Wacky Chunky Air Force Blue

I want to share some good beadiness with you...

One of my Favity McFave bead makers totally hooked me up! I said "wacky chunky disks" in a an "Air Force Blue sort of color combination" and look what Heather from HMB Studios made me!!!!

Aren't these just gorgeous?! Talk about aiming high...these are so much better than I could have even figured on.

So, why do I want Air Force blue beads? Well, there's this big Air Force Charity Ball that the Air Force Officers' Wives' Club puts on in the D.C. area to benefit the Air Force Aid Society. I got the opportunity to go last year (thanks to my bud, Wayne) and it was an absolutely wonderful five-star event. Much champagne and a fantastic meal, all while wearing a sweet mess dress uniform, led to a fantastic shopping experience in the silent auction. I decided that night that I really wanted to donate a super-fantastic-fancy piece of jewelry for the next year...which is now this year. I wanted a challenge, so I figured I'd go with an Air Force blue theme, hence, the beads! I still have a little design time, thank goodness, so I can figure out the best way to show off these beauties.

Wish me luck! :)

Life's a little less Cocolicious...

I said goodbye to my sweetie-girl beading helper, Coco, on Friday. She's been sick for a few months and it was just that time. In her honor...here are a few fond memories...

She first came into my life in front of the BX (that's the Base Exchange) at Aviano Air Base, in Italy, in 2003. I was feeling lonely and there she was with her family who was headed to Japan and couldn't take her. We were a perfect match! My friend, Alicia, was there and we both laugh regularly at my insane response to this family as I rambled on in a crazy-cat-lady-wannabe way that I just had to take Coco with me right then and there!

She was there for a lot of moves (six different houses!), dealt with a lot of craziness, and helped me settle into where I am now...happily married, happily beading, and loving life. :)

Giving me the look..."I know I just ate and I look relaxed, but when can we have treats?"

Sprawling on the new Gabbeh rug which she immediately claimed by clawing

We spent a few years in Italy...she fell in love with the olive wood cutting boards I brought home from a trip through Tuscany. It was the strangest thing, but she would love all over them!She's saying..."uh, nice slippers, crazy cat lady...now where are the treats?"

Helping out with the beading business...by drinking out of "her" water glass on the desk...it was either that or the toilet!

This tub was a hand-me-down from her bud, Max...it was her favorite place.

Because I thought she might want someone to hang out with, I brought Frankie into the family...she looks like she really loved sharing! haaaaaaa

And then I went and got married and a new brother came to live with us...Brando. She was obviously very welcoming! haaaaaaaaa

In spite of all her wonderful Siamese-ness...she was the sweetest, cuddliest and funniest cat. I'm going to miss her dearly; it's going to be hard now that she's not here to run the house! haaaaaaaaaaaa

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

A Little Package of Beadalon Goodness

A couple of days ago, I posted about a not-very-successful class effort I tried. Even though I didn't get the big chance I wanted to share some skills with some new folks, I still ended up with a cute little earring design.

I got the greatest compliment on that post...Margot Potter, the Impatient Crafter herself, saw my post and my reference to the book "Exposed" that features all sorts of Beadalon components. She actually commented on my blog! I was shocked and honored! But, even cooler, she saw my joking note about my lack of compensation for glowing reviews of the produts and had Beadalon send me some samples! I got a great little pack of treats!

I'm so excited to go make something new! My fave things from this little package of goodness:

- crimp covers - the little "open beads" that you can use to cover up a not-so-pretty crimp and make it look like a bead

- sterling silver crimp ends - I didn't even realize Beadalon components came in sterling silver!

I'm gonna go do some more browsing on the Beadalon website to see what other neat tidbits I may need in my workshop!

So, many thanks to Margot & Beadalon for the crafty love!!!

The Soviets Vs. The Soup

I'm torn. I have a two-page paper to write about the Soviet Afghan War book I just read (or sort of skimmed) but I also received my lovely bead soup from Julie! What's a girl to do??? The paper's not due until tomorrow...and it's ONLY two pages!!! haaaaaaaaaa

So, the soup wins! Check out this phenomenal set of artwork from Julie Nordine's Credit River Art Glass. It's so classy and gorgeous and textured and pretty and original and fun...I am so excited! I'm honored to be able to work with such great pieces! That focal alone...aren't you all coveting?!! haaaaaaaaaaaa

So, as Julie wrote in her post about receiving my soup, we're both in for a challenge. These lovely subdued colors are going to be a joy to work with, but certainly not something I'm used to. :) Plus, I am loving the copper! I am ready to channel my friend Jeannette Blix (another bead partier) who first started me on metal...I'm going to get my hammer out and see what happens! I'm generally a silver girl, but the richness of the beads with the copper-finished ends is just too much goodness...I have to follow that path.

Speaking of paths...I guess it's time to move towards Afghanistan and the two pages that have to be done before tomorrow morning. But, not before one more look at my goodies! haaaaaaaaaaa

Lending a Crafting Hand

I was just wandering around some other Bead Soup Party blogs and found the lovely JBird's Garden. In addition to all the great jewels and beads, there's a special link to a great organization that I haven't seen before: Craft Hope. So, I did a little digging to find out about this crafty group that is doing good things one project at a time.

This week they created Craft Hope for Haiti. In just two days, through item donations to the special Etsy shop as well as lots of shoppers, they've raised over $7,000 for Doctors Without Borders, with 100% of the proceeds going to them. The medical need in Haiti right now is acute, as any of us can see.

(Click on this button to go shopping!)

No matter what your craft or your need for shop, click on the button below to check out the variety of goodies. They're listing new items constantly as donations come in. You'll see some of my polymer clay there soon!

And, to share a quote from a recent Craft Hope post that I really liked:

“The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit.” — Nelson Henderson

Credit River Art Glass...The Party's Started!...

Here's the link to my partner...Credit.River.Art.Glass: THE PARTY HAS STARTED....

Julie got her package of Jen Judd goodies...so we're on! Plus, look at that teaser of pretties!!! I can't wait!!!

Cheers to all Bead Soup Partygoers!!!! :)