Experiment I Can't Resist!

I just couldn't resist this!! One of my fellow beaders on BJP is famous for her wonderful beaded trash to treasure creatures! You can see her blog here! I especially LOVE her May 2009 BJP called "Sprout" which you can see here! Scroll down about 1/3 of the page.

Anyway, I have no idea how she does it, but I decided to try! Ha! LOL! Below you can see the little critters I got at Habitat for Humanity. They were way at the bottom of the bin! Under all the big pretty stuffed buddies. So I picked 11, with my Honey's help, & we paid $1.00 for them all! Yahoo!

Now the first thing I do know she said you have to do is de-stuff these guys! Owee! Above you can also see me starting that process, & the tools I used.

Above is one of the guys ready to get washed! He looks so smooshed!

And here they all are happily hanging up to dry! I wanted clean critters to start with. So now I get to choose which one I'm going to restuff first with new, clean stuffing...and then begins the embellishing process! I wonder how they will turn out? I'd like to make one into a talisman for our new home...and my DH has a special one he wants for himself. I think we'll call his Jolly Mon!

Wish me luck!

Lavender Hearts

Been working on some hearts stuffed with just a bit of lavender. Using fabrics & embellishments from pals, as well as my beads, threads & own bits. This is the first one I finished. It can be used in a drawer or hung in a closet. It smells wonderful, & is a deterent to some insects here!

Final Museum Order?

I thought the last order we brought up to the Museum was gonna be the last, but thought I better call up & check before my Honey packed up all our inventory! Good thing...she wants it all! So this weekend we are busy finishing off some things, packaging, etc. Whew! Good thing I called!

Project Bag

Here's a project bag I just finished. I made up the pattern as I went along. I started it with knotless netting, then went into crochet. However, I'm having one problem with it! The cord doesn't slip thru' the loops easily, so am trying to think of what to use instead...maybe some strung beads? Ribbon? Hmmm?

Handmade Leis

When we went up to visit our pals & share a meal up in Koke'e last weekend, a couple of our pals made us each a lei! Aren't they just beautiful?!!! From flowers & plants they found around the camp. What great pals! I will miss them!

Happy Solstice!!!

My swapping buddy made me these cute little foam sunshine faces! I just had to turn one of them into a Summer Solstice wand! They are so cheerful! I'll bring this one up to Koke'e tomorrow to celebrate the Solstice with some pals!

Happy Summer Solstice!

It's so Charming!

I don't know why, but lately I've been making charms! At first I thought I'd put the charms, all hand made, on a charm bracelet. But some of these charms are getting too large! Go figure! Anyway, I decided that when we get settled in our new home, I'll put a chain around the edge of our home altar & hang all these charms on it! Now just something else to do with that bracelet!

The shell on the left is a paua shell. I used a hand drill that my DH made me...it took over 700 cranks to carefully make that hole! I found out the hard way that if you go too fast or hard, it chips! Ack! Slow & steady. Didn't make many of these. Only one other for my swap buddy. She also got one like the one in the upper right.

The middle one is made with one of fabric beads I made. I guess it wasn't embellished enough, so I had to turn it into a sunny charm! On the reverse of the silver sun is the moon. These all have been a fun break...and a different use of my wrists!

Off Loom Square Stitch Example

Some have mentioned they thought my work was done on a loom, but I am using an off-loom beading stitch called square stitch. One bead at a time is sewn onto a bead in the previous row. Below you will find an example.

Here I am part way into my June rune. I am ready to add a new bead:

I pick up the yellow bead on my needle.

I insert the needle back into the bead in the previous row

that will be directly below the new yellow bead.

Now, I'm sorry this is blurry, but I wanted to show that you pull the thread below the just added yellow bead. I'm sure you can just imagine it! :)

Next I go back up thru' the yellow bead & pull the thread thru'.

Ta Da! One bead added! Now how many hundreds more to go!

Each rune has 625 beads in it stitched on one at a time.

I hope this little example helps just a bit. At least you can see how it's not made on a loom! :)

May BJP - Flight Rune

For this month of May, I wanted to post 2 pics 'cuz one shows the roughness of the dark red clay like beads. Still workin' on that photography!

Anyway, this rune explores the idea of birds as messengers leaving the spirit world for the world of matter, & returning with important news. It's a universal theme. Other meanings for this rune are transition, transforming news, communication from far away, glad tidings, messages of all kinds, (including phones, mail, spiritual, etc), intuitive connections, help for artists, creative energy, lifting of obstacles, etc. Now is the time to take flight & accept challenges, embrace change, face risks, etc. It stands for a time when you will overcome limitations & be free of obstacles. It signifies the kind of communication that changes your course of action, so watch for surprises in what you've already planned. Flight also can mean angelic guidance, counsel, or legal documents to sign. Time to fly!

The birthstone, used as the background for this month, is Emerald. This was the closest color I had to it. Then I used the contrasting dark red clayish beads for the symbol itself.

Again, all information comes from "A Witch's Runes", by Susan Sheppard.

Beautiful Flowers of Hawaii

Aren't these flowers just beautiful? A pal was recently visiting here & got these at the Hanapepe Farmers Market. When she was leaving, she left them for us to enjoy! Mahalo nui loa!

Bon Voyage Pin Cushion

In case you didn't guess what this is in one of the last updates, it's a Bon Voyage Pincushion for a pal of mine here! She's the one who's been making clothes for me...she just knows I'm gonna have to wear something on the mainland! :) I had hand copied an old pattern a long time ago, & decided to try it out even tho' I haven't used crochet thread for a long time! I was gonna put Mahalo (Thank You) on it, but decided Aloha fit better. She liked it!

Anyway, the colors on the left are closer to true...still having trouble with figuring out lighting. Natural lighting seems to work best, but sometimes I get things really blurry. Who knows...you get the idea anyway!

Moodling June 11th

OK...so with the gall bladder issues, I really haven't felt like creating anything! So when a pal came over to go thru' some books, mags & things, I just looked at a magazine & doodled in my idea book that I carry with me everywhere. Just jotted some ideas down to remember for the future. Then I used a photo editing program to X out some personal phone numbers, so this ended up being a collage of sorts! Ha!!! LOL! Are you kidding??? Really stretching it here!!! Well, it's all I have to show for this week! Hopefully more for next week!

Happy creating & everyone stay well!!!

Filler

Since this was gall bladder week, I need some filler for my blog! :) I forgot I hadn't posted the colored pencil kit decision I'd made for our travels back on 4/26. So above you can see the colors I decided to take in my pouch.

Below you can see the previous watercolor pencil choices to take on the left, & the colored pencil choices on the right. Now if I could only decide on my beading & sewing supplies! Is it possible to strap your studio to your back? Luckily my DH informed me we didn't just have to take our one piece of checked luggage when we move! I can take my backpack as carry on!!!! Yahoo! I have room! Forget the change of clothes...I need paper, pens, watercolors, beads, fabric, glue, etc...

I thought I was gonna die!

Ever felt that awful pain where you think you're gonna die? Well, I did awhile back, & then again on Sunday. About 2 hours after our Sinful Sunday brunch. (Which was wonderful, BTW...poached eggs on grain bread with a small side of bacon!) Only lasted 20 minutes or so, but that was enough to know something was up!
Then I called MOM! She told me that all our elder Italian relatives have had their gall bladders removed! Say what??? Yup, it's a family thing!
So I looked online & tried to figure out what was up. Learned a whole lot! There's a site called National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse that has a ton of useful info.
But on Tuesday, I had what I thought was an OK lunch...1/2 sandwich on whole grain bread with grilled chicken & a 1/2 slice of provolone with an apple on the side. Well, not so OK...2 hours later, I thought I was gonna die!!! This time DH decided maybe we should go to ER. Ha! Not the stubborn Norwegian 1/2 of me! So we called the insurance nurse who asked me all the regular "is it a heart attack" questions. At the end her recommendation was to see my doc the next day. In the time it took to answer her questions, the pain eased. But I made my appointment.
So...the very next day I was in the doc's office & he agrees it's probably my gall bladder. I'm set up for an ultra sound for next Thursday. And in the meantime, I'm not allowed one iota of fat!!! People with this issue have a very restricted diet! GAG! No cheese! Eat beets! (I personally think beets taste like dirt! No offense to the beet family!) No meat, fowl, pork (I LIVE IN HAWAII!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME???), legumes, blah, blah, blah. Only certain fresh veggies & fruits, & low, or no fat yogurt & cottage cheese. Luckily, in some studies, wine seemed to help! So guess what? If I can't each cheese, chicken, or anything that tastes good, I'll drink some wine & be happy about it! At least for the week until I have my ultrasound. More to come!

BJP in Progress

This is my MAY BJP in progress. It's the Flight rune, and it's all about communication, messages, etc. Whether physical, virtual or spiritual! So I'm really glad I didn't start this last month when Mercury was Retrograde! :) Hopefully I'll catch up this month!!! But, you've seen my work space, and the packing going on, so who knows!

Another WIP & Photography Issues!

Here's another example of photography issues!!!! The true color is on the left...why did the one on the right turn yellow??? Used the same light, just came from a different angle. I've heard that digital cameras work differently than the older 35mms, so it's just gonna take some time!

So can anyone tell what this is gonna be???

All I can say is that it's a surprise!

Quick Sketch...Ha!

Here's a "quick sketch" I did for my nephew. It's funny 'cuz I don't do much of this anymore for other people. (No one, unless they're an artist, can understand what it takes to do a "quick sketch" for someone!) When I was an illustrator, people would try to tell me what they wanted, & I had to try to deduce what they meant by asking lots of questions! One time a client asked for a sketch of a "cute" kitty. Well, I drew one, & she didn't like it. She said she didn't want a "realistic" kitty! Ack! And then there's the people who can't describe what they want! So it's been nice not doing illustration anymore...I'll only do it for myself, my family, or VERY close friends if they REALLY need it...and I make them answer a bazillion questions!!! Not sure if he'll use this or not, but it's done! Whew!

Can you guess what it is?

Actually, it's called a Charlotte scarf...at least that's what the instructions said! Since I caught the crochet bug, I've been trying different things. The Twisty Lei I made for my hat is kinda the same way of crocheting...on it you crochet w/o turning stitches, but it's on the short side. On this scarf, you crochet w/o turning stitches only on the long side! It's amazing how just leaving out that turning stitch can make something twist so much!

Organized Chaos??? No such thing!

OMG!!! How is a person 'sposed to work during a move??? Thank heaven for that bed tray! I can keep beading/sewing projects on it & store it on the craft table, or move it to my light table & let the legs down to work on beading. Or, when I need to sketch, I can pick it up, move it to the craft table & work on my sketching! You don't even want to see the rest of this room! How am I gonna choose what I will take with me in my travels? I'm sure the rest of you artists understand wanting to take it all with you! So far I have a sketching/watercolor pouch, my sketchbooks, a colored pencil pouch, a sewing kit...now I just need to decide on what to put in that beading pouch! Any input would be more than appreciated! Whew!