New work!

I haven't been totally without time to create....

For your viewing pleasure, behold a bracelet made from the headpins I mentioned in my last post:

And made from a recent estate sale find, this necklace, called 'Relic', from my own copper tube beads and vintage glass and metal beads, mixed with my own lampwork:

And the matching bracelet:

Some heavy-gauge copper wire -- working on my hammering and shaping skills.

I especially love that fall leaves bracelet. I keep intending to put it in the shop, but I haven't yet....telling myself that the pictures aren't good enough, and waiting for a sunnier day to take more shots...

And that 'Relic' is one of the longest necklaces I have ever made -- 26". The photo does not do it justice.

I need to make a bracelet with those pumpkin headpins....THAT is really cool-looking in my mind....I just haven't had a chance this week to sit down and work it all out.

Art Bead Scene's October challenge is awesome, and I want to enter it (I already made appropriate beads), but once again, haven't had time to work out the design. Must learn to design in my head, on the run, so I can knock out the piece in one go when I *can* sit down to the work table (ironing board).

Okay, that's it for now....hopefully I will have more soon!

Exploration

"One doesn't discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore."

--Andre Gide (1869-1951)

Exploring is a necessary part of an artist's path. It's a necessary part of life, in my opinion, because if you don't reach out, don't go further or see what else is out there, well, how can you possibly be alive? I don't know....I have had a strong desire all my life to "see what else is out there", and it's soemthing I don't feel I took full advantage of when I actually had the time, space, energy and freedom from responsibilities.

So, I seek my exploration now in other ways. I'm definitely the type of person who has never met an art supply she doesn't like, and if there is extra money in the budget, I'm usually buying something to make something else with. Fabric, metals, paint, paper, wire, stamps, glue....you name it, I want some of it. The possibilities for creating are just endless, and these days, with DIY and crafting so much on everyone's radar, there are TONS of different supplies and tools and ideas out there. It's a bit overwhelming, sometimes, having SO MANY choices, but it sure beats not being able to find a photo-safe glue stick, or alcohol ink, or a Crop-a-dile when you want one.

Recently, I have spent more of my inner reflection on exploring my abilities in art-making. My jewelry and glass is, of course, a constant series of expeditions into the unknown and the impossible, with the end results sometimes being completely awful. But, that is part of things. I have had some good successes, though, with a few of my "impossible" ideas...a bracelet project I developed will be published in an upcoming issue of a national jewelry magazine (to be named later!). That project was a result of my vision of the end project, and my utter lack of "real" metalsmithing skills. I just got to the end bracelet by figuring out what I needed to do at my workbench to get there. Sort of like navigating by dead reckoning. It was fun!

Lately, I am looking longingly at art journaling. I don't even know where to start, mostly, but I have plenty of paper and glue sticks and some paint and markers. I think I will just put some paper on paper, and maybe paint over that, and write a journal entry. Start there, and see how it goes. Tonight's project is a page in my journal with the theme "red". I don't even know what i want the page to end up looking like, but that's half the fun of exploring your media and your creative ideas. So, I am going to stop writing *here*, and go writing and drawing and painting and markering and collaging and gluing over at my paper art journal.

So, I challenge you....readers and art-people and all you especially who think you are not creative...reach out beyond your 'usual' medium and explore something else...what will you try?

Explore!

(Not Even Remotely) Wordless Wednesday

I was reading a post this morning by Lorelei Eurto over on Art Bead Scene about her not going to the big Bead & Button Show in Milwaukee this week. It's a huge trade show with tons of opportunities for classes, networking, hobnobbing, and of course, bead and bead supply buying. heaven for those of us involved with art jewelry, or really, ANYTHING that has to do with beads.

I have never been to Milwaukee, and I want to go, for the show, definitely, and just because the last time I traveled alone to a location I have never been to before was....senior year in college? Eighteen years ago now. I forget what it's like to travel alone, to manage everything all by yourself, get through the airport, to your destination, find food, necessities, get around the city. I was too scared to really do much traveling when I was twentysomething; I much preferred the safety of the "known world" I inhabited at college. I wish I could have had the sense of adventure and relative fearlessness THEN that I seem to have developed NOW. Isn't that always the way? Sometimes I find it hard to let go of regret over choices I made when I was young.

I hope I instill a sense of "give it a shot, go for it, explore!" mentality in my children. One thing I have learned over the last year with my art journey is that it's never too late to do what's in your heart.

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And, in a totally random way....here is the new kitten that has unexpectedly joined the Brandel household:
I give you -- Shadow! She is six weeks old and SO Very Tiny.
My husband is a very compassionate man. He found this little beauty mewling piteously behind his office building yesterday and couldn't bear to leave her. Sorry for the crummy picture, it's hard to snap a shot of a feisty little furball such as this when you are by yourself.

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I've been getting into a daily exercise routine, to help increase my energy level and maaaaybe lose some weight (maybe). Having more energy definitely increases my creative activity, so that's an awesome side-effect. Additionally, I have been trying to change my diet, slowly, ever so slowly. I have a choke-hold on carbohydrates of all kinds....can't live without good bread...and WON'T live without good ice cream and good beer...so that's been difficult.

I had a killer workout this morning, on only four hours of sleep (that kitty!), and fueled by two cups of coffee and a banana and some very loud Green Day in my mp3 player.
What's that you say? Is that...? Why yes, yes it is. My post-workout breakfast DID consist of last night's leftover red cabbage slaw...
Not that you all are interested in my breakfast habits, I just wanted to show you the beautiful magenta color of the cabbage. Isn't that just fantastic? I have to figure out how to get that color in glass. I have several friends who are knowledgeable in the art of dyeing with natural materials, like onion skins, beets, and the like. I bet this would make a great dye! I know it would make a great glass color! I'm sure I can find it in some COE 104 glass....hey, maybe I should work on the torch today...

Hope your Wednesday is productive and creative and colorful!

I'm Occasionally Late...and forgetful....

I can't believe I forgot to mention this! The other day, I was the lucky, lucky winner of a drawing on Art Bead Scene! I won a set of wonderful ceramic buttons by Jennifer Heynen of Jangles!

Check these awesome things out:

They are gorgeous -- the colors are right up my alley, especially the little orange and red dotty one at the top, and that star! And they came wrapped in tissue paper in my favorite color -- ORANGE!

I haven't decided yet what I am going to make with them. I sew, and am highly addicted to fabric as well as glass and metals, so really, I could use them in any number of projects sloshing around in my brain. Hmmm.... I have some silk cord to match the bottom button....but my middle daughter has declared the star her "favorite, favorite", so it *could* go on a dress for her...

So many options. So little time (sometimes). :)

I'll think of something great. Those terrific buttons are definitely calling out for a fiber of some kind. When I nail it down and make the design, I'll post pix, for sure!