Looming

Hi everyone!  I'm happy that you stopped by today.  I'm sure you're wondering what that title means.  It means that I took a bead looming class!  I know that doesn't sound like anything earth shattering to anyone, but it is something I needed to get talked into!  So, for me it was a shift in my thinking.  Let me explain.  I never liked bead looming.  For that matter, I never was very interesting in fiber weaving.  I've done lots of things with fiber and fabric, but weaving wasn't something that appealed to me.  I tried bead looming, but again, it didn't appeal.  To begin with, it's so flat and I love dimension.  It's flatness makes it uninteresting for me to work on.  But, last year I began to change my mind.  I went to a lecture and demo given by a bead looming artist, Erin Simonetti, at Bead Soup.
Erin's work is amazing.  She has been looming since she was a child.  The techniques she has developed are incredible and take looming to a new level.  No more perfectly flat pieces of beaded "fabric".   She creates all the designs herself, so each is original.  The lecture was the introduction to a series of classes she began teaching at Bead Soup.  But, I resisted.  I have so many things on my plate, or should I say on my work table, that I didn't need another one!  So, I watched what others created in the classes and admired the projects but I resisted!  Some of my friends told me I should try it and I resisted.  Finally, I decided to take one of  Erin's classes.  It was a small amulet bag that had a smocked front!  Smocking in beads!!  I used to smock.  I even made a couple of dresses for my daughter when she was a little girl.  But, smocking in beads was so intriguing.  So, I signed up.  This is what we loomed.

 

 

The front.

 

The back.

 

Detail of the smocking and fringe.

 

 

I developed my own fringe design and got to use the fantastic new dagger beads, which I love and have been wanting a project to come along so I could use them.  I replaced the silver chain Erin had used on top of the fringe with a spiral rope of silver beads and the last dagger I had in the middle.  And, I have a beaded chain pattern that I like so I used that for the neck strap.  But, the wonderful smocked beading and the charted flowers are all Erin's! 

 

I enjoyed the class and learning some of Erin's techniques.  I probably will never be a committed bead looming person, but I enjoy Erin's designs and so tomorrow I'm taking my second looming class.  We'll be making one of two designs for a Fall cuff.  I'm doing the leaf cuff which has some interesting techniques that only Erin could come up with.   And, I can't resist Fall themed projects of any kind and I love cuff, so I had to do this class!   It should be interesting!  I'll share when it's finished!

 

Thank you for stopping by today.  I hope you have a wonderful weekend. 



 



Post #2 of Astrid's ICAD Swap

Hello, and welcome to the second installment of Astrid's ICAD Swap.  Last time I showed you the first card that I made for Margie.   Now I can show you the one I made for Jennie.

 

 

 

I don't often work with blue but I just felt I needed to use blue for this ICAD.  I don't question these things, I just follow along!  First I inked the card with Broken China and Salty Ocean DI and then  I stamped the wild flowers with embossing ink and  used white embossing powder on it.  The quote is from a Tim Holtz stamp set. I glued strips of paper and a butter fly to finish the design.  I used a Wendy Vecchi trick and ran silver Distress stain along the edges.

 

 

 

 

 

For the folder I used kraft paper.  I used silver ink and a stamp I've had for a long time to add a design to the outside and then  I used a Tim Holtz On the Edge die to cut one side. Once again I ran the Distress stain along the cut edge.  I added an eyelet and some baker's twine as a closure. 

 

 

 

 

 

I cut the kraft paper so that the pocket was part of the shape and I scored it and folded it up.  I used another On the Edge die to shape the edge of the pocket and finished with Distress stain. Another wild flower stamp was stamped on both flaps the same way I did on the card and I added a little pocket with particulars of the swap on a tag tucked inside. 

 

 

So, there you have it.  I said in my previous post that this was a really fun swap and it really was!  It was a brilliant idea that Astrid had and I think everyone who participated had a great time.  I received two fantastic ICADs which I will share next time.  Both of them are special to me for different reasons and the interesting thing is that I've never met either of my swap partners.  So, it was karma or serendipity or some such thing, but it was fantastic! 

 

Thank you for visiting with me today.  I'm so glad you spent some of your time with me.  I hope you have a great day. 

 









Astrid's ICAD Swap: Part 1

A few weeks ago Astrid McLean organized an ICAD swap.  ICADs are 3x5" index cards that you use to create a piece of art.  Twenty three people signed on to the swap.  We each were assigned 2 people to make a card for.  If we wanted to we could also make a folder to hold the card.  Every one has been having a great time making the cards and receiving their cards.  Both of mine went to the UK and I was delighted to hear that one arrived today!  Since it's been delivered I can show you what I created and sent off.

 

 

This is the card.  I inked the card with forest green, sage, and brushed corduroy DI.  Then I fussy cut a garden fairy from a Prima paper stack.  The saying comes from the same stack and I cut it apart and inked it with vintage photo DI.  I cut some flowers with the Tattered Florals die and added them  with some sparkle centers.  Some little stick on flowers and a rub on bee completes the card.

 

 

The background you see in the photo is the folder.  Here is a picture of the inside with the card in the pocket.

 

 

 

I used paper from Graphic45's Secret Garden collection for the folder.  I cut it so that I was able to score the center and fold up the pocket.  I added some leaf trim to the top and a die cut medallion with a butterfly in the middle.  Some fussy cut butterflies are attached on each side panel.

 

 

 

 

The outside of the folder has a label I die cut.  It is also from the Prima stack and it says Fairy Whispers.  I put eyelets in the middle and a ribbon to close it.

 

 

I had so much fun participating in this swap.  I'll share my second ICAD when I know it has arrived in its new home!

 

Thank you so much for visiting today.  I welcome all of you with great pleasure.  I hope you have a wonderful day.

 











Summer of tags

Well, it's been a while!  I was on a roll all summer and in the last few weeks I hit a lull!  Not that I haven't been on the same crazy schedule as always, especially now that I'm back to my two mornings at the library, but I just haven't finished anything!  So, there should be lots of posts to come, right?  We'll see since I never know what's going to happen! 

But, over the summer I made several tags, which you know are my favorite things to make.  This post is going to be short on words and long on pictures.  Here goes!

 

My Gatsby tag.  I love the story and the Art Deco and was inspired by the new movie.

 

French Country experiment with a folding tag

The inside

 

 

The beach folded tag

The inside

 

Carnival mask

 

The Vintner tag with a cork die cut edge.

 

The lime green tag.

 

 

Well, there you have it.  Along with other projects this summer I always went back to tags.  I hope you have a great day.  Thank you all for visiting today.  Hopefully, I'll be back to share some finished works in progress soon!

 



 

 



In the style of Finn

Hello everyone!  Today I have a mixed media canvas that I did after my daughter and I took two classes with Anna Dabrowska, aka Finnabair, at our favorite paper arts store, The Queen's Ink, in Savage, Maryland.  We have loved Finn's work for a long time and were so delighted when we heard that she was coming to the Queen's!  We had two fabulous days of creativity and I'll share what we made soon.  But, I came away so enamored of Finn's technique and style of working that I had to make another piece somewhat like we did in class.  I had found some fantastic seaside papers that owner Patti had just gotten in.  This has been my summer for beach and seaside themed projects and so I just had to have all the papers.  They are truly beautiful.   I decided to use them to make one last beach project this summer!!  Here is the finished canvas.

 

 

I glued one of the sheets of paper down to an 8x8 canvas and used heavy body gel medium through one of Finn's new stencils. I used pieces of a shell themed napkin to add some transparent shells to the background.  Then, because I didn't want to cover the design of the paper, I used Perfect Pearls to spray the entire piece allowing the design to still be visible.  The shells and jelly fish in the corner and the border are the paper's design.  Then I got  out my collection of shells.  I've collected shells for years and I thought this would be a good place to use some of them.  I also used some shell beads and some chip board sea life pieces that Linda from Funkie Junkie Boutique gifted me in an order.  Thank you, Linda!  I played with the arrangement a bit, but it came together quite quickly.  I glued it all down with Glossy Accents, although I could have used gel medium, too.  I then took a sticker from the set of papers and put that at the top.  I sprayed the whole thing again with Perfect Pearls spray and used Silks transparent acrylics dry brushed over the entire piece.  I used my finger to rub some gold Gilders' Paste over the shells and some of the background.  Here are some details.

 





 

 

 

 

I'm very pleased with the way this turned out.  I love what I call Finn's encrusted look and I think this has that quality. 

I'm done with summer projects now!  I've put  all my summer papers and odds and ends away.  It's time to move on to late summer, Halloween and Fall.  But, I've  had so much fun remembering fun days at the beach. 

 

I'm going to enter this piece in the Frilly and Funkie challenge, which is By the Seaside. 

 

Thank you for visiting today.  I'm so happy to have you take the time to stop by my blog.  I hope you have a wonderful and creative day.

 

 

...and, now for some jewelry!

Yes, all my jewelry making blog friends, I do still make jewelry.  In fact, I just took a bead looming class this past weekend, so I have another method in my arsenal!  But, I digress.  I have finally gotten some enamels and did some torch fired enameling, ala Barbara Lewis.  Some of you may remember that I took a class with Sally Stevens over the winter and fell madly in love with torch fired enameling.  So, I finally acquired some different colors of enamel from Barbara's well stocked online store and I set myself up on our screened porch and spent three hours enameling copper beads, swirly headpins I made, and other fun pieces. 

The headpins were made with the idea of creating my version of Sally's bib necklace that was on the cover of the April/May issue of Step by Step Wire Jewelry.  Here is my necklace.

 

 

 

I used ceramic beads, along with some small copper beads to make the links on my cool enameled headpins.  I decided to make the chain after seeing the beautiful chains my blog friend Patti has been making.  So, I used 16 gauge copper wire and made infinity links which I linked together with jump rings.   The hook is a variation of an infinity link that I saw used on a necklace on Pinterest.  I wish I could remember when I saw it and who made it, but unfortunately, it's been a while ago.  Here are a couple of detail pictures.

 

the clasp

 

 

 





The headpins and the chain.

 

 

I also made a pair of earrings from two enameled beads. 

 

 

 

So, there you have some of my adventures in enameling on my own!  There are more pieces coming!  I really love doing it.  Its a very fast technique and you can end up with a lot of different components is a very short amount of time.  Its very addictive!

 

I hope you are enjoying the quickly passing summer.  Have a wonderful week.  Thank you for stopping by and welcome to any new readers.  I'm so happy to have you join me!

 



 









The Library Pocket: French Country Style

I'm excited to show you my latest project.  It's a library pocket with an insert.  I've had the template for this since last year.  I downloaded it from Mirkwood Designs and then never used it. But, I've been wanting to make a pear themed project with the Graphi45 French Country papers and I thought of the library pocket.  I love those papers and since my inspiration is moving into late summer/Fall mode now I think they're perfect for this time of year.  I also have a new pear stamp I've been wanting to use, so everything seemed to come together and I created this.

 

 

I traced the template onto a manila folder and cut it out.  I inked it with Distress Ink and then used a technique I learned from Wendy Vecchi last year.  You spray water, or water and Perfect Pearls, on your craft sheet and then stamp into the water.  Then you stamp your tag, or whatever you're working on.  You end up with a bleached effect that is very cool.  If you used Perfect Pearls as well as water, you have a slightly pearlized effect.  I did use the Perfect Pearls but it's hard to see the effect in the picture.  I used the same technique on the back with a different stamp.  I used a die cut from the French Country cardstock collection and attached it to the top edge of the pocket.  I then folded the side tabs back and embellished the back and used the distress banners die to make a label. 

 



 



 

 

To finish the front I used Distress Ink to dye a ribbon and tied it around the pocket.  I put a brass flower which Linda from The Funkie Junkie Boutique sent me on top of the knot and put a sparkly center on it.  I used some green leaf trim to spill over the ribbon and attached some "rain drop" stickers to it.

 

The insert is where I got to use my lovely pear stamp. 

 



 

I stamped it on card stock that I inked with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.  Then I watercolored it using Distress Ink in various colors.  I tore it from the piece of card stock and put it on a piece of French Country paper which was layered on another paper from the collection which I cut to fit the pocket. I used one of the French Country stamps at the bottom of the insert and  I used another Tim Holtz stamp to add the Pear/Poire name to the top of the insert. 

 

Here are some of the details.

 



 

 

 

 



 

 

So, there you have it.  I love the papers and I love pear motifs for this time of summer.  I got to use both my pear stamps and some of my favorite papers.  Since this project is a folded piece I'm entering it in the Frilly and Funkie challenge which is Any Way You Fold It. 

 

I hope you have a wonderful day.  Thank you for stopping by for a visit.  I'll be back soon with, surprisingly, some new jewelry!