Inspiration ...

I have been searching for inspiration lately.  Not necessarily beading inspiration but inspiration to help pull me through some tough stuff going on with my family.  Although not looking for jewelry inspiration, I headed to Etsy to search for some beads that would help me get through these rough times.  Thanks to my friends at Creative Bead Chat group on Facebook, I have endless amounts of inspiration.

Look at these lovelies from Melinda Orr 

And how about these lovely lampwork glass beads by Art by Lisi

Let's not forget about these beautiful ceramic bead sets by Yolanda's Clay

What about these beauties from J-Lynn Jewels

Head on over to these shops... take a look around.. add some items to your favorites, better yet to your cart... add these artists to your circle...

Thanks for staying with me... I had so much fun going through shops, finding new sellers and interesting items.  I think that I may have this be a regular post for Fridays.  What do you think? Who are some of your favorite sellers?

Much Love
Shell

February Already??!!!

I cannot believe that it is February already.... it seems like just yesterday it was January ( bahahaha!!) Ok seriously, January came and went in a blur.  School for me started back up with Business Law .. ugh.. and that is a monumental time user-upper..

So now that I am starting to get over the shock of my husband's surgery, I have realized that for the most part I have neglected my blog, I have neglected reading the blog posts of the blogs that I follow, and I haven't made a single piece of jewelry since before the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

So its time to try to fit some me time into my already crazy schedule - which will get crazier with the impending 'senior prom' and the ever popular start of little league baseball.

First I want to reorganize my bead table.. 

I will be making a couple of these (click the link below the pic to see the tutorial)

Terra Cotta Jewelry Stand

To replace this 

Printer's Tray

This will free up some much needed space on my bead table, while having a lovely place to stash my most used components.  Not to worry, I have other plans for this beauty. 

I need to go through my bead stash and decide what I want to keep and what I need to destash.  The beads deserve a home where they will be used and put on display rather than locked tightly away in a drawer.  I am a hoarder.

So I have some goals for the year, but I find it easier to handle them one month at a time. So here are 

My Jewelry Goals for February

Spend at least 10 minutes every day at my bead table

Post to my blog at least 2 times a week

Read and comment on at least 2 blogs that I follow each week

Take a least 2 pictures each week that inspire me

My Personal Goals for February

'Play' on the Kinect 3 times a week for at least 30 minutes each (this is my exercise)

Cook at least 1 meal a week (my husband usually does the cooking, but I feel inspired to try lol)

My Jewelry Goal for the Year

I want my focus this year to be on learning new techniques to create my own handmade focals and components.  I am still working with polymer clay, although I can tell that my interest is slowing dissipating.  I am interested in learning more how to work with metal - etching, stamping, riveting, colorizing, patina.  I think that I may be able to get my husband interested in learning how to create lampwork beads - he always needs something to keep him busy - 'cause me plus fire is not a good combo.

For now.. my goal this weekend is to create two of the cute Terra Cotta Jewelry stands and reorganize my beading area.  I think that the lack of space is keeping my muse away.  And wouldn't you know that the only place with enough room in my house to put my jewelry making goodies is also the place where I feel least inspired.  So I need to fix that up ASAP.

I will include my progress on these as the month progresses.  What are your goals this month? 

Much Love 

Shell

Artist Spotlight - Wendy Baker of Bendywho and Sleeping Dog Studio

Yay!  A new feature.  For now this feature will be monthly, but I hope to be able to expand to weekly as I learn more about all the wonderful jewelry and bead artists that are out there in the big, big world.

This month the Spotlight is on uber fabulous Wendy Baker. 

Many of you already know Wendy from her facebook fan page Bendywho by Wendy Baker and her Etsy shop Sleeping Dog Studio. Maybe you have even hopped by her blog Wednesday 3 o'clock where Wendy gives us peaks into her life at home, in the studio, and at shows.  

I want to take just a moment to thank Wendy for taking time out of her very busy and hectic life to answer these questions for me.

I had the opportunity to ask Wendy a few questions.  Here they are with her thought provoking answers.  Mixed in are photos of her awe-inspiring designs.  These and many many more can be found on her facebook fan page bendywho by Wendy Baker.

What do you love most about designing and creating your own jewerly? 

*i get to pick things that intrique me and then play with them until i either give up, get some kind of good or bad result, get bitten to keep working on some technical evolution, or just try to form something i saw in my mind's eye.  i also like wearing my creations to see if anyone else is as curious as i am.

What are some of you favorite materials to work with and create with?

*loads of influences both passive and actively have settled around me to shwo me how other artists express themselves. i always loved the wire and 3-d expressions that Alexander Calder could fabricate with a spool of wire and a pair of cutters.  he could travel anywhere and then create what he saw in his mind. so i love wire...a lot.

also, i have sewn since i was 12. the idea of taking something flat and creating functional 3d wearable art is so gratifying, i have been through a lot of different media, which i suspect is simply a result of materials available and interests evolving over time.

 

How did you get your start in jewelry designing and what have you learned over the course of being a designer?

* i grew up near beaches on long island. my friends were all lifeguards, so i would visit them while they worked and i tried to get a tan. i have always been a collector as well as someone who made stuff from other stuff. so being at the beaches and finding shells, as well as being a child of the sixties, i wound up macrameing necklaces with things i found and waxed linen string. i have always played with stuff i found and played with making other things from it. + my mother is a great gardener. i have 2 black thumbs. i have been able to play with the floral pieces i found to make my own version of lush gardens. i like trying stuff and looking at magazines. also the time before i fall asleep or as i am waking up is vital for my random connecting of dots in creative ideas floating through my mind.

What gives you the most pleasure in career as a jewelry designer? 

*since i am currently making jewelry, i am smitten with a person approaching me to comment on my jewelry out of the blue. this is often done while grocery shopping. this approach validates my sense of accomplishment. more importantly, i enjoy the beaming faces of ladies who try on my work. it seems to transform their expressions.  this is great to watch and feel responsible for!

Where do you get your inspiration for your designs from?

*i read magazines, look at art work, get out of the house to do some errands. it clears my mental cobwebs. this is a really great way to rejuvenate my system.

I really hope that you have all enjoyed this peak into the life of the wonderous Wendy Baker, I know that I have.

If you would like to be featured on the Artist Spotlight, please send me an email.  If you have any suggestions for other questions on future spotlights, please leave a comment.

Much Love,

Shell