BEAD & BUTTON 2008

"Cityscape" placed 2nd in the Bead Dreams competition, and I got to press my nose against the glass in person to check out that cool red ribbon.  WooHoo!  The NPCG Booth at the show was fabulous...organized by Beth Ackley of the Metro Milwaukee PC Guild, there were lots of fun demos, samples of artwork on display and info available about the polymer artists at the show.

While I was only able to spend three days there,  I really had a blast.  Oh yes, and speaking of blasts...that horrible noise I heard while waiting for the airport shuttle turned out to be a tornado siren.  Who knew?  I just held on extra tight to my shopping bag once someone clued me in...no way did I want my cool new hammer, awesome corrugated metal strips, vintage textured chain or those sweet Mary Hettmansperger earrings to get sucked up into the atmosphere.  Oh yes - and for the record, I'll take our California earthquakes over tornados any day ;)

OLD IDEAS...NEW WORK

Last year I made some really fun earrings using sheet metal cut with a circle disc cutter, domed on a dapping block, and then riveted together (top pair in photo).  While these were 100% metal, I knew I wanted to combine polymer with metal in the same way.  I'm finally getting the time to focus on these. Texturing and cutting metal disks is definitely on the calendar for the next few weeks, and I'm also excited about using some of the patterned sheet I purchased at the B&B show.

My work is typically two-dimensional, but I'm having fun with these "pinch earrings".  I start with a flat piece of patterned clay, and then pinch the edges in to form this semi-pinwheel shape. It's such an easy way to give an added bit of dimension...and I'm all about easy!!!

WORKSHOP DIVA'S

I just have to post this photo of the artists who attended my workshop this weekend.  A wonderfully funny and talented group, they made two days just fly by!  Pictured here wearing some of their creations are (from left):  Jenny Rohrs, Kit Veerkamp and Nat Groves.  You rock, ladies...keep up the fabulous mokume gane work!

SHOP UPDATE

After being closed for a couple of weeks due to travel for workshops and shows, the Shop is finally open again.  You'll find that the jewelry and bead shop pages have been combined into one.   I think it will be a little easier to navigate and hopefully everyone can still find their way around the site.  I apologize for the limited listings and hope to get more posted soon!

Latest Flickr Update: 

June 23, 2008