Jen Judd Rocks!

Artisan Clay Design Team - Pennsylvania Girls

2012-01-27T06:02:00.000-06:00

Hi all. Welcome to my January Artisan Clay Design Team reveal post.

Kristie Roeder, the magic hands behind these wonderful stoneware and recycled glass pieces of art, challenged the team to start out the new year. She picked pieces for all of us sight unseen. I lucked out with this blue and white pendant that's bright and summery and happy...perfect for the doldrums of a mediocre, muddy winter. Plus, blue and white are my high school alma mater's colors, so I figured this little project could do double duty as a birthday present for one of my hometown buds as we move into our "over 40" years. haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Right away, I thought it'd be easy...it's blue, for crying out loud. But, alas, matching the tones of these blues was harder than I thought it would be. I think the darker one looks like the crayon called "cornflower" and the lighter one is a clearer version of the same. You can see in the pic above that I started towards fibers that were in the right color family for this design. I picked out some white-washed, pale wood disks and then re-discovered my little crystal hoard...that's when the design took a different turn.

I have experienced a dearth of inspiration, lately, when I sit at the bead table. But, one of my fave designers of late is fellow Team member, Staci over at Staci Louise Originals. She just has a cool way of putting unique bits together into a composition that doesn't seem like it should work but just does! So, I used her designs as inspiration for this piece...I hope she sees it as a suitable tribute. :)

There's one other art bead included in the design: that little blue lampworked glass round is from Sue at Suebeads, another Design Team member.

That brings the total number of Pennsylvania girls involved in this project to four...Kristie, Staci, Sue, and I all hail from the Keystone state. How cool is that?

Lighter Handed

2012-01-23T19:40:00.001-06:00

My wellness day on Thursday was wonderful. I made jewelry all morning and then went to my knitting class where I practiced casting on and off. Then, I went on to drawing class in the evening. I didn't get around to cooking any meals, but I took the time to put a grocery list together for a few Cooking Light recipes and now I have the most yummy smells coming out of my kitchen! I'm trying a baked root vegetable sort of thing with chicken. We'll see how that goes.

In the meantime, it's almost like I got to have another day of reprieve from anything "real world" again today and I love it. I had to go through my photos and find something to draw. Part of this class I'm in is designed to work us through a drawing from beginning to end. I was completely overwhelmed with picking one thing that I will have to focus on for hours of work. But, alas, I finally found a really pretty shot and worked it out. I'll share more about that one as it goes in later posts. For now, though, I want to share a few variations of a photo that I found while wandering through my files.

This is a light from out at the Bedford Springs Resort in my hometown. I took tons of shots during the course of a few visits last year and I want to use more of them. I worked with this shot for my Kim Klassen layering adventures. Some of her advice that I read this week was to be aware of having a heavy hand with adjustments and effects. Well, I obviously didn't heed this advice for the banner, but I tried a "lighter touch" and here's what I have to offer...I wanted to share my latest PSE banner. The "gradient map" is my new favorite tool. Here's the new banner:

And here's the original shot that they came from:

I'm happy it's the end of a Monday. I got lots of good mail today, so I'll share later this week!

Wellness Day

2012-01-19T07:57:00.001-06:00

I am not at work.

It is wonderful.

I am going to get my second cup of coffee.

I am going to keep working on my list of things to do.

I am going to cross some things off my list of things to do.

I am going to relax.

I am not going to hate anything today.

I am going to a knitting class.

I am going to draw.

I am going to do laundry.

I am going to have a second cup of coffee.

I am going to plan a meal and cook it.

I am going to spend some time in my right brain.

I am going to spend some time in my left brain.

I am going to spend time away from this computer.

I think it's time to start that now.

Whoooo hoooooooooo

Project 52: Unraveling

2012-01-17T17:20:00.002-06:00

Here I am for week 3 of 52. This is a shot of a bigass hunk of yarn that one of my knitting buds is using to craft up a big afghan.

The title of this is "unraveling" because that's how I feel like my week is going and it's only just begun. My job is beyond frustrating. I can't find any reason to craft...everything I make just sits around here taking up space. I can't eat because I have to have my waist measured tomorrow morning. If I don't meet the waist measurement in the morning, I'll feel like a total loser. Feeling like a total loser is not good. I wish I could retire. I wish I didn't have a mortgage. I wish I could make good things happen. I guess I should just try...even if I am too fat around the waist. Cheers to whining!!

I think I'll go shop for some beads. It won't make me skinny or make my job more satisfying, but at least I'll get something cool in the mail in a few days. haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Wreathtastic in Williamsburg

2012-01-16T07:58:00.000-06:00

Curt & I took a Saturday afternoon and had a little adventure up in Colonial Williamsburg. We were focused on a dinner date, but I made him go up a few hours early so we could wander around and get some photos. Well, we were lucky to have a nicely overcast day (with good natural light) and the village was decked out for the holidays with all sorts of natural decor. I heard one of the villagers, aka a person in colonial garb, talking about the decorations and, apparently, the homes in the historic section can only be adorned with materials that would have been available in the 18th century. As we were walking I joked about coming up with a blog post about this and Curt chimed in with "wreathtastic" as a descriptor...we laughed and laughed and now here it is! Enjoy!

Chowning's Tavern

A little more detail at Chowning's...love those little "ales"

A few close-up shots...love the dried floral & fruit details

Even with supposed limits on the materials, the creativity in these bits isn't limited at all! I didn't get many good shots of the more non-traditional materials like cotton or feathers or antlers.

And, finally, while we waited for dinner, a little shot of us. :)

A New Banner

2012-01-12T22:39:00.001-06:00

I don't normally stay up this late, but I forgot my sheets were in the washer so now I'm waiting until the final tumbles are done. In the meantime, I'm having a little fun with PS Elements and trying to figure out how to get a pic sized right for a banner. Normally I use Picnik and it's really easy to resize things. This was a little more challenging, but I think I figured it out!

Here's the photo it started from:

And here's the end product:

You may ask yourself, "Why would Jen put a copy of the banner in the post when it's right there at the top of her page?" Well, I'll answer by telling you that my mom is at least one of my fans and she sees my posts via a daily email, so she wouldn't know what kind of "banner" I was talking about unless I make it crystal clear. haaaaaaaaaaaa

It looks a little squished, but I think it'll work for now. I'm taking a Skinny-Mini photoshop course with Kim Klassen, so hopefully I can figure out the measurement stuff along the way.

Happy Friday!

A Little Texture

2012-01-10T21:01:00.001-06:00

I selected my Week 2 photo for Project 52. It's this door...the door to something delightful, but only in my imagination. Until I figure out exactly where it should lead, I spent some time having fun with it in Elements and even added one of my own textures! I'm gonna be learning a lot more about textures this year because I just signed up for a year-long adventure with Kim Klassen called "Beyond Layers." I'd love to thank my dear friend, Sally Russick, but I can't just yet because I have to see just how much time I'm going to lose staring at my computer playing instead of getting things done!! haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa Just kidding...the only way to learn how to fun-up pictures is to practice, so having a program to follow is a great way to work.

If you're interested...here's the before shot that I took with my iPhone. I used five different layers with various masks to make it look like this. My brother challenged me to never "just apply a filter" and be done...anyone can do that. It's the little tweaks that are going to make it all mine. So, that's what I tried to do here.

So, that's two for two in Project 52! Whooo hoooo.

Art Bead Luck

2012-01-08T15:17:00.001-06:00

I just got the best email from Shaiha:

my blog is going to be the next host on the Art Bead Love Tour!

What that means: I will be getting a package in the mail this week that includes a 1 1/2 foot chain filled to overflowing with handmade artisan beads. Then, I'll get to pick some from the chain to keep and then refill them with art beads from my own overwhelming stash. The whole idea came from the organizers over at the Love My Art Jewelry blog.

It's all about creating handmade from handmade. I can't wait to see what's on the chain now that it has gone through a few stops:

Love My Art Jewelry

Lorelei's Blog: Inside the Studio

Shaiha's Ramblings

Whoo hoooooooo!!!

I'll be posting my own giveaway to find the next stop on the tour in a couple of weeks...see you then. :)

Joining the Club: Scritches

2012-01-07T09:17:00.001-06:00

I was seriously busy last week and it was great! I took my "word" to heart and got out and about. I used meetup.com to find some groups and I'm pleased to report that I had a great time at both! This post is a start of my involvement in the Hampton Roads Digital Photography Club (HRDPC). I guess I didn't really have a particular expectation when I went to the meeting on Tuesday night, but I was pleasantly surprised at the extensive involvement and really welcoming atmosphere. There were over 30 people there at the annual brainstorming session to come up with programming for 2012. It was really high energy and everyone seemed really generous and genuinely driven to share their skills. There were quite a few professionals in the room, but I still felt like I could contribute some value with my own less-experienced creative perspective...and that felt really good!!!

In addition to the great face-to-face interactions, I'm excited about the projects. The club organizers go out of their way to put fun challenges together that will allow anyone to participate. First off is Project 52--a picture a week. Apparently they did this last year with a Project 365--I can't imagine trying to shoot a pic every day. But, I think one a week is definitely do-able. Here's my first shot: Scritches.

Can you guess what it is? Think dumpster! haaaaaaaaa This is the concrete outside my office where the dumpster used to be. I thought it looked kinda retro-70's wallpaper combined with nice lines. I used my handy dandy iPhone's Hipstamatic for this one.

Another cool HRDPC idea is their Scavenger Hunt. I have two months to shoot a specific list of 10 items. This one includes a yellow sign and a news van, among other things. I'll have to figure out how to get some sort of checklist on my phone so I won't forget when I see something I need!

Other than those things, I'm looking forward to next week's meeting because folks will be showing off photos of their "key moments" from 2011. It's not necessarily the best picture of the year, but something that was pivotal to life or photography or whatever. I'm excited to share my own but I haven't picked a pic yet.

I've gotta get another cup of coffee and keep the laundry train moving before Curt gets here. He's riding down on his motorcycle since the weather is so wonderful. Then, we're going to see Rock of Ages, the musical, tonight. I love me some hair bands, so I'm really looking forward to it!

Happy Saturday!

"Life Accoutrements"

2012-01-03T20:48:00.001-06:00

Okay, they're technically Christmas ornaments, I guess, but I'm transitioning to the mind that ornaments can be pretty, decoratey things all the time! They're sort of "life accoutrements." I've come to that idea for two reasons: a. I really love the ornaments I made a few weeks ago and am going to hang them up somewhere other than a tree so I can see them all the time; and b. I have some beautiful ornaments from Rebecca Anderson of Songbeads that I got in Sally's ornament exchange and blog hop and I don't want to put them away either!

Let me start out with a photo of these three pretty dangles from Rebecca! The best thing about them...they have a bunch of wonderful artists represented in them!

According to the little note Rebecca sent along, the poinsettia is by Elise Canning, the lovely textured urchin bead is from Blueberri Beads, and the lampworked glass is from One Silly Moo. I love the mix of beads and how they're all tied together with wonderful rustic wirework. So pretty!

Rebecca's been having a sad week, so if you have a chance to stop over at her blog and send her some hugs, I know she'd appreciate it. Plus, you have to go see what I sent her! Just a hint...it is off the "beaded path" and highlights some of my latest crochet handiwork.

Sally has started the year off with some big changes that include a new blog at The Studio Sublime. So, she could use some hugs, too, as she sets off on a new adventure or, as her word of the year more aptly states, a new "journey."

The rest of the ornaments from the blog hop are already on display at these blogs since the original reveal date was back on 17 December:

Erin Prais-Hintz and Alice Peterson

Sally Russick and Kim Hora

Susan Kennedy and Kathleen Lange Klik

Patty Gasparino and Cindy Wimmer

Hope Smitherman and Melissa Meman

Jennifer L. Justman and Sandi Volpe

Jenny Davies-Reazor and Christine Altimiller

Rebecca Anderson and Jen Velasquez (finally!)

Jeanette Blix Ryan and Tamara Soper

Holly Westfall and Mallory Hoffman

I have to get back to work writing a paper about irregular warfare strategy. Good grief! haaaaaaaaaaa Enjoy!

Getting with it...getting involved

2012-01-02T18:41:00.004-06:00

I really have to get with it! I spend way too much time by myself. I'm not saying I don't enjoy it and that others might not be jealous of the peace and quiet, it's just that I really want to learn more about the things I have fun with like photography and other crafty pursuits. I'm sure I could continue to learn lots and lots on the Internet or through books and magazines, but I feel like I'm missing something...personal interaction. Plus, I spend too many hours of my day in a job that I don't necessary find all that fulfilling, so I feel like I need to find a niche where I can make a difference.

So, my word for 2012 is:

"involved"

I've already gotten started with sorting out a few things to do in the coming months that will get me out to meet new people and try some new things. I found a couple of groups on meetup.com and will go to my first meeting of a local digital photography group tomorrow! I'm a little apprehensive, but, heck, what have I got to lose, an evening?

I'll try to peel back a few layers and try to figure out how to channel my creative energy into something halfway productive and at least a little bit meaningful. haaaaaaaaaaaa Wish me luck!

Vi's Christmas Dream: A Glass House

2011-12-21T06:17:00.002-06:00

And not just any glass house, a hand-crafted glass gingerbread house! Just look at this piece...every detail is glass, all fused together, bit by bit, to create this fun and festive spin on a tradition.

Glass artist Vi Laux, from Pittsburgh, PA, was an exhibitor in my hometown back in October at the Fall Foliage Festival. I've often admired her fused glass work, but was completely in awe of this special piece. I've been meaning to post about it for ages, and am finally making time this morning!!

For those of you not familiar with glass work, this is kinda amazing...each piece of glass has to be cut and then placed and then heated in a kiln until it all melts together. All of this while hoping that nothing breaks. And that's simplifying it a lot!

A happy snow man and lots of sweets!!

***Update on 21 Dec 11: This piece is still available in the Gallery at the Bedford County Arts Council until 23 Dec 11!***

Vi's work is also carried in several other galleries

~ Lambert's Gallery & Custom Framing, Bedford, PA

~ Beads2Wear, McMurray, PA

~ Tari's Cafe & Inn, Berkeley Springs, WV

Happy, happy Christmas week!

Typographic Homesteads

2011-12-18T18:48:00.000-06:00

My Aunt April saw some of my photoediting work out on Facebook and asked for a couple of pieces for her friends using pictures of their family homes and their names. I tried using my iPhone app, WordFoto, which I love, but it doesn't allow for a prioritization of names. Meaning, I couldn't make the mom and dad bigger than the others. I wandered around the Internet looking for a tutorial and found several for typographic portraits, but all are done with full-up Photoshop, and not Elements, so I couldn't get past the second step. So, I improvised and got creative with plain old brushes and color sampling.

The gift exchange was this weekend and Aunt April reported that the recipients loved them!

It's a little late for Christmas, now, but if you're interested in something like this, email me through my blogger profile and we can chat and see about working up a project!

Modified Holiday Ornament Blog Hop Post

2011-12-17T09:11:00.000-06:00

I first met Sally Russick at ArtBliss last summer. She had such great positive energy and a huge smile (and a glass of wine, so she knew where I could get one for myself!) She moved over so I could smash myself down on the couch in the lobby of the Artbliss-hosting hotel next to her. We were surrounded by a bunch of other awesome chicks showing off our Bead Soup pieces and comparing notes about workshops we were all excited about attending the next day. It's those little relationships that happen in person for just a few hours or days that parlay themselves into fun blog-land family activities.

Sally put together a blog hop this year to celebrate the holidays with an ornament exchange...and she's so far ahead of the game that she did it two months ago! She paired me up with Rebecca Anderson, the artist behind Songbeads. Well, Rebecca and I are apparently cut from similar cloth as we both waited until too late to create our ornaments and get them in the mail. Mind you, she's in the UK, so priority mail wouldn't even alleviate our tardiness. haaaaaaaaaaaa But, she's wonderfully forgiving, as is Sally, so we'll be posting about our exchange later once the packages get to their final destinations.

In the meantime, though, I still wanted to share something ornamental, so I sat down at my bead table this morning for the first time in AGES and waited for some inspiration to hit. Luckily, it didn't take long! I have scads of paper beads that I feverishly created over the summer for no apparent reason other than to hoard them, so that's where I started. Then, I figured, I have an even larger hoard of handcrafted art beads, so why not bust them out...seriously, I pay a fortune for these little miniature art pieces and I keep them in a drawer; that's just wrong!!! So, I give you these little darlings:

As soon as I decided to let myself use any bead in the drawer and keep it a simple straight line, it was amazing how fast these worked up! I used big fat aluminum wire to give them a little more heft. The fat wire works perfect with the handcrafted beads that are usually created on a larger mandrel.

Each ornament started with one of my paper beads, and then I started hoard-shopping from there. Since I painted the papers for the rolled beads myself, I already know I like the color combos! haaaaaaaaaaa

I've got lots of other artisan hands represented here:
- Julianna Cannon - Julsbeads
- Heather Boardman - HMB Studios
- Kerry Bogert - Kab's Creative Concepts
- Diane Hawkey
- Sue Kennedy - Suebeads
- Katerina - MayaHoney
- Kristie Roeder - Artisan Clay

I bet you're wondering why I didn't hang them on a Christmas tree for the pictures; well, I live in a tiny-ass apartment and can't even imagine putting a tree up in here. I have a little tree in my office, but I'm doing my best to stay out of there this weekend, so I'm not going in there just for pictures. :)

So, as to the real business of the day, here's a list of the folks participating in Sally's Ornament Swap for your blog hopping enjoyment:

1. Sally Russick WireWorked Handcrafted Jewelry

2. Kim Hora KimmyKats

3. Kathleen Lange Klik Modern Nature

4. Susan Kennedy Sue Beads

5. Jenny Davies-Reazor    The Art of Jennifer Davies-Reazor
6. Christine Altmiller    One Kiss Creations Beaded Jewelry
7. Jeanette Blix Ryan   Jeanette Blix Metal and Wire Jewlery
8. Holly Westfall  Silver Rose Designs ~ Handcrafted Jewelry
9. Mallory Hoffman   For the Love of Beads
10. Tamara Soper  Handcrafted Baubles by Tamara
11. Rebecca Anderson  Songbeads
12. Jen Velasquez Jenn Judd Rocks
13. Jennifer L Justman   Souls Fire Designs
14. Sandi Volpe  Sandi Volpe Handcrafted Jewelry
15. Melissa Meman  Melismatic Eclectic Art Jewelry
16. Hope Smitherman  Crafty Hope
17. Patty Gasparino  My Life Under the Bus
18. Cindy Wimmer  Sweet Bead Studio
19. Erin Prais-Hintz  Tresures Found/ Tesori Trovati Jewelry
20. Alice Peterson Alice Dreaming

Thank you, Sally!

Have an extra-sparklie Saturday!

The Bigger the Better

2011-12-14T06:05:00.001-06:00

While home with my family at Thanksgiving, I got to spend a few days just hanging out and relaxing. My sister gave me an awesome project to work! Her house is a stunning "cabin" in the country and has a massive fireplace. She had a pretty wreath up over the mantel, but it just wasn't to scale, so we chatted and decided to go bigger. She could see the gleam in my eyes as I thought about the massive amounts of glitter that would be on sale. I was please to be able to be a "consulting crafter" since she wasn't sure where to start looking for a big, pre-lit wreath. I sent her off for the greens and and I went for the gold and silver. Then, off I went working on this 5-footer!

I worked in her garage with a little Christmas music playing and my mom helping out by sweeping up glitter behind me. The only music source I had was my iPhone, so I flipped on my playlist and the first song was something from my workout playlist by Judas Priest. Right away, I realized that wouldn't work...haaaaaaaaaa So, I downloaded Pandora and got to some streaming Christmas goodness. Much better. I went CRAZY with the glittery stuff and ribbon. It was so much fun because it's something that I normally wouldn't do...at least not on that large of a scale. I couldn't pick just one ribbon, so I used six of them. haaaaaaaaa

And, when all was said and done, my sis sent a shot of the final result all hung up and lit...just perfect!!!! I highly recommend a little glitter and wire if you need any additional reason to get in the holiday spirit!

Blog Hop: Challenge of Color

2011-11-30T06:02:00.001-06:00

I wrote a big long post last night that was all scheduled for this morning, but now here I am retyping the thing because it has somehow disappeared. Lovely. So, you're going to get the highlights:

~ This is the 2nd Annual Challenge of Color Blog Hop.

~ Erin Prais-Hintz of Tesori Trovati is a prolific inspirer and is our host for today.

~ Erin invited participants to choose from 12 color families.

~ I picked pink, even though that's not really a "winter" color and I wasn't sure what would happen.

~ Erin chose personalized palettes designed by Jessica Colaluca of Design Seeds.

~ My palette, called "sweetened tints," is based on a cupcake. Awesome.

~ I love the recycled sari ribbon from Darn Good Yarn.

~ I just happened to have a brand new (can you have a "brand new" thing of something recycled?) skein of ribbon called "Fall Nightfall" that has all my cupcake colors.

~ I am recently obsessed with crocheting little shapes with a big hook.

~ After making a pile of little shapes out of ribbon, I picked one to create a pin.

~ The ribbon bits + steel wire + random pearls = pretty bit for atop a scarf or coat.

~ The hardest part of the whole thing was the actual pin piece; had to make it big enough to hold up the "flower" and smooth enough to keep from ripping up whatever it's pinned onto.

~ I wanted to display it on a cool and creamy (buttercreamy, specifically) scarf but didn't get it done; hence, the pictures are all posed on a half completed scarf and it's accompanying yarn.

~ If I didn't have to go put on camouflage to go to the office, I'd wear this right now!

~ Because I think the ribbon is so awesome, I want to give some away from my stash, a few yards of each of my faves.

~~ (This is a sub-bullet...this is how we write at work! haaaaaaaaaa) Leave a comment and tell me something funny and I'll draw from the comments on Friday to pick a winner.

~ There are a ton of other great inspired bloggers out there...go see their goods:

1 Norma Turvey ~ Teal ~ Color Crave

2 Jeannie Dukic ~ Green ~ Mineral Tones

3 Mary McGraw ~ Teal ~ Embellished Hues

4 Jo Tinley ~ Red ~ Decadent Tones

5 Rebecca Anderson ~ Pink ~ Tulip Tones

6 Kristi Jaro ~ Red ~ Temple Entrance

7 Stephani Gorman ~ Green ~ Dew Tones

8 Melissa Meman ~ Green ~ Fruit Star

9 Kathleen Lange Klik ~ Teal ~ Silk Hues

10 Cynthia Riggs ~ Red ~ Autumn Comfort

11 Heidi Post ~ Teal ~ Flora Bright

12 Cece Cormier ~ Teal ~ Merino Teal

13 Amy Freeland ~ Gray ~ Cultured Tones

14 Alice Peterson ~ Blue ~ Island Play

15 Rose Noble ~ Gray ~ Autumn Stacked

16 Kristina Johansson ~ Yellow ~ Sunny Flower

17 Kirsi Luostarinen ~ Teal ~ Dragon Hues

18 Tari Kahrs ~ Orange ~ Citrus Tones

19 Mallory Hoffman ~ Purple ~ Petaled Dark

20 Molly Alexander ~ Brown ~ Peppered Tones

21 Regina Santerre ~ Red ~ Frosted Berry

22 Emanda Johnson ~ Teal ~ Color Purl

23 Amy Severino ~ Orange ~ Winged Tones

24 Bobbie Rafferty ~ Teal ~ Lime Hues

25 Tanya Goodwin ~ Gray ~ Pecked Tones

26 Lisa Lodge ~ Blue ~ Nocturnal Tones

27 Hope Smitherman ~ Blue ~ Bloom Tones

28 Linda Landig ~ Green ~ Cacti Dark

29 Ambra Gostoli ~ Teal ~ Perched Autumn

30 Lori Bowring-Michaud ~ Blue ~ Sharpened Blue

31 Pippa Chandler ~ Teal ~ Hungarian Hues

32 Keirsten Giles ~ Purple ~ Mineral Brights

33 Jennifer Justman ~ Blue ~ Autumn Rays

34 Sandy Richardson ~ Purple ~ Moroccan Brights

35 CJ Bauschka ~ Teal ~ Teal Air

36 Shaiha Williams ~ Teal ~ Sushi Hues

37 Kay Thomerson ~ Purple ~ Autumn Spectrum

38 Sally Russick ~ Purple ~ Golden Gate Tones

39 Cilla Watkins ~ Purple ~ Autumn Infused

40 Shirley Moore ~ Purple ~ Frozen Heather

41 Jenni Connolly ~ Gray ~ Paw Tones

42 Tamara Soper ~ Green ~ Field Tones

43 Sharyl McMillian-Nelson ~ Blue ~ Nested Blues

44 Jen Velasquez ~ Pink ~ Sweetened Tints

45 Maria Grimes ~ Red ~ Bright Bloom

46 Elisabeth Auld ~ Gray ~ Petaled Tints

47 Susan Kennedy ~ Pink ~ Zinnia Tones

48 Shannon Chomanczuk ~ Gray ~ Autumn Leaf

49 Holly Westfall ~ Yellow ~ Sprinkled Tones

50 Patty Gasparino ~ Red ~ Color Carton

51 Angela Little ~ Pink ~ Singapore Brights

52 Lizzie Zawinski ~ Green ~ Budding Hues

53 Kristen Stevens ~ Pink ~ Scooped Tones

54 Dawn Doucette ~ Brown ~ Jarred Tones

~ Thank you to Erin for hosting, Jessica for coming up with amazing palettes, my blog friends for being a piece of the party, and my blog readers/commenters for coming along for the ride!

WHIB?

2011-11-28T18:39:00.001-06:00

Where have I been? Why, sitting right here on the couch! haaaaaaaaa

I haven't been here on the couch the whole time I've been missing from the blogosphere, but have been here plenty. I've been working on a Marie Otero workshop trying to learn Photoshop Elements and am THRILLED with the lessons. I was overwhelmed by all the options, at first, but Marie has videos that walk through every adjustment step by step and I have since spent hours working on making pics that are "just right." For instance, here's one with a little bit of a teaser for an upcoming blog hop...

In addition to this gorgeous ribbon, I've been in a fiber mode. While walking through Michael's a couple of weeks ago, I saw some pretty yarn and decided I should break out my crochet needles to make some Christmas gifts. Next thing I know, I'm spending a whole day making little crocheted flowers...for no reason!! I have no end result in sight, but really wanted to learn how to make little flowers. That little flower obsession may also show up in a blog hop soon. :)

In other life developments, I was hugely stressed out at work over some major civilian personnel actions and my dissatisfaction with the way the whole process works and since I didn't have anything nice to say about it, I couldn't really go writing about it. I still don't have much to say about it, but have come to some sort of peace with the fact that I'm just a tiny cog in a giant bureaucracy and will continue to advocate for taking care of people even if the decision-makers don't care to listen. :) And, then I will spend plenty of time at work investigating my retirement options! haaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Other than the stress of work, I survived the Thanksgiving holiday in spite of lots of hours logged in the car and on planes. It was wonderful to spend time with my family & out in Kansas with Curt's. I have more to report and photos to share, but I have to get busy on the project for the blog hop that's due in two days!! haaaaaa When did I become so completely last minute? Or, have I always been that way?

Hope you all are doing well and having fun since it can be a challenge with all that goes on during these frantic end-of-the-year weeks!! Even though the official day of thanks is over, I'm thankful for you...anyone who takes time to be creative and is willing to share!

Red Leaves and a Random Building

2011-11-15T19:24:00.001-06:00

I'm waiting for my Nyquil to kick in, so I have a little time to play with some new pictures. I went out on a "photo safari" in Washington, DC, last weekend and had a fantastic walk around Connecticut Ave with a little group of folks led by a local photographer, PJ Barbour. He was a great teacher to our bunch...we all held our cameras out and looked at him hopefully as we tried to get the perfect adjustments to capture the local scenery. It was a great experience and I'd highly recommend it if you're around this area...there's one in Old Town Alexandria next weekend and I'd go if I wasn't going to be up in Pennsylvania eating turkey until I bust. Here's the link: ThingstodoDC.

This is one of my fave shots and I used some PSE tricks to pump it up a few notches. I don't remember what the building actually is, but the way the sun was coming through the leaves and bouncing around the curves of the building it was just gorgeous!

Here are few more shots that I haven't messed with yet...but I still think they're good as is.
This one is a "roaring door" with the reflection of the leaves in the glass.

This is view of Gandhi from in front of the Indian Embassy. I need to edit that little nugget out of the bottom of the shot. :)

I wasn't trying to get a silhouette shot of this plant, but I think this came out really cool!

A candid shot of PJ trying to get us all sorted out...all that aperture, exposure and stuff!! haaaaaaaa

We all practiced getting our shutter speed right to capture a big leaf toss. This is my best one...PJ posed for us (and threw a lot of leaves).

My little green pills are settling in, so I'm off. I have lots of craft ventures to share but haven't had time to sit down and compose: crochet, glittery ornaments, paper boxes, photography. I've got a little bit of everything going on and a whole lot of nothing getting done! haaaaaaaaaaaaaa Cheers to you and your November!

I Heart Macro: Rusty

2011-11-06T08:30:00.000-06:00

While out walking near the beach at Fort Monroe last week, I got some shots of a nearby building that has been in the elements for a looooong time. The wear of the paint and metal was just too cool! This is a bit of window and sill. I'm not really sure what's inside of the building. I think it's some kind of mechanical shop but since it was a Sunday afternoon, there weren't any people around.

Here's a bit of the sun-touched rusty finish on the side of the building. I took dozens of shots...even had Curt holding me up precariously on a pedestal so I could get the right angle of light. He is such a good sport!

And then I practiced my photoshopping a bit with this one and I love it!

Here's a final shot that's not so macro but still captures more of that crunchy texture:

Enjoy your extra long Sunday!

Lightposts at Home

2011-11-03T21:33:00.001-05:00

Home in the fall, originally uploaded by jenjuddrocks.

Here's a shout out to the girls of Downtown Bedford for these lovely lightposts! They've done amazing work with all the additions to the sidewalks and storefronts.

I took this picture while home for the big Fall Foliage Festival a few weeks ago. The posts were all decorated with cornstalks and the sky was gorgeous and sunny. There was a kid standing nearby working one of the many parking lots for some high school fundraiser who watched me crawl around on my knees looking for the best angle. I think this picture was worth his staring and my sore legs from crouching. :)

A little lavender for ma

2011-10-31T19:56:00.001-05:00

I had a frustrating day at work, as usual, but I was really, really excited to get home and work on the next lesson in my Elements class. I didn't exactly stick with the theme of today when working on my own project, but I think it says something that I was confident enough to move into new effects on my own, so that makes me happy.

This is some lovely lavender that was in a planter along the street in Tacoma when I visited a couple of months ago. Lavender always makes me think of my mom and that makes me happy. I get to go home in a couple of weeks to see all my aunts, uncles, cousins, and kids and such. I'm so excited!!!

Here's the before picture, which isn't all that bad, but I love how the yellow warms it up and the highlights are brighter in the edited version.

I think I need some Skinny Cow. I broke my promise to myself that I wouldn't eat any candy today, but that didn't work out so well. I'll be back to the gym in the morning, though, and will give it some extra oomph to make up for the 3 extra musketeers that became a large part of my afternoon. I know ya'll know what I'm talking about...don't pretend that all those little candy wrappers in your trash are from your kids! haaaaaaaaaaa

My first week of Photo Magic

2011-10-30T17:22:00.001-05:00

Rooster Number 2, originally uploaded by jenjuddrocks.

Very originally titled "Rooster Number 2". This is one of the crazy roosters down the road from my sister's house in Dutch Corner near Bedford. I'm learning how to use my Photoshop Elements (finally) and this is one of my practice pieces from the first couple of lessons. There is waaaaay too much potential for lost hours! I've been working here for four hours and it feels like four minutes! Crazy! I can't wait to do more!

This is the original....

This is my first class with Marie Otero and so far I'm loving it...full-up videos that walk you through every key stroke to create specific effects. That's what I was looking for...the books and magazines were not working. :)

I Heart Macro: Stones

2011-10-23T08:07:00.001-05:00

I'm on Day Two of big agenda-free weekend and ready to rock my Sunday! I can't wait to share more about my adventures yesterday. I spent a few hours Skyping with my new bud, Bette, working on her new blog: Art Pages Etc. Her paper and journals are completely awesome so I can't wait to see more! I have lots more to say about learning new blogger "stuff" and figuring out how to make things look just like I want but that's for a whole other post. Today is just for pretty shots...like this one of some special tourmaline that I splurged on for my birthday back in July. (If you really believe it's just masquerading flourite and garnet, please don't burst my bubble! haaaaaaaaaaaaa)

I've had them out on my table for months just waiting for the perfect project. My goal today is to use them--at least a few of them--in something awesome. Now that I laid them all out in those gradient rows I think I may actually try to stitch something! Hmmmmm. Ooooh, or maybe work them onto a thick brass cuff...oooh, or maybe sew them on a leather cuff! Uh oh, I need another cup of coffee before I delve into that one.

Here's a little bit of a start on a memory wire bangle using some of them. Since it's getting close to Christmas I end up with people asking if they can buy things who are then shocked by what I want them to pay for them. Alas, it's the crisis of handmade artisan goods. Instead of devaluing my work overall, I'm trying to mix the pricier pieces like artisan beads or super-pretty semi-precious stones with less expensive construction methods that are still high quality and in my own creative style--hence, the memory wire.

Dozens of other creative souls are out there today "sharing the love - up close" thanks to Studio Waterstone's inspiration. Click on the button below to see others. :)

Productivity is the Name of the Game

2011-10-22T08:05:00.003-05:00

It's early on a Saturday morning and all I have in front of me is two days of making and doing. Gonna try a few new things this weekend. Wish me luck!

Hipstamonday at Fort Monroe

2011-10-17T04:00:00.000-05:00

Curtis came down to visit this weekend and we spent time appreciating the simple things in life...

Sleeping in even after the fire alarm went off at 7 flippin' am.

Giftcards that were lost on the desk that lead to a free meal.

A fat cat who likes to snuggle.

Fresh breezes in the bedroom window.

Sunday crossworld puzzles.

And, most importantly, pretty sand and scenery at the beach.

We went for a walk down on Fort Monroe. On 1 October it ceased to be an active military installation and now it's part of Hampton as a park. It's going to be a great place for walks and runs now that it's not so painful to go through the gate without a DoD car sticker. Here are some huge seagulls...and a purple sky! Love my phone. :)

As we walked, I shook the camera just to see what would come up--the lenses and films change randomly--and took shots. This is some ridged sand:

And how about this one? The seagulls were huge! Most of them ran off while I was walking down there, but the crazy lens on this one took such a cool shot!
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Here's a bit of wall where the water will be at high tide.

If you have an iPhone and haven't downloaded it yet, click here to find the Hipstamatic app.

Winners!

2011-10-16T17:06:00.000-05:00

Thanks so much for the many comments and inspiration from yesterday's post!! I'm thrilled to share in Barbara's Painting with Fire book tour and even more thrilled to present winners for the double-duty giveaways from yesterday. I used a random number generator to figure out the winners...

First, for this necklace

Jenny Davies-Reazor!

(It's kind of a great week for Jenny! Check out her blog...she was featured on HGTV's That's Clever!)

I'll get it touch with you off-line to work out shipping.

And second, for these lovely little bits of goodness from Barbara

The winner is

justthecook!

Contact Barbara with your specifics so she can sent you your treats!

Thanks all to following along the book tour...tomorrow's post is over at Melissa Meman's...can't wait to see what she comes up with!!

Have a great week!!

Is That a Torch in Your Kitchen or Are You Just Here for A Giveaway?

2011-10-15T04:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the latest stop on the Painting with Fire blog book tour! I'm thrilled to be able to share a little bit of my creative world--especially how I've added fire into my crafty repertoire. :)

I've always been a fan of enameled beads but they were sort of a mystery to me since they were metal and glass all kinda put together in what seemed to be some magical way. Then, I had a chance to take one of Barbara's workshops and I was hooked! Just a few relatively simple tools and I could make my own fantastically colored beads! I'll never forget the first time I got a bubbly sort of finish on a big copper round and went running over to Barbara to show it off like a second-grader with a frog! We laughed and laughed at how easily excited I was! I immediately knew I would be taking the torch kit home. It just made so much sense the way Barbara put everything together in a kind of "pack and play" setup. See, I live in an apartment so I don't have a big cellar or garage or front porch or other space that I can devote to a large torch setup. This seemed like the perfect solution: clamp the torch on the counter, lay out a fireproof surface, set out the bead pulling station, and go to town! Here's a little "before and after" of my kitchen counter/workshop:

Although there's a bunch of other stuff around on the counter, like little copper scraps and some random wire and tools, the actual workspace is nice and compact. I think just about every enameling project in Barbara's book could be made in this little workspace.

I wasn't sure about what to put my enamels into when I got started...the containers need to be big enough to dip the beads into, but also resistant to heat. Lo' and behold, I realized that my fatty catties would be able to help out and I found some cat food cans! They are perfect!

I experimented with quite a few colors--mixed some opaques and transparents. Some were awesome and some just looked like dried blood. haaaaaaaaaa Some of them were crackly because I didn't heat them right and some ended up with chunks of vermiculite in them, but all were great practice. I even tried out some frit--that's the little green glass chunks in the photo above.

After fishing all of my sweet little treasures out of the bread pan, I had these beauties...and a few uglies, but we won't focus on them. :)

After putting the kitchen back to its normal state and packing up the torch-head, tools, and barenaked copper beads so they'd be back in the closet and out of the way, I set out to make some special pieces to share in this post.

Here's the first one...I consider it a celebration of handmade since there are seven different artists represented in here:

- Me...you can see the purple and green bead on the right--that's one from the batch above that I made using a mix of purples to coat the bead and then some transparent green frit. I also made the paper bead with my own painted paper, the lavender solid bead on the left, and the purple disk pendant.

- Barbara Lewis - the enameled filigree beads are some of her original enameled work.

- Nikki Thornburg - supercool pod headpins and the purple square connector are lampwork pieces from an artist I newly discovered at a local bead show.

- Alice St. Germain - the fun purple and green lampwork rings as well as the green flower-shaped disks that are paired with the pod headpins.

- Julianna Cannon - the blue lampwork bead with the green dots that matches the paper bead so perfectly is a Juls bead!

- Kristie Roeder - there's a little green stoneware pendant with a purple center that's catching the light just right on the left.

- Bronwen Heilman - the green ring in the middle is a bit of her recycled glass.

I really wanted to keep that one when it was finished, so I decided to make another one...this one I'm willing to part with, so it's a GIVEAWAY!

This is a nice long necklace that features two of my special paper beads, two big solid beads that I created with layers of blue and raspberry along with some of my very first brass bead caps, two enameled filligree beads that I made with various purple shades and then a few accents of lampwork rings from Leah Deeb and Swarovski crystals from my stash!

Plus, as another sweet deal, Barbara is including these awesome pendants enameled with decals as one of the prizes...yes, another giveaway!

Winners will be chosen for these at 10:00 tonight, the 15th of October so you'll know if you're the lucky one tomorrow!

There are bunches of other lovely things to see on this tour, so here's a list to follow along:

October 6, Mary Jane Dodd, www.mairedodd.blogspot.com

October 7, Gaea Cannaday, www.gaeabeads.blogspot.com

October 8, Linda Larsen, www.objectsandelements.typepad.com

October 10, Andrew Thornton, www.andrew-thornton.blogspot.com

October 11, Lori Plyler, www.waterstonejewelry.blogspot.com

October 12, Diane Cook, www.rosa-josies.blogspot.com

October 13, Lori Anderson, http://www.prettythingsblog.com

October 14, LeAnn Weih, www.summersstudio.blogspot.com

October 15, Jen Judd Velasquez, www.jenjuddrocks.blogspot.com

October 17, Melissa Meman, www.melissameman.blogspot.com

October 18, Lisa Crone, www.abeadaday.blogspot.com

October 19, Shannon LeVart, www.missficklemediacom.blogspot.com

October 20, Cindy Wimmer, www.sweetbeadstudio.com

October 21, Laura Twiford, www.souvenirsfromlife.blogspot.com

October 22, Erin Prais-Hintz, www.treasures-found.blogspot.com

October 24, Jennifer Cameron, www.glassaddictions.com

Plus, there's even more going on to celebrate:

There are prizes throughout the book tour plus a grand prize at the end! The more you spread the excitement, the more chances you have to win some of the goodies our bloggers are giving away!

1. Leave a comment on this post and become a follower = 1 chance.

2. Tweet, facebook or blog about the giveaway and leave a comment at this post: the original Virtual Book Tour post = 1 additional chance.

3. While you're at Barbara's Blog, if you become a follower or say that you're already a follower in your comment = 1 additional chance.

So, you can earn up to three chances per giveaway. A winner will be selected by 10 p.m. eastern time and be announced the following day. You can check back at Barbara's blog for the name of the winner or at any other of the participating blogs.

To thank you for following along, we will have a BONUS PRIZE at the end of the book tour! All of the entries will be included in the drawing for a kit containing all the elements of "Floral Cascade," one of the projects in the book! You'll receive everything you need to make the necklace, including the chain, jump rings, clasp, enamel beads, and head pins!

But that's not all!

For a chance to win the Grand Prize - a Torch-Firing Kit (or $110 shopping experience at www.paintingwithfireartwear.com) - please leave a review at Amazon.com by November 24. Remember, leave an honest review... the book must stand on its own.

Thanks for playing along!

P.S. Unfortunately, we have to restrict the giveaways to U.S. residents. Winners should contact Barbara with their name and address through her author website:

www.torchfiredenameljewelry.com so that you can receive your prizes!

Things that are Awesome

2011-10-12T20:18:00.002-05:00

- A new white shower curtain liner that replaces the one that I tried washing twice but couldn't get the soapy pinky stuff off.
- The exterminator folks who called me today to let me know that they thought the huge payment I sent to them by accident while paying bills after three beers was wrong; now they're giving me a discount and sending me a refund.
- Chocolate in the candy jar in the front office while waiting for the boss to show up for a meeting that was on her calendar but for which she is 25 minutes late.
- Early morning on-line iPad shopping. Now I just need to pick a cover.
- Marshmellow goggles and crumb-y lips after winning Yahtzee by over 300 points.

- Crazy bruises on my arm that look like I got attacked by an alien in the middle of the night and are, apparently, nothing but bruises even though they showed up for no apparent reason.
- Brined chicken cooked by my brother-in-law on the huge new rotisserie grill. I'm so glad I claimed all the leftovers!

- Random gifts from friends that show up in huge boxes that are hard to carry up to the apartment but end up being wonderful adventures in gift-opening.

- Successfully using my paper beads in a design.

- Jackhammer noise that's constant outside my workaday window...the wind tunnel is almost gone so the noise and dust and burning smell may stop soon.

- White grape Crystal light...but only if it's mixed just right with two little bottle packs in a full-sized Pampered Chef mix'n'stir pitcher.

- "Modern Girl" pink nail polish with just the right hint of glitter.

- Cat breath right in my face first thing in the morning.
- My mom in the kitchen.

- Jigsaw puzzles...but not the one on my table right now because there's too much of it that looks like wood so it took a long time to figure out.
- Rugs from faraway lands.
- Daily challenges dealing with the indecision of leaders who only focus on money and issues inside the beltway and don't give a damn about the people those indecisions affect.

- Being reminded by your mother that when you were little you thought marshmellows came from a plant.

- Turning marshmellow goggles into a perfect smore and then actually getting a good picture of it.

- Snuggling on the couch under my very favorite blanket that I got as a birthday gift in 1989 from my aunt and uncle while on a band trip to Europe.

- Cats who let you clean their ears and cut their nails and give them allergy shots all in one sitting.

- Troops who take care of business even when it's not fun.

- Cool fonts.

- Blogging.

BTW: Raspberry & Marigold

2011-10-11T20:45:00.000-05:00

I'm getting ready for my Painting with Fire post on Saturday so those beads are out on the table right now. I'm going to work on projects featuring these big rounds...don't know where I'm going to head with them, but I want to try to incorporate some of my paper beads, too. I love the combinations of raspberry and blue next to the pink and marigold.

They're not exactly "fall" colors so we'll see how inspired I can get! For my Saturday post, I'm going to show off how I set up my little torch-centric workspace in my tiny apartment kitchen...you can do this kind of flamework anywhere!

Check out the Bead Table Wednesday Flickr Group!

Hipstamonday: Sunshine in Pennsylvania

2011-10-10T20:01:00.005-05:00

Curtis and I had a fantastic weekend up in Pennsylvania. It was the second weekend of the huge Fall Foliage Festival, so I got to spend some time with my friends serving up some walking tacos to the masses. That was only after we celebrated my sweet nephew Liam's 4th birthday. How do these boys get so big so fast!?

We stopped at the rest stop just over the border in PA and there were some huge sunflowers planted around the building. Nerds that we are, we were up in looking at them trying to figure out how the seeds are up in there. I didn't have my "big" camera so I busted out the Hipstamatic and took a shot...love this yellow!

I have to get back to laundry and get ready for this short week. Only four days until the next weekend...that means I need to get to work on projects featuring my very own enameled beads for the Painting with Fire book tour.

Torch-Fired October: The Book Tour Schedule!

2011-10-06T06:10:00.000-05:00

We can now rename October 2011 to "Awesome Book Tour Month"!

My blue-uniformed day job has been extraordinarily overwhelming lately, (hence the lack of posting) and makes me really want to rename October the "Crazy Air Force Un-Decision-Making Month" but that wouldn't put positive karma out there like this book so I'm going TORCH FIRED instead!!

Throughout the month, starting today with Mary Jane Dodd, you'll be able to see projects and inspiration from Barbara's brand new book. I'm going to be hosting a stop on 15 October and can't wait to share some of the awesome beads I made last Friday night. I'm planning to show off my kitchen table/workshop and just how easy it is to add a little "hotness" to your creative life--even in a tiny apartment!

Here's the list of hosts for you to follow:

October 6, Mary Jane Dodd, www.mairedodd.blogspot.com

October 7, Gaea Cannaday, www.gaeabeads.blogspot.com

October 8, Linda Larsen, www.objectsandelements.typepad.com

October 10, Andrew Thornton, www.andrew-thornton.blogspot.com

October 11, Lori Plyler, www.waterstonejewelry.blogspot.com

October 12, Diane Cook, www.rosa-josies.blogspot.com

October 13, Lori Anderson, http://www.prettythingsblog.com

October 14, LeAnn Weih, www.summersstudio.blogspot.com

October 15, Jen Judd Velasquez, www.jenjuddrocks.blogspot.com

October 17, Melissa Meman, www.melissameman.blogspot.com

October 18, Lisa Crone, www.abeadaday.blogspot.com

October 19, Shannon LeVart, www.missficklemediacom.blogspot.com

October 20, Cindy Wimmer, www.sweetbeadstudio.com

October 21, Laura Twiford, www.souvenirsfromlife.blogspot.com

October 22, Erin Prais-Hintz, www.treasures-found.blogspot.com
October 24, Jennifer Cameron, www.glassaddictions.com

There will be prizes throughout the tour plus a grand prize at the end, so you'll have to stop off and visit these sites throughout the month. Plus, there'll be a BONUS PRIZE at the end of the tour: All of the entries on the "official" posts will be included in the drawing for a kit containing all the elements of "Floral Cascade," one of the projects in the book! You'll receive everything you need to make the necklace, including the chain, jump rings, clasp, enamel beads, and head pins!

But that's not all!

For a chance to win the GRAND PRIZE - a Torch-Firing Kit (or $110 shopping experience at www.paintingwithfireartwear.com) - please leave a review at Amazon.com by November 24. Remember, leave an honest review... the book must stand on its own.

Macro Sunday

2011-10-02T08:50:00.001-05:00

Curt and I went to the Newport News Fall Folklife Festival yesterday. In the midst of craft booths, funnel cakes, and muddy walkways Curt saw this really cool fungus among us. It's kind of gross and kind of beautiful all at the same time, so that's my close-up shot for this week's I Heart Macro Sunday post.

The follow-on activity from any fall festival is the cozy couch nap...my boys have perfected their napping skills....

And this photo was an accident from yesterday when my friend, Jeff, was trying to explain white balance and I got tired of listening...cracks me up because I apparently look like this most of the time.

Hop on over to Studio Waterstone to see the latest up-close interpretations of life...

Artisan Clay: Down the Mixed Media Path

2011-09-30T05:11:00.000-05:00

First off, I have to pat myself on the back for actually being done on time this month! Sure, it's Thursday night before the last Friday, but it's not Friday morning!! I luuuuuurve this button from Kristie's latest Artisan Clay Design Team stash so I wanted to do something really fun and funky with it. As part of my monthly challenge to get one project done on time, I was figuring I'd do something with the big button at ArtBliss...my phenomenal adventure last weekend (that I have yet to write about.) But, alas, it didn't come to pass. I've had lots of paper out lately working on boxes and beads and such, so I was thinking that maybe I'd try something more in the crafty lane rather than the jewelry lane. Lord knows how long I've had this frame stuck on my workroom shelf waiting for something to happen, but this was the week....

The challenge of this piece...to keep the focus on the button and not on distracting details. I was really worried about making sure the highlight of the frame design would bring out the best of the button. It would be really cool to put something more artsy like some calligraphy or an artful photo in the frame, but I settled on this black and white pic of me and my sweetie from our little Montgomery, Alabama, wedding back in 2008.

The finish on the button was a greyish blue, so I went through both my huge stashes of beads and paper to find some coordinating materials. I decided to keep it monochromatic in the spirit of keeping the attention on the focal (and whatever's in the frame!)

I left rustic edges and a lot of the plain wood of the frame showing because I liked the warmth of the color. I'd almost say I like the natural finish, but it's not really all that natural looking! haaaaaaaaa I tore the paper to keep it looking "imperfect" and funky. When I went through my scrapbooking phase years ago with my buds Lauren & Alicia, we were all into the tearing edges for "character" and I've remained a fan.

I shopped through my blue, grey, and silver bead drawers and came up with some fun little bits that bring out the color of the button's glaze but also play with the shapes...round and square. The kyanite squares are my favorites, but there are also some bamboo-shaped blue stones (maybe some sort of moonstone because they have a gorgeous luster) that are a great dark addition.

I tied all those shapes together with steel wire that I coiled and looped in what I deemed to be a pleasing arrangement. Then, I busted out the glue gun! I haven't had that baby out for ages...it still has wear and tear on it from my dried flower arranging phase. (yes, I've had a lot of phases...haaaaaaaaaa) Oh, and there's a bit of mica layered on there as well...just because it was on the table and I like the texture and color with the rest of the mix.

In closing....here's a Picnik collage (because I was having fun on there working my blog header!)

In actual FINAL closing...let me send you off to see what the rest of the Artisan Clay Design Team came up with this month!!

Oh....in really, I mean it, closing...there's an Artisan Clay trunk show at my local bead shop: Bead Haven, here in Hampton, Virginia, so if you're close by, I highly encourage you to check it out. Or, if need be, just tell me what you want and I'll shop! haaaaaaaaaaa (There is some seriously awesome stuff in those trays!)

HipstaMonday

2011-09-26T05:23:00.001-05:00

It's way too early on Monday morning and I'm actually enjoying coffee at the house where my husband lives (and I normally don't because we happen to live in different towns even though we love each other) while I check out some BSBP blog posts. I have been so busy doing some hands-on creating that I haven't opened up my computer all weekend! I was Blissfully engaged in learning new things and meeting new people at Artbliss on Friday and Saturday. Thanks to Cindy and Jeannette! I have lots of new skills to try and want to share all those results, but in the meantime, I'm going to go with a photo post...yes, it's the "easy" way out for an early morning post, but it's gonna have to do.

These are Hipstamatic shots from my trip to Gig Harbor, Washington, back in August. I went out for a walk one morning and didn't feel like carrying my big camera so I just took my phone. I ended up spending more time stopping for shots than actually getting sweaty, but it worked out since I got to see lots of pretty things. I used the "shake" feature in Hipstamatic that will randomly change up the filters and lenses when you shake the phone. You never know what you're gonna get!

I love these retro tones with the texture of these purple blossoms...

The black and white of this shot brings out the contrast between the roundness of the buds and the lines of the branches.

The brightness of the flowers draws me in, but then the focus drifts down to that juicy, shiny berry.

Since I was actually walking along the waterfront, a little "nautical" shot that brings out the patina just wonderfully!

If you've been venturing out with some Hipstapics, I'd love to see more so feel free to comment and share a link! Maybe we could start a new photo-blogging trend!

Hawkey-Judd-Velasquez Soup!

2011-09-17T03:00:00.000-05:00

It's Bead Soup Blog Party Reveal Day!

Party hostess Lori Anderson paired me up with amazing artist Diane Hawkey for this round and it has been a fun week of creating with the soup Diane sent me...especially the beads she made with her own two hands! I have a few finished pieces to share, created with just a bit of the goodness in my generous helping of soup:

This is a super-long necklace created with a bunch of different types of chain to create an asymmetric design so that I could feature the long ceramic focal bead (down below on the right) in a vertical arrangement. I pulled together some of the other Diane faceted ceramic nuggets (on the left in turquoise and brown) along with some of my stashed Barbara fire-painted filigree rounds and combined them all with little shiny gold nuggets that give the finished piece just the right amount of sparkle. I've already worn this out and about a few times and have gotten tons of compliments.

Here's another shot and you can see the organic designs in the Diane focal as well as the coordinating bracelet and earrings that came together out of the mixed chain inspiration.

I have to throw out a little credit to Erin Prais-Hintz for the inspiration I got from her design in the September issue of Bead Trends. I loved the selection of chain links she used to feature one of her handmade focals and it totally jumpstarted this design.

Since I had all my Barbara beads out next to my new Diane nuggets, I did another necklace...a little shorter and more casual but just as fun.

I used some of the extra Czech glass to create a linked-up bracelet and some earrings to go together with everything. I don't normally do links, especially simple links, but it worked out wonderfully and even made it through my wear test. :)

There are a total of 369 guests at this party, so have fun seeing some new goods, checking out the work of old friends, and getting some novel inspiration!

The Hostess, Lori Anderson and her partner, Manuela Wutschke

1. Aimee Wheaton and Barbara York

2. Alice Craddick and Sandra Richardson

3. Alison Sachs and Amy Severino

4. Allison Scott and Cynthia Abner

5. Amanda Cargill Austin and Charlene Sevier

6. Amanda Davie and Patsy Evins

7. Amber Dawn and Kim Ballor

8. Ambra Gostoli and Christine Hansen

9. Amy Freeland and Christine Altmiller

10. Ana Krepel-Novak and Eleanor Snare

11. Andrea Morici and Hope Smitherman

12. Andrea Trank and Jayne Capps

13. Andrea Turini and Charlene Jacka

14. Angela May and Emanda Johnson

15. Anitra Gordy and Elizabeth Owens Dwy

16. Ann Rishell and Debbie Price

17. Ann Sherwood and Lynne Bowland

18. Anna Lear and Barbe Saint John

19. Anna Sabina and Erin Siegel

19. Nan Emmett and Erin Siegel

20. Astrid Boyce and Birgitta Lejonklou

21. B.R. Kuhlman and Deanna Chase

22. Barbara Bechtel and Bryna Lumb

23. Barbara Blaszczyk and DaviniaDesign

24. Barbara Judy and Holly Westfall

25. Barbara Lewis and Cathie Carroll

26. Barrie Edwards and Lyn Foley

27. Becky Fairclough and Jana Tarhala

28. Bella Borgouise and Gillian Lehman

29. Beth and Evie McCord and Erin Prais-Hintz

30. Beth Bricker and Heather Pyle

31. Beth Emery and Cassie Donlen

32. Bobbie Rafferty and Cindy Cima Edwards

33. Candice McGinnis and Sally Anderson

34. Carol Bradley and Cece Cormier

35. Cathy Khoury and Molly Alexander

36. Carol Tannahill and Hilary Frye

37. Carrie Tahquechi and Cris Peacock

38. Cat Pruitt and Cindy Gimbrone

39. Charlene Gary and Doris Stumpf

40. Charlotte Pevny and Kate Gardenghi

41. Cherrie Fick and Cathie Carroll

41. Claire Maunsell and Cherrie Fick

42. Cheryl Roe and Jenny Vidberg

43. Chris White and Norma Turvey

44. Christa Murphy and Kathy Alderfer

45. Christie Murrow and Dana James

46. Christina Miles and Collette Collins

47. Christine Brandel and Elizabeth Woodford

48. Christine Damm and Cynthia Deis

49. Christine Hendrickson and Debbie Goering

50. Christine Stonefield and Dee Wingrove-Smith

51. Cilla Watkins and Johanna Rhodes

52. Cindy Wimmer and Riki Schumacher

53. CJ Baushka and Cory Celaya

54. Courtney Breul and Joanna Matuszczyk

55. Cristi Clothier and Kathleen Robinson Young

56. Cryss Thain and Serena Trent

57. Cynthia Tucker and Kitty Durmaj

58. Dana Johnson Jones and Eva Sherman

59. Davinia Algeri and Janet McDonald

60. Deci Worland and Lara Lutrick

61. Diana Ptaszynski and Kristy Abner

62. Diane Cook and Kerry Bogert

63. Diane Hawkey and Jen Judd Velasquez

64. Dorcas Midkiff and Jill Harris

65. Doris Radlicki and Heather Goldsmith

66. Dot Lewallen and Gaea Cannaday

67. Elisabeth Auld and Jennifer Justman

68. Erin Fickert-Rowland and Geanina Grigore

69. Erin Grant and Julie Jones

70. Eszter Czibulyas and Helena Fritz

71. Fiona Christie and Michelle Heim

72. Gail Zwang and Genea Crivello-Knable

73. Geneva Collins and Jana Haag

74. Gretchen Nation and Heidi Post

75. Heather DeSimone and Karin Slaton

76. Heather Marley and Terry Carter

77. Ingrid McCue and Jennifer Pride

78. Jackie Ryan and Nicole Keller

79. Janna Harttgen and Joanne Tinley

80. Jean Yates and Lori Anderson

81. Jelveh Jaferian and Jenny Davies-Reazor

82. Jenni Connolly and Jennifer Heynen

83. Jennifer Cameron and Kristi Bowman

84. Jennifer Geldard and Lisa Liddy

85. Jennifer VanBenschoten and Kim Hora

86. Jess Italia Lincoln and Lori Greenberg

87. Jill MacKay and Lori Bergmann

88. JJ Jacobs and Karen Tremblay

89. Joyce Becker and Kathy Welsh

90. Judy Glende and Karen Sinkowski

91. Judy Riley and Kelly Morgan

92. JuLee Wolfe and Julie Bean

93. Julianna Cannon and Julianna Kis

94. Julie Nordine and Lesley Watt

95. K. Hutchinson and Shea Zukowski

96. Karen Firnberg and Karyn Bonfiglio

97. Karen Williams and Kimberly Roberts

98. Karen Zanco and Polly Barker

99. Kari Carrigan and Laura Twiford

100. Karin von Hoeren and Laura Blanck

101. Kate Richbourg and Lorelei Eurto

102. Kathleen Lange Klik and Maria Clark

103. Kathy Engstrom and Keri Lee Sereika

104. Kay Thomerson and Loretta Carstensen

105. Kelley Fogle and Laurel Bielec

106. Kelly Ramstack and Sally Anderson

107. Kim Stevens and Tiffany Long

108. Kristi Harrison and Mandy Williamson

109. Kristi Kyle and Lana Kinney

110. Kristina Johansson and Sue Hodgkinson

111. Kym Hunter and Laura Sanger

112. Laura Zeiner and Susan Kennedy

113. Laurel Steven and Mary McGraw

114. Laurie Hanna and Lisa Boucher

115. Lesley Weir and Liz DeLuca

116. Linda Djokic and Tracey Weiser

117. Linda Inhelder and Pam Brisse

118. Linda Landig and Lori Dorrington

119. Linda Murphy and Lisa Hamilton

119. Line Labrecque and Marianne Baxter

120. Lisa Lodge and Monica Johnson

121. Lois Moon and Melissa Muir

122. Lola Surwillo and Therese Frank

123. Lori Bowring Michaud and Marci Brooks

124. Lupe Meter and Norma Agron

125. Maggie Towne and Marge Beebe

126. Malin de Koning and Susie Hibdon

127. Mallory Hoffman and Shirley Moore

128. Marcie Abney and Patty Miller

129. Marcy Lamberson and Melissa Clarke

130. Margot Potter and Suzann Sladcik Wilson

131. Maria Grimes and Wendy Blum

132. Maria Horvath and Melinda Orr

133. Maria Rosa Sharrow and Marie-Noel Voyer-Cramp

134. Marian Hertzog and Melissa Mesara

135. Marianna Boylan and Sandi Lee James

136. Marina Dobrynina and Michaela Pabeschitz

137. Marsha Neal and Miri Agassi

138. Mary Ellen Parker and Melissa Meman

139. Mary Elliott and Tamara Soper

140. Mary McGraw and Laurel Steven

141. Melissa Pynn and Michelle Buettner

142. Michelle Hardy and Niki Meiners

143. Michelle Mach and Moira McEvoy

144. Missy Rappaport and Mags Sarri

145. Molly Alexander and Poranna

146. Mylene Hillam and Nicole Rennell

147. Nadezhda Parfyonova and Stacey Curry

148. Nan Emmett and Nancy Peterson

149. Nancy Boylan and Natalie McKenna

150. Natalie Monkivitch and Niky Sayers

151. Natasha Lutes and Pam Ferrari

152. Noemi Baena and Penny Ilagan

153. Pamela Petry and Rebecca Sirevaag

154. Pat Haight and Mary Shannon Hicks

155. Patty Gasparino and Vonna Maslanka

156. Penny Neville and Sandi Volpe

157. Pepita Bos and Wendy Chamberlain

158. Raida Disbrow and Rebecca Watkins

159. Rebecca Anderson and Sabrina Staub

160. Regina Santerre and Rose Binoya

161. Rhea Freitag and Tari Kahrs

162. Rochelle Brisson and Teri Baskett

163. Sally Russick and Tracy Bell

164. Sandra McGriff and Shay Williams

165. Sandra Wolberg and Sara Hardin

166. Sarah Elder and Salla Small

167. Saskia Kaffenberger and Sharon Gardner

168. Sharon Palac and Shannon Chomanczuk

169. Shay Stone and Suzette Bentley

170. Shiraz Biggie and Tammy Powley

171. Staci Smith and Tracy Stillman

172. Stacie Stamper and Tracy Martin

173. Stefanie Teufel and Vicky Taylor

174. Stephanie Dixon and Stephanie LaRosa

175. Stephanie Haussler and Valerie Norton

176. Suzanne Tate and Terri Wlaschin

177. Sweet Freedom Designs and Tammy Jones

178. Tania Spivey and Tari Sasser

179. Tara Plote and Terry Matuszyk

180. Terri Gauthier and Deana Hager

181. Theresa Fosdick and Tracey Nanstad

There are a total of 369 guests at this party, so have fun seeing some new goods, checking out the work of old friends, and getting some novel inspiration!

My Soup from Diane

2011-09-13T20:38:00.000-05:00

I'm a totally lucky bead girl! I got paired up with Diane Hawkey, this time around for the Bead Soup Blog Party, and I'm so excited about my soup! Look at all this goodness...I didn't pose everything very well (note, the upside-down birdies), but you can see the greens and turquoises and purples in the mix. The pieces she made are the best!

Diane cracks me up. I wanted to get to know her better before sending her some my soup version, so I read back for a while on her blog. She has a great view of the world...and all the crap that seems to come along on a daily basis. :) My favorite post from her is back in July when she's talking about surviving a hot day at a show...complete with question upon question about how beads work. Yeah...that hole is for something, for sure. haaaaaaaaaaaaaa She also had to explain that her ceramic works of art are not painted rocks. Seriously?

On the painted rock/ceramic gorgeousness front: check out this focal bead that I get to work with:

and this awesome clasp:

I'm already well into the creative process, which is a good thing since the reveal for the party is on Saturday. I'm just thrilled that I didn't forget or wait until the complete last minute! There are over 300 folks involved in the Party this round, so it's going to be a heck of a creative blog adventure. Come back and see my finished products on Saturday and then go see what Diane did with the beads I sent her way.

Ciao!

Jen

Tacoma Wall Art...of Sorts

2011-09-02T20:29:00.002-05:00

On my recent trip to the Northwest, I spent time wandering around Tacoma and found Broadway. I had some sushi for lunch and then wandered around in tons of cool antique and art shops. There was an amazing display of graffiti in a parking garage so I stopped and took a ton of pictures. I'm sharing here (and up in my new header) to see if we can get inspired!

Shapes...flow...color

funky...modern...sharp...dull

pretty...bright...subtle...amazing

I'm gonna get back to hanging out here with my parents after a killer drive from Hampton Roads to Central Pennsylvania. Enjoy this long weekend; I know I will!!

Fire and Beer

2011-09-01T19:52:00.000-05:00

I got my new Barbara Lewis book--Torch-fired Enamel Jewelry: A Workshop in Painting with Fire--today and went to happy hour to celebrate the fun, amazing art in this wonderful tome. With three dollar beers we had a great little party!

I've been to two of Barbara's workshop and I really believe she represents all the basics wonderfully through the photography and narrative in the book. Keep a lookout for more enamel adventures because the blog world is gonna be celebrating in late September and October with a "blog book tour" featuring projects from the book as well as cool interpretations of the technique. I'm going to have a friend help me do some torching this time so I can focus on the fun stuff and less on the beads rolling off onto my apartment's carpet! haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Oh, and one note, in case you're interested...I took this pic with my iPhone and then used the ColorSplash app to create the black & white/color effect then used Photo Effect Studio to bring the color of the book up to the hot, sweet red that it needed to be! I love both of these apps and for an evening like this where I'm chilling out with a beer and a book at the bar by myself, I could spend hours taking pics and playing.

Artisan Clay: Establishing Balance

2011-08-31T18:56:00.002-05:00

My life is so strange sometimes. I guess I should be happy that there's not a lot of drama, but my days just don't seem to be consistent--or balanced. Yesterday, after a nice run in the morning with all my folks from the office, I ended up with a headache that lasted all day and into the evening. After making it through the work day with the construction (well, actually destruction) going on outside with a damned jack hammer, I fell asleep at eight. I didn't wake up until seven. Eleven hours of sleep? Seriously? How do I ever get anything done? I need to figure out how to do personal task management. I'm pretty good with tracking projects at work but I'm not good with the things going on here at home...I have a weekend trip to plan, paper boxes to finish, bead soup to work on, dinners to cook, exercising to get in, studying counterinsurgency methods, and so on. Gotta work on balancing...so off I go with a balanced design!

The unplanned eleven hours of sleep cut into my planned early morning crafting, but I finally got to it this evening...and here it is: My Artisan Clay Design Team piece for August...just in the nick of time on the evening of the 31st!

Kristie, the artisan behind Artisan Clay, sent out really cool art deco components to the team this month. Mine was an arc with three connectors in a rustic bronze-grey finish. I was honestly stumped for a little while since I didn't really want to string anything boring and I was too lazy to do a lot of wirework. So, when I saw this rusty washer on my worktable, I finally got a shot of inspiration. That's how I got my "industrial" spin on art deco. The washer is an actual piece from the wreckage of the wind tunnels behind my office. I do regular walks around the perimeter fencing to see if there are any cool found objects that might be interesting to work with later. I have a little bag in the trunk of my car to collect things. Don't know where they'll end up...heck, Curt was doing me a favor and cleaning my car a few weeks ago and threw everything away. Know why I love him? He went and got it all back out of the trash! (It was all still on top. :)

I have a ton of these wire chokers in my stash, so in lieu of stringing beads or working with chain, I'm keeping it simple and short. Some may say its the lazy way out...I call it smart editing. haaaaaaaaa Oh, and I probably need to explain that the third connector on the clay component was at the peak of the arc and I cut it off and filed away the rough spots--it was kind of a test to see how that would work and it was just perfect!

Thanks again to Kristie and to the rest of the team. I'm ready for September!!

Art Bead Scene Challenge - Rolling 'Round

2011-08-28T17:25:00.000-05:00

I met at least one deadline this month...the August Art Bead Scene challenge!

I've been shopping with Heather at HMB Studios forever, it seems, and I'm never disappointed by her beads. My favorite are the "chunky" disk designs that she comes up with...the color combinations just sing! When I studied the artwork inspiration provided by the ABS editors, I loved on the fall colors of rust and yellow and dark green. When looking around my table for good art beads to feature, the HMB disks were there and considering the "cycle" inspiration the round shapes were perfect!

I found a thin copper bangle bracelet amidst my supplies--it came from a clearance Chico's purchase a while back--that makes for a perfect frame to create my little bead and wire sculpt. Plus, there was a mixed metal feel to the inspiration with the bicycle so I felt comfortable using silvery steel along with the copper to create an arrangement of the disks that make their color and shape stand out.

I'm still not back in Hampton, yet, so I don't know how my neighborhood fared in Irene, but we're going to drive back tonight. Work is a "go" tomorrow, so I'm guessing there'll be some cleaning up around the building. In the meantime, I'm going to spend some time checking out the rest of the ABS challenge entries for this month.

Artisan Clay - Art Deco & Industrial

2011-08-27T08:56:00.001-05:00

I'm hanging out in Northern Virginia awaiting a big-ass storm. I'm normally down in Hampton, Virginia, which is expecting some serious Irene impact, so instead of sitting in my apartment with the cats waiting for the power to go out, I joined up with my husband at his/our house farther north. As a result of this crazy week, I neglected my Artisan Clay Design Team duties and didn't finish my piece for this month! Plus, I have to admit, the "last Friday of the month" always seems to come too quickly and I never seem to budget enough time. Kristie, I promise I'll do better next month! haaaaaaaaaa

The pieces Kristie came up with this month are challenging...at least I was really challenged. She created art-deco-inspired shapes and mine has an industrial bronzish-metalish finish sort of like this one (which is in her Etsy shop at the moment):

Mine has a different tone (less blue) and a different set of connectors, so it's sort of like a puzzle trying to figure out just how to fit it into something very "jenjuddrocks" but still featuring it as a focal. I don't want it to become "just a finding" along with another focal...I want it to become an actual integral part of a focal "arrangement." I love the grey-bronzish finish that's a lot like this big pendant:

That's where the "industrial" comes in. I posted a few days ago about the demolition behind my building...it is really amazing to see this structure come down piece by piece (and will be even more amazing to see how the site looks after 70 mph winds throw all the debris around...nice). Since this is what I see every day out my window, I want to pay homage and really go industrial with my Artisan Clay design. The ideas are there, but when I say there, that means Hampton, which is not where I am at the moment. haaaaaaaaaaa

In lieu of sharing my own design, I'm going to point you to the other Design Team folks and their amazing interpretations!

Happy Anniversary, Honey!

2011-08-24T06:01:00.000-05:00

The secret to a successful marriage: separate households! haaaaaaaaaaaaa

I can't believe it has already been two years.

It's gonna be fun to see what happens in the next two...four...six...

Love you,

Jen :)

I Heart Macro: Seattle Sidewalk

2011-08-21T09:29:00.000-05:00

These little purple squares are actually windows into the underground tunnels below the sidewalks in Seattle's Pioneer Square neighborhood.

I initially thought they were some kind of shell by the way they were layered and the tone of the purples, but finally got down close and figured out they're glass.

This isn't my picture, but it's a view of the lights from below in the tunnels:

That's about all I can muster on this lazy Sunday morning. haaaaaaaaa

10 Days

2011-08-19T21:02:00.000-05:00

I can't believe it has been 10 days since I made an update here...lots going on, I guess, out here in the real world.
I was out of town for a few days in Gig Harbor, Washington, for a lovely wedding. My friend, Alicia, and her love, Brad, were married in a gorgeous garden setting on a perfect Sunday afternoon. I caught this shot of love and adoration and played around with it a little. Who says cavalry guys don't cry? haaaaaaaa

I got to wander around Gig Harbor and Port Orchard, thinking back to when I lived out in that neck of the woods when I was a young enlisted chick. 1994...it's approximately an eternity ago! It was before cell phone and handheld GPS so I never ventured far from the beaten path. Plus, I was so busy with college and work that I didn't have time for many adventures. It was nice to experience the area again.

and here is a final shot for this Friday night...some lavender shot against the backdrop of a really cool street in Tacoma. I have lots more Tacoma shots to share, but a.) I want to do some work on them and see if I can come up with some cool jewelry design inspirations and b.) Curt just got here!!! I haven't seen him in two weeks!!!

A Room with a View of Destruction

2011-08-09T19:39:00.000-05:00

I actually have a really nice office. Most of my Air Force friends would be jealous because cubicles are generally considered the norm for an office setup. So, to have an actual office--a corner one with three windows--is pretty rare. I can't complain about how it gets hot in the summer from the sunshine or cold in the winter from the old windows because I know how lucky I am to actually have that discomfort. Lately, though, I've had a bonus because the really, really old wind tunnel building that's right outside the corner of our building is being destroyed. There are huge machines and extremely talented machine operators out there tearing it apart piece by piece. I get to watch it out my window and have found myself distracted for a few minutes at a time just marveling at this giant building coming apart in little chunks that are gathered up in big piles on the ground. I've been carrying around my camera a lot lately trying to practice my manual shots so I finally took a little time to get some shots.

While you can't see the talented man with the torch, you can see the spraying fire as he slices through this giant steel tube. I wish I had taken a before picture so you could see that this big giant tube actually used to be covered with concrete (like the picture above) and once all that was removed they started cutting it apart into more manageable chunks.

Here's a series of the big giant claw/hand that is grabbing bits of steel and concrete. It is absolutely amazing how agile this grabber, or whatever you want to call it, actually is! It can actually grasp one little strand of steel that in the giant pile of scrap looks like a toothpick and gingerly place it on another pile. It can also drop big ass pieces of concrete onto the pile in a thunderous dusty cloud.

It's a beautiful pile of wreckage and rubble and when they drop a really big piece it makes a loud noise and then I realize that I've been staring at my computer for too long and I need to take a break and go back outside to watch some more. :)

I just spent a good hour googling to find a "before" picture and get some history of the facility. I can't find much so I may contact the historian and see what I can dig up. I'll be more diligent about taking pics as the process goes along.

New Beads Listed

2011-08-07T19:51:00.000-05:00

Wow...I've never had a post title like that before! I just created the first listings in my Etsy shop for beads that I made with my own two hands. It's kind of a laborious process, but I'm really thrilled with how they came out and hope that someone else out there will love some of them, too. :)

I started out with some India ink that has bright vibrant colors and then started painting my heart out with a big fat brush to cover entire sheets of thick white paper. Then I measured and cut long, lean triangles so I could actually create uniform bead shapes. Thank goodness I still have a big paper cutter from back in my scrapping days--it helped a lot. I have to say, though, that I didn't figure that shortcut out for the first few sets and tried my darnedest to cut straight lines over and over with scissors. Nice. I had a good laugh at my own expense when I realized how much easier it would be to use that little sliding cutter.

I love the bright colors of these sets...the orange is my natural favorite but i was able to actually create a whole set of blue & purple that have a similar pattern--blue in the middle and purple on the end--without actually setting out to do it when I first started painting that piece.

I haven't been out here in blog world for a little bit and I miss it, but I have been trying to spend more time away from the computer and off the couch. It's actually a good thing because then I go to the gym or catch up with friends or cook dinner or work late because I want to (not because I have to). So, while my blogging is getting a little sparse, it's because I'm attempting to keep my life full. :)

This computer time has been super-productive for me this evening...listings on Etsy is only one thing, I also did research into graphic design classes and edited a TON of old family photos that I finally got scanned in. I'm researching design stuff because I'm at the point in life where I want to figure out my next career and that's a field that really interests me. ITT Tech...who would've thought? As for the family photos, my mom will pass out when she reads this and discovers that the albums I've had on my desk for over a year have finally been completely scanned and there is actually potential for projects to be completed by Christmas. Whoo hooo! On that note, I'm off to get some beauty rest before another hot and busy week. :)

Hip in DC

2011-08-01T20:40:00.000-05:00

I stayed at the office too late but I'm still in the mood to share a little bit so here are some Hipstamatic photos that I just downloaded from my camera. I absolutely love how retro they are...it makes me want to dig through the photo albums at my parents' house and reminisce.

I used the "shake" feature of the app...if you shake the phone it will mix up the film style and lens to come up with a random combination so you don't really know what you might get.

I could sit and play with my phone for hours...if only I wasn't sitting at my office so much!! Tomorrow I'm leaving on time so I can play!

Pineapple, Lemon...Sweet, Tangy

2011-07-29T06:13:00.000-05:00

It's the last Friday of July! That means it's time to show off some Artisan Clay!

This month's piece was a challenge for me. When Kristie gave the team options to pick from I immediately wanted the yellow donut...it made me think of summer: sweet, tangy citrus lemonade yellow. I can picture a frosty glass with that pale tart and sugary goodness right now and it just makes me feel happy and refreshed. Well, I got my wish and had a lovely big donut with pretty, crackling yellow glass "floating" within its ridges. I immediately went to my yellow bead drawers and pulled out the lemon quartz and pineapple chalcedony...it seemed like the natural flow. I actually have a lot of different shapes and sizes and tones of yellow stones so it became harder and harder to choose as all the options came out. I kept laying out more and more choices in the monochromatic yellow theme. Then, suddenly, I saw a pink and yellow art bead on the table and started moving down that path with two-color ideas and ended up with pink leather, sari ribbon and all a whole new set of beads added to the mix. I have to admit that I got a little bit overwhelmed and had trouble keeping the focus on the Artisan Clay piece that's supposed to be the star. My editor had apparently gone to lunch so I just had to walk away from the table.

I eventually made it back to work (along with my editor) and decided to put away the pink and go with my initial instinct and keep it simply yellow. I pulled out some thin brass chain and went to work making a longer necklace design so the donut would be a focal pendant hanging a little lower. Why long this time? I shop at Chico's and am a fan of their styling in the store so I'm loving the look of a long necklace combined with a scarf. It seems like a kind of modern twist on the scarf & brooch combination so that's the direction I took. It's hard to take a good picture of the length but you can see all that chain...

Of note, you'll see that the original chain bail idea that I had earlier in the week was replaced by a piece of sari ribbon. I did a little wear test on the long chain and the swinging around of the chain on more chain on earthen clay was not a really pleasant sensation. I had to remove some of the movement so there wasn't any grating between rough surfaces. To go back to the lemonade analogy, it's like when you're drinking the fresh carnival kind of lemonade through a straw and you suck in a big mouthful of sugar from the bottom of the cup. :) I like the addition of the ribbon, though, both for softness and for the better wear-feel.

I used some more of my lemon and pineapple stones to put together some dramatic earrings with big faceted pieces and then twisted up a quick bangle. That's actually a plain brass Chico's bangle that I got on a super clearance sale that I wrapped with some wire, ribbon, and chain to add a simple accent that highlights the summer yellow stones perfectly.

And that's the end of my story! I got up bright and early this morning to post this because, of course, I waited until the last minute. I actually had to take the photos with my iPhone because my "real" camera is at the office. I'm kind of impressed with how they came out!

Thanks, Kristie!

Weekend Crafting: Creative Block & Inhalants

2011-07-24T19:57:00.000-05:00

Since it's Sunday, I'm starting out with a macro shot of my paper beads. I spent Friday and Saturday evenings spread out on the kitchen counter with some paper I painted up last week along with a yardstick and paper cutter. I cut dozens and dozens of skinny triangles and then set out with fingers full of glue to come up with these. I'm really tickled with how they came out but I want to actually use some and see how they work before I try selling them or giving them away. Is it bad that I'm admitting that I spent most of my weekend by myself at home playing with glue and paper and sticks?

The paper I used has a white core so the winded edges of white show up fairly prominently and I have to decide how to exploit that look. They have a sort of optical illusion to them when viewed from the side. I may try some sort of tea-dye ink to "age" them and take some of that fresh white look away.

One of my goals this weekend was to get some of these babies sealed. I decided to use some spray sealant because that's what I had handy. I spread out some newspaper on the kitchen counter and took each mandrel (uh, bamboo skewer, actually, by "mandrel" sounds so much more official) and gave the beads a few sprays. This is where the "inhalant" part of the weekend comes in...I live in a small apartment and after standing there spraying in the kitchen for about five minutes the cat started to meow really loudly--which is not normal. I walked over to look at him and in that movement took a big breath and realized that I am standing in the middle of a closed up room spraying hugely flammable and dangerous spray that is so smelly that it has started to freak out my cat. Nice. I immediately turned on the stove vent and then opened up a window and lined up a fan to blow some of the noxious air out of the apartment. It never even crossed my mind to go outside. Once I got everything opened up, I made sure that cats were still running around just fine and left the apartment for a while so it could clear up. Even when I got home three hours later it was still like walking into a paint shop. But, I think we're good to go now. The cats are still fine and I haven't had any issues either. I probably still won't light any candles tonight.

The paper bead frenzy--not the inadvertent inhalant abuse--started out of a need to break my creative block. I have an Artisan Clay piece that I'm working with as part of Kristie's design team and the reveal is next Friday. Last month almost all of us were caught by surprise because the last Friday in June came earlier than we thought it would. I find it shocking that now the end of July is just around the corner. How can it be that summer is halfway done and I feel like I have nothing to show for it? Alas, in trying to have something to show off for next Friday, I am working with a gorgeous pineapple yellow donut. My first instinct was to go monochromatic with tons of lemon and pineapple quartz because I have a ton of different shapes and textures. But, when I sat down on Saturday morning to work, there were too many things jumping out as perfect...I starting thinking pink and yellow and it went downhill from there. I had everything going on--chain, ribbon, leather, stone, wire--and felt like I had too many ideas and not enough focus.

It was like a festival of too many ideas and I just started to get angry. I'm used to sitting down and things just happening naturally and they come out right. The process of editing down this collect of stuff was too overwhelming. So, I left it. I was totally blocked so I got dressed and went shopping. A few new bits from Chico's had me all sorted out...oh, and some Ben & Jerry's helped, too. I sat down and finished it up this morning. I'm pleased with the results and you'll see them next Friday. :)

Central Pennsylvania - Art & Business & Champagne

2011-07-23T20:28:00.000-05:00

My little brother is an artist. Well, he's not really that little, but he is really an artist. He has an MFA from Penn State and now he creates lots of goodness. His name is Will, or rather William Snyder III, and he does a variety of print, digital, and three-dimensional work. He's worked with me on a few projects because he's great with graphics and logo design. Among his various creative endeavors, he directs a space in State College, PA, called The Sozo Institute of the Arts. As he's been melding his talent into business, he's networked with artists from around the area and recently he sent me an invite to an event I'd like to share:

If you're in the area and looking to meet new people and make new connections, I encourage you to get in touch with Will...

RSVPs by Wednesday 10 August to info@thebusinessofart.org.

Sadly, I won't be able to make it up there, but I wanted to spread the good word!

Fire and Friends

2011-07-19T20:38:00.002-05:00

Last weekend I got to experience the best of both fire and friends! I "painted with fire" and was thrilled to meet up with some of my wonderful beady-world friends while working with Barbara Lewis last weekend in Annapolis. This was a more advanced class working with different types of enamels and glazes on beads and pendants. I made quite a few uglies, but that's the whole point of experimenting. We got to see a copy of her new book and it is gorgeous!!! I can't wait to have my own copy so I can ooooh and aaaah over the pictures and dig into the projects.

While the fire was hot and the crafting was good, the most fun part of the class was getting to meet and chat with lots of blogging friends! Elisabeth of Beads for Busy Gals is an Air Force bud of mine and we were planning to meet there. But, it was a total bonus day because I finally met Laura Twiford of Souvenirs From Life and Melissa Meman from Melissa Meman...Art, Life, & Love! It was an absolutely great group of folks in the class...lots of laughing, sharing, and encouragement. Laura posted a bunch of action shots in a recent post. We were happy to finally meet because we determined a few weeks ago that we had been in a class together at Art & Soul but never put two and two together and realize that we kinda know each other! Melissa, Elisabeth, and I went to lunch and had lots of non-stop conversation...balancing art, family, work, life...there's always something to laugh about! It's amazing how much we all end up having in common.

Here are a couple of shots of my goodies...it's a late night shot tonight so forgive the shading. I didn't get out of work tonight until around 2030 (that's 8:30 pm for you civilians) because I've been trying to catch up on work that's still hanging around since I went on leave a few weeks ago. I planned for a late night, though, so I took comfy clothes and some supper along. Got tons done but that doesn't allow for good photography on the homefront! These purple pendants are mixes of various translucent and opaque purples and raspberries. I was just looking for interesting combinations. I tried to make two that matched and sort of succeeded.

This orange round with the white design is my favorite of the liquid enamel experiments. That was one of the main portions of the class: liquids. I was a wee bit frustrated, though, trying to get them to work the way I wanted. But, I ended up with some interesting effects even if they didn't go the way I thought they would.

That's about all I have time for tonight. It's already time for bed...I'm glad I was productive at the office but I miss having some normal time. Maybe tomorrow!

A Jewelry Accord - In the Spotlight!

2011-07-14T18:35:00.001-05:00

I'm thrilled to be sharing my work on A Jewelry Accord blog!

Erin Siegel and Lorelei Eurto are co-authors of the upcoming Interweave Press book by the same name, so this blog is a little peek into the wide world of stringing materials...the cords, get it?! Leather, ribbon, cotton, cording, lace...you name it and they're into it. I've gotten to know these two ladies and their work over the last couple of years here in the world of jewelry blogging. Lorelei's a prolific creator and it's always amazing to see the fresh ideas she comes up with week after week. Erin's work is organic and gorgeous but, most importantly, she's a new mom and shares plenty of pictures of her baby girl, Nora.

Erin wrote to me a couple of weeks ago asking if I would consider being a "featured artist" and it made me realize just how much non-traditional stringing material I've been using. All that luscious suede cord that I picked up a while back at Hobby Lobby is so motivating! This collage of some of my most recent work featuring those yummy summer colors is part of the post today.

I pointed out in the Jewelry Accord interview that my life is sort of a strange balance of a military career and a creative lifestyle. I've been running into problems with that balance lately because I've been at the gym so much trying to pass my PT test that I haven't been at the bead table in ages...at least that's what it feels like. But, I'm thrilled to pass along (as I've told every person I know today) that I got my highest score on the test ever! At least in recent memory, that is. I had to go to some drastic measures trying to lose water weight and haven't eaten much in the last couple of days to get through the waist measurement, but it worked! Plus, I almost collapsed after my run because I wasn't paying enough attention to the lap counter and ended up sprinting an extra lap...it was painful at the time, but hilarious to hear my running partner tell the story. It has been a very stressful week since my career basically rests on my girth and that's hard to face...I'm more motivated than ever after my success to keep up the work and actually not have to make weight like a wrestler next time.

Anyway, off the waist measuring topic and back to jewelry...many thanks to Lorelei and Erin for inviting me to be a part of their blogging adventure and featuring my work today!!! In addition to their collaborative work, each has a wonderful blog you can check out... Erin Siegel Jewelry and Lorelei's Blog: Inside the Studio.