Fini Friday!

Hello!
Today has not gone according to plan and so there is a bit of frustration in the air right now. I've restrung this necklace a few times now, run into other complications and now have other preparations to make and plots and plans to carry out. So I'll show you what I've completed so far and invoke my artist's right to leave this project here for now!

This is a necklace creation that has lain dormant for many years. It is a simple piece, folksy and elegant, and filled semi-precious gemstone treasures! It merely waited for a few additional touches, such as spacer beads and clasp. However, I'm finding that the thin cable needed to successfully string those tiny tiny holes in the sunstone (yup! those shiny, warmly-toned little round beads) has run a bit short and I have no more in stock at the moment. So, I'm declaring this Fini Friday a mixed success. I like the improved design, but the creation is not yet finished.

And here it is, with the working title: the FiniFriday Cats.




Cheers and Hopes for a Fabulous Weekend!

Whimsy Wednesday!

Hello!
This Wednesday was a bit different from the others so far as it is very much an improvisation! I like improvisation and love mixing materials so as to create something completely different.. especially if that involves using the materials in ways they weren't designed for! That aside, my studio has been disrupted for a little less than a week as wiring was run through the house and we waited for the green light from the powers-that-be to continue on to the next phase. I'm happy to say that we received that nod yesterday! Between that and preparations for filing taxes, my life has been busy! These activities don't necessarily lend themselves to whimsy or creativity in the traditional sense, though I have been enjoying the "blank slate" of my desk and etc. that the construction necessitated. It has given me the opportunity to really look at what and how I use everything from files and information to material arrangements and bead organization. I'll likely natter on a bit about this in future blogs as the thought of having a more organized studio that works *with* and *for* me (see also reducing stress and creating a more fun atmosphere) makes my heart sing! Also, if what I have to say here helps any of you-all with creating a bit of the life you want then everybody wins!

OK! Onward to the Whimsy for Goodness Sake!
Speaking of hearts singing...this necklace creation's focal incorporates a hand-crafted furnace glass heart and a lion so happily satisfied you can almost *hear* him purr! Throw in a compass and a few Hershey's kisses dangling from recycled links and chain (Upcycled, if you will) and this is what you have!

First photo is of the 'raw materials'. I thought it might be fun for you-all to see how the various components started out!



I loved the stained-glass effect of the Lion keychain and that seem to pair naturally with the beautifully vibrant furnace glass heart and the warm textures of the upcycled acrylic belt links.


And here is the finished creation:
Title: LionHearted



I wanted this necklace to echo the elegance of the Lion and Heart but also infuse a little bit of punk, color and whimsy; so I wove the colored jumprings in here and there throughout the creation.



And the final touches of whimsy...See the clasp? The Cat and Mouse? Isn't that awesome???! And, of course, one more Hershey's kiss charm! Having too much chocolate doesn't really figure into my worldview *grin*.



One more photo of that most excellent lion and all the fabulous colors and textures of this warm, intriguing creation!

Ciao!

Whimsy Wednesday!

Hello All!!
This post may actually serve double-duty for both Whimsy Wednesday and Fini Friday! It all depends on how the home improvements flow through to completion during the latter part of this week. Important distraction this, as I have a home studio that is mostly packed-up right now!
So, I may have a creation for you on Friday.. I may not.. you'll just have to stay tuned!

As luck would have it, the necklace creation that is to be posted for your viewing pleasure fits the bill for both whimsy and finished piece.
This necklace is all about snails and the wonderfully complex (and sometimes slimy) depths of the ocean. The colors of the vintage Czech glass beads are reminiscent of the colors one might find when exploring shipwrecks.. where things are delightfully muddy, silty and slimy... which brings me to the snails (and the dolphin for the clasp, actually). Snails are irrevocably connected with slime and the ocean in my mind. Dolphins definitely leap to mind (Ha! See the pun?) when pondering the ocean.. so it seemed natural to mix all of these. As a final amusing twist, with the exception of the snails themselves (which are base metal) and the glass 'jewels', the entire necklace is comprised of precious metals (14K gold chain, gold filled wire and a vermeil clasp)! So, it is a precious treasure these snails move amongst!

This necklace has been growing (or in the making) for a few years... which brings me to the title
"A Snail's Pace"... which is absolutely the timeline this piece followed.

Here it is!
Enjoy!

Fini Friday

will have to wait until next Friday!
I have been out adventuring (and consequently mostly off-line and away from the studio) for most of Thursday and today!
On the other hand, there is nifty loot on-hand that includes gyrocopter bits, antique survey equipment, old film cannisters, mechanic-cally things, and so much more!
Tired Sprite is tired and so is signing off for now!

Signed...Snuggling in for the evening and zzzzs after admiring the fluffy, sparkly snow outside.
Ciao!

Wednesday is for Whimsy!

I can't believe it is Wednesday already! I have been doing a little bit of organizing and cleaning in the studio this week. Someone else perhaps can't immediately tell that a whole lot has changed, but as I shift and move materials around, I can tell the difference. As things are culled, categorized and prepared to move out or move into their new home, I feel more focused as there are less "things" lurking around the edges of both my physical, visual space and my mental space. Now to keep this going!!!

I'm finding that making the commitment to having a particular idea/theme blog is encouraging/"forcing" me to play with creating more and I like the results so far!!!
To that end, I'm announcing another idea/theme blog entry! Ideas and inspiration are not usually the problem for me; FINISHING the ideas in some way is the bottleneck. As I reflect upon this, I am realizing many reasons, but the biggest is my fear of 'not getting it right'. And, as a very wise person pointed out to me, I'm the artist with the idea, so I'm the only one who can say whether it is right or wrong. And I am free to declare the idea/creation "right" at any time, including after major overhauls, working with the materials available and so forth. SO! Fridays will now be Fini Fridays! I'll show you the creations that have been languishing in the ideas & materials stage for an untold amount of time (or maybe I'll include that!) in their finished form! I reserve the right to report that a creation was not quite finished, as this is part of the point of this blog entry theme... the journey and the learning as I and you-all travel along.

Without further ado, here are the earring creations for Whimsy Wednesday!
The theme of "With Bells On" popped to mind and the image that surfaced was of a playful nature.. as if a Faerie (or several) were all decked out in party frocks, including bells!

Working titles are:
With Bells On: Silver
Ingredients: Czech glass, recycled metal bells, permanently-coated copper wire(USA), plated silver surgical steel earwires


With Bells On: Gold
Ingredients: Czech glass, metal bells, permanently-coated copper wire(USA), plated gold surgical steel earwires


And now for something completely different....
I brought these Fimo lavender tigers home some time ago because they are ...lavender tigers!!!
That's whimsy right there, folks!
I paired them with a wonderfully eerie green bead that matches their equally striking tiiiny little eyes.
I think these are not for the faint-of-heart!
Working (as in not finalized yet) Title: Lavender Tigers
Ingredients: Fimo Tigers, Czech glass, glass, metal, plated silver surgical steel earwires


So, there you are! I hope this post has provided you with some inspiration and giggles!
See you soon!

Whimsy Wednesdays!

Last Wednesday was such fun and the idea for these earrings struck last night when I was thinking of sunflowers (why, I have no idea!), so I've decided to make this a weekly post!
I love these vintage German glass beads so! They remind me of the warm glow of the summer sun!
I immediately thought of the title Sun-Flowers and of suspending little flowers below the sun-bead. I love the idea of motion in my creations and like to include that whenever I can. I really wanted to add my own signature to this idea, since it is a fairly straight-forward design. It seemed natural to infuse some color into the wiring around each of the beads and I chose the green of lush grass to surround the flower and the vivid blue of a warm summer sky to wrap the "sun". Different gauges of wire added an additional twist (see the pun?) to the creation and I'm quite pleased with the result!

Title: Sun-Flowers
Ingredients: vintage German and Czech glass, copper wire (USA), plated silver surgical steel earwires



Ooo!OOoo!! I forgot to mention! Did you see that the flower beads are "reversible"??
Yes!! So, you can simply turn them to the shiny side or the blue side depending on your mood! Isn't that fabulous?!

OK.. now back to the regularly scheduled blog post *grin*
I set about to repurpose a pair of earrings that featured the more traditional sunflowers into another creation for the juxtaposition of classic sunflower to the Sun-Flowers you see above, but, alas, technical difficulties abound!
So! Here we are!
I hope you find these earrings as charming as I do!

As an aside: As I was contemplating this blog entry, the song, "Sowing the Seeds of Love" by Tears for Fears popped into my head (particularly the portion of the lyrics with sunflower mentioned)!
Here is the link to that song so you can listen to it and reflect (ha! reflect! see the pun?) on warmth and all things growing during this chilly season.