Sugar Skull Charm Necklace

I have been wanting to do some posts like this for awhile, but like always, busy busy busy!  

I have a bunch of Sugar Skull focals in the shop, as well as some other focals similar to the sugar skulls, and I wanted to give you guys some idea of what you can do with them. 

http://www.stacilouiseoriginals.com/store

I had a few laid out on my desk, as I am prepping for a show this weekend, not sure what to do with them.  

At first I wanted to just add chain and a dangle and keep them super simple.  But it was too simple.............so I planned to add charms to the chain.  I wasn't sure how much to do charm wise, and was sort of thinking they needed chunky charms.

I hadn't finished figuring out that part, when Linda Landig posted a necklace she had made with one of my old bronze skulls, 

(you can purchase Linda's necklace here

http://lindalandig.indiemade.com/product/sugar-skull-necklace-brass-day-dead-pendant-orange-black-purple-sari-silk-0 )

and seeing her little dangles sealed the deal for me.  That is what my plain old necklace needed.  Just some simple dangles.  It really captures the Dia de los Muertos feel I think.

So I added my double dangly charms (flower beads by Lisa Peters Art- they were the perfect match!!!)

And I added my chain, and picked out charms to accent the colors in my skull, and voila!  I love the results!

(ceramic stars by Starry Road Studio)

So here are my tips when doing a charm style necklace- not quite a tutorial, but this should help if you tend to struggle with them.

1.  pick out way more stones and beads in a variety of sizes then you will use

2.  lay them out, spacing out larger beads, and filling in the spaces between them with smaller beads

3.  when you use a cable chain, like this one, only hang charms on EVERY OTHER LINK so they lay properly.  the links alternate directions and your charms won't hang right otherwise.  Also, be sure to keep the chain from turning.  I pick it up and make sure the chain is laying correctly so the charms are always added to the bottom of the link

4.  skip a few "hangable" links for each big piece.  I like to hold the piece up to my neck and look at it each time I add a bead to make sure they hang right

5.  Fill the links you skipped with tiny beads to create movement and fill the space without them bumping into the other beads causing them to lay inccorectly.

6.  Try to use beads of a consistent thickness.  if you use beads that are tooooo round they will stick out when you wear it and roll around.

And there you have it.  A simple necklace that is not too plain, not too much!  I haven't taken this one off yet and I cannot wait to design the others on my table.

Remember, you too can make some "charming" necklaces using the components in my shop.  Lots of sugar skulls left.  I love taking the form of a skull and making it pretty.  So fun!

http://www.stacilouiseoriginals.com/store

Earrings Everday We're all Ears: Tidepools

I could NOT pass up the chance to make some tide pool inspired earrings this month!

When I saw the pictures they posted over at Earrings Everyday it just made my heart jump a little bit. 

 I have bowls of things from the sea all over my house.  My heart is always drawn to the ocean and its beautiful creatures and shells, corals and bones......

I broke out my polymer clay components and grabbed some of my new earring spikes (I could not stop thinking that they look like something straight from the sea)

I also grabbed some older ones- using ocean textures and themes in my work is nothing new.  made earrings, grabbed some ocean props and took some pictures this morning (nothing like waiting till the last minute, right?)

these are bone and polymer clay

these are coral and polymer clay

these are coral, seed beads and polymer clay

chain and polymer clay urchin earrings

and Last but not least, my favorites!  Pod earrings with pearls and polymer clay!

That was fun!  Now I am off to see what other creations folks made using the Tide Pool theme.  If you want to hop along, just go here.

If you like the new earring sets, check my shop next week.  More will be added soon!!!!

http://www.stacilouiseoriginals.com/store

Keeping Busy

If you follow Love my Art Jewelry, this is going to be mostly the same post.  

Last weekend I got to go up to the Grand Canyon of PA for the weekend with my family, my parents and my best friends family.

It was amazing.  I love being surrounded by nature, hearing the running water of the creek constantly, and smelling the fresh mountain air.

The first thing we do when we get there each year is to head up to the lookout over the canyon.  I never get tired of the beauty!

Then we checked into the cabin and unloaded.  It was right down to the creek with the kids and they wasted no time getting wet and muddy.

The next day we got out the tubes, and had fun tubing with the kids

we played on the huge lawn

and had fun just hanging out with each other

The boys caught dinner

I wish I had gotten more pictures, but really, I was too busy having fun.

I already can't wait until next year.

It was a much needed time away, since balancing the kids summer fun, and my work during my busiest time, can be rather difficult.

This week I am right back into bead making and already got a batch of carved beads and cabs done.  Hopefully I will get started on some bronze this afternoon.  If you didn't already know, there will be a tray sale on my Facebook page today at 2pm.  All beads are reduced to make room for new inventory.  If you would like to be on my email list so you can hear about these events - you can sign up on my main website welcome page www.stacilouiseoriginals.com 

I hope you are enjoying your summer!  After the winter we had this year, this is all much needed outside playtime!

Inspiration....Move me Brightly

I am not just a bead maker, I love art...all art.  It has been way too long since I have gone to a museum, but when I do, I am always freshly inspired to pick up some form of expression and have at it.

 

Recently, a wonderful art gallery has opened around here, it is called Art Nouveau Galleries in Quakertown, and they have a great group of artists there.  I am honored to have some jewelry in there along side such wonderfully creative people! 

One artists work REALLY spoke to me.  You know how it is when you make a connection with a piece of art.....you just get it, it keeps drawing you back in, it haunts you.  Well, that is how Ward Van Haute's work is to me.  Ward paints in reverse on glass.............let me say that again, he paints in reverse on glass.  That alone is amazing.  His work reminds me of characters in a story, fairy tale meets reality.  So they speak to my love of reading and illustration.  Yet the ones I am REALLY drawn to, are his graffiti like paintings.

I instantly wanted this one for my living room

 

Sunday Drive with Tony

picture property of Ward Van Haute

available for purchase at Art Nouveau Galleries

 

http://www.wardvanhaute.com/galleria

 

 

And then there was this one...........the one I will own someday.  The one that reminds me of my studio floor designs, of my doodles, but done with color- in such a wonderful way!

 

Vision- by Ward Van Haute- picture property of Ward Van Haute

http://www.wardvanhaute.com/galleria

 

For those of you who have seen my studio, you know this is very very ME!  This computer screen doesn't do this picture justice, the colors are much more vivid in person.

 

So it haunts me.  I have no budget for buying art right now, but this, is at the top of my Christmas list this year!

 

(see, it would look great in here!)

 

 

 

Needless to say, its really inspired me. 

 

I finally got to begin making some polymer beads in preparation for bead fest.  I have been VERY behind, to say the least.  I am seeing all these other bead artists making new and inspired beads in for Bead Fest Philly in August, and I haven't even begun, and had no idea what new things I could add to the mix.  And then I got to thinking..................

I had tried doodling on plain white polymer beads before, and didn't like the results at all.  So they got put to the side, or given to a kid of mine, and forgotten. 

Then I thought of Ward's painting....and the color behind the beads.  I couldn't wait to try it!

 

Well, here they are.  I should be listing some this week, and saving the rest for Bead Fest.

 

 

Ahhhh.....inspiration strikes. 

 

And it didn't stop there either.

 

I did some in reverse, with white designs, to try to look like batik (you know my love of everything hippie, tye dye and fabric seeps into my jewelry and beads!)

 

These turned out ok.  I had hoped to put a crackle on them too for a more batik look, but you loose the subtle designs on the beads that way. 

 

 

I also made more of my black carved beads, which as become very therapeutic for me.  I began to make these because of I made a batch of black that wouldn't let paint stick for some reason (must have had oil on my hands at some point) and didn't know what to do with them.  After the studio re-do, I found an old carving set, and it happened to be near my pile of beads, and the rest is history.

 

 

I will blog before listing in my etsy shop this week.

 

Have you ever made beads inspired by a painting?  I am thinking this could be a blog hop in the future...what do you guys think?



A New Adventure

So, I have touched on and off about this collaboration that Genea and I have been working on, well, its almost time for the big reveal.

teaser picture- not a full set

 

It's been a lot of work, alot of details, and alot of fun- all at the same time.  We are excited and hope you like these one of a kind sets we created.  They are limited edition, and on Monday, we will be giving one away, before they are available anywhere else! 

 

The giveaway on Monday will be here on our new collaborative blog.  Inspiration and Collaboration; The Social Artist

 

The blog was created, not just for the giveaway and launch of our new bead sets, but to talk about what inspires us as artists, and how we can take that further, to collaborate with other artists.  We will talk about the challenges, and rewards of working together, and feature other artist collaborations as well.  We hope you enjoy it and will follow us on our new adventure.  (this will not take the place of our regular blogs though). 

 

Hope to see you over there, and start a fire for artists to work together, share ideas and create beauty that can only be created when two minds work together!!!!!

Inspiration.....move me brightly................

(the title is actually lyrics from an old Grateful Dead song I love~it just fit perfectly)

Ahhh, inspiration.  It's a funny thing.  Sometimes it hits at the oddest times.  Sometimes it never hits at all.  I have really enjoyed doing challenges on various sites, such as the Love My Art Jewelry~ Art Spark, and the Art Bead Scene monthly challenge.  It pushes me, to create something outside my norm.  Yet, inpiration still has to strike.

July's Art Spark was based on nature.  Izzy challenged us to go outside, and look around, and be inspired.  Well, I did.

We spent an entire weekend with friends, outside, cooking, eating, swimming, laughing and having fun.  The kids were dirty and happy from a long weekend.  And we were enjoying catching up with friends.  But what I think I liked the best about it, was being outside, late at night.  The kids were catching fireflies, and the moon hung in the clear sky.  Two nights in a row, we were out, enjoying the best of the summer.  And both nights, I couldn't get over that moon.  It wasn't full, just bright, and perfect.  I love the night sky...the colors, and hues that sneak into everything we see in the dark.  So, without any more nonsense....here it is.  Created with passion, inspired by the summer nights, and that wonderful round moon that hangs above us all.

It took me awhile for this to come to fruition, because I had to make it from scratch...bronze center piece and all.  Its bronze clay, with a patina, riveted to some nickle silver clouds that are hammerd  and textured and given a little antiquing for depth.  Everything was then sealed in permalac over and over again (because of nickle allergies) and then waxed......AND then it still had to be made into a necklace.  I am so happy its done and I get to wear it now. 

So, how does inspiration hit you?  Do you have a color journal, or does your favorites list on etsy give you ideas?  Does nature inspire your designs, or the city or your sheer imagination?  I'd love to hear. 

My Art Spark Entry ~ Nautre Inspired

I am drawn to water. Whether it is the grand ocean, or a little stream.....that is where I want to be. Around here we have marshy ponds, and the woods behind my home is wetlands. I started making these lily pad bezels, and this one really looked lily pad!!! So the piece was designed with that thought ~ marshes around ponds, all the shades of green and the great textures you will find in the grasses, and mosses and water plants.

What you will find in this piece: a copper and fine silver bezel with sea glass in the center (remember, I made 18 of these??), a rare and awesome green color turquoise donut (love love love that shade of green), some kind of crakle agate in green, a bronze starburst bead from my Artisan Accents shop, a greek ceramic / bronze bead, handmade clasp, and a hand dyed silk cord from Marsha Neal (you can get lost in all the great colors she has in these!!!)
Anyway- please check out the Art Spark Challenge this month here.  Create something that is inspired by the world around you, and then upload it to the flickr group, with a description of your inspiration and credit to who made the beads. 
Prizes this month are.......

This is a great season to walk outside, smell and listen to all the wonderful summerness going on, and let it fill you with ideas!!  So enter, and these could be yours!

How many of you are already inspired by nature in your designs????  (I bet its a lot of you)