Friday, October 28, 2011

Fini Friday! Whoooo Me?

Hello Everyone and Welcome to the Friday before Halloween/All Hallow's Eve and Samhain!!
I've a few goodies to show you before I dash off to other preparations for this weekend!
In keeping with the theme of Fini Friday, I've finished creations to show you from a bit of recent loot I captured... Do you remember these beauties? Many of them grew into earrings!
Here they are!
Title: A Civilized Flame
Ingredients: Czech-pressed glass, metal, gold-plated surgical steel earwires, focus.

I just love the mix of textures and colours in these!

Title: Star Scepter
Ingredients: Czech-pressed glass, metal, gold-plated surgical steel earwires, majesty


Here I love the etheral, yet playful feel...

Title: Intrigue
Ingredients: Czech-pressed glass, metal, silver-plated surgical steel earwires, mystery


And what is not to love about that vibrant, glowing red?!

Last, but certainly not least, the earrings that are the title of this post and a celebration of the fun and frolic of Halloween to me...
Title: Whoooo Me?
Ingredients: Lampwork glass owls, Swarovski crystals, metal, silver-plated surgical steel earwires, innocence.



All of these will be with me this Saturday at BellaWeen at BellaLuna Boutique in Minnetonka, MN (USA)! Whether you're looking for that last fabulous piece to tie your costume together for Saturday night parties, to pamper yourself before said parties or taking the little ones out for Trick or Treat or just want to shop at a new, interesting, independently-owned shoppe, this event is for you! We'll have massage therapists, jewelry, stones, scarves, bottle, bits and bobs, Faeries, dragons, Intuitive Readers, Live Music and more!!
See you soon and have FUN!

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Whimsy Wednesday! New Mood Beads, New Creations!

Hello Everyone!! Welcome back to Whimsy Wednesday!
I've been playing with some new mood beads as well as beadable pens and wine stoppers!! The pens and stainless steel wine stoppers have been around a while, but I just hadn't felt inspired to do much with them until now. With the recent procurement of newly-designed mood beads, I thought I'd try my hand at a few of each! You can see what grew into completion below!
First, the wine bottle stoppers! Stainless steel with rubber rings that act as gaskets, these are fun and functional! The center bead is the mood bead, framed by two carved bone beads.
Title: (edited to include title) As Yet Unknown...



The second wine stopper is graced with hand-crafted lamp-work and furnace glass (USA Artists) beads, accented with lead-free pewter beads with a Greek key design.
Title: (Edited to include title) In Vino Veritas



On to the Pens!
The first pen is also adorned with hand-crafted furnace glass (USA artist) with a dramatic white-centered orb at the top (either glass or acrylic)! Paired with the black finish on the pen, this reminds me of an old fashioned gas light... or perhaps a tool used by a wizard to illuminate or dispel illumination...
Title: Old Fashioned, With a Modern Twist
(The nib of the pen extends and retracts with a twist of the pen, about mid-way up.. see the pun in the title?) *grin*



And the last pen I have to show you uses one of my favorite new mood bead designs... a mermaid!!! Yup!! The middle orb is a swimming mermaid, enclosed on either side with complimentary, smaller mood beads, and accentuated with lead-free pewter and cobalt blue glass beads.

Title: A Mermaid's Tale



Finally, a closer look at those gorgeous mood beads!


All of these will be with me this Saturday at BellaWeen at BellaLuna Boutique in Minnetonka, MN (USA)! Whether you're looking for that last fabulous piece to tie your costume together for Saturday night parties, to pamper yourself before said parties or taking the little ones out for Trick or Treat or just want to shop at a new, interesting, independently-owned shoppe, this event is for you! We'll have massage therapists, jewelry, stones, scarves, bottle, bits and bobs, Faeries, dragons, Intuitive Readers, Live Music and more!!
See you Friday!

Friday, October 21, 2011

Fini Friday! A Story of Time...

Hello Everyone!
I hope your Friday has been as warm and enjoyable as mine has!
In keeping with the Fini Friday theme of finishing that which has been started but then languishing incomplete, I have a necklace to show you today that features one of my Popcap Pendants!
I create the Popcap Pendants from recycled popcaps and embellish them with scrapbooking paper and stickers, glitter, old watch parts, beads, gemstones, found objects and etc.

This particular pendant was created with a scrapbook sticker, glitter, and old watch parts all sealed in with a non-toxic resin. Take a look!



It was fun creating the rest of the necklace using links from different chain, upcycled necklaces, charms and beads. The clasp is actually in the front, with all sorts of fun letters stamped in it! I love that I was able to keep a warm color palette while mixing in a great many intriguing charms and beads!
Here is the the entire creation...
Title: A Story of Time
Ingredients: old watch parts, swarovski crystals, metal, glitter, lead-free pewter, non-toxic resin, glass, and brass.



Don't forget that I'll be at BellaWeen at BellaLuna Boutique in Minnetonka, MN (USA) next Saturday (the 29th of October)! Stop by for that last little thing to complete your costume or just celebrate Halloween with us!

See you next week!

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Whimsy Wednesday! On Walkabout!

Hello Everyone!!!
I was on Walk About today and so the timing of this post has been pushed back a little bit a little later than usual!
Incidentally, if you are in the Sauk Center, MN (USA) area, there is a fabulous little shop there called Heaven and Earth Essentials, which is connected to Main Street Antiques and has intriguing and beautiful things in every nook and cranny. More info is on their website here. I've already drunk some of the Firefly Chai that I purchased from Barbara, the owner, and YUM! is the best word I have for it!
Here is a little photo of my bag 'o chai goodness!!!



And, of course, no Walkabout would be complete without the finding and purchasing of bead-y goodness! I did, indeed, find a small bead shop during my adventures today and wanted to share a photo of my modest bit of loot with you!



Most of this is Czech-pressed glass and I'm looking forward to creating with them... especially as I have a few ideas boiling and brewing inside my head even now!

How does this tie in to the whimsy of Whimsy Wednesday? You-all are able to share in the whims and whimsy of my Walkabout (of course!)by seeing what I bring home and hearing about my adventures!

And with that, Good Night!
See you on Friday!!!

Friday, October 14, 2011

Fini Friday! Instant Gratification!

Hello Everyone!!!
It's Friday!!!!
I had visions of creating much more today in my studio, and yet my time has been taken up with necessary tasks elsewhere and so I have a modest amount of new creations to show you today.
Today's theme of instant gratification speaks to the process of creating the two earring pairs I have to show today.
The first pair literally fell together as I was finishing up the creations for Whimsy Wednesday and, in true Fini Friday fashion, I decided not to let dust gather on the idea and so to finish creating them today!
Here they are...
Title: Star Nautilus
Ingredients: Czech Glass, metal, surgical steel earwires (silver-plated, hypo-allergenic)



While chatting with folks at the Saint Paul Art Crawl, I realized I am all out of earrings with wrenches in them! This, obviously, needs to be corrected immediately! So, that is what I set about to resolve with the final earring creations I have to show you below!
Working Title: Tribal Moon
Ingredients: Stone (probably jasper), lead-free pewter (USA), Czech glass, metal, sterling silver, sterling silver earwires (hypo-allergenic).



Look for Star Nautilus in my Etsy Shoppe yet this evening!
Have an awesome weekend!!
Ciao!

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Whimsy Wednesday! Peeking into Different Worlds!

Hello Everyone!!!
As I was looking through the creations and photos I have for you today, I realized there is a central theme of glimpses of other worlds and that seems apt for both the title of this blog and a 'snapshot' of my life right now! So! Let's dive right in!
If you didn't have a chance to join me at the Saint Paul Art Crawl over the weekend, you were both missed and missed out on a lot of fun!
Here is a photo of my booth...



We were treated to live soundscaping music from Todd Madson on Saturday, performance art at the recycled milk carton igloo built by child-artist Matilda) just to the right of my booth later that day and all sorts of nifty people adopting creations throughout the weekend! Though I love to see the creations adopted and couldn't be happier that they found perfect homes; some of the creations adopted this weekend have been travelling with me for a while...so...I felt a little odd and a little melancholy as they left with their people (some of them being worn on their people in the leaving!!).
But enough of that perspective!
Let's move on to the creations I have to show you!
I've had these luscious lampwork glass beads by Beau Hawn for a little while and was determined to make something of them today! And so I have!
Paired with Swarovski crystals and Czech-pressed glass, I think they are lovely!
Title:A Window into the Fire Sprite's World
Ingredients: Beau Hawn lampwork glass, Czech "window" glass, Swarovski crystal, sterling silver.



And the last creation is a peek into the more watery depths...
Title: A Peek Into a Mermaid's World
Ingredients: Czech-pressed glass, copper, metal, surgical steel earwires (hypo-allergenic)



And so there you have it!
See you on Friday!!!

Friday, October 7, 2011

Fini Friday! Flashy News!

Hello Everyone!
Just a quick post and photos of some of the new shinies you'll see if you visit me at the Saint Paul Art Crawl tonight!
I'll be in the 3rd floor Atrium, rather than the 5th.. just so you know!

And now.. the Flash Drives!!
Both 4 GB and both are twisties!!! The first one is actually a carabiner!








See you soon!

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Whimsy Wednesday!! Spooky Loot and a Custom Creation!

Hello Everyone!!
I have fun things to show you today! I received a small batch of spooky loot from Earthenwood Studios just in time for my Halloween creating!
I have so much fun with Melanie's art and really dig her imagination and ceramic creativity so I try to play with creations of hers often!


I didn't resist her original design of the kitties in the spooky moonlight! They are so charmingly mysterious!

I also have a Custom Creation to show you!
A friend inquired if I might be able to repair his bracelet, since a stone fell out of the setting, and requested Citrine as the replacement stone.
Here is the bracelet...made whole with the new Citrine cabochon.
First, a close-up of that stone:



And last is a photo of that captivating bracelet:



Don't forget that I'll be at the Lowertown Lofts-3rd floor atrium for the Saint Paul Art Crawl! The Crawl starts this Friday at 6pm and rocks through Sunday until 5pm. Come on down to visit and immerse yourself in the fabulous world of Art!
Ciao!

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Fini Friday Loot Photos!

Hello!!!
Here you are-checking back in with me on this beautiful Sunday afternoon! Thanks for stopping by!
I have photos of loot to show you!!


The above is a over-view of the goodies! Much of it is fiber.. ribbons and lace and sequins, oh my! However, you can see a few nifty toggle clasps on the right-hand side there as well as some of my new photo-display backgrounds that lay underneath it all!
I love the colours and patterns of those backgrounds and feel they will add interest and beauty to my creation photos.
I'm thinking of playing with a bit of pigmented resin on the clasps as well as creating a multi-layered necklace with the flower-shaped sequin ribbon and the antiqued lace that lay twined together near the middle of the photo.
Here is a close-up of those clasps and of much of the loot.



The white and multi-coloured sequin ribbon in the middle is actually a bit stretchy and that seems to be slated for bracelets or perhaps a choker...
And the black ribbon with grommets definitely evokes some sort of punky/Halloween inspiration!

So there you are! A peek into the inspiration and beginning side of creating for me!
Check back here often to see what they grow into!
Bye for now!