We're All Ears :: May Reveal :: May Day Flowers

Hello everyone!
Happy spring!
The birds are chirping, the sun is shining and today it is a lovely 68 degrees here in the heart of Wisconsin. A perfect spring day!

Our challenge for this month was to do something that was inspired by the tradition of May Day (May 1st) with flowers, and baskets and ribbons on maypoles. I hope that you found something to be inspired by in this challenge!

I decided to keep things simple. I came across a bunch of these dyed howlite flower shaped beads and wanted to do something that would combine that with the ribbons of the maypole. I didn't find any ribbon or cord that would work, but I did find a small stash of colored flexible beading wire from Softflex that worked perfectly with the colors. I simply passed the wire through the little flower beads and shimmied them around so that the flat flower part would show rather than stack and crimped them off. Easy peasy! I think that this would work with other beads, like Czech glass flowers or even little round beads or crystals, as long as you can string four strands of wire through the hole.

I tried to do a little video showing how I made them, but I can't seem to get it to download off my phone and it also shot it in two parts with half of it upside down! Grrr! I guess technology is not my friend at the moment!

So in order not to delay this further, I will just show the pictures (although they are so simple I am sure you can figure it out!). If I can get the video to load, I will try to add that later.

Your turn! Brighten up the world with your happy spring inspired earrings!

We're All Ears :: May Inspiration :: May Day

Sorry for the delay in posting. Typically I don't work on Fridays. But we have been going crazy at work. That is a good thing. But that meant that I ended up working [from home] ALL DAY LONG. So now that it is almost 3pm I am finally able to shut off and tackle tasks that I was supposed to be doing all along. Not complaining, because I do have a job and we are doing well, but it is tough that my computer and the phone line that rings is in the same room as my bead cave, so I sit inches from all my beads all day long. And today was supposed to be my day to play with beads and make art. Oh well.

{Sigh.}

So taking a few moments to breathe deep {in. out. repeat}, stretch, and know that I needed to find something uplifting to focus on. Then I realize that today is May 1st, May Day.

I remember as a kid making paper flowers and weaving a paper basket in a heart shape and then dropping that off on some neighbor's front porch, ringing the doorbell and running away to peer from the bushes to see their face light up. I think that is a sweet idea. But I don't know much about why we did this. So I found out from the Farmer's Almanac that there is a lot of tradition and folklore with this celebration.

What I didn't know was that May Day is rooted in astronomy. On this day, we are about halfway between the spring equinox [March 19, 2020] and the summer solstice [June 20, 2020]. Apparently there are Celtic cross-quarter days that measure the time between the solstices and equinoxes each year. Among the other cross-quarter days are February 2 [Candlemas or Groundhog Day], May 1 [May Day], August 1[Lammas Day], October 31 [Samhain "summer's end"]. Read more here.

May Day is part of larger festivals and celebrations that are about dancing and songs all focused on the fields beginning to sprout. Dancing around a Maypole holding colorful ribbons woven in and out is a joyful celebration of fertility of crops and also signals the flirtatious courtship of young people (which explains why there are a lot of June weddings!). Crowning a May Queen, or in the Catholic tradition crowing Mary statues, are also part of these festivities.

So our inspiration for the We're All Ears challenge is the tradition of May Day: flowers in cones or baskets, dancing around a Maypole with ribbons.... or other signs of spring!

Make your spring May Day earrings [bonus: they will be perfect for Mother's Day gifting as well!] and come back here on Friday, May 15th to share!

We're All Ears :: April Reveal :: Safer At Home

Hello bead peeps!

I am sorry to be a little late to my own party. And I am not prepared (!). I clearly have not been very good at mastering time management of late. I am ashamed that I have no earrings to show for this post, but I do have something creative to share. And as they say on Broadway...the Show Must Go On!

I didn't make any earrings, but I am very proud to say that my creative constipation has finally busted through! LOL! I did manage to make the first in what will become a series of mixed media mosaic assemblages, so that is what I am sharing with you today. And there is a little bit of earring tucked into it....

I have had these little house shapes for some time and more that are larger and smaller, as I really resonate with a house shape. I have wanted to make these into something for a long time but just couldn't figure out what.

Then I stumbled on the "leaning tower of discarded jewelry" which is really leaning and it is so large it is a tower in my studio that I literally stumbled into! I found a necklace that I had made back in 2014 as a sample for a video series that I did with Interweave called "Shimmering Garden" (that I see is still offered for download!). It was in the discard pile because it had been strung incorrectly and the flowers didn't hang right. But all good pieces, and nothing ever gets thrown away in my world! So I just took a scissors to it and started cutting. Those three large flowers were what I made in the video and were the perfect focals for this new project. From there it was just fun to find all the bits I had lying around to make this mosaic assemblage. Included in here are actual earrings that were in my mother's jewelry box. There was a whole bag of these unfortunate costume jewelry pieces from decades past (nothing valuable or sentimental), things I can't even fathom my mother would have worn, still I couldn't get rid of them. So even though I didn't make earrings, there are still earrings represented here!

These will become a series that I will debut at the Gallery Q when we do actually reopen. And now that I have made one, the flood gates of creativity are opening. Huzzah!

A picture of my home before when we bought it in late 2009.

When this home isolation mandate came down I embraced the change, even though it was hard. I thought that maybe I would tackle some creative projects I had been putting off. But no, that sadly hasn't happened. Yes, it has been a shock to the system, but it is clearly NOT the worst thing. Despite the negative connotations, the actual hardships that people are facing, and let's face it, the inconveniences that are seemingly the main thing that I see people griping about, this time on pause has made me appreciate more than ever all the blessings that I have in my life: my family, my friends, having a job, the food on my table, the health that we have, the beauty of nature all around us, the rising of community spirit, the undeniable worth of a positive outlook, scientific facts and discoveries that will carry us though, the value of seeking to learn something new every day.

My friend Shannon has been doing a Facebook live "Stories with Shannon" each week for little ones, complete with a story she reads, plus coloring and even yoga bits. It is simply delightful. She read a book about mindfulness called A World of Pausabilities this week and it really resonated with me. Pushing pause on our lives as we knew them is not the same as pushing stop. There are many opportunities to be had if we only take the time to look up and out and see how we are all tightly woven in our communities, local, state, country and world - dependent on each other for health and happiness. This mindfulness is what I hope to carry through to the other side, wherever and whenever that may be. So I ask you...

What do you hope to carry with you to the other side of this pause? 

If you were able to play along in this challenge, now is the time to share!


P.S. Today, April 17th at 2:00pm I will be doing my very first Facebook live with a little art project that anyone, anywhere can join in on. We will be doing Greeting Card Mosaics with paper. Would love to have you join me! It will be hosted on the CREATE Portage County Facebook page.

We're All Ears :: Safer At Home

Hi, friend. How are you doing? No, really. How ARE you?

It has been a bit weird lately, to say the least. Last month I completely missed doing a challenge, and since each day is now like a week, it seems so long ago that I can't really recall. Is that a thing for you, too?

I wasn't sure that I would make this month either. Because, let's face it....my Muse has left the building and no matter what I do, I can't seem to coax her back. Between the hand washing, and the meal prepping and the working from home, and making sure that my kids are doing their school work (they are college students so it is much easier on me, but we talk about how grateful our kids are grown at this point because you parents adding homeschooling to your days get a lot of praise!), and worrying if our elderly relatives are doing okay with not just the isolation but the loneliness....well, the last thing on my mind is actually creating.

No, wait. That isn't quite true. The FIRST thing on my mind is being creative! I even have a sticky note that I see every single day, and my home office is actually on the other side of my Bead Cave, which you would think would be an easy temptation.

Seafoam Squarepants says, "DO SOMETHING CREATIVE TODAY!"

But yet, I have not made one thing in the past three weeks. Not one. And that just has to change. This creative constipation stinks!

You see, creating is a life-giving action, no matter what you are doing. Creating generates endorphins* and those happy chemicals lighten your load and gives you a positive outlook on life.
(*I am not a scientist, but it sounds about right!)

So now is a great time to make something!

My daughter is a dancer, and we cleared out the living room for her dance studio. Even bought her a portable dance floor which really helps. Dancing is a great stress relief. In Wisconsin, we had a statewide dance party on Saturday afternoon at 3pm. Radio stations all across the state played the song "Jump Around" which a sort of unofficial Badger anthem. People all over the place went out in their driveways and on their front porch to do just that: jump around! So much fun!

She has also been baking a lot. Each week she makes us a new treat, usually cookies.

My son has been practicing his chipping game. We have a huge backyard, so there is a lot of room to chip and putt all over the place.

My husband has been doing all the yard work. That is sort of an unofficial hobby for him. Roto-tilling, raking, riding the lawn-mower. The yard looks ready to green up.

Me? Nothing much. Just trying to keep my family fed. And clear out my studio so that there is a space to even create a pair of earrings. In the process I am finding all sorts of things, which makes me think I should have a massive destash event because there is no way I could ever use all of these things myself!

The good news is that I really don't mind being at home so much. Aside from going to work every day, I really don't get out that much (and clearly I can work from home so now I think I should do that always). Since this local mandate started about a month ago, I can count on one hand the number of times I have gone about town. Our house is large enough that everyone has a space they can call their own, so that really helps, and I know we are lucky in that. But I do miss going out and about, or seeing friends. But the more we embrace this new normal (and I think it will be this way for a much longer time than we think), the better.

I hope that no matter where you are in the world that you are staying safe and healthy and positive and sane. Perhaps you are under some sort of mandatory or voluntary stay-at-home mandate. We all must be doing our part. Here in Wisconsin it is called "Safer At Home." I just wish that every one would abide by that so that we can all come together to fight this common enemy by standing {six feet} apart.

What does Home mean to you?

I have always argued that Home is not necessarily a place but more a state of mind, a feeling, and certainly not limited by four walls and a roof. But in these uncertain and odd times, Home is taking on a much greater and deeper meaning.

I hope that your Home is a safe haven, a comfort zone, a place where you want to be.

I am sure that Home is where you have a lot of memories, where the pantry is always stocked, where friends and family and pets come together to laugh and play, where the laundry always smells fresh, the counters are always cluttered, and the chaos of the everyday makes you smile.

I want to believe that everyone's home is a place of acceptance, security, and, most of all, love.

Make some earrings to represent HOME to you*. Come back on Friday, April 17th to show them off and it would be great to see pictures of your home as well!

*Thanks to Sarajo Wentling for the inspiration! 

We're All Ears :: Reveal :: Land Art

I would have loved to spend more time in the amazing world of Jon Foreman and his incredible Land Art installations. They are intricate and precise and yet made from things that are exactly the opposite. It thrills me to see all the color along with the patterns. If I had more time I would have done more with the patterning and the placement of pieces.

But what I decided to focus on was making my own stones.

Yes! I made every single one of the stones here in a challenge within a challenge.

To create these faux stones, I started with translucent polymer clay and incorporated different inclusions, from mica powder to mica chips and embossing powders. That is all the coloring you see here, and it was fun to see how I could make them look like some sort of stone found along a lakeshore. Shaped haphazardly and baked, the embossing powder adds a dimension of realness. They may look like stones but they are as light as a feather!

So I have a couple pairs of the faux stones that I created that would love to come home and play with you! If you enter a pair of earrings, you will automatically be entered to win a pair of "stones" of your very own. And if you didn't get a chance to enter some earrings (remember you have a week to do so!), just leave a comment telling me what your favorite type of stone is and you can win a pair of my Stoned earrings! I will announce winners on Friday, March 6th.

Your turn! Show me your nature inspired land art earrings!

We're All Ears :: February Inspiration :: Sculpt the World

Jon Foreman is a land artist from Wales. He was inspired by the natural materials abundantly found in his seaside location to create his ephemeral land art sculptures. Stones, sticks, shells, leaves, sand, and more find their way into his hauntingly beautiful mandala-like sculptures. Can you imagine the delight in coming upon one of these out in the wild?

From his website - https://sculpttheworld.smugmug.com -

A creator of various styles of Land Art, he is ever in search of “different.” Be it with stones or leaves, inland or on beaches. He has even created works in derelict environments using materials such as broken glass or ashes and general debris. The scale of his work varies massively; he may use stones or driftwood to make something small and minimal. Otherwise he may be seen drawing massive scale sand drawings up to 50 metres across. His work is ephemeral in many differing ways; Most often the weather and immediate climate will make his work disappear (be blown down/washed away by the tide), and sometimes other people will interfere. This is all part of the creative process and has proven to benefit his work. Jon’s practice is not just something he enjoys but it is also a therapy for him, an escape from the stresses of everyday life. Jon began his journey making Land Art/Sculpture while in college but he feels his creative play with materials and innovative ideas are something which started long before. Most of his work takes place in an already beautiful setting such as the Pembrokeshire coastline. Having grown up there he saw the beauty of the coastline and woodlands and made use of them by collaborating with nature itself.

When I first saw these images on www.BoredPanda.com I immediately thought of beads! Each of these experimental sculptures is massive yet so intimate. The act of placing each stone, stick or leaf in just the right place based on color, size and shape is really remarkable. The circular shapes, with radiating rays and spirals are so very ancient and powerful. I imagine that there is a lot of planning that goes into these, and a meditative experience in completing them. Reminds me of my process of working with just the right beads that I "happen" to find in my beady landscape!

Be sure to look through both the 70+ pictures on the BoredPanda site for more inspiration as well as checking out his website for other materials and sculpture installations. There is even a short film of him working on a massive sand canvas piece along a rugged Welsh coastline. Beautiful! Well worth the time to watch. Show him some love, because his art is awesome!

Jon Foreman - Sculpt The World

Website

Facebook

Instagram

Of course you could just focus on the patterns and shapes that Foreman uses, or you could incorporate natural elements like sticks and stones and leaves into your interpretation. Lots of options! Hope to have you play along with me...and tell your friends, too! Be sure to come back on Friday, February 21st for the reveal!

We're All Ears :: January Reveal :: Color of the Year

Hello earring peeps!

Time got away from me this month so I didn't quite finish what I was making. But I promise that I am going to keep working on it and in the next few days I should have something to share here. But I didn't want you to suffer because I didn't get the assignment done (and I don't even have a dog to say that's who ate my homework!).

I have been working on some new polymer clay ideas for a class that I will be teaching in Galena, IL this summer at the fourth annual Adornments Retreat. Four days of fabulous beady fun in a gorgeous resort. Can't wait! One of my classes is called Slab Lab. This class will feature making polymer clay slab veneers that will be utilized for modular components that work well with a variety of styles and types of jewelry. So in working with the Pantone color of the year - Classic Blue - I decided to make a slab with that color in it.

I mixed my own colors of clay to mimic the colors in the palette suggestion - Ponder. I liked the very soothing tones and thought that they would look good with the dark and mysterious blue, particularly that last row on the Color Harmonies.

I then proceeded to build up layers of clay, sort of like a tapestry that is embroidered to add detail and texture. I started with little blue leaves and vines. I came up with a way to turn tiny circles of clay into a modern rose and gave it a bit of punch with a gold leaf center. Then to fill the space I added dots of the bronzy brown color. In this technique it is all about the layers, the colors and the textures. It is amazing what you can do with a simple ball-stylus tool!

From there I cut out various shapes. As I was doing this I realized that I needed to do WAY more patterning on this slab, particularly for earrings, which are smaller shapes. This pattern would look really good as larger shapes for pendants, but I stuck to earrings for this challenge.

Next up: baking. Then finishing with some light sanding and buffing. And then making earrings! So I apologize for not having the earrings done. But I wanted you to see where I was going with this so hopefully you will check back in the coming week to see what I made as I will edit this post.

But now it is your turn! Which colors did you pair with the Classic Blue? Can't wait to see!

We're All Ears :: Use Your Leftovers Challenge

Hello earring peeps!
It is time for the reveal of the 5th annual We're All Ears Use Your Leftovers challenge!

I always enjoy doing this one because I can create as many as I can no matter the theme or the color and can use whatever I happen to have on hand.

First I pulled together an assortment of beads that I thought might be good for quick earrings. I put them in this vintage cornbread pan that I have. From there I just had to dig in!

I put on the 100 Uplifting Songs playlist on Spotify. They really were happy songs that helped me create happy things! I also set a timer for one hour. I wanted to finish things up in a short amount of time so that I wouldn't overthink things or try to complicate matters, as I am wont to do. (I will admit that I hit the snooze a couple of times so that I could put the finishing touches on!)

One of my tips for a challenge like this that has a time limit is to make sure that you have all the beads and findings (head pins, eye pins, wire, spacers, jump rings) within reach. And I also make all the earring dangles first, and then add the ear wires at the end. That helps me to maximize the time.

Then I gave myself about 45 minutes to quickly photograph the earrings and write this post. So in under 2 hours I made 8 pairs of earrings! Perfect for stocking stuffers for all your favorite people!

I think there are some winners here! I am sure that at least one of these pairs will be on my ears for Christmas, and the rest will be given away to spread some holiday cheer!

Now it is your turn.... show me what you made from your Leftovers!

We're All Ears :: 5th Annual Use Your Leftovers Challenge!

QUESTION: Do you like to do challenges like We're All Ears? I am trying to assess if this monthly challenge should continue in 2020. Maybe it has run it's course, or we should try something else. DO tell me what you think in the comments below.

I can't believe that it has been a full FIVE YEARS since I started issuing the Use Your Leftovers Challenge! 

I used to take a picture of the state of my beading area in my studio, but it really hasn't ever changed that much in five years. Sad, I know. [Read: I NEVER put anything away, just pile more on top, shuffle it around a bit and create a pathway through the tower of boxes and bins holding beads on the floor that I try not to trip on!]

I haven't had that much time to actually create these past few months. You would think that with both kids away at college I would have a lot more time on my hands, but there is always something that comes up, right? (Hence, the months that I totally neglected this which makes me sad.) But I also know that at this hectic time of year, this is a great opportunity for me to get back into a creative mode - and possibly use up some of my prodigious stash - with this annual leftovers challenge. So I look forward to this.

Are you like me, and have an overabundance of beads but just haven't used them or are just lazy like me and haven't bothered to put them away ;-)? 

Then this challenge is for you! The goals: 

NO SHOPPING WHATSOEVER. USE WHAT YOU HAVE. CREATE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN. 

So with those goals in mind, I invite you to take part in the  

5th Annual Use Your Leftovers Challenge 

Are you ready to play with me?

Make your own Keep Calm poster at http://www.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk

First, take a picture of the craftermath from your bead feast. Believe me, if it looks like mine it won't be pretty! My studio hardly has a path for me to walk through much less space to create. My table is littered with beady crumbs of all sorts. But think of those bits as delicious morsels waiting for your inspiration to strike!

I don't even know what year this was taken,
but I can tell you it is not much improved...and is likely MUCH WORSE!
Actually, I don't think I can even see ANY of the countertop!

Next, find a divided box, bin, baggies or small bowls and go through the stash on your festive table picking out coordinated sets that you can use to create earrings. They don't need to be same... this is a good time to practice asymmetrical earrings! Put these pieces together with ear wires, chain, findings, etc in each division of the box. I have found that a mini-muffin tin is a great way to corral these bits! Work quickly! Don't take too much time, just focus on filling the sections. Think of this like your staging area for Leftover Transformations.

Crank it up! I like to put on some upbeat music that can help me get the job done and boost my mood. I listen to Spotify. A lot. So here are some great playlists to get you creating!

Starbuck's Christmas Party Playlist

Have A Great Day Playlist

Heart Beats Playlist

100 Uplifting Songs Playlist

70s Upbeat Funky Soul Classics

Now, kick your creating into high gear! Consider this a Quickfire challenge...Set a timer (challenge yourself to see how many pairs of earrings you can create in an hour...or 15 minutes... or make one pair a day for 7 days... whatever works for you!). DON'T think about it too much (leftovers are supposed to be easy!), just make it happen. Sometimes the best things happen when you are on a deadline and you can't afford the time to overthink! 

Finally, share your bounty of tasty Leftover Transformation creations on Friday, December 20th by adding your link to the Linky Tools party right here. I would be surprised if you didn't make multiple pairs of earrings from this exercise. The bonus is that you will now have a ready-made collection of quick gifts for stocking stuffers, teachers, co-workers and friends just in time for celebrating all the winter holidays and festivities! (Or a different pair for you to wear each day until the new year!) I would love to have a lot of participation so I hope you will join me!

In the spirit of giving, I will offer a giveaway of an Emergency Earring Making kit - with beads and findings from my prodigious stash for you to use to make multiple pairs of earrings - valued at over $40. But in order to be chosen, you have to participate in the blog hop starting on December 20th. Winner will be chosen at random from all eligible entries on December 31st (that will give you more than one full week to make your Leftover Transformation magic happen!). I'll even leave the LinkyTools party open until December 31st so you have lots of time to play! 

I will announce the winner in the first challenge of the New Year on January 3rd!

Let's get this leftover party started...tell your friends to join in the fun, too! *<]:-}}}}

We're All Ears :: November Inspiration

You know how one thing leads to another? Like an adult version of the children's book, "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" where the cookie leads to all sorts of things? Well, we recently upgraded our home wifi to a Google puck-type thing. It was fine and dandy for set up, but then I noticed that my printer wouldn't print. Which lead me to find out that it is obsolete (yet works perfectly!) so my only option seemed that I needed to buy a new one. But then I discovered that I could wire it in directly (instead of the wireless of before, where it was on the other side of the room). And that meant a trip to the store to buy a cable. But the longest one they had was only 6 or 10-feet, so I had to move the printer closer. Which lead to the fascinating discovery of all sorts of flotsam and jetsam, like an archeological dig in paper form on the very messy computer desk. I am still sorting through it, but I did come across this little notebook with all these cryptic phrases in it, like Barely Clouds, and Disappointed Bees, and Hidden Venus. I was completely at a loss for what this was until I found a scribble at the end that this was from a random name generator called The Forge.

Random Name Generators exist to help people come up with all sorts of names...for characters in your next novel, Scientific-sounding bird names, Music Band Names, Dragon Names and so much more.

I like to name my pieces and I was obviously stuck for some cool-sounding names, and stumbled upon this, sometime in the past 10 years of living here. The FantasyNameGenerators website is far more robust and offers far more types of names to generate than I remember that the original one I used. I think that my diversion of this website was to produce a list of names that I could then use to influence my design, rather than naming a thing after. It is a good challenge to start with a name and see what leads you to create. So that is what we will do this month.

Above is a list of some of the names that I had in my little naming notebook. Pick one or more to create a pair of earrings that embodies this spirit of the name. And if you are so inspired to find your own random name, check out FantasyNameGenerators. See you back here on Friday, November 15th for the reveal!

We're All Ears :: We're All Little Dotty Here

Hello peeps!

This will be a short and sweet post. I am almost late for an eye appointment where I am sure I will be seeing spots after!

This month's challenge was inspired by a dress that I picked up on clearance at a cute little boutique in downtown Galena, IL after the Adornments retreat in July. I knew that it would be the perfect thing to wear to a swanky family wedding that I am leaving for today! Look at all the happy dots!

I am not one to wear much pattern, but I am trying to embrace that! I just knew that the shape of the dress worked for me and it felt so fun.

This is the no-make-up-oh-crap-I-forgot-to-take-a-picture look!
Thank goodness for early morning diffused northern light! :-)

So I whipped up a funky necklace with a melange of dots and stripes including pieces by Jennifer Heynen of Jangles (Remember her fun work? She no longer makes beads but focuses on fun fabrics). Dots go with stripes. Right?

In the spirit of the challenge (and knowing that the gifting season is soon to begin!) I made 7 pairs of earrings, + the last pair which is what I am wearing with the necklace, that I made back when we did the black+white challenge here.

Now it is your turn! Show me your DOTS + SPOTS!

We're All Ears :: September Inspiration :: Dotty

The first time the words "polka dot" were used together to describe the beloved pattern was in 1850. They never really had any connection to polka dancing, but these dotty spots have been called that ever since.

At first they were found in small doses, like in men's bow-ties. But with the turn of the century and textile technology advancing, it quickly became an iconic fashion statement to wear polka dots. Over the years this pattern was further popularized by fashionable entertainers and Hollywood stars, like Marilyn Monroe or Lucille Ball. Even the fa-mouse fashionista Minnie Mouse made them a pop-culture trend in the 1930 - all the way to present day Julia Roberts in the movie "Pretty Woman." Polka dots are seen as sweet, feminine, classic, playful, fun.

Close up of A Sunday on La Grande Jatte By Georges Seurat - National Gallery of Art, Washington, D. C., online collection, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11500867

Artists have long used dots for impact in their paintings. George Seurat's most famous work A Sunday on La Grande Jatte in the style of Pointilism (essentially dot painting) is masterful and scientific in its precision. Damien Hirst, a British contemporary artist, once exhibit 300 dot paintings in all eleven galleries at the Gagosian. These paintings were mesmerizing. One featured over 90,000 hand painted spots. Amazing!

Jemima, 2016 © Damien Hirst and Science Ltd.
All rights reserved, DACS/Artimage 2019.
Photo: Prudence Cuming Associates Ltd

I originally wanted the Spots to look like they were painted by a human trying to paint like a machine. Colour Space is going back to the human element, so instead you have the fallibility of the human hand in the drips and inconsistencies. There are still no two exact colors that repeat in each painting, which is really important to me. I think of them as cells under a microscope. —Damien Hirst

Yayoi Kusama, Whitney Museum

Yayoi Kusama was a Japanese artist who turned her lifelong experience with traumatic hallucinations into wild immersive art installations punctuated by dots on every surface. In 2012, Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton created an array of dotty accessories inspired by Kusama's work. 

Collaboration with Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton and Yayoi Kusama, 2012

A polka-dot has the form of the sun, which is the symbol of the energy of the whole world and our living life, and also the form of the moon, which is calm. Round, soft, colorful, senseless and unknowing. Polka-dots can't stay alone; like the communicative life of people, two or three polka-dots become movement. Polka-dots are a way to infinity. 

--Yayoi Kusama

Let's celebrate the polka-dot! Make some dotty-spotty earrings for the reveal on Friday, September 20th!

[Please remember that all artwork shared here is for your inspiration only, and not to be used in your designs.]

We're All Ears :: Storms May Come

Sorry for the lateness of this post. Had some computer issues which cut into my creation time last night, much like a storm that causes a blackout. The thing about storms, is that they will come. But how we react to them, how we prepare for them and how we pick ourselves up after them, is the key. So I got up, sketched a few ideas, pulled beads that worked for them, set a timer for myself for one hour and got to work.

I had planned to do three pairs of earrings inspired by the cycle of a storm. Raindrops. Lightning. Rainbows. But I only had time to create two of the designs, although I did make a variation of one, so ended up with three pairs.

First, comes the rain. Inspired by the picture with the drops in the puddle. Each drop on it's own is small and seemingly insignificant, but together they can become a flash flood. dripdripdrop....

And then comes the rainbow. Roy G. Biv is the way to remember the colors of the spectrum. Red. Orange. Yellow. Green. Blue, Indigo, Violet. But a rainbow is more than just a beautiful sight, it is symbolic for coming together, accepting of all so I added a Love Knot of jump rings at the top. And since I couldn't decide on the order, I created two variations to celebrate whatever way you want to go.

Now it is your turn. Show us your stormy weather earrings!