Kym Hunter Designs: 2011

Friday, December 23, 2011

Merry Christmas

Wishing everyone a wonderful Christmas

and a Happy New Year!

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Melinda Orr Metal & Clay Jewelry Designs: Virtual Craft Show is Here! Enter to win ~70Artis...

Melinda Orr Metal & Clay Jewelry Designs: Virtual Craft Show is Here! Enter to win ~70Artis...: I will be giving away this awesome necklace to one lucky winner that shares my blog post on facebook, blog, twitter and any other socia...

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wishing you and your loved ones a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving day!

Visit Google for some Thanksgiving fun!

Blessings to you and enjoy your day!

Sunday, November 13, 2011

I ❤ Macro November 13, 2011

Linking up with Lori Plyler of Studio Waterstone for I Heart Macro. Click on the button above to check out the other I Heart Macro submissions for this week.

I've been feeling rather blue lately. Not sure if it's because it's so unseasonably warm here,

or because this year is flying by and. there. are. only. forty. one. days. till. Christmas.(!!!!)

Our family has decided to make handmade gifts for Christmas this year, which I am very excited about. I have so much to do, in a short amount of time and it's been very hard to get motivated.

I took a bit of a stroll this morning trying to find some pretty fall color. It's been so warm here that most everything is still green, or has turned brown from lack of rain. I did find this weed that has some pretty reds and yellows

and a few yellow leaves that I collected, along with some interesting rocks, a snail shell and an awesome wasp nest. Now. I'm going to put on my happy face and get to work.

Enjoy your day and I hope you have a wonderful week!

Saturday, November 12, 2011

November Art Bead Scene Monthly Challenge

Madonna Pietra degli Scrovigni

by Marie Spartali Stillman (1844-1927)

Watercolour, gouache and gum arabic, 30.9in × 24.1 in.

The art chosen for the ABS November Monthly Challenge is so lovely and romantic! The earthy color pallet is definitely right up my alley and my mind was immediately flooded with design ideas.

About a year ago I had won a beautiful bronze Art Nouveau Stile Floreal Sunflower Connector, made by the talented Cindy Gimbrone, and I knew it would be perfect for this piece.

The necklace I made also includes a wire wrapped focal of yellow leopardskin jasper, wire wrapped topaz colored glass rounds, antique brass colored chain, seed beads and a Vintaj clasp.

Since my necklace was leaning more towards the browns of the color pallet, to add a bit of color, I incorporated some silk ribbon in shades of green and red, an oval piece of moonstone and peridot.

Visit the Art Bead Scene flickr group to see the other wonderful entries submitted for this months challenge.

Have a wonderful day!

Sunday, October 30, 2011

I ❤ Macro October 30, 2011

Joining Lori Plyler, of Studio Waterstone, for "I Heart Macro" slash "I Heart Close Ups: Up Close Photography for Macro Makers and the Camerologically Challenged".

This weeks macro shots, featuring weeds from my yard.

Carolina Snailseed. The name refers to the seed, which supposedly resembles a snail shell. The birds really love these bright, red berries.

And the lovely Rag Weed. We try to eliminate these before they bloom, but missed this one.

I also wanted to share a picture of this little guy. It's one of the many Battle Beasts that my eldest son collected when he was a boy. About twenty years ago my son accidentally pulled one of the arms off and for the life of me, I could not get it to snap back into the darn, little hole. I sat it on a shelf to fix "later" and over the years would try again, to no avail. This morning I gave it a try and after wrestling with it for 15 minutes, the arm finally snapped into the hole! Proof that mom's can fix anything, even if it takes twenty years.

Please click on the button below to view all of the wonderful macro submissions for this week.

Enjoy your week!

Sunday, October 16, 2011

I Heart Macro October 16, 2011

One of our neighboring towns has a wonderfully large community of artists. Every type of artist you can think of are represented in this town. These talented artists have banned together and organized an artist tour and for one weekend in October, their studios are open to the public. We have been going for several years now, and that's where I'll be spending my time today.

My "I Heart Macro" picture today is of a piece of pottery that I bought at an artist tour a couple of years ago.

I pretty much love all forms of art, but I'm a sucker for pottery!

This piece was made by Marty Ray, who also teaches ceramic and sculptor at the local community college that I attended. Marty is a very talented potter and most of her pieces are incised with wonderful drawings from her day to day life.

I'm linking up with Lori, of Studio Waterstone for "I Heart Macro" slash "I Heart Close Ups: Up Close Photography for Macro Makers and the Camerologically Challenged".

Come join the fun!

Enjoy your week!

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Gaea Ceramic Bead and Art Studio Blog: Win A Bead Bundle!

Gaea is celebrating with a giveaway!

Visit her blog to find out how you can win one of her beautiful bead bundles!

The Pretty Bee: Fabulous Fall Jewelry Giveaway!

Win a collection of colorful, fall jewelry on the pretty bee's blog:

http://theprettybee.blogspot.com/2011/10/fabulous-fall-jewelry-giveaway.html

Saturday, October 8, 2011

I ❤ Macro October 09, 2011

Good Sunday morning! It's time for "I Heart Macro", hosted by Lori Plyler of Studio Waterstone.

While rearranging my work space, I ran across some old keys that I've had for a couple of years. I decided to leave them out and I have a couple of ideas on how to work them into a necklace.

I think these three are my favorites.

And I really like the design work on this one.

Click on the button below to check out all of the up close/macro pictures for this week.

Have a wonderful week!

Sunday, October 2, 2011

I Heart Macro October 2, 2011

Over the years I have collected various plants, shrubs, trees and bulbs from family and friends. My mother in-law gave me the bulbs that produced the flowers below. Blooming in the fall, I usually forget about them until this time of year, when I see the spear like stems emerging from the ground and then the beautiful flowers that follow a few weeks later.

I have always simply called them Spider Lilies and until now, never thought to research them. Per Wikipedia, they are called Lycoris radiata (red spider lily) and are in the amaryllis family. Wikipedia has some very interesting information regarding the origin of the flower and some legends about the flower, some being quite sad.

"Red Spider Lilies are the alarm clock for the sleeping South." – Chris Wiesinger

Please click on the button below to see macro pictures posted by other talented photographers!

Enjoy your week!

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Bead Table Wednesday

I have the rest of the week off from work and had so many plans for creativity. It's almost evening and all I've done so far is lay out these beads and take a few pictures. Does this ever happen to you? I can't tell if it's because I'm expecting myself to get too much done in the five days I have off, or if I'm just not feeling creative today. And now I feel bummed because the day's almost over and wasted. Oh well, hopefully I'll have better luck tomorrow!

Sunday, September 25, 2011

I ♡ Macro September 25, 2011

Good Sunday morning! Today I'm linking up with Lori of Studio Waterstone for "I Heart Macro".

I am so in the mood for some fall weather! The temperature has dropped some, but still not as cool as I would like for this time of year. I've been working with warmer toned beads and metals this past week. I have these sweet, little pumpkin beads that I want to work with next. Hmm, maybe an autumn charm bracelet? I could probably get away with wearing it till Thanksgiving. I'll post pictures when it's finished!

Click on the button to join in the fun!

Have a great week!

Monday, September 19, 2011

2011 Talk Like a Pirate Day September 19th

Ahoy Matey! Today is Talk Like a Pirate Day. I had actually never heard of Talk Like a Pirate Day until recently on the BSBP forum, when one of the participants suggested that we could also make a piratesque piece of jewelry in honor of TLPD. I though it sounded like fun and decided to give it a try.

Okay, not being an authority on pirate wear, I'm not sure if this is something a pirate would have chosen to wear, but, isn't the little pirate girl cute! Arrr!

Saturday, September 17, 2011

I ❤ Macro September 18, 2011

My son started to make a glass of chocolate milk and jumped when I shouted "Wait! Don't stir that yet! Let me get my camera!" For some reason, I really like the chocolate syrup pattern at the bottom of the glass of milk. My camera had a hard time focusing though and I was only able to get three shots before I could tell that my son was getting impatient and wanted to drink his milk.

I'm linking up with Lori at Studio Waterstone for "I Heart Macro". Click on the button and check out the other wonderful macro pictures.

Enjoy your Sunday and have a great week!

Bead Soup is Ready!

This is my first Bead Soup Blog Party and I'm so glad that I signed up to participate! I have enjoyed meeting new people, reading everyone's blogs and seeing the wonderful beads that have been exchanged over the last month. Thank you Lori Anderson for working so hard to make this blog hop fun and successful!

My BSBP partner, Laura Sanger, sent me some beautiful beads in colors that are perfect for fall, which is fast approaching. Be sure to visit Laura's blog to see what she created with the beads that I sent her.

Laura sent me so many beads that I was able to make several pieces and still have beads left over!

I used the carved bone focal and the floral clasp in this necklace. The necklace also includes some large faux Amber beads, copper spacers and beautiful red fire-opal crystals beads, that Laura sent.

I made two pair of earrings, one pair with some Czech glass stars and multicolor crystal bicones.

The other pair are made with these lovely carved bone tube beads and crystal rondelle beads.

I used a mix of Goldstone rounds, tiger eye rounds, Carnelian chips and the seed beads and wire wrapped them over a wooden bangle that was wrapped in orange and red plaid silk ribbon.