Hey I am still here during the week... just busy

I stopped in to say: "Psst-

I am listing my New Spring Cuffs starting today on Etsy !!"

(click the giant sentence to go directly there)

I may put a couple in the Aquariart shop too as they qualify as Fiber Art. 

I hope to gather my audience around this concept of creating fiber art to wear. 

I know it is not just my idea.

It really is very comfortable to wear perhaps due to the fact that most of us 

(nudists and neanderthals excluded)- * read the fine print

 (no harm intended just a joke)

have already worn fabric most of our lives

beginning with the dreaded diaper. 

(Hopefully I won't have to revert to that style in old age!!) LOL

Also

I just happened upon a wonderful giveaway this morning over at

Marcie's - La Bella Joya
 She is celebrating her 300th sale on Etsy!!

 Wow! 

You can see why when you look at her shop 

She not only makes meticulously amazing beaded items 
but sells tutorials for her beautiful designs 

she has lovely fingernails-
I am guessing she doesn't work in clay! LOL
AND

she is having a sale too!! 
(click here to get a coupon)

Click HERE to find out how to enter the giveaway. 
DISCLAIMER: This post is purposely remedial for beginner clickers.  
Anything large and colorful will take you somewhere. 
Hopefully to the places I am talking about. 
I reserve the right to make mistakes though as I am menopausal... LOL
Have a great week- Back to work - it's a polymer clay play day!! 

It's My Birthday I can SMIILE if I want to and I want to!!

I am basically a teenager inside a slightly pruning body.

I haven't changed much have I?Maybe I need to shave more, what hormones?

I am anxiously awaiting my bead soup ingredients from my partner!! 
Keep waiting for the doorbell to ring and the package of goodies to arrive.
Stay posted for some great soup, Bead Soup that is.  
Here is a little beady goodness.
I made the deadline for the Jan ABS Challenge!

This is the inspiration from the Art Bead Scene Challenge for January.

Click on the link above to see the February Challenge.

Maybe you want to give it a try. 

One of my goals this year is to  do every challenge. 

I used polymer clay for the art beads; hearts, 

free-motion stitched and then painted muslin

and real suede as the lining for the Cuff. 

Silk ribbon suspends the heart bead in the necklace.  

I know these are not the usual Valentine colors but 

that's what I am about- something unique and interesting.

Also with Polymer Clay I created a winged creature for the PCAGOE Challenge.

This doubles as an entry for my Art Quilt Group Challenge-"Shelter" for Feb too!

"My Angel Shrine"

for more about this go to my polymer clay page.

Life is good, 

yes it is 

and I feel happy deep down inside 

where all the negativity in the world outside can't penetrate.  

That is the best birthday gift ever! 

Life is simple when you have that peaceful feeling, 

love and acceptance for yourself and others. 

This could last for days or maybe just a few more moments 

but I am grateful to feel it right now. 

I have had good and bad years, experiences, relationships....

but I have learned from all of it that the good is never really good 

unless you have a little bad thrown in there to remind you how good it is. 

I am learning to focus my mind on the good 
and use that to get through what seems to be bad 

but actually is motivating and pushing me forward to: 

"NO FEAR" my mantra.   

So, I am now eligible for some of the senior discounts out there, 

not sure what they are as I really don't consider myself senior yet. 

When I am dancing my heart out in my Zumba class I feel like I am 20 again without the need for make-up, pimple cream, birth control or a sweaty muscly man.
Here is one of my Zumba teachers in action.I missed class this day so you won't see me. 

Who could ask for more!  
You really should try out a class-
 An hour of Aerobic exercise has never been this fun and gone by so fast!

Of course a few hours later my feet, spine and compressed neck 

let me know if I over did it but I keep dancing.  

I figure as long as I keep moving those years can't catch up to me. 

Move On Everyone with joy- NO FEAR !! 

Aquariart and friends at the Hoffman Quilt Challenge Exhibit

 The Hoffman Challenge exhibit went really well. 

My friend Deb took some photos- 

Here I am in my booth

My fingerless gloves were a big hit, some crocheted hats, scarves and bags and  

many of my orphaned polymer clay pieces went to new homes- Yay!! more storage space.

 During the slow moments discussions and networking with the other exhibitors 

made all the time spent there well worth it!! 

This was the last day of the four day event and I was really tired- woke up at 3:30 am that morning.

The plus of doing the 3 days was a full day to set up and leaving it set up over night.

Note my black PVC pipe back drop designed by my ingenious husband.  

It is half empty because I sold 4 of my art quilts!!

I was so fortunate to be neighbors with my doll maker friends Diane Zammito and Sandy Leal, 

LSDesigns, who sell hand dyed everything and 

scrumptious mixed media goodies of all kinds for fiberholics.

You have to see a few of their dolls:

Yes those are some of my spray painted poppy heads from WA. 

This is a mosquito doll, no face and fabulouso wings!!

I love this tree doll. Sandy's work is incredible!

An equally wonderful creations by Diane.

She is selling patterns and kits for this caterpillar doll.

Viva Alice in Wonderland!

 With all these goodies right next door it is amazing that I resisted temptation, 

 at least until the last day when I just had to have some dyed lace and silk velvet. 

Good news no calories it's eye candy!! 

Bet you wish you were there. 

Flashback to my Alamo Beads

I finally photographed my Alamo-inspired Necklace Set in an appropriate setting.   I took several other photos but the background just didn't do the necklace justice. This background is a slice from a limb of the Willow Tree that used to reside in our front yard.  We loved the tree but it was dying and became dangerous as we have quite a bit of wind here in the Desert. Having it cut down brought tears to my eyes and a sinking feeling in my heart but I kept several slices and they make great backgrounds for some of my art. 

     I made the polymer clay beads and pendant after a vacation trip to San Antonio to see the Alamo this past spring.  I know the music is a little hokie but my husband is a huge fan of John Wayne, old movies like the Alamo and the theme songs. So I included these two for him. The Ballad of the Alamo and Green Leaves of Summer. 
     Many of my beads went to my Bead Soup Partner, Emanda and she created a stunning necklace with them. 

     I think the silk ribbon and glittery beads added just the right touch of fall color to make my faux limestone beads sing. 

I also love the large wood rounds wired into the bronze rings.  

This necklace is very comfortable and light weight. I am going to take a chance and enter this piece into a pool for a book Lorelei is writing about using cords, fibers and ribbons in jewelry.  See her October 20, 2010 post for more information about the book. 

I have yet to be published but promised myself I would approach my artistic endeavors with "No Fear". 

"There is nothing to lose and much to be gained 

when your heart and soul are in everything you do."

Sisterhood of the Traveling Beads

I happened to come across the traveling box of beads over at Lorelei's Blog.

I wondered how Heather Power's inspirational give-away was progressing.  

If you love beads and love give-aways you need to check it out. 

Just like the jeans in the "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" movie, 

one of my all-time favorite movies, 

this box of beads is chock full of fabulous stuff and 

will be passes on by each winner  

after you  take what you like and add some of your own stash.

I love this idea. 

You can enter until Friday November 5th on Lorelei's Blog.

Check it out Check-it-outers!! 

A Squirrel gathers her nuts...

Beaders gather their beads sometimes not knowing what they may become.  

I picked up this beautiful wood tree pendant at (head dipped in shame because I missed Lorelei' Challenge- I was out of town and not reading blogs for a couple weeks) Michaels. 

I just love it and when I came across these spiral carved nuts at my local bead shop 

I knew I had a fine duet in the making. 

These components are not expensive and 

I love how they look together and to me they represent Fall in all it's glory. 

The beads are extremely light weight and so comfortable to wear.  

The necklace and earring set will be listed today in my Etsy Shop!! 

I just have to share photos of my Purple Passion Vine.

It went crazy this year and I have had hundreds of blossoms to ooh and ah over.

I just can't get over how intricate and strange the stamen and pistols are.

While I am waxing "Purple" 

a close up of the illusive dragonfly on 

my art quilt titled: "On Purple Pond" ( also listed in my etsy shop)

This is my artistic parody of the movie "On Golden Pond "

where like me and my family 

Life is seen through violet colored glasses 

and never ceases to be unique and inspirational. 

The center is a beautiful leaf print I did with geranium leaves and Lumiere metallic paints.

They glow on the black cotton.

 I am continually inspired to create aquatic creatures.

More later about my first artist's gallery reception!! 

It has been in the 80's all week and cooler at night here in Las Vegas.

We walk around our neighborhood at night and look at the stars and moon.

I LOVE this time of year!! 

Enjoy your weekend. 

Kokopelli Inspired Jewelry Set

I have been dreaming about this necklace since I visited Evie and Beth 

over at EB Bead and Metal Works blog and saw 

the wonderful little enameled kokopelli pendants they created.  

Had to have one and I was so excited when it came in the mail.

 I am a musician and majored in music playing the flute in college.  

Kokopellis have special meaning to me the magic of music is part of their trickster nature.  

To learn more click HERE.

I wanted to make a tiny flute 

and 

beads that express the Southwest to surround this little fellow with color.

Inspired by the black and lilac enamel colors 

I added fire in my polymer clay beads, a mix of metallic red and gold 

because I always think of kokopellis as playing around a camp fire at night.  

If you look closely you see black burning logs, 

eternity beads purposely uneven and rustic, 

and 

fibers woven in to suggest the clothing one may wear.  

I wire wrapped the pendant to hang it in an antiqued copper odd shaped ring 

and wired the spray of tubular beads below to imitate native american style jewelry.  

I had enough related beads to also create a bracelet to match.

I have been inspired by the works of Stephanie HERE is her blog.

You will see how her use of fiber and unusual beads inspired this bracelet.  

I even used some garden wire which comes wrapped in raffia to make the bead in the front of this picture.

I especially enjoyed making my donut beads you see one behind wire wrapped to the copper ring. 

They all polished up really nicely so a total of two long days of labor is finally ready to share.

Enjoy this Labor Day Weekend!!

I am very happy with how this came out, 

especially the color combination.  

Thanks to Evie and Beth for the inspirational little guy!! 

Girlz just wanna have fun!!

It is Friday!!!

Don't you just feel like you need to get out 

and shake your booty sometimes. 

 I go to Zumba class at the gym and dance my heart away 

BUT 

I do have a secret desire,

I want  to learn to Tango and Rumba with a Latin Stud!!!  

I had a great dream one night I was dancing with Antonio Banderas.

 I woke up so "Hot and Wired"

Alas,

 I have been married for 35 years now so instead of going 

Wild and Crazy 

I have been trying to make some 

wild and crazy jewelry. 

Here is my 

"Hot and Wired" bracelet.

Not your typical bracelet but that is the whole point. 

Who really wants to be typical anyway?

It all started when I rescued some orphan lamp work beads from ddfromscratch. 

She sent me a great little package full of a variety of little lamp work beads.  

I have had this bright red wire hanging around for awhile 

and I felt compelled to use my coiling gizmo. 

So I made a long piece of coiled wire,

cut it into equal lengths to create coiled tubes, 

 wired up all the lamp work beads,

 then slipped them onto memory wire, with black beads as spacers, 

curled the ends of the memory wire and joined the magnetic clasp 

and VOILA!!  

A Wild and Crazy Bracelet for a Wild and Crazy Girl!! 

Who is the Man of your dreams that gets you all "Hot and Wired" ladies? 

If you share your fantasy in the comments below 

I will put your name once in the hat for a chance to 

win this pair of earrings.

They are hand hammered by me using recycled copper wire 

and some beautiful blue druk, green cats eye and green crackled beads.

If you share this give away on your blog and comment below to let me know 

I will enter your name twice. 

For thrice (3) entries 

share this post on Facebook or Twitter also and let me know here. 

The random drawing for the winner will be 

Monday, July 5th so hurry and tell your story!!