Too Much Turquoise?

Filed under: Necklaces | Back to: Homepage

For years I’ve used considerable turquoise in my designs. At the end of each season, when I examine my seller’s case to see what is left, I usually find that all the turquoise pieces have gone to happy homes. Also, at the end of each season, I think, “well that was a good run for turquoise, but I’d better find the next best stone for this season.” That’s MISTAKE #1! Turquoise is always a preferred stone.  When working with customers, I often make MISTAKE #2. If a person says that he or she has plenty of turquoise, I believe it. WRONG. I don’t think you can have TOO MUCH turquoise. That person probably just needs turquoise from a different mine, in a different length or designed in a new style. Rather than taking it for granted that a person has, as stated, too much turquoise, the next time I’m going to ask for an opinion about a particular new design in turquoise that I’ve created. Maybe I’ll be surprised to see that new design go home with the person because there’s no such thing as . . .

TOO MUCH TURQUOISE!

Necklaces comment

Opposites

Filed under: Creativity, Philosophy | Back to: Homepage

I’m struck today by the many opposites in my environment and wondering how that context might fit into the design work. The picture at the left is analogous to hiding money under your mattress. The two nitrogen tanks filled with valuable embryos collected from our donor cows sits in the living room with the grand piano. If I thought it would make the embryos any more viable, I would play them special music. But the tanks were not placed in this room for nurturing, rather they are there due to the value of their contents.

While the idea of opposites in design work is not unique and today this thought might lead to pearls and metal in a piece, I’m gleaning a different message. Opposites (as opposed to opposition) may be good for the designer. For example, I’m a rancher by day and beader by night. When I’m covered in “it” from ranch work by day, I know that my opposite time will arrive after supper. When the designs don’t go well at night, I can remember my opposite day work and be thankful that at the least I accomplished feeding the animals and getting the data into the computer.

The dichotomous parts of our lives enrich each other. Certainly elements of shapes, colors and textures from my day creep into the design work at night making the pieces more interesting. On the opposite side, hopefully we will never find beads handing round a cow’s neck.

Do opposites attract? I don’t know; but I do believe that opposites are good for the designer. When I’m totally stuck on a design idea, I may go outside and throw the ball for the heelers or bottle feed a calf. Going in an opposite direction helps clear my head and free my mind for problem solving.

Creativity, Philosophy comment

Inspired Color Bursts

Filed under: Color, Creativity, Necklaces, Techniques | Back to: Homepage

I met The Doll Maker quite by chance at a church bazaar in December of 2008. Since then, I have thoroughly enjoyed reading her monthly newsletter complete with outstanding color photos of her adventures. The Doll Maker has given me permission to list a link to the newsletter found at http://weepeeple.com/news/february2009newsletter.htm . The February installment features pictures from her trip to Mexico and displays a wonderful array of bright colors. I think the artisans in Mexico use the “no fear” color method where almost anything works together and I especially I like the way vibrant colors paint the landscape. Inspired by the pictures from Mexico, I decided to “paint” a necklace using bead embroidery. The embroidered circles use electric blue and shades of orange seed beads stitched on Lacy’s Stiff Stuff and backed with Ultrasuede. I  jumped right into this project without a suitable answer regarding how to attach the embroidered pieces to the necklace. I believe that part of the creative process is continuing the work when no plausible answer to a problem is visible. It’s been hard to learn to trust that an answer will be conjured, however, I ’m learning to trust myself. After I completed all the pieces, they spent several days on the design table staring at me as if to say “now what?” Finally, it dawned on me that I could stitch a couple of small beads on the back of each circle and thread the necklace wire through these. I added a few extra beads in order that the wire would be hidden on the back of each piece. While I can’t attest to whether or not my customers will like this style, I can be assured that I learned from creating it.

Color, Creativity, Necklaces, Techniques comment

Color Success

Filed under: Color, Necklaces, Pendants | Back to: Homepage

The picture shows the pendants, mentioned in the last blog entry, for which I was making strands. I regret the picture cannot show the beauty of the pendants and the vivid colors. The strands from left to right are pearls, peridot chips, African opals and smoky quartz. Although you cannot see clearly, each pendant has some peridot in it and each is removable for placing on an alternative strand or silver chain. The extra peridot chip strand can be used with any of the pendants or various strands can be put together for a multistrand look. These pieces will be available at Dovetails of Wimberley.

Color, Necklaces, Pendants comment

Perfect Light

Filed under: Color, Philosophy | Back to: Homepage

The title of the entry sounds as though something philosophical should appear in the words that follow. Alas, this is not necessarily the case. I’ve put off preparing and returning the necklaces for several pendants given me by a retailer. Yet, there comes a time when you can wait no longer and this is the day. Unfortunately, this day started dark and drizzly – not a good combination for selecting matching colors for the pendants. Realizing that I’m working with greens today, you may wish to nod your head in understanding.

Although I arranged what seemed to be good color matches, I was about to give up on the process for lack of clear light and the clarity it brings. Then it dawned! The perfect sunlight crept over my shoulder to shine directly on the pendants and provide an opportunity to find a beautiful match. You can see from the picture that sunlight wasn’t the only thing that crept over my shoulder. I guess my cat Blue thought the sunlight arrived solely to warm his back. Luckily, as the sun moved on, so did Blue. Unluckily, I needed the sun back WITHOUT the cat! I’m thankful that I was able to quickly grab the right colors for the pendants even in the midst of the brief sunlight and the warming cat. Perhaps a few rays of sunlight once in a while is all I need.

Philosophical Query: As we wait for clarity on things much more important that designs, do we need to be prepared to capture that fleeting moment of clarity as it passes us by? Is that moment sometimes hidden by some distraction?

Color, Philosophy comment

Bead Embroidery Plus

Filed under: Necklaces, Pendants, Techniques, Wire Work | Back to: Homepage

The plus in the title stands for leather and wire. As you can see in the photos, I’m experimenting with combinations. Initially, I constructed five wire hearts and connected them with finer gauge wire. I used seed embroidery to attach the hearts to leather backed with Lacy’s Stiff Stuff.

Then I sandwiched a shaped piece of metal between this top layer and a base layer of Ultrasuede before stitching on the edge to hold the pieces together. The pendant on the right is just over 2 inches in diameter with copper wire hearts. The one below is a bit smaller with brown artistic wire hearts.

Necklaces, Pendants, Techniques, Wire Work 1 comment

Can You Fly?

Filed under: Creativity, Diversions, Pendants, Techniques, Wire Work | Back to: Homepage

It’s not a secret. I love my Blue Heelers and although the puppies shown in the picture are gone, I still enjoy walking or playing ball with the older girls each afternoon. Today I was particularly taken by Frosty’s “never give up” attitude. She’s the dog on the far left of the picture. Even as an adult dog, she still believes that she can fly. When a large bird, usually a buzzard, looms over head, Frosty chases across the ground in an effort to reach it. Today, as the bird flew completely across the yard, Frosty ran as fast as she possibly could and I had to move out of the way to keep from being run over. At the end of each of these bird runs, she leaps high in the air in a last supreme effort to grasp the bird. I keep telling her that these efforts are foolish, but she just doesn’t get it. I can easily say that my wire working is a bit like Frosty’s bird chasing. I’ve been struggling with it for months now, working flat out until my hands ache in an effort to improve. Yet, like Frosty, I never can quite catch that perfect technique. Often, upon completion of a wirework piece, I sigh and admit that it is terrible, but like Frosty, the next time an idea arrives, I delve into it again. Shall I persevere like Frosty and keep working at this technique? The piece I did last night seems more pleasing than most have been. It does give considerable satisfaction to be moving closer to the mark, but will I ever FLY? If I keep watching my dog, rereading that children’s book, The Little Engine that Could, and continue repeating “I think I can, I think I can,” then I believe there is hope! Perhaps we can all FLY! (Thanks Frosty)

Creativity, Diversions, Pendants, Techniques, Wire Work comment

Matching Colors

Filed under: Color, Necklaces, Pendants | Back to: Homepage

Isn’t it great when you can get expert help with matching the right beads to purchased or handmade pendants? Yesterday, I took a handful of pendants to Szarka (http://www.magpiegemstones.com/home.html) and she and her family helped me get just the right combinations. They worked diligently as though they were the ones trying to create each piece. Then they charged me a fair price for the stones and off I went. I’ve been happily beading ever since (except for the time spent on ranch work). Dovetails of Wimberley purchased the Zuni bear pendant at market and requested a strand for it. You can find it along with the double strand Nacozari turquoise necklace I made for it at the store where you can also locate many of my other pieces. I like the amber in the strand with the cabachon in the right picture and feel it helps bring out the matrix of the stone.  Although I used Amber from my stored accumulation of beads, it was Szarka’s suggestion that led me to this color. Hurray for excellent customer service!

Color, Necklaces, Pendants comment

Oil

Filed under: Creativity, Necklaces, Pendants, Wire Work | Back to: Homepage

The sewing machine quit! I’ll admit that it has endured quit a workout making baby blankets, bibs, burp rags, etc. for Gabriel, our new grandchild. Yet, how could it fail me when I most need it? Yes, I realize that I haven’t oiled it in a year, but I needed it to work now! Of course, locating the sewing machine oil was another entire adventure in itself, but finally I secured it from the store (in the hundred years since I’ve purchased any, it now comes in a little tube rather than the trusty oil can) Following a thorough cleaning and oiling, that old girl hummed like a professional.

This episode made me wonder what “oil” a creative spirit might need. There certainly are times when I feel a bit “dried up” myself, but what makes me hum? While ideas usually abound, stress can certainly take its toil and there must be something that can be done to improve things. Occasionally, it is an hour of exploration in the magazine or book section at the local book store or library. Other times, the oil has been derived from a trip to Nordstroms to investigate color combinations in the clothing. A fabric store serves the same purpose.

What about using music? When I have pieces waiting for completion, clasps, buttons, etc. I use music by composer Pachebel and other baroque/classic composers which keep me working. It is sequential and repetitious in motif. But what about music for creativity? I’m still working on that one. I think that is less predictable than the aforementioned. At times creative oil comes from sheer silence while at other times, emotional vocals bring it. I’d be interested in knowing what works for other people.

Lastly, we deserve to be oiled from time to time! I used to and sometimes still do feel selfish to take the time to refuel. We’re all busy and since one of my ranch employees just resigned, things are unusually so here at Dreamcatcher. Yet, as I listen to Sugarland who is singing “. . . I promise I’m worth it . . . “, I realize, so am I!

The tree piece below is my symbol for oiling that creative spirit and letting it flourish and grow.

Creativity, Necklaces, Pendants, Wire Work comment

Hidden Metal Technique

Filed under: Metal Work, Pendants, Techniques | Back to: Homepage

The pendant shown in the last post required the use of hidden metal for stabilization. While this may be a common technique, I’ve not previously read about it; yet it makes sense. I’ve worried about the use of small cabochons in bead embroidery since the surface area for gluing them is so small. Speculating that more stabilization behind them might help this problem, I’ve been adding a piece of sheet copper or brass behind these pendants between the embroidered top and the Ultra suede bottom. This is likened to the way embroidered cuffs on metal blanks come together. The metal piece for each pendant is the same shape, but slightly smaller that the embroidery work. I’ve been experimenting with this since last July and thus far the technique has been successful. It has helped the pendants remain crisply shaped. My thought is that the more a piece bends, the more likely the cabs to come undone. Other posts with pictures of designs using this technique are dated January 14, 2009, December 26, 2008 and December 28, 2008. There are, of course, other ways to stabilize a piece including adding extra layers of Lacy’s Stiff Stuff, but I’ve found the metal approach quite satisfactory without significantly adding extra thickness.

A new challenge is to incorporate this technique in a manner that tastefully exposes part of the sheet metal with the bead embroidery. That potentially yummy recipe sits simmering on a back burner but is rapidly approaching a boil. We’ll see if anything cooks up.

Metal Work, Pendants, Techniques comment