Torch-Fired October: The Book Tour Schedule!

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.

Going Analogous...

That's like a combination of "anal" and "gorgeous" which just totally made me laugh...it's like a fancy little vanity table that's very tidy. haaaaaaaaa

This is my take on #2 of the Beads-of-Clay Color Challenge series. You can see other details about the challenge on the Artisan Clay blog. The basic requirements are: use a clay bead (earthen clay, porcelain or ceramic--not polymer) and follow the analogous color "code."

I like this color challenge series because it starts with simpler combinations (one color) and works towards more complex mixes (many colors). Because it's a gradual design process, I've been gradually studying color more...both in books and just by observing the world around me a little differently. For instance, warm, punchy colors permeate my home's decor...there are pinks and oranges everywhere. But, they all fall on a nice, cool, relaxing denim blue couch or a heavy, rich brown wooden dining room table. I guess that's how I design my jewelry, too...depends on the mood. Do I want punch or do I want soothing? But, then, there are so many other textural factors to think of, too, that the options are just so much fun to think about!


To help steer my color-related mind, I used a handy-dandy Border's coupon and got myself a new book: Color Index by Jim Krause. Its main audience, as far as I can tell, is print and web graphic design--there are lot of things about mixing formulas for the best screen or print results. But, to quote the author, "Simply put, use this book however you like." So, for a designer/beader/artisan/crafter, the book is great to educate on color basics (like what an analogous color scheme is) but also to trigger ideas about color combinations and how different values (lightness or darkness) can work. There are pages and pages in this little guidebook that pull combinations from the world around us...both natural and media-created. If you want to take a look at inside the book, you can go to the Jim Krause Design website and "cyber flip" through a few.

Anyway, enough on the book...on to the beads!!!

This work was inspired by the big porcelain focal bead over on the left-hand side of the necklace. I would love to tell you the designer, but I can't for the life of me remember. I know, though, that I bought it at a trunk show at the sweet little bead shop in Alexandria, Virginia called Bead Obsessions. Patricia always has wonderful treats in the store, but I failed to write down the info...I even found the receipt from Valentine's Day, 2009...nice record-keeping. :)

**I have an update! The bead artist is Bill Batts--according to Patricia, he was from North Carolina at that time. :)

I went with the violet and blue analogous color scheme with this eclectic mix of beads. Plus, I created my own wire-worked links to add a little bit more interest to the asymmetry...

Materials:
- Lovely big "mystery designer" **Bill Batts** porcelain focal with a great blue-violet finish
On the Blue Side:
- Navy glass ovals (from a bead swap with a friend)
- Blue spotted Kazuri bead (from Off the Beading Path)
- Denim blue lapis square pillows (from Potomac Bead Co.)
- Navy leather finished with sterling crimp ends (from Artbeads)
On the Violet Side:
- Dyed purple rough-cut agate nuggets
- Amethyst rectangles & nuggets (from Michael's)
- Blue-violet agate ovals
& violet simple cut stones(from Potomac Bead Co.)
- Lampwork glass disks (from HMB Studios)

Here's to the blues (and violets) on a rainy Sunday morning. :) I have to go take a nap before reading about nuclear strategy...or should I say not reading about nuclear strategy and playing with my latest bead goodies instead. haaaaaaaaaaa