Back to my Jewelry Passion

For me this year has been all about trying to combine 

my love of fiber, polymer clay and jewelry into art to wear. 

I am so excited 

because I entered 3 pieces into the Cloth Paper Scissors Artisan 2012 competition 

in the mixed media jewelry category 

and then forgot all about it. 

Well, Wednesday morning when I checked my email 

I had a message from the editor Jenn, 
that I have been chosen as one of the 25 finalists!!! 

This means I have to ship my pieces off to them 

and they will have them until Nov of 2012.  

Fortunately one of them did not sell on Ebay last week.  

So here are the pieces I entered:

My Peacock Feather inspired necklace

My "Ophelia" Cuff

My Woodland Fairy Bib Necklace

  

Please give them a kiss goodbye and wish me luck. 

There are only 5 challengers in each of the five categories 

so I figure I have a 20% chance of winning!  

Pretty good odds. 

And my humblest thanks to Cloth Paper Scissors 

for hosting this contest 

and choosing my art jewelry.

And to Heather Powers at Humble Beads 

and the Art Bead Scene Blog 

for providing the inspirational challenges that led to me making these pieces. 

This made my week! 

I have been battling a bad bout of diverticulitus.

There is a limited time in which broth and coconut water taste delicious

and I think it is half past that time. 
We are having a thunderstorm so I am going to go watch the show!! 
Have a great weekend everyone! 

My Fiber Art Accesories, gearing up for fall and winter

Did I mention my addiction to fiber?

As I secretly work on my Bead Soup I also have been very busy with fiber 

so today it's all about Fiber!!

I am creating more patterns and classes for my crochet students at Gail Knits here in town.

In the last week I completed a crocheted pillow,

Made with Cascade "Duo" which is an undyed yarn 70% Baby Alpaca and 30% Merino Wool
It is so soft you just can't resist putting your face down on it for a little nap. 
The pillow overlaps and is closed with my handmade polymer clay buttons. 

Another Hairpin Lace Scarf, 

Hairpin Lace Scarf made with Trendsetter "Segue"
a hand dyed polyamide ribbon yarn. 

A Felted Purse

Felted Purse made with Cascade "Pastaza"- 50% Llama and 50% wool
and a novelty yarn by Trendsetter called "Joy"
All it needs now is a wonderful polymer clay button closure and 
a lining with lots of pockets. 

Here is the bottom where you start with an oval shape and increase to the width you want the purse to be.
The purse is crocheted with a size N crochet hook, 
when felted it shrinks about 30% and all
the lacy holes mesh to form a boucle-like texture.
Last of all I made a recycled leather cuff from an old purse, 

My thank you gift to my daughter Jessie for her help at my last craft show.

She wears her white cowboy boots to Stoney's
(She is an avid Country Western fan; line and swing dancer)
This cuff matches her boots perfectly!!

Yesterday Jessie had a day off and  graciously modeled some of my accesories

for a photo shoot in our front yard. 
I think she even had fun doing it! 

These pictures are now on my first IDVD Slideshow -

"Aquariart Portfolio" 

completed late last night (yawn).  

Thanks are due to my wonderful friend Barbara too

for her help teaching me the IDVD program.  

 Here are a few of the pictures we took:

It makes such a difference to see your items on an actual person. 

 I am so fortunate to have two gorgeous daughters,

one of which is right here and available to photograph.  

For all my jewelry fans we took a couple of jewelry shots:
then we were both tired so more another day. 

My Kokopeli Set made with an enamel focal (the kokopeli figure) 

from EB Bead and Metal Works.

Yes that is a tiny handmade native american flute hanging from the pendant.
I made all the beads out of polymer clay. 

and My "Fairy Garden" Bib Necklace

This one has lots of my hand made flowers, lucite flower beads, seed beads and organza leaves.
Th-th-th-that's all folks,
now you know what I mean when I say:
"I have been busy this week!" 
Have a wonderful Labor Day Weekend Everyone!! 

BTW- Working on the Art Bead Scene Blog July Challenge

As usual I am the queen of last minute 

and finished my piece for the Art Bead Scene July Challenge today at 1 pm.  

So then there was a nasty photo session in the 106 degree hot wind 

in my south facing back yard under the patio cover. 

Then lots of photo editing, uploading and picture collaging on picnik. 

I have to say I took a nice break and had a little frozen yogurt with my friend Barbara this afternoon. 

So it is 6:16, hubby is fortunately working a little late 

and I am scrambling to finish this post for Bead Table Wednesday 

and the Art Bead Scene July Challenge for the blog hop 

and I will be done blah, blah, blogging until Saturday. 

Here are my pictures: 

House Pendant from mixing the clay colors in the inspiration palette to the finished pendant.

Screeching in at the last minute for the deadline!!!
For some reason I had a really hard time making this piece today.  I started the moment my husband left for work (7:15am) and finally, all alone in the house at 1 pm said to myself outloud:

"Ok Heather , you are done, just leave it the way it is 

and go take the (*$!#) pictures,

it's getting really hot outside!!"

The Bad News: 

I ruined a bunch of jump rings and a stretch of chain because 

I must have taken this apart at least 20 times and reconstructed it ;

 over and over and over......ugh.

 I am finding that I really prefer my copper and antique brass findings. 

For some reason they seem more neutral and less intrusive than silver.  

I really want the time back I wasted making polymer roses and leaves on Monday 

because they were too big and too distracting

making the house pendant just disappear.   

The Good News: 

This is not one of my most favorite designs but it is what it is.  

And it is done!! YAY!! 

And I got my yellow enameled copper head pins just in time yesterday 

from Kimoras on Etsy and I love them!!

If you read my blog last month you already know 

I am very, very low on the color yellow in my stash. 

My collages are created on picnik.com

For more pictures and information about my polymer clay process 

including a secret recipe for sparkling yellow go HERE.

To see the other wonderful Bead Tables and July Challenge pieces 

click on the highlighted words at the beginning of my Rant.  

Then just breathe!! 

Inspired by Nature: Forest Floor Challenge

This challenge is 

sponsored by Heather Powers at Humblebeads.  

Go HERE to see the rest of the entries.

Here are some shots of my finished entry I took this morning.

I just like the odd angle of this one and how the background blurred.

Close up of the center pieces of the bib necklace

One of several copper clasps with patina  I purchased from Melinda Orr at ORRTEC on Etsy

Full on view of the neclace. Blends right into this little forest on my pool wall.

The left side of the necklace- here you can see my wood bead and tassels at the top
near where I joined the interesting copper cage chain. 

Free motion stitched lining on back of necklace and hand couching of yarn and specialty threads.
This one will join my bib necklace series for all seasons as an autumn piece.

That's all for now!! Enjoy the rest of your Sunday. I will be back for Bead Table Wednesday on Wednesday of course!

Another Ta Dah!! I have been busy!!

Here is a collage of my piece for Heather Power's new weekly challenge: 

Inspired by Nature: this week Feathers.

I made the polymer clay peacock feather beads and

the dark teal textured and antiqued with black beads.

I already had this beautiful teal silk ribbon which I wove through some very open copper chain

split and tied in bows secured with super glue. 

Dyed fresh water pearls in jewel tones worked beautifully as feather-like dangles 

so I sprinkled them here and there wrapped with bright copper 28 gauge wire. 

I think they added just the right fringy touch dangling below the oval pendant. 

I tried to use jewel tone components through out;

green glass 8mm bicones, goldstone rounds,  

with copper findings to reflect the colors in the peacock feather beads. 

I have more polymer clay beads left 

so you will probably see them in

other creations soon 

or 

after I fall in love with the next thing I make

for sale in my etsy shop- heatherp22.

To join in the fun visit Humblebeads blog.

Polymer Clay Class last week

I took a class with a wonderful teacher and clay artist, 

Sophia from my local Las Vegas Polymer Clay Guild last week.  

She also does beautiful ceramic work. 

We learned to make a faux wood or bone technique and made pendant dolls. 

I had to be a little different and make my mouth 

with the sliced coffee stir stick we used for the eye indentations. 

She looked too sad with  a frown 

so I added the up turn spots 

and look she's a

Little Faux Wood Vampire Doll

for all those Twilight Fans out there.  

It was especially fun to make the wire coiled hair and the tiny earrings. 

This doll is 5 1/4" tall from the bail to the tip of her tooth shaped body.  

This is the first time I have ever used super soft sculpy as a base for beads too.  

It was a little difficult to keep it from getting lumpy 

when you cover the center with the sheets of the wood grain clay.  

All in all it was a really fun day with some new people I hadn't met 

and I would like to make more dolls with my own style.  

I have been dreaming up ideas for more faux wood pieces, beads...... very inspiring class. 

I am taking a few moments to think about all those gave their lives to preserve freedom,

something I never want to take for granted.  

Thank you to all those with loved ones in the military for your many sacrifices. 

I am off to mow the lawn before it gets too hot.

My dream mower- it's either this or I hire Chippendale's Men!

Our  friends Rick and Tanys are in town this weekend 

so I am looking forward to seeing them tomorrow night 

and having a chocolate-raspberry beer at the Yard House Brewery. 

Happy Memorial Day 

and I hope you all have a very safe and wonderful holiday week-end.