Follow the Path

This is a new eBook by Lori Anderson, the jewelry artisan and creator of the Bead Soup and Cup of Soup Challenges on her blog, which are immensely popular. I believe she had over 200 people want in on her last one (getting through that Blog Hop took a while!). Click on the link, and it will take you directly to where you can purchase it.

I did the first day it was available. Why? Because I have so much money, I have to find reasons to spend it? No. Because I admire her work and the amount of time she spends devoted to her craft and those who follow her? Well, yes, but not the only reason.

• Because as a person who has started a blog a while ago, I have not put half the amount of time on it that I should or could.
• Because I tend to have a one track mind at times.
• Because I often think others may not be as interested in what I am thinking or feeling that I do.
• Because as long as I have this platform, I want to make it all that it can be for others to enjoy.

Once you have read it, and ogled the gorgeous photographs, it will set you mind off in a million different directions. Creative people have much to offer others, and this eBook will help anyone expand on what that is. It has for me.

3rd Do Over Challenge

Signed up for this one last month, had a blast with it, and have been anxiously waiting for the reveal day. We received pieces of jewelry from the hostess, Jeannie Dukic, which she considered "easy to part with", since they were from her "early days of designing", and were challenged to create something new (and, hopefully, exciting) with the components. I was determined to use as much of what was sent as I could..

Here is a picture of what I was sent. HMMM!

OK, so the challenge was on! The first thing that caught my eye were the 3 lampwork focals on the necklace, and, of course, the abundance of seed beads in some very pretty color combinations.

They seemed to scream at me, "Turn us into a bracelet!"

So I did by adding some hammered 4 hole spacers and a toggle clasp to match. There are some black lines (not showing well in the photo) running through the glass beads so I added several smoke glass beads to accent them.

My first do-over!

Then came the earrings. I don't have pierced ears, so creating something other that the originals was the next challenge for me. Jeannie's were simple, delicate,  and on the vintage style.

                                            

I decided to go for something a little more intricate, (can we say "dressy") so I used the orange crystals from the ends of the necklace and a couple of the pearly seeds and surrounded them with fancy head pins and bead cones, attached to triangular filigree findings and added the pearls (they're always dressy) and simple ball tipped ear wires. They kind of look like church bells hanging in the tower.

My second do-over!

SO, that left me with all the rest of those seed beads and the pretty "S" clasp for a necklace. By now, I was itching to get at my polymer clay to use, and add something, and this was my chance!

It's springtime! The flowers are in bloom, and with it being such a mild winter, many are WAY ahead of schedule. Who am I to mess with Mother Nature! I love recreating the beauty of her work, and I did with roses, lilies, iris, tulips, and daisies. I did take some liberties with the intermingled leaves, so the colors would coordinate with all the original seed beads (and I managed to restring almost all of them on double strands, attached to a simple gold chain link.)

My third and final do-over!

A very big THANK YOU to Jeannie for providing the materials and the opportunity for me to challenge myself in new directions.

 Here are the links to all the others in this challenge. HAPPY BLOG HOPPING!

1. Jeannie/Hostess
2. Cilla Watkins
3. Michelle Mach
4. Alesha Conklin
5. Molly Alexander
6. Cindy Wimmer
7. Mary Govaars
8. Marlene Cupo  - You are here!
9. Dagi
10. Charlene Jacka
11. Julia Johnson
12. Carolyn Lawson
13. Pamela Orians
14. Linda Younkman
15. Shelly Joyce
16. Judy Riggs
17. Cary Scholes
18. Shaun Mullin

I Need a Vacation! AND ITS COMING!!!

I received a commission from an event planner back in March. She saw my peacock votive candle holder in my studio and asked if I could make 250 of them by April for a convention in Washington DC.

 I pondered the enormity of the job and then said OK anyway. Well, after weeks of peacock feather canes, slicing, applying, and finishing, they were packed and shipped off this past week. So time to get ready for the big juried craft show I have coming up next weekend? No not quite yet.

You see I have 5 kids, 3 of which and their spouses and children are going with my hubby and me on a Disney Cruise aboard the Dream, leaving on Mother's Day.

Ahhh, fantastic!!! But wait.

For those that may not have been, or have been but don't know, there is another site on the Internet that allows people who book the same cruise to talk to each other. On that board it has become somewhat of a tradition that the people who want to share with each other and their children, during the cruise, to give gifts left at the door to the cabin in something called a Fish Extender.

Here are examples of what I am talking about.

As far as the gifts to put in them for the other cruisers? First my daughter asked if I could do something like a picture frame with their favorite Disney characters on it for each family. "You know mom, something that they could change the picture later on if they want." OK. At least she did come over and helped glue the banners on the frames.

Then she announced since it is her brother and his wife's first cruise, "They probably have no idea what to do, so could you make miniature Golden Mickey's for them?" Disney does a stage show on board that is a take-off on the Oscars and calls it the Golden Mickey, which is their most popular show.

They just got finished today.

Now I only have to fix her Fish Extender (its from a cruise she took 2 years ago, and needs a freshening up), her sister's Fish Extender (Mickey's ear fell off) and make the one for my son and his wife. BTW I will not have anything on my cabin door. I will be resting!

Judy Glende Tribute - Auction Reveal

Judy Glende sold her handcrafted items in an online studio she titled "Flap Your Wings Artisan Jewelry".  Many of her works were published in: Creative Jewelry, Stringing Magazine, Bead Trends, Designer Highlight, and Step By Step Wire. She loved working with mixed metals, precious stones, beads and vintage treasures, a wonderful blend of antique, classic, and a touch of whimsy.

In tribute to her and her work this auction features items, the proceeds of which will go to charity. One of the ones her family has requested is Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Dermatology Melanoma Research, and I will be donating to them in her honor.

I had purchased two of her vintage treasures this Antique Victorian Copper Medallion Pendant

and Antique Copper Ornate Connector and decided to use them in the pieces I created.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Her style was simple and strong, but elegant in its message. And so, I wanted to convey that same message:

Flap Your Wings Judy!



This pendant necklace is "Butterfly Garden"
Current Bid: $40. Thank you!
A Monarch butterfly and two Morpho butterflies are fluttering around spring flowers on the Antique Victorian Copper Medallion, attached to a 16" copper chain.

 

And this charm bracelet "In Our Hearts"
Current Bid: $15. Thank you!
A 6 1/2" copper and antique gold double link chain, laced through with a turquoise blue ribbon, holds the Antique Copper Ornate Connector, as the top of a key, along with antique gold keyhole heart, and angel disc charm.

 

Interested? You can post a bid below in the comment section, or send me an email at amazingdesigns46@gmail.com, with your bid by 4/21, and I will notify whomever the high bidder is, along with payment details. Shipping will be free.

Here are the other artists and blog links to view their offerings for this tribute. Happy Blog hopping!

Tania Spivey

Lori Anderson

Kashmira Patel

Gail Accinelli

Rebecca Anderson

Rebekah Payne

Amanda Tibbetts

Kim Ballor

Rochelle Brisson

Sandra McGriff

Lana Kinney

Kym Hunter

Terri Wlaschin

Ginger Bishop

Shannon Chomanczuk

Kelli Jacobson

Patricia Gasparino

Deana Hager

Erin Siegel

Deborah Brooks

Lynne Bowland

Alicia Marinache

Pam Ferrari

Shirley Moore

Joanne Tinley

Shanti Johnson

Lorelei Eurto

Antiquity Travelers

Shelly Joyce

Marlene Cupo - You are here!

Dee Elgie

Smoosher's Blog Roll - April Showers

WARNING! THIS BLOG POST IS NOT FOR THE FAINT AT HEART! Just the lighthearted!

Ahhh! April Showers - where are they? Not here in Florida at least. We are in the midst of another very dry period. Witness the miriade of fires breaking out across the state.

God Bless and keep all the firefighters safe.

There are two other blessings brought down on us because of this exceptionally mild weather. The first of which is pollen in all its blooming glory. Anyone got a tissue????

Owl on a Flowering Branch by Creative Critters

Strange Flower and Grass by Valerie's Stuff

Then there is the early hatching of bug larva. Where is that bug repellant?

Green and Gold Butterfly by Kimis Jewelry

Dragonfly Pendant by Desert Rubble

Bumble Bee Beads by Wyvern Designs

OK, the butterflies and dragonflies we can live with, and even the bumble bees serve their purpose. So this is my omage to their existance, thanks to the talented "Polymer Clay Smooshers" on Artfire.com.

Flap Your Wings Tribute Fundraiser

I often think creativity is a universal thing. We all have something to give, and so many ways to give it. Whether it be sharing with each other, teaching someone, giving advice or just being there when someone needs it. Since starting to work with polymer clay and designing my jewelry and other items, I have had the good fortune of "meeting" so many wonderful and encouraging people. Social media is one of the perfect examples of this. No matter what interests you, you can find someone who shares your passion, and is willing to be there for you, with encouragement, helpful hints or tips on refining your craft, and sometimes offering their trials and tribulations, which reminds you, you are not alone.

I don't think this is limited to any one type of crafter. Anyone who is willing to put their heart and sole into something they create has that same common thread of caring for the other one. I belong to a monthly craft group, and although we don't all do the same thing (some scrapbook, crochet, sew, and journal, as I pound on my clay), the group always is uplifting and encouraging each other's work.

Of course, my main focus is on jewelry making, and those that are active in the pursuit of designing it. There are MANY fantastic blogs out there on the subject, done by just as fantastic authors. I have never met any of them, and yet, there is a kinship with all of them, and I know I am not alone in feeling this way.

I recently came across a blog (Moobie Grace Designs) written by Tania Spivey, in which she was writing about a fellow jewelry artist who had been doing wonderful work in metal and mixed media for many years, I do not know if she knew her personally but she did a touching tribute to Judy Glende and her contribution to the art, until she lost her battle with cancer (Typical of how we seem to look after each other.) She decide to start the Flap Your Wings Design Challenge, so that others who felt the lose of this creative soul, or someone in our own life could make a contribution to charity in her name.

It is almost the anniversary of having lost my mother to pancreatic cancer, so it indeed hit a cord with me. I had purchased two of Judy's works and have decided to incorporate them into the items I am creating. I will be offering up these pieces for this auction on the reveal date of April 14, and hope that they do well. Please come back on this date and see what I have done, and if you would like either please post your bid in the comment section, or e-mail me. The items will, of course, go to the highest bidder(s), postage free.