Art Bead Ornament Blog Hop!

It's 4 December.
It's Tuesday.

I love art beads.

I love fondling art beads.

I fondled art beads over the weekend.

Roger, my couch, missed me.

Now see my Art Bead Ornament Hop contribution...featuring a succulent Alice St. Germain glass focal...

Notice the super-fancy arrangement in front of the blinds in my office.  
I like being able to ooooh and aaaah at it while tramping through emails that go nowhere.

Here's the original bead...

There's more art bead joy to be seen...check them out...

Art Bead Scene 

Humblebeads 

Treasures Found

Song Beads

Viki O'Dell

Sue Beads

Modern Nature Studio

Diane Hawkey

Suburban Girl Studio

Jen Judd Rocks

Ellie's Bijoux

Island Girl's Insights

Life By The Seat Of My Pants

Too Aquarius 

Shelley Graham Turner 

Artfully Ornamental

Charis Designs Jewelry

Harrison Hollow Designs

Silver Nik Nats

Bead Soup Mix

Toodles and Binks

Bead Recipes

Play Sculpt Live

BeeTree by M.E.

Pic Me Up: A Stroll in Williamsburg

It was the perfect day for a walk in Colonial Williamsburg yesterday. 

Here are a few of my favorite shots...

A door full of orange...as seen from the middle of the street.

SHEEP!

Yum, num, juicy pomegranate

Beauty in the Morning

Man.  I love my iPhone.
I love hiking with my nephews.
I love dew.

I love the smell of wet, fallen, brown leaves.
I wonder how much more money I can spend on camera parts and software!  haaaaaaaaaaaa
I love my parents' house.

I love cold.
I love cozy couches.
I love vacationing at home.
I am very thankful.

Still Rockin'

Life is good!

I have been busy living it!

I really can't apologize for not posting on my blog, since that's against the unspoken/unwritten code of bloggers to never feel guilty.  Ooops, just wrote that!  But, I got a wonderfully sweet email from an old friend/artisan-mentor of mine because she was worried about me as my on-line presence has been so slight.  Man, oh, man, I can't even tell you how much it meant to me to hear from her!  She taught me the joys of polymer clay and experimentation that has carried through all my creative endeavors.

So, a few updates.  I have been busy with my hands.  I love the feel of fiber on my fingers.  I found this fabulous lumpy bumpy yarn while shopping in San Antonio over Memorial Day weekend and have since gone on-line and found a dozen different colorways.  I also joined Ravelry.com and found this fabulous pattern from Cocoknits that I've made over and over.  This colorway is called Wildflowers and it's my favorite:

Then I found my way to this Malabrigo Rasta yarn.  It's literally so luxurious and luscious you'll want to lick it!!!  I found a lovely pattern on Ravelry, here and tried it.  Then, I realized I'm a COMPLETE nerd because I actually successfully modified the pattern to do it in the round!  Both of my grandmothers would be so proud! 

 My constant companions are around helping me stay motivated...Frankie and Brando are the best.  I have to pick all the white hairs out of every finished project, but I still love having them snuggled around while I work.

I have a few more stories to tell, but I need to get back to another project while watching random TV shows taped from weeks ago.

Much love and inspiration to all of you!!!
Jen

Playtime with JJ's Journal

Yes, this is a blog hop, but it's also a chance for me to ramble since I've been feeling crummy all week and haven't really been off my couch other than for a few hours at work.  While on the couch yesterday I thumbed through my Crafter's Devotional (I'll refer to it as CD365 from now on).  I actually keep the book nearby here in the living room all the time because it's fun to just pick pages at random and see what ideas come up. 

CD365 came into my life as a gift from Elisabeth, a fellow Air Force Officer/Craftisan.  She also included a big, blank journal.  Well, normally a blank journal would excite me with the paper...since I just love stacks and stacks of paper, but I think journals are also very intimidating.  They're supposed to be full of perfect creative ideas, right?  I mean, how many journals and notebooks do you have sitting around that you expected to be wonderful works of expressive beauty and outlets for your passion?  haaaaaaaaaaaaaa  One of the big things in CD365 is to encourage journaling, uh oh.

BUT, once I changed my expectations about my big journal and gave myself permission to just jack it up and have fun and not expect big mental breakthroughs, I actually started having some fun.  I started with just a black pen...kept it limited, but not too limited.  Then, in anticipation of this post, I tried a few more "mixed media" pages, even though I'm totally intimidated by OPP (other peoples' pages) that I see in magazines and workshops.  

This picture, that I took while at the beach back in August makes me soooooooo happy.  I actually danced around when I saw it on my phone!  I printed a copy of the shot and then scotched taped into "the book."  Then, I sat outside in front of my building on the curb drinking a soda and drawing.  I played around trying to make my own fancy fonts.  I need to play more with those.  

Then, back in the house, I wanted to do something else with color.  Since I slept all afternoon in a cold medicine fog, I had plenty of energy late in the evening so I figured I'd break out some new watercolors.

And now there's a big wrinkly colorful page in my journal!!

It's crazy to me that I was so averse to getting the paper wet and letting it wrinkle.  Now, I'm all excited because when I flip through the book there's actually some texture and color.  I want more of that!  So, today I'm going to head out and take a big bag of markers with my book and see what happens.  It's not all deep and meaningful, but it makes me happy.  :)

And, to see stories of how CD365 is influencing some other lives, here's a list of blogs to check out:

~ Elisabeth http://www.beadsforbusygals.com/ (She's the one who started me off with the big blank book! Thanks, E!)

~ Beth http://storiesbyindigoheart.blogspot.com/

~ Holly http://silverrosedesigns.blogspot.com/

~ Hope http://craftyhope.blogspot.com/2012/08/crafters-devotional-first-hop.html

~ Jeannie http://site.jkdjewelry.com/blog/2012/08/18/crafters-devotional-blop-hop

~ Kristin http://kristen-beadjourney.blogspot.com/

~ Patty http://www.mylifeunderthebus.typepad.com/

~ Sally http://thestudiosublime.com

~ Sandi http://sandivolpe.com/

~ Vonna http://www.justvonna.blogspot.com/

BSBP Reveal!

Without further ado...here are my Bead Soup goods:

First, I loved up on that big-ass gorgeous focal from my partner, Bianca.  It was a raucously colorful piece, so I wasn't sure exactly which way to go.  I spent a few nights pulling beads out of the stash trying to find the perfect combination, but wasn't satisfied with any of them.  They didn't let the focal sing the way I wanted.

So, while sitting and crocheting with some fat yarn, I realized that I could find some fat yarn to go with the bead.  Then, I could figure out how to make a big, dramatic pin to adorn a hat or scarf.  After wandering through Michael's late on a Saturday night trying to find the perfect background for this glasperlen, I picked this subtle blue that picks out the highlights from the cool colors of the bead and accents the warm colors....

I used a big, blunt safety pin that I found in a hardware store bin.  I think the size of the steel pin is perfect for the size of the focal.  It can be used up on the hat or, if I get another Michael's coupon, it could be used on a matching scarf!

Since the BSBP rules say that I have to use both the focal and the clasp (but not necessarily in the same piece), I went a different direction with the pretty silver heart-shaped hook and eye clasp that Bianca chose...yes.  They're earrings!  I turned the clasp into two cute little pendants and made earrings!!

I snipped off the hook and eye from the clasp pieces, filed off the rough spots, and then strung them with some wonderful lampworked glass from Bianca and another of my favorite artists, Heather at HMB Studios.

So, what do you think?  Did I go far enough out of the soup box?  haaaaaaaaaaaaaa

This is the third of three reveals, so there's a nice list of goodness that you can tour around and see today.  Here are links to all of them!

First, you have to go see my partner Bianca:

Bianca Odenthal, Zydies Glasperlen

Then, you can head out and see the rest!!!

Hostess, Lori Anderson, Pretty Things

Agi Kiss, Moonsafari Beads 

Alice Peterson, Alice Dreaming

Alison Sachs, Beads by Earthtones

Amanda Dittloff, Passion Smashin'

Andra Marasteanu, Bijoux de Monanage

Angie Szlovak, SweetBeads

Anitra Gordy, Leelu Creations

Ann Sherwood, Ann's Blog

Arlene Dean, A Glass Bash

Audrey Belanger, Dreams of an Absolution

Barb Solem, Vivi Magoo Presents

Barbara Blaszczyk, laboratorim Flory

Becky Pancake, Becky Pancake Bead Designs

Bianca Odenthal, Zydies Glasperlen

Birgit Klughardt, GitesBeads

Bobbie Rafferty, Beadsong Jewelry

Bonnie Coursolle,  Jasper Gems

Cece Cormier, The Beading Yogini

Charlene Jacka, Clay Space

Cherrie Fick, En La Lumie're

Cheryl Foiles, Get Your Bead On

Christie Murrow, Charis Designs Jewelry

Christina Miles, Wings n Scales

Christina Stofmeel, Feng Beads

Christine Stonefield, Sweet Girl Design

Cindy Cima Edwards, Live to Design

CJ Bauschka, 4 His Glory Creations

Claire Smith, Embergrass Jewelry

Cynthia Riggs, Cynth's Blog

Dana Fowler, Trunk Full of Treasure

Dawn Pierro, Turtle Moon Designs

Dee Elgie, Cherry Obsidia

Donetta Farrington, Simply Gorgeous

Dot Lewallwn, Speedie Beadie

Elizabeth Bunn, Elizabeth Beads

Eva Kovacs, Ewa gyongyos vilaga!

Evelyn Duberry, Sheba Makeda

Fay Wolfenden, Torch Fairy

Fen Li, Bead Flora Jewels

Gail Zwang, Angel Moose Enterprises

Geneva Collins, Torque Story

Grace Dorsey, Fan of the Flame

Gretchen Nation,  Art Food Lodging

Hannah Annear, Squintessential

Heather Goldsmith, As I Bead It

Heather Otto, The Craft Hopper

Heidi Kingman, My Bead Therapy

Hope Smitherman, Crafty Hope

Isolina Perez, Isolina Perez

Jacqueline Keller, CreARTelier

Jane Haag, Did You Make Something Today?

Janeen Sorensen, Wild Vanilla Designs

Jean Peter, Jean P. Designs

** You're here.  :)  Jennifer Judd, Jen Judd Rocks

Jennifer L Justman, Soul's Fire Designs

Joanna Matuszczyk, Bizuteria z filcu

Joanne Brown, Jo's Jewels

Joanne Lockwood, Jo Bunkum

Joyce Becker, Joyce's Joyful Gems

Judy Riley, Three Red Beads

Karen Mitchell, Over the Moon Design

Karen Williams, Baublicious

Karin von Hoeren, Creative Ideen

Karla Morgan, Texas Pepper Jams

Kashmira Patel, Sadafule .. always in bloom!

Kate Richbourg, We Can Make That at Home

Katrin Lembke, AllesPerle

Kathy Combs, Torched in Texas

Kathy Lindemer, Bay Moon Design

Kay Thomerson, Kayz Kreationz

Kelley Fogle, My Life, One Bead at at Time

Kelly Hosford Patterson, Traveling Side Show

Klaudette Koon, Only Road

Lara Lutrick, Lampwork Beads by Lara

Laura Guenther, Blue Antiquities

Laurie Lalonde, HourGlass Studio

Lilik Kristiani, Soul of My Embodiment

Linda Younkman, Lindy's Designs

Lisa Chapman, Beach Cat Beads

Lisa Lodge, Pine Ridge Treasures

Loretta Carstensen, Designs by Loretta

Lori Bergmann, Lori Bergmann Design

Lori Dorrington, Lori's Adventures in Etsy Land

Lupe Meter, Gem's PC Corner

Lynn Davis, LLYYNN

Malin de Koning, Beading by Malin

Mandi Effron, Craft-o-licious

Mandy Williamson, Mimi's Beading

Margot Potter, The Impatient Crafter

Maria Rosa Sharrow, Willow Street Shops

Marianne Baxter, Simply Seablime Jewelry

Marina Dobrynina, Savon Feutre

Marjolein Trewavas, Room for Change

Marelene Cupo, Amazing Designs

Marsha Neal, Marsha Neal Studio

Marta Kaczerowska, uhuhu

Mary Govaars, MLH Jewelry Designs

Melissa Trudinger, Bead Recipes

Menka Gupta, Menka's Jewelry Blog

Michelle Burnett, Reverie and Revival

Michelle Escano-Caballero, The Cabby Crafter

Miko Wiropati, Uniquely Yunikua

Milla Hope,  LB Creative Arts and Crafts

Mimi Gardner, Other Curiosities

Miranda Ackerley, MirandackArts

Natalie McKenna, grubbi

Noemi Baena, fuego, metal, y color

Pam Ferrari, Ferrari Originals

Pam Sears, Crazy Creative Corner

Penny Neville, Copper Penny

Rachel Baron, R. Baron Designs

Rachel Myers, Rockabead Jewelry

Rana Wilson, Definitive Designs by R. Wilson

Rebecca Anderson, Song Beads

Rebecca Sirevaag, Becca's Place

Riki Schumacher, Riki Jewelry

Rose Binoya, Ahtee's Blog

Rossana De Gaspari, Rdegas Blog

Sally Anderson, Wild Sally Road

Sandi James, Do Be Do Bead Do

Sandi Volpe, Sandi Volpe

Sandra Wollberg, City of Brass Stories

Sarah Small, blog by salla

Shai Williams, Shaiha's Ramblings

Shawn Mills, Shawn Marie Designs with Bent Wire

Sheila Davis, Stone Designs by Sheila

Sheryl Stephens, Babble Bead

Shiraz Biggie, Secret Song Designs

Solange Collin,  Ahowin Handcrafted Jewelry

Sonya Stille, Dreamin' of Beads

Stephanie Dixon, The Dixon Chick

Susan Kennedy, Sue Beads

Susan Sheehan, Strands of Thought

Suzann Sladcik Wilson, Beadphoria

Sweet Freedom, Sweet Freedom Designs

Tabatha Dinger, Modernly Created

Tania Hagen, Pelima Jewellery Design

Tanya Boden, Fusion Muse

Terry Carter, Tapping Flamingo

Tracy Stillman, Tracy Stillman Designs

BSBPartiers - Bianca & Jen

Back in July, I got matched up for the Bead Soup Blog Party with lovely glass bead artist Bianca Odenthal.  I wrote about our initial matchup here.

Well, Bianca's from Germany, so I had the extra coolness of getting a package that looks all "foreign" and interesting...

She set me up with a wonderful little box of beauties, including this pretty postcard and a beautiful little box holding her handmade glass beads. 

 Look at that pretty artwork on the bookmark!  And, I was thrilled to find my own Zydies Glasperlen treasures inside...

 
Bianca posted a better picture of that big focal bead on her blog here.

Our reveal is this Saturday, the 25th, along with the rest of the BSBPartiers...so, come back and see how I used this big beauty in a bit of a different way.  Just a hint...I've been into knitting and crochet lately, so I had to follow that path a bit...hmmmmm...can you guess what I made?