Presenting the Studio........

YIPPEEE! I did get my studio finished last weekend, here a a couple of messy studio:

And here is neat, clean ready to go studio: One side of the room is for metalsmithing. The other side is for lampworking.

And lookie at my new bench! 1/2 is tiled for doing torch work safely, and the other is wonderful, hard oak for pounding, punching, twisting, shaping and generally torturing metal! You can see on the tile side, the lampwork torch is set up and ready to go.. I"m keeping the gas cans in the basement when I don't use the torches for safety's sake. You can see the lovely view of my neighborhood out my window. I'm soooo happy!!!!! and it works like a dream!

Prom Night....

A friend of my hubby's Daughter needed a necklace for her prom dress. I got the necklace/earrings done just an hour or so before they came to pick up the pieces, so of course I forgot to get pictures! So Mike was kind enough to take a few for me. Doesn't Kallie look spectacular, even before you add in the kewlest Prom necklace ever? The necklace is made with Swarovski Crystals, pearls and sterling wire.

I did this curvy wrapped piece around the black crystal.. I was thinking of a music staff dancing around with the notes, like in Fantasia!

The interesting thing is I never actually saw the dress before I made this.. I was making jewelry blind so to speak. Jerry ( my hubby) saw the dress and did his best to describe it to me. He must have done a good job, it goes very well with Kallie's dress and personality!

I love the challenge of making commissions!

Pendants...... best sellers at my shows so far....

I hope everyone is having a great Memorial Day Weekend! I sure am! I spent Saturday in MO visiting my Great Aunt Poss, who I love deeply. I only had 1 by blood Grandparent growing up, so my grandma's kid sister became like an extra grandma to me growing up. Her husband, Uncle Eddie was like a grandfather. We lost Eddie 8 years ago to cancer, but Aunt Poss is still going strong at 90... she's a tough old bird and I want to be like her when I grow up!

And I'm happy to say that we didn't hit anything, including a deer, on the way back this time. (We hit a deer on the return trip in November, for that drama you can look at this blog entry: http://mkpbeadart.blogspot.com/2008/12/ode-to-thanksgiving-or-oh-my-poor-poor.html#links )

Today went to a movie with the family ( Star Trek, highly recommend, it's very fun even the 12 year old liked it, and she won't touch classic Trek with a 10 ft pole) and now working on inventory. My first shows of the year all had 1 trend.. pendants are going to be popular this year. So I really need to concentrate on making up more before the June shows start... above are 2 that sold in the last few weeks. The Niobium is made with pearls and sterling wire, and the caged marble is in sterling.

Tomorrow I will hopefully have my bench ready to go, I have a play date with friends and I'll keep working on more pendants. Have fun everyone!

working on my website, and BENCH!

bench bench bench bench bench... that's been my mantra for the last few days. I'm working on rearranging everything to accommodate my new bench in the studio. When I started my redo of the studio, I was looking at a different bench. I arranged everything based on the understanding of that bench... So this bench has to be oriented differently in the room, and all my materials are in the wrong places to be useful! I got all the lampwork stuff rearranged the last few days, tonight my goal is to get the books and magazines moved... because that's where the silversmith stuff is going now! I work full time, and I swear the last few days all I can think of is my bench, how I want to rearrange stuff, the safety issues I need to deal with before I can light the torch.. I tell ya, I have a 1 track mind, and it's all BENCH! LOL

Actually I think most artist are very 1 tracked mind. We get an idea and we cannot let it go until l we've pushed and prodded it in the shape we have in our heads... so I can't really complain about it. Sure makes it hard for everyone around me though... I've been muttering bench bench bench under my breath at work. I'm sure the few remaining co-workers who didn't think I was nuts do now!

I am also working on a revamp of the website, take a look, though it's not finished by a long shot: www.beadfix.com

Since I didn't have picture last time, above is a pendant I made called "rainbow cloud" it's based on the old circle pin idea. I've made 2 of these now, and they are fun to make. I will make more... but first I'm going to work on my BENCH!

I GOT MY NEW BENCH!!!!!!

OH HAPPY DAYS! I got my new bench delivered last night!! woooo hooo! My Dad did some customizing on it, put it together in his workshop for me, and now it's in my attic studio !! I need to rearrange stuff, the original bench I thought I was getting fit differently in my space... this bench is solid oak, with drawers with felt lined bottoms and a lovely finish that matches my wood floors.. total bonus, didn't realize that when I picked it out.

After I get all my tools rearranged, and a few safety things in place, I can start using torches up in the studio area instead of my dank, dark and moldy basement!! Can you tell I'm excited???? huh, can ya can ya????????? LOL

I'm hoping to begin torching by Monday at the latest, which just happens to be oh so conveniently a vacation day from the money job.

I'll post pictures soon promise!!

Bracelets....

Wow, the last 2 weekends have been such a rush! I had a show in Davenport 9-10th, and then this weekend, I had my first Farmer's Market (16th) and Valley Junction Spring Art Market (17th). The weather could have been better this weekend, but desperate the chill, wind and the occasional shower, everyone who trooped to the shows were in excellent spirits! I have a 2 week break then June starts, and I have a show ( or 2) every weekend in June... I can't wait!




Here are a few bracelets I've made recently, the red and black are in herringbone and brick stitch, made with Japanese seed beads. The pearl bracelets are in modified RAW or right angle weave, using 3 beads instead of 4. I've heard this called tri-weaving but I'm not sure I like that name... whatever you call the stitch, it sure works up nice with pearls and seed beads! The bottom pearl bracelet was made with seed bead drops, which gives it extra texture. thanks for looking!

Earrings, Earrings, Earrings...... Art shows a plenty!

I had my first *real* art show last weekend, and it's the first of about 20 art shows and farmer's markets for the year... I'll be doing anywhere from 3 shows to 6 shows now until October... so busy busy! (be sure to check out my show schedule on my website www.beadfix.com - maybe I'll be in your area soon!)

This weekend I have Farmer's market on Sat, and Valley Junction Art Market on Sunday... so realllly busy busy! I'm working on a couple of commissions from my last show and then I need to work inventory items for this weekend.

My last weekend's show was in Davenport, IA and it went very well. I admit, I've been worried, with the gloomy economy right now. The one thing I noticed about this show is cash receipts were up, and credit cards were down, but overall sales where good. I don't think this is necessary a bad thing, it means people are really thinking about what they are buying.. it's really an enormous compliment that people buy my jewelry with cash! I mean, if you have less disposable income right now, and you still choose to dispose some on my jewelry... why thank you!

Anyway, 3 recent earrings, all different styles. Enjoy!

Samples from my Class.....

Wow, I"m not getting much done today.. I jointed facebook on Thursday, joined mafia wars on sat, and I'm hooked! So why I wait for my next job, here are some of the pieces I made in my last class working with titanium and niobium. The sun and shell are both titanium, and the puzzle piece is niobium. These will probably become necklaces eventually... back to the wars!