What's Old is New Again

Happy Wednesday!

I am finally getting to the posting of my “What’s Old is New Again” blog challenge from Artbeads.

This set of elements gave me some challenges, which led to a bit of a creative block.

I am finally happy to show you my pieces.

The first piece I made was a necklace using the antique silver plated pewter heart pendant, rolo gunmetal chain, a sterling silver key charm, and resin azalea flowers.

I really love working with rolo chain, it is actually one of my favorite chains. In the past I have used the sterling silver, but this gunmetal one is great also and looks awesome mixed with the sterling silver.

In this piece I also included some white beads from a necklace that was once my grandmothers, some of my pink glass headpins and some silver chain.

The pink flower beads that are attached to the silver chain I doubled on a silver headpins along with the white vintage beads and glass headpins that I made.

The photo in the bezel is of my grandfather with a silver key charm and a Bahamian coat of arms from an old stamp set in resin.

I finished the back of the necklace with some soft pink, silk ribbon.

This necklace needed a pair of earrings to go with it, and this is what I came up with.

They are very light and fun.

I added single pink resin flowers on the rolo chain. There are three strands in different lengths and at the top one of my handmade glass headpins.

Also from Artbeads I got the cutest metal bicycle pendant and made this casual necklace from this piece, also complimented with some of my grandmother’s beads.

I love the mixture of metals in this piece. It is going to be great with jeans and a casual shirt.

Artbeads has a variety of these metal pendants with other themes and they make a quick, cute pendant on a necklace.

So here is where my real challenge came in……

I got some large transparent resin roses from Artbeads as well, and when they arrived there was no hole to string them or attach them. (if I would have read the description properly I would have known this before hand)

I tried to attach them to silver rings with epoxy and they didn’t hold.

Then it hit me …… add it to a mixed media piece!!

What took me so long to come up with that?!?!?!

I love how this turned out and I was sorry I didn't have anymore resin flowers to add to more mixed media pieces.

Here is a close up of the flowers. The rabbits look like they are feeding amongst the flowers.

After making this piece I thought the flowers would make great additions to an art quilt. So I guess I will have to order some more!

Hope you are all having a wonderful week!

The Artbeads.com products in this post were provided as a promotional gift by Artbeads.com, as part of their Design Partner & Blogging program. I have been asked to review these products and give my honest opinion - good or bad. My comments and opinions about these products are my honest, personal opinion and I have not been paid for any endorsement.

Paint Party Friday ~ Morning Pages

Just a quick post today for Paint Party Friday.

I told you in my last post about the morning pages I was doing, but instead of writing, it was an artful journal page in a sketchbook.

Here are a few from this week:

These are pretty quick to do and a relaxing way to start the day.

I don't think about what I am going to paint before....i just paint!

I am using a portable watercolor set which makes it really quick.  The brush has the water in it and the watercolors dry within minutes.

Don't forget to go check out all the other Paint Party Friday posts!

Have a great weekend!

Bead Table Wednesday ~ getting somewhere

Remember those components that had me artistically stuck?

Well I am getting somewhere with them this week.

There is also a heart bezel that is filled with goodies and resin which is drying on the side.

I am having a busy week - both emotionally and physically - but being able to create is my solace.  I always seem to be beaming with ideas at times like this.

Happy Bead Table Wednesday!

Happy Paint Party Friday!!

I cant believe it is Paint Party Friday again!

I have had so much fun this week in my online classes, learning new techniques, having artist breakthroughs and enjoying a wonderful community of artists.

I mentioned in another Paint Party Friday post that I was working on some mixed media pieces.  I had done a  series of mixed media pieces a few years back and really enjoyed the process of them.  Then, a little while ago, I came across Christy Tomlinson's e-class called She Art and thought I would join it to learn some new techniques and get back into the mixed media groove.

Here is one of my completed pieces from this class.

I just love the mixed media process.  It stops me from worrying about what the final product will look like because there is to telling how it will turn out.

The message on the front says "she loved everyday", then on the side I painted "you are here for joy and delight of your soul".  I just love that saying.....joy & delight.....who cant say those words without smiling?  And if that is your focus.....JOY & DELIGHT.....you have to love every minute of everyday.

I didn't even plan the letters on her face, "God's child", they just happened to be on the page of the old book that I cut from, and I didn't notice until I had glued her face onto the canvas.  It is just awesome how mixed media's just work themselves out.  My little inner critic didn't even bother me while I was working on this piece, he sat quietly on the side and left me alone while I enjoyed the entire process.

I have been doing Morning Pages, off and on, for a few months now.  (You can read more about them here, at the Artist's Way).  At first they weren't working for me, but then I started doing some art journaling first, and then the written pages just started flowing.

This is one of my pages from this week.

The art pages are supposed to be a quick art piece done without thinking about it.  Just a way to let it all out.....all that garbage we keep as artists in our mind.

Be sure and check out what my artist friends are doing over at Paint Party Friday also!

Hope everyone has had a great week!

Remember to fill everyday with JOY & DELIGHT!

~Bead Table Wednesday~

It's been a busy week here with workmen in and out of the house.  I am surprised I was able to do anything creative.  Two weeks ago, in this post, I showed you a variety of components I was working with.  I am really struggling with getting these to come together right.
BUT.....I was successful with this pendant.....
I love making those fused silver rings, hammering them FLAT.....very therapeutic.....and then stamping them for some texture.

I had a headpin leftover, and it was lonely, so made this simple pendant for myself..........

I have also had my hands in clay and glaze again......

Cant wait to glaze these and fire them.  I love that owl towards the bottom right.....he's gonna be a cutie :)
Right next to him is a bezel box that I cant wait to fill with goodies and resin.
Here are a few glazed beads waiting for something creative to happen to them....

I think they may grow up to be pendants.
Be sure to go the Flickr group, Bead Table Wednesday, and check out what other jewelry artists are up to.
Happy Bead Table Wednesday!!!
What is happening on your bead table?

Check out this giveaway!

Aren't these some awesome beads?

These are just a few that are part of a giveaway on my friend Lana's blog.

Go over to her blog for a chance to win these Jangles beads along with a BUNCH of other awesome hand made beads.

You have until Monday to enter to win!!! So go check out the BLOG now!!

Paint Party Friday ~ Sunshine

Today we have a dreary, rainy day. We do need the rain, but I love the sunshine so much!

Maybe that is why I named one of my cats "Sunshine".

I did this painting a while back of my cat, Sunshine. That is him in the second picture looking very insulted.

I would eventually like to do a painting of each one of my cats so this is a start!

This painting has some sunshine quotes on it, as well as some words from the song "Sunshine On My Shoulder". I always sing that song to Sunshine.

The eye image that you see in the painting just kind of happened as I was painting it. It does have some significance though, since Sunshine was in a pretty major accident about 5 years ago where he got a broken jaw and one of his eyes was badly damaged. He still has his eye, but the pupil dilates on a different schedule than the other eye. Sunshine is fine now and one of the sweetest cats I have ever had.

Be sure and check out all the Paint Part Friday posts by other artists.

Maybe you will be inspired to do something creative this weekend!

B.T.W.

Personally I think a messy work table shows that work is getting done!!!

Right??????

It is a little embarrassing to show this photo, but when I am in a bead making frenzy this is what happens!

And I think most artists are capable of making a real good MESS!!!  I just hate myself when I have to clean it up, and that time is soon coming!
Very soon I will be upgrading to a mixed gas torch and I cannot wait!!  I am just waiting for all the items to get to me :)

I am still working with the findings I showed you last BTW.

Here are a few beads that will go with that mix.

What is on your creative table today?
Go here and check out what others are doing on Bead Table Wednesday!

Paint Party Friday ~ Slow Week

Happy Paint Party Friday everyone!

I only finished one painting this week....started a few mixed media pieces, but don't want to show them til they are done.

I am continuing on my Painting BIG journey with Connie, and this is the result of one of the exercises.

I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend this online class to any artist.  I am mainly an art quilter and jeweler, but a lot of times my designs are painted before they are put into those mediums.

This picture is not the best because the paint was still wet so I had to take it at an angle, but I really enjoyed this exercise and this is my favorite painting from this class so far.  The colors are a lot brighter and more intense than they are showing here also.

Be sure to go and checkout all the awesome PPF posts for this week.

Have a great weekend!

Bead Table Wednesday

A few months back I joined the Flickr group, Bead Table Wednesday, and have just been lurking and not posting any pictures.  It really is a simple group, where jewelry artists post pictures of what is on their worktable, or what they have recently finished every Wednesday.

I decided to start today since I have a some jewelry pieces I need to be working on.

These components are a mixture of old and new.

I am fiddling with all the pieces now trying to decide which pieces I will make and that will help me decide what kinds of glass beads I need to make to go with it all.

Hopefully early next week I will be done and can show you what I came up with!

Happy Wednesday!