What Remains

What Remains
Originally uploaded by satyridae

Here's the necklace I made last week. I call it What Remains. It's got lots of vintage components as well as beaded beads that are new. The focal is a Fossil Jasper with lots of little arthropod fossils in it.

I made earrings to go with it- click through to Flickr to see them.

This one will be up for sale on etsy tomorrow. It's also my entry in the October EBW challenge- the theme is Animal Instincts.

Callisto

Callisto
Originally uploaded by satyridae

Here's the sculpture. I'm so happy with this! It's two completely separate parts. The hollow mother part is pretty mobile and can take on a few different affects. The child part is more coral-like and less malleable. Peyote stitch and fireline and more hours than you can count. Click through to Flickr for lots more photos from every possible angle.

Not for sale.

Not yet, anyway.

Still No Photos

I finished a necklace today. I think it might be my Etsy Beadweavers challenge entry for this coming challenge, the theme of which is Animal Instincts. Do fossils count as animals? They were once, so I'm thinking yes. And I've got two pairs of earrings done, both of which coordinate with the necklace. My hollow sculpture is finished, and I got a bracelet back this week from Step By Step beads that I haven't shown the world yet.

My parents are visiting, so there has been little time for photography. But lots of time for beading. I hope to talk my dad into taking some photos with his very lovely camera tomorrow.

We spent a lot of time wandering through galleries today, and I found myself really paying attention to the albedo of things. There were some sculptures with matte insides and so-shiny-they-looked-wet outsides that I was enchanted by. I think that's a concept I will be playing with soon.

But Wait, There's More!

I made the Feed Five on Smitteniche! Because of the Art Zoo thing. Wheee! This is so cool. :-)

Calendar!

I'm so excited, I got my contributor's copy of the Beading Bead-A-Day Calendar today.

They chose 3 of my pieces! Wheee! I'm famous! On January 3 & 4th, it's my Aurora Borealis netted panel. On June 20 & 21st it's the Jellyfish Beaded Lab Creature, and on July 25 & 26th it's Poseidon's Deep.

Featured!

My beaded oil lamp was featured today on The Art Zoo!

Here's the link: http://www.theartzoo.com/beaded-oil-lamp/

Sculptural Work

I'm working on a new sculpture. It's going to be hollow, I think. I hope. And it will have a removable piece. And it's in a totally grey color scheme so far. I don't have any photos yet, but I'm really enjoying the process.

My parents are visiting from Ohio, so maybe I'll have more beading time than usual while they are here- we will sit around talking, and I can bead the whole time. So maybe photos of the piece soon.

Beaded Beads Photo

Beaded Beads
Originally uploaded by satyridae

See how the beads are all gappy and the thread shows on the one on the right? That's the learning bead. :-)

Crosseyed

I have been admiring beaded beads for a while now. Today I finally decided to try my hand at them. The worst part was spray-painting the wooden beads. And my hand. And my sock. And... well, you get the idea.

The actual beading was familiar- I know peyote stitch inside and out. The paint was not quite dry when I started the first bead, and I think the tackiness helped the beads stay in place. I used 15/0 charlottes. I really like the way the second one turned out. The first one, not so much- big gaps where thread shows. The second one was much more controlled. I can see how these could be really addictive.

Then I decided to make a hollow bead- I started with 15/0 beads, then went to 11/0 then to some teardrop looking ones for the equator. Those turned out okay too.

No pictures yet. And wouldn't you know, these beads are what color? Blue.

Nudibranch Undulation Beadwoven Cuff Bracelet

Nudibranch Undulation Beadwoven Cuff Bracelet
Originally uploaded by satyridae

Here it is, the bracelet that's been keeping me up nights. I fell into this and couldn't get out till I finished it. I really like this one- the undulations are very organic, I think. The colors flow in harmony with the bumps, and the vintage button closure works too.

It might be time to make something that isn't blue next.

Labor Day Blues Earrings

Labor Day Blues Earrings
Originally uploaded by satyridae

Earrings, at last! I made them both at the same time- I mean with two needles strung, bead a few beads on one earring, then pick up the other and duplicate what I'd just done. It took a long time, but I'm pretty happy with the end result. I think I will do the transitions differently in future, though. I want a smoother transition, and I need to work on that. In the meantime, they go with the Labor Day freeform bracelet I made a few days ago. And they will go with the bracelet I was up till 2 am working on last night. Photos to follow, perhaps tomorrow if I finish it.