Sketch Peek: Inspired by Cones!

My lovely friend, Elisabeth, sent me a birthday present a few weeks ago to help get the inspirational mojo back.  There was a book called The Crafter's Devotional and a big, spiral-bound black journal.  The Devotional is another blog party story that I'm sharing with lots of other creative minds out there who are looking for some more mojo.  But, that's another story for another day.

I decided to start in on the journal with a few ROE (rules of engagement):

- there's no pressure to fill the book

- start in the middle...so it doesn't look like the whole thing's empty when I stop in two weeks

- if something looks ugly or uninspiring or irritating, the page can come out

- only write on one side of each page...that's how I work my "to do" list at work because I hate it when the pen bleeds through to the other side

- try to use the book once a week, but don't stress if you don't

- use it for arts and crafts ideas AND whatever else I want like cool vocabulary words (yesterday I had to look up solipsism and profligacy while reading Newsweek)

- keep a black sharpie in the spine since that's my favorite writing utensil

My first project page....

I had some major brainstorming/idea generation the other day right after I heard from Lorelei with an invitation to be part of her latest blog challenge.  You can see the details at Lorelei's blog, but the basics:  There are six designers tasked to come up with something cool with gorgeous handmade copper cones from Keirsten of Cerebral Dilettante:

It felt great to sketch out a few ideas and then just randomly push out and record the ideas as they occurred.  I actually used the ideas to generate the final pieces...well, almost final.  There's still a few things to work on.  Lorelei asked us to really push the limits of our imagination and try something unexpected...and I did!  I can't wait to share the results during the reveal on 1 August, so be on the lookout!!!

Shells on the Beach - An Art Jewelry Elements Blog Hop

Ahhhhhhh.....summer.  

That's really all I need to say to bring to mind all those lovely things that summer entails, including the beach and sun and sand and joy.  Oh, and the relief of aloe on a sunburn or icy-hot on an overworked muscle.  haaaaaaaaaa

I was wandering around in blog land this morning and found a lovely picture from Jen Cameron over on the Art Jewelry Elements blog...it's the inspiration for a beachy, summer, lovely blog hop.  I immediately thought of the shell-y pendants I made last summer, inspired by a lovely walk on the beach here in Hampton Roads.

So, I found these in my (massive) jewelry collection and want to share them here again since they remind me of last year's fun and hope for more beach adventures this year....

Plus, now I'm thinking about pulling out the resin and seeing what other summer lovin' I can capture

Or, maybe I should even try to sell these babies so my own jewelry collection is less massive.  :)  If you're interested...let me know...

Hope you get out and about to experience the joy of the beach as well as the joy of an inspiring blog hop!  I'm sure you'll see a ton of beauty in both places!!

Thanks to the Art Jewelry Elements blog for the morning push to create!!!

"Life Accoutrements"

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!

Blog Hop: Challenge of Color

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!