Life and the rough times it might bring...

I've been away awhile due to a family crisis.  While this is still going on, there is a bit of a lull in the hurriedness of getting some closure, so I've had a little time to get back into beads a bit.

I thought I would show you some very cool pictures that Lu from DesignedByLu on Etsy has recently created using my beads.  I always love to see new creations and when life is a bit smoother, I'm pretty good about including those designs on my website Artisan Beads Plus.

To see more from Lu, her Etsy shop it http://designedbylu.etsy.com/

Here's a few of Lu's recent creations:

The crackle beads above are a bit time consuming to make, but the results are very cool!

The disks were made using a local clay that my adventurous husband

dug up, sifted, add water and Voila!

Clay!

The ceramic square disks on the earrings were created by ktotten.

http://ktotten.etsy.com/

I used a new turquoise glaze on the nuggets that go perfectly with Lu's color choices.

And the pendant and matching toggle were created by Mary Harding.

http://maryhardingjewelry.etsy.com/

I've been glazing away when I am home and hope to have some new beads by this weekend :O)

Thanks for stopping back,

MaryAnn

match.com.....really???

This is a second marriage for both Bill and I and I think we got it right this time.  It's actually a 3rd for me, but the first one was just as a young 19 year old and it lasted less than a year soooo....technically it does count, but I was a REALLY YOUNG RISK TAKER back then!  What's great about our marriage is everything that we have in common.  One of the things that I loved about his personality was his love of all things artistic.  Meeting someone like him was a little more thought out this time....not a random meeting in the produce dept. at the grocery store (I hear that's how it happens sometimes to people that aren't me), but a planned meeting through match.com.  For all you single people out there who would like to have someone in your life, I would highly recommend it.  What I also recommend is that you do your homework on the topic prior to jumping into it.  Okay, there's a few true confessions.  I was really just going to mention the woodfiring, but sometimes my fingers type into another direction.  I'm a risk taker, so ....Why Not?....just go with it?  It takes less thinking that way!! 

I guess I'm not as much of a risk taker when it comes to firing a kiln.  Bill is.  There have been many trials and tribulations that revolve around that too.  I'm hoping that tomorrow, all of that experience (10 firings) gives him the results that he wants. He made the beads in the picture, I'm getting them glazed so that he can do all the grunt work to get the kiln ready.....He likes that kinda thing...wood, cutting, splitting, chopping, etc.  I like to plunk my butt down and know that the biggest pain in the butt will be getting those little guys to make "happy" with the bead wire that they are going get into the HEAT with!  So there you have it ....a match made on the internet over 5 years ago and a woodfiring from our country home tomorrow!  I think we have a good thing going!

Man....I Feel Like a Woman...

with this new firing!!!  Doesn't take much! Thank-you Shania :O)  I don't usually make this many multiples, but I really like this new glaze combo I've discovered in one of my experiments.....The "teenie" beads (5-6 mm) are not my favorite thing to make......They are always dropping and rolling across the floor...Ughhh!!  I've gotta chase 'em down.. only make them if someone requests or, in this case, if I want them!!

5 out of the 6 strings I will be sending to Juls from Julsbeads.  I first wanted necklaces for my sons since she makes some really cool "manly" necklaces and then I thought...."Can't just give them to them....I have a daughter too!"  and....my sons have wives....so, you have probably figured out where this is going..  The littlest ones are for the girls (well...women ;o) and the larger gray and earthy ones are for my sons.  I hope that the small aren't too small and the big aren't too big...I think an artist as talented as she will make it work...after all...She said she would :O)  GO JULS!!  The greens are a custom order for a new customer.  I think she will be surprised since I told her up to 2 weeks and it's only been 2 days...(happened to have more smalls than I needed).  Oh, and one more thing....these links...the "spring colors" is a custom order, but as with most custom orders, I try to make a few other similiar items while I'm in that zone.....New idea for a link!!

The winner of my bead give away will be announced later on today....Stay tuned :O)  Look at that....they MULTIPLIED in the kiln.....How'd that happen?

DRESS 'ER UP!!

I decided I try something different in terms of pendants.  I got this idea from one of my favorite jewelry designers Kelli Pope (mcpeanuts).  In almost all of the necklaces that I have seen from her, he uses more than one piece where the pendant hangs.  I thought, "Wouldn't it be kinda cool to have coordinating pendants that are shaped similiar to beach stones....nothing too busy, since it's up to the jewelry artist to complete the design?"  I can't remember when this one popped into my head, but it was probably during either my ride home from work or while exercising.  I seem to get many ideas during those times.  I also thought that it would be kinda silly to come up with a pendant like this, but not have coordinating beads to go along with it.

This Week Pre-Listing Look.....

I'm trying to use the colors from this year's Pantone Color Chart, but also keep them in my own earthy style.  I've also tried out some bezel designs.  I think I may keep one of them to try my skill at using my granddaughter's pictures and a little ice resin on top.  I'll let you know how they turn out.  Please feel free to convo me on Etsy if you see anything that you would like to reserve.

Give Me an Idea or Two....

Kelli is one of my buyers whose style just meshes with mine.  I like to make rustic beads and she's incredibly talented at using them in her own unique designs.  She has taken many classes in metal smithing as, I'm sure, you can see is evident in her work.  Stop by my website (artisanbeadsplus.com) soon for some more examples of her work.....Did I mention that her work is sold in museums and gift shops in and around her area of Clarksville, IN and that she specializes in custom work?  Her prices are very reasonable.  Drop her a line if you are interested in that unique piece that has been customized just for you (McPeanuts@aol.com).

The Good, The Bead and The Ugly

Well....what can I say. While starting out 2010 I'm going to refrain from creating anymore beads as shown in the pics. You might ask, "What the @#$%! happened?" The sad truth is: My bead wire sculpture was created during my first experience with stoneware. Prior to that I only worked with low fire clays. I was using my cute, little personal kiln to make beads for my jewelry. Well....inexperienced and dependant on a defective pyrometer, the temperature never did reach 2250 degrees.....so I thought! I finally gave up at midnight, shut the kiln off, woke up to see my new beads and cried! There you have it.....I would say that I definitely learned the hard way. I was determined to overcome this and not give up! I have :O)

My mistakes since then have been minor. I occasionally apply too much glaze around the bead hole which results in the little bead flowers that you see. Bill was given the lovely little vase by Jack Troy during a workshop in Syracuse. The only way to remove these beads is with a hammer which I haven't been able to do just yet. It always seems like to much work to just take a hammer to!

They're Glazed....

Here's a few pics of what it looks like once my beads are glazed and then put in the kiln. In this firing, I've added a couple of name signs that my nieces glazed when they were here this weekend. It's Thanksgiving and I'm passing the time away before we go out to eat. Tomorrow I should hopefully, be able to post how exciting it is to open the kiln. I LOVE it!!!