Fini Friday! Showing Off the Skulls!

Hello Hello!
Welcome to Fini Friday!
Today has been a happily busy day for me as I prepare for my show tomorrow (amongst other tasks)!
I've a new creation that has grown into completion and will be available for adoption tomorrow!
Let me show you!
You may remember this Fini Friday post and the collection of beads and ideas introduced...
Here is what the yellow skulls grew into!
Title: As Yet Unknown
Ingredients: Howlite(dyed) stone skulls, vintage Czech glass, glass, leather (lead-free dye), sterling silver, aluminum, base metal.
I loved the idea of creating a multi-layer leather bracelet along a Day of the Dead and/or rainbow-faerie-skull theme!  
I also wanted to incorporate motion, texture and meaning into the creation.  Motion (and therefore the bracelet doubles as a fidget toy- YAY!) is found in the collection of beads on either end of the bracelet...whilst texture abounds in the colour-rich, faceted vintage Czech beads and smaller, shiny foil-lined beads.  
The knots provide a different contrasting texture and the silver double-heart toggle clasp echoes the overall shiny and light-ness of the creation!  The heart clasp also softens the effect of the skulls and evokes the Day of the Dead inspiration.

A few updates and news before I close...
I and Sprite Creations will be returning to the Arts Fest in North Branch (MN, USA) this Saturday! 
Spot 5E in the Middle School Cafeteria (same as last year) is where you'll find me from 9am to 4pm!  (I'm in the yellow area on the diagram!)

There is food, arts and crafts of every kind and truly something for everyone! Seating is just across the way from me to rest your weary shopping bones! 
Beat the "Black Friday"/Winter Holiday shopping rush and feel good purchasing local, hand-made goodies and supporting independent artists and craftsfolk!  

$1 admission gets you all of this and a shuttle from the High School to the Middle School and back again!

See you there!!!

Also!!
The November Message From the Faeries has been rescheduled! 
We had a few technical difficulties and so the interview has moved to Tuesday, November 26th at 12Noon (CST, USA)!  
Join Cheryl Patton and me as we discuss the whimsical and practical tips and tricks the Faeries have in this gracious month of November!

Ciao!

Fini Friday! Skulls and Spice!

Hello Everyone!
Welcome to Fini Friday!
It is Fall in our neck of the woods and we've already had a bit of snow and ice! The snow has nearly completely melted (thankfully!) as it was too warm for the ground to freeze just yet.
Pumpkins, scarecrows, crops being harvested and so forth are common sights and I love the rich, warm colours associated with this season! Why mention any of this? Read on and you'll see!!!

First, some creation ideas that are brewing...inspired by the upcoming All Hallow's Eve Holiday!
Methinks these will be earrings and the design touches a bit upon the Day of the Dead as well as the Fae.
The vision I've in mind is wire-wrapping the luscious, smaller multi-coloured beads around the skulls.
YAY!

These second set of skulls, dyed an intriguing yellow, are slated (at least right now) to be a bracelet...possibly on black leather! ...
Possibly with wrapping or braiding...
Hmmm...
Stay tuned to see what happens next!!!

And now...for the spice!
I love tea. Absolutely yes!
So, one of the ways I'm celebrating the season is with a seasonal tea!

MMMMmmmmmm!  Doesn't that look yummy?!  I've found that this company makes scrumptious teas, on the whole, and I'm looking forward to trying their Pumpkin Spice tea!
Not all spiced teas are created equal, so wish me luck on this one!!
Whee!!!  
By the way... did you notice the background?  Perhaps it might look familiar....say from a post on Wednesday, perhaps?  
Hee hee!

One last thing before we part company... There is a second session in the Welcome to Being Human series on BlogTalk Radio!
Sunday, Oct. 27th at 5pm (CST, USA) Cheryl Patton and I will be chatting about often impossible pedestal we humans (especially those in the healing arts) are placed on and the stifling effects of "always staying positive".  
Who put us up there anyway?  
Join us for insight, laughter and fun as we poke at the foiables and follies of life as Human Beans!
See you next week!
Ciao!

Whimsy Wednesday! Skulls and Sprucing Up!

Hello Hello!
Welcome to Whimsy Wednesday!
I've been creating in the studio as well as sprucing up a tad bit!  This post will show a little of both!
First, the new creation!
Title: As Yet Unknown

There are more creations inspired by the spooky part of the season growing up, so stay tuned for that! In the meantime, let's chat about these earrings! The white skulls are howlite (which is often mistaken for turquoise) wrapped with hand-finished brass and accented with Czech glass and suspended from forest green Artistic wire. Howlite is thought to help focus the mind and articulate thoughts as well as calm the internal critic, stress, anger and etc.  Some also believe that this stone aids in inner knowing, opening the third eye and seeing into other dimensions/time-space continuum.  What an intriguing choice for skull beads, yes?

Next up!
A bit of that studio spruce up I mentioned!
I acquired a few new backgrounds for photos on a recent Walkabout!

Here they are! Both of the backgrounds are of gorgeous, heavy, textured paper with embossed designs! The brown flows with spirals and the green grows with leaves! Aren't they fetching?! The textures will add visual interest whilst the consist colour of the backgrounds will be an excellent backdrop in which to showcase my creations! YAY!!!!
You'll have to stop back by to see how and when these are used! Whee!

One last thing of note before we take our leave of each other... There is a second session in the Welcome to Being Human series on BlogTalk Radio!
Sunday, Oct. 27th at 5pm (CST, USA) Cheryl Patton and I will be chatting about often impossible pedestal we humans (especially those in the healing arts) are placed on and the stifling effects of "always staying positive".  
Who put us up there anyway?  
Join us for insight, laughter and fun as we poke at the foiables and follies of life as Human Beans!
See you Friday!
Ciao!

Fini Friday! Plots and Plans!

Hello Hello! Welcome to Fini Friday!
I hope your week has been filled with fun and adventure!
I've a few new ideas to show you in this post as well as a tad bit of news!
First! The plots and plans!

This is a necklace creation that I'm still developing. I like some of the chain options more than others...but I'm still not quite certain how this will play out! The gorgeous pendant in the center, by the way, is faceted smoky quartz and sterling silver! This might end up being a multi-layered chain necklace....or I might keep the design simple so as to show off that beautiful stone!
Stay tuned!

This second photo is a collection of beads and ideas for some spooky-fun Halloween creations!  I don't normally gravitate towards skulls and I'm very selective about those I do play with.  These are stylized and have much potential with their simple design!  Did you spy the owl and moons?  There is a cat sitting quietly in the centre and other mysteriously cool beads scattered hither and yon!
You'll have to stop by for a visit again to see what happens next!
Whee!!
A
And now!  The News!
There is a second session in the Welcome to Being Human series on BlogTalk Radio!
Sunday, Oct. 27th at 5pm (CST, USA) Cheryl Patton and I will be chatting about often impossible pedestal we humans (especially those in the healing arts) are placed on and the stifling effects of "always staying positive".  
Who put us up there anyway?  
Join us for insight, laughter and fun as we poke at the foiables and follies of life as Human Beans!

Whimsy Wednesday! Happy Halloween!

Hello Everyone! 

Welcome to Whimsy Wednesday and Halloween!!!! 

I hope this day and night are filled with many, many treats and no tricks! 

Also, let me wish a most fun-filled Samhain, All Hallow's Day and All Saint's Day (tomorrow) to those that celebrate! 

So! I have new creations to show you today! 

One is elegant and creepy and the other is noteworthy and fun! 

First up! The noteworthy and fun! 

Working Title: The Dragon's Garden 

Ingredients: Dragon bead (Green Girl Studios) hand-cast of fine pewter, Mood beads, lead-free pewter, steel pen (USA).

Did you see my pun there?  Note-worthy?  It's a Pen..Hee hee!!!

The beads that flank the Dragon are Mood Beads, which means they will change colour with the temperatures around them! That fabulous Dragon is three-dimensional and is hand-cast by Green Girls Studios! He is so awesome!!! I love the mystery that this simple design evokes!!! 

And now! The elegant and creepy! 

Working Title: Gothi-Pop Elegance 

Ingredients: Chalk Turquoise skulls(dyed), cut crystals, vintage and non-vintage Czech glass.

I generally prefer to stay on the lighter side of the Goth/Noir aesthetic and that includes any type of skull or bone. With that in mind, I brought these colourful skulls home to experiment and stretch my creativity a bit. If I was going to play with skulls and so forth, they needed to be colourful or whimsical or unusual in some manner!  Speaking of stretching, this bracelet stretches too! It is strung on stretchy cord, so no clasp is needed! Just pop it over your hand for instant skull-appeal! I love the mixture of textures, colours and the feel of this bracelet! It is a bewitching mix of elegance, creepiness, intriguing colours and a bit of the Fae! 

And that's a wrap (though perhaps not a mummy's wrap - HA!)! 

Have a fun-filled Holiday and I'll see you on Friday! 

Boo!