artBLISS 2013 Wrap Up (Finally...)

At the end of September, I traveled to the D.C. area to once again attend artBLISS. This year the family stayed behind as I splurged and stayed for all three days of workshops. An added treat awaited me at check-in! When I told them I no longer needed a room with two beds, they gave me a suite! This was the placard outside my room. How did they know where I grew up?!

I was so excited to meet up with people I met last year, meet new artists, and of course take the WORKSHOPS!! I had decided to take two workshops (Spinner Rings and Torch-Fired Enamel Ring) with Richard Salley and his assistant, Jessica Papke, and one workshop (Thin Gauge Sheet Metal) with Stacie Florer.

Pictured clockwise from upper left: Jessica Papke and Richard Salley, sterling silver spinner ring, my torch-fired pendant, copper with nickel silver spinner ring and brass spinner ring, collection of torch-fired class' work (see how all but mine are rings?), and Oops!. That last picture would be my ring blank that got some extra love from my torch. Plan B = Pendant!

In the picture above are some of the items I made in the thin gauge sheet metal workshop (eventually will be earrings) and on the right is the one-and-only Stacie Florer demonstrating a technique for forming the metal.

Friday night everyone attended the meet and greet and were also able to shop the instructors' works of art. Oh! I can't forget that Cindy Wimmer also had a table where she was selling and signing her first published book, The Missing Link. A great book with stunning photography and fun techniques!

Saturday night was a great time as well as Cindy and Jeanette surprised us by supplying pizza and salad while we shopped our fellow students handmade jewelry components! Got some great items from Jenny Davies-Reazor (who cracks me up!), Diana Ptaszynski (who is also very funny) and others. I can't wait to incorporate these into my own creations.

Now I just have to put all I learned to good use! I'm already looking forward to artBLISS 2014, whatever it may have in store...

Creating with Cabochons Challenge & Blog Hop

Sally Russick of The Studio Sublime put forth the challenge to create something using cabochons. It looks like a lot of people jumped in on this one! I hope you enjoy reading about what I created and I encourage you to hop on over to the other artists' blogs and read about their creations as well. Enjoy!

A few years ago I thought of an idea using PMC (Precious Metal Clay) to honor my mother and keep her close to me. (She passed away close to five years ago.) I had a stamp made with an image of her handwriting. Specifically, how she used to sign her cards to me and my sisters.

I have already made my sisters pendants for necklaces using this stamp on one side and a texture of their choice on the other. I have been going back and forth about what I wanted to do with mine all this time. The only thing I knew for sure was that I wanted a bracelet. I decided to use this challenge to delay no more and make my bracelet blank. So without further delay, here it is:

(Bottom picture is actually from my sister's bracelet. Forgot to take a picture of mine!!)

The decorative elements I added all have meaning for me. The blue stone in the cab represents the color of my mother's eyes and the three silver balls on that side represent my two sisters and myself. On the left-hand side are silver balls with wire wrapped around them that symbolize the hugs that I miss so much.

I plan on completing the bracelet with PMC links that will picture things that my mother passed on to or shared with me as well as nicknames she used to call us. You can see the links I've made so far in this collage photo.

Well enough of the somber tone! Thank you for stopping by and I hope I have given you some ideas to use in your own jewelry.

Please visit the other participants' blogs:

Your Host:  Sally Russick

D Lynne  Bowland

Alicia Marinache           

Lynn  Jobber           

Jenny Davies-Reazor           

Jo-Ann  Woolverton           

Marde Lowe           

Dawn Doucette           

Mary K McGraw           

Gloria Allen           

Cheri  Reed           

Sonya Stille           

Elizabeth Owens Dwy           

Veralynne   Malone           

Tania Hagen           

Lynsey  Brooks           

Christina Miles           

Holly  Westfall           

Kathy  Lindemer           

Patti Vanderbloemen           

Therese Frank           

Adrienne Berry           

Liz   E 

Tanty  Sri Hartanti           

Ginger Bishop

Renetha Stanziano           

Marlene  Cupo           

Sandi Volpe           

Sharyl McMillian-Nelson           

Niky  Sayers

Mischelle Fanucchi           

Tracy  Stillman           

Skylar Bre'z           

Ann Schroeder           

Paula Kramer

Jess Green           

Susan Kennedy           

Stacie  Florer           

Cathie  Carroll           

Susan F.  

Michelle Caballero       

Sabine Dittrich           

Kristina Johansson           

Kimberly Sturrup-Roberts           

Melissa  Meman           

Cheryl McCloud         

Michelle  Timms           

Cindy  Pack           

 

Lynda  Carson

Cynthia  Machata           

Julia  Harris           

Karin  Slaton

Ingrid  Anderson           

Karin Grosset Grange

Jasvanti Patel 

Inge  von Roos

Molly Alexander

Toltec Jewels  

 

Green Girl Studios Bead Giveaway!!

Lorelei Eurto is having a great giveaway on her blog for some beautiful Green Girl Studios beads! Hop over and check it out!

http://lorelei1141.blogspot.com/2013/08/a-weekend-giveaway.html

Registration is Open for artBLISS 2013!

 

I don't remember how I discovered artBLISS but I am so glad I did. If you have the interest and are able to join a wonderful group of people for a weekend of instruction, inspiration and fun then artBLISS is the place for you.

2012 was my first experience at artBLISS and I'm so glad I went. The instructors are top-notch and the classes are small enough to fully benefit from these talented people. Everyone attending was so nice and welcoming as of course were Cindy and Jeanette, the hosts of this fantastic event.

Follow the link, artBLISS, and find out more about the fantastic classes as well as learning how Cindy and Jeanette started this whole thing.

Assemblage

Last week I posted pictures of some pieces I had enameled. Here is a look at what I did with some of those pieces along with a couple other items I completed last week and before.

Techniques used besides enameling were soldering, forming, etching and handmaking tube rivets.

Overall, I'm pretty happy with how they turned out. I'm hoping to have some of these listed in my etsy shop within the next few days. Let's see if I actually accomplish that!

Tootles!

A Peek at What's Coming Up

It's about time I posted something on my blog so how about a peek at what I've been up to very recently. Enameling!

Enameling, at least my experience with it, reminds me of that saying about a boy "...when he was good he was very, very good but when he was bad he was horrid." When the color combinations, quality of enameling (no dings, pock marks, etc.) and the enamel gods are with you (e.g. the extra holes not filling up or when they do are easily corrected without ruining what you've already done and no refires necessary), the components you end up with are a thing of beauty!

Here are a couple of pictures of some of the pieces I will be incorporating into some jewelry for a show this weekend...

 I'll try to post some pictures of completed pieces later this week.

"Barenaked Ladies" in Maine?

A while ago, I got a notice from TicketMaster letting me know that the Barenaked Ladies, along with Big Head Todd and the Monsters, Blues Traveler, and Cracker would be playing in Bangor, Maine. My husband and I had seen BNL at Turning Stone Casino a couple of years ago and it was a fantastic show with many surprises (just one being that Ed from BNL sang a version of "I'm Sexy and I Know It" with Big Head Todd and proceeding to strip down to a thong - shock, horror and hysterical laughter ensued). It was just the excuse we needed to visit Maine. (There is no logic here, folks. Just play along.)

John Popper from Blues Traveler and David Lowery from Cracker perrform.

Todd Park Mohr of Big Head Todd and the Monsters

Ed Robertson, Kevin Hearn, Jim Creeggan, and Tyler Stewart (not shown) of Barenaked Ladies.

First stop, Portland, Maine. If anyone has been thinking about visiting this town, don't second guess it, do it. We all loved Portland. It's a smaller city with many quaint shops in the Old Port section of town. We found a great coffee shop, Mornings in Paris, that we visited both days we were there. We took a tour of the harbor by boat and I discovered I have no sea legs. Aside from that our time was spent eating lobster as many ways as we could and shopping.

Our next stop was to Bar Harbor for one night at a bed and breakfast. After having to share a double bed for two nights, Sean said about the two twin beds awaiting them, "Tonight, we sleep like kings." Where does he get this stuff? Yes, I was a bit worried about a 15 and 13 year old in a B&B. They were given specific instructions, that's for sure.

I was hoping to hunt for sea glass during low tide to use in some jewelry but I wasn't up to it right when we got there and I didn't want to get out of bed that early to look the next day. Next time, I guess. We walked around the harbor, poked about in the stores and had dinner. The next morning we had a delicious breakfast of blueberry and cream cheese stuffed French Toast with blueberry sauce and then it was off to Bangor for the concert.

They wouldn't let me bring home the B&B's beautiful butler's pantry...

Bar Harbor

Tea time!

Our last stop in Maine was Perkins Cove/Ogunquit. It's very popular destination and I wish we had more time to spend checking out all the little shops but after lunch we were all ready to press on home. We ate at MC Perkins Cove. I wanted to check it out as the two chef owners are on the current Top Chef Masters. We weren't disappointed. It was delicious.

Hope you're able to take a trip to Maine sometime. We're hoping we'll get back there some day.

artBLISS Workshops

Sterling Silver and Turquoise Ring made by ME!

Two weekends ago, my husband and two sons headed down to Sterling, VA so I could attend a couple of classes by artBLISS and they could sightsee in D.C.. The first class was "Who is Afraid of the Big, Bad Saw?" instructed by Martina Stein. I made myself take this class as sawing is not my favorite thing in the world. It turns out I wasn't the only one in this category. Got some great tips on how you should sit while sawing and how/where to position the material.

Richard Salley and Martina Stein

The second full day class was "Southwest Wings" instructed by Richard Salley and assisted by Martina Stein. I had been wanting to take a class like this for so long. I've played around with soldering and had made one simple ring but really wanted hands-on instruction. This class did not disappoint! Richard and Martina are so approachable and very knowledgeable. I'm so glad I was able to attend. Of course I ended up wishing I had taken more classes that were offered.

I have to say everyone who attended these classes were so nice and funny. Last but not least are the two women behind artBLISS: Jeanette Blix Ryan and Cindy Wimmer. They did such a fantastic job organizing all of the great workshops, answering questions, arranging/ordering lunch and I'm sure a whole lot more behind the scenes duties. Their hard work has helped so many advance their jewelry-making skills. I'm so appreciative that they decided to start their artBLISS venture.

Who Knew?

Who knew that a couple of the pendants I purchased recently from Jade Scott contained colors in Pantone's 2012 Color Trends? What a co-inky-dink! Not that I live and breath for what designers say is in but I'll allow myself to feel like I have some kind of [false] validation. Is that so wrong?

Final Craft Show of the Year

Getting ready for my last show of 2011. Hope to have a good showing at least tomorrow. I have a feeling that the Black Friday shoppers will be too tired to come out tonight...

If you're in the area, stop by and pop in to support the local artisans!
Happy shopping!!

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year...

'Tis the season for supporting your local artists! Visit craft fairs in your area and get one-of-kind gifts for your friends and family.

I will be at two of the upcoming local art shows in my area. This weekend I will be at the Chenango Valley High School for their annual craft fair. Stop by and say hello!

Will Someone Please Turn Off the Faucet?

Here is a glimpse of parts of the Southern Tier of New York state. Tropical Storm Lee was not too kind and dumped a lot of water on us the past couple of days. Many roads and businesses are closed due to the flooding. In many areas this is worse than it was in 2006 which had historic levels of flooding.

Pictured above is a nearby pub that we go to. The water is past the door handle. To the right is a shed used by the golf course (that is flooded in the background) that is tipped. The picture below that is the regular size pail I had on the back deck. It was full and overflowing this morning.

Here is the road that leads from our neighborhood (located up the hill in the background) to school. First day of school - canceled.

Here water is coming up from the Chenango River over Upper Front Street.

This is the parking lot of WalMart located in Vestal.

(Thanks to Daniele and Felicia for a couple of the photos.)

I wish a speedy recovery to those affected by the flood...

A Penchant for Pendants

I looked through my stash the other day and saw how many pendants I have and realized I needed to stop hoarding and start using them. (Yes, I have a problem. I have a hard time letting go. Is it bad that I stare at my collections and coo "My pretties."? Please don't call the authorities. Yet...)

The necklace on the left came about from starting a bracelet using the same turquoise bead but that was about the only similarity. It features a beautiful pendant made by Nancy Schindler of Round Rabbit.

I always marvel at how you can start out making one thing and somewhere along the way you take a left turn and you have something completely different! Later on, I did end up making the bracelet I had initially planned.

This czech glass melon bead chain was perfect to complement the colors in Jade Scott's cute owl pendant. I have quite a few of both artists' pieces in my stash. I plan on using more of them in upcoming projects if I can deal with my pack rat tendencies...

Greene's Annual Arts & Crafts Festival

I will be at Greene's Annual Arts & Crafts Festival once again this year. It is tomorrow, July 23th, from 9:00AM - 4:00PM. My tent will be in the same place as last year. (The map, above, shows a portion of the festival's layout and where I will be located: Booth 206.)

Happy 4th of July!

Love Always Mom

This is a link I made from Art Clay (silver clay) to honor my mother. I'll be including it into a bracelet. I had a stamp made of my mother's writing and made an impression for the back of the link. A "love" definition stamp was used for the front along with the shamrock to honor her Irish heritage. The plan is to make links for both my sisters so we all will have one for a bracelet or necklace. I'll be keeping this one for myself as it's a first try and not so perfect.

Charmed by Nature - GIVEAWAY!

Lorelei Eurto has a great giveaway (again!). This time around it's this cute collection from Kylie Parry. Stop by their blogs and see what these talented, generous ladies have been up to and for links to their shops. Thank you!

I'll Trade Ya'!

I had a booth at the Binghamton University Spring Craft Show on March 19th. My friend, Daniele, helped me out with the show. It's always nice to have someone with you to chat with when it's slow and help you out when you need to take a break.

Located right behind me was Julie from Latherati Soap Foundry. I'm so glad she introduced herself to me. We chatted off and on during the show. As the show wound down, Julie came over to look at my jewelry. I guess she liked what she saw because she said, "Hey, wanna barter?!" She picked out one of my latest bracelets (above) and then
we set off to her booth to continue our wheeling and dealing.

All of her scents were fantastic but my favorite were Longbourn (figures as I love Pride and Prejudice) and Matchmaker. I was also able to get Daniele a body spray with patchouli in it which I knew she loves. Check out Julie's Etsy shop (click on the logo below) for some fabulous lotions, creams, soaps and more! I've fallen in love with them. Thanks Julie!!