Showing posts with label turtle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label turtle. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Whimsy Wednesday! Playing Hooky!

Hello Hello! 
I’m writing the bulk of this post whilst listening to The Cars “Moving In Stereo” in stereo, in the car and on the road to visit a friend! 
I’m playing hooky from the studio for a little while! Wheeee! 
This feels grand!
I’ve been rather busy preparing for both a home Sprite Creations party tomorrow and the Women’s Art Festival this Saturday and I’m excited about all the new creations I have to share! 

Below are just some of the newest shinies! 
Title: Transcend 
Ingredients: 4GB (working) Flash Drive, non-toxic resin (hand-coloured & hand-painted), Swarovski crystals, vintage German glass, Czech glass, lead-free pewter(USA), aluminum, metal. 
There are all sorts of details in this creation, and let’s start with that fabulous Flash Drive! It is a working 4GB Flash Drive! The swirls are part of the factory design of this drive and it was named Transcend before it arrived in my studio. Since the creation design of both the Flash Drive and the necklace centers around the Drive, it seems fitting that it lends it’s name to the entire creation. The shiny flashes of colour on top of the Flash Drive are Swarovski crystal rhinestone, set in a rainbow pattern. (Some believe this pattern of colours also matches those of the 7 major charkas of the human body.) I would have loved to place each rhinestone in the center of each circle or swirl, but too much resin too close to the edge of the convertible flash drives can be a problem. The rhinestones are set and sealed with non-toxic resin that I’ve hand-coloured with pigment and literally paint onto the Drive. The Pegasus, Star and Sun all speak to traveling to other realms, realities or mythologies. The “Love” circle is also hand-painted with hand-coloured resin by me and fits the title quite aptly! After all “Love transcends all things”! Even in looking at the “Love” ring, there are hidden details. This is a repurposed charm and so while the Love is immersed in flecks of gold, there are marks of wear and age in the shiny metal underneath the golden resin. This is a love of strength, beauty and wisdom, wrapped with whimsy in the mixing of both modern and timeless. 

The second Flash Drive creation I have to share is just below… 
Title: Traveling With Turtle Island 
Ingredients: 8GB Flash Drive (Iamakey), non-toxic resin (hand-coloured & hand-painted), hand-finished brass, old watch parts, metal. 
The key-shaped metal bit is actually the working 8GB Flash Drive! I’ve worked with this shape before and had so much fun, I played with it again! The turtle charm enabled me to mix both dark and shiny metals and the turtle shape echoed the more boxy key shape of the Drive. 
I placed the old watch parts in a column down the shank of the drive, four gears and all over-lapping. This is what I love best about creating! I had no set vision of what to do with the gears, only that I wanted round gears on the shank. It seemed right to have four overlapping, and then the story of the "Four Ages of Man" popped into my mind! Very fitting since the Earth has been named Turtle Island by many aboriginal tribes in times past! The myth of the "Four Ages of Man" by Ovid is recounted here. While the resin is speckled with golden flecks, I also meticulously dropped alcohol ink onto the resin once it was painted on. That is the ethereal green you see. The ink pools and flows as I work with it and the resin and I love the “swampy”, yet misty and mysterious feel that it created! Perfect for a turtle in the water and the legends described above! And, again, wrapped with whimsy in the blending of both modern and timeless! 

So, there you have it! 
I'll leave you with information of my final show for 2012!
When is that, you ask?
The 20th Annual Women's Art Festival! Come join us at the Midtown YWCA in Minneapolis, MN (USA)!
Saturday, Dec. 15th only!
10am to 5pm.
There will be live music all day, an on-site coffee shop and art of all kinds and for all budgets!
I’ll wrap this up as I am almost at my friend’s house and see you Friday!
Ciao!

Friday, December 7, 2012

Fini Friday! Flashy!

Hello Hello!
Welcome to Fini Friday!
I usually use these posts to show you either creations that are still growing or creations that have been languishing and have been (finally!) completed.  Today I'm going to show you creations on both ends of the spectrum!
Let's start with the completed creation!
You might remember this Fini Friday back in September, where I showcased a cat, sunstone and kyanite necklace that I was restringing.  I was not impressed with the crimps I had on-hand and so progress was stalled while more of my usual crimps were obtained.  They have been acquired and the necklace is finished!
Title: SunCat
Ingredients: Jasper, Sunstone, Lapis Lazuli, Kyanite, Bali silver, Sterling silver, lead-free pewter, steel cable.

The first photo is of the entire design and the second is a close-up of the wonderful cats, intriguing and flashy sunstone and gorgeous lapis lazuli! 

There are so many legends and meanings associated with the stones used in this creation, I'll just take you on a quick tour through them!

Sunstone: Thought to bring luck, increase optimism, strength and vitality, and to help harness the healing power of the Sun. 
Lapis Lazuli: Used as both a cosmetic and medicine through the ages, Lapis has been used as an aphrodisiac, to strengthen the skeleton, increase Divine awareness, cure insomnia and improve sleep as well as to ward off negative energy. 
Kyanite: Thought to never retain negative energy, Kyanite also helps to improve communication and intuition, clarity of thought, and help manifest dreams into action. Legend says it helps nurture optimism and open the mind to lighter, brighter and better ideas and perspectives. 
Jasper: Legend says that Jasper is protective, grounding, healing and stabilizing. It is thought to align all the chakras and balance yin yang energies. 
Silver: Though not a stone, Silver is thought to nurture intuitive knowing. All in all, a very positive creation, wouldn't you say? 

The next and last photo are three USB Flash Drives(part of the Flash Drive collection) that I've finished the embellishment and will continue to grow into completion as necklaces and etc.

I believe two out of the three flash drives will be necklaces and yet the drive to the farthest right may end up remaining a pendant.
The green colour that you see is alcohol ink that I dripped strategically onto and into the resin after painting it on the drives.  I absolutely love the effect!  The center drive arrived with that nifty swirl pattern and so I accented it with Swarovski crystal rhinestones and a subtle gold glitter pigment in the resin!  I'm quite pleased with how these turned out!
 More on the designs embedded in the resin and their meanings when the creations are complete!

You may see these at my next show! 
When is that, you ask?
Why, I've conveniently provided details about that very subject just below!
Take a look!
My next and final show of 2012 (it is so weird to type that!) is the 20th Annual Women's Art Festival! Come join us at the Midtown YWCA in Minneapolis, MN (USA)!
Saturday, Dec. 15th only!
10am to 5pm.
There will be live music all day, an on-site coffee shop and art of all kinds and for all budgets!

And with that, have a fabulous weekend! 
Ciao!

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Whimsy Wednesday! In a Creative Mood!

Hello and Welcome to Whimsy Wednesday!
Today has been a beautiful summer day here and I hope the same can be said for you-all!
I've a Mood Bead Creation and a Custom Creation to show you today, so let's get started!
This necklace creation was borne of both the fabulous knotwork in this neck cord and the Mermaid Mood Bead!
Take a look!

Title: Celtic Beauty
Ingredients: Mermaid's Tale Mood bead, lead-free pewter, rayon fiber, quartz. 


I thought the Mermaid a fitting combination with the fine Celtic tradition of sea-faring adventure. Other nifty details are the fluid spirals in the accent beads that are reminiscent of the Celtic triple-spirals (meaning the never-ending cycle of life)!
You'll see this in my Etsy shoppe tomorrow!







Let's end this blog post with a peek at a Custom Creation! 
A lady who adopted a Pen Creation from me at a show in May commissioned a Pen with a Turtle on it somehow and this is it! 
 Title: Just Keep Swimming! 
Ingredients: Turtle Island and Blue Mystique Mood Beads, lead-free pewter, steel pen (USA), ink.
That's about it for me here!! 
I've lots going on in the studio, so stay tuned! 
I'll see you here for Fini Friday! 
Ciao!