon for mentioning me in her post about artist cross-pollination. CLICK HERE to go to it.)

New Necklace...

Here's another good that I whipped together last night. This necklace design is made up of red coral and turquoise from Talisman Associates, silver chain from Ornamentea, vintage Czech glass with a beautiful AB finish from Pudgy Beads, a silver toggle from my family at Green Girl Studios, and of course original artwork on shrink film pendants. I think it looks quite smart and has an art nouveau feel to it.

Illustration Friday: Island...

Here's my submission for this week's Illustration Friday. The theme for this week is, "island." As soon as I heard the theme, I knew that I wanted to do a floating island. It's surprising to see how previlant this archetypal image appears throughout various mythologies. The piece is made up of layers of collage, washes of acrylic paint, and pen and ink. I've also woven in papers as well for added texture and depth.

Shrinky-Dink Necklace...

I've been so busy lately, that I haven't had a chance to really play with the shrinky-dink components that I've made. Above is a picture of a design I whipped up. Azalea helped me. She cut all the wire. (Well, except for the fine silver wire that I fused to make soldered jump rings.) The necklace is made up of golden shadow Swarovski crystals from Fusion Beads, Hill Tribe silver from Na Bo Row, chain from Ornamentea, and of course... my original artwork shrinky dink pendants!

One of the great things about this piece is that it is SO LIGHT! It's airy and seemingly weightless around the neck. I'm really looking forward to making more little treasures with the shrink film.

Chocolate Gravy...

We made chocolate gravy and biscuits for breakfast! It was delicious. Our grandma used to make it for us when we were especially good. Now we make it for our special guests.

Third Generation...

I've been absolutely hooked on the shrink plastic. It's affordable enough that it doesn't feel "precious" while you're working on it - just like doodling. But once it's shrunken down, it feels like a little treasure. We've been having a lot of fun experimenting with them. Laura Belkin and Bob Burkett arrived yesterday and we've sucked them into it as well. We had a movie night tonight and for much of the evening, the shrinky-dink was out! What fun! Above is a shot of the "third" generation of shrinky-dink film I've made.

More Shrinky-Dink Fun...

We've been having so much fun making shrinky-dink! (Cynthia says that I should call them "shrink film" to sound more professional.) In any event, we've been experimenting with the clear and matte sheets. I like how the matte looks like milk glass and how the clear can look like stained glass. SO MUCH FUN!

Shrinky-Dink...

We've been burning the midnight oil. One of the projects we've been working on is one of our childhood favorites: Shrinky-Dink! When we were kids, we used to play with them all the time. We colored and cut out all the figures as usual (I favored the Masters of the Universe set), but in the margins is where the real magic would happen. We'd draw our own figures and gems for our treasure chests. So, it is nice to revisit the medium soaked in nostalgia with jewelry purposes in mind.

Fun Times...

Earlier this evening, Cheryl Ann (one of Sheila's friends from the Fine Arts League of the Carolinas) invited us over to her apartment for dinner. She's got such a cute apartment and the food was delicious! We had a lot of fun talking and eating. Cheryl Ann set up a work station for Azalea and she made lots of little watercolors. We had such a delightful time!

Five New Necklaces...

I couldn't sleep very well last night. (I think, perhaps, I had a little too much iced coffee.) So, I whipped up a couple of necklaces. My family at Green Girl Studios has started casting several of the components in shibuichi. Many of the designs I made use some of the newly revamped components.

Above: The focal lampwork piece is courtesy of Z Designs in Glass. It is showcased with carnelian, Czech glass from Raven's Journey, a wood bead from LillyPilly Designs, ceramic beads from Keith O'Connor Pottery, sea urchin rondelles, and of course, the new bird flying in the clouds toggle from my family at Green Girl Studios.

Above: A polymer Heather Wynn pendant is featured with ceramic beads from Keith O'Connor and Melanie Brooks Lukacs of Earthenwood Studio, coral, wood, and amber beads from Talisman Associates, and a gold-plated key and heart toggle from my family at Green Girl Studios.

Above: I've created this necklace using a Grant Diffendaffer polymer bead, Keith O'Connor ceramic beads, Czech glass beads from Raven's Journey, cyanite and wood beads from Talisman Associates, natural brass chain from Vintaj and a Wisdom mermaid pendant and seashell clasp from my family at Green Girl Studios.

Above: Stephanie Maddalena's sea urchin-looking lampwork beads are paired with vintage Czech glass from Newtique, parapadsha Swarovski crystals from Fusion Beads, pearls from Talisman Associates, polymer leaves from Klew, natural brass chain from Vintaj and a large flower clasp from my family at Green Girl Studios.

Above: This necklace is made up of carnelian, pearls and red tiger-eye from Talisman Associates, a Czech glass drop from Sticks and Stones, Swarovski crystals from Fusion Beads, and lots of lovely aviary charms from my family at Green Girl Studios.

LAAFF...

Today we went to LAAFF (Lexington Avenue Arts Fun Festival) in downtown Asheville. We met up with Sheila's friends from the Fine Arts League of the Carolinas and saw our friends Meg and Alisa. Meg is a fantastic photographer and Alisa is a talented web-designer and proprietor of Lucky Design 7. We also saw our friends Melissa (from Chevron Trading Post) and her boyfriend Jinx. It was HOT outside. To cool off, we popped in Izzy's Coffee Den for a couple of iced coffees. It was a lot of fun!

Later on we watched a gentleman try to break the world's record for riding the tallest unicycle. Unfortunately the first go around didn't work out so well for him and he fell from the seat. Luckily for him he had a harness on. Apparently he was planning to try again, but we didn't wait around to see if he accomplished the goal or not. Good luck would-be-world-record-breaker!

Feasting...

We decided to have a little get together. So, Sheila and I whipped up a little feast. It was a lot of fun. I've missed entertaining and having people over. To the left is a picture Sheila took of me cutting oranges for the sangria. At the bottom is a shot of all the goodies that we prepared. (Not shown is Sheila's peach cobbler and my freshly whipped bourbon vanilla cream.)

Solstice by the Sea...

Michelle Mach of Interweave's Beading Daily just spotlighted the web exclusive project I did for Stringing Magazine called, Solstice by the Sea. CLICK HERE to download the instructions for free. In her piece, Using Leftovers, she discusses different ideas of what can be done with beads or other components (like chain) remaining after a project is finished. Not only does using leftovers really stretch a budget, but I think they are also a good "personal style indicator."

At the last show I was at, I had several nice discussions with different people about how they didn't know what to make or that they were just dabbling and how nothing they did seemed to fit together. I think in a day and age where selling is so integrated with the continuing of making things, identity branding becomes so much about who someone is as a designer. Some feel as though they must assign themselves to an artistic enterprise to be successful. It's easy for some designers. They find what they like and they stick with it and never vary too far from what's successful for them. But... for those of us who like to dabble or have varied interests, it's daunting to feel successful when there doesn't seem to be an overt cohesion within the work. It's painful when we try to super-impose an idea of what we think we should be doing or making. It's harder to recognize our voice within the work. I think this opens the door to a lot of self-doubt. What gets lost is remembering that all those tangents and experiments and dabbling forays, enriches our perspective. We add layers and dimension to our understanding of our craft. It is important to feel confident as a designer to express a point of view or create a story with your work. Self-doubt is the mind-killer.

Looking at leftover beads is a great tool in getting a more in-depth look at your own personal style. Patterns start to form. You'll start to see which colors, cuts, and materials you're most drawn to. What at first may seem disconnected in their individual states, collectively takes on a new face - your face. It becomes a mirror to understand better who you are as a designer. This is empowering. Knowing your preferences and style, allows you to make more informed choices.

Highlights...

We had such an amazing time in Atlanta at Anne Choi's house! She has the most incredible collections ever! I could spend forever looking through her charms and books and beads. It was simply a wonderful trip and I'm so happy that we could go down. I'm utterly grateful for the opportunity. Anne Choi is one of my favorite artists and one of my favorite people! I cannot sing her praise enough. She is the cat's meow!

Above: Anne Choi had a set of three bracelets from a girl's trip to Europe in 1911. We were all stunned by the details of the charms. Even though the binoculars were tiny and probably the size of a quarter, looking through them, one could see scenes of Paris.

Above: Cynthia and I brought along a few artist trading cards to work on while we were there. I did the backgrounds while we were in Asheville the night before we left. I was inspired by her many books about botanical folklore. The red one on the left is of dragon's blood tree, the yellow one in the middle a pitcher plant, and the fuchsia one on the right is of a mandrake root.

Above: We got some really great coffee and pistachio muffins from San Francisco Coffee Roasting Company. I'm particularly fond of the Highland blend.

Above: I'm a fan of Project Runway. I love the concept of a television show about creativity and problem-solving. Though, the inevitable drama that goes hand-in-hand with reality competitions grates on my nerves a bit. Drama aside, it's a weekly treat. One of my favorite parts of the show is when they go to Mood's to pick out fabric. I have very fond memories of going with my mom to the fabric stores and looking through the bolts of woven knits and silks and faux furs. One of our stops in Atlanta was a trip to Gail K Fabrics. It is divine! It has a wide selection of fabrics, buttons, and trims and is quite affordable. Personally, I think it's better than Mood's. You can get the same designer fabrics for a fraction of the price.

Above: Here's a photo of three of the little treasures I got. I'm quite pleased, as these designs are even more rare. One hardly see any of her charms or pins nowadays. I love the mandrake motif, especially the one in the pose of Botticelli's Venus. They are definitely worth the wait!

Above: One of the days, we had India for lunch at a great place called Desi Spice. The weather was perfect. Not too hot. Not too chilly. A nice breeze was flowing through. So, we took advantage of the outside patio. The above photo is of the underside of one of the umbrellas.

Above: Here's a shot taken from the Doll Houses and Miniature Designs shop in Lawrenceville. We stopped in to take a look at their mountains of miniature goods. I never knew the vast array of tiny treasures available. (I, of course, got a miniature glass owl.)

Above: For a couple of sweet treats, we made our way out to Decatur to The Chocolate Bar. They were quite tasty. At the top of the picture is the "homemade Oreo cookie" filled with white chocolate ganache and salted caramel and milk sorbet on the side. At the bottom and to the left is the blueberry ice cream over lemon jelly. To the right and at the bottom is the jasmine creme brulee.

Cynthia and I had such a wonderful time. It was good to see Anne and Lynn and meet Freddie and their friend, Debba. We talked about so many things - anything from dolls to Egyptian hippo goddesses. The environment was fun and relaxed and creative. I have so many ideas now. We simply could not ask for a better time!

New Necklaces...

Before we headed out to Atlanta to go to Anne Choi's house, I decided to whip up a couple of different necklaces for us to wear on our trip. The first was designed for Cynthia and the second was one for me.

They are pretty simple in design, but I'm quite smitten with them. I'm particularly fond of the one I made for Cynthia. It's got lots of Green Girl Studios bird beads, quartz crystals, and of course, a great Anne Choi bead. The caged heart bead reads: "Je vous aime, je vous adore, que voulex-vous encore?" Translated, that means: I love you, I adore you, what more do you wish?

The latter necklace is one I've tentatively titled, "The Key-maker." It's a nice mix of wood, chain, bronze African dowry rings, a shibuichi key from my family at Green Girl Studios, and an Anne Choi key barrel bead.

Madeline...

Before we left for Anne Choi's house, we baked madelines. They turned out great! Buttery and rich. Thank you Martha Stewart for your delightful recipe.

Mermaid Doll for Anne Choi...

One of my projects while in Asheville was to create a little present for our friend, Anne Choi. I knew that she was a doll collector, so I decided to make my first doll! I think it runs in the family to make mermaid dolls. Cynthia and Sheila have both made several. The doll is constructed out of polymer clay and is painted with acrylics. I wanted the doll to have a lot of movement. The hips swivel and the arms jiggle. I did a short movie clip of the doll in action. I'm quite pleased with it considering that it's my first!

Artist Trading Cards...

While at the local art supply store here in Asheville, True Blue Art Supply, we came across a pack of ready-cut artist trading cards. Instead of getting five for $2.50, we decided instead to get a full sheet of illustration board and cut it ourselves. (It ended up working out to be 60 cards for $4.75.) So far, only Cynthia and I have gotten a chance to make some. Each of us got ten cards. All ten of mine are shown in the above picture. I had a lot of fun making these. I experimented a lot with different techniques and played a lot with pen and ink. I started out by collaging the backgrounds, building up layers of colors and patterns, and then doing quick portraits accentuated with ink splatters and drips. In some of them, I went back and added iridescent paint. It was a really fun exercise to help open up my creativity and get me back into painting again.

Chicken Noodle Soup...

Sheila wasn't feeling so great today. So, Cynthia and I ran out to the market really fast and picked up ingredients for chicken noodle soup. We were all ferociously hungry, so we couldn't wait all day for the soup to shimmer. Our plan of action was to saute and lightly cook all of the individual components before combining them together - creating a super fast and tasty home remedy.

Jen Tong's Cannibal Hearts...

If you happen to find yourself near Lancaster, PA on September 5th, you should definitely check out the work of Jen Tong in her first solo show: Cannibal Hearts. The show will be at Metropolis Gallery. She is supremely talented and I adore the whimsical and fantastical quality to her paintings, prints, and drawings. If you are, perhaps, no where near Pennsylvania, you might want to CLICK HERE. This is a link will take you to their Flickr page where you can see some of her pieces from the show.

A Walk in the Woods...

Today we decided to get a little fresh air and go for a walk. So, everyone packed up and we headed out to Graveyard Fields off the Blue Ridge Parkway for a hike and to pick wild blueberries. The name sounds rather foreboding, but is actually pretty moderate.

Above: Road sign for Graveyard Fields.

Above: Another shot of the scenery from the road.

Above: The swimming-hole at the base of the waterfall.

Above: This is a picture taken at the top of the waterfall of Sheila's painting set up at the bottom. If you CLICK HERE you can see the painting she was working on. Apparently the name of the waterfall is the Yellowstone Prong.

Above: This is a shot of our yield. We found tons of wild blueberries and blackberries. It was a lot of fun going out with the family. My mom and dad were there and Azalea was having a blast running around helping pick berries.

After our adventure in the woods, we stopped at the Moose Cafe right near the Farmer's Market for a late lunch/ early dinner. It was so good! I had, quite possibly, the best chicken tenders that I've ever eaten. We wound down the night with games of Bananagrams, dice, and watching Mrs. Henderson Presents.

Dinner...

Here's a shot of our feasting. We had Hereford Steak, fresh farmer's market corn drizzled with garlic butter, heirloom tomatoes and creamy mashed potatoes. In the background, you can just make out some of the blood orange sangria we made. YUM!

Azalea's Birthday Celebration...

For Azalea's birthday, we went to The Toy Box to play with their many thousands of toys. Then went to the Asheville Pizza and Brewing Company. That's where we saw Kung Fu Panda and enjoyed some supremely delicious pizza. I highly recommend the pineapple and ham pizza. The movie was very likable and the message behind it a good one.

After a harrowing trip to Verizon to update our phones, we swung by Barnes and Noble for a quick coffee and to see if they had the Children of Dune mini-series on DVD for purchase. While we were at Barnes and Noble, we ran into our friend, Patti Cahill. She's an amazing lampwork artist. Make sure to check out the latest issue of Bead & Button to see some of her work.

When we finally got back to the house, I made a variation of the tres leche cake. Instead of soaking a whole cake in the milk mixture, I crumbled the cake up and made it more like a bread pudding. It turned out great!