Second Saturday State of Your Studio Blog Tour

Wow. It's already the second saturday in April?? Check out the Beads of Clay Second Saturday State of Your Studio to get into the studios and into the minds of some pretty creative people. The state of my studio is kind of like the state of my mind right now. Kind of chaotic. Everything halfway done. Half assed is one of my favorite terms, sorry. I'm moving my studio AGAIN. Long story. On the up side, moving really forces you to pare down, throw out, LOOK at what you have and what you need.

I like change. I've always been pretty open to change. I think I must have some Bohemian in my background somewhere. I love it when the weather changes. I love watching little children learn and grow and change. That saddens some people to see their little ones grow but I think it's fascinating. I actually like moving. It's an opportunity to redecorate, rearrange, repurpose. Still some changes are very very difficult but it really helps to think of them as part of a whole Circle of Life kind of thing. Everything has a reason, a purpose. I didn't know where this post was going when I started it. Now I do. Kind of random. But hey, like I said, that's kind of the way my mind is right now.

April Art Bead Scene Blog Challenge

I love doing the Art Bead Scene Blog Monthly Challenges. They come up with such interesting pieces of art for the inspiration. Here is this month's inspiration piece.

Finches and Bamboo, Northern Song dynasty (960–1127)

Emperor Huizong (1082–1135, r. 1101–1125) Chinese

Handscroll; ink and color on silk; 11 x 18 in. (27.9 x 45.7 cm)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

John M. Crawford, Jr. Collection, Purchase, Douglas Dillon Gift, 1981

My first thought was there wasn't alot to this. Not alot to draw inspiration from. But I loved those little green bamboo leaves and I was actually drawn to the bottom right corner and thought that would make a cool bracelet shape. I had some wood and other natural material bead in different sizes and shapes that I put together. I also had some silk ribbon in the color of the bamboo leaves. The inspiration piece was done on silk so I thought that was a nice touch. I used my own ceramic bamboo colored leaf pendant as a focal for the bracelet. I think it's cool and funky and fun. I was going to add a little bird charm but I try to keep myself from interpreting these too literally so I left that off. What do you think?

Bead Table Wednesday

It's Bead Table Wednesday. On my bead table are two necklaces I put together in honor of Spring. I had a little box of beads from Mary Harding that I received in a swap quite a while back. That little box has been sitting in my swap drawer. I have always been mesmerized by the color combo and knew I wanted to use them together. I got this Wildflower Heart Pendant from Mary and a colorful assortment of beads. Red, bright apple green, a yummy little dark lavendar bead, and the prettiest blue beads, all Mary's ceramic beads. I know I've looked at that box about 700 times literally but then one day I look at it again, and a design is born. I think it was those little orange glass bows that I picked up somewhere that perfectly matched the color of the wildflowers in Mary's pendant that brought the whole color scheme together for me. Plus I had some green silk ribbon with unfinished edges that went so well with the green beads. I added my pink ceramic beads and some copper findings and I absolutely love this necklace. I'm wearing it today to a March Birthday Lunch with my pottery group with a lavendar cardigan. Gorgeous. Thanks Mary!!

I was still in the Spring mood and I put this bright little number together. It's lovely too. I might have to deal with all the threads in my unfinished edge silk ribbon, though.  I like the look but not sure everyone else will.

Happy Beading. Happy Spring.

Three Beautiful Things

I love this blog. Every day she writes about Three Beautiful Things that have brought her pleasure. They are simple things. So here goes mine:

1. It's pottery day. I get together with my pottery group on Fridays. Good work and good therapy.

2. I get to go see my table today. A young friend is crafting a table for me using some metalwork that came off of my grandmother's house after she died.

3. Dark Chocolate Truffles. I had a dark chocolate truffle this morning with my coffee that I had saved from last night's dessert. mmmmmmmm

Emotions in Earth Project - The Form

At Beads of Clay we are doing a year long project called Emotions in Earth. The goal is to make some form of body adornment. It does not have to be classic jewelry or even have to be wearable but it should reflect your emotions, your life, and of course should be made of fired clay. I have a friend who does ceremonial face masks for people. She makes a mask of your face with the same stuff they make casts out of. Then you cover it with plaster of paris and decorate it to reflect your feelings. I had been trying to get together with her to do my face mask for some time. But when I started thinking about my Emotions in Earth project, I realized I also needed a form for my project so I had her do that for me at the same time. Here she is getting ready for the ceremony.

And here I am, after being covered in this material. It was actually quite soothing. It doesn't take long to dry but you have to stay perfectly still while it dries. So very relaxing. Looks pretty eery. 

So for my Emotions in Earth project I had decided I wanted to make some sort of breastplate. I think because of its proximity to the heart where your emotions lie. I love the way this form turned out. After I finish with it as a form, I think I'll hang it in my studio. I just love the way it looks.

And here is my face mask. Willette says the first thing she does with the mask when she removes it from the person is hold it in her hands face down and give it to the person in their hands, face down so they are holding their face. Then she has them turn it over. Some people are kind of freaked out by holding their face. Some people will give it right back to her feeling uneasy about holding it themselves. And some people don't like looking at their face. It's not like looking in a mirror. Something about the 3D image doesn't hide anything. People don't really recognize themselves that way. I thought it was all very cool. It's very weird looking at your own face that way. Almost like what I imagine it would be like to have an out of body experience and see yourself for the first time.

So this is the beginning of my project, Emotions in Earth. I am very excited about this project and now that I have my form, I'm ready to get started. Stay tuned....

The random number generated from comments on my blog was number six!! Congratulations rockcreekcreations. You won my little brown bird bead and my yellow new leaf pendant.  

And Christine Hendrickson followed the link to my facebook page became my 36th fan. 36 was the random number generated from my facebook page so she wins my little blue bird sculpture and  my green leaf pendant with recycled glass.

Send me your addresses so I can get these to you. Thanks for the comments.

Beads-of-Clay Open Studio Blog Tour

Welcome to the Beads-of-Clay Open Studio Blog Tour. This is an annual event and there are lots of participants who are having sales and giveaways on their blogs plus a huge giveaway at the Beads of Clay Blog. So check them all out. But first:

The theme for this years Open Studio Blog Tour is Signs of Spring. Well of course there are fat little buds and tender new growth, birds and nests and eggs and flowers and green grass and warm breezes...but really, all of that is just Mother Nature's way of Spring Cleaning. Through the winter leaves have fallen off of trees covering the ground but now it's spring so in swooshes Mother Nature and blows those decomposing leaves around making way for new growth and green grass and flowers and those fat little buds begin to appear again on the branches of the trees and it all starts all over again. So I figured if Mother Nature was doing her part I better follow suit and do some spring cleaning of my own. So here is a picture of my bead table before...

And after.

The only thing on the table now are my two sets of giveaways and a box with my BoC giveaway donation on it's way to Mary. So leave a comment below about your Spring Cleaning experiences in the past or something you'd like to tackle in the future. Here's what you'll win. My little brown bird bead and my square yellow new leaf pendant.

I'll do the random number generator thing and pick a winner when I get back. Please leave your e-mail address so I can notify you. Or check back here on Tuesday. That's one giveaway. Then go to my facebook page, there's a link on the right,  click the like button on my page, and you could win this. My square green leaf pendant with recycled glass and my little blue bird. He is not a bead. Just a bird. For more of my birds and leaves and other things go to my etsy store http://www.cindydolezal.etsy.com/  and mention this Blog Tour and you'll get free shipping and a 10% discount.

Happy Spring!!!!

Bead Soup Party Big Reveal Day

Thanks to Lori for organizing this whole Bead Soup Party. This is my second one. I got some great soup from Mallory. She is a great glass bead artist. This Soup Party is huge. I think 210 participants. That's 210 Blogs to visit. They say a picture is worth a thousand words so I'll just show you. Here's what she sent me.

Mallory made the glass focal heart and sent lots of coordinating glass beads, a silver metal clasp which I love the shape of, and a button which I think is mother of pearl.

And here's what I made.

I used some very cool coated wire that I actually found at the hardware store and I just loved the color. It was just the color of some of the colored pearls she sent.  I kind of nested the heart with the wire. I love this necklace. I wear it often and always get compliments. I used Mallory's focal and the clasp and lots of her beads in this necklace. I still had lots of her beads left and that great button. So I made:

this bracelet. I added one of my ceramic beads ( had to get ceramics in there) and some glass beads I picked up from Jen Velasquez' destash shop. I thought that was fitting because she was my last Bead Soup partner!! Okay, I know you have lots more to check out. Go!!!!!


1. Lori Anderson, Pretty Things


2. Kitty Durmaj, Perles and Life

3. Michelle Heim, Life In the Bead Lane

4. Lisa Petrillo, Lucid Moon Studio

5. Anitra Gordy, Leelu Creations

6. Paige Maxim, Paige Maxim Designs

7. Marianna Boylan, Pretty Shiny Things

8. Cheryl Roe, BeadRoe

9. Heidi Post, Ex Post Facto

10. Cindy Wimmer, Sweet Bead Studio









11. Terri Gauthier, Blooming Ideas

12. Rachel Walsh, Balanced Crafts

13. Marian Hertzog, M's Place

14. Mary McGraw, MK's Musings

15. Sarabeth Burke, Chronicles of Sarita

16. Deci Worland, Gem Trails

17. Erin Prais-Hintz, Treasures Found

18. Laura Zeiner, Stick Lizard Designs

19. Kristin Latimer, MJM Jewelry Designs

20. Cathryn Brooks-Williams, Chile Cats









21. Holly Westfall, Silver Rose Designs

22. Janna Harttgen, Palima-Lim

23. Libby Leuchtman, Libby Leu

24. Rebecca Anderson, Songbeads

25. Deb Hunter, Living On Air

26. Diana Ptaszynski, Suburban Girl Studio

27. Jennifer VanBenschoten, VanBeads

28. Margot Potter, The Impatient Crafter

29. Cyndi Lavin, Beading Arts

30. Courtney Breul, Beads by Breul









31. Stefanie Teufel, Stefanie's Sammelsurium

32. Patricia Gasparino, My Life Under the Bus

33. Tari Khars, Pearl and Pebble

34. Kristi Bowman-Gruel, Kristi Bowman Design

35. Jayne Capps, Mama's Got to Doodle

36. Becky Fairclough, Chameleons Designs

37. Evie and Beth McCord, EB Bead & Metal Works

38. Lynne Bowland, Islandgirl's Insights

39. Barbara Lewis, Painting With Fire

40. Lorelei Eurto, Inside the Studio









41. Stacy Hartis, Sissy & Jack's

42. Jennifer Cameron, Glass Addictions

43. Marcie Abney, La Bella Joya

44. Johanna Rhodes, Fire Phoenix Creations

45. Nan Emmett, Spirit Rattles

46. Melissa Mesara, One Eared Pig

47. Amanda Davie, Articulations

48. Cherin Poovey, Lanyard Lady

49. Virginia Joste, ViviBijoux









50. Andrew Thornton, The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton

51. Lori Dorrington, Lori's Glassworks

52. Melanie Brooks, Earthenwood Studio Chronicles

53. Kate Gardenghi, Tropical Blonde

54. Serena Trent, PinkIce Jewel's Blog

55. Malin de Koning, Beading by Malin de Koning

56. Shai Williams, Shaiha's Ramblings

57. Francy Inman, 8 Second Studio

58. Amy Freeland, Copper Diem

59. Lisa Liddy, Joolz By Lisa









60. Sandi Lee James, Do Be Do Bead Do

61. Mary Harding, Mary Harding Bead Blog

62. Stacey Curry, Star Hitched Wagon

63. Leslie Gidden, Mad Maggie Designs

64. Elisabeth Auld, Beads For Busy Gals

65. Niky Sayers, Silver Nik Nats

66. Linda Djokic, Lutka and Co.

67. Tracy Bell, Copper, Glass, and Recycled Trash

68. Laurel Steven, Rue's Daftique

69. Ingrid McCue, Wrapped In Silver













70. Birgitta Lejonklou, Create With Spirit

71. Diana Hawkey, Diana Hawkey

72. Norma Turvey, Moonlit Fantaseas

73. Jeanette Ryan, Jeanette Blix

74. Jackie Ryan, Silver Lodge Gems

75. Jean Yates, Snap Out of it Jean, There's Beading to Be Done!

76. Debbie Goering, Prairie Emporium

77. Valerie Norton, Hot Art

78. Jana Trupovniece, Stories of the Secret Garden

79. Amy Severino, Amy Beads









80. Emma Thomas, Fred Beans Nook

81. Karen Zanco, Everyday Gypsy

82. Suzann Sladcik Wilson, Beadphoria

83. Janet McDonald, Singing Woods

84. Dana James, Dana's Jewelry Designs

85. Kristina Johansson, Wild Roses and Blackberries

86. CJ Bauschka, CJ Bauschka

87. Angela Barribea, Re: Angela Rae

88. Marcy Lamberson, Studio Marcy

89. Tanya Floyd, Glass Migrations









90. Lisa Kavanaugh, Beading Bliss

91. Sue Hodgkinson, Hello Gorgeous

92. Jenni Connolly, Jenni's Bead

93. Nally Parfyonova, Nally's Creations

94. Karyn White, Releases By Rufydoof

95. Emanda Johnson, Artemisia Studio

96. Sandy Richardson, Sandy's Coloring Box

97. Cindy Dolezal, Cindy Dolezal Designs

98. Stacie Stamper, Park Avenue

99. Mallory Hoffman, For the Love of Beads









100. Linda Landig, Linda's Bead Blog and Meanderings

101. Nicole Valentine-Rimmer, N. Valentine Studio

102. Jacinta Meyers, Jamberrysong's Creations

103. Charlene Gary, Gray Girl Studios

104. Rubiee Hayes, Glitter and Keys Galore

105. Marge Beebe, Rock Creek Creations

106. Elizabeth Freeman, Turquoise Sky

107. Shelby Foxwell, Sundown Bead Designs Rhetoric

108. Lynda Moseley, Diva Designs

109. Grace Danel, Grace Beading

110. Lois Moon, Que Onda Quitman









111. Agnes Shapiro, Beader Bubbe

112. Terry Carter, Tapping Flamingo

113. Judy Glende, Judith B. Designs

114. Mary Ellen Parker, Bee Tree By Me

115. Barbara Bechtel, Second Surf

116. Charlene Sevier, The Bead Dreamer

117. Alice Craddick, Alice's Beads and Baubles

118. Cory Celaya, Art With Moxie

119. Ronda Adams, The Ravished Heart

120. Sandi Volpe, Sandi Volpe Designs









121. Anna Lear, The Laughing Raven

122. Susie Hibdon, Vintagesusie & Wings

123. Amanda Austin, Sea Shore Glass

124. Jennifer Velasquez, Jen Judd Rocks

125. Hazel Ward, All Those Things

126. Brenda Salzano, Salzanos

127. Dee Gordon, Runako Designs by Dee

128. Anna Denisova, Anita-M

129. Margaret Saari, Mags-Jewelry









130. Genea Crivello-Knable, Genea Beads

131. Penny Neville, Copper Penny

132. Angela Blasingame, Hopemore

133. Helena Fritz, Beadwork by H's Blog

134. Stephanie LaRose, Confessions of a Bead Hoarder

135. Stephanie Haussler, PixyBug Designs

136. Diane Cook, Rosa & Josies

137. Maryse Thillens, Glass Bead Art

138. Jennifer Pride, Jewelry by J.P.

139. Shannon Chomanczuk, For My Sweet Daughter









140. Lisa Godfrey, Bead Happy

141. Heather Pyle, Welcome to My Muse

142. Regina Santerre, Regina's Writings

143. Liz DeLuca, Creative Arty Facts

144. Sig Wynne-Evans, Beaded Bear's Nonsense

145. Loretta Carstensen, Loretta's Boutique

146. Raida Disbrow, Havana Beads

147. Amber Dawn, Inventive Soul

148. Shelly Graves, Stars Dance With Me

149. Jess Italia Lincoln, Vintaj Blog









150. JJ Jacobs, Coming Abstractions

151. Carrie Tahquechi, Carrie T

152. Staci Smith, Staci Louise Originals

153. Katarzyna Kwiatkowska, Quiet Area

154. Ema Kilroy, Ema K Designs

155. Magdalena Sikora, Poranna Gazeta

156. Nicole Keller, Nicki's Reef

157. Ann Rishell, My Critical Eye

158. Noemi Baena, Fire, Metal, and Color

159. Christa Murphy, Adventures of One Beady Woman









160. Barbara Blaszczyk, Labotorium Flory

161. Collette Collins, Firefly Myst

162. Carola Greiser, Polymer Clay Shed

163. Joanna Kopijczuk, Bizuteria z Filcu

164. LeAnn Weih, Summers Studio

165. Cassandra Watsham, Design by Cassandra

166. Anna Motz, Stunning

167. Shea Zukowski, Gr8findings

168. Susan Kennedy, Sue Beads

169. Lisa Boucher, Lisa's Clay Happenings









170. Hope Smitherman, Crafty Hope

171. Alison Crenshaw, Beads by Earth Tones

172. Dorcas Midkiff, Wondrous Strange Designs

173. Melissa Rediger, Sea of Glass

174. Marina Dobrynina, Savon Feutre

175. Julie Nordine, Julie Nordine
Credit River Art Glass

176. Menka Gupta, Menka's Blog

177. Patsy Evins, Patsy Evins Studio

178. Cherrie Fick, En La Lumie're

179. Suzette Bentley, Ellie's Bijoux





180. Molly Alexander, Beautifully Broken Me

181. Lyn Foley, Lyn Foley Wearable Art

182. Tara Plote, The Newbie Beader's Blog

183. Natalie Schuetz, Natalie S Perlen

184. Kim Hutchinson, Running on Ink

185. Haley Frank, Wide Eyed Smilin

186. Grace Caputo, Suddenly Last Summer

187. Marie-Noel Voyer-Cramp, Skye Jewels

188. Erin Siegel, Erin Siegel Jewelry

189. Janea McDonald, Organized Chaos





190. Kristi Evenson, Colie Bug & Co.

191. Linda Inhelder, Must Haves Jewelry

192. Hilary Frye, FryeStyle

193. Whitney Lassini, Whitney Lassini

194. Nancy Schindler, The Rabbit Muse

195. Pam Brisse, The Blue Between

196. Beth Bricker, Vintage Sweets

197. Ruthie Stickney, Rose Works Jewelry and Gifts

198. Rose Noble, Lady Noble Designs

199. Karen Williams, Baublicious





200. Claire Maunsell, The Next Bend

201. Christine Damm, Stories They Tell

202. Kerry Bogert, Kab's Creative Concepts

203. Wendy Blum, Sand & Sea Designs

204. Juli Cannon, Julsbeads

205. Jenny Robledo, La Dona Boutique

206. Krista French, French Elegant Jewelry

207. Pam Krinski, Ewa Beads

208. Melissa Meman, Melissa Meman, Art, Life, Love

209. Dana Jones, Dana's Jewelry

210. Shirley Moore, Beads and Bread

One Year Old

   

Hey, I just realized. My Blog is one year old. My first post was February 11, 2011. So Happy Birthday Blog!!!! Here's a trip down memory lane from past posts. Thanks for following.

My Inspiration

One of the blogs I follow is NKP Designs.  Natalie does beautiful ceramic beads but she apparently also does watercolors. I have never worked with watercolors. I always heard that is the hardest medium to work with. Also I am not a painter. But I saw a painting called Unity by Monica Stewart of four women of different nationalities and was really drawn to the colors and the four women. I have three beautiful daughters who inspire me to no end. I thought it would be great to have a similar painting but with my three girls and I instead of women of different nationalities. I ask a friend who was taking a class to do it for me but she was very intimidated by the idea. So I had a bunch of acrylics from different craft projects and decided I would attempt it myself. I really love the way it came out. I'm having prints made for each of my girls. The only reason I attempted this is because in the original painting the women don't really have facial features, just different coloring and costumes. I cannot paint faces. But my girls and I are all very different as far as coloring and hairstyles and such so it really worked out well.

Bead Table Wednesday

It's Bead Table Wednesday. Where you get a peak at what's going on at bead makers and designers bead tables. Here's mine. Take a look at others here on Flickr. This is one of my new Hairy Beads. They are two sided faces with hairy fibers around the outside. I love them. This one is Forest Fairy.

February ABS Challenge

I love the inspiration painting for the February Art Bead Scene Blog Challenge.

I had some tangerine ceramic beads I had made a while back. I was waiting for inspiration to use them in something. When I saw the lanterns in the painting I immediately thought of them. I added some of the greens and soft purples from the painting and some little yellow jade chips. When you string three or four of them together, because of their irregular edges, they remind me of the lillies. I added in some cream colored organza ribbon to mimic the fabric of the little girls' dresses and then I had these adorable little flower beads so I dangled three of them at the clasp to represent the roses.

 

This was a fun bracelet to make. I don't make a lot of bracelets. It's difficult for me to get the size right. I have a small wrist so I tend to make them too small for most. If I make them bigger I can't tell if they are too big. And I'm too impatient to wait til I ask some one else to try it on before I finish it. Anyway, I think it came out great. I love the colors.

Putting the Pot on to Boil

Yayyyy! My Bead Soup arrived in the mail. I've been checking out Bead Soup Blog Party blogs and it's funny, the predominant color for this Soup seems to be blue. Darker, winter blues. My soup I sent to Mallory was my blue ceramic feather focal with some of my blue and brown alphabet beads  and some black glass beads and other natural material beads with brass findings and my brass clasp. Mallory did a great feature on me on her blog For the love of beads. Thanks Mallory. Happy beading.

Mallory sent me this gorgeous soup which was also lots of blues. Completely different beads. She sent me one of her beautiful lampwork hearts. She must have done some snooping around and found that I heart hearts!! She also sent more lovely glass accent beads and a pretty silver colored toggle and a button!! I definitely want to work that button into my design. I don't use them often but I love the unexpectedness of buttons in jewelry.

I can't wait to get started designing my pieces. Per the Bead Soup Party rules I need to use the focal and the clasp I was sent. I can use them together or use them in separate pieces. I can use as many of the accent beads as I want and add anything from my stash to make my jewelry.  You can check out more Bead Soup on Flickr. This should be fun.

I Heart. I Don't Know Why...I Just Do

BOC Happy New Year Contest

At the BOC Blog they are having a contest. All you have to do is list two of your favorite jewelry making suppliers with a link and link it to your blog. One of my favorites is http://www.vintagejewelrysupplies.com/ . She always has free shipping and she carries lots of brass findings, stampings and chains. I love brass and copper. She also has lots of copper and other metal findings too. I just gave myself a Christmas present and ordered from her in December. I love the big jump rings and the chains that I can't find at my local craft store. And love her prices.

My other favorite online supplier is http://www.bisquebeadsupply.com/. I can get bisqued beads and also kiln furniture for firing my ceramic pieces.