The MUUUUUUSE!

Woo Hoo! My muse came out of hiding for awhile, today, and my 109 lb "fur-baby" let me do some work. I played with Relique Ice Resins today. I made some sample tabs to see what they would do & look like, then I made a pair of earrings. (squeeeeee! I made some jewelry!!)
Anyway, here's some pics. Enjoy!

Top left; Chartreuse, German Silver, Turquoise. Top right; Raspberry, Ivory, Gold. Bottom; Amethyst, Pewter, Ruby.

Used Chartreuse as companion in all but one mix set. Top; C & Raspberry, C. & Turquoise, C. & Amethyst. Right; C. & Pewter, C. & German Silver. Bottom; clockwise from top of pic, Carnelian, C. & Carnelian, C. & Ruby, Carnelian-Turquoise-Ruby.

Earrings; Turquoise, Carnelian, Ruby (hard to see the difference in the red & orange in this pic). Set my colors & ran a toothpick thru them while still in a melted state. I call them "Molten" because I feel compelled to name my stuff. What can I say, I'm weird. :)

WHAT SANTA BROUGHT

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEAL!

Santa brought me not only a brand new Canon Rebel T2i EOS 550D (digital) camera, he brought me an RPS Studio Pro Style Desktop Studio ("take pictures like a Pro!")  Now, nothing against my iPhone3GS, it's taken some pretty darn good pics for me to post, but I am so STOKED about getting to use my new camera and new Studio set up for my photos I can hardly stand it! (~does the Happy Hamster Giggle-Shimmy~)

Speaking of pics, and iPhones and such, I have a new necklace that will be going into my Etsy store as soon as I can set this studio up and get off some shots (hopefully, tomorrow night... depending...)  Anyway, the necklace is made from two clasps I bought from Melinda Orr over at Melinda Orr Designs with the copper one being the closing clasp and the metal & stone one becoming the focal piece.  I paired them with some GORgeous handmade beads I bought from Pam at Ferrariorginalbeads on Etsy.  Here's the iPhone version and I should have it posted on Etsy by (as I said/hoped) Thursday night.

Hope everyone else had a great Christmas and plan on having a Happy New Year.

THE CHALLENGE EVOLVES... SLOWLY

You all know I decided to participate in the Art Bead Scene's November Challenge and that this is the color pallet they gave us to work with:

I love these colors! I'm pretty sure I mentioned that in my last blog.  I love them because I love Autumn.
I hate these colors! I hate them because I can't use silver wire in my design.  Okay, I did say I was participating to stretch my mind and my creativity so I guess I can't really say I hate them.  It is making me think outside my little silver-encrusted box!



colors to match pallet

 Well, I've gotten a good start (finally!) on my necklace.  Yes, yes, I was going to do a lanyard.  I changed my mind.  I'm a woman.  I get to do that.  I still plan to make a lanyard and a chain for holding your glasses in these colors, but that will come later.  Right now, it's turned into a necklace.  Here's the start (no, it's not finished, yet):

1) Pull out every bead that even remotely looks like it might match the colors in the pallet.
2) Sort through the colors (drooling over the lush richness of them) and spend at least 3 days trying to decide which ones will work best (never an easy job!)
3) Narrow down the choices


narrowed down colors

 4) Then narrow down the choices again
5) Create your first incarnation of the necklace, bracelet, lanyard, earrings (whatever flips your wig)
6) Create a second incarnation with a very slight difference
7) Take pictures to email to a beady friend to critique and sit and mull it over for a day (or two... but not much more)


preliminary design



.... now what?  (eeeeevil grin) Guess you'll have to come back to see...

CHALLENGE. ACCEPTED!

OOoohhhh!  I am either OUT of my MIND!  Or getting brave.  I haven't decided which, yet.  On top of the Virtual Craft Show I'm taking part in (see ad to right) I've decided to be part of a design challenge for the Art Bead Scene November Challenge.  I actually have some beads the colors of this months' challenge and thought I'd be brave.  Now... to come up with a design.

Necklace?

Bracelet?

Earrings?
Then, a friend of mine asked if I had thought of making and selling lanyards for those who have to have a company ID badge on/with them at all times.  I actually had and was planning to make that one of the things I sell in my Etsy shop (not that she was aware of this! HA!).  So, I decided that I would attempt my design around a lanyard!  I can make more than one item, it appears, so the first will be a lanyard.  If that makes me happy, then maybe some glasses holders or earrings.  I love these colors for the challenge, but, then, I love Autumn and her many colors as well.  So, as soon as the design is complete and put together, I will be sure to post the pics... well, I have to.  That's part of the rules to enter the contest. 

I may not survive this, but at least I've gotten out of my comfort zone and tried something new!  We all should.  Otherwise our minds atrophy.