4th Annual Ornament Blog Hop

It's so exciting to be participating in Art Bead Scene's ornament blog hop again. The timing of Thanksgiving to Christmas this year is so short. Do you feel rushed, too? Anyway, I just finished my ornaments and the photo session which includes the shoot and editing. I could have shared something already created, as I make and use art beads all the time. Just like most of you. But I really wanted to experiment with a new polymer clay, to me, named Frost. So, I started with Frost mixed with white and glitter. After discovering it's pliability I started using my tiny cutters to combine and create snowflakes. This was fun. I assembled them on the baking tiles and after three rounds in the oven and adding multiple dots and shapes, this is the journey.

I reread the ABS e-mail about our requirements and decided snowflakes were not beads, even though they are entirely handmade. So, I set out to make an art bead to use. I chose to work with the Pearl polymer and after working the clay I glanced to my right. There was a doily my mother made for me and that's lacey...like a dress an angel might wear. Of course, I proceeded to run that sheet of Pearl through my pasta machine with the doily. Voila, lace imprint. Played with more fabric, circle cutters, sizes, and configurations to create an angel bead.

Satisfied with the days adventure, I started taking photos. You will notice the difference in the lighting from my work table light to the flash and white to black bleed in the background. Enjoy!

Happy Holidays to each of you. I hope to successfully post The links for all the participating artists are here: http://artbeadscene.blogspot.com/2013/12/ornamentbloghop2013.html

Cookie Tins New Wave

Every year I have admired and purchased those rolled cookies that come in a tin. I need to add that it was the tin I wanted...Jesse always eats the cookies. This year I discovered new tins at the store filled with cookies, I bought all twelve tins. I give the cookies away and now have this incredible stash of tins to decorate. First one here...for my oldest Grandson's B-Day.

November Booth 2013

Sharing my booth set-up. Just in case you see a Christmas/Hanukkah treasure contact me. What isn't listed in Etsy just yet is here in my studio.

Blue Pearl Genie Bottle

I'm finishing the genie bottles I made the bases for last post. This is the first one...the other two are a photo shoot away.

Off the Communication Grid

Y'know that cable bundle that costs the size of a modest car payment? Mine went completely out for 48 hours. Besides the series of expletives I was thinking...cause their calls are monitored for quality control...I finally had to drive to a nearby BP station to make a call to my son so he could spend the 45 minute wait to report my outage. Instead of maintaining my anger, I set up my laptop for Mom to watch dvd movies and found an old transistor radio so she could get her news.A little 20th/21st century for her. Me, I am listening to the Shannara series on audio so my hands were free. And what does she do to stay calm and stay out of trouble...make Genie bottles. LOL After the cable was restored, I checked my messages. Besides all the regular type calls, there were four messages from the cable company telling me that if I did not respond to the massages to verify my appointment for the repair, they would not come to the house. Just telling you about it makes all those unsaid expletives to come roaring into my mind! I suppose I will wait until Monday to request a credit for 48 hours of no communication, which will no doubt take at least another 45 minutes. Grrr. Yep, gotta wait. LOL Their calls are monitored.

First Craft Booth Since 1986

It has been awhile since I did the craft booth thing...well, the local type. New York and Las Vegas don't count. LOL I have finally recovered enough from all that unhealthy, death scare stuff to make new work and consider a four hour Senior Center craft fair. I am terribly embarrassed about it but I need to see how I'll do...physically, that is. I couldn't pass the chance to share my little piece of chaos!

New Bottle

I am excited about the polymer clay called "Frost". It's a whole new clay to me. I used it to form the stopper for this new bottle. Excellent use, although I know there is much more to it. I'll continue to experiment but I think I love this Frost.

Chrysanthemum Vine Votive

Been very excited about this new cane and I get to use candles (fire!). Enjoy!

Chrysanthemum Blue Set

Loving this chrysanthemum cane and playing with the translucent and frost polymer clay.