A Gift for a Dear Friend

Click HERE if you are still cruising the blogs like I am for the Bead Soup Party.

The Second Kiss Supine

I dabble in some beadwork, 

mostly I like the meditative state 
that making beaded spirals puts me in

and 
the fun of trying new color combinations.  

I experimented with a combination of 
size 8 and 16 seed beads to create this spiral.

And the star pattern was in the book;

 "Beading with Cabochons" by Jamie Cloud Eakin

I picked up at the library last month. 

I found Sandy: Glass Art Cabochons on Etsy 

while browsing another blogger's bead work.

I had to get this cabochon 
and make my friend Diane this necklace for her birthday. 

(She chose the star shaped setting 
because she is an astrologer) 

She guides and inspires me to never give up- 

keep following my creative heart and mind and trust the universe to take care of me.  

She and her husband have a print of the painting-
 "The Kiss" by Gustav Klimt.  

She was thrilled that I made this for her.  

I apologize for the lack of pictures this week- 

I dropped my camera while on the tripod 
and thought I broke it. Yes sheer panic!!

After a few hours of browsing 
to see what the damage would be to purchase a new one. 

My daughter, Jessie (McG(eye)ver), 
fiddled with it and fixed it!!

I am eternally grateful to have her in my life and home.

So you will be seeing me on BTW, 
I Heart Macro and Flickr this week.
I will also be adding some new items to my etsy shops. 

Heather-Aquariart

My Fiber Art Accesories, gearing up for fall and winter

Did I mention my addiction to fiber?

As I secretly work on my Bead Soup I also have been very busy with fiber 

so today it's all about Fiber!!

I am creating more patterns and classes for my crochet students at Gail Knits here in town.

In the last week I completed a crocheted pillow,

Made with Cascade "Duo" which is an undyed yarn 70% Baby Alpaca and 30% Merino Wool
It is so soft you just can't resist putting your face down on it for a little nap. 
The pillow overlaps and is closed with my handmade polymer clay buttons. 

Another Hairpin Lace Scarf, 

Hairpin Lace Scarf made with Trendsetter "Segue"
a hand dyed polyamide ribbon yarn. 

A Felted Purse

Felted Purse made with Cascade "Pastaza"- 50% Llama and 50% wool
and a novelty yarn by Trendsetter called "Joy"
All it needs now is a wonderful polymer clay button closure and 
a lining with lots of pockets. 

Here is the bottom where you start with an oval shape and increase to the width you want the purse to be.
The purse is crocheted with a size N crochet hook, 
when felted it shrinks about 30% and all
the lacy holes mesh to form a boucle-like texture.
Last of all I made a recycled leather cuff from an old purse, 

My thank you gift to my daughter Jessie for her help at my last craft show.

She wears her white cowboy boots to Stoney's
(She is an avid Country Western fan; line and swing dancer)
This cuff matches her boots perfectly!!

Yesterday Jessie had a day off and  graciously modeled some of my accesories

for a photo shoot in our front yard. 
I think she even had fun doing it! 

These pictures are now on my first IDVD Slideshow -

"Aquariart Portfolio" 

completed late last night (yawn).  

Thanks are due to my wonderful friend Barbara too

for her help teaching me the IDVD program.  

 Here are a few of the pictures we took:

It makes such a difference to see your items on an actual person. 

 I am so fortunate to have two gorgeous daughters,

one of which is right here and available to photograph.  

For all my jewelry fans we took a couple of jewelry shots:
then we were both tired so more another day. 

My Kokopeli Set made with an enamel focal (the kokopeli figure) 

from EB Bead and Metal Works.

Yes that is a tiny handmade native american flute hanging from the pendant.
I made all the beads out of polymer clay. 

and My "Fairy Garden" Bib Necklace

This one has lots of my hand made flowers, lucite flower beads, seed beads and organza leaves.
Th-th-th-that's all folks,
now you know what I mean when I say:
"I have been busy this week!" 
Have a wonderful Labor Day Weekend Everyone!! 

A little late for BTW but finished on time for ABS

Don't you just love acrynoms.
  (!#$%#@&*^+_) I  DON"T!!

Really they can mean a million different things to millions of different people.

It can be so confusing.  

If you follow regularly you may know that BTW on my page is not "By the Way" 

but Bead Table Wednesday and I missed it this week.
(But you can go get inspired by the other jewelers)  

ABS is not the abbrieviation for those (troublesome sagging) six packs I used to have 

but the Art Bead Scene Blog Challenge. 

So now that we have all that sorted out. 

Here is my entry for the Art Bead Scene August Challenge inspired by Frederick Ramsdell. 

An Art Deco Poster for American Crescent Cycles. 

I love the poster, the girl's long flowing hair and blowing dress have such nice movement. 

I wove hand dyed silk ribbon in an auburn shade 

through some really unique antique brass chain I have that reminds me of bicycle chain.  

I was picturing in my mind a pendant that was a bicycle wheel on one side 

and had a portrait of the girl inlaid in the other 

so I got out my polymer clay and started mixing colors to match the palette.  

(Unfortunately my green turned more blue in the oven) 

My eye was drawn to the wheel with the silver spokes, pink rim and white washed tire.  

This inspired the pendant which I made first and then baked.  

Next I added the bezel on the front and the handles 

which if you look closely resemble the handles on the bicycle in the poster. 

I spent a lot of time sketching to create a line drawing portrait 

to insert in my bezel with the girl's profile and flowing hair.

When I finally had a successful result I minimized it in Adobe Photoshop 

and printed a whole page of her.

You may see her again in other jewelry. 

One of the last additions to my necklace is my favorite part- 

the three graduated loops of antique brass chain hanging from the pendant. 

I knew I was finished when I added that. 

It balanced out the whole design.

I also am in love with this leaf chain that is dangling from the knot of silk. I have been adding it to everything I make- it is sooooooo nice.
I inserted the white lily, which you see many of in the poster, just for the photos,
I never found a place for it in the necklace.
I made that a long time ago and it is still looking for a home.
I am really puzzled by how this all came together.  

No sketch, except the portrait, just intuitive combining of ingredients and well, 

sometimes that's when I do my best work. 

Let go and let it happen.
Click here to see some more wonderful creations!!

Bead Table Wednesday - Resin and......

I am gearing up for a the Arts and Craft Fair at Mt Charleston,

so this will be short but sweet! 
(They look like candy) 

First some close ups from the resin tray above.

I used fabric scraps, chopped up scrap threads, 

glitter, embossing powders, 

metallic sand found in Michael's florist section in gold and silver  

and the two part resin that takes 72 hours to set. 

So my office door has been shut, 
My Cat, Gracie, 
who always seems to think that anything new I make is for her 
and the other two hairy beasts are not not welcome. 

and 

My best faux fire opal so far!

This one has glitter and embossing powders sprinkled over 
polymer clay scraps I chopped up into tiny pieces with my blade. 
They were then rolled and squished together
and cut over a plastic bag so they would dome. 
Most of the resin poured off but I think I managed to get a light coating. 
These will hopefully make nice pieces for bezels, rings and necklaces. 
All for now, to see the other wonderful tables click HERE! 

BIG HUGE GIVEAWAY!!!

One of my very favorite Art Bead Artists :

Heather Powers is cleaning out her bead inventory.  

The Humble Bead Big Huge Giveaway Set !!!

These beads are to die for 

and to have a chance to get a batch for free 

of her truly unique and amazing beads is crazy wonderful!!
Hurry tonite at midnite is the deadline!!! 

Click HERE 

to see what you have to do to have a chance to win.  

If you would rather go to her etsy store and pick your own beauties, 

click the same spot and look for her code so you can get 20% off.

You can go to her etsy store right from her blog. 

This is exciting, 

I think the heat is getting to all of us but shurely Heather Powers has gone mad!! 

( Just Kidding Heather) 

I had one of the most productive weeks of my life this week.
Here are pictures of everything I made after Bead Table Wednesday and the Art Bead Scene July Challenge deadline I managed to make:

The mythical characters called Nymphs, Sirens or Mermaids 
have always intrigued me.
I love the ocean and  this focal from 
Green Girl Studios has a quote by Crouseau. 
I watched all his documentaries about the sea. 
He says:
"the sea, once it casts its spell holds one in its net of wonder forever". 

I used these wonderful twisted blue glass beads to represent waves and added the mermaids ride: a sea horse charm.


Next:
My Waves Bracelet
I used blue and turqoise in this one. 
I made the polymer clay turquoise swirl beads and flat spacers.
The rest are glass beads.

This one features a naked lady. 

 I like to think she is skinny dipping in all that blue green water!

For this bracelet I used memory wire covered with coiled pink artist's wire and beads.  
I made the polymer clay flower beads 
textured on both sides so they look great 
no matter where they turn. 
The pink stone is dyed howlite, 
the green, crackled glass. 
The necklace below is extra long.  
I love this length for summer- 
looks great with a cool cotton shirt.
Fortunately we had very cloudy weather yesterday morning- perfect for photographing shiny beads.

This one was a quickie with glass and shell beads on memory wire.  

I love the flower dangles, I picked up the pink curled glass beads at Road 2 California last year.  

Sorry I can't remember who the vendor was. 

They remind me of one of my favorite flowers, fuchsias, 

combined with the bright green glass and crystals.

A few orphan beads found their place in these earrings.

I am finally parting with some of my favorite finds.

This butterfly bead is an amazing little ceramic focal for this bracelet.

And the Star with a bead wired in really shines in this bracelet. 

The reds, oranges and browns remind me of hikes in the Valley of Fire. 

Here was a super quickie made with painted bone beads 

and the speckled beads are some kind of nut. 

(like me).  

This one has an extra long length too. 

And one more orphaned lampwork bead found a home, 

Queen of some necklace to be. 

Last but not least a Macro shot of the dragon side of this lovely etched deep navy blue bead. 

Click HERE to see more Macro Photos

Well I made all that in one day, so I took a rest yesterday and floated in the pool

with one nicely iced stien of Rogue Chocolate Beer!! 

Come on back on Wednesday for Bead Table Wednesday. 

Happy Weekend to you all! 

BTW- Working on the Art Bead Scene Blog July Challenge

As usual I am the queen of last minute 

and finished my piece for the Art Bead Scene July Challenge today at 1 pm.  

So then there was a nasty photo session in the 106 degree hot wind 

in my south facing back yard under the patio cover. 

Then lots of photo editing, uploading and picture collaging on picnik. 

I have to say I took a nice break and had a little frozen yogurt with my friend Barbara this afternoon. 

So it is 6:16, hubby is fortunately working a little late 

and I am scrambling to finish this post for Bead Table Wednesday 

and the Art Bead Scene July Challenge for the blog hop 

and I will be done blah, blah, blogging until Saturday. 

Here are my pictures: 

House Pendant from mixing the clay colors in the inspiration palette to the finished pendant.

Screeching in at the last minute for the deadline!!!
For some reason I had a really hard time making this piece today.  I started the moment my husband left for work (7:15am) and finally, all alone in the house at 1 pm said to myself outloud:

"Ok Heather , you are done, just leave it the way it is 

and go take the (*$!#) pictures,

it's getting really hot outside!!"

The Bad News: 

I ruined a bunch of jump rings and a stretch of chain because 

I must have taken this apart at least 20 times and reconstructed it ;

 over and over and over......ugh.

 I am finding that I really prefer my copper and antique brass findings. 

For some reason they seem more neutral and less intrusive than silver.  

I really want the time back I wasted making polymer roses and leaves on Monday 

because they were too big and too distracting

making the house pendant just disappear.   

The Good News: 

This is not one of my most favorite designs but it is what it is.  

And it is done!! YAY!! 

And I got my yellow enameled copper head pins just in time yesterday 

from Kimoras on Etsy and I love them!!

If you read my blog last month you already know 

I am very, very low on the color yellow in my stash. 

My collages are created on picnik.com

For more pictures and information about my polymer clay process 

including a secret recipe for sparkling yellow go HERE.

To see the other wonderful Bead Tables and July Challenge pieces 

click on the highlighted words at the beginning of my Rant.  

Then just breathe!! 

Forests.....

Before I moved to Nevada I always pictured the desert as miles of empty dunes, 

with cactus, snakes, lizards, spiders (eeeooowah) and not much else.  

Much to my surprise Las Vegas is surrounded by mountains 

of which my favorite is Mount Charleston. 

There is a wonderful oasis up there 

where the temperatures average about 20 degrees cooler than the city.  

As the elevation increases on the ride up the cactus grow, 

then there are larger bushes, short trees 

and finally full grown ponderosa pines with bright red orange bark.  

The scent of lemon balsam is everywhere 

and I feel at home, at peace and full of wonder. 

Here is a collage with some of the pictures I took Thursday 

on a hike with my daughter Jessie and the two dogs; Durango and Harley.  

The pictures in my header are all taken at the top of the Mary Jane Falls Trail. 

 You have to see my macro shots of the wild delphinium and thistle up close. 

Wild Delphinium- this tiny flower looks like a fairy queen's crown!

Thistle- unfortunately not flowering yet.

I couldn't have conjurred up of a better lead into my work in progress 

for Heather Power's Challenge: at Humblebeads 

"Inspired by Nature": 

this week's theme is "the Forest Floor".

These photos were actually taken on a rock in my backyard, 

in the garden wall above the pool

and in a couple of my potted plants.  

I am addicted to color so flowers and greenery are a must in my yard, 

even if most of them die every year from the heat. 

Every year I try to add more of the plants that do survive

and my gardens are growing. 

I  will be finishing up tonight 

and take more pictures of this bib necklace completed tomorrow morning. 

For now it is off to do some outdoor chores and jump in the pool. 

Someone is waiting for me to play with him-

My little Big Boy- Durango

Come back tomorrow for links to the Challenge and see everyone's Forest Floor Creations! 

Bead Table Wednesday a day late....

I had a very busy day yesterday and was lucky to be able to walk my dogs, take my photos, upload, edit and post on the site before I left the house at 9 am.  
I didn't get home until 6:45 pm and I forgot all about posting here for BTW.  
So a day late but here is my bead table from yesterday. 

I am working on Heather Powers Challenge: Inspired by Nature; 
this week's theme is the Forest Floor. 

Monday, my major work at home day of the week, 
I collected some great images from google and 
made a collage on Picnik for inspiration and color palette ideas 
and set to work with my polymer clay.

I made fall leaves,

 acorns,

 faux twigs,

 a slug, 

( much smaller than the ones we used to see in the NW when we lived there). 

 I really like the way my acorns turned out. 

 I added embossing powders under a layer of translucent clay 

to get the grainy look on their tops and 

then had to try some faux stones too. 

 I had a great productive day and will use these for another bib necklace.  
My plan is to put together a series and go peddle my wares to some local boutiques. 

Here's to wishing all of you a productive week too!!