Hoarder's Stash Bead Hop this weekend

I can't believe that I actually got my pieces done!  My j.o.b. has been so hectic lately that there was not much time left in the day for working on any projects.  But 5-10 minutes at a time over the last several weeks paid off.  Look for the reveal this Saturday, July 20th.

The "boys" are growing by leaps and bounds.  Zinger was the rut of the litter, so tiny and shy.  Now he is a moose! All muscle. Tofur, who we thought would be huge because his paws were so big, is much lighter (mostly fur). They finally finished up with all their shots and have forgiven us for their visits to the vet.

Zinger is just not sure about coming out of the cage
during this vet visit.

We found some more stray kittens in the blackberry vines a couple of weeks ago.  This cutie was so adorable that I was not willing to take her to the Humane Society. She is finding a home with my good friend Jen.  We are kitty sitting till she moves into her new home at the end of the month.

Shilo

I would keep her if I could, but 6 is too many already.  I swear there is a beacon over our house written in Catese,,,, it say "Here live Suckers"  (they will pet you and love you and feed you and call you George)

Bead Hoarders Blog Hop is coming

I have a lot of beads.
Not only do I make my own beads but can't seem to resist buying more.
Never meet a bead show or store I did not like.
I bring the beads home, oh and ah over them and then store them away to do "something special" with at some nebulous time in the future....that never seems to come.
It really is a form of addiction.  Heaven knows my husband thinks it is (and yah, when was the last time you used that mitre saw you just HAD to have, hummm?)

With this thought in mind, the lovely Lori Anderson is hosting another blog hop devoted to delving into the stash to actually MAKE something.

OK ... Delving I did go.  First stop, a Christi Friesen piece that I have been keeping the plastic container it came in since I bought it on my first polymer clay cruise at least  5 years ago!  It took a while to figure out how to get it out of the box, as it was wired in for display purposes.
Now I am trying to string using bone and wooden beads from my stash.  I have tried numerous combinations and still not settled on one I am happy with.

I do a lot of beading in bed. It has the best light in the house.

When I was in Tuscon several years ago, I found these gorgeous ceramic beads at the Clay River Design booth.  Time for them to become my next masterpiece.

Wish I had bought more of these!

Have to wait and see, if I can get these beaded and ready by the 20th. There is so much stuff going on outside bead studio this time of year. Hoping that I can, and that I can work up even more of my stash.  The weather has been so warm it is really hard to do any polymer work ... this hop is a great inducement to keep the Muse Alive while waiting for cooler temps.

   

Rustic Reloaded

As I wrote in my last blog, I wanted to attempt using darker colors when making Rustic Beads. This time I tried a dark blue.  

 I found out quickly that dark colors just aren't my thing. At least, this shade of blue it not.

 So, back to the lighter colors I gravitate towards.

Only textured on one side.  Will have to make post earrings
out of them, I suppose

 The yellow/green combo is one that really speaks to me

 Close ups of my favorite beads of the group.

 A little darker this time.  I also tried a bit of a different distressing technique on these pairs.  The finished look is more scratched up and worn that I was able to achieve before.  Kinda like the result and want to play some more with the idea.

 I saw a quick demo on  how to make lava beads at clay camp, but did not win the tool needed to create them.  Found it in my local neighborhood hardware store (this is a great place to wander the aisles, they are an older store with lots of goodies tucked away just waiting to be discovered). These were colored using the same technique as the rustic beads, but I did not distress them.  They have problems enough of their own without my beating on them.

A big thanks to Ginger Allman of The Blue Bottle Tree for her Rustic Bead tut.  I am having so much fun with it.

Rustication

I finally overcame my obsession with Controlled Marbling long enough to try out a new tutorial: Rustic Beads by Ginger Davis Allman at The Blue Bottle Tree.

My first attempts aren't as Rustic as hers, but then she wrote the book, so to speak.
On the first try, the beads came out way too thick and not battered enough.

So, after reducing the amount of clay and purchasing a "rustic tool" that Ginger recommended in the tut, these were the result.  Not quite what I expected, but I am not unhappy.  They aren't as, well for lack of a better term, rustic as those Ginger makes. I think that is because I tend to gravitate towards brighter, lighter colors.  I am going to try darker colors next time.

Kitten update:  I can't really call them kittens any more.  They are 5 months old and almost full grown.  Zinger had his "operation" last week and it did not go as well as Tofur's.  He apparently wiggled and twisted and squirmed around so much, he bumped his hinny against the cage and gave himself a nasty hematoma at the surgical site.  He has to wear a cone to prevent further damage. 

Sleeping off the effects of the day

Worming my way into Daddy's heart??

Rainbow Earrings

Got around to making up some earrings from the beads I made at Clay Camp.  Since the rainbow beads are so colorful, I kept the design simple.  

 Finally getting collages figured out. I don't have any fancy software, like photoshop. Just have to use Picasa, which I downloaded for free.

Hard to believe that all these colors came from only 4 basic colors.

Clay Camp Productivity

Despite starting to come down with a cold Sunday night at Clay Camp, I was quite productive.
I had several projects planned, but got hooked into making controlled marble beads.  I blended several colors to try and forgot that with this technique, a little bit of clay goes a long way.  I was  making beads from the same colors Monday morning and still have some of the blended colors left to make more now that I am home.

Out of 4 basic colors, I got a plethora of beads. It's all in how you combine the colors.

 With this technique, you only get a few beads of each color run.  These 4 beads are made from one of my favorite color combinations.

 I discovered right away that I had left my smallest Kemper circle cutter at home. These were the first set of beads that I made, being forced to use a circle cutter larger than I liked for the end caps. I tried something different on these, texturing the beads slightly.  After baking, I discovered I really did not like the textured look. What to do?
    I mixed a bit of dark brown ink with my LPC and colored in the textured part of the beads, giving them a speckled appearance.  I like this look better.

I discovered that I had some eyelets in my stash, so I used them in these beads.  Unfortunately, I only had a few and they were quickly gone. I like the finished look I get using them.

My guildie Janis loaned me her small cirlce cutter, so the next beads were made using it.

There are more bead sets, but that is enough for tonight.  Tonight was my first night back to work after vacation and I am finally ready to fall asleep.  

What a Wasted Week

I hate being sick.  And, even worse, to be sick on vacation.  Started getting sick at Clay Camp Sunday Night and by Monday night, I was down for the count.  I think this cold hit me so hard because I still have a touch of the bronchitis from last month's infection.

I was supposed to be in Eastern Washington this week helping with my mother's estate.  Instead my poor beleaguered sister had to handle the yard sale by herself.  I feel so bad about this ... I had taken the week off especially to help her.

Last night was the first time I felt even a little human all week, and at that all I could do was watch a little TV, catch up on emails and visit Pinterest.  Today I started putting away my Clay Camp paraphernalia - that took most of the morning. After a several hour nap to recoup my energy, I took some pictures of the beads I made at Clay Camp.  They will be posted later when I have the energy to edit them.

Lord Opuson was a trouper, watching over me and the kittens when I was sick.   We both have our faves.  Soft little Tofur is my baby, while Zinger  (so named because he Zings into the house whenever the door opens) is growing on my hubbie.

Tofur a couple of weeks ago.  Getting ready for a nap

Opus actually tucker Zinger out playing with him.
Usually he doesn't hold still for photos.