Artybecca

New Circus beads coming to etsy tomorrow!

2012-02-20T01:59:00.000-05:00

These babies are big (the smallest are ~1" diameter), but the core is Sculpey Ultralight so they won't weigh you down.

Genius Fake Commercial! Pro-pixel intensifying technology!

2012-02-02T23:02:00.000-05:00

Kudos to Jesse Rosten! The video below is extremely clever and well-executed. You must watch!! (I'm guilty of abusing the pixels! I gave myself a Photoshop nose job a few weeks ago but it was just for fun, not deceitfulness!)

Fotoshop by Adobé from Jesse Rosten on Vimeo.

Virtual Paintout: Breckenridge Colorado..."Slopeview!"

2012-01-22T20:30:00.004-05:00

Now you can see it before you ski it! Google Streetview has actually recorded a few ski slopes so Bill Guffey of Virtual Paintout sent his fans out into the snow-covered mountains this month. While downtown Breckenridge looks charming, I thought the novelty of the view on the slopes was too good to pass up. I found these snowboard boys chillin at the top of a hill .

This pic will do double duty in my Art House Coop Sketchbook...due in just over a week!

The Golden Julbilee Year!

2012-01-14T12:25:00.001-05:00

Just like when royalty has been on the throne for 50 years, I plan to consider this my own "Golden Jubilee" year! My birthday week started off a few days early with a surprise party that totally surprised me; I woke up on my actual birthday to find myself on Polymer Clay Daily which resulted in over 40 (!) flickr contact requests; I took a relaxing mid-week day off and had dinner with friends that night; was the guest of honor at surprise lunch at work (again, I was totally surprised); and had happy hour with a small group last night to round it out. Lots of fun and reconnecting with old friends!

GLASS BEADS IN MY FUTURE. A birthday treat to myself starts next week...an eight-week flameworking bead class. I've taken two weekend classes before which barely provided enough practice time. I'm hoping 8 weeks will let me get the hang of it and produce useful beads. You know I love the clay, but the inability to make anything clear is a limitation. I have several design ideas in mind that I want to try -- I probably won't have the skill to pull them off but we'll see!

EUROPEAN VACATION. In May a friend and I are going to London (fly in on Friday and spend the weekend) and Scotland (Monday to Friday in Edinburgh). Everyone asks "why Scotland?" and my only real reason is because I love the accent and have always had a thing for Ewan McGregor since he guest starred on ER years ago! I've never been to Europe -- it's a big trip. If anyone has good sightseeing suggestions for either country, please share!

MAGAZINE FEATURE. Speaking of the U.K., one of my customers (thanks B!) told me my blog was featured in the October 2011 issue of U.K.'s Beads and Beyond. I had no idea! There was a brief period last fall when I noticed lots of hits on my blog and flickr pages which usually indicates I've been featured somewhere. I couldn't find any feature online. Now I think I know why...it was in print. I'm all for publicity but it would have been nice to know about it at the time!

Tutorial: Easy Organic Stripes

2012-01-09T08:12:00.001-05:00

For instructions on how to create easy organic stripes, as shown below, start here.

DATE CHANGE: JUNE 2-3, 2012 - Pittsburgh, PA - Sarah Shriver Intricate Kaleidoscope Caning

2012-01-07T14:30:00.001-05:00

PPCG Spring Workshop - June 2-3, 2012 - Pittsburgh, PA

Sarah Shriver

Intricate Kaleidoscope Caning

Sarah's description of the class:
Students will create a polymer clay cane with the illusion of depth and movement by using a repeat interlocking pattern and the Skinner blend. We will take time selecting colors and work on the visual texture and quality of this fairly simple cane. Then I will show you some ways of kaleidoscoping the image to create infinite and intricate variations. Lastly, I will share my ideas on bead construction and finishing techniques.

Read About Sarah's process

All skill levels welcome More details to come. Watch this space for cost, location, supplies list.

LIttle school of new fishies

2011-12-31T15:51:00.002-05:00

A potential customer has first dibs on these big fishies but whatever she doesn't want will be for sale on etsy after I hear from her.

...and Pinky has a bonus ball...

...and laces!

I had someone ask what people do with the fish so here are a few serving suggestions!
Of course, the other day I showed you this lovely necklace. They could be light chain pulls, a knick-knack on a shelf, or hanging on a chain like fish on a stringer:

No new resolutions for 2012 but one goal, set last year, for the looming 50th birthday was to not look like a "dumpy old lady" when the day arrived. Thanks to Dr. Dukan, I succeeded! I indulged in a few cookies at work, my stepfather's tasty pecan, apple, and cherry pies over Christmas, and a few other non-approved snacks. I was up 6 lbs when I got back home a week ago. But I did two protein days and am back to the target weight today. I cannot even believe it myself, but I now weigh only 11 lbs more than I did in high school 33 years ago!

Sketchbook: Getting there

2011-12-28T23:22:00.001-05:00

Been working and re-working pages in my Arthouse Coop sketchbook. My last one was all black and white ink sketches so I'm making this one in color for variety.
(January 7 comment: Jenny B asked what I used to color these. The ladies were first sketched with pretty pastel fine-tip markers, then inked with a black gel pen, and finished off with colored pencils.)

When I was in elementary school and Junior High in the '70s I wanted to be a fashion illustrator. My grandmother was quite a seamstress and I would go to the Piece Goods store with her when she went shopping for new patterns and fabrics. When I started sewing in 8th grade, I realized how much more useful it was to see the clothing on an actual person. Every outfit in the pattern book looked good on a super skinny watercolor-and-ink lady with legs that were 3/4 of her height! After that I just drew fashion photos from Grandmother's "Harper's Bazaar" and my "Seventeen" -- hairstyles and clothing for fun and practice, I decided being a fashion illustrator had limited utility.

Above and below are more detailed and colorful examples of what I do
while listening to a conference call or staff meeting.

I try to encourage my mom to draw. She'll say, "I don't have anything to draw" and I tell her it doesn't matter what it is, just draw whatever is in front of you.

You can see this one before I added color. Maybe it was better before....oh well, too late now!

Where my babies end up

2011-12-20T07:40:00.000-05:00

I found a bunch of polymer artists on flickr last night who were not already in my contact list so I remedied that situation. One of them was Conny Brockstedt of Way of Clay. This morning I awoke to a nice email from her. Earlier this year she purchased two pastel fishies (here and here) and some matching beads so she sent me a photo of the necklace she made. She and her daughter share it and I'm sure they get lots of compliments when they wear it. It's big and bold...those fish are about 2.5 inches long and some of the beads are over 1". I love how she strung them with the round blue beads with a few coordinating colors tossed in.

Buying Handmade for Christmas

2011-12-11T20:00:00.000-05:00

A friend and I took a road trip north to Sharon, PA to check out a gallery and craft show. We made a few sellers happy today!

We started at 29 Logan Ave (photo at left and article about owner Donna Bostardi are here) and then stopped by a show called "Arts on the Avenue" that was right around the corner from the Gallery. I can't show exactly what I bought because they're for Christmas, but you can see the artists' works at the links below:

Gail Trunick -- These works are more serious than the light-hearted clever creature I bought today. I will post a photo of it after Christmas. I challenge you not to chuckle when you see it!

C&C Ironworks (Charles Hughes) -- Some cool items that look like they would be right at home in a medieval castle

Sandpiper Soap Company (Susan Crisan) -- The most delicious smelling whipped body butter in a scent called "toasted rice" -- I want to eat it!

Carolyn Parker -- Colorful "fabric pottery" -- On this postcard you can see the loopy trimmed blue basket my friend bought. So cute!

Wet Dog Studios -- The item I bought has a most interesting carved texture on the outside and functions as a basket. It has a very graceful shape.

The party was fun and my dress was fantabulous!

2011-12-11T01:41:00.000-05:00

The necklace I made for the dress worked great and I used links from one of the chains to make matching earrings.

See those straps on my shoes? These formerly slightly-too-loose shoes stayed put and were comfortable for dancing after I wrapped a skinny black stretchy headband twice around each foot at the arch.

This very cute little beaded purse came from Dress Barn. It was just the right size.

Craft Class: Enamel pendant

2011-12-08T00:15:00.001-05:00

I took an Enameling class tonight at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts with Lindsay Huff. I have an enamel pendant I made in first grade but that's my only other experience I ever had with it. Lindsay showed us the basics and then we all went to town with colors. To get the most done in a short period of time, I chose a large 2-inch diameter disk and made different designs on both sides. As so often happens with me, the vision I had in my head for side one didn't turn out good at all, and the side I tossed together with no thought actually turned out really nice. Lesson: when starting out, simpler is better!

This was the no-thought, just make something quick to go on the back design. And I really like how it turned out so now it's the front.

I tried to make a sky and hillside with flowers. I ruined it with the purple. I should have left it simple with a loose cluster of orange flowers. Oh well. If the class hadn't been almost over, I could have salvaged this by putting a orange or yellow over the purple to tie the colors together better.

I just became aware of the website "Damn You, Autocorrect." It's definitely good for a few laughs! I texted my mother once to tell her I was "Almost to Kirwan Heights. Be home in 45 minutes." Autocorrect helpfully changed it to "Almost to Korean hysterical."

Sketchbook 2012: due soon, not nearly finished!

2011-12-04T01:39:00.001-05:00

I just realized how close the deadline is and of course my sketchbook is not nearly finished. Here are a few new pages. These are fancier versions of my usual doodles I make during meetings.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T21:40:00.001-05:00

We had a tasty dinner of turkey, stuffing, roasted veggies, sweet potatoes, crescent rolls, and pumpkin dessert (not cake, not pudding, but somewhere in between). I cleaned up the dishes for my mom and now I'm giving her some computer guidance in between her phone calls from various relatives.

I won't have any time for claying this holiday weekend but here are some recent beadlings for your viewing pleasure...

My friend Marcy attended Carol Simmons' workshop a few weeks ago and came home with a lovely cane.

www.flickr.com/photos/marcympc/6275125940/in/photostream/ She had a few scrap slices so I asked if I could have some to test an idea. I layered several complementary sheets of color and then put the scaps on top and started running them through the pasta machine. As the layers got thinner, the underlayers started coming through giving a distressed look to the cane patterns.

For the beads above I sliced the sheet of stretched out cane into strips and wrapped them around a log of clay. I sliced the log into pieces about 1.25" long and loosely rolled them to squish them down and out without flattening the ridges too much. I cut circles out of the rest of the sheet and used them as endcaps.

Fun TV... I am loving American Horror Story on FX. It is strange, creepy, and very fast-paced...no dribbling out the mythology here! You have to start at the beginning because you learn new details every week. Here's the link to the first episode: http://vod.fxnetworks.com/watch/ahs/1205292832001

Weekend Beads: Ribbons

2011-11-13T22:49:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I put a "curb alert" free stuff ad on Craigslist and some people came and took away old things I didn't want any more. Easy way to get rid of the relatively-useful-but-no-longer-wanted things taking up space in your house.
Fueled by my favorite treat -- 0% fat plain Fage Greek yogurt mixed with Wild Strawberry Crystal Light for flavor -- I found inspiration and made some new "ribbon spool" beads. I like these...will do more experiments.

There are eight here. They sort of look like stacked pop caps!

Six beads here...wider ribbons

This is what you get if you roll a ribbon spool smooth! Halfway smooth makes an interesting bead also
but I have none to show you. Later...


Scrap clay was rolled into a sheet, a giant bolt was rolled across the surface, the top bumps were shaved off, and the sheet was smoothed. Then the whole sheet was rolled into a log, sliced and rolled into beads. These guys are relatively small for me...about 1/2" diameter.

These also started as a sheet of scrap, impressed with the plastic cover from an old office cubicle fluorescent light.

Jewelry: 2011 Holiday Necklace

2011-11-06T20:06:00.001-05:00

I found a great "little black dress" for the company party this year. It hits just above the knee, has a figure-flattering shape, and an interesting scallop-puckered fabric that forgives any remaining flaws. It also has a deep "v" in front and back. And, as I happen to have super short hair, I got the idea to make a necklace with most of the interest in the back.

I stewed on a design for a few days and then went on a scouting trip to my favorite bead store, Crystal Bead Bazaar in the Lawrenceville section of Pittsbugh. I needed chain, a metal ring, and some dangly items. I had considered adding clay elements to my design but decided against it, opting to go simple and more delicate than my usual tendency might be.

As luck would have it, I found exactly what I needed: three different chains, a delicate sparkly ring, and 3 cones in a gunmetal finish.

Note...the clothing shown here is not the fabulous dress mentioned above.

The necklace is just long enough that it fits over my head, therefore, no clasp required. Good thing, because I couldn't figure out how I was going to make a clasp look good -- no idea I had in mind was wowing me.

The football-shaped links of one chain were joined by figure-8 shaped links which proved to be the ideal size to link all the chains to the ring. Once I figured out that I didn't need a clasp, the whole thing went together in about 20 minutes. I had one big crystal bicone that I wired into the center drop down the back. And for an added bonus, the metal cones at the end are like tiny wind chimes and make a delicate clinking sound when I move.

In other news...
Anyone watching "American Horror Story"? Freaky, bizarre, and interesting. I've watched all 4 episodes and I'm hooked. You can watch them online here:

http://vod.fxnetworks.com/watch/ahs

Also watched the first two episodes of "Project Accessory" and enjoyed it. You can watch it here:

http://www.mylifetime.com/shows/project-accessory/video/full-episodes

In the Artybecca shop tomorrow...

2011-10-23T02:35:00.000-04:00

This is two sets mixed together.

These have holes from end to end.

What to wear to the party?

2011-10-15T11:31:00.001-04:00

I'm going to an Alice In Wonderland-themed fundraiser tonight with my friend so I wanted something theme-related to wear. My brooch below started off as a teacup but then took on a hat quality so...voila! Now it's the Mad Hatter's top hat. I wore it to work yesterday and it held up fine. Better yet, when I asked people what they thought it was, everyone said hat, and one person even said, "a hat like the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland." I didn't add the white card with "In this style 10/6" although I could. Should I leave it generic or really make it the Mad Hatter's hat?

Okay, I'm not even finished writing this post and I've decided to add the card. There's a weird white blop on the left side and the card would allow me to cover that and add more dimension at the same time.

(With card, posted later after the party.)

Dukan diet update...down 35 lbs now! Only 5 more to the new goal. Since June 13 I've lost 4.25" off my waist, almost 5" off my hips, almost 3" off each thigh. Of course, as always, some fat comes off where you don't want it to...3.5" off the bustline as well. But I like to think that much of that was the unsightly back fat, which is indeed gone! You can do it too! It was not hard at all.

Idea: Potential clasp?

2011-10-02T11:12:00.000-04:00

I made these two snake-ish things that could be a non-attached clasp for a necklace. I envision it hanging in front, with the ends running through rings at the end of the necklace portion. I haven't tried it out so not sure how it would work in actual practice. Can you think of any other interesting ways to use them? They are both fairly large...the smaller green one is about 4 inches long and the larger one is about 6".

This one looks a little reptilian!

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I feel very continental. I bought a Bialetti Moka Express, a coffee bean grinder, and a faux coffee shop cup with lid (dishwasher safe plastic cup with a rubber heat sleeve....very cute!) so I can make lattes at home. Sugar-free syrup and skim milk stays in my diet guidelines so it's a treat I didn't have to give up! While the coffee was heating I had a small pot of milk on the stove and frothed it with a wisk. It worked fine. I am drinking my first home made latte right now...pretty good! My $50 investment will pay ff in less than a month. I also bought a French press to give that a try.
I never even drank coffee until I was 40. It was the Starbucks Frappucino that got me hooked one summer. When winter rolled around I didn't want a cold drink so someone suggested a latte. Yum. Actually, what I really like is not really coffee, it's more like coffee-flavored sweetened milk.

Home from my clay adventures

2011-09-29T01:43:00.000-04:00

Had a great clay month! I have some new ideas and now I need to stock up the etsy shop. Here's a quick look at some new shapes...

The center of these pillows are Sculpey Ultra Light so they are not very heavy.

The back is is gold and warm orange.

I like how this one turned out. So much so, that I'll be keeping it for my very own self!

Artist: Barb Fajardo

2011-09-23T09:09:00.000-04:00

Check out some lovely work by my new friend Barb Fajardo, also known online as rubarb04. I have a pair of earrings similar to the set shown here; you can see other colors and designs on this page. Or you learn how to make her interesting designs in her Textured Tesselations class on CraftEdu.com.

I'm leaving in a few hours for the Pittsburgh Polymer Clay Guild's weekend retreat. It's always fun to have a weekend with the ladies and see what everyone's been up to all summer.

Today is the official end of my Phase 2 fthe Dukan diet. Down 32 lbs, two more than my Dukan chart said I would be on this day. I don't plan to stop; aiming for 8 more pounds.

Bead Soup Blog Party Reveal!

2011-09-17T01:50:00.009-04:00

My partner, Raida Disbrow sent me lovely glass beads in one of my favorite combinations, black and aqua blue. I don't usually use ribbon so having it in my package of goodies was a nice change of pace for me.

First, you can look at my "sneak preview" photos if you missed them.

Another close up...I added the green stones, light blue acrylic, and the large black seed beads:

And the whole shebang on my person...

Now go see what everyone else made:
The Hostess, Lori Anderson and her partner, Manuela Wutschke

1. Aimee Wheaton and Barbara York
2. Alice Craddick and Sandra Richardson
3. Alison Sachs and Amy Severino
4. Allison Scott and Cynthia Abner
5. Amanda Cargill Austin and Charlene Sevier
6. Amanda Davie and Patsy Evins
7. Amber Dawn and Kim Ballor
8. Ambra Gostoli and Christine Hansen
9. Amy Freeland and Christine Altmiller
10. Ana Krepel-Novak and Eleanor Snare

11. Andrea Morici and Hope Smitherman
12. Andrea Trank and Jayne Capps
13. Andrea Turini and Charlene Jacka
14. Angela May and Emanda Johnson
15. Anitra Gordy and Elizabeth Owens Dwy
16. Ann Rishell and Debbie Price
17. Ann Sherwood and Lynne Bowland
18. Anna Lear and Barbe Saint John
19. Anna Sabina and Erin Siegel
19. Nan Emmett and Erin Siegel
20. Astrid Boyce and Birgitta Lejonklou

21. B.R. Kuhlman and Deanna Chase
22. Barbara Bechtel and Bryna Lumb
23. Barbara Blaszczyk and DaviniaDesign
24. Barbara Judy and Holly Westfall
25. Barbara Lewis and Cathie Carroll
26. Barrie Edwards and Lyn Foley
27. Becky Fairclough and Jana Tarhala
28. Bella Borgouise and Gillian Lehman
29. Beth and Evie McCord and Erin Prais-Hintz
30. Beth Bricker and Heather Pyle

31. Beth Emery and Cassie Donlen
32. Bobbie Rafferty and Cindy Cima Edwards
33. Candice McGinnis and Sally Anderson
34. Carol Bradley and Cece Cormier
35. Cathy Khoury and Molly Alexander
36. Carol Tannahill and Hilary Frye
37. Carrie Tahquechi and Cris Peacock
38. Cat Pruitt and Cindy Gimbrone
39. Charlene Gary and Doris Stumpf
40. Charlotte Pevny and Kate Gardenghi

41. Cherrie Fickand Cathie Carroll
41. Claire Maunsell and Cherrie Fick
42. Cheryl Roe and Jenny Vidberg
43. Chris White and Norma Turvey
44. Christa Murphy and Kathy Alderfer
45. Christie Murrow and Dana James
46. Christina Miles and Collette Collins
47. Christine Brandel and Elizabeth Woodford
48. Christine Damm and Cynthia Deis
49. Christine Hendrickson and Debbie Goering
50. Christine Stonefield and Dee Wingrove-Smith

51. Cilla Watkins and Johanna Rhodes
52. Cindy Wimmer and Riki Schumacher
53. CJ Baushka and Cory Celaya
54. Courtney Breul and Joanna Matuszczyk
55. Cristi Clothier and Kathleen Robinson Young
56. Cryss Thain and Serena Trent
57. Cynthia Tucker and Kitty Durmaj
58. Dana Johnson Jones and Eva Sherman
59. Davinia Algeri and Janet McDonald
60. Deci Worland and Lara Lutrick

61. Diana Ptaszynski and Kristy Abner
62. Diane Cook and Kerry Bogert
63. Diane Hawkey and Jen Judd Velasquez
64. Dorcas Midkiff and Jill Harris
65. Doris Radlicki and Heather Goldsmith
66. Dot Lewallen and Gaea Cannaday
67. Elisabeth Auld and Jennifer Justman
68. Erin Fickert-Rowland and Geanina Grigore
69. Erin Grant and Julie Jones
70. Eszter Czibulyas and Helena Fritz

71. Fiona Christie and Michelle Heim
72. Gail Zwang and Genea Crivello-Knable
73. Geneva Collins and Jana Haag
74. Gretchen Nation and Heidi Post
75. Heather DeSimone and Karin Slaton
76. Heather Marley and Terry Carter
77. Ingrid McCue and Jennifer Pride
78. Jackie Ryan and Nicole Keller
79. Janna Harttgen and Joanne Tinley
80. Jean Yates and Lori Anderson

81. Jelveh Jaferian and Jenny Davies-Reazor
82. Jenni Connolly and Jennifer Heynen
83. Jennifer Cameron and Kristi Bowman
84. Jennifer Geldard and Lisa Liddy
85. Jennifer VanBenschoten and Kim Hora
86. Jess Italia Lincoln and Lori Greenberg
87. Jill MacKay and Lori Bergmann
88. JJ Jacobs and Karen Tremblay
89. Joyce Becker and Kathy Welsh
90. Judy Glende and Karen Sinkowski

91. Judy Riley and Kelly Morgan
92. JuLee Wolfe and Julie Bean
93. Julianna Cannon and Julianna Kis
94. Julie Nordine and Lesley Watt
95. K. Hutchinson and Shea Zukowski
96. Karen Firnberg and Karyn Bonfiglio
97. Karen Williams and Kimberly Roberts
98. Karen Zanco and Polly Barker
99. Kari Carrigan and Laura Twiford
100. Karin von Hoeren and Laura Blanck

101. Kate Richbourg and Lorelei Eurto
102. Kathleen Lange Klik and Maria Clark
103. Kathy Engstrom and Keri Lee Sereika
104. Kay Thomerson and Loretta Carstensen
105. Kelley Fogle and Laurel Bielec
106. Kelly Ramstack and Sally Anderson
107. Kim Stevens and Tiffany Long
108. Kristi Harrison and Mandy Williamson
109. Kristi Kyle and Lana Kinney
110. Kristina Johansson and Sue Hodgkinson

111. Kym Hunter and Laura Sanger
112. Laura Zeiner and Susan Kennedy
113. Laurel Steven and Mary McGraw
114. Laurie Hanna and Lisa Boucher
115. Lesley Weir and Liz DeLuca
116. Linda Djokic and Tracey Weiser
117. Linda Inhelder and Pam Brisse
118. Linda Landig and Lori Dorrington
119. Linda Murphy and Lisa Hamilton
119. Line Labrecque and Marianne Baxter
120. Lisa Lodge and Monica Johnson

121. Lois Moon and Melissa Muir
122. Lola Surwillo and Therese Frank
123. Lori Bowring Michaud and Marci Brooks
124. Lupe Meter and Norma Agron
125. Maggie Towne and Marge Beebe
126. Malin de Koning and Susie Hibdon
127. Mallory Hoffman and Shirley Moore
128. Marcie Abney and Patty Miller
129. Marcy Lamberson and Melissa Clarke
130. Margot Potter and Suzann Sladcik Wilson

131. Maria Grimes and Wendy Blum
132. Maria Horvath and Melinda Orr
133. Maria Rosa Sharrow and Marie-Noel Voyer-Cramp
134. Marian Hertzog and Melissa Mesara
135. Marianna Boylan and Sandi Lee James
136. Marina Dobrynina and Michaela Pabeschitz
137. Marsha Neal and Miri Agassi
138. Mary Ellen Parker and Melissa Meman
139. Mary Elliott and Tamara Soper
140. Mary Hicks and Laurel Steven

141. Melissa Pynn and Michelle Buettner
142. Michelle Hardy and Niki Meiners
143. Michelle Mach and Moira McEvoy
144. Missy Rappaport and Norma Agron
145. Molly Alexander and Poranna
146. Mylene Hillam and Nicole Rennell
147. Nadezhda Parfyonova and Stacey Curry
148. Nan Emmett and Nancy Peterson
149. Nancy Boylan and Natalie McKenna
150. Natalie Monkivitch and Niky Sayers

151. Natasha Lutes and Pam Ferrari
152. Noemi Baena and Penny Ilagan
153. Pamela Petry and Rebecca Sirevaag
154. Pat Haight and Mary McGraw
155. Patty Gasparino and Vonna Maslanka
156. Penny Neville and Sandi Volpe
157. Pepita Bos and Wendy Chamberlain
158. Raida Disbrow and Rebecca Watkins YOU ARE HERE
159. Rebecca Anderson and Sabrina Staub
160. Regina Santerre and Rose Binoya

161. Rhea Freitag and Tari Kahrs
162. Rochelle Brisson and Sheryl Stephen
163. Sally Russick and Tracy Bell
164. Sandra McGriff and Shay Williams
165. Sandra Wolberg and Sara Hardin
166. Sarah Elder and Salla Small
167. Saskia Kaffenberger and Sharon Gardner
168. Sharon Palac and Shannon Chomanczuk
169. Shay Stone and Suzette Bentley
170. Shiraz Biggie and Tammy Powley

171. Staci Smith and Tracy Stillman
172. Stacie Stamper and Tracy Martin
173. Stefanie Teufel and Vicky Taylor
174. Stephanie Dixon and Stephanie LaRosa
175. Stephanie Haussler and Valerie Norton
176. Suzanne Tate and Terri Wlaschin
177. Sweet Freedom Designs and Tammy Jones
178. Tania Spivey and Tari Sasser
179. Tara Plote and Terry Matuszyk
180. Terri Gauthier and Deana Hager
181. Theresa Fosdick and Tracey Nanstad

Diet: Not a diet, a new way of life

2011-09-04T12:51:00.000-04:00

Along with removing some too-big items from my closet, I cleaned out the pantry yesterday. All these items that I don't want to eat anymore went to a friend with two growing boys and a 6'4" husband!

I kept one or two cans of beans but will use them sparingly after the last of the unwanted pounds are gone. I have kept a favorite old pair of jeans in the back of the closet that I wore on a milestone birthday in 1992. I tried them on last night...and was shocked to discover they almost fit! Yay!

New Focals: Already sold, more coming

2011-09-04T00:15:00.000-04:00

BSBP: What I got

2011-08-28T14:24:00.002-04:00

I was on a roll yesterday with the necklace makin'. After I put the Enamel Shadow Box necklace to bed, I had all the tools out and realized I might as well do the other. I'm done early...there must be something wrong!

Here are close-ups of the elements sent to me by lampworker Raida Disbrow (Havana Beads). You'll just have to wait for reveal day on September 17 to see the whole necklace.

The focal

Sterling silver clasp

Black silk ribbon edged in gray, blue and green Czech cut glass, and raised-dots on clear glass.

I also created a page for my Dukan diet progress if you're interested. Ten weeks, 27 lbs gone!

Lorelei's Challenge: CKoop enamel shadow boxes

2011-08-27T11:42:00.004-04:00

I had one design completely finished last night and then decided it was too blah...too typical and my yellow box didn't tie in with the other elements. So, at about 1:30 am I made polymer beads to tie it together but then didn't get it together.

This morning as I awoke leisurely, I thought "hmm, what should I do today?" And then, "Crap! I still need to restring my necklace, photograph it, and post it!" I jumped out of bed, put it together, and I must say I really like it now. So, a little late, but here it is.

First, a close up of the elements: I used the box as a frame for a polymer clay tile. Sometimes the leaf design side shows, or the box flips around and the solid yellow side shows -- either way, it's good.

Then, back away for the big picture:
(before you think me some sort of chain maille wizard, let me tell you that I bought the whole chain as is at Michael's. The white and turquoise are from Michael's as well, and the small coral stones were from a bead show.)

And here it is on! I will definitely wear this.

Thanks to Lorelei and CKoop for the challenge!

Click around to see what the other participants in the challenge made:

1.Lucid Moon Studio

2. Ann Rishell

3. Malin de Koning
4. Gray Girl Studios

5. Maria Grimes

6. Beads of Busy Gals- Elizabeth

7. The Silly Pearl

8. Shay Stone- Shays creative journey

9. LissC

10. the Beading Yogini

11. Grubbi

12. Jenny Davies- Reazor
13. Beth of Elizabeth Williams

14. Artybecca

15. Stefanies Sammelsurium

16. KreativeKsapylet

17. Shirley- Beads & Bread

18. Hilary Frye- Frye Style

19. Heather Wynn Millican

20. Staci Louise

21. Suzette- Ellie's Bijoux

22. Marina - Fanciful Devices

23. Andrew Thornton

Beads and info that could save your life some day

2011-08-25T02:32:00.000-04:00

Two sets of new circus beads in an unusual color scheme.

TRAGIC FLOOD
You may have heard of the terrible flash flood last Friday on a main road in Pittsburgh that resulted in the deaths of a 72-year-old woman who was swept away after she got out of her car, and a mother and her 8- and 12-year old daughters who were trapped in their vehicle that was completely submerged in 9 ft of water. So sad.
There had been very heavy rains several hours before and then another torrential downpour that overloaded the drainage system with almost 3 inches of water in a few hours. The manhole covers blew off and the water from pipes under the road filled the streets, adding to all the rainwater pouring down from the surrounding hills.
It wasn't all bad news ... Here's a nice story about someone who probably saved a life that day.
I drive Washington Blvd frequently...I won't be on it anymore if we've had any heavy rains. A similar, but not deadly, flood happened in the same spot last month and on other occasions through the years. There was another death back in 1951.

STAY SAFE!
Below are two links to information that describes what happens as a car takes on water and provides step-by-step instructions that could save your life should you ever find yourself in that dangerous situation. You don't have to drive into a lake or fall off a bridge to end up in a sinking car.
Read this info and memorize it:
http://www.wikihow.com/Escape-from-a-Sinking-Car
http://saveyourlife.us/

And if you don’t have one of these window-breaker tools, it would be good to have (and hope you never need to use it.) I ordered 6 from Amazon for myself and family members. I plan to get some wire and make the useless handle above my driver's side window into a "home" for my new Lifehammer.
Lifehammer two pack
Lifehammer Keychain size

Bead Soup Blog Party: And my partner is...

2011-08-15T02:12:00.000-04:00

...Raida Disbrow, lampworker and jewelry maker from Florida! The kit I packed up for her is going to the Post Office tomorrow. I included two styles/sizes of coordinating beads, one toggle that could also be the focal, one big bold clasp, and two other items -- one fixed and one customizable -- that could be used for a focal. Options are always good!

Experiment: Avery Marks A Lot on Polymer

2011-08-14T15:15:00.000-04:00

I had some multi-colored beads and spied an Avery Marks A Lot permanent marker on my computer desk so I wondered what might happen if I put them together. I did my usual doodles that I typically scratch into the bead surface. Not half bad.

To make sure the ink doesn't rub off, I sprayed the beads with PYM II (Preserve Your Memories II) that I read about online a year or so ago. It was advertised as safe for polymer and I did a test. Nearly a year later the beads are still perfectly good. My only concern now is if any reaction might happen between the marker and the spray so I'll let these sit for a few months to see what happens.

The only problem I had was in one spot on the coral blue beads where I may have gotten the surface too wet with spray...the marker blurred a bit. You can't see it in the photo below, and it doesn't look terrible, but it's something to watch out for next time.

Purple Pod Linework


Linework Colors

Khaki Olive Linework

Coral Blue Linework

the modern era: me finally in it

2011-08-13T21:22:00.000-04:00

After five years, I finally got a new phone. It has the internets and all! I am posting this from the phone like I'm 25 years old.

Sketchbook 2012: Lame so far

2011-08-13T09:46:00.000-04:00

My new sketchbook progress is not going so well. I will definitely have to do new pictures and paste them over some of the pages. I only have three decent pages out of 10 or so. Here are the three that aren't ashamed to show their faces in public...

Photography: Boring photos? Crop and Filter to the rescue!

2011-08-08T23:42:00.002-04:00

If you're not a natural-born photographer, use Photoshop filters and selective cropping to add some pizzazz to your travel photos. Photoshop's Poster Edges is my favorite filter, and Paint Daubs and Palette Knife are fun too.
I'm in NYC for the next two days on a business trip. After a tasty Thai dinner tonight, we grabbed a Starbucks and went for a walk around our block here on W56th Street. I took a few shots with the nighttime setting turned on and the flash turned off. You can snap away and people don't know you're taking photos.

Each pair of photos below first shows the photo as it came out of the camera, followed by the cropped and doctored-up version. (click on each photo to see it larger.)

I found a great little scene in the tiny center section on the right-hand side of the photo above.

This picture is a completely blurry mess but after lightening it up I cropped it and used the poster edges filter to get...

Faux Wood: Bangle experiment

2011-07-31T23:54:00.001-04:00

I extruded a long triangle and coiled it around but didn't manage to make it big enough for my big hands. I'll take it to work and see if I can find a tiny-boned person to give it a field test. I worry about how well it would hold up in real life. I use Kato Clay which I like because it's relatively hard and holds its shape while you're working. And of course, it polishes up easily. However, for some thin items, it's too brittle -- or rather, there's no "give" or flex to it, and I've snapped some pieces because of that.

And these are pretty. I'm going to try a few in colors with colored centers.

Update on the Dukan Diet...I say Dukan Can Do! I hit the 20 lb-down mark on Friday. Six weeks! Seriously, if you're tyring to lose weight, you are nuts if you don't give this a try. I am stunned at how well it's working for me. The menopause midriff that prevented me from breathing during forward fold and child's pose at yoga is gone!

If you think you'll feel deprived without the sugar and carbs, don't worry. That's what I thought. But it's amazing that once you get it out of your system, you don't miss it. I think the sugar is a drug...the more you have, the more you want. Everything I ate was full of sugar, even things that I didn't realize were full of it...like my beloved Cheerios or Special K and skim milk. My treat of choice these days is iced coffee with sugar-free vanilla or hazelnut with a splash of milk.

I feel great and best of all, in control! My head is not filled with thoughts of food anymore. I eat only when I'm hungry -- but I'm hardly ever hungry unless it's been a very long time since my last meal -- and I always stop eating before I'm stuffed. Tonight I turned away a plate of french fries that the waiter accidentally brought with my bunless burger -- and I was by myself so it wasn't even peer pressure that kept me from nibbling! That would not have happened before!

A few more pounds and the pants in my closet will be unwearable! Oh darn! (Time to get that sewing machine out of mothballs and do some takin' in!)

If you're interested in my previous post about this topic, you can read it here.

New things: a lot like the old things

2011-07-21T07:22:00.001-04:00

Haven't had much time to work lately but finally got a few new things made and listed. I'm just about to hit 600 sales! Exciting!

Natural variations: old gold

2011-07-13T23:07:00.000-04:00

A little bit of gold is always a good idea!

New Fish and a Miracle

2011-07-09T08:39:00.001-04:00

New threadfishies in the etsy shop.

And now for the miracle! 12 lbs gone in one month -- no willpower required! My two friends, Rollanda, the menopause midriff above the belly button, and Bellinda, the pooch below the belly button, are almost gone! my co-worker and I are doing the Dukan Diet -- it's high-protein, and very, very low sugar and carbs.

Unlike Atkins and South Beach, no high-fat meats and cheeses or nuts are allowed. Go to the site and answer the questionnaire to find out what schedule you should follow. I had to do three days of the protein- only "attack" phase. If I got hungry I ate, as often as every two hours, as long as it was on the allowed list. By the end of the three days I was stunned to discover my sugar cravings were gone and I was not hungry.
and I had rid myself of 5lbs of water that Rollanda and Bellinda had been holding.

At work we always have snacks and I ate whatever was around, and if I wasn't eating any, I was thinking about tyring to resist it. In the last three weeks at work we've had bagels, cupcakes, cookies, chocolate, and birthday cake, and I didn't have one bite, and was not even tempted! It's not that I've "decided" I'm not going to have them, it's that the urge for them has disappeared.

I do miss bread, but haven't had trouble going without. Eggs, Eggbeaters, chicken, lean beef, fish, tofu, and turkey bacon are my new best friends. Your fiber comes from 1.5 tablespoons of oat bran per day. I mix mine in my omelette. It has no weird taste and it gives the eggs a little more heft that does fill you up.

If I need "dessert" I have the sugar free jello snacks (tasty and only 10 calories...I splurge and have 2!) or a chocolate flavored protein drink on ice that actually tastes pretty good (EAS dark chocolate), or a latte with sugar-free syrup. The protein drink is not technically allowed on the Dukan diet but it's the only chocolate option I have so I have one every few days. After the attack phase you can have as many non-starchy vegetables as you want on alternating days so a big salad with fat-free dressing or side dishes of broccoli, green beans, squash, etc add variety.

I also joined the gym and have been going every day. Planet Fitness...it was only $40 to join, and $10 per month. I don't know how they can stay in business! But they have a zillion machines so no waiting. Better yet, they're open 24 hours a day during the week, so even if I work late, I can still go and do 30 minutes. I mix it up and do something different everyday. But what seems to work best for me is the elliptical set on a high "step" and high resistance. There is a row of TVs set on every channel to take your mind off the boring exercise.

I know that it's easier for me to work the new menu and exercise into my schedule because I don't have a family to work around so it may be more of a challenge for those of you who do. The pounds may come off slower but they will come off!

Twelve more pounds and I'll be at my goal weight but I actually think I might be able to go 5 lbs lower! That would put me at a weight not seen since the early-1990s! Anyhow, if you had told me a month ago that I would not be hungry, and not have sugar cravings, I would have said you were carzy. But it's true!

Grand Opening: TONIGHT! Four Directions Jewelry Studio

2011-07-02T10:58:00.000-04:00

Grand Opening of Four Direction Jewelry Studio. Owner Barb Kaczor is a member of the Pittsburgh Polymer Clay Guild. Something she has that's quite different from most bead shops is a nice selection of Native American style bone beads. The studio has a little of every kind of jewelry-making tool. If you've ever wanted to try a new tool, Barb probably has it. The opening is tonight 6-8 pm, Springdale PA. Get directions and more details at this link.

Virtual Paintout: New Zealand

2011-07-01T00:30:00.001-04:00


Close to the intersection of Glenorchy-Paradise Road and Priory Road

This is not one of my more successful Virtual Paintout projects, but at least I got one done this month. I am always very eager to see what the new city is going to be and I check Bill's site early on the first of each month. I usually choose my scene within a day or two. And then somehow, the month gets away from me, and half the time I never get a picture completed! Today, mission accomplished, with literally less than ten minutes to spare.

My original drawing is on a medium gray paper so it's dark to begin with, and I couldn't lay down enough color because of the texture of the paper. To salvage it, I decided to make this a manual/electronic work and bump up the contrast and color in Photoshop. Not great, but better than my original drawing for sure.

Click on the caption under the picture to see the actual scene on Google maps. The trees are not really pink but as you'll see, the real scene is a bit dull so I took liberties.

. . . . . . . . . . . .

Yes, it's a lovely picture and all, but where are the beads?

I have been away from the clay too long, but a new commitment to the gym (down 10 lbs, thank you very much) and the new cat have taken precedence the last few weeks. I promise I will use my three-day July 4 weekend to re-stock my etsy shop. It looks like Old Mother Hubbard's cupboard in there! I also owe a few custom items to people so those are on the agenda as well.

Happy Fourth of July!

New Kitty: Georgie

2011-06-25T23:20:00.002-04:00

You may have noticed there have been no new beads this week and my shop is very bare. It's because I was speed dating with cats at two shelters. It was successful and now I'm in love.

I met Georgie at the Humane Society on Wednesday night. They were waiving adoption fees for cats over one year for the month of June so I took the opportunity to get a free cat. Right off the bat, he sat on my lap for five minutes. He didn't even know me, so I knew I had found the lap cat I was looking for.

I went back on Thursday and signed the adoption papers and picked him up Friday at 6 pm, after he'd been neutered. They also removed a toenail that was injured when he arrived at the shelter (he was a stray but clearly he's been around people at some point in the past.)

I got him home and he investigated the room I had set up for him. After about 20 minutes he jumped on my lap and I petted him until he went to sleep. I moved him to the couch and went to make dinner. After a few hours I peeked in on him and he was still in the same spot which struck me as odd.

I went in to see him and he was very warm and lethargic. I had to pick him up and jostle him to wake him. He was also breathing too fast so I bundled him up and we went off to the emergency vet at 10:30 pm. Turned out he had a fever of 105.9 degrees. I was happy I had brought him in...if it went much higher, it could have been very bad.

They did blood work and his white cell count was a little off but nothing to indicate a serious infection. They surmised that the stress of the days in the shelter, plus the surgery that day may have weakened his immune system temporarily. They kept him overnight and gave him IV fluids (you can see part of his shaved arm in the photo.) His temperature was down to 100.9 this morning and he was lively, and eating and drinking. When I picked him up after lunch, five different employees told me what a sweet cat he is. They would have kept him if I'd let them.

We took a nap when we got home and he seems good as new. Now I need to start cranking out some beads -- my "free" cat ended up costing $500!

Happy Father's Day to John and Richard

2011-06-19T09:32:00.006-04:00

Dad 1.0
My dad loved fishing so some family trips involved going to a lake or river near Seattle where we lived from 1965-69. His love of fishing didn't get passed down to my brother or me but many of his other habits did.

We moved to West Virginia in 1969 when I was in second grade and Joe in kindergarten. Each week, Dad would take us with him when he deposited his paycheck at the bank. He opened passbook savings accounts for each of us (this was waaay back before personal computers and ATM machines, for any young'uns who may be reading this!)

We had to put 1/2 of our allowance, and Christmas and birthday money from the grandparents, in the bank to save for college, and the other half could be used however we pleased. This went on until high school.

Senior year, I applied at two relatively affordable colleges that had graphic design programs -- Ohio University and University of Dayton. On the same mid-summer day, I received letters from each. Dayton was raising its rates and OU gave me a $500 scholarship. Decision made!

I got the bill for the first quarter of school. It was $1,440! I was shocked! I only had about $1,800 in my account and it had taken MY ENTIRE LIFE to save that much. And there were going to be 11 more quarters! Talk about learning the value of a dollar! My brother and I are good savers and money stays in the pocket more than it goes out.

Dad liked technology. He started his career as an aeronautical engineer at Boeing (he was a casualty of the 1969-71 Boeing downturn when 90,000 of 142,000 jobs were cut) but he later used his engineering skills at the W.V. Department of Highways and never lost his love of learning and making or repairing things. He knew how to use a slide rule, thus appreciating even more his favorite piece of technology...a Texas Instruments calculator! He bought us the full set of Funk & Wagnalls encyclopedia in weekly installments from the grocery store, and occasionally bought a handy gadget "as seen on TV."
He died in 1981 and I often think of how absolutely amazed he would be by an Excel spreadsheet and Google, the world's always-current encyclopedia and shopping center, and Hulu and streaming Netflix to watch theater movies within months of release rather than waiting five years for them to be shown on TV "for free." He understood the theoretical possibility of such things and I'm sorry he didn't get to see them become everyday realities.

Dad 2.0
I now have a stepfather who is a lot like my first dad. He is funny, good with a dollar, likes to play games, can fix just about anything, and takes good care of my mother. Joe and I are lucky...we hit the Dad Jackpot twice! Happy Father's Day Richard!

PCD: What a fun surprise!

2011-06-16T08:26:00.001-04:00

What a great way to start the day! I'm on Polymer Clay Daily (Tory Hughes is there too...go check out her cool "thought process" post!)

Here's an "unravelings" experiment from last night with dark clay and metallic powders.

Tutorial: Unravelings

2011-06-15T00:45:00.001-04:00

Learn how to make a simple but interesting "unraveled" texture for beads or anything else you can think of.

I made a flickr tutorial for the "Unraveling" beads.
Click here to see the demonstration.

2011-06-13T01:02:00.000-04:00

Weekend beads:

And now for a little grammatical rant...I know the English language is a living thing and what is acceptable changes over time, but I'm going to fight for you and me. Literally, you and me.

After hearing “you and I” in intances where "you and me" is correct (in everyday conversations and far too often on TV -- even in scripted shows!), I am compelled to comment on my biggest grammar pet peeve. In honor of my late grandmother Mary Belle, the Strict Grammarian who pounded the below information into my brain, I give you the basics…

"Xxxx and I" is the subject of a sentence, as in:
     John and I gave the key to Mary.

"Xxxx and me" is the object of a sentence, as in:
     Mary gave the key to John and me.

     (Mary gave the key to John and I is incorrect.)

If you don’t know a subject from an object, here’s an easy way to know what form is correct -- take the other person out of the sentence and see how it sounds (though I realize the inherent danger of using "how it sounds" as a test!)

Start with:     Mary gave the key to John and me.
Take the other person out of the sentence and you are left with:
     Mary gave the key to me.

Now see happens when "John and I" is incorrectly placed in the object position, as shown here:
Start with:     Mary gave the key to John and I.
Take the other person out of the sentence and you are left with:
     Mary gave the key to I. (See how wrong that sounds?)

Here’s my own theory on why so many people use “Xxxx and I” when they should use "Xxxx and me." As children we probably said, “Me and Billy are going to the park” or “Billy and me are going to the park" and would be corrected with "Billy and I are going to the park." After being corrected with the "Xxxx and I" phrasing so mnay times, those children started to incorrectly think "Xxxx and I" was correct in every instance. And now "Xxxx and I" is used incorrectly as the object so often that many people think "Xxxx and me" as the object "sounds wrong" even though it is actually correct.

I also hear people say, “Please forward the email to Steve and myself.” Arrgh. Just say, “Please forward the email to me.”

Mokie: 1995-2011

2011-06-11T10:31:00.000-04:00

My poor little Mokie man had to go to the great beyond Thursday morning. His medicine wasn't helping and he was clearly not happy anymore.
He used to curl up on my lap while I worked on the computer or sit high up on the cabinet while I made beads, and he snuggled with me every night at bedtime. He was a great friend for 15 years and will be very much missed.

"From high upon my perch I see all!"

"What? I didn't do anything, honest."

Centerfold from "Playcat"

Modeling with the new shower curtain

Enjoying the aroma of the overgrown honeysuckle.

Mokie in the Wilds and weekend beads

2011-06-06T00:48:00.000-04:00

My good boy Mokie is coming to the end of his nine lives due to intestinal cancer and failing kidneys. He's been slowly losing weight for the last few years but it didn't slow him down or cause any trouble. The weight loss accelerated recently and he's a skinny old man now, only half his former weight. Medication has eliminated his daily vomiting but the steroids don't seem be helping him gain weight, even though they have increased his appetite. He's always been an indoor cat but the weather was so nice today that I took him out into the yard to get some sunshine and inspect the flora. After a while he decided to rest under an evergreen shrub.

I stuck around the house this weekend to make sure he was okay and made beads. Surprise, surprise!

New things: Unraveling

2011-06-01T01:03:00.000-04:00

Something I did yesterday gave me a new idea to try today. If anyone is making an ancient/modern necklace a la Ronna Sarvas Weltman, these might fit right in!

Looks can be deceiving: Kam and Mokie

2011-05-30T16:55:00.000-04:00

A sweet photo that does not depict actual reality.

New listings: Happy Accident

2011-05-26T07:46:00.000-04:00

These "May Circus" beads have a different finish than my usuals. It's almost matte, due to the fact that I'm all out of my favorite sanding material and I had to use a lower grit. The finish looks very appropriate with these soft pastel colors.

New Beads: Listing later tonight

2011-05-21T16:31:00.000-04:00

Weekend: Paint and beads

2011-05-16T02:34:00.000-04:00

I had a very productive weekend! But there was no paint on beads, just paint on walls!

I've been thinking about painting the dining room and upcoming guests were the catalyst for finally doing it. I bought the paint Friday night, took the cat to the vet on Saturday morning, painted for a bit, got a haircut, and returned to painting until late while listening to a week's worth of Stewart and Colbert on the laptop's crappy speakers. Today was Clay Day, then it was back to Lowe's for paint for the kitchen which seemed terribly undone compared to the bold new dining room. Best of all, having a paintbrush in hand and the serendipitous discovery of the half-filled can of the baseboard color finally motivated me to finish the baseboards that have been partially painted for about five years! I posted on the PPCG blog, spread grass seed on the bald patches in the yard, and after all that, managed to squeeze out a few more beads and get them listed. And it's only 2 am!
I'll post photos of the refreshed room once it's back in order and my new picture frames are up on the wall.
But here's a sneak preview to tide you over...

And here's a new pile o' beads...

Beads: Simple Circus

2011-05-14T00:52:00.000-04:00

If you're in the mood for a circus without all the colors, I made gold fellows...

Beads: Everybody likes a circus!

2011-05-06T08:00:00.000-04:00

Here's how a set of circus beads comes into being...

Step 1.

Step 2.

In between step 1 and step 2, there's a whole lot of randomness.

PPCG Workshop: Ronna Sarvas Weltman

2011-04-30T22:31:00.023-04:00

Go check out news from the first day of our workshop with Ronna Sarvas Weltman on the Pittsburgh Polymer Clay Guild blog. Visit there again tomorrow to see members' work from the class.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

And, just because it's pretty, here's the redbud tree in my front yard in full bloom! I love the redbud. It hides inconspicuously all year, but then, for two weeks in the spring, you catch a splash of that distinctive orchid-pink color everywhere, in yards and wild woods alike! There are wind-sown babies from this tree throughout the yard. Unfortunately, they like to sprout in the most undesirable spots. I managed to replant one successfully in the backyard, but another is too large to dig up and almost too large for where it is, right next to the road. Another is growing in a tiny crack between the retaining wall and the driveway. I will have to cut it down but can probably salvage another still-tiny tree growing in my flower garden.

This is the view from a few doors up the street from my house (the peaked roof of my front porch is visible at the left edge of the photo.

And in other fun news, I bowled a 148, 122, and 133 on Friday and got the prize for highest average score of the ladies in the group.

Just listed on Etsy: Nairobi and Morocco

2011-04-21T02:17:00.000-04:00

...and a Frenchman in a beret!

Just listed on Etsy: Four sets

2011-04-17T20:27:00.000-04:00

Just click over there to the right to go to the shop.

New Beads: Listing this evening

2011-04-10T19:36:00.000-04:00

And I didn't make this...it's a real strawberry, almost as large as my big hand. And surprisingly, it was delicious!

Polymer Clay Daily: There I am!

2011-04-08T08:32:00.000-04:00

How exciting to wake up and see myself on Polymer Clay Daily! Thanks Cynthia!!
And how timely with the scribing...just last night I attempted to combine a fish bead with the circus. It's not quite the same thing, and I used brighter colors, but he's pretty cute. I made a few other "scribed" beads and some in a simple bi-cone shape that I'm liking a lot.

and a few more "plain" ones...

These will be posted on Etsy late this evening.

New beads: Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose

2011-03-27T14:51:00.001-04:00

Okay, now that you have James Taylor singing in your head, here are some new beads to look at...

I have a number of requests for fish. I'll have more up on etsy soon. And a new product, the result of what I may soon think of as a "happy accident." For now you'll just get a sneak preview...

New items: Buttons

2011-03-24T07:44:00.000-04:00

Don't know why it took me so long to make buttons. They're the perfect thing to make with scrap clay! Some of them are big -- about 2" in diameter.

Necklace: Number Doughnut

2011-03-15T01:52:00.000-04:00

I kept this doughnut for myself because it matches a favorite jacket. I figured out a different way to hang it...very easy. I may still shorten the bottom loop but it hangs very nice as is, so maybe I'll leave it. I used the soft glass tubing from PolymerClayExpress in the amber color and two bronze-colored loop crimps (what is the proper name of these things?) on each end of a short length of the tubing and hooked both ends to metal ring.

Earthquake

2011-03-14T00:12:00.000-04:00

The videos from Japan were terribly scary. All the cars, trees, boards and debris that were floating in the water...how many people were in those vehicles or structures and didn't have time to get out of the path of destruction? I saw one car going over the wall of water with its rear wiper going...some poor person was in that car. I can't imagine the fear of being in that situation. Rescuers picked up a man this evening floating on the roof of his house 9 miles out in the ocean among a bunch of debris.
Go look at these satellite images that show the damage. You can slide a bar across the pictures to show the exact same area before and after. A sample of one of them is below:

Look at the photo below...a box of square pastels? No...cargo containers! Each one is 40 feet long and weighs about 6,000 lbs. or more empty. The power of nature is awesome, and I don't mean that in a good way.

And now the nuclear reactor problems, as if the nature stuff wasn't bad enough. It's going to take a long time to rebuild. I can't do anything physically to help but I can donate so that's what I do, whenever there's a natural disaster somewhere.

Beads: Weekend fun

2011-03-13T15:58:00.000-04:00

I'm working on season 4 of Mad Men now. Betty Draper gets the Coldest Mother of the Year prize.

New variations on old beads...

And new items using old themes...

...a button. I can't vouch for the washability of this. I"ll make samples, stitch them to cloth, and see how many wash and dry cycles they can take! Anyone have experience with this?

...and a brooch, or a "pin," as I always called them. (Brooch was the word my grandmother used!)

I see that people make brooches all the time, but I haven't seen anyone actually wearing one for decades, except maybe on their winter coat. I had quite a pin collection back in college and into the 80's but for some reason, gave it up. Not every outfit has a great neckline for a necklace so perhaps it's time to start again.

Poll: How about you...do you wear brooches?

This black fish was a test. The black is too dark...it looks okay in the photo, but in real life his details and face get lost. Next one will be in my usual gold.

Beads: Fun at the Circus!

2011-03-11T07:20:00.000-05:00

These beads are fun little things!

Sunset Bongos!

Beads: The studio is halfway in order, so time to play!

2011-03-07T01:29:00.000-05:00

After I spent a few hours creating semi-order out of the chaos in my studio, I rewarded myself with a few hours of beading. These will be on etsy in the next few days.

Fishies: Ready, Set, Show!

2011-03-02T02:05:00.002-05:00

UPDATE March 6, 2011...
Last night was opening night for the show. The whole stringer of fish had been purchased by a single buyer before I even arrived! Yay!
_________________________________________________________________________
I put a bunch of fishies on a stringer, currently hanging on the wall at the Saxonburg Area Artists Cooperative.
Show opens on Saturday, March 5.

Home Improvements: Remodeled Bathroom

2011-02-27T22:30:00.000-05:00

The bathroom was lengthened by about 2.5 feet past the doorway which allowed room for a 60" wall-to-wall counter instead of a small 24" vanity. Beadboard on the cabinet fronts and walls. I am probably going to paint the walls and ceiling a pale, pale silver gray to provide contrast for the beadboard.

I found the white ceramic tray in the cookware section at Marshall's, and the flip-top bottle to make the mouthwash prettier. Now I think I need to make a hairspray cozy!

(But now, let me give a testimonial for John Frieda's Frizz-Ease hairspray. It's designed to help curly hair stop frizzing in the rain, by blocking moisture. However, it works in reverse too...if you have straight hair that goes completely limp in damp weather, this spray helps lessen that problem.)

I thought this little bird pedestal was cute and since it fit with my white ceramic theme,
and it was only $3.99 on sale at Michael's, I bought it!

Plastic trays to keep the drawers clean and the items inside orderly.

The drawer pulls have not yet been attached.

The exhaust fan has the retro-with-a-brushed nickel look I used as a guide for my design choices.

The toilet paper holder has room for quite a few spare rolls.
The top bar twists up to create a straight bar to slide them on.

The towels and bath mat are aqua blue, so when I saw this clock, I had to get it.

Its main purpose will be to show me how far behind schedule I am every morning.

This cheerful gerbera shower curtain and this floor towel rack have been ordered to complete the look!

The new closet was part of this remodeling project also.

Exhibit: Fashionable Fish

2011-02-24T00:51:00.000-05:00

Getting ready for the PPCG's upcoming show. I made these fishies today...

Beads: Finally I can get back to making stuff!

2011-02-21T07:46:00.000-05:00

Been working the day job like a maniac for a month getting ready for five big events, the last of which happens this evening, and then I can get back to my precious clay! My etsy shop will stay nearly empty for a bit longer however, as I need to make a ton of beads for my contribution to the PPCG's upcoming art show. Here is the beginning...

Beads: Coming to Etsy soon

2011-02-16T01:17:00.000-05:00

I finally had a few minutes last night to make a few things. They'll be listed on etsy when I'm not falling asleep as I am right now in my computer chair!

Funny: my favorite e-trade commercial

2011-02-14T23:59:00.003-05:00

Home Improvements: NEW CLOSET!

2011-02-12T11:07:00.000-05:00

My upstairs remodeling was just finished yesterday. The small bathroom was enlarged to allow a full vanity with more counter and storage space, and the so-small-as-to-be-useless "bedroom" (8' x 8'!) next to it was turned into a walk-in closet.

A hall linen closet and the little room's closet, which sat between the bath and small room, were eliminated to provide the expansion space for the bath. (The new storage in the bathroom vanity and the former main closet in a different room will provide more than enough space for everything that was in the eliminated linen closet.)

Now...aahh...all my clothes can be in one place instead of in this closet, and that closet, and the other closet, and still downstairs on the laundry rack.

Space...the Final Frontier!

(Ignore the curves and disconnects...that's from the photo stitching program.)

Here's a sneak preview of the new bath. More pictures will come after I do the decorating.

Adventure: A Step in the Wright Direction

2011-02-06T08:32:00.001-05:00

If you've ever wondered about those people who have the nerve to quit their job and go on a solo, around-the-world journey, you can follow along with someone doing it right now: Christy of A Step in the Wright Direction. She worked at the same company I do, until she quit last month after saving up money for two years to go on this 5-month trip. She's blogging about her adventures in entertaining entries...go check it out.
<<<< There she is on Haleakala in Hawaii.

Virtual Paintout: Romania

2011-02-04T00:09:00.002-05:00

I missed last month's Virtual Paintout to Boston so I swore this month I would do my picture early!
I found a good scene and drew it last night while I watched Jimmy Fallon and Carson Daly. I used a gray, fine point Sharpie marker. I'm pretty pleased with the picture.
You can see the scene on Google StreetView. This area, Strada Tudor Vladimirescu, Pantelimon, România, seems to be a little shopping district where people have shops in their garages, a tent, or out of the back of their van! Almost everyone seen in the surrounding streets is carrying a package or two.

Artist: Tiffany Bender

2011-02-02T01:26:00.002-05:00

I now wish I had a baby so Pittsburgh-based photographer Tiffany Bender could photograph it!
You must click over to look at her gorgeous photos!!! The light, the clarity, the fantastic styling!
Each child looks like a perfect angel. I'm sure they were not, but you wouldn't know from looking at the pics. A co-worker's adorable little girl is one of models.

If you have children, go make an appointment now! You'll have to wait because Tiffany is booked months in advance but you will understand why when you see the photos.

Wander through her flickr pages.

Here are some of my favorites...

The overhead bathtub shot.

And snow pictures!

The little boy who seems to be saying "I'm not convinced."

Find details about Tiffany here: http://munchkinsandmohawksphotography.com/blog/

Tutorial: Chrysalis to Carapace

2011-01-29T11:11:00.001-05:00

Which came first? The Chrysalis or the Carapace? This started off as one thing and, in this particular case, didn't turn out so great. But, through the magic of a happy accident, it turned into something else interesting. See my tutorial on flickr.

New Beads: Hearts and Flowers and other stuff

2011-01-22T11:06:00.000-05:00

Cool Video: Birds Flocking ("Starlings on Otmoor")

2011-01-16T07:54:00.006-05:00

I am always fascinated when I happen upon a flock of birds flowing and swooping in one giant swirling wave. Last night it occurred to me that there are probably videos on YouTube that I could watch. And boy, were there! Apparently, Starlings frequently exhibit this behavior (called murmuration) in massive groups. Check out this amazing video. (The big action on this video starts at the 2:00 minute mark if you're in a hurry). I would love to witness this in person some day!

Another video shows that the birds may do this as a protective measure from predators, like a "fish ball" in the ocean. But I like to think that birds are just having fun using the wind as the tracks on their own avian roller coaster.

Artist: Nathan Fowkes charcoal portraits

2011-01-13T20:19:00.000-05:00

I've highlighted Nathan Fowkes' gorgeous charcoal portraits before but I have to share some more. You must go look!
I have no words for how incredible they are. Look at the light and shadow and how there's not much detail yet you see perfectly rendered hair, the edge of a nose, or draped fabric...sigh. If I ever created anything this good, I could hang up my art tools and die happy!
And start here to check out more of his recent work.

New bead: SeaChrysalis

2011-01-12T22:33:00.000-05:00

Beads and B'days: Happy Birthday to me!

2011-01-11T22:26:00.001-05:00

Today is my birthday! It was pretty low-key. A little happy hour got postponed because of bad weather, but we did have a giant cake this afternoon for the five January birthdays. It was a half-and-half cake to make everyone happy. But seriously, what is the point of white/vanilla cake? It's a known fact that all cake should be chocolate! Or maybe that's just MY known fact!

New beads I stayed up far too late last night to make. Once I start making beads, any tiredness totally evaporates and I have a hard time stopping.

PPCG Workshop: Ronna Sarvas Weltman

2011-01-09T10:37:00.001-05:00

Ronna Sarvas Weltman

April 30 & May 1, 2011

With much excitement and anticipation, the Pittsburgh Polymer Clay Guild (PPCG) is hosting artist, author and teacher of polymer clay, Ronna Sarvas Weltman, for two days of instruction. Wire beginners will learn how to work with wire, and those with experience will learn new tricks, including how to enhance their organic aesthetic in their wire skills.

We will also play in depth with polymer clay, paying particular attention to incorporating wire into polymer clay (and polymer into wire). This is not a project class; students will learn a whole bunch of tricks. Ronna's classes are focused on helping every student feel empowered in articulating her or his own "artistic voice."

The workshop will be held at:

Georgetown Clubhouse Valley View Drive | Lawrence, PA 15055

Please contact Laura Tabakman to reserve your place.

lauratabakman (at) yahoo (dot) com

Member fee $170. Non-member $185.

And the Winner is: Marina!

2011-01-06T23:02:00.000-05:00

The winner of the faceted beads from the flickr demo is...Marina of Tomsk, Russia! Congratulations! I have never mailed anything to Russia before so now I can put another pin in a new spot on the "bead travel map!"
You may know Marina as Marya_Moreva on flickr. Go check out her exotic wire and polymer clay work!

400: Giveway Results tomorrow!

2011-01-04T00:59:00.001-05:00

I hit 400 sales in the etsy shop this evening so it's time to draw the names for the "Frosted Facets" giveaway. I swiped the names of everyone who commented in the blog or on flickr. I'll take the names to work with me tomorrow and enlist one of my co-workers to be the picker.

In the meantime, look at my new favorite bead that I plan to keep all to myself!

Happy New Year: Lot of new stuff going on here!

2011-01-01T14:09:00.003-05:00

I took advantage of my long holiday weekend to stay up all night making beads and watching netflix.* These, and their assorted family members, will be on etsy later tonight.

In other news, my upstairs remodeling project is in full swing. I will be in this house until I die or go to a nursing home so I'm spending the cats' inheritance on making it the way I want. My tiny 8'x8' "third bedroom" is becoming a walk-in closet and the bathroom is getting larger through elimination of the old closet from the tiny bedroom and the hallway linen closet.
The bathroom will be a classic black-and-white retro cottage style in keeping with the size and age of the house. Since the photos below were taken, the tile has been put down, the new lights are installed, and the cabinets are at Home Depot awaiting pickup. Yay!
Below: View from inside bath toward new closet. The floor is not really slanted ...I created a composite image so it's a bit warped.

Below: view from inside new closet toward bath

Other assorted improvements are going on as well...re-squaring the doorways and installing new doors in my age-slanted house, installing ceiling fan/lights in my bedroom and art "studio," replacing the broken-down microwave/range hood with a standard range hood and a counter microwave, and fixing the water problem in the backyard with an extension to the patio and new drain, followed by repair of the garage ceiling damaged by all the massive rainwater last year (the new drainage system will redirect the water and resolve the issue.)

*Best netflix choice watched: Exit through the Gift Shop. Very interesting. Also saw "True Grit" at the theater with friends and went to a new Indian restaurant after. We really liked both.. Hailee Steinfeld, 13 years old (!) at time of filming True Grit, is fantastic as the main character, Mattie Ross.

DMC Memory Thread: Has anyone used this?

2010-12-19T11:40:00.000-05:00

I saw DMC Memory Thread at Michael's yesterday. It's a thin fiber-wrapped wire. I almost bought some but decided to think about what I might do with it first (imagine that, resisting an impulse buy craft item!). I don't see too much about it on the web for other than embroidery use -- has anyone used it for jewelry? I think it has possibilities. Here are the colors and you get 3 ft for $2.99, if I recall correctly.

Beads: Frosted Facets Demo

2010-12-14T01:42:00.000-05:00

I posted photos on Flickr to show how to make these beads. It's so easy! Try it!

Win these sample beads (and some other goodies)! Comment on this item, on the flickr demo page at the link above, and/or on your own blog (and send me a link), and I'll put your name in the hat. The drawing will happen when my shop hits 400 sales...it's not that far away so comment soon!

Beads: Frosted Facets

2010-12-12T02:03:00.002-05:00

I took inspiration from Jibby and Juna's fragment carvings, and Beadworx's metallic powders, and Stillpoint Works' matte finish carvings, and these little pastel beads I had seen a while ago (that I finally found the link for) by Unaodd.
Thanks ladies!

beads: Sealpoint Wraps

2010-12-05T10:19:00.001-05:00

Years ago my grandmother's neighbor had Coco, an old Siamese cat who sat on the bed and made an mean sound when you walked by. These are named after her (or actually, colored after her!)

Colored Pencil: Times Square

2010-11-29T23:23:00.001-05:00

I took a bunch of photos in New York last month and some will become reference material.
I did this one from Times Square over Thanksgiving weekend.
Below is the original photo. I cropped it quite a bit to focus on the people in the center section.

I wanted to make the picture fairly large so I printed my reference out on 11x17 paper and gridded it off in 1" squares. I know, that's probably considered "cheating" but I don't have the time to invest in a drawing that's going to turn out dis-proportional! (I saw a "cartoon" by a Renaissance artist that had holes punched in it so his assistants could pat chalk through the holes to create the guidelines on the wall to help him begin his mural. If the Old Masters can do it, so can I!)
I put crosshairs on my paper at the intersections of the inch marks. I didn't sketch any outlines;
instead, I just laid down the all light and dark shapes and then fit all the rest in between, referring to my guidelines until I had the basic shapes of the entire scene in place.

Below is the original colored pencil drawing.

I wasn't crazy about the paper but it was the only kind I had on hand that was big enough.

There was too much texture and I couldn't get the color as intense or as solid as I wanted it.

Problem solved with a bit of help from Photoshop! I played with the levels and brightness/contrast.

And then just for fun, I hit it with the Poster Edges filter. One way to deal with something you don't like is to make the "problem" more pronounced. I didn't like the original texture but after darkening and emphasizing it, it's kind of cool.

Beads: Holiday Clay

2010-11-29T01:01:00.000-05:00

Did everyone have a nice Thanksgiving? I had time today to make a few new things...

they'll be posted in my etsy shop over the next few days.

Beads: I made some mystery beads

2010-11-24T01:45:00.009-05:00

I gave these beads the name sugarplums for several reasons (color, for one) but they also look like ornaments, or onions, or candies, etc.. You can call them whatever you want.
The first one was a happy accident but I liked it so much I made several more on purpose.

Thank You!: To all my bead customers on Etsy

2010-11-21T19:07:00.001-05:00

Nothing is more rewarding than knowing people shell out their hard-earned money for things I make. Nothing, not even these adorable boots I bought today with my bead proceeds. (This photo makes them look like they're over-the-knee boots, but they're not. I am still on the lookout for those!)

DSW was filled with boots, boots, and more boots. And better yet, unlike in the past two years, there were many in size 11. I told the manager I was thrilled to see so many 11s and she said they're starting to carry more size 9 and up now. YAY!!! (I even saw a few 12s which I have never seen there before!)

Bead proceeds also pay for my groceries, new art supplies, my own etsy purchases, and the Manhattan vacation I went on last month. So, moral of the story is, I shouldn't be typing, I should be making more beads!

I went to clay day today and came home with some new ideas!

Virtual Paintout: Rio de Janeiro

2010-11-19T23:31:00.000-05:00

My Virtual Paintout project for November. This scene can be found on Google Streetview here:

331 Rua Francisco Enes, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

There seems to be graffiti on every building there.
It's hard to drop the Google Streetview Man anywhere and not find it!

Snacks: Spicy Goodness

2010-11-18T23:13:00.000-05:00

If you like hot food, you must try Sabra Supremely Spicy Hummus. It has a chipotle topping that will wake your mouth up!
I dip into it with a Pecan or Almond Nut-Thins cracker. Nut-Thins are so tasty! Don't let the "gluten-free" label scare you...They are addictive!

Beads: Iconic Floral set

2010-11-16T23:36:00.000-05:00