Tuesday, April 28, 2009

"Excuse me, have you seen my mind? I seem to have lost it somewhere along the way."

Before I go into anecdote-mode, thought I'd share my latest attempt at making something with the technique Katie Hacker teaches at the Beadalon site, using loops of beading wire to space the beads instead of crimps, and then attaching dangly things on the loops. I made the end-caps out of some large hole beads and crimp-beads glued into the holes to secure the strands - I'm kind of proud at how those turned out. I'd started out thinking I'd just use the red beads with some pewter butterfly and flower charms added as dangles, but then decided to add one more strand with more pewter butterflies and red bead dangles. Maybe I went overboard just a bit, but I like it.



I had "one of those days" today - lots of things just seemed harder to do than usual because I just couldn't focus. For example, have you ever truly believed you've made something, know you haven't sold it, and yet can't find it anywhere? I would have sworn I made a bracelet to match a tiger eye and turquoise nugget necklace. There's the necklace, there's the earrings...where's the bracelet?

Now I'm not so sure that I didn't just imagine having made it - after all, it was way back in October (imagine me rolling my eyes here). I know my memory isn't as sharp as it used to be, but typically it's forgetting where I left something real, not a false memory of having it in the first place. Oh well, guess I'll just have to make one. Once I'm finished, I'm sure the one I thought I'd made will turn up someplace obvious.

Then, as I was changing my calendar to May, I realized that Memorial Day weekend was a week earlier than I'd thought...oops! Yep, the mind is definitely going soft on me. I have a lot to do to get ready for Bay Con, and one less week to do it in.

I'm still playing around with the brown lava stones I got from Rings & Things - here's the latest (unfinished) piece with red coral, red ceramic beads in the necklace, and a lava stone, branch coral, red India glass bead, and brass wire pendant. A few more round stones at the top and a clasp and I'm done :

(Please click picture to enlarge if you'd like to see more detail)

Right at the top of the square where the hole had been drilled there was a very large pit. I wasn't really happy with how that looked and was wondering how to fill it in or cover it up. I eventually took a stone that I had put aside because it was lopsided from the way some of the cuts were along the axis of the holes in the stone (they looked like trenches instead of craters), and took a file to it and gathered the filings. I put a blob of Aleen's glue in the hole and covered it with the filings. Covered it right up - and darn near invisibly, if you ask me.

There have been a couple more posts about lava stone designs around the beadosphere - I really like what Melanie at Earthenwork Studios did with the lava stones and a beautiful "Openwork Escutcheons" piece.

Two others I've seen and not mentioned here before, are:

Margot Potter's wire wrapped earrings

Cindy Gimbrone "The Lampwork Diva" provides some product details and asks "Hmmm what sort of designs would you use these light weight beads for? Do they inspire you to create something "hot?"

I'll leave you to ponder that question (and if you have an answer - please visit Cindy's blog and leave her a comment).

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6 Comments:

Blogger Lisa Crone said...

Hi there! LOVE the red piece, I'm not sure I know where the line is when it comes to "too much", but I think it's just right!!

April 28, 2009 at 7:10 PM  
Blogger ohdawno said...

Thanks! I think it will attract some attention and be fun to wear. Definitely going to get more SoftFlex colors!

April 28, 2009 at 7:14 PM  
Blogger Dave Robertson said...

Hi Dawno, the piece at the top is not overboard at all, I might enjoy seeing an even more elaborate version. Lots of visual interest there with all the various-sized loops and circles!

--Dave

April 29, 2009 at 8:42 AM  
Blogger ohdawno said...

Thank you, Dave. I'm still a bit hesitant to go really elaborate, my personal style is a bit classical and understated for the most part. But it is fun to try new things, test the edges of the envelope as it were.

April 29, 2009 at 8:54 AM  
Blogger Just A Tish said...

not too much - it is awesome. i get so many compliments on mine!

is fun to watch you explore in other areas. you have a great eye for color and design

April 29, 2009 at 10:50 AM  
Blogger ohdawno said...

Thanks, Tish! I know I'm still building confidence and I can't tell you (and everyone else who comments) how much the input helps me.

I can take critique, too...so feel free!

April 29, 2009 at 11:18 AM  

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