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.