Merry Christmas

Wishing everyone a wonderful Christmas

and a Happy New Year!

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...

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!

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!

 

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!

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!

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!