Kreativ blogger - award!

As I was surfing through my Google Reader this morning, I saw a post about this award, and thought "How nice for the awarded site," one that I thought I was following, but am now. Then off to FB to catch up on the latest from friends, and to my surprise, I got a message from Alicia Marinache. She is such a sweet and humorous person and her creations are to die for. You can see them in her online studio here: All the Pretty Things. This is a marvelous way for all of us to share the joy we get from each others blogs and make wonderful new contacts.

When you receive this award, there are a few rules:
1. Post a link to the person who awarded you
2. Share 7 well-thought out random things about yourself
3. Award to 10 other deserving bloggers and let them know

Now here is the randomness(?) of my mind:

1. Wonder what hubby is making for dinner? Yes, taught him to cook and he loves it (ah, more time to clay play!)

2. I am still laughing out loud over the book by Bill Cosby "Fatherhood." So true it hurts.

3. Slid down here to Florida 14 years ago, because I was tired of black ice, while doing my visiting nursing.

4. So proud of my son, who just got admitted to Syracuse University Law School.

5. Love our rescue labradoodle, Pepper, even if she is crazy enough to growl at bears, but is afraid of armadillos when she is walked in the evening.

6. Only have one brother, who now lives with us, once I went to Arizona and pulled him out of an Assisted Living Facility.

7. Already working on the Christmas gift list. Have to get an early start with 5 children (all grown) and my 9 grandchildren!

 

Just 10 other bloggers? But there are so many deserving! Here is my list (in alphabetical order-the only reasonable way to do it) and the reason I am passing the award on.

Creative Chaos Sandra McGriff is as unpredictable as her eclectic gemstone jewelry, but can always be counted on to give advice to anyone who asks.

Creative Critters Michelle is not only a great sculptor, but also the curator of the very popular Artfire Blog Polymer Clay Smooshers.

Daisychain Jewellery Joanne Tinley, an amazing British metalwork artist, with a tremendous following on this side of the pond.

Fabric of My Life Shelley Graham Turner is a fantastic polymer clay artist, and an even more fantastic human being with a heart of gold.

lil mummy likes Ginger Bishop is a fun and bubbly person with a love of nature and wonderful beading and weaving skills.

Lorelei's Blog What can be said about Lorelei Eurto, that hasn't been said already?

Melinda Orr Designs Melinda, a true metal and clay artist, may not blog often, but can always be found helping others in the Creative Bead Chat

Moobie Grace Designs Tania Spivey, another British artisan, whose work is unconventional, but oh so easy on the eye.

Polymer Clay Tutorials Cindy Lietz, the polymer clay tutor par excellence, to whom many owe there creativity in polymer clay.

Tesori Travoti - Treasures Found Erin Prais-Hintz, the extraordinary, published jewelry designer, and creator of Simple Truths.

Have fun meeting some new friends!




 

Millefiori - A Thousand Flowers

A direct quote from Wikipedia: "Millefiori is a glass work technique which produces distinctive decorative patterns on glassware. The term millefiori is a combination of the Italian words "mille" (thousand) and "fiori" (flowers)."

It first appeared in the decorating of glassware in the mid 1800's. Today, the millefiori technique is used in polymer clay creations as much or even more often. It has been said, "Because polymer clay is quite pliable and does not need to be heated and reheated to fuse it, it is a much easier medium in which to produce millefiori patterns than glass."

Now I grant you, a polymer clay artist does not have to work over an open flame, and there is little danger of the polymer bursting and crumbling as with glass rods, however, I would offer that the technique is no less easy in polymer clay than glass.


First intricate canes have to be produced, one detail at a time, combined, reduced and then carefully cut to form the designs. Then the base bead or object needs to be crafted so that the slices can be attached, and combined in a way that no edges or ridges show. Afterwards, it needs to be baked, sanded, buffed and possibly glazed to produce the finished creation (or put in the "let's try this again pile").

Witness these examples of that precision, from the Polymer Clay Smooshers Guild:

Flower Earrings by Christina Kosinski Designs

Purple Petunia Pendant by Tonya's Treasures

 But the techniques lends itself to far more than flowers:

Doodle Art Cabachon by Gem's PC Creations

Mosaic by Second Sister at MoArk Jewelry

Butterfly Bead by Blue Morning Expressions

None of the above creations could be considered "easy" to make, but they are so "easy" on the eye!

Big Pot of Soup

Got my Bead Soup package from my partner, Michelle Burnett, today. Here is a quote from her blog, "She paints, she beads, she cooks, she collects, she knits! Coming from a long line of DIY-ers, she was born to craft!"

Not only is she talented, as evidenced by her blog Reverie and Revival, and an amazing artist, she calls this her "Old Art Blog",  but drop dead gorgeous.








My goodies came packaged in a lovely box tied with an extra surprise of angel wings (could easily add these to my "to do list"), with the sweetest note from her explaining her most generous contents.

I opened the box to find an absolute treasure trove of beads. Turquoise, my all time favorite to work with, and a plethora of orange beads for contrast, something I have not thought of using. The focal she included combined both colors, and that along with the awesome toggle clasp and findings she added completed a total package that will have me in creation heaven for weeks.

 Lori Anderson's 6th Bead Soup Blog Party

So glad our reveal date is in August. By then I hope to make a great pair of earrings, no bracelet, no necklace - heck I can make them ALL!