Friday, March 24, 2017

Bead Soup Blog Hop Hoarders Edition 2017

The Bead Soup Blog Hop is back in action!!  So thankful that Lori Anderson is back in the saddle again and feeling up to cooking up a big pot of soup for all of us. Please check out her blog for her latest creations!http://www.prettythingsblog.com/.

Back in February we were matched up with our exchange partners.  My partner is Jasvanti Patel. You can visit her blog right here:http://jewelrybyjasvanti.blogspot.com/.

This year was a special edition because we were required to send a focal that was special to us. I received a beautiful pink Druzy that came from Brazil and a stunning glass heart from Venice. Being that I could not choose between them I created with both of them! I was also blessed with lots of other beads to play with as well....I was certainly spoiled. Its been a rough few months around her so I have not played with as much as I wanted to. I will update this post when I can fully focus on creativity. 

In the meanwhile please enjoy all of the creativity from all of the participants. The link to everyone is below. 

Thursday, March 31, 2016

   Well.....we made it!! This is the 3rd and final blog hop of the Build a Line Challenge 2016....sponsored by Brenda Sue Landsdowne of Bsueboutiques.com. Back in December of 2015, I came across this opportunity to participate in this challenge....WOWZA......I am so happy that I did.  I was unsure of what to expect. I have participated in many bead " challenges " in my past...but have never built a " cohesive " line. As a creative person,  I look at a bead, or metal and play with it until it becomes what it wants to be.  We have certainly learned massive amounts of information over the past 3 months. This class has taught me to think differently, and simplify my designs so that they can be recreated as they sell in a limited time frame.  I have learned to be more thoughtful of my process, so that I can have adequate supplies on hand at all times to recreate something that sells quickly. I would like to thank Brenda Sue Landsdowne for offering a piece of her success to all of us. I appreciate all of your vast knowledge that you are willing to share with us so that we may grow and keep jewelry artistry alive. I would like to thank my Dad and my other half Mark for encouraging me to spend this time absorbing and creating.....and my dear friends and  JTV Jewel School Family JTV Jewel School 
for always loving and supporting.

                                       On with the show! The reveal of Classy Brassy :




Ovaluation:   This is where this journey began. The first piece came together in a heartbeat.....  well sort of! I initially had a million ideas in my head as to how I dreamed that this would come together. Then we started to learn about keeping a line simple, something that can be replicated. Rut-roh......a little evaluation was necessary. If you look back to the past two blog hops , we posted pictures of materials that we intended to use along the way. I can say that there are very few that I actually did use. So with this first piece I have titled Oval -uation :  The geometric shape of the oval. The back of this piece is finished just as the front so that it is just as interesting from another perspective.


Tri- anotherangle :  When at first you do not succeed, find another way. Not happy with my first run of these earrings, I started looking around at other things that I bought from B'Sueboutiques.....then it clicked. I took advantage of the natural curve of the cuff bracelet and made these earrings: The geometric shape of the triangle. The backs are also finished.

Wrecktangled : While playing with this one I really goofed up.....like yesterday! SO I recreated this on the fly. Lesson learned.....dont over fix something.....but if you do, even the things that we " wreck" can turn out better than the original. The geometric shape of the rectangle :


 ( It's )Hip to be Square:   So says Huey Lewis anyway! I wanted to highlight the center square of this cuff. I had many ideas in mind, but came across these square beads. My love of all things dimensional took over and turned out more modern than I had thought of. Geometric shape of the square:


Running in Circles: This is certainly the way that I have been feeling these past few weeks! We have learned so much and I am very thankful for the opportunity to take part in this class. It is tough and it will make you think outside of the box for sure. I highly recommend taking the next one! This piece I believe is my favorite. Even though my head is spinning in circles it is also the symbol of unending love. EVERYTHING we do does come full circle. The geometric shape of the circle:

So there we have it.......  Classy Brassy, a geometric journey of jewelry!  Thank you so much for hopping with me for the past three months!  Please pour a cup of coffee and enjoy my classmates blogs too......
































Thursday, February 25, 2016

Who the heck am I? Part 2 of the Build a Line Challenge.

This is part two, of three blog posts for the Build a Line Challenge. This class is designed and hosted by Brenda Sue Lansdowne of Bsueboutiques.com 

I am a lover of all things creative. When I was little, my mom found an old school desk that was placed in the window of my room. I painted there everyday. It was a great place to get lost in creativity and still be under the love and safety of our roof. I still have this desk( it is in need of refinishing,) but I am so thankful that I held on to it all of these years.





Color.... I love color! We have discussed in the past couple of weeks of the BALC, the book Color Me Beautiful     http://www.amazon.com/Color-Me-Beautiful-Carole-  Jackson/dp/034534588 .

 This book made popular in the 80's was the " GO TO "  for determining what colors looked best by your skin tone, natural hair and eye color. This is not only meant for clothing though. It is valuable information for jewelry designers, as they create their line or do custom designs. For me,I am a Fall.My surroundings reflect that. My house color is a warm color....all of my rooms are warm toned, most of my closet is warm. So why does my bead hoard ( if you will ) mostly reflect blues , purples, greens? Hmmmm....maybe my design choices reflect more of what I observe on the outside, rather than me on a personal level. I will have to ponder that for the next blogpost!
    In this past month, we have also been looking at Design Influences and learning to take a hard look at our own work to determine where they fall in line with style.We are all influenced by someone. As youngsters, just becoming observant, it was by our family members and neighbors. In time we then  slowly developed what appealed to us. Insofar as my jewelry design style, I believe that I am the " Go Big or Go Home " girl. My designs so far are just more art related than " practical."


Who am I? Am I a Hobbyist? (There is nothing wrong with that by the way!) Don't ever let anyone call you " JUST " a Hobbyist. Doing something that brings YOU peace and joy ( as well as your customers ) is very healthy! Making your money back from supplies and engaging with customers at shows is also very rewarding. I appreciate the hobbyist because they create from the heart. There is always good energy in their design work because it is coming from a loving place.  What about a Jewelry Maker? Am I a Jewelry Maker?  Well, how much do you love the business side of things as well as creating? How do you make sure that you are making your money back and then some? I think that all of us in some way as we are creating, think about the profit end of it. After all, no one wants to knowingly throw money out of the window! Makers also are also organizationally oriented about keeping supplies on hand for any show or event that may pop up unexpectedly. The internet is your friend with many opportunities to sell in online stores and maybe a few brick and mortar as well. Am I a Production Designer? A Production Designer is one who comes up with design ideas and has a complete and cohesive line of product. They are the ones that desire to live solely on what they design. Their target is Online, Trade Shows, and will seek out reps to sell to Department Stores and maybe chain Boutiques. Unless they are super human they often have many staff to help them bring their line to the public.

Ok! so back to the original question ....Who am I ?  For this point in my life I am a Hobbyist. As I partake in this class I have learned a lot about my style, my path and where I want to be down the road. I have learned to embrace a more practical approach to design. I am focusing on more simple, yet still " art-worthy " designs as I do aspire to be a Maker. As for Production Designer???  not sure that I want to go that far. I do desire to create a line of components for my customers to bring their art and soul to life. Being that I have done production work in the past, it is tedious work, but fun too. The company that I worked for wanted factory perfect pieces from human beings that are far from perfection! I know that the only way that I can do any production work is with the understanding of my customers that it is art. It will not be a factory stamped out piece of perfection made with cheap cheesy materials using slave labor ( as many Asian countries  still do.)...of that I am certain!


So here are a few pics of some things that you will see in the final product and some of my favorite tools to make them. The line that I have been creating over the past 2 months has taken shape and made a few twists and turns as well.The tools that I love are beautiful brass pieces from B'sueboutiques  http://www.bsueboutiques.com/. The Jooltool from http://jooltool.com/, the wire wrapping tools from Dale Cougar Armstrong http://www.cougarscreations.com/  






Please make some time to enjoy the rest of the members of the 2016 BALC. The links to everyone are below. Just click the name of the member and be sure to show them some love by commenting on their blogs as well.


































Thursday, January 28, 2016

A Brand New World...... A Build a Line Challenge Blog Hop! ( part 1 of 3 )


This piece describes me in a nutshell. I am a Capricorn that has been blessed with both the conservative and creative side! The bottom of this pendant is grounded and strong. It is woven Viking Knit. The upper half is where the crazy lives! The twisty turning wire curls are free form and have their own personality! I began my next 50 years last week..... so  for the next 50, I am focusing on creating my art and being grateful that I have the opportunity to partake in the Build A Line Challenge.



Several years ago,  I had some hand surgery and wondered how can I create with one hand in a cast for 8 weeks? The answer....metal clay! I bought a kiln and some clay and went to town making some pendants and charms.  After I knew that I was going to love this medium......the price of silver skyrocketed! Rut Ro.....time to find a less expensive creative outlet......enter.... wire and beads!





Geometry.....the thought of that class back in High School makes me nauseous. With my creative mind in full force it made no sense to me to have to understand postulates and theorems. So why would I choose Geometry for my theme for BALC ? Because now it will challenge me to take some gorgeous vintage pieces from http://www.bsueboutiques.com/  and create a line that is outside of my personal box.   


                                             



When we were little, we had the rec room. It was the place where all of the toys and art supplies lived. Well, just because we are now older does not mean that we cannot have that same space to play. (Yes, in case you were wondering this room does get to be a wreck! ) Our toys are different...our supplies are no longer finger paints, construction paper and paste.....we now play with beads, wire and torches!




When I first started making jewelry I was just playing around to see what would come of it. I never imagined that there would be so much opportunity to be creative and sell what was made. As I fast forward these years I am excited to be able to create and sell. The journey has begun. Here are the tools for the next few months!





The links below will take you to visit the rest of this group that are joining me! Please show them love and support by visiting their blogs as well. A few kind words always go a long way! Much love,

many Blessings to all of you!
https://heartsdezirebyirene.wordpress.com/