BEEN BEADING

I am not much of a 'beader', the whole process is a huge challenge for me. I can spend an hour just staring at the beads spread across the work table. I sting something, take it apart, add or take away... it just doesn't come naturally for me. But then there are times when I feel the desire to really make an effort and just create something beady.

I started with a Magnolia leaf created with polymer clay. The leaf turned out nice although not nearly as detailed as the Joe Pye leaves I prefer. The resulting brass chain necklace is fabulous! I moved on to a couple of pieces not using polymer beads or pendants. The multi-stranded blue necklace isnt quite finished. I am browsing catalogs for just the right bail to hang a swarovski cosmic ring. Simple but stately.

I just finished the bracelet.... which I adore! I stepped out there and used an array of fall colors. It turned out eye catching, just a grand piece! Click on the picture (please ignore the fuzz and dust accumulated on my display bust, agh!) to delve into the details.

Not sure what is next on my pallette.... maybe a matching necklace for the bracelet? Seems like the perfect color collection for Thanksgiving.

"Once upon a midnight dreary...."

Halloween is my favorite holiday of the year! Creative inspirations abound, and I tell you what... ANYTHING GOES! I've been making these cute little charms and attaching them to treat bags. Each bag has an Edgar Allan Poe quote attached, very gouly indeed. I've made cats, and mummys, ghostys, skulls, witches hats and even a witches shoe!
Our costumes this year are adorable.... The Flinstones! We got together with another couple so we are complete, Fred & Wilma with Betty & Barney. Yesterday I made Betty's hairbow, bracelet, earrings and an oversized gawdy ring. All using polymer of course! It's been such fun. Now I've got to sit down to put together Wilma's hair 'bone' stick, necklace, earrings and maybe an anklet.

hmmmmmm, "...while I pondered weak and weary." In the meantime (what am I talking about? It's such a busy week there is no 'meantime'!!) , stay creative and get ready for an awesome and artsy HALLOWEEN!

What's on my workbench?

I have a hard time coming up with things to write about, an even more difficult is taking the time to post. My studio is a humongous mess, yet I carve out a small space to continue creating. I have many different projects going at once. Ideas well planted in my imagination just waiting to become reality along with small inspirations which surprise me as they come to life. I looked across my workspace and I thought to myself, there are so many stories splayed out here - on my worktable, in plain site, stories waiting to be told.

(Click to enlarge and see a really big detailed shot!)

Clockwise from top: A mixture of green beads, then a collection of golden amber. When I am tired and uninspired I string beads and make lanyards for my work ID badge. It is a challenge for me as I dont have that natural knack with beadwork. I find it tedious and somewhat boring, but it does give my mind time to think and I usually come up with some 3 demensional idea waiting to be born in clay.
Tools.... scissors, blade and my favorite sculpting tool - a bristled paintbrush.
Pending pendants.... My sister had some knots made of ceramic which turned out beautiful. I recently created some smaller knots with polymer and sent them to her. I thought why knot (not haha) hide a small face in these knots? Hey it turned out great! There is also a re-creation of my Asian Script Plum Blossom choker, and at top an Asian Script medallion pendant. I've been working with ivory/bone lately. It started a couple weeks ago when I mindlessly sat down and rolled out two dozed bone beads. Fun!
Klimt stamp... last Friday my son was showing his artwork at Spokane Art Supply. I attended the reception (he is quite amazing if I do say so!) and while there found a 4-sided Gustav Klimt stamp. I had to have it and really cant wait to work with it!

So there you have it.... well you have a snapshot anyway. Around the edges and out of shot are so many more happenings. Like I said, my studio is a huge mess, and this is just a glimpse! Next week the view will change and more ideas will take their place in the middle of my glass top creative space. Thanks for letting me share!

Holding Out

I really HAVE been claying this summer! Take a look at my Flickr to see what I've been keeping from you. Summer is over, which dismays me to no end. I worked in the yard like crazy.... planted bushes and trees, tended perennials and grew some veggies. Went on a cruise to Alaska, beautiful! And beleive it or not, we experienced 80 degree sunshine every single day of that cruise. The locals said it was absolutely unprecedented weather, lucky me! I painted the deck, built new steps, hubby built a new shed. It's cute and looks like a cottage - love it! My sister came for a visit, we set up at the Garland Street Fair. 104 degrees that day, yikes! Slow sales, but hey I was with my sis and we had a good time. She was interviewed by channel 24 (KQUP? I think) anyway, talked about emerging indie artists and what it takes etc... The documentary should be out in November I believe. She did a great job and I cant wait to see it. (After the whole HGTV thing last year, I was not up for another minute of fame. And being the shy girl I am, I ran like the dickens from the camera!)

If you looked at my Flickr page, you can see that I am still not centered. I am so not afraid to try new things, in fact I crave new techniques. It is quite evident in my work, my style is just not defined. Never would you say.... "Oh look that must be a Lori piece." I go off in many directions and everything looks different. Hmmmmmmm.... not sure if that is a good thing. I had a gallery owner look at my work last year, she said I was "All over the place!" She said I needed to focus on one thing, like my leaves.
I needed to keep doing them, lots of them. Then show them, sell them, post them.... make myself known and then one day someone would say "Oh look that must be a Lori leaf, it looks like her work." I suppose that would be nice, but I just dont think it would be all that much fun. I think I will stick to my eclectic mish mash of anything goes. At least for now anyway. (318)

Life is Grand, Love is Real,

and Beauty is Everywhere.....

I fell asleep on the couch last night at around 7pm. Needless to say, I was up and chipper at 430 this morning. Deciding to take advantage of the morning sunrise, I grabbed the camera and tried to capture the dawning light. Great results! Color takes on a diffent value in the misty morning. Mother Nature plays tricks on my eyes and her flowers seem to glow an irredescent hue.


Pimento Yarrow, my favorite new perennial (right). And deep red tea roses (above) have overstepped boundaries in beauty!



PC update: As this blog is supposed to follow a polymer clay journey, I am currently attempting a second leaf cuff. So far, so good. You never know when your creations are a fluke to have turned out so well, or is it something you can actually acheive time and time again? (255)

Leafing Large!

Odile Gova of Ontario, Canada creates unique, one of a kind, hand casted sculptures. These leaves are just beautiful! And check this out.... they are concrete! I tried my own version using a giant rhubarb leaf this last weekend. Once cured I painted it and wah lah! My own leaf! Of course, mine is not nearly as scruptious as Odile's. She has the process down pat, even sharing tutorials on her Flickr Site.

Thank you Odile for the inspiration!

Meanwhile...
This is how my leaf turned out... seeing it up close next to Odile's inspiration leaf, I think I need more shading.... back to the pallette! (249)

Do Over!

Overs! Overs! I call overs! Isn't that something we used to chant as a child when we messed up then wanted another try? Well, I seem to remember something of the sort. So I am calling for 'Overs!' with this blog.

My original intent was to 'journey' through my years (a whopping two or three years, woohoo!) as a polymer clay artist. I started off nicely enough... then lost my place in time, got caught up in the present..... and so much for blogging!

I'll giving it one more try. This time just staying with whatever has me currently in kahoots. I haven't been claying much lately, although Cynthia Tinapple at Polymer Clay Daily has kept my faithful attention and inspiration honed. Today I actually received a mention on her blog! I am humbled to say the least. (More like peeing my pants happy dance!) Her post on creative PC cuffs got my muse going and the result (pictured above) has piqued her interest. (243)